Marauder Map: telescope

Character Appreciation: Marauder Era

Book Club, Kenya: bag of crisps, dancing, "You'll know when I go off on you."

Amber's Attic, The Princess Bride: romance with a happy ending

Emporium, mulled wine: someone with a fiery personality

Piñata, medium

Fantastic Beasts, Dementor in Uruguay: kiss, green

Word Count: 529

"Just had to bring your bag of crisps, huh?" Sirius teases, smirking.

Marlene rolls her eyes, plucking a crisp from the bag and popping it in her mouth. For a moment, there's silence as she crunches. "Is that a problem?" she asks, her tone sharp. "You never complain when Remus has his chocolate."

"I'm not complaining! No need to go off on me."

She steps forward, prodding his chest with her finger gently against his chest, her dark green eyes twinkling with amusement. "You'll know when I go off on you," she tells him. "I promise you that."

Sirius pouts for a moment, shaking his head. He loves Marlene's fire. No one else has ever dared to talk to him the way she does, and she has proven again and again to be one of the few people who can match his energy and wit blow for blow. Falling in love with her had been easy.

"How are you struggling with Astronomy?" Marlene asks, setting her bag of crisps aside. "You're a Black. You're named after a constellation. Shouldn't this be like… second nature to you?"

He rolls his eyes, resisting the urge to scowl at the assumption. Hell, maybe that's exactly why he does so poorly. His family has loved stars for so long that failing to learn the names is his own form of rebellion.

Of course, since he's rebelling, he doesn't actually need to learn the constellations. However, Marlene is ridiculously good at making star charts, and it gives him an excuse to spend time with her, away from prying eyes.

He watches as she sets up the telescope, smiling to himself. Marlene is special. There's something about her that makes him feel like a fool, and all he can do is stare.

"I know you're looking at my ass, Black," she calls.

"Sorry."

Marlene turns, smirking. "I wasn't complaining. Now, come on."

…

Sirius doesn't think he'll ever understand Astronomy. At the end of the day, the stars look too similar, and even hours with Marlene naming them doesn't help. Still, he doesn't tell her that.

"No, it isn't Castor," Marlene snorts. "Really? Are you even trying?"

Sirius pulls away from the telescope. "Of course I am!"

She folds her arms over her chest, tapping her foot as her green eyes narrow at him.

"Er…" He offers her a sheepish grin. "Maybe I'm not."

"Git," she teases before pointing at something. "Shooting star. Make a wish."

"Why?" he whispers. "I already have you. What more could I want."

It's a ridiculous line, and he expects her to call him out on it. Instead, she wraps her arms around him, holding him close and placing a kiss on his lips. And in that moment, it doesn't matter that he doesn't know the stars and planets. The universe has aligned for this moment.

"Dance with me," he whispers when she breaks the kiss.

"I thought you wanted to stargaze." But she doesn't protest as he leads her in a slow, graceful dance atop the Astronomy Tower.

Sirius falls a little more in love with her as they waltz underneath the stars whose names he will never know.