Disclaimer: I do not own what J.K Rowling does. Sadly, because I had to write 37 of these stupid disclaimers.
A/N: Alright guys, this is the last chapter. I really hope you liked and that you're not totally pissed off when you finish reading it. It was definitely fun for me to write, and also probably my only real major accomplishment. This is a big story. If you don't like the ending or you feel like you want more, don't worry. I plan on writing a sequel, which will be much better edited. If I ever have the time I'd like to do a better edit of this story, but I felt that it worked for the moment, and I will forever be in love with my Marlius. I'm aiming to post the next part of 66 Thursdays by Jan. I really want to have the sequel finished over Christmas break so I can update and post as fast as I did this one (considering the size of this story). I would like to thank all of my followers and reviewers and the people who favorite-d this story. Also, a shout out to my tumblr loves, who many times encouraged me to update where I was being lazy.
Without further ado...
When Marlene awoke again it was to a dulled ache in her entire body. The most pain seemed to emanate from below. She touched a hand to the slight curve of her stomach, wincing as a colder one grabbed it up. Forcing her eyes open she waited for her vision to focus before she glanced sideways at Marc. He looked rather rough, sitting in the arm chair drawn to her bedside.
"Are you alright?"
Marlene inhaled and then yawned. She winced at the throb in her forehead. "I don't – what happened?" She asked tiredly.
"Your Professor attacked you."
"Gourn," Marlene said tiredly.
"Yes," Marc said tightly.
"She was betrothed to Michael."
"I remember her now," Marc said quietly. "He's very sorry, Marlene. He's asleep in the bed over; we've been with you all night."
"I'm sorry," Marlene said frantically, realizing he must know everything.
"I don't want to talk about that right now."
"You're mad with me."
"Of course I am," Marc hissed quietly. "I can't even – think on that right now."
"I wasn't thinking."
"Yes well – I cannot keep my temper while you continue to press the topic."
"I'm sorry," she repeated tiredly.
"Did – I – we need to know if she – r-"
"No, she – she didn't – I don't think." Marlene swallowed, and said finally, "No."
"You're running a fever. Her saliva was laced with something infectious. We aren't sure what it is yet, but we'll move you to Saint Mungo's in the morning if we can't figure it out or if you don't get better. She's been taken there to be studied. She's been all around the world; it's anyone's guess what she is now or what she's come across."
"Like werewolves?"
"If she was a werewolf, which I doubt, her bite wouldn't have affected you in human form."
"Don't talk to him, Marc," Marlene said after a moment of silence. She met her brother's eyes pleadingly. "He doesn't know."
Marc's jaw flexed. "Marlene, I can't tell you how disappointed I am."
"I know – but he doesn't know Marc. He broke up with me; he doesn't know."
"Fine," Marc said. "Fine, but you will never see him again."
Marlene closed her eyes tiredly, inhaling. "Fine," she said, giving in.
"We will discuss this another day, you need to sleep now."
"She cursed me, it was like crawling –"
"The curse was reversing earlier this evening, someone had already reversed it."
"Regulus Black," Marlene said, before drifting asleep.
When she awoke again it was only to one visitor. She had no idea how much time had passed, but it seemed to be later in the day. The windows were opened wide and a cool breeze ruffled the hangings of the several empty beds. Sirius sat hunched over in the armchair near her, yet to notice she'd awakened. She considered falling asleep again, but he looked up at her thoughtful sigh.
"Where is everyone?"
"I don't know – no one's let me near you until now. Well your brother, the oldest one – he tried to curse me. Dumbledore showed up though, I think Marc had to help attain her or something. Michael left with him." Sirius inhaled. "Max is okay; Lily wanted me to tell you when you woke up. She's preparing everything for the feast tonight."
"What about my exams?" Marlene asked frantically, trying to sit up as she realized that she'd missed them, but wincing instead.
Sirius inhaled, "well, we took those yesterday – but you'll probably be able to retake them."
"It's Tuesday?"
"You've been in and out according to Lily. I guess you lost a lot of blood and with that poison in you….." He swallowed and asked "how do you feel?"
"Like hell."
"You look like it," he grinned weakly.
"Are the rest of you okay?" She only remembered brief moments, the sound of Sirius' voice as she'd been passed to him.
"It was brill really. The Order of the Phoenix arrived and we helped them fight before the Death Eaters retreated. Voldemort got one glimpse of Dumbledore and he disappeared." Sirius blinked. "It's true what they say; he was frightened of him."
"Everyone came for me," Marlene said guiltily. After everything she'd said to them, they'd come. She exhaled and settled her head into the pillow.
"You and Lily, but yeah," he said quietly. "When I saw you-" He swallowed hard. "I thought you were already dead; Regulus had blood all over him."
"Lily was never there."
"She knew; she saw Gourn make the Port Key and she figured things out from what you'd told her back in March. She didn't know we'd been looking for her."
"Regulus told me."
"Don't fool yourself; Regulus was probably trying to make things easier for Gourn."
"No," Marlene looked firmly at him. "Regulus saved us Sirius."
"He left us in that dungeon to die!"
"No he didn't, he cursed the guards. They were setting you free."
"You wouldn't know, Marlene. You were barely alive at the time," Sirius said frowning, eyes dark.
"You should leave," Marlene said, looking away from him.
"Marlene –"
Marlene inhaled. "Why are you here, anyway?"
"I had to see you were okay," he said quietly. He sat forward a bit more trying to catch Marlene's eye with the movement. "I thought I'd come here and cheer you up a bit, but I've lost a bit of nerve. There's something about leggy brunettes that work me up into a silly pathetic school girl type of excited."
Marlene's smile was brief; she swallowed and waited a few moments before stating, "It's done, Sirius."
"I figured you would say something like that." She could hear the frown in his voice.
"We probably won't even see each other again except for school."
"I'll still be your friend."
"Not even that," she said quietly. She closed her eyes and turned away from him. "You know it won't work. We can never be just friends."
"I'll still see you around."
"Probably," she said and chanced one last look at his warm grey eyes.
"I'm glad you're okay."
"Me too," she said truthfully.
Sirius didn't say anything for a long moment and then he sighed. A smile playing around his lips before he caught her eye again and said, "We probably wouldn't have been any good at it anyway."
"I would have gotten knocked up eventually or something," Marlene said; her lip quirked up at Sirius' return smile.
Clueless, he replied, "that would have been a nightmare – can you imagine me a father?"
"All for the better," she said with a sigh, smiling lightly.
"You would have been a terrible mother too."
"Thanks."
"Don't forget about that mutant child you said I'd have," he smirked at her laugh; it had seemed like ages ago that she'd been shouting at him and Emmeline.
"Thanks for reminding me of that."
"All in a day's work," he said with a salute.
"You've certainly made me feel better."
Sirius stood up slowly. "Are you sure," he asked hesitantly, instead of leaving immediately.
"I'm positive," she said quietly, eyes pricking.
Sirius frowned. "Good luck then."
"You too," Marlene said.
After she managed to convince Madam Pomfrey that she couldn't miss her own graduation, she'd been allowed out of the hospital wing just in time for the feast. With Alice at her side, Marlene managed with one crutch and some serious determination. The ache between her legs persisted, the last of her pains to go away, accompanied only by the pain in her lower gut.
Marlene cheered with the rest of the Gryffindors as Dumbledore announced their house winners of the House cup. It had been the first time since the Marauders had set foot in the castle. The noise was deafening as the Gryffindors burst into cheer. Marlene hugged Alice and Lily in turn, laughing at the infectious atmosphere around her. It was a bittersweet sort of feeling when the feast came to an end and the school broke into a chorus of the school song. It would be the last time for all of the seventh years. The Marauders stood on the table with James' urging, and sang it the loudest, ending a full chorus behind everyone else and to tumultuous applause. She tried to ignore Sirius' cheer, which was the loudest.
It wouldn't have been a graduation without a party. The common room was packed to its entirety with laughing and cheering students. Marlene sat amongst the seventh years in their favorite collection of seating while they enjoyed their last night. She couldn't force the distance she had over the past few months, feeling she owed them for her life even though they hadn't been directly involved in saving it. She knew she would probably never see half of them again anyway, and so feeling nostalgic she'd joined in their raucous laughter and favorite song renditions.
Younger students bade them goodnight and goodbye before they'd gone to bed. Marlene laughed as Evelyn gave her an awkward hug and darted up the girl's staircase. It left her feeling strange even as she crawled into her bed that night.
For seven years she had slept in the same room with the same girls in the same hangings. To think that it was over was truly upsetting. Marlene had made her very first girl friends at Hogwarts. Having grown up with four brothers and only James Potter, who lived down the lane, she thought it was amazing that she had even assimilated herself into female culture. And she'd barely known Alice until they'd gone to school together, and it wouldn't have been without it that she truly would have grown to love her cousin.
Marlene smiled at Lily's sniffling, the loudest of all the girls in the beds beside her. They locked eyes in the darkness, smiling at each other until Lily laughed and rolled over with a flop. Through everything bad that had happened, Marlene could only be relieved that she at least had kept her friends. It had taken her hours to fall asleep, thinking over her regrets and her achievements. Crying shortly as she remembered her mother would not be at the train station to make the scene she had for her three brothers previous. Marlene's only relief was that her brothers were fine, Gourn would never touch Michael and Marc would be at the station to get her the following day. In two months she would finally be able to join the academy, and even though her parents were dead, she knew they would be proud somewhere. Marlene fell asleep with a little sigh, the rest of her worries emptying away into dreams.
Then the morning was a continuation of the evening. Marlene sat on her trunk marveling in another last time. Her friends were rushing around the room to make sure they'd remembered everything. Verity was in a panic for her hair brush, and when Emmeline offered to buy her a new one the witch gave a shout of annoyance that sent the girls into hysterical laughter seconds later. It was with Lily's urging that they began dragging their trunks down the spiral staircase. At the double front doors of the castle the seventh years hesitated to say their farewells to each other. Somehow Marlene ended up hugging Benjamin, swatting at Lily afterwards when the red head had burst out laughing.
Marlene inhaled as Regulus caught her in a hug. It was the most forward he had ever been taking away his shoving his tongue into her mouth. She returned the gesture anyway. "Thank you," she said into his shoulder.
While he was on bad terms with the rest of the Gryffindors, Marlene had known he had intended on saving them. She'd tried to tell James and Sirius but they wouldn't have it. Sirius had even gone to Dumbledore to complain about Regulus being a Death Eater. Marlene wasn't sure it if was out of concern or spite or resentment, but at least Dumbledore had sent him away. The old man seemed to know everything, counting the good in the youngest Black. Marlene looked away from Regulus as he flashed a small distracting smile, a knowing look in his deep grey eyes.
"I was never good," he said honestly.
"I won't miss this," she said with a smirk at the ground, in reference to his ability to pick her brain whenever he liked.
He laughed a quiet warming sound. "Thanks. See if I try to save your life again." He sniffed and hesitating before he said quietly, "I was never good until I met you, by the way. Sirius is right to hate me."
"He doesn't hate you." She swallowed and glanced at him. "I'm sorry I don't feel the same way for you. I really hope for you the best, Regulus."
He shrugged. "You don't have to worry about me coming after your brothers or anything." They both rolled their eyes and then Regulus said, "Or anyone." He lowered his voice, "I won't ever kill anyone Marlene; that's my promise to you."
"Good," she said, relieved though she wasn't sure why.
"Promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise," she swore. "And you," she said quietly back. He nodded.
The seventh years divided from the rest of the students and then they grouped together. They set out across the grounds toward the boat house, the way they'd come seven years ago. The seventh years cued up as they were assigned boats. The Marauders claimed theirs by way of James' and Sirius' shouting. Marlene sat in the same boat she'd come across in, with Lily and Alice, minus Mary. Marlene wasn't the only one thinking of their friend as Lily tucked her head into Alice's shoulder and began to cry.
As they sped over the water across the great lake Marlene watched the castle grow further away. The beautiful landscaping around it was bathed in warm sunlight from the rising sun. Marlene swallowed the lump in her throat, eyes sweeping over the grounds for the last time. Catching a last glimpse of the quidditch pitch before gleeful shouting began around the lake of racing boats. The Marauders had charmed theirs to go faster and were currently winning. Marlene rolled her eyes as they leapt to shore to Hagrid's booming laughter.
The girls all jumped as a louder booming began, odd jumbles of colors resembling fireworks lighting up over the lake, even in the day light. Their boat bumped into shore but they didn't move as they watched. Lily laughed as candies began to rain down from the trailing streams of lights.
"I wouldn't eat those," Alice said as Lily unwrapped one.
They glanced around at the various students popping candy into their mouth, and then the Marauders watching proudly. Marlene gasped, smiling behind her hand as Lily popped one into her mouth anyway. Lily giggled as her hair began to change colors, sparking as it did so. She looked like a human sparkler. Marlene grabbed a candy from the floor board as they were ushered out of their boat to make way for others.
"Cheers," Alice said as they both ate one in the same moment.
Lily insisted they pack into the Marauders compartment on the ride home. Marlene wedged herself between Remus and James as Lily perched on James' lap. Alice perched on Remus' while Verity and Emmeline perched each on one of Sirius' knees. Peter sat beside them, smiling brightly with the most amount of space. When Dorcas Meadows arrived he smiled even brighter as she took up host on his lap.
"I think I'll color my hair black," Emmeline said out of the many conversations that train ride home.
"You'd look lovely, doll," Sirius said.
Emmeline giggled, blushing, "Thanks."
Marlene wasn't bothered by the exchange though she did exchange Sirius' smile. It was something, she thought, as the wild country grew into little towns with rolling hills. James ordered everything from the food cart when it came next; everything. The little witch had hesitated, never sure of James' joking. Her eyes widened when he pushed a pile of galleons at her and told her to keep them all. Marlene had dropped her head onto Remus' shoulder when they were nearly to London. Alice was shaking her awake as everyone filed neatly out of the compartment, pulling their trunks along with them.
Lily lingered, they were alone as Alice clumsily pulled Marlene's trunk down. "Can't you manage this," the nymph asked indignantly.
"I should be able too," Marlene said, smirking as she took her trunk handle and tested its weight.
The three girls stood awkwardly around each other until Lily caught them both in a hug. Marlene resisted tears as Lily sobbed nosily and Alice sniffled. They stood like that for a long moment until Marlene decided to clear her throat. They all broke apart, Lily fixing her make up in the reflection of the compartment window.
"James is probably waiting for me," she sighed, brushing her hair away from her face. "Do I look okay? I'm going with him to meet his parents."
"Perfect," Alice smiled.
Lily left them and then Alice turned to Marlene and chirped, "I've bought a flat in London, near the ministry."
"Brill, love," Marlene said, smiling.
"I thought you might like the second bedroom; it has its own toilet. The best part it there's only room enough for two, maybe three tops, but I won't tell any of your brothers."
Marlene half laughed as she asked, "Don't you want to live with Frank?"
"Are you kidding me? His Mum would hunt me down and skin me alive. She's old fashioned you see."
"I don't know that Marc would let me."
"Come on, Marlene." She grinned and pointed out, "you know you want to."
"I do," Marlene said. The idea of sharing a place with Alice didn't sound too bad, it sounded even better when Marlene thought of a life without the constant surveillance of her brothers. And though the nymph could be pestering too, she wasn't overly annoying, and she did share many of the same mannerisms as Marlene. Marlene inhaled and added, "I'll ask. You are family; he doesn't have any reason to say no."
Alice cheered and leapt up to hug Marlene, apologizing as Marlene winced. Marlene trailed after Alice as the last whistle blew, signaling the trains soon departure back to Hogwarts. As Alice leapt from the train Marlene moved to followed, only pausing when Sirius appeared on the other side of the compartment door, silvery cloak in hand.
"Wait," he said, looking nervous.
Marlene paused, leaning against the jamb as she considered him. He held out his hand and she held out hers, he dropped something cold and tiny into her palm. When she drew her palm back and stared at the tiny golden bracelet he'd taken back months ago.
"I was being an ass when I took that from you."
"I can't keep it," she said tightly, feeling emotional for the millionth time in twenty four hours.
"You have to," he said stonily. "Just to remember, okay – you broke, Sirius Black." He smirked, winked, and noted, "I'd be proud if I were you."
She offered him a crooked grin, "I haven't anything to give you."
"That's just how girls are though, so it's alright."
Her smile widened.
"Prat," she said.
"Bitch," he toned, eyes smirking at her.
"Chauvinistic ass hole," she returned.
"Nice."
"I try."
Dropping the bracelet into her pocket she leapt off the train and dragged her trunk ten feet before Marc met her, taking it up. He smiled brightly as she pushed her hair behind her ear with a sigh and glanced back at the train. The dwindling seventh years seemed to be doing it with a forlorn look, so she'd decided to indulge herself.
"It'll be alright," Marc said, kissing her head lightly and drawing her into an awkward hug as she held her crutch. "I'm proud of you," he said atop her hair.
"How proud," Marlene said as he pulled away and she leaned on her trunk that Marc had pulled upright.
"Not proud enough for whatever you've planned."
"Please," she said as he took her trunk and she fell into step beside him.
"No."
"Pretty please," she said.
He smiled sideways at her, "No."
"What if I offer to tutor Max for the summer?"
"No."
"What if I – alphabetize the books in your bedroom?"
"No."
"What if I give you my broomstick?"
"You wouldn't."
"Alright, but what if I buy you a new one," she asked sweetly.
He laughed, "What do you want?"
"Can I live with Alice?"
"No," he said smiling, eyes staring forward.
"Jerk," she said though she still grinned.
"What are brothers for?"
"I'll just wait a few weeks and then you'll tire of me."
"I have infinite patients; you're the one who tires of people."
They argued the entire way home where Marlene was relieved to see Max. When he'd come around in St. Mungo's he'd warned anyone within ten miles of Gourn. Marc had been on his way to Dumbledore when Marlene had disappeared and Lily had run to tell someone that Gourn had tried to kidnap her. She'd apparently gotten away just before Marlene had seen Gourn, while she had been with Regulus. Marlene figured it all out while her and Max talked.
Dumbledore made Gourn give them access to Voldemort's manse and from there the Order of the Phoenix had arrived. Marc had questioned her about them, but she couldn't remember anything after being tortured and Regulus rescuing her. Maize had been ambushed, come to find out, but had been in a larger group of Aurors. They sat around the long dinner table listening to Marlene as she unraveled her school year, starting with Gourn's odd interest in her.
Once dessert was served they'd moved onto lighter topics. The world cup was that summer and Marc had gotten them advance tickets; for just that night things seemed perfect. Marlene felt content with a full stomach as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. Everything was alright, even with her parent's absence. Everyone was safe for the time being.
Marlene was nearly asleep when Marc slipped into her room. She rolled over in her bed curling a hand over her pillow as he pulled a chair to her bedside. She yawned sleepily as he situated himself. Flicking his long hair from his crystalline eyes, He sighed and she thought absently that she would have to give him a haircut since their mother no longer could.
"We should talk now."
"Tomorrow," she said, eyes drooping.
"If you're going to move in with Alice it is my only concern that you'll reconsider this relationship with Sirius Black. You know I can better oversee you here. Father wouldn't have allowed you to leave. Not especially with everything that's happened and the lies you've told."
"I'm not going to be with Sirius again," she said, closing her eyes.
"Stay awake here, Marley," Marc said, nudging her mattress with his foot.
Marlene's eyes fluttered, and she repeated herself again, "I'm not."
Marc's eyes flicked to her wrist. "He gave you that." He nodded to the bracelet.
Marlene smirked at Sirius' words from earlier. "He did, but it doesn't mean anything like you think it does, not anymore."
"Elaborate."
"I know you won't ever believe me." She sat up on her elbow, long hair pooling around her pillow. "But Sirius changed for me."
Marc frowned, his eyebrow arched as he urged, "Go on."
"He's never gone out of his way to buy a girl anything before, but he wasn't sure about me." She grinned thoughtfully. "So this is my reminder that I won." She finished with a smirk and a cocky tilt of her head.
"It isn't a game –"
"No," she cut him off thoughtfully. "It was. Sirius couldn't have me; I was the only girl he couldn't have. I couldn't have anyone," she said slowly so Marc could follow. "But I could have him," Marlene shook her head once as Marc went to interrupt her. "He was the only boy who wasn't afraid of my brothers, the only boy who was forward with me, and the only boy I would fight for. And ironically, I was the only girl he ended up wanting. So it wasn't a game, yes, but in a way, if it was, I won. I broke Sirius Black."
Marc's eyes narrowed, "I don't understand yet."
Marlene rolled her eyes, "See – Sirius thought he won when he got me right?"
"I guess."
"Well he didn't because he fell for me."
"I don't follow."
"I broke him Marc! And he doesn't have me, so who won then?"
Marc frowned, "I think you're missing the point."
Marlene's smile widened before she flipped over, turning her back on him as she fluffed her pillow. "No, I think you're missing the point."
"At the very least you've done a good job at changing the subject."
Marlene exhaled, "Does anything get past you?"
"Apparently a lot more than I thought."
"Like what?" She asked, frowning at the dark night behind her double French doors.
"A seventeen year old boy," he muttered. Her bed moved as Marc bumped it again. "I'll let you off the hook tonight." She heard the chair scrape against the carpet as he stood. "But tomorrow I'm going to be all disappointment."
"I'm shaking in my bed."
"I'll use the slipper on you."
Marlene rolled over, locking eyes with Marc who was at the bedroom door. "I love you," she said quietly.
Marc swallowed, his lips twitching into a smile as his features warmed. Then he rolled his eyes, he looked appropriately his age as he gave her a crooked smile and caught the door handle. He took a breath and answered back, "love you too, kiddo."
Fin