A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

Chapter Twelve

Cassandra's house stood just as ruined it had on the night she had visited last. The sun was only just beginning to set as she stood at the edge of the cobbled pathway. It looked even more terrible in the light as it had in the dark.

As it had previously, there were no telltale signs that anyone resided within. No lights appeared to emit from the cracks in the boarded up windows, and Marlene entertained the notion that Cassandra might not be home. Her feet moved up the pathway with purpose, uncaring that all signs told her that visitors were unwelcome.

The wind whistled, blowing past her ear and whipping her hair into a spiral that temporarily displaced her vision. Brushing the strands to the side she narrowly avoided tripping on a displaced stone before reaching the porch. The splintered wooden boards groaned from her added weight just as they had two nights prior; the only sound apart from the wind filling the quiet street behind her.

It felt eerie, and goosebumps prickled her skin at the sudden feeling of being watched. But a quick surveillance around her showed no signs that anyone else was present. Still, her grip tightened on her wand while the other knocked on the weathering door.

The echo of her fist bounced around somewhere within, but no one answered her call. After a half dozen attempts she was resigned to believe that Cassandra wasn't home. There was something about that deduction that didn't sit well with her though, almost as if she knew it were a lie resting on her tongue.

The sound of a dog barking caused her to turn. A middle aged woman, bundled in a thick green peacoat and ear muffs was walking by. She didn't spare Marlene a glance but her dog did. He was small, yet his bark was aggressive enough to suggest a dog three times the size.

Marlene hurried down the pathway, slightly out of breath by the time she caught up to the woman.

"Excuse me," she called out to her. The woman didn't appear to notice immediately, and only when Marlene jogged up in front of her and waved did she stop to take off the earmuffs.

"Yes?" she sounded bored. The dark continued barking hysterically but Marlene ignored it. 

"The lady that lives here, do you happen to know when she'll be home?"

The woman stared at her blankly before shifting her gaze to the manor that Marlene was pointing at. Her lip twitched and she let out an unimpressed huff. Then with a thick accent, "Nobody's lived in that house for over a decade. Can't you tell by the way it looks? I've been complaining to the city for years about the state of it. 'Might as well tear the stupid thing down' I told em, but nobody seems to want to bother."

"Is that right?" Marlene wanted to argue with her, to tell her that someone had lived in there only a few days ago, but the woman replaced her earmuffs and moved on.

"Thanks," Marlene called after her but she was no longer listening.

Back at the front door she tried again. Still no answer.

"I'm really sorry Cassandra," she said to nobody, then lifted her wand to the key hole and whispered, "Alohomora."

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Marlene yanked on the door handle then pushed her body weight against the door, but still it would not budge. She tried the charm three more times, confused as to why her charm was failing. Finally she sank to her knees on the porch mat and looked out onto the street.

The sun had finally set and the muggle lampposts were illuminating shadows on the streets. A shiver ran through her either from the night chill or that same feeling of being watched. Possibly both. Marlene looked around again, but there was no one there.

The wind blew past her and Cassandra's voice floated through her ears. Good luck my dear. I'm afraid we won't be seeing each other again.

It had been the last sentiment she had offered Marlene before shutting her out. Marlene hadn't listened at the time, too focused on the rest of the pieces she had been given. But if Cassandra didn't want to be found, Marlene was inclined to believe that she wouldn't be.

Like she had so many times before, Marlene felt completely and hopelessly lost. She just didn't know where else to go from there.