Team: Holyhead Harpies
Position: Chaser 2
Written for…
QL Round 3- Write about a Truth that is accidentally found out
Prompts: (quote) You don't have to live forever. You just have to live. - Natalie Babbit, Tuck Everlasting, (dialogue) "Can we please turn back time and go back to how things used to be?", (animal) rabbit
Total Drama Character Prompt Challenge- Write about someone blackmailing someone else
The FRIENDS Challenge- Season 4 Episode 4 (TOW The Ballroom Dancing): Write about blackmail
The Choose Your Wand Challenge- Medium springy: Write about a Gryffindor
Word Count: 2,360
Just so you know… I cringed when I wrote the profanity because I don't cuss.
melt me (so you can mold me into whatever you want)
"Arse!"
"Bitch!"
"Bastard!"
"Bint! You know, McKinnon, I could go on all day!" Sirius swiped aside a stray strand of hair, smirking viciously. "But don't worry, I'm pretty sure that by now everyone knows you're nothing but a filthy whore."
Marlene gasped, tears welling up in her eyes, and Lily stepped forward angrily.
"Black, that's quite enough of that," she said frostily, wrapping a comforting arm around her best friend's shoulders. "You've crossed the line. Deten—"
"Wait," Marlene interrupted, throwing off Lily's arm and taking a large step towards Sirius, "I want to say something to him."
"Then say it!" Sirius invited, his eyes emotionless.
"I want the world the world to know someday that you're a cruel, heartless son-of-a-bitch, and they don't deserve you. There. I said it." Her voice trembled, but she drew herself up and looked him in the eyes as she spoke those harsh, truthful words.
Sirius remained motionless, giving Marlene the impression that she was victorious. The surrounding crowd of students, who had gathered around them to watch the scene unfold, waited with bated breath. How was Sirius going to react?
But all he said was, "You're right, my mother is a bitch," and allowed his lips to lift into a triumphant smirk.
And Marlene melted into a gooey puddle of defeat.
Lily shot a repugnant look at Sirius as she led the distraught blonde-haired witch away.
The Marauders, meanwhile, were congregating around Sirius. By default, he raised his hand to accept a high-five.
He was met by chastisement. Unsurprisingly, it was Remus who was castigating him. James looked quite shocked, while Peter's face resembled something akin to bewilderment.
"Sirius Orion Black!" said Remus sternly, his tone implying that Sirius ought to not interrupt him, "That was very low, even for you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You'd better go and apologize to her!"
Sirius waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I'll go talk to her later. Look, there's Snape!"
The greasy-haired boy was making a beeline towards to them, his mouth curled up in its usual sneer.
"Black, Potter, Lupin," Snape greeted him, his obsidian eyes roving over the group.
"Snape." Sirius narrowed his own eyes suspiciously. "I see you're still dropping grease on the floor."
Snape's eyes flashed and hardened. Beside him, Remus muttered, "Now's not the time for a fight."
"You'll regret that someday, Black," Snape spat, "You and your band of hooligans may think that you're all safe at the top of the school, but in the outside world, you won't be."
"Is that a threat, Snape?" James asked loudly.
"No. It's a guarantee." Snape threw a vicious look at Peter, who cowered, and Remus began to comfort him in a low tone.
Sirius, meanwhile, stood by his best mate shoulder-to-shoulder, towering over Snape. Snape sneered at them and stalked away.
In an instant, Sirius had his wand out. "Diffindo," he whispered, and Snape's bag ripped, sending books, quills, ink, and other possessions cascading on to the floor.
Snape shot him a murderous look and Sirius took great pleasure in returning it. With a swish of his wand, Snape's belongings were lifted into the air and remained hovering above Snape's head, just out of his reach.
"Sirius, don't—"
"Black!" Snape did not disguise his hatred for the arrogant Gryffindor. "Release my things at once!"
"Okay," Sirius said, shrugging, and let his belongings crash to the ground.
Snape scrambled around, trying to mend his bag and collect his things. Sirius spared him a scathing look before marching off, his friends trailing behind him.
…
Sirius knocked apprehensively on the door to the seventh year girls' dormitory. According to the Marauder's' Map, she and Lily were alone in there.
"Come in!" Lily called.
Sirius quietly opened the door and slipped inside. Lily immediately rose to her feet. Marlene sniffled softly, her head in her hands.
"Get out," Lily snapped.
"No." It was resolute response.
Lily swelled in indignation. "I'm sorry?"
"No, as in no, I'm not getting out. I'm responsible for her tears, so I'm going to apologize."
Marlene paused, looking up at Sirius with red-rimmed eyes. "You—you are?"
"May I have a moment alone with her, please?" Sirius requested of Lily.
Lily looked reluctant, but at Marlene's nod, she retreated out of the room. "I'll be in the common room if you need me," she informed the blonde.
Once the door closed behind her, Sirius cautiously approached the bed Marlene was sitting on, avoiding her eyes purposely.
"I came here to apologize," he began carefully, lightly plopping down on the bed a safe distance from her, "I was out of line, I was disrespectful, I was rude—"
"Did Remus have you memorize that apology from a book? Because it does sound like you did."
"I didn't. This is one-hundred percent me. I really mean it, McKinnon—I mean Marlene—anyway, what I mean is—"
Marlene stifled her laughter. He looked adorable when he was trying to apologize.
"—I just hope you'll forgive me."
"Maybe," Marlene conceded, "but on one condition."
"What's that?"
"You have to take me on a date. At night."
Sirius hesitated. "At night? Isn't that dangerous?" he asked dubiously.
"Don't give me that as an excuse, Black. You go on late-night excursions all the time. Don't think I haven't noticed." She dropped her voice down to a conspiratorial whisper. "And I know your secret."
Sirius felt a chill run down his spine. She couldn't possibly know—could she?
"What secret? I don't have any secrets." He spread his arms out, as if he were inviting her to search him.
Marlene fought back a giggle. "Of course you do. You, Potter, Remus, and Pettigrew. Where you lot sneak out to at night. And I will reveal it to everyone if you don't comply to what I want you to do."
Sirius began to sweat nervously; the look in her eyes was unnerving.
"What? Scared?" she challenged.
"Of course I am! You're blackmailing me; how is that not supposed to make me scared?"
"So, is that a yes to taking me out?"
"Er, sure. Yeah. I'll meet you in the common room at midnight." Sirius ran a hand through his long locks anxiously. "Don't be late," were his departing words.
Marlene released a sigh of relief as the door swung shut behind him. Her heart was racing at the pace of an overexcited rabbit. Suddenly, the realization slammed into her like a tidal wave. She was going on a date with Sirius Black.
Wistfully, she touched her fingers to her lips, grinning like a fool. Jumping to her feet, she sprinted to her dresser and dug through it. She had to look perfect.
…
Just as he had promised, Sirius was waiting in the Gryffindor common room, and he was alone.
As Marlene descended the stairs, his mind went blank. She looked incredible.
She was wearing an emerald-green strapless dress that hugged her curves and seemed to sparkle in the low light. Her golden hair fanned her neck and shoulders, and her eyes were glowing like sapphires.
Somehow, Sirius knew that Lily had had a hand in it. That girl was miracle worker.
The beauty arrived at his side before he knew and linked her arm through his. "Like what you see?" she asked, a demure smile on her face.
"Not too shabby," he said offhandedly, though his eyes said otherwise.
Marlene's lips curled up into a sly smile, recognizing the truth hidden behind the statement. "Really? Is that how I look?"
"Nah, I'm just trying not to drool over you because you look so gorgeous," he admitted, making Marlene melt for the second time that day—but for a different reason.
Marlene's heart was doing somersaults, but she expertly disguised it with a good-natured smile. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Black. Keep trying."
"Ah, damn, I bet James ten Sickles that that line would work."
"You bet on pickup lines?" Marlene snorted, "I would rather bet on how long it takes for Lily to snog James. The way they look at each other when they think nobody is watching is driving me nuts."
Sirius rubbed his hands in anticipation. "How about we play matchmaker and get those two in bed together by the end of the term?"
"Not in bed, necessarily, but at least convince one of them to ask the other out," Marlene corrected.
"It's a plan. Now, my lady, I believe we have an outing of our own? I have devised quite the night for us."
"There's nothing life-threatening about this, is there?" She bit her lip agitatedly.
"Marlene, love, do you think I would intentionally put your life in danger? Don't worry; as long as you're with me, nothing will hurt you. I swear on my life."
She was so relieved that she almost disregarded the label he gave her. "Love" was not something to take lightly.
"—around two. Then we can sneak back up to our dormitories without anyone noticing. You game?
"I am. Hold on, before we leave, Lily asked me to give you this."
She handed him a scrap of parchment folded neatly in half. Sirius unfolded the letter.
Black,
I know. Don't worry, I won't tell.
I nicked James's cloak and left it under the couch. Use it carefully, don't get caught, and return it to him in the same condition.
Make sure you use protection.
-LE
Sirius choked on his saliva. Marlene hurried to his shoulder and stood on tiptoe, reading the note. Once she was finished, she threw back her head and let out a buoyant laugh.
"Come on," she chuckled, "As if we're going to need it."
Sirius crossed over to the couch and crouched down. His eyes perceived a glimmer in the darkness under the couch and he pulled out the Invisibility Cloak.
Marlene gazed at it in wonder. "James has an Invisibility Cloak?"
"Shh," he hissed, checking for eavesdroppers, "We need to go. I'll explain later."
He draped the Cloak over the two of them and together, they left the common room.
…
"Are you sure this is safe?" Marlene pressed for the umpteenth time.
"For Merlin's sake, Marls, I've used this passage loads of times, and it's never caved in. Just trust me."
"Okay, if you say so." Marlene sounded unsure.
Sirius whirled around and pushed her roughly into the side of the tunnel, his hands landing down on either side of her throat.
"Marlene, what the hell are you so afraid of? There's nothing out there that can hurt you as long as you're with me!"
"There's a mass murderer out there with an army hell bent on ruling the world! How am I not supposed to fear for my life?"
"So you intend to stay cooped up in a nice cozy home and wait on someone else to kill Voldemort? McKinnon, people are dying out there fighting for the preservation of our world. We should be motivated to defeat him, not back away like cowards."
"Sirius, I—I do want to fight. He murdered my parents and Lily's. But he's the most powerful wizard on this Earth; how do I stand a chance against him?"
"Second most powerful wizard, after Dumbledore," Sirius reminded her, "Marls, you shouldn't be afraid of death. You don't have to live forever. You just have to live."
Marlene's crystalline eyes gazed up at him awe and trepidation. "Can we please turn back time and go back to how things used to be? You know, before there was any threat of Death Eaters and You-Know-Who?"
He let out a distant laugh. "I wish."
…
"That was the best date ever," Marlene gushed to Sirius as they crawled back through the tunnel. She was slightly tipsy, but that didn't make her neglect her manners.
"Glad you liked it." Sirius was knackered, but he gratefully acknowledged her praise.
"Thank you so much for taking me out. I always did want to go on a date with you, since I fancied you and all, but I was too scared to, so I blackmailed you into taking me out on date in exchange for not revealing a secret, even though there wasn't one—"
"You what now?" Sirius halted abruptly and spun around to face her. "You fancied me?"
"Well yeah, why else would I ask you on a date? Pretty clever, the way I asked, wasn't it?"
"Real—real clever," he managed to gasp out, "And the secret? There wasn't one?"
"Nope," Marlene giggled.
"So, I just took you out for a date because I thought you were going to reveal confidential information, and you were just bluffing?"
"Yup."
"Oh sweet Merlin." Sirius buried his head in his hands.
Marlene's cerulean eyes stared at him questioningly. "So, you don't really like me?"
"I—" Now Sirius was in a pickle. Despite the fact that Marlene was slightly drunk, she could beat him up if he said no.
Did he really like Marlene? Sweet, bubbly, fiery Marlene? The same Marlene he'd been insulting just twelve hours before?
The answer to that question was yes, and Sirius realized she'd been in his heart all along, but he'd been just too stubborn to accept the knowledge that he genuinely liked her and wanted to be more than just friends.
"I do," he replied sincerely.
Marlene's expression was unreadable. Suddenly, she grabbed his arm with surprising strength. He cried out in pain, but she ignored him, dragging him down the passage and into the corridor beyond.
"Cloak," she demanded. Sirius fumbled around in his pockets before pulling out the Invisibility Cloak. He covered himself and his companion with it.
Marlene once more squeezed his arm tightly and continued on, Sirius hissing in pain the entire way to Gryffindor tower.
"Bowtruckle droppings," Sirius gasped to the Fat Lady.
She swung open to allow them entry and Marlene wasted no time. She pushed him onto the couch and crawled into his lap, bracing her hands on his hips.
Sirius finally caught wind of what she was doing. A roguish smile made its way on to his face.
"I like the way you think," was all he said, for his mouth was occupied with something much more pleasant.
Annnnnnnd, fin.
This might have been a little cliche and unoriginal, but it was the only scenario I could think of that used all of the prompts.