"MCKINNON!" A voice yelled through the deserted corridor that Marlene was walking down alone near the end of term. She turned to see Severus Snaps storming towards her, looking as if he were an overgrown bat.

"What do you want?" Marlene demanded. She noticed Snape's hand was clutched tightly on his wand.

"This is your fault!" Snape raised his wand and pointed it at her, backing her into a corner and holding the wand within inches of her face.

"What are you talking about!" Marlene we my crosseyed looking at the wand.

"Lily! You poisoned her against me!" Snape seemed almost hysterical.

"I just told her the truth! I-"

"Don't speak, you filthy blood traitor," Snape gripped his wand tighter.

Marlene glared defiantly back at him. He seemed to be having some sort of internal conflict. But then his gaze hardened and his grip on his wand tightened further, his knuckles growing white.

"You deserve this," Snape's gaze was full of pure hatred, "Sectumsempra." He murmured.

Immediately, Marlene fell to the ground, cuts were forming all over her body and blood began to soak her robes.

She heard Snape hurrying away as her face hit the cool stone floor of the  corridor. There were more footsteps and then a scream and a yell. Marlene drifted unconscious.

********

Marlene's eyes fluttered open. She was lying on a very comfortable bed, wrapped in a very warm blanket. She pushed herself up on her elbows and looked around.

"Lovely of you to join me," Remus was sat on the bed beside her. He looked exhausted and was baring a new long bandage down one arm.

"What-"

"Lily found you on her way back from the library," said Remus, "you were bleeding everywhere."

Marlene rubbed her eyes and looked at her arms. All of the cuts that Snape had created with his spell were healed, but she still felt very lightheaded.

"Madam Pomfry fixed you up, but you lost a lot of blood and no one is sure what happened," Remus continued.

Marlene blinked several times, trying to clear her mind of a ringing noise that was filling her mind.

"Snape," she said in a quiet voice, "Snape happened."

"Snape!" Remus demanded incredulously.

"He was talking about how I turned Lily against him, then he cursed me," she explained. At that moment Madam Pomfry emerged from her office in a business like fashion.

"Ah, Miss McKinnon, you're awake!" She smiled, picking up a potions and pouring out some into a goblet. "Drink this Marlene, you lost far too much blood."

"What is it?" Marlene asked as she took it from the matron.

"A blood replenishing potion," she said, "drink up! Now. Can you tell me what exactly happened?"

Marlene shook her head. The matron sighed and sidled off into her office.

"Why in Merlin's name didn't you tell her?" Remus asked, a surprised note in his voice.

"If I tell her, that means I have to tell Sirius and Lily." Marlene said, "they'll go beserk. It's better off if we just leave it."

Remus shook his head slightly. The matron returned, a slightly irritated expression on her face.

"I have got a certain Mr Black waiting outside, demanding that he be allowed to see you," said Madam Pomfry.

"I want to see him!" Said Marlene.

"Not for very long," tutted the matron, walking off to let Sirius in.

Marlene turned to Remus, a pleading look on her face, "please, don't say anything to him. He'll go mad!"