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It was after days of glancing at her own picture on her family tree that Marina truly understood what choice she had taken.
She didn't regret telling the others the truth (not at all), but she knew deep down inside that she didn't want to change anything in her life.
It was on the day that they went back to Hogwarts that she realized that there was no going back: no more holidays celebrated at Malfoy Manor anymore, no more calling on who she had thought was her father, no more missions or commands. A part of her could not understand how she was going to do it, as she still loved the Malfoys more than anyone, but she had told herself that it was the best thing to do a million times over.
She glanced at the picture of Regulus one last time before leaving. His cold eyes looked right back at her.
She didn't know much about the man. Narcissa had, of course, mentioned him while talking about their family history over the past years, but never told her who he really was.
"Do you hate him?" Marina turned to Sirius. "Every time you speak of him, your face twists and you rush through your sentences."
Her uncle pressed his lips together and looked between her and the portrait. "Regulus followed Voldemort and was obsessed with blood purity — just like you."
Lupin stepped between them. "No. Not like Marina."
"She tried to fool Harry—"
"Everything Marina has done belongs to the past," Lupin said and turned to look at her. "You didn't know who you were. They fooled you, Marina, don't forget that. You didn't have a choice. Now, you do."
"She did have a choice! And look at what she did — she killed a boy!"
Marina felt her heart break. She had to look down at the floor. "No, she didn't," Lupin said, defending her again. "We've been through this. The only logical explanation to that night is You-Know-Who taking control of her body. He has done it before, she knows how it feels."
"I don't care what you think of me," Marina told Sirius, "I would never hurt Harry."
Harry entered the room, his jacket already on. They were to return to Hogwarts on the Knight Bus.
"Harry fell in love with Marina spite knowing who she was raised and guided by," Lupin told Sirius when Marina turned to Harry.
Mrs. Weasley stood right outside the room, ready to hand Marina her bag and cloak. It was with tears in her eyes that she pulled the girl into a motherly hug as a way of saying that she understood that the girl had gone through Hell over the past week.
