Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything from Rowling's world.
Warning: Adult Themes not limited to language, some violence, and later minor lemons and substance abuse.
Author's Note: Sorry about that last chapter, I uploaded the unedited version. Here's something to make up for it, but before you read, can anyone recommend a good beta? Reviews motivate me.
Four days had found a certain fluidity that always lacked the very first. Classes melted into one another, homework schedules worked themselves out, and study habits gradually sunk back in. NEWTs had proven to be the seventh year's hardest year yet; there wasn't a moment Marlene had found herself able to breathe. The only time she'd allowed herself a break was the night before and only to search out Sirius. It's was Lily's theory that they'd be able to persuade him better if Marlene was able to dissuade the cold shoulder he'd been giving her as of recent. Unfortunately, though Marlene found it rather fortunate, come Wednesday night there was not even a whisper of where the Marauders had disappeared too. After waiting in the common room up to two hours after curfew, checking their bedroom, and asking around for a third time, Marlene had gone to bed.
"Look," Alice said, entirely filled in on the subject the next morning.
Marlene watched with Alice the slow progression of Sirius, James, and Peter into the great hall. They sat down at the barest part of the table; it was nothing short of tradition since the classmate's fifth year that every so often they'd turn up looking like they'd had one hell of an evening. For a while Severus Snape had tried to convince the school that they were all raging alcoholics; he was always about one scheme or another to get them expelled. It was an honest surprise he had to try so hard.
"Remus must be sick again," Lily said sitting down across from Marlene and Alice, her brow furrowed in worry. She glanced down at her plate. "He was looking a little peaky in class yesterday."
"Lucky we have a free period Thursdays," Alice said, "he won't miss too much."
"I feel like I should talk to Sirius now, before his mood brightens and he remembers his abnormal amount of dislike toward me."
"I wouldn't go that far," Alice said smiling.
"Right," Marlene stood up, hovering over the bench, "you'd think I'd murdered his owl or something."
"Or something," Lily said delicately, piling bacon onto her plate.
Marlene rolled her eyes and cued up before marching down to the end of the table. The three boys looked exhausted, she was surprised they'd come for first meal; often when Remus was sick they didn't even go to class. She sat down beside James.
"Rough night," she asked lightly.
"You've no idea," James said half smiling at her, eyes sleepy.
Marlene tucked a curl of hair behind her ear, she glanced shyly at Sirius; she was right in assuming he'd been attempting to burn a hole through her brain. It might have worked; her head throbbed as she swallowed her pride.
"My study groups tonight, think Lily will come?" James asked effectively diverting her nerves.
"Did she say she would?"
"Not yet."
"How many times have you asked her out this year already?"
"Just the once," James said defensively.
Marlene laughed, "You might have a chance then," she was distinctly aware again of Sirius' glare, she shifted uncomfortably.
"Need something?" Sirius asked shortly.
"I just wanted to apologize about the other day," Marlene said meeting Sirius' steel grey eyes with more nerve then she felt she had, coming to grips with the loss of her dignity just as she spoke.
His features didn't betray surprise if he'd felt any, "Isn't it a bit early to be hustling Marlene?"
Her lips twisted around before settling on a grin, she hoped her voice betrayed her own animosity, it came out in its usual smoothness, "It's good to see were good enough friends to put this all behind us."
Sirius smirked; it did not dispel the tiredness from his eyes, "Snog on it?"
"See you in Defense."
She stood up and started back towards her friends, ignoring his whistle except for a level glare over her shoulder. As she sat down she caught the briefest moment of her brother standing up further down the table. His friend jerked him down a moment later when Marlene rolled her eyes to the ceiling and sighed deeply.
"Now that's done," Alice said letting her fork drop to her plate with a clatter, she wiped her hands on her napkin, "now what?"
"What is something Sirius Black would do anything for," Lily thought aloud.
"A shag maybe," Alice supplied, after sipping the rest of her orange juice.
Marlene tapped her foot nervously, she supplied, "James? They would do anything for each other don't you think? Remember when McGonagall told James if he got into trouble one more time he'd be kicked off the team – and then the next time Sirius took the blame and we all knew it had been James, but no one said anything because – well no one ever does. Sirius couldn't want straight for a week after that time."
Lily nodded thoughtfully, "But then how are we going to convince James to convince Sirius to join Slug club? James only went along because," her cheeks flushed, "because of me," she finished.
Alice's smile was growing maniacally, "that's it Lils!"
"What's it?" Lily said nervously.
Marlene inhaled sharply as she cottoned on, "James would do anything for a date with you!"
"Oh abso-bloody-lutely not," Lily said, her knuckles whitening around their prospective eating utensils.
"It doesn't even have to be a date really," Alice said thoughtfully.
"A chaste kiss," Marlene said back to Alice.
Alice smiled, "a small peck?"
"Enough," Lily said, her voice heightening in pitch, "I'm about to sick up everywhere. Can't you imagine how impossibly large his head will get if I ask him to kiss me?"
"Who says you were going to ask?" Marlene smiled.
Lily paled considerably, "That's even worse!"
"Lily's right, it's too much trouble if James even deludes himself into believing it means anything," Alice said while hooking her chin between her thumb and first finger, her eyebrows knitting together.
After joining Mary and Verity the trio made a swift progression to the library to study for their NEWTs. When they asked for Emmeline Verity only shrugged. For two hours Marlene entertained the idea of eventually focusing on her Transfiguration homework; an hour before lunch she lost all hope. The shuffle of turning pages, occasional whispers, and Madam Pince's voice was enough to drive her up the wall mad. It didn't help that what concentration she did have was focused on either tricking Sirius into joining the Slug Club or snogging the life out of Benjamin Fenwick and ALL of his muscles just two tables away. In need of a cold shower she excused herself before hurrying into the corridor and around a few corners, up a staircase, into a short cut passage to Gryffindor Tower, smack into a half dressed Emmeline Vance and Sirius Black. When she managed to work her mouth shut she blinked and hurried on. Emmeline might have shouted after her, but she was too flustered to hear her.
In the common room two younger girls were occupying the most popular seating and chatting annoyingly loud in quick tongue. Marlene sat down on the sofa, oblivious to the unwelcomed glares of her peers as she unconsciously sat through their now quieter conversation. Blind to their pointed looks, Marlene pushed a hand through her hair shaking it out over her shoulder while she tried to dispel the image of Sirius Black's shirtless chest from her mind's eye.
"….truth or dare…."one of the girl's annoyingly high pitched voices broke through her anxiety as she chirped at the other.
"Sorry?" Marlene said; they both looked around at her; she smirked in amusement at their cherubic faces trying to imitate something intimidating, "Truth or Dare? What's that?"
"Her Mum must be a witch," the one girl whispered, Marlene arched an eyebrow at her.
The other girl scoffed, "It's a muggle game us muggleborns play; got something to say about it?"
"Feisty," Marlene said smiling in amusement.
The girl rolled her eyes, "seventh years…"
"What is it? Like a question game?"
"Duh," the girl said with narrowed eyes.
"If whoever you pick picks truth then they have to answer the truth to your question," the nicer girl supplied, "and dare well – dare them."
Marlene's eyebrows lifted into her side sweeping fringe, "That's it?"
"Yeah…"
Marlene leapt up, they both jerked backwards into their chairs as if expecting to be suddenly attacked. Marlene half jogged back to the library, minding not to take the passage back and blocking the image of Emmeline's pink lacy bra simultaneously. Her parents would burn a pink bra regardless of it having lace or not; in fact her father might take her over his knee if he had any inkling that in just a fortnight she'd be entertaining the idea of a good snog with Benjamin Fenwick. She'd only ever kissed one boy, her summer tutor; another tidbit her parents were unaware of. If only they knew that Marlene's muggle summer tutor didn't only teach her algebra.
"Lily," Marlene said breathlessly, knocking right into the red head as she emerged from the library.
Lily steadied her though Marlene was a good head taller than her friend, Lily blinked up at her concerned, "Are you okay?"
"Scarred for life," Marlene nodded offhandedly, straightening, "But alright."
"What happened," Lily asked, stepping fully from the library and allowing the door to close.
"Truth or Dare; ever heard of it?"
"Not that I can't see how it isn't particularly scarring, but it must have been an abnormally short game. What was so terrible about it?"
Marlene laughed, "No – the scarring bit was before that."
"I don't follow."
"I was on my way to the common room when I found Emmeline and Sirius in various states of undress."
Lily's nose wrinkled up, "she's dead to me."
Marlene laughed again; the red head smiled and added, "I'm joking anyway; that's Emmeline for you. It's a wonder she didn't break the pact any sooner, her and Verity both. Remember how Emmeline used to swoon over Remus, and then Remus told her so politely he wasn't interested, and she was heartbroken for weeks?"
"I remember her blowing her nose on my favorite white shirt," Marlene said crossly.
Lily laughed, "Alright; you would."
"Anyway, I can tell James if he gets Sirius to join slug club I'll get him a kiss. It's genius; he'll think you're totally unwilling, and he'll know you'd only pick dare for your friends. It's no secret you don't trust any of the four of them."
"Do you think he'll go for it?" Lily didn't look like she was entirely agreeable yet.
"Are you okay with it?"
"Well," Lily said adjusting the strap of her school bag, "It's easy points for potions, and I know how much this means for you."
"Really," Marlene said tossing her arms around her friend's neck.
Lily inhaled, "Yeah. S'not right, you're seventeen and you haven't even had a proper date."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Marlene chimed, hugging Lily though she rarely did.
"Evans!"
Marlene and Lily both cringed at the familiar beckoning. Marlene knew before she'd turned around that the slimiest person she'd ever met would be billowing towards them. It was lucky he didn't seem to gain weight as he'd grown, because otherwise Marlene never would have recognized the bat like boy without his signature too large and too warn robes. They came above his ankles comically, his greasy hair melted into the inky blackness of them, and his hooked nose protruded way too far. Marlene recognized his friend immediately; Regulus Black was the near identical of his brother. Tall, attractive, dark featured with handsome hair and steel grey eyes. Being younger he lacked the general broadness of his brother, but he mimicked Sirius perfectly otherwise; a darker side of Sirius that reminded her of the eldest brother's brooding moments in the common room. Regulus Black never looked happy, but he looked particularly dissatisfied now. In the past year or so Marlene had noticed him around Severus Snape on a regular basis, ironic since Sirius Black couldn't stand the greasy idiot.
Lily's hands were on her hips quicker then Marlene could blink, she faltered at Lily's side. Lily was like Marlene in that she liked to handle her own problems on her own; she didn't need help. Remembering some of the nastier arguments between the odd pair Marlene remained rooted as Snape and Regulus stopped before them.
"A word," Snape toned in his silky undertone.
"Whatever you have to say you can say in front of Marlene," Lily folded her arms, emerald eyes narrowing.
"Don't be stubborn," Snape said, black beetle eyes pleading for the briefest moment.
Lily sighed and turned her head away, chin high, "I thought you didn't have time for mudbloods?"
"Come on Sev; she's right," Regulus said, his voice a smooth imitation of Sirius'.
Lily and Marlene bristled, Lily snapped, "you're worse then you're brother."
"Bully!" Regulus said folding his arms in slow pronouncement, "He wants to talk to you, he isn't going to murder you," his top lip curled his entire mouth into a wicked smile that twisted Marlene's stomach.
"Fine," Lily said, glancing sharply at Marlene as she was about to interject, "I'll be fine, I'll be right back." Lily's eyes flashed toward Regulus before leading her and Snape's path around a corner.
Marlene glanced back to Regulus who was considering her though not wearily, as she was considering him, "You're Sirius Black's brother?"
"I don't know much about brother, but something like that," Regulus said cryptically. When Marlene didn't say anything and the silence stretched on awkwardly he smiled and said, "You're a McKinnon."
Marlene frowned, "The sky is blue, Dumbledore's old," she waved her hand around as if to say 'so what'.
Regulus' smile tilted into a smirk, "Pureblood?"
"Does it matter?"
"Doesn't it?"
Marlene reached her arm across her body to grab the strap of her school bag above where her other fist curled around it, one elbow resting on the tops of her books; she cocked her hip to relieve the pressure when pulling the bag up didn't help. She was already bored with the conversation, glancing up she frowned deeply. Regulus was giving her a look much akin to the one her brother practiced.
"I never knew you talked before today," she said conversationally.
He laughed a quite laugh, much different then Sirius' barking one, "most people say that."
"It's surprising."
His grin faltered; something dark passing behind his eyes, "I used to get compared to Sirius on a regularly annoying basis when we were younger."
"I can't help it; you look a lot like him."
"I'm nothing like him apart from looks and name."
Marlene arched an eyebrow, "Have I struck a nerve?"
His eyes smiled at her though he kept his frown, "You've siblings, you know how it feels."
Marlene did know how it felt, she considered him sympathetically. "At least Sirius doesn't seem the type to prattle."
The quiet laugh again, "You know even less about him."
They both looked up as Snape glided toward them minus Lily; Marlene's eyes narrowed, "Where's Lily?"
"Evans," Snape sneered, "has decided to head for lunch."
"Oh," Marlene said, continuing her glower.
"So are we, you could walk with us if you'd like," Regulus offered politely, a maturity about him Sirius hadn't quiet mastered. It reminded Marlene of home, of pureblood society mostly, and of Marc in the oddest way. Her eldest brother was one of the most poised persons she knew.
"That's alright," Marlene said considering Snape who now looked very sour as he stared a hole through the center of Regulus' forehead.
"It was nice meeting you," he held out his hand, Marlene shook it awkwardly before returning his parting smile; she stood mostly confused in the corridor for a few moments once they'd left.
"Watcha' doing?" Alice asked as she slipped out of the library, allowing the door to shut gently by slowing it's progression with her tiny foot.
"Losing my mind apparently," Marlene said shaking her head, "Come on," she said hooking arms with the nymph as they began toward the Great Hall, "I've got a couple of Marauder's to persuade."
After explaining everything to Alice Marlene parted ways with her to join the trio of boys she's sat with earlier in the morning. They all looked around at her curious as she began to pile food onto her plate. Sirius and James seemed to be communicating their acceptance of her silently; Peter just gaped stupidly at her like he'd never seen a girl before. James cleared his throat and Marlene paused in spreading mayonnaise over her sandwich bun.
"Yes?" crystalline blue eyes rounded in innocence as they met hazel.
"Are you lost or cracking up?"
Marlene laughed, a musical laugh that her brother's said resembled her mothers, "No, nope."
James watched her while she prepared her chicken sandwich, "What do you want?"
She froze and glanced at him in fake hurt, "Can't I sit with my Quidditch captain and team mate?"
"Cut the shit Mars," Sirius said leaning forward, elbows on the table, fork and knife suspended in air.
She rolled her eyes, "your brother is much more polite did you know?"
"My brother eats bollocks for breakfast lunch and dinner, he reeks of idiocy, there has to be something redeeming in his character," Sirius said smoothly.
"Because looks definitely do not run in your family," Marlene nodded, finishing her sandwich mechanically and pushing a wooden tooth pick through it.
"And you weren't drooling enough to fill the great lake earlier," Sirius murmured, Marlene glanced up imperceptibly. James looked as confused as Peter for once when Sirius met her short look with a smirk.
She tipped a shoulder up, "Maybe I was interested in Emmeline, how do you know what happens in the girl's dorm?"
Sirius didn't say anything for a moment; his eyes were far away as he muttered, "Such a bloody tease all of the bloody fucking time."
Marline smiled, "I need a favor."
"No. I knew it," Sirius said immediately, voice raised again, eyes refocusing, "the Marauders don't do favors."
"Not even for each other?" she pouted her lips and tilted her head, larges curls cascading over her shoulder and into her lap.
"Not interested," Sirius said carelessly, returning to his lunch. A second passed and then his eyes darted up as he smirked darkly, "Unless you're giving in?"
"Not me, but maybe someone will be giving in," Marlene said cutting her sandwich in half and picking the other side together with another wooden pick.
"Evans?" James said his eyes rounding behind his lopsided spectacles.
"Bollocks! Evans doesn't give in," Sirius said sitting back and dropping his silverware with a clatter, shaking his head as if that cleared everything.
"Lily Evans?" Peter said eyebrows mashing together.
"No, Giant Squid Evans Peter – who the hell do you think?" Sirius rolled his eyes dramatically.
"How," James breathed, interested, a thirsty man desperate for water.
"Have you ever heard the of the muggle game Truth or Dare?" when they both shook their heads Marlene explained swiftly, when they seemed to comprehend how it was played she added, "Lily wouldn't pick dare for any of you, but for me she might."
"And if she doesn't," Sirius pressed.
"Well then – I suppose you won't have to join the slug club," Marlene said lowering her eyelashes at Sirius.
Sirius straightened, he ignored James pleading look, "Don't," he said though not at James it was clearly intended for him, "Don't fucking – god damn it James, I swear I'll drown you in Snape's bath water."
Marlene bit her lip to keep from laughing, James leaned over the table wringing his hands pleadingly, "I'll owe you forever!"
"You still owe me from the last time!"
"On Marauder favor," James begged.
Something changed in the three boy's continence; Sirius' eyes narrowed, "That's low."
"Just one meeting, that's all I need," Marlene interrupted sensing a bristling, "nothing to get chuffed over."
"What do you need it for?" Sirius said; James relaxed at the distraction.
"That's private."
"I'm not – "
"I think you will," Marlene said lifting her sandwich; she met his eyes as she bit into it.
Outside of Defense Alice sat down on Marlene's left, the bench protested at the additional weight though minimal, "I think Sirius calls you legs."
"Why do you say?" Marlene asked rolling up her scroll, having finished checking her homework.
Alice' eyes darted to Marlene's legs, one crossed over the other, "He was saying to James 'Legs knows she can get away with it'… I think they've code named all of us so we don't know when they're talking about us, but Lily's is rather obvious since Sirius always calls her flower anyway."
"What's your name?"
"Well Peter said 'the nymph is watching' so I think that's a pretty good indication," she winked as Marlene giggled.
"It isn't very creative."
"I bet you Emmeline is just whore."
Marlene hid her giggle as Emmeline and Verity clicked over to them. Emmeline bent low to fix the strap on her Mary Jane's. The pink lace of her bra showed as Emmeline stood, lifting her boobs back into her bra as she did so. She glanced down her shirt as if to check they were still there, Verity tugged Emmeline's skirt down in the back and then the fickle blonde was obsessed with that, pulling at it all around and making sure it was at its proper length. Marlene rolled her eyes.
"Sirius and I aren't together by the way," Emmeline said hastily.
"Good to know," Marlene said with a thumbs up.
She was saved anymore information she didn't care for when their Professor arrived. Everyone crowded into the classroom for the best seats; Alice and Marlene waited patiently, not entirely caring. They ended up with the desk farthest in the back, Marlene's favorite because of the encouraging sentence carved into the molted wood 'you're going to fail' and the one added beneath it 'at everything'. The class handed in their parchment on nonverbal disarming spells, almost too orderly for a bunch of disorganized seventeen year olds, and then she was frowning at it again. Alice nudged her when the teacher started talking.
"I hope you've all studied your nonverbal disarming spells because today were going to put you to the test. Pair up now, move the desks apart," the wizened wizard ordered, he was a retired Auror. Marlene was surprised they'd had him for three years now. People said the Defense position was cursed, and teachers never taught it for very long before they'd resign for one reason or the other. He looked like he might crumble if anyone even dared poke him with a wand let alone disarm him, "and only practice the disarming spell!" He barked, no one dared disobey him. The Marauders had once a few years ago and immediately after they'd been called into Dumbledore's office; always a rare matter to begin with, no one wanted to take a trip to the Headmaster.
Alice and Marlene had an easy time of it. Marlene's best class was easily defense, mostly because of her parent's doing; it also helped that she had a strong inclination for it, being bred into her family. The long line of purebloods dated back Aurors as long as their history went. They were even physically sculpted for athleticism; Marlene never ran miles regularly, but she could do it now and then like she'd practiced for them every day of her life. She'd performed nonverbal spells often on the first try, something else she believed to be hereditary because her family was also known for producing nonverbals effortlessly. Alice was another excellent defense student, which was often why Marlene paired with her instead of Lily like she would in any other class. They both wanted to be Aurors, and they both put serious effort into nonverbally disarming each other though they could do it in their sleep with their wands up their asses.
The double lesson passed in an extreme decline of excitement. Their Professor had made them trade partners every so often until Marlene had disarmed Lily, Mary, Emmeline, and Verity a handful of times. Finally they were to put the desks back and leave for study period. One hour stood between Marlene and dinner. Normally she never entertained the idea of eating much, but her nerves over playing a child's game seemed to be turning her into a ball of anxiety. Like most girls her age she was able to choose between two options: eat out her emotions or drive them away with hunger pangs. Since she'd hardly eaten the entire week, and she could already hear her mother complaining about her inevitable weight loss, she'd chosen to eat instead.
"We're doing it tonight?" Lily moaned as they left dinner and Marlene informed her they had study group.
"The dinner parties this Saturday, and Friday isn't a good day for me. Not to mention the Marauder's disappear every Friday night to plot," it was a tradition everyone in the school feared.
"Don't remind me," Lily whined.
They were the first to arrive at the designated classroom for the study group. It was an old transfiguration classroom with all the desks pushed aside a bureau discarded, of all places, in its center. Lily unlocked the classroom door and the six girls filtered in perching upon various desks and chairs. Their shuffling made a brief decent into awkward silence before three voices floated through the door and James, Sirius and Peter emerged a moment later. Lily perked as Remus appeared tiredly behind them, closing the classroom door with a click. He looked rather rough as he took a seat in a shadowed corner.
"Right," James said, clapping his hands together and chaffing them back and forth, "I thought we might just practice what we've been doing in class; whatever's the hardest. So far the consensus is McGonagall's horse business."
Everyone nodded their agreement. McGonagall had taken them to a larger classroom to practice turning desks into horses. Prior to that point in their education the biggest animal they'd managed was a calf. Even then Marlene's had quacked before changing back into a desk, and if not for her amazing ability to turn her luck around on a sickle, she might have received an E in Transfiguration during her mock NEWTs. James knocked on the wood of the bureau, it echoed apparently hallow on the inside; not a good sign since less dense things were harder to transfigure. James smiled brightly, normally never something to be comfortable about, but Marlene sensed a new maturity about him. She hadn't placed it yet, but Alice, Lily, and Mary had noticed it as well; Lily was the last one coming to terms with it.
"Who wants to go first? We should just take turns until we know whose best and then that person can try, and when they figure it out they can help the rest of us." James supplied.
For hours they took turns on the bureau until finally James managed the closest thing thus far to resemble a horse. Its body was the bureau itself, turned longwise with a horse head, neck and legs. Its tail flicked in irritation before it whipped its head around, whinnying and pawing at the ground aggressively; at that point they all changed it back for fear of the large animal's power and combining lack of complete structure. Sirius managed next, no surprise since James and Sirius were easily top of their class in Transfiguration. His horse was near complete, though it had knobs for eyes and an intricate pattern carved into its short fur. Lily seemed to think it gorgeous anyway and approached it against everyone's better judgment. She held her hand out while the horse tap tapped the ground nervously with its front hoof. It sniffed, obviously blind, at her hand before licking it. Lily inhaled and drew away, but then smiled. She patted its snout and stepped closer, laughing outright when it stuck its nose into her hair and snuffed. Everyone joined in until James became nervous that Lily would get hurt and transfigured the bureau back. Lily glowered at him as he picked the knobs up off the ground and screwed them back into the bottom drawer. Peter asked Lily something about horses and it started Lily into a story about the country. Everyone remained seated on desks or in chairs listening; it worked out perfectly that way.
Everyone quieted into a comfortable silence and Marlene took her chance, "We should play a game before curfew."
"If it doesn't involve fire whiskey I think we're too old," Verity said folding her legs up on the desk and pushing her shirt down in the space between them.
"What if McGonagall comes to check on us?" Mary said worriedly.
"She won't," Remus croaked; the first he'd spoken all night apart from when everyone had asked him how he was feeling. He'd only watched, jotting down notes while they'd practiced.
"How do you know mate?" James asked.
"A bunch of Slytherins attacked a couple of muggleborns earlier and they're in the hospital wing now. She caught them at it, so she marched them to Dumbledore after she dropped off the little girls. If you listen I'm sure you can still hear her shouting."
"That's terrible," Emmeline said, shaking her head.
Lily nodded, looking her usual fiercest, "They should be expelled."
"They should be," Remus agreed, "but Dumbledore sees the good in everyone; he'll try to turn them around before giving up, mark my word."
"About that fire whiskey," Sirius pulled a forty from his robes.
"I'm Head girl – "Lily began.
"Shut it Lils," Sirius said ripping the cork off with his teeth, "we could all use some tonic; it's been a long week."
"James," Lily said, turning toward the head boy, James looked caught in the middle, and Marlene could understand why; he was hoping for more on his end of the bargain. There was nothing like tonic to loosen the mood or in this case the nerves.
"You don't have to drink any," he said carefully, reluctantly, he stepped toward her, "Come on Lily, we're all of age here."
Lily pursed her lips glancing around the room, no one else was objecting, like usual. Quidditch parties were often much more rowdy; she seemed to consider the calm atmosphere and the odds against her winning. She tossed her arms up and cringed when everyone cheered. Sirius instructed Peter to lock the door and set a muffling charm while they moved the bureau and pulled some desks and chairs closer together. Sirius transfigured odd things into cups and divvied up the bottle between eight glasses, Mary and Lily declining.
"Cheers," Sirius said holding out his cup, everyone chuffed cups together before tipping them back for one big gulp. The girl's eyes watered and their faces twisted, but the boys swallowed the drink with the smallest puckering of their features, everyone coughed up steam briefly. The Marauders laughed at some inside joke while the girl's looked around at each other with sculpted arched eyebrows.
"What's this game then," Verity asked, straddling the back of her chair.
"Truth or Dare," Marlene said. Remus explained for those who didn't know; and only after the brief spirit of giggles at his knowledge of what the game actually was.
"Girl's played it all of the time in primary school," he said defensively, looking too old for his age when a wrinkle appeared in his forehead.
"I didn't know your parent's were muggleborn?" Verity asked.
"They weren't, but not all wizard parents home school their children," he answered shrugging and taking another sip of his half empty cup.
"Who goes first?" Alice prompted.
"I will," Sirius said smirking; he finished the rest of his cup and crinkled it up, "Emmeline."
"Dare," she said, returning his smirk. Marlene resisted the urge to blanch and desperately hoped Sirius didn't wander into the realm of crude like she knew he would.
"Snog Marlene," Sirius said nodding to Marlene.
"No," Marlene said haltingly as the blonde stood ready for her sentence.
"Oh come off it; you snogged Alice fifth year when you got piss drunk because we won the quidditch cup," Sirius said, a few people laughed at the memory, a few of the others shifted uncomfortably.
Marlene chose to forget that night, but Sirius would never let her live it down, "Lily," she said turning to the red head, "Can't I object since I didn't pick dare?"
"Doesn't work that way," the red head said, Marlene thought she saw a glint of vindictiveness in Lily's emerald eyes, she was sure she was correct when Lily nodded her head briefly towards James and smirked.
Marlene rolled her eyes and stood up, grabbing Emmeline's cheek roughly, ignoring Sirius' whistle and kissing the blonde thoughtlessly. Emmeline's tongue darted into her mouth and she leant back, but not before Emmeline caught her lip between her teeth. She tried to take it back but was forced to kiss the girl once last time so the nut would release it. Sirius and James high fived as Marlene tried her best to ignore everyone staring at her; Peter in particular looked like he'd just prematurely ejaculated.
"Sirius," Marlene countered, angry and momentarily distracted about her arrangement, alcohol seemed to fuzz things up like that, "Truth or Dare?"
"Dare babe," Sirius winked.
"Snog Peter," there was a few short inhales, a muted giggle, and a dark exchange between James and Remus while Peter looked on frantically.
"I'm not nearly blasted enough," Sirius smirked.
"Rules say," Lily said evilly, Sirius smirked back at her just as evilly.
"Fine," he said simply, "What's a kiss between friends right Wormtail?"
"S-sure," Peter stammered, completely red faced and lacking in Sirius' confidence.
"I can't watch," James pressed his hands over his eyes to Lily's amusement; she giggled and then sobered quickly. Marlene smiled at James' smile, visible between his wrists.
Marlene could barely watch, in the end she wasn't even sure if they'd snogged; hands went up around the loose circle. When Marlene lowered hers Sirius was laughing hysterically and Peter was looking stricken. She didn't think they had, but no one could say, and no wanted to see either.
"Marlene," Sirius shot, eyes sparkling.
Marlene's shoulders drew up, "Pick someone else."
"No," he smirked. When Marlene only glowered at him he added, "Go on then."
"Truth," she toned.
"Hufflepuff," Sirius chided smirking.
"Ass hole," she said.
Sirius smirked, "What went through your head?"
Marlene's eyes narrowed, at least Sirius was being discrete. Amusement danced over his features while everyone watched the exchange curiously, trying to piece together a puzzle she was sure they quickly would if Emmeline already hadn't. Alice coughed into her hand and Marlene glared at her, the room spinning with the sharp change of direction in which she was glaring.
"My parent's would never let me wear lace."
Sirius' smirk widened, "And?"
"You can't ask a second question," Marlene smirked back.
"What are you two talking about?" Verity interjected boldly.
Sirius arched an eyebrow at Marlene, "I'd prefer you in nothing before I'd prefer you in lace anyway."
Marlene ignored the way Emmeline was glaring at her as she spoke, "Alice," she said turning to look at Alice.
"Truth," she said shrugging, "I think it's more risky," she winked.
Marlene had to think about it for a moment, she asked, "Which Marauder would you procreate with?"
Everyone laughed, Alice wiped the mirth from her eyes and breathed, "Sirius – don't let it go to your head you prat," she waved a finger and sniffed, smiled, "just because we'd have some good looking babies; but if I wanted them to be smart I'd pick Remus; and if I wanted them to be selfless I'd pick James; and if I wanted them to be adorable I'd pick Pete!"
Peter flushed, "Thanks," he grumbled.
"Oy! I think that was an insult mate," Sirius barked at Peter, who blushed even deeper.
"Remus," Alice said excitedly.
The Marauders all seemed to sober as they glanced at their friend, Remus smiled in a way that told Marlene he was reassuring his friends, he answered, "Dare."
Alice' lips stretched to one side of her face as her eyes rolled to the ceiling in a fit of obvious deep thought "sing us a song."
Remus sighed as Sirius and James clapped and laughed, Peter smiled, "Remus hates singing."
"That's the point Pete," Alice sipped out of her cup.
When Remus had finished and laughter had died down and his face turned its sickly pale again he said, "James," rolling his eyes in the same moment and finishing his cup, his shoulders sunk from their previous tension.
"You pick."
"Who would you ask out if Lily turned you down," Remus held his hand up as Lily opened her mouth to supply that she always turned him down.
Everyone quieted as James' eyes shifted around the circle, he inhaled deeply and glanced at Sirius who arched an eyebrow in silent conversation. James shook his head and Sirius rolled his eyes all the way around twice before meeting James' eyes again.
"Enough of the secret language then," Lily said impatiently.
James laughed nervously, he drank the rest of his drink and scrunched his cup up, shrugging he supplied, "Verity."
"Me?" Verity said, she actually laughed.
James smiled at her, eyes light, "Why not?"
"We'd bicker all of the time," that was probably true, James and Verity bickered every practice, they were two very different types of chasers. It didn't matter when the game began however, James Verity and Marlene molded as one unstoppable force.
"We'd make hot babies, isn't that your logic Al?" James said glancing to Alice.
Alice smirked, "Yep."
Marlene look around her friends, looking last at Lily who looked very guarded as she watched the exchange. Her chin angled upward a little when a laugh when around the circle, she didn't join in, giving the distinct sense of being too distracted in sizing up her competition. Marlene was jolted out of her reverie by James deliberate enunciation of her name. She met expectant hazel eyes and sighed.
"Truth," she toned.
"Again?" he asked, looking a little put out, though shining with excitement in all reality; he didn't care about her, he cared about the red head at his side.
"I've already made out with someone."
"Exactly, what's the worst that could happen?"
Marlene didn't miss the brief flicker of Sirius' eyes to James'. "Truth," she toned again.
"Fine," James said, he licked his lips, "dirtiest thought you've ever had?"
"Just because I'm not allowed to date doesn't mean I don't have dirty thoughts," Marlene sensed the thrill of her peers and wanted to beat it out of them within an inch of their life. She wasn't Mormon, but everyone seemed to think of her that way.
"Sure, elaborate."
"I think I'm going to turn in," Mary stood up looking bothered.
"Suit yourself Mary moo," Sirius said leaning back in his chair and smiling in amusement as Mary colored and left the room hurriedly; it was a running joke from one of his earlier pranks where Mary had been doomed to mooing for an entire day. Lily looked very much like she wanted to either shout at Sirius or follow her friend away; Marlene cleared her throat loudly, earning a few curious looks.
"I was in the library the other day – "
"– Of course – "Sirius muttered to James, she ignored their shared amusement.
"– and I came up with a rather elaborate scheme to snog each and every inch of Fenwick."
"Alright," Sirius crashed forward in his chair, "good enough."
She smirked, "what did you expect; I wasn't going to be the strip tease in my own story; that would just be conceited."
"Conceited or sexy," Sirius wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"I think it's better when both parties involve do a strip tease," Emmeline added.
"Exactly," Sirius nodded and motioned toward Emmeline, smirking at Marlene.
Marlene shifted at the knot in her stomach; Sirius was shirtless now suddenly in her mind's eye, and instead of Emmeline in the pink lacy bra, it was her pressed against the stone corridor looking ruffled. Her cheeks pinked and Sirius' low chuckle warned her back to reality. With the sudden urge to end whatever was going on with her new physical attraction to the idiot teenager beside her she looked toward Lily.
"Truth or Dare, and you had better pick Dare," just like they'd rehearsed.
Lily glared at her, "I don't trust you."
Marlene smirked, "I'm your best friend."
Lily considered her wearily, rather she was that good of an actress or truly weary, Marlene assumed it a combination of both, "Dare," she toned.
"Go ahead and kiss Potter on the lips," she wasn't sure why, but she was getting some sort of satisfaction at someone else's discomfort, even if it was her best friend.
"No," Lily said folding her arms; she tossed James a disgusted look when he started to say 'come on'.
"Rules are rules Headgirl-ship," Alice said smiling.
Lily scoffed, grabbed James cheek turning his face to hers, closing her eyes tightly she leaned forward and kissed him. It should have been a quick one, it didn't have to be anything more, but like Alice and Marlene had predicted, it had lasted a beat longer. Lily leant away and wiped at her lips, meanwhile James looked appropriately brain dead.
"We've lost him," Sirius said smiling so big his cheeks dimpled, he shook his head in a good imitation of Remus beside him.
"James," Peter said tentatively, kicking out at James' shin.
James blinked, "Wow," was all he said.
"I'm ready for bed," Marlene said standing up.
"Mine's cold but we can warm it up," Sirius said brightly.
"No," she said simply, jerking Alice up from the chair beside her. Alice jerked Verity up, who jerked Emmeline up, who moved past Peter to gently pull Lily out of her chair.
Marlene heard Emmeline say to Sirius in a not quite enough whisper, "who needs a bed?" Sirius' low chuckle was their parting good night.
Author's Note: Also, cookies for whoever can guess what little flub I made this chapter. I'll give you a hint, it has to do with Moony.