The McKinnon family moved at the end of Marlene's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

This meant that Marlene would be going home to a house she had never seen before.

"Where is it?" everyone had asked.

"Godric's Hollow," she'd said.

"That's where I live!" James said excitedly.

"Me too," Sirius said, grinning.

"I thought you lived in London?" Marlene asked.

"Well...I'm leaving," Sirius said. "Going to James's. But my mum doesn't know that yet." He laughed.

Marlene gave a small smile. "Good for you," she said.

"Well, I'm glad you're moving," Sirius answered.

"Me too," James seconded his best friend. "This way we can all spend the summer in my pool."

"You know," Marlene told him with a smirk. "Lily's staying the summer at my house. Her parents are in America on business."

"For real?" James asked excitedly.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Marlene quipped.

Marlene and Lily met Marlene's mother on Platform nine and three-quarters on the last day of term.

As they drove away from King's Cross, Marlene realized the truck in front of them belonged to the Potter's.

"Your boyfriend is in front of us," she teased Lily.

"You didn't tell me Lily had a boyfriend, Marly," Mrs. McKinnon said.

"That's because I don't," Lily said with a little laugh. "Marly's just teasing me."

Mrs. McKinnon laughed. "So Lily," she asked, "Does my Marly have any boyfriend's I should know about?"

"Mum!" Marlene exclaimed, embarrassed.

"Relax, honey," Mrs. McKinnon said. "I just want to know."

"Marly doesn't have a boyfriend, Mrs. McKinnon," Lily said. "But she does like-"

"Lily! I do not like him!" Marlene cut in.

"You do too!" argued Lily.

"Who?" said Mrs. McKinnon.

"Lily!" Marlene warned, but Lily ignored her.

"Sirius Black," Lily said.

"Black?" Mrs. McKinnon asked. "I'm not sure I approve, Marly."

"I don't like him anyway."

"She does," said Lily. "But don't worry, Mrs. McKinnon, he isn't like his family. In fact, he's moving in with the Potter's this summer to stay away from them."

"And where do they live?" Mrs. McKinnon asked. "They seem to be heading our direction."

"In Godric's Hollow," Lily said.

"I hate you, Lily..." Marlene mumbled, but she wasn't really mad.

"You'll have to invite him and James for dinner sometime, Marly," Mrs. McKinnon said. "I'd love to meet the boy you like.

"Ugh," Marly said.

An hour later, they were still behind the Potter's truck.

"This is our street," Mrs. McKinnon announced, taking a turn on Grove Avenue.

"Please tell me you don't live on the same street as the Potter's," Lily worried. "I can't stand him all summer!"

"I haven't met any neighbors yet besides and old woman named Bathilda Bagshot."

"Author of A History of Magic?" Lily asked excitedly.

"Yes," Mrs. McKinnon answered.

"Do you think she would talk to me about it if I asked?" Lily wondered.

"Yawn," said Marlene as Mrs. McKinnon pulled into a driveway.

"This is our house," she announced.

"Please tell me Potter didn't just pull up next door," Lily groaned.

Sure enough, he had.

James opened the back door of the car and climbed out, followed by Sirius.

"Evans!" James called. "Guess we're neighbors for the summer!"

Lily groaned.

Marlene laughed. "We're going in to unpack," she called to James and Sirius. "See you later."

"See ya," Sirius called.

"Bye, Evans!" James said.

"This is gonna be one hell of a summer," Marlene muttered.