Spica and Melissa
In
Marry the Man Today
After the trip to Disney World with a side trip to New York, Spica and Melissa were packing up their apartment to go back to England.
"So, what are we going to do when we get to England?" Melissa asked.
"We are going to look for the guys." Spica said as if it were the obvious choice.
"And when we find them?"
"I don't know about you and Remus, but I'm going to bully Sirius into marrying me."
"Why am I not surprised?" Melissa asked herself before turning back to Spica. "Do you REALLY want your husband to be that much of a trouble maker? Maybe we should wait until he matures a bit more."
(A/N: I don't own the song. Spica/Melissa/Both)
What? Are we CRAZY or something?
At Watermakers and Saxon-Clines,
A lesson I've been taught:
You can't get alterations on a dress you haven't bought.
Melissa rolled her eyes, but played along. Her friend was quoting from a Broadway Play they went to go see. (Guys and Dolls)
At any vegetable market from Borneo to Nome
You mustn't squeeze the melon till you get the melon home.
You've simply got to gamble.
You get no guarantee.
Now doesn't that kind of apply to you and I.
You and ME.
Whatever
"Honestly Spica you've been in America too long. Your grammar is stinking up the place." Melissa told her.
Why not?
Why not what?
Marry the man today.
Trouble though he may be.
Much as he likes to play.
Crazy and wild and free.
Marry the man today.
Rather than sigh in sorrow.
Marry the man today
And change his ways tomorrow.
Marry the man today
Marry the man today
Maybe he's leaving town.
Maybe he's leaving town.
Don't let him get away
Don't let him get away
Hurry and drag him down
Counter attack him and
Marry the man today
Give him the girlish laughter.
Give him your hand today
And save the fists for after.
Slowly introduce him to the better things.
Respectable, conservative, and clean.
Reader's Digest
Guy Lombardo
Rodgers Pete
Golf
Galatians
Ovaltine
But, Marry the man today
Handle it meek and gently.
Marry the man today
And train him subsequently
Carefully expose him to domestic life.
And if he ever tries to stray from you…
Have a pot roast
Have a headache
Have a baby
Have two
Six!
NINE!
STOP!!!!!
Marry the man today
Rather than sigh in sorrow
Marry the man today
And change his ways
And change his ways
And change his ways
And change his ways
And change his ways
TOMORROW!
"I just realized something." Spica said. "That is exactly what Lily did."
0000
A few years later,
"Spica?" Sirius said. "How long have we've known each other?"
"Let's see." Spica thought doing the math. "Should I include the years we've been apart?"
"Yes."
"Seven years in school. Then the three years out of school. That's 10. Then the fifteen years apart from you. And then finally this year….26 years."
"I should have done this 16 years ago." Sirius said getting down on one of his knees. "Spica Jenkins? Will you marry me?"
"Yes Sirius Black." She replied instantly. "I was wondering when you'd ask."
Then, for the 500th time since their reunion (no exaggeration) they went into a passionate kiss. But this one had the most meaning of any of them.
0000
The next day in the Potter Manor Library,
"What are you looking for?" Remus asked Melissa as he snuck up behind her not unlike the time in their fourth year when he gave her the nickname.
"A book to read." She replied. "I don't care about which one though. Do you have any suggestions?"
"Not really." Remus answered a little nervously.
"Remus? Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yes." He said putting his hands in his pockets and looking to the ground. "Mel? Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you still with me? You know we could not get very far in a relationship because of my…problem."
"Remus." Melissa sighed as she made eye contact with him. "I've known about your problem since we were 11. It has never stopped me from caring about you. The reason why I broke up with you was to ease the pain for both of us when I left the country. I'm only human and capable of making mistakes. But one thing is not nor will ever be a mistake: I love you Remus Lupin. I always have and I always will."
Melissa looked Remus straight in his eyes as she made her speech. His eyes were starting to water as the words went straight to his heart. No one could EVER know what those 73 words meant to the werewolf. Especially coming from the one girl he ever loved.
"You now know I'm an animagus." She continued. "You will NEVER be alone on full moons. I'm about the same size as you as a wolf. I can keep you under control."
Pause
"Or are you worried about something else?" she added with a blush
At this, Remus blushed knowing full well where she was going with this.
"The girls and I have made a vow to find the cure." She told him. "If it would make you feel better, if we go to the next level in our relationship, I won't try anything until we find the cure for your problem. Even though I have NO idea what you're worried about with children."
"If we did have children with my condition," he explained. "They couldn't protect themselves from me. I could hurt them, or worse. Not to mention I don't know if they would be affected because of the blood relation."
"So basically you don't want any of your kids to be werewolves?" she clarified.
"Correct." He admitted. "I don't want ANYONE to go through that kind of pain. Especially one so young."
"Remus." She said with tears starting to stream down her face. "I don't care. I'm sick and tired of this stage. Lily and James are WAY ahead. Their KID is dating. John and Sara are now married. I'm even 89 percent certain Sirius and Spica have gotten themselves engaged. I just don't want the name "Oxford" anymore. Ever since first year, I've dreamed about being called "Melissa Lupin." I still have the notebooks to prove it. We don't HAVE to do THAT kind of thing as a married couple!"
So much for handling it meek and gently. She thought.
"You REALLY want to?" Remus asked amazed.
"YES!" she screamed.
"And here I thought you'd say "No" to me." Remus said pulling out something from his pocket. "I've been expecting rejection."
He held out to her a small black box and opened it. A diamond ring shone from it.
"Remus?" she asked.
"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you admit what I've always hoped and dreamed you'd admit." He told her. "Will you at least become my wife in the legal sense."
"Yes." She cried.
He gently took the ring out of the case and placed it on her left ring finger.
"It took me ages to save for this." He explained. "You have no idea how lonely I've been. After Lily and James…were attacked, I lost contact with Sara. I had a lot of time on my hands to gain enough money for this. I even bought second hand robes to help save some money."
"Oh Remus!" she sighed as she tackled him into a passionate kiss.
They were like that for half an hour when they heard a soft "bloody hell" from elsewhere in the library. But they paid it no mind. They were together and NOTHING would part them ever again.
About 15 minutes later, they heard something that sounded like a giggle and then some whispers. Then more giggling.
"Let's let them have a little privacy." a voice came softly enough for the werewolf to just barely hear it.
"Where's a camera when you need it?" another voice whispered.
The two came up from their kiss and saw Sirius, James, and John peeking around the corner of a bookshelf.
"What are you three idiots doing?" Remus asked.
"Busted!" John said as he and the other two Marauders and the two Maraudettes stepped out of the aisle.
"We came in here to get some privacy from you guys." Melissa said.
"Who won your little Quidditch game?" Remus asked changing the subject.
"Harry." They answered.
"I thought you weren't playing." Melissa said to the boy who just stepped out of hiding.
"Everyone showed up." Harry said as the rest of the Golden Group showed up with the rest of the families.
"How many of you saw us?" Melissa asked in horror.
Only the Marauders, Maraudettes (minus Lily), and the Golden Group raised their hands.
Remus and Melissa blushed. HARD. They were never going to hear the end of this.
"C'mon." James said. "We still have to go tell Lily everyone is here."
"We're coming." Melissa said reluctantly.
Remus and Melissa were the last to leave the library when Remus remembered something Melissa said.
"Notebooks?" he asked.
"Oh. Yes." She said blushing. "I…I would write "Melissa Lupin" on the margins of my notes. I'm SO glad none of the teachers did notebook checks. Even though… McGonagall did see it once."
Flashback
It was after Transfiguration in 3rd year when the entire class left the classroom. It was the last class of the day and the first Hogsmeade Weekend was the next day. So, naturally, Melissa and her friends left in a hurry.
As she was packing her books, her notebook fell on the floor and was left unnoticed. Until after the last student left.
Professor McGonagall sighed as she went to go pick up anything left by the students. She saw the notebook lying in the space between where Melissa Oxford and Sara Montgomery were sitting. Not knowing which girl it belonged to, she opened it up hoping to see a name. She got more than she bargained for.
All over the pages, not only notes were written, but other teenage writing such as Remus Lupin plus Melissa Oxford equals a heart; Melissa Lupin; Colin Lupin, Crystal Lupin, Romulus Lupin, Lupita Lupin, Lupercio Lupin. Some of the names were crossed out.
There was no denying that this was Melissa Oxford's notebook. Minerva McGonagall smiled as she thought of the bright future that could lie before those two pupils if Remus could only come out of the barricade he placed himself in.
"What is so funny Minerva?" Albus Dumbledore asked as he entered the room.
"I just found this notebook lying on the floor. I was merely checking to see if there was a name in it." She told him.
"Was there?"
"There were eight names." She told him. "Six of which aren't around yet for they are the dreams and wishes of a teenage girl."
0000
Meanwhile,
"Where's my notebook?" Melissa asked as she dug through her tote bag. "Lily? Have you seen my Transfiguration notebook?"
"No." Lily said.
"Don't panic." Sara said.
"You don't understand!" Melissa panicked. "If Potter, Black, Lupin, and/or Pettigrew got their hands on it…my reputation! I'll die if Remus sees it."
"What's in there?" Spica asked.
"What you put in YOUR notebook." Melissa told her. "Except mine has my man instead of "Black"."
"Are your suggesting I write "Spica Black" in my notebook?"
"You said it. Not me." Melissa said.
"So you write "Melissa Lupin" in your notebook?" Sara asked
"I never said my man was "Lupin.", Sara." Melissa said to Sara.
"Try checking with McGonagall." Lily said. "If she hasn't seen it, post a "Lost Notebook" sign on the bulletin board. Offer a reward even."
"Thanks Lily." Melissa said as she ran out the portrait nearly knocking down Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter.
"What was that about?" Remus asked.
0000
"Professor!" Melissa yelled as she ran into the classroom.
"Yes Miss Oxford?" McGonagall asked looking up from grading her papers and reaching in her desk drawer for the notebook.
"Have you seen…." Melissa started as she panted.
McGonagall held out the notebook.
"I figured you'd want this back." McGonagall said as Melissa took it back.
"You saw." Melissa said blushing. It was not a question.
"I needed to see if there was the name of the owner in the notebook." McGonagall explained. "If you didn't claim it by the end of the day, I was going to bring it to you myself."
"Thanks." Melissa said holding the notebook close to her. "If you hadn't…and asked anyone in the class to claim it…and Potter and Black did claim it for blackmail…"
"It's obvious you hold strong feelings for Mr. Lupin." McGonagall told her. "Don't loose him. He needs you more than he thinks."
Melissa looked at her Transfiguration teacher in astonishment. Here was one of her Head of House giving advice on, of all the subjects, love.
"Were you ever in love?" Melissa asked.
"A LONG time ago." McGonagall said. "But I made the mistake of putting my job before him. Actually, we BOTH made that mistake. Before either of us knew it, we were prevented from going any further"
Melissa gave her teacher a look.
"I know of the rumors going around Miss Oxford," McGonagall continued "and it most certainly was NOT Albus Dumbledore. So don't even think that."
End of Flashback
"McGonagall had a lover?" Remus asked quietly. "Sirius would pay BIG to hear that."
"Too bad it wasn't Dumbledore though." Melissa added with a laugh quietly. "Spica lost 10 galleons on that."
"He has to be 50 years older than her." Remus told her. "At LEAST."
00000
That evening at dinner,
Spica took her knife to her glass and tapped it till finally,
SMASH
Silence fell over the table as Spica blushed at the broken glass.
"Sorry James."
"Don't worry." James said. "There's more where that came from. Trix!"
"Sorry Trixy." Spica apologized to the elf.
"That is all right Miss. Spica." Trixy said. "Trixy is used to this. Happened every year Trixy served the Potters until Master Charles and Mistress Elizabeth died."
"We have an announcement!" Sirius said. "You are now looking at an engaged man. Spica and I are to be married."
There was silence as the news sunk in. Finally...
Sirius did not get the reaction he wanted. Instead of everyone jumping up to pat him on the back or shake his hand, or even hug him; everyone was turning to each other and paying various amounts of money.
"It's about time!" John yelled as he received two galleons from his wife.
"I think they were expecting this." Spica said to her dumbstruck fiancé.
"I didn't want to be left in the dust." Sirius whispered to a smirking James.
"Then I'd like to make a toast." Melissa said as Remus nudged her. "To the girl who put up with me for 15 years in America. We've traveled the United States together and had many adventures. It's now finally nice to know that I will NEVER have to hear you murmuring "Sirius" in your sleep again nor listen to you making out with your pillow."
Spica glared at Melissa as everyone laughed.
"Anyways, it's nice to know that we are both following the vow we made before we left America and after we got back from New York."
"What vow?" Spica asked.
Melissa just hummed a few bars of the song from earlier in the memory.
"Oh yeah." Spica caught on. "Wait. BOTH of us? That means that…"
"You aren't the only one who got engaged Bushtail." She explained as she showed off her ring.
"FINALLY!" Everyone yelled shocking the werewolf and wolf animagus.
"Took you long enough." Lily said.
The End