The wreckage of the Potter cottage sat under the faint light of a crescent moon, a broken shell of what it once had been. The air smelled of smoke and scorched earth, mingling with the bitter tang of spent magic that still hung heavy, like the aftermath of a storm. The home, once alive with laughter and love, now seemed to hold its breath in mourning.

Albus Dumbledore stood amidst the rubble, his tall figure casting a long shadow over the remains of what had been a warm and vibrant sanctuary. His usually sharp, blue eyes—so often twinkling with a quiet mirth—were dulled, shadowed by the weight of loss. Beside him, Minerva McGonagall clutched the edges of her tartan cloak against the biting wind, her lips pressed into a thin line that barely concealed the sorrow threatening to break through.

Behind them stood Rubeus Hagrid, a giant among the ruins, but his size seemed incongruous with the fragility of the moment. His massive shoulders shook with quiet sobs as he cradled two tiny bundles in his arms. Harry Potter slept on, his tiny chest rising and falling with the peace only an infant could know, even with the world around him shattered. Marlene Potter, on the other hand, was awake, cooing softly with a small, innocent smile that seemed to pierce through the night's despair.

McGonagall's gaze rested on a photograph among the rubble, the shattered glass glinting in the moonlight. Inside the frame was a moving black-and-white image of James and Lily Potter holding their children, the four of them aglow with joy.

"They're gone," McGonagall said, her voice tight with grief. The words fell flat in the still air, absorbed by the night as if the world itself didn't want to believe them.

Dumbledore gave a slow, solemn nod. "James and Lily gave everything tonight. Their love shielded their children, but it cost them... everything."

McGonagall's face was pale, her expression tight as she drew in a shaky breath. "The children..." She paused, her voice faltering before regaining its edge. "They will be sent to their aunt and uncle, I assume? They will be protected there."

Dumbledore's gaze flickered to Hagrid and the babies. "Yes. Petunia's home will secure Harry, at least. But Marlene will not be sent to the Dursleys."

McGonagall's eyes snapped to him, narrowing in confusion. "Marlene?" she asked, her voice rising in alarm. "Then we must find somewhere else for them both to live!"

Albus shook his head. "No, we must find somewhere else for Marlene. Harry must go with the Dursleys."

Minerva gaped at him. "Albus, they're horrible people! To subject him to that, and without his sister... it's perfectly monstrous."

"It is what must be done," Albus said firmly, his voice low and cold as the wind around them. He glanced at Harry's lightning-bolt scar before looking at the little girl now asleep in Hagrid's arm, cuddled next to her twin brother. "Petunia made her feelings about Marlene abundantly clear."

From his robes, he drew a crumpled letter, its edges yellowed with age. He handed it to McGonagall, who opened it with shaking hands. Her eyes skimmed first the neat, cursive of Lily Evans's handwriting:

Petunia,

I know you have the most contempt for me and my husband, but after all of these years I still remember you fondly and love you like the sister you always will be. I know you have said that you want nothing to do with us or our children, but I would love it if you would meet Marley. After all, dear sister, she is named after you –Marlene Petunia Potter. You are her aunt and it would mean the world to us if you would consider meeting her.

Love, your sister Lily.

Further down the parchment, written in blunt graphite, was Petunia's curt reply:

Lily,

That child is not worthy of my name. Another freak in the family... I want nothing to do with her, and if I ever meet her I will pretend as though I do not know her. She is more an embarrassment than a blessing. Whatever life you've made for yourself is yours to deal with. Do not contact me again regarding your daughter.

Petunia

McGonagall's hands trembled as she crumpled the letter, her expression as cold and sharp as ice. "That vile woman," she hissed. "Her own blood... and writes this? How dreadful—"

"Petunia's prejudices are irrelevant now," Dumbledore interjected, his voice steady but weighted with disappointment. "The question is what to do with Marlene."

Minerva looked distressed. "Sirius Black?" she said suddenly, desperation edging into her voice. "Surely he would take her. He was their closest friend—Harry's godfather! He would—"

Dumbledore's expression darkened, a rare sadness flickering behind his eyes. "Minerva, Sirius Black is in Azkaban."

Her sharp gasp cut through the night. "What?"

"He was apprehended hours ago," Dumbledore explained, his voice heavy. "He betrayed the Potters to Voldemort. Then he killed Peter Pettigrew and twelve Muggles in broad daylight. I had hoped it was not true, but the evidence is overwhelming."

McGonagall's hand flew to her mouth, and she swayed slightly as if struck. "Sirius... How could he...?"

"It is not for us to understand," Dumbledore said softly. "But it means that neither child can be with him. We must consider other options."

She thought for a few moments, her composure finally beginning to drop. "Remus?" she whispered.

Albus nodded. "I have sent him a patronus. He should be here shortly."

At that moment, the crunch of footsteps on broken glass drew their attention. Remus Lupin emerged from the shadows, his face pale and gaunt in the moonlight, like a man carrying the weight of his own ghosts. His shabby cloak hung loose around him, fluttering in the night wind.

"Remus," McGonagall said softly. She couldn't begin to imagine how he must be feeling. Three of his best friends dead... the fourth a traitor and a murderer.

He stopped a few feet away, his gaze sweeping over the ruins, lingering briefly on the faint glow of the nursery window. His voice was low and hoarse. "I came as soon as I heard. James and Lily..." He trailed off, his throat working as he struggled to speak. "Are the children safe?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Harry is safe, and Marlene survived as well. But she has no safe home to go to."

Lupin stiffened, his brow furrowing. Marlene. James's wit. Lily's spirit. The child would be everything they were, and she'd bear the weight of their loss before she even understood it.

"I know what you're going to ask, Dumbledore," Remus said quietly. "But I can't take them. It would be too dangerous with my... condition. I couldn't subject them to that. They'll need love and stability. James and Lily wouldn't have wanted that."

Minerva pursed her lips. "You're too hard on yourself, Remus. What if someone took them every full moon. It is the simple solution of finding a babysitter."

"I said no." His voice was sharper this time, final. He looked down at the twins, his gaze softening despite the ache in his heart. "They deserves better than I can give them. The risk is too real."

Remus's voice was firm. It was clear no one was changing his mind. However, he looked upon the two babies, the children of his best friends with such a yearning, everyone in the room knew that if he could've looked after them, he would have.

"What about Lily's sister?"

"Petunia hates Marlene for sharing her name," Minerva said. "It's not safe for her to be living under that roof."

Remus swore under his breath. He always tried to be kind to Petunia, but he never liked her. How could she refuse to care for her sister's daughter, simply because they shared a name.

"It is what must be done," Albus repeated calmly. He could sense Remus's objection, and with one look, silenced the young man.

Dumbledore inclined his head. "Then we must find another family."

"What about Frank and Alice?" McGonagall suggested.

"No," Dumbledore said firmly. "They are already targets. They've got enough to deal with, and they're still in hiding. Even with Lord Voldemort gone," Remus and McGonagall shuddered. "I don't think they'll be coming out until most of his followers have been arrested. Their lives are as fragile as the Potters' were. We cannot burden them further."

Lupin exhaled shakily, his mind racing. He thought of all the names, the people who could love a child like Marlene. Then it came to him. "The Tonks'," he said.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Ted and Andromeda?"

"They've always helped the Order when in need. Besides, they're kind, capable," Lupin said, his voice softening. "They have a daughter—Nymphadora. She's only seven. She'd be a wonderful older sister to Marlene. Marlene could grow up with her, in a home where she'd be loved."

Dumbledore's face brightened faintly, like the first hint of dawn after a long, dark night. "An excellent suggestion, Remus. The Tonks family is both compassionate and far removed from the conflict."

"I'll take her," Lupin said quietly. His tone was resolute, but inside, his heart clenched. It will be the last thing I can do for her—for James and Lily.

As the four adults and two babies left the Potter house, Albus cast a quick spell over it, hiding and preserving the home.

✦✦✦

The Tonks' home was a modest, cozy cottage nestled at the edge of a quiet forest. Moonlight filtered through the skeletal branches of the trees, casting dappled shadows over the sloping roof and whitewashed walls. The garden out front was wild but charming, overgrown with late autumn blooms that leaned haphazardly against the stone path leading to the door. Smoke curled lazily from the chimney, hinting at a fire burning within.

Lupin approached hesitantly, the child bundled securely in his arms. Marlene stirred slightly, her tiny fingers curling around the edge of her blanket as if seeking comfort. Her small face, framed by tufts of mousy brown hair, was peaceful, her breaths soft and even. Lupin's heart twisted at the sight. She deserves so much more than this. More than I can give her.

He knocked gently, the sound echoing in the stillness of the night. For a moment, nothing stirred. Then a light flickered behind the curtains, and the door creaked open to reveal Ted Tonks in his dressing robe, his sandy hair mussed and his face etched with sleep.

"Remus?" Ted asked, blinking blearily. "What's going on? You do realize it's three in the morning...?"

"James and Lily," Lupin began, his voice low and rough. "They're gone."

Ted's face darkened, and he stepped aside to let Lupin in. "I ought to wake Andromeda."

Ted left Lupin in the kitchen and went to wake his wife. Inside, the cottage was warm and welcoming, the living room aglow with the dying embers of a fire. A patchwork quilt was draped over the arm of a worn sofa, and children's drawings were pinned haphazardly to the walls, their bright colors a stark contrast to the weight of the night.

Andromeda appeared with her husband moments later, her dark hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders. Her sharp, intelligent eyes softened as they fell on Lupin, then widened in shock when they moved to the bundle in his arms.

Ten minutes later, the three adults were gathered in the Tonks' small kitchen. A kettle was on and Andromeda was wrapping her dressing gown tightly around herself as though it would shield her from all she had just heard. Lupin had recounted the tragedy—James and Lily's deaths, Sirius's betrayal, and Peter's demise. When he finished, the room was heavy with silence.

"This is Marlene," Lupin said, his voice tight as he gazed down at the bundle in his arms. Finally, he asked them the question that had hung heavy in the air since his arrival. "She needs a home."

Andromeda poured the boiling water into three mugs, handed them out, and stood at her husband's side.

The woman didn't hesitate. She leaned forward, her arms outstretched. "Give her to me." Ted put his arm around his wife.

Gently, Lupin handed the child over, his hands lingering for a moment on the blanket. "She's just a baby," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "She doesn't deserve any of this."

"Alright," Ted said. "We'll do it. We'll figure it out."

Andromeda cradled Marlene to her chest, her eyes glistening. "She'll be safe here," she promised. "I'll protect her as if she were my own."

Ted laid a firm hand on Lupin's shoulder. "You're welcome to come visit whenever you'd like. I doubt you'd want her growing up not knowing her uncle," he said warmly.

Remus swallowed thickly. "We'll see. I'll say my goodbyes."

Andromeda shifted Marlene back into the man's arms, and he looked down at her with sad, burdensome eyes. Ted and Andromeda left him alone for a moment. The girl squirmed in her sleep in Remus's arms as he set down his mug of tea.

"Oh Marlene. I am so sorry that I can't be there for you. I want you to be safe. You'll be safe with Ted and Andromeda... you'll be safe Marley. Find your brother one day." He pressed a soft, tender kiss to Marlene's forehead. "Be brave, little one. Be strong."

Remus gave the girl back to Ted and Andromeda and thanked them once again.

"It's our pleasure, Remus."

Marlene started fussing in Andromeda's arms, already missing the familiar feeling of her Uncle Remus. Andromeda launched into full motherly mode and began bouncing the girl, soothing her with quiet, kind words as Remus left.

He turned toward the door, the warmth of the cottage at his back as he stepped into the cold night. The sound of the door closing behind him was soft, but it rang in his ears like a final farewell.

As he walked away, the Tonks' cottage grew smaller in the distance, its glow a beacon of hope for the child inside. Lupin pulled his threadbare cloak tighter around him, the night air biting at his skin. For James and Lily. For Marlene. He repeated the thought like a mantra, a way to ease the ache in his heart.

He couldn't look back.

And within the walls of the cottage, Marlene Petunia Potter began her first night in a new life, cradled in warmth and love.

. . . . . . . . . . 𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙨 . . . . . . . . . . 

I love Marley so much. She's probably my favorite character that I've developed and I can't wait to bring her to life for you. But i do promise that this won't be your typical Harry Potter twin fic. No, she doesn't have a star shaped scar, no she isn't actually the chosen one. In fact, on occasion, Marley will definitely suffer from sidekick syndrome.

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do. Vote, comment your thoughts, and share with your friends!