A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

Chapter Fourteen

She hadn't been to the Leaky Cauldron since the previous summer when she and Sirius had purchased her school supplies. It looked the same as it always did. The little pub sat hidden from the Muggle eye on Charring Cross Road, still appearing as a broken-down old shop. The inside was small and dingy, but still had a welcoming feel to it. She had pulled Emmeline along with her, still afraid she might chicken out and bail on her plans to confront Patrick. But it didn't take much convincing on her part, Emmeline's eyes lit up at the prospect of the invitation.

"Oooooh, Colin might be there!" She had exclaimed, a dreamy sort of expression taking control of her face. Marlene didn't know who Colin was, but that likely had to do with the fact she had been away for six months.

The atmosphere in the pub was much different in the evening than it was during the day, and Marlene had to lean in to Emmeline's ear to yell, "Tell me if you see him."

Emmeline said something back but it was too loud. It sounded something like, "I'm going that way" which was only further supported by a hand gesture indicating the opposite side of the room. Then she slipped into the crowd and disappeared through the maze of bodies.

"Marlene!" Someone trilled, followed by an enigmatic squeal. She turned, then was momentarily blindsided by a bushel of brown hair. Her body stiffened as a pair of arms enclosed around her and drew her inwards.

"Mary?" Marlene asked dumbfounded when the girl pulled away and Marlene got a good look at her face. She hadn't seen Mary since – well, since Lily and James' wedding the previous fall. She had grown out her hair and was now sporting a pair of sleek glasses, but otherwise looked much the same as the last time she had seen her friend.

"Oh my goodness, it's so good to see you!" Mary squealed again and let out a soft hiccup.

"Are you drunk?" Marlene's eyes drifted downward to the half empty mug she held in her hands and then watched Mary wobble slightly.

"Oh, possibly," Mary giggled. "Okay, yes. I think so."

"What are you doing here?"

"Paul is here for work." Mary lifted the mug to her lips and took a large sip. Marlene reached out to steady her arm as she watched Mary swivel again, but her friend waved her off. "I'm fine. Don't try to help me."

"Okay," Marlene replied, stepping back. "I don't suppose you were going to let us know you were in town?"

"Just like you when you took off across Europe?" Mary glanced up from her mug to look pointedly at Marlene. Her lip puckered into a self-satisfying smirk. "I think I heard from Lily and Sirius at least a dozen times to see if I was keeping you locked prisoner in my basement." Another wobble. "No. I'm good. Really."

"Touche," Marlene said. Behind Mary she caught sight of her intended target and her body stiffened. The fear of confrontation she had been expecting did not come. Instead, his smiling face in the background made her feel angry again.

"I really want to stay and talk Mary, but I need to deal with something first." Marlene's gaze was still locked in on Patrick who was talking with some blonde woman she didn't recognize. Mary turned to look in the general direction.

"Yeah, okay. Come find me later!" Then she pulled Marlene in for another hug and Marlene inhaled the heavy scent of fire whiskey.

She approached Patrick with purpose. He must have sensed her incoming presence because his focus shifted from the woman to her torpedoing entity. Instead of looking fearful like Marlene would have liked, considering she was shooting daggers with her eyes, he looked elated. That only pissed her off more.