A/N Hello again! sorry its been so long but I'm back and I've got loads of new ideas! The Plan of Black is back with vengeance. I hope this chapter makes up for the long break.

Disclaimer - I own nothing, it all belongs to the wonderful Jo

Please keep the reviews coming in, they are my motivation xx

Chapter Twenty-Six

The Hogwarts Express bellowed steam all over platform 9 ¾. Students, still buzzing after that Christmas holidays thronged around the train, calling to both friends and parents alike.

Lily pushed through the crowd, trying to find Marlene amongst the many people. After that party... oh, that party Lily thought to herself with the sinking feeling in her stomach that was starting to get horribly familiar. After that party, Lily hadn't been able to stay at Potter's, not having the guts to be around James after what had happened. She had known that Marlene would struggle to host her for much longer as tensions in her family had been at breaking point, so Lily had been renting a room in the Leaky Caldron.

However, as much as she may want to avoid Potter, Lily knew that it wouldn't last for long. Despite the fact that they both had Head boy and girl duties to do together, Marlene had also hooked up with Black at that party and from what Lily had heard, they were now an item. As happy as she was for her friend, Lily knew that it meant her facing Potter was only brought nearer to hand by the situation.

"Lily! Lily!"

Lily turned to see Peter puffing and gasping as he was pushed around by the jostling crowd. Reaching forwards, she grabbed his arm and yanked him from between two, burly looking sixth years, pulling him towards a less cramped area of the station next to the wall.

"Peter, where is everyone?" Lily asked, glancing around.

"On the train, I came to find you." Peter gasped, still out of breath. "Follow me."

He led her back through the crowds and smoke and luggage and cats. This time, he seemed a lot more confident and moved with purpose towards the train carriage. They got on just as a whistle blew and carriage doors started slamming shut.

Lily dragged her luggage after Peter. The corridor was suddenly very, very cramped and Lily lost sight of Peter. She couldn't breathe and she began to panic. Suddenly someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into a doorway in-between two carriages.

Lily spun around but the way her arm was being held made it impossible for her to turn all the way to face her attacker.

Severus Snape stood in the shadows, his grip on her arm vice-like, and a cruel sneer across his face.

"What are you doing Severus?" Lily asked her voice rough with nervousness.

"Just wanted a little chat." Snape said coldly.

"Let me go Severus." Lily said quietly, staring at him.

Snape dropped her arm like it had burnt him and stepped away from her. "I... I'm not going to hurt you." He whispered, head hanging down. "I just want to say I heard about your parents and I'm sorry."

"What?" Lily whispered. "How could you know?"

"I'm sorry." Snape muttered turning away from her and making towards the Slytherin end of the train. Then he stopped and turned back. "You know, when I told you I loved you, I didn't mean it. You're a mudblood and I was stupid to think that I cared for you in that way." He walked away, not looking back.

"Lily, where have you been?" Marlene sprung up from her seat. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lily said. She knew her eyes were red from crying. She'd spent the last ten minutes in the toilets, trying to look like she hadn't been crying but she should have known Marlene was much more observant and that a bit of makeup wouldn't be able to conceal it from her best friend.

"Something's wrong," Marlene said grabbing Lily's shoulders and pushing her into a seat next to Alice. "You know you can tell us anything right?"

Lily nodded and looked around. "Where are the boys?"

"Out looking for you," Alice said. "When Peter came back without you, the poor boy didn't know where you'd gone, said you'd just been with him."

"Yeah I was..." Lily said quietly. "Then I bumped into Severus..."

"Snape!" Marlene said loudly. Then she scowled, "if he's laid a finger on you, James won't be the only one to go after him."

Lily looked at her then burst into tears again.

Marlene stood up, her expression furious. "What did he do Lil?"

"I – he kn-kn-knew a-about my parents being k-k-killed." Lily sobbed. She buried her head in her hands. She had wondered if Severus had known that her parents were going to be murdered but at the time she had dismissed it. Now however, she was certain that he had known and that broke her heart.

"Oh Merlin..." Alice whispered, her arm instantly going around Lily's shoulders. "Lily, I'm so sorry."

Marlene just stood there, shock spread across her face.

The compartment door was thrown open. "There she is - !" Sirius stopped abruptly when he took in the scene.

"Sirius?" Remus asked from behind his friend. He peered around and his eyes widened as he saw what had stopped Sirius short.

Marlene spun around, blocking the door. "Give us fifteen minutes." She said quietly to Sirius. "Whatever you do, keep James out of here."

Sirius' eyes flicked to her face then back to Lily then back to her again. "Okay," he said. He turned and shut the door quickly behind him. "Moony, we've got new orders; let's head James off towards the food!"

Marlene walked back over to Lily. "Okay Lils, let's get you looking your glamorous self again shall we? Don't think about what Snape said. He's just spiteful. He wants to hurt you in any way he can."

Lily nodded, allowing Marlene and Alice to take control. She wanted more than anything to believe Marlene's words but deep in her heart, she knew that to hurt her was the last thing Severus would ever do purposefully.

"I'm telling you, it's genuinely real!" Alice said exasperatedly. "He proposed on Christmas Eve when he took me out for dinner."

"Oh my god that's amazing!" Marlene, who seemed to only just believe her friend, squealed. "It's a lovely ring."

Lily looked at the sapphire stoned ring on the third finger of Alice's left hand and smiled. "I'm so happy for you Al, you two are made for each other."

Alice looked at her and smiled. "Thank you. Now I want a full confession from you now you've cheered up. Did you or did you not snog James Potter at the New Year's Party?"

Lily tried to scowl but failed. She didn't seem to find all the bad things so bad now she was with her friends. Yeah, sure it would be as awkward as anything now but how did she know he even remembered it.

Alice stared at her open mouthed. "You did, didn't you?"

"How much did you drink?" Marlene said, trying not to laugh.

"That's the problem, I didn't even have that much..." Lily said worriedly. "What does that tell you?"

"You do like him don't you!" Marlene said triumphantly.

Lily bit her lip. "I don't know." She hesitated then said, "Marls, you won't tell Sirius will you?"

"Of course not!" Marlene scoffed. "Girl's honour and all that."

"So how did that happen then?" Alice asked curiously.

"How did what happen?" Marlene asked studying her fingernails.

"You and Sirius being an item."

Marlene laughed. "I'll leave that to your imagination."

"Ew, no please!" Lily said, pulling a face.

Marlene sighed and looked up. "No need to look like that Lily. Fine, I'll tell you then."

Lily and Alice grinned at each other.

"I went outside, he followed me and told me that he liked me. I thought 'fuck it' and kissed him –"

"Wait, you kissed him?" Lily interrupted. "I thought you never made the first move."

Marlene shrugged. "I usually don't but like I said, I just thought 'fuck it'."

Lily smirked and waved her hand, leaning back in her seat. "Carry on."

Marlene shot her a dirty look and continued, "I won't go into details but the next morning I woke up and Remus told me he had meant it so I went to find him." The corners of Marlene's mouth curled upwards and she said. "He told me that he'd been meaning to ask me out again for ages but all the stuff with Marcus happened and it never seemed like the right time. Then he asked me if I had meant what I had said that night and I told him that I had. Then he asked me if I wanted to give it a go or not and I said I did." Marlene laughed. "So here we are and I'm the girlfriend of Sirius bloody Black..." she shook her head.

"Wow," Lily said, "like no one could see that coming."

"Shut up!" Marlene laughed as the compartment door opened and the Marauders trailed in. Remus and Sirius looked at Lily carefully and she smiled at them to tell them that she was alright again.

Sirius grinned at her and went to sit next to Marlene, pushing her legs off the seat so he could sit there.

Remus moved to sit by the window next to Peter.

Lily forced herself to look up at the last Marauder still standing in the doorway. Heat flooded to her cheeks as their eyes met and she lowered her gaze, embarrassed. She wanted him to sit next to her but she was worried that he would.

From across the carriage, Marlene and Sirius watched them both.

"I think they need a little help don't you?" Sirius whispered in Marlene's ear.

"I doubt it would hurt them," Marlene murmured back, smiling. "Got anything in mind?"

Sirius grinned. "Don't worry, I've got a plan."

A/N told you the plan of Black was back with vengeance aha :)

hope you enjoyed, I enjoyed writing it and MARLENE AND SIRIUS ARE TOGETHER! Doesn't that just make you want to smile no matter how bad your own love life is :D