A/N: Just a little one-shot about Marlene and Lily. This was inspired by The Life and Times by Jewels5. Fabulous, fabulous work. if you haven't already read it, I would really suggest you do.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story. TLAT characters (Donna Shacklebolt, Liam Lyle, Clancy Goshawk, Prudence Daily, Shelley Mumps, Carlotta Meloni, and Adam McKinnon) all belong to Jules. Everyone else belongs to Rowling.

Dear Marlene

Marlene Price and Lily Evans were, in many ways, quite similar. Both were in Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, same year. Both loved Muggle music (though it could be argued that Marlene really bonded with Adam McKinnon on this subject. But more on that later.)

Lily often thought that each balanced out the other—Marlene was the person to cool her quick temper, the light-hearted soul that pulled her out of her somber thoughts. One might say that they helped each other through their Hogwarts years. The two rarely quarreled; yet, they still did not run out of topics to discuss.

But all good things must come to an end, their generation soon learned. Their Hogwarts days drew to a close, and the two slowly drifted apart. Each had a boyfriend, and later, a husband, to take care of and spend time with. Between Order missions and "real people jobs" (as they had jokingly called careers when they were younger), they only saw each other once every few months, if that.

But those visits were a time for both to forget that tragedy of the war going on around them, their personal troubles that never seemed to end. Those few hours were times where they were seventeen again, unaware of what real pain felt like, invincible. They chatted and drank coffee, as if they were sixth-years enjoying some time at the Three Broomsticks.

Throughout the fall of 1980, Marlene visited Lily and baby Harry at the cottage in Godric's Hollow, while James was on duty for the Order of the Phoenix. The rosy-cheeked child would clap his chubby hands together in delight when "Aunty Marlene" came to visit. "He has your eyes, Lily," Marlene would say. Lily would grin, finishing her sentence, "But other than that, he's entirely James."

One visit, Marlene declared that she, too, wanted to have children. Lily offered her a genuine smile and told her that she and Adam would make wonderful parents.

That winter, the Potters went into hiding. "Aunty Marlene" did not visit. Later, she sent Lily a letter telling her that she was a few weeks pregnant. Lily felt giddy (for the first time in months) at this information; they exchanged many more letters, some planning their children's escapades at Hogwarts together.

Surely, all would be Gryffindors, all fine students—Slughorn would absolutely be after them for his "Slug Club." They were seventeen again, giggling in the Common Room, Mary—tiny, lovely, beautiful Mary Macdonald (or was it Cattermole now? Lily asked. Marlene told her it was, the wedding had been the previous month.)—joining in. Donna would snort indignantly, as if she didn't have time for such things.

They were seventeen again, invincible.

How was she? Marlene would ask. Lily was doing well—she felt as if they were really safe. James had stopped with the Order missions (for Harry's safety) and she was happy (well, as happy as one could be under the circumstances.)

Marlene was well, too. She was about two months along, and the baby was healthy. Her brothers were coming to visit soon, she was busy tidying the flat and preparing the guestroom for them. Once the baby arrived, she said, the guestroom would be a nursery. All was well, she was happy.

But all good things must come to an end.

One misty evening, Remus Lupin came to the Potters' door. "McKinnons, all dead," he said breathlessly when James answered the door.

"Merlin," James choked out. "Who? When?"

"Rosier, the Lestranges, and some others, this afternoon. Adam, Marlene, her brothers," was the reply.

Lily, having just put Harry down for a nap, came into the hall. "Remus," she greeted him warmly. "What brings you here?"

"Unpleasant business, I'm afraid."

Lily looked at James, alarmed, and he pulled her into his arms. As gently as he could, he relayed the troubling information to her.

Remus stayed the night, helping James console his wife. Both felt helpless; there was nothing either could do. Lily sobbed freely for the first time in years, quickly staining James's shirt with her tears as he stroked her hair.

She cried for Marlene, for her brothers, for Adam. She cried for the unborn baby. She cried for her parents, long dead from natural causes. She cried because her world was crashing down around her and she didn't know what to do.

She cried because her youth was over, wrenched away from her by the evil that was the Dark Lord. She cried because she would never see Marlene again. She cried because she was scared.

But time moves on, the sun rises each morning, whether or not it is aware of our devastation. Lily picked herself out of bed every day, tried to carry on, because, like or not, the world goes on around you.

Later, Lily reasoned that maybe, just maybe, she could sort out her feelings on paper. She smiled wistfully as she remembered that it was Marlene who had first given her the idea. Lily sat down at the table in Harry's nursery as he napped, and began:

Dear Marlene…

As she wrote, she relived all of the good times of their youth. Their golden years at Hogwarts, safe and untouchable under the protection of Dumbledore. Donna, Mary, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Adam, James. Faces and memories flickered through her mind over and over: Liam Lyle, Clancy Goshawk, Prudence Bloody Daily, even. Shelley Mumps, Carlotta Meloni.

She was seventeen again, invincible. Even if just for that moment.

Thank you for reading. Reviews are lovely!