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"I know who you are."
Harry's words echoed in her head.
"We know who you are," corrected Sirius.
"No. No, you don't," Marina answered and shook her head, refusing to believe his words. "You're a disgusting criminal. You don't know anything."
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Sirius answered before he could do it. "I never betrayed the Potters," he said with a steady voice, "I would have died before I betrayed them."
The man plopped down in a chair at the end of the table. He looked nothing like the posters that used to hang in Hogsmeade. She had expected him to be a pale, scared man with yellow teeth and a sunken face. But instead, he was tall, thin and handsome, wearing the signature black hair of their family as his crown. Marina leaned forward and knit her eyebrows together.
"You know, I have been told that if I ever got the chance to meet you, I should kill you in an instance," she spoke.
"And who told you that?" Sirius smirked, picking a cup from the big table and bringing it up to his lips. "Bella? Lovely little bedtime stories?"
Marina felt her cheeks turn pink.
"I heard you... remember after the Quidditch match?" said Harry softly, looking down at his own hands to avoid her gaze. "When Draco came in... he called you cousin..."
In a last attempt to assert her control over the situation, Marina let out a feeble chuckle. It was funny, how all the Blacks looked alike, with their empty eyes and dark hair.
"Can't you see, Potter? I've been playing with your heart all along!"
Harry only sighed. He shook his head, got out of his seat and walked over to her. "Now, I don't believe that. Answer me honestly, do you trust me?" he asked. "Iwant to show you something, but you have to trust me first."
It took a moment before she managed to meet his eyes, as she was frozen of embarrassment and shock. Her eyes were glossy, and she was biting her lip as hard as she could in fear of the tears falling down. If there was one thing that her family had taught her, it was that she was never to show weakness. But she nodded slowly, taking Harry's hand and watching him kiss the palm of her hand. Sirius got to his feet, opening the large door and letting the twins walk in. Sirius took Harry's free hand, and let the twins Apparate them away.
Everything went dark for a moment. Marina felt as though she was being pushed through a tight tube. The world span around her in bright colors. She could feel a lump in her stomach - feeling glad that she hadn't eaten anything that morning. Then, she heard a loud crack. She landed on her knees, throwing her hands on the ground to keep her balance.
