All You Wish For and All You Need

Marcus stretched and looked out the window at the passing scenery. Anne’s head rested on his shoulder and he could hear her light breathing as she slept. He wrapped his arm tighter around her and she shifted against him.

Richard and Arnold sat on the other side of the compartment discussing an article they were reading in the Daily Prophet. Marcus saw Arnold flick his eyes over him every now and then. He watched Arnold, waiting to see if he would do it again. After a few minutes of patience, Arnold looked up again. Their eyes clashed and Arnold quickly lowered his eyes again.

Marcus sighed and turned back to the scenery outside. They would be arriving soon. The sun was lowering towards the horizon and the sky was turning soft pinks and reds. He could feel the train already beginning to slow as it reached the outskirts of London.

Anne woke with a yawn and pushed herself off of Marcus’ shoulder. She smiled sleepily at him before straightening her clothes.

When the train eased into the train-station Marcus and Anne walked off the train together.

“I’ll see you after the holidays.” Anne stood on her tiptoes and briefly pressed her lips against Marcus’.

Marcus held her to him. “Yes. After.” He whispered absentmindedly.

Anne squeezed his hand and walked off to where her family where waiting for her. Thomas and Mary waited for him just a few metres away.

“Come along then.” Thomas spoke quietly. Mary glanced away when Marcus looked at her and began walking out of the platform.

Marcus walked straight upstairs to his room when they arrived. Neither Thomas nor Mary had spoken to him since they had picked him up from the station. It would be like this for most of the holidays, Marcus was sure. It always is, he thought as he lay down on the bed. The mattress was hard and lumpy. It was old and creaked when he moved. Mary had told him, when he was younger, that his mother had once used it when she was staying.

Marcus had seen through her even then. Bellatrix hadn’t been ‘staying’, she had been hiding from the Ministry, lying low for a little while until one of the other Death Eaters did something else.

Back when he was younger, Mary had actually tried to be nice to him. Probably in the hope that he would cause her no trouble. But as he had grown and Mary had seen that he would never think of her as his mother, she had stopped and treated him as if he were a stranger.

He could hear them downstairs now, their talking a quiet buzz through the floorboards. Marcus wondered briefly what they could be talking about for their voices to be raised so. He sighed quietly and stared at the white ceiling. The burble of the demons whispering in the corner of his mind. They were waiting patiently for the moment he closed his eyes and slept. Marcus clenched his fists behind his head and pushed himself into a sitting position. He stood and quickly unpacked his trunk into the wardrobe before walking downstairs.

Thomas and Mary were still talking and Marcus paused on the stairs, listening intently to what they were saying.

“…..No more Thomas.” Mary was saying anxiously. “……Please just don’t…….”

“No. That won’t happen.” Thomas replied in his monotone voice. “……Because I won’t let it………I promise……”

“But what if……Thomas please………Stop it now before…..”

Marcus frowned, completely confused by the fragments of conversation. He slipped quietly down the rest of the stairs and walked into the kitchen. Mary stood at the stove, clearly preparing some kind of meal. Thomas stood on the other side of the room pulling plates and cutlery from the cupboards.

“Thomas, please just listen to me and do it.” Mary was looking at him. Neither had noticed Marcus.

“Why?” He turned around angrily and slammed the knives down onto the table. “It’s no business of mine.” His head snapped around and he saw Marcus. “Dinner’s ready.”

Mary turned and the worry was clear in her eyes. Marcus blinked slowly and then sat at the table. Mary served the food and they ate in awkward silence.

After dinner, Marcus walked back up to his room. Onyx, his owl scratched at the window to be let in. Marcus opened the glass pane and the bird hooted loudly as it perched on the top of the wardrobe and stared at Marcus beadily. Marcus reached up and gave the bird a quick scratch before sitting on his bed. On the bedside table lay Anne’s bracelet.

Marcus picked up the cold silver and then slipped it over his own wrist. It felt light and heavy at the same time, as if burdened by what it carried. Marcus sighed and played with it as he lay down. The light on the table gave little illumination to the room and Marcus couldn’t even see the ceiling.

He felt weary from the travel but was reluctant to sleep. Marcus leant over and pulled out an old book from beneath the bed. As he opened the pages he heard raised voices from below again. They were more urgent this time than before.

Marcus slid out of his room and stood at the top of that stairs, listening to what the conversation. Thomas and Mary stood just out of sight, but he could see their shadows on the wall.

“Don’t go please.” Mary was begging. “Don’t leave me here with him.”

He heard Thomas sigh in exasperation. “Has he ever done anything to you?”

Marcus could see Mary’s shadow shake its head slightly. “But it’s not that. It’s what he could do. Please Thomas. He scares me.” The demons laughed at this. It pleased them and they wanted more of it. Marcus breathed deeply and pushed them backwards, back into the darkness of his mind.

“Mary, he won’t do anything.” Thomas started to walk towards the front door. “Honestly.” He opened the door and walked out into the night. Marcus watched him disappear into the darkness.

Mary crept towards the stairs, obviously hoping that Marcus wouldn’t see her. She jumped when she saw him standing there. The demons burst forward again and the volume of their voices built slowly.

“You weren’t talking about me were you?” Marcus smiled maliciously down at her. The voices in the back of his head became louder, encouraging him and pushing him closer. “Now now little Mary, why would I hurt you?”

Mary’s hand gripped the banister and he could see her shake slightly.

“Come now, we have no secrets.” Marcus continued to stand where he was, blocking her way to her room. “You can tell me anything.” His voice was hard and cold. The demons rejoiced.

“Move Marcus.” Mary spoke quietly.

He sneered at her. “Why should I listen to you?” He took a step down and stopped.

Mary shook herself and suddenly she was glaring at him. “Because I tell you to.” She snapped.

Marcus laughed, “Honestly, Mary. Haven’t you always said that it is polite to ask?” He took another step down. “Mary, we used to be such friends.” He could feel the demons snaking their way through his body, controlling his limbs. “Why can’t we be friends again?”

“Get out of my way!” She said sharply, but Marcus noticed that she did not step closer to him.

“Or what?” Another step and another, “What could you do to me?” He laughed, cold and mirthless. “Oh do tell me.”

Mary reached into her pocket and drew out her wand. “Whatever I want,” she threatened, pointing it at him.

Marcus smiled with false sweetness as he too drew his wand. “Are you sure about that?” He asked quietly, stepping closer yet again. The demons lay just under his skin, ready to attack at any point. Marcus could feel their claws sinking into his mind, pushing him forwards.

Marcus paused and clenched his jaw. No, he cried out inside. He could feel himself losing control. No. He shook himself, trying to dislodge their hold on him. But they only sunk in deeper. No! No….Anne. He blinked, trying to regain the lost control.

In that one moment, the demons took over.