International Wizarding School Championship
Round Five: Hogsmeade
Mahoutokoro - Zonko's Joke Shop: Look at fun and pranks in the wizarding world.
Special Rule: Incorporate the color grey and the meaning behind it in your story - Depression
Year 7
Main Prompt: (pairing) Sirius/Marlene
Additional Prompts: (color) baby pink; (event) party
Word Count: 3115
Thank you NinjaDevil2000 and Liz Jean Tonks for betaing 3
Sirius and Marlene
"Royal Flush," Marlene said laying her cards onto the table.
Sirius and James dropped their cards as well.
"I can't believe she did it again," Peter said.
"There must be a trick or something," Sirius said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Actually, it's simple mathematics," Remus said, looking up from his book at the other end of the drawing-room. "I've told you a thousand times if you want to learn it, I'll teach you."
"Firewhiskey?" James asked suddenly. Without waiting for an answer he refilled their glasses. Before he had even finished filling everyone's glasses, Marlene had already emptied her glass in one gulp and demanded a refill.
Peter dealt the group a new hand and they all placed their bets.
Marlene looked at her friends. "Let's up the stakes. Have you ever heard of strip poker?"
Peter's face turned bright red. "I'm out."
James and Sirius, however, seemed to loved the idea.
"James, isn't Lily waiting for you at home?" Remus said.
But they were having too much fun. Round after round, the three of them got drunker and less clothed. James was now wearing nothing but his undies, Sirius, who at least had also his socks on, and Marlene who was sitting in her bra after having lost her pullover and shirt, looked at their cards.
"James," Remus said sternly. "Go home now, your wife is pregnant! She won't appreciate it if you show your private parts to another witch."
James was too drunk to make it to the fireplace alone, so Remus got up and helped him. Since playing poker with only two people wasn't that much fun, Marlene decided to go home as well.
"Let me drive you," Sirius slurred.
"I'm a witch, I can apparate."
"I don't think apparating drunk is a good idea."
"Fine, but let me fly this motorcycle of yours. You're drunker than me."
Sirius felt a little uneasy but handed Marlene the keys. She gave him a smirk.
He held onto her petite frame tightly as the machine set into motion. The wind blew her long red hair into his face and he shamelessly sniffed it. Being close enough that not a single sheet of paper would fit between them, he felt the machine shift. Too soon, they landed on the street a mile away from the nearest city.
From there on, she drove home. Marlene confidently shifted the heavy machine to the side to get around the corner. The softness of her movements reminded him of rocking a baby in a cradle.
Still inhaling her sweet scent, Sirius watched the countless lights of the muggle city, mesmerized. However, he was still level-headed enough to get anxious when a car approached them. Every time he saw a car approaching them, he got a little uneasy and held onto her more tightly.
Their ride ended in front of a sizable townhouse. He followed her to the front door. "Don't you want to invite me in?"
She chuckled. Covering her angelic face with her hand as she laughed, her hair danced in the evening breeze as she moved her head ever so slightly. "You're barely out of Hogwarts, shouldn't you first gather experience or something?"
"I have plenty of experience with girls," Sirius boasted.
"Fine, I can't let you fly home in your condition anyway." She grabbed the younger wizard by his leather jacket and dragged him inside.
The months passed and as Lily's belly got bigger and bigger, James was less and less seen at their poker-nights. Sirius wasn't even bothered by it. He liked having Marlene all to himself and it wasn't like they had nothing fun to do to kill time.
They still played poker with various members of the Order of the Phoenix. With the war at a new high, items from Zonko's joke shop were placed as bets.
One evening, Marlene limped through the drawing-room. Blood was running down her face. Kingsley let his cards fall as soon as he saw her.
"You can't just run just because you're losing, Shacklebolt," Sirius called after the older wizard who attended her wounds, but when he noticed Marlene and took in the state she was in, he dropped his cards and filled a glass of Firewhiskey for her.
Marlene emptied it in one go and demanded none verbally a refill before thanking him.
Without even fixing her clothes, she sat down and wanted to join the game. Sirius dealt a new hand.
"What happened?" Kingsley asked concerned.
"Funny story," Marlene started. "So, Dung and I were stealing supplies from the Morgan's Apothecary when we were suddenly interrupted…"
Other members gathered around them as the red-haired witch told her story.
"I couldn't see their face, but someone shouted Expelliarmus and I lost my wand. It was dark and I couldn't find it on the wooden floor. Then, he started shooting hexes at me. Dung had already left the shop. I was alone and wandless, so I jumped at the wizard, he was confused and didn't move for a while, you should have seen his expression, hilarious, and then I swung my leg over his shoulder and hit his head. He was immediately knocked out. I grabbed my wand and disapparated. But not without this," Marlene said, emptying her bag onto the table.
It was filled to the brim with various potions. She received lots and lots of cheers, for healing potions like these were rare and much needed.
Kingsley wasn't joining their cheers. "You should have healed yourself," he said.
She looked at her torn jeans which were still covered with blood and shrugged. "I hadn't noticed it."
Now, everyone wanted to learn the moves that could knock a wizard out just like that. Everyone except Sirius had learned quickly that it wasn't as simple as he thought and gave up quickly leaving them alone. Sirius was still determined. Also, he found himself enjoying being completely under her mercy. The younger wizard laid on the floor, his back and legs hurting. Gasping for air he wanted to get up and try again.
Marlene was quicker. She sat down on his belly and pinned his wrists down above his head.
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" Sirius asked.
"Flattery won't get you out of this," she said.
"Mm, but maybe we could take this elsewhere," Sirius said suggestively.
James looked at them. "You know, Marlene, he had always had a thing for you. Even when we were still at Hogwarts, he only went to our matches because of you, not because he wanted to support his best friend."
"By the way, Lily and I are having a baby shower next Saturday and you're both invited," he said before leaving the couple alone.
"A boy or a girl?" Marlene asked, looking back down at Sirius.
"Hm?"
"I need to know if I should buy something blue or something pink."
"Just buy something pink," Sirius said.
The day of the party, Sirius and Marlene were the first to arrive at Godric's Hollow. The witch dumped a myriad of baby pink gifts on the table.
"That's a lot of stuff," Sirius said.
"I didn't know what to get and the lady at the shop sold me everything."
Sitting on the sofa, they slurped tea.
"There's nothing in it," Marlene said, disappointed.
"Don't worry, love," Sirius said pulling a flask out of his leather jacket.
He poured a generous amount of Firewhiskey into her cup before taking a shot himself.
"You didn't forget the playing cards, did you?" he asked.
"Of course not."
Peter was the next to arrive. Seeing the huge pile of pink parcels, his face fell. Panic took over him. His hand reached into his hair and tore on the strands.
Seeing James, he hid his lower face behind his face in a very rodent-like manner. "I'm so sorry, James, I thought you were having a boy and I- I must have mixed it up, I'm so sorry."
James and Sirius burst into laughter. They exchanged a quick high five.
"You told me they were having a girl," Marlene cried, throwing the teacup against the wall.
"You bought all the stuff?" Lily asked and Marlene nodded.
"Well, thank you," Lily said shyly, "but we can't keep it, you should return it. You know, you didn't have to bring anything, not that we don't appreciate your effort."
Marlene lit up a cigarette but Lily told her to stop it before she could even take a puff. So Marlene confiscated Sirius' booze. Emptying the flask in one gulp, she wondered what to do with all the baby pink objects. The rational part of her wanted to return it.
Walking aimlessly through the crowded living room, she met Arthur who proudly showed Kingsley, Frank, and Professor McGonagall photos of his newborn.
The usually stern witch had tears in her eyes. "I love those baby showers," she said to Marlene, placing a hand on her former student's shoulder. "Lately, there weren't many gatherings except for funerals."
The truth in her Head of House's words hit her hard. It was true. In the seven years since she had graduated and joined the order, they had lost plenty of members.
At the other end of the living room, Alice was talking to Lily. The two witches laughed and giggled. Marlene approached them.
Since the three Gryffindors were all in different years, they didn't often hang out or know each other well. Marlene and Alice used to play Quidditch together for about two years, but then Alice graduated and became an Auror.
Alice petted her belly. "Two more weeks and I can finally stop working. It's funny because I've always loved my job, being out there fighting, but the office part is just dreadful. Frank doesn't mind it though. He likes taking care of minor things like theft or bringing confused relatives home. He only joined the Order because of me and now he's doing all the fighting and I'm on maternity leave. I swear, he's doing this pregnancy thing next time."
"James is different, he always wanted to fight himself. I just have to watch out he doesn't do anything stupid," Lily said.
Lily yawned. "I' always so tired. And my feet are hurting."
Alice giggled. "That's nothing, I've started having hemorrhoids."
"I guess I've returned from the toilet at the right time," Lydia Bones said, once Lily stopped complaining about her backaches.
"I remember throwing up every single morning."
"I can't go a few minutes without having to pee."
Marlene lost track of the conversation, they didn't make her feel like she was a part of it anyway. She couldn't hear what was said or who was speaking. It was all in a haze. Chatter was buzzing through the living room. All she could see was three pregnant witches glowing.
Marlene had always thought that that was cliche, but now she had this funny feeling. Her insides clenched. She instinctively wriggled her legs against each other.
Her throat was dry and she couldn't breathe anymore. Without saying a word to the other witches she rushed to the window. She opened it in a rush. Cold air filled her lungs. For a short moment, she had thought she was going to suffocate.
This was the weirdest party she had ever been to. She couldn't remember when she last was this sober. A part of her wondered why she had just reacted the way she did. But the truth was she already knew it.
Marlene used to dream about starting a family eventually. But she was at war, living with a constant fear of death, and therefore it was likely that her dream might never come true. While she was still in her twenties, a part of her wondered what she had achieved. She had never got a job, so she had joined her father and the Order right after graduating.
But she was fine with it. This was important. This was bigger than her. Yet she felt like there was something missing. Marlene didn't know where this suddenly came from, maybe it had been there for a while, but now she was for the first time, she was fully aware of it.
Hearing steps behind her, she leaned into Sirius' tall frame.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Mm, About all that baby pink stuff. Do you think we should keep it? We might have a little girl…"
Sirius nearly choked to death on a mini cupcake he'd just bitten.
"Are you alright? I was just thinking about our future." Marlene asked.
"Can't we talk about this later?"
"How much later?"
"We're in the middle of a bloody war. Starting a family is a discussion for peace times."
"The Weasleys have six children, all born during this war," Marlene said.
"This isn't the right place or time for this discussion."
"Really? Because we're at a baby shower, most people present either have children or are expecting."
"I'll take you home," Sirius said, taking Marlene's arm.
She tore it out off of his grip. "I'll get home myself."
Sirius had once thought that this was just a phase but as a year passed her desire to have a family only increased. Even at the times she didn't speak, he wasn't oblivious to the way she looked when he played with his little godson.
The longing was so clear in her blue eyes. He tried his best to ignore it, but every time he saw her looking like that, he felt a sting in his heart.
It was another Order meeting. Sirius was holding little Harry on his lap throughout. After they finished discussing strategy, many of the members remained at the headquarters chatting and gossiping.
Sirius handed Harry back to James who looked tired and stressed out; hiding was getting onto his nerves. Or was it Harry? The boy was crying because they were already late for his nap.
Looking for his girlfriend, he found Marlene sitting on the sofa with the baby pink plush elephant she had bought all those months ago in her arms.
"Shut up," he snapped.
"I haven't said a word!"
"You wanted to." He knew she did. They had this talk every single time she saw him with Harry.
Before they could start screaming at each other, Kingsley interrupted them. "Sirius, can you observe the Lestranges for us?"
"I'll do it," Marlene said, jumping up.
She squeezed herself through the doorway Snape was currently blocking.
"I don't see your problem, simply stop taking your contraceptive potion," the Slytherin said.
"You're an arsehole," she snapped at him before disapparating.
Sirius stood up and threw the door into Snape's face. "We have no room for Deatheater scum, Snivellus."
It was early in the morning, the sun had yet to rise when they were all called back to the headquarters. They arrived one by one, no one daring to speak a word. They all knew what had happened and it weighed heavily on all of their shoulders. Everyone screened the room for their closest friends and relatives.
Dumbledore entered the room and all eyes were on him. "Unfortunately, I have to tell you that Marlene McKinnon -"
"No! It's not true!" Sirius screamed jumping at the elderly wizard.
Remus grabbed him and dragged him away. The other members of the Order were saying something but it was all in a buzz. His legs gave in and he sank to the ground limply. His hands formed fists and he punched the floor; again and again. Blood was falling from his knuckles onto the floorboards.
Remus stunned him but he felt nothing. His chest constricted, and he felt like he was having a heart attack.
The following weeks went by in a blur. Everything seemed to fade in the haze of Firewhiskey. His vision was blurred and the world was sucked dry of all color. Remus fed him chocolate but it had no effect.
All Sirius wanted to do was crawl back into his bed and never wake up. Instead, he drowned one glass of Firewhiskey after another.
"Take this, Marlene, bet you couldn't keep up with me now," he said bitterly as he raised the glass.
He emptied the glass in one gulp and banged it onto the table. "One more."
"You should go home," Aberforth said. "It's dangerous out there."
Sirius snatched the glass and threw it against the wall. It burst into countless shards. Sirius had no idea how much time had passed, but it felt like only a second. Remus stood behind him and dragged him out in the open. He stumbled. Remus tried to steady him.
"I can walk by myself," Sirius insisted.
"No, you can't."
But suddenly, Sirius was retching, falling to his knees as he threw up…
Sirius woke up lying on the floor next to his bed. The sun shone upon his face. His head hurt like someone had stabbed him with a knife.
His head was spinning and his hair was even more greasy than Snape's and he stank. His bed sheets were stained with Firewhiskey and something he didn't even want to know what it was.
He needed to close the curtains but he didn't have the strength to get up or to cast a simple spell.
He continued lying on the hard floor, enduring the torture the bright sun imposed on him. He deserved it after all. They had been fighting the last time they had seen each other.
After an hour, at least, Sirius forced himself up and into the living room where he stumbled to the sofa. There he faced the baby pink elephant. Tears ran down his cheeks. He saw a little red girl with angel-like features playing with it. He sobbed. How nice it would have been to have a proper family with a loving wife and a daughter to raise.
He was ready. He wanted to be the wizard to make her happy.
Sirius turned into a dog and dug his canine teeth into the elephant. He was tired of seeing it anymore. Tearing it apart, he hoped it would bring him peace.