IWSC Writing School Challenge
Rd: 5
School: Mahoutokoro
Technique: Flashback
Prompt 1: Ticking
Prompt 2: Waiting
Yr: Exchange Student
WC: 990
Marlene McKinnon was waiting impatiently by the loudly ticking clock in the Entrance Hall for her boyfriend, Sirius Black to arrive. James Potter and Lily Evans had already left with Alice Prewitt and Frank Longbottom for Hogsmeade. Now, she was standing alone in the corridor, waiting, listening to the infernal ticking of the clock behind her. Sirius was running late for the first time since they had started dating last year. Marlene smiled to herself as the memory of that day filled her mind. It had been in this very spot that it had happened.
On that day last year, Sirius, her secret crush, and James were sitting under the clock. Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Frank stood in front of them. Marlene, Lily, and Alice had just come around the corner to see a very strange thing happening.
"Come on, guys," Frank had whined. "You gotta go to Hogsmeade with us."
"No," James answered weakly.
"What's going on here, Frank?" Alice had asked as she hugged him.
"These two don't wanna go to Hogsmeade with us," Frank told her.
"In their defense, I can understand why," Remus spoke up with a sad voice. "But I want to go to help cheer myself up."
"Uh-huh," Peter nodded.
"James Potter, sulking?" Lily asked with a raised eyebrow. "It must be something serious if he's not laughing about it."
"Not now, Evans," James muttered, looking away from her.
Shock filled everyone's faces. Never had James Potter not smiled and tried to flirt with Lily Evans in the six years they had known each other. Marlene looked at Sirius closely. He had tear streaks on his face. Marlene glanced at James as he turned back, only to drop his head to look at the floor. Marlene grabbed Lily's arm pulling her away a little.
"They've been crying," she whispered to Lily. Lily looked at Marlene questioningly, then spun around to look closer at the two young men sitting on the floor under the ticking clock.
"What in…" Lily breathed quietly to Marlene as she spun back to her. Alice hurried over to the girls with a paper in her hands. Her face crumpled as she handed it to Lily.
Marlene shared a confused look with her before Lily read the article in front of her. Lily turned to Marlene with a look of horror on her face. She handed the paper to Marlene as she marched over to James. Lily shock everyone as she sat on her knees hugging James Potter! Marlene quickly scanned the paper with wide eyes. James' parents had passed away in the small outbreak of Dragon Pox that had hit Southern England recently.
Marlene walked over to Sirius, placing a hand on his shoulder. Everyone knew Sirius and James were like brothers. Everyone knew Sirius normally spent most of the summer and Holidays with the Potters. Sirius looked up at her sadly.
"I get it," Marlene squeaked out, before pulling Sirius into a hug. "What can I do to help?"
Sirius didn't speak, only shrugged. Marlene glanced over at Lily as she was helping James to stand. She whispered something in his ear before they turned away from everyone to walk slowly down the stairs. Together. Arms around each other's waists. Marlene shook out of her shock quickly as she focused again on Sirius.
"Come on," Marlene smiled weakly at him. "Let's follow James and Lily."
"Follow…Jam…and…Lil…" he stuttered out in shock. "What?"
"They just left. Together!" Marlene exclaimed. Sirius stared blankly at her for a few moments. Suddenly, he broke out into a barking laugh that echoed in the empty Entrance Hall. "What's so funny?"
"All these years of James trying to get her to notice him with pranks," Sirius laughed. He had to pause to catch his breath. "And she notices him at the lowest point in his life!"
"Well," Marlene chuckled, "When you put that way…"
"You're just as gorgeous as Lily, ya know that," Sirius spoke honestly. Marlene stopped laughing. She looked at Sirius with a blush rising on her face. "Even more beautiful."
"I…I…I…" stammered Marlene.
Sirius chuckled at the look on her face. "I've known you had a crush on me for a while now."
Marlene's mouth tried to work, but nothing was coming out. Her face was burning with embarrassment.
"Let you in on a little secret?" Sirius whispered to her. Marlene nodded weakly to him. "A crush can go both ways."
Marlene sat frozen, blinking her eyes rapidly to try to recover from the shock of his words. Sirius smiled, placed a hand on her cheek, and kissed her. Marlene's world exploded in that second. Time stood still. When Sirius pulled back, the ticking of the clock seemed extremely loud.
"Wanna go to Hogsmeade, or follow James and Lily?" Sirius asked with a smile.
"Let's…" Marlene's voice cracked badly before she cleared her throat. "Let's check on them, then go to Hogsmeade. I'll listen if you want to talk about it."
"Sounds like a plan," Sirius smiled.
The thunder of running feet echoing off the walls brought Marlene out of her reverie. A harried-looking Sirius came running up to her. He slid to a stop in front of her panting as he leaned forward.
"Where have you been?" Marleen asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Waiting for a bloody slow owl," Sirius answered.
"What owl? What are you talking about?" Marlene asked. "You're ten minutes late."
"Couldn't go to Hogsmeade with you if I forgot our first anniversary, could I?" Sirius asked as he pulled out a bouquet of roses and a small velvet box.
Marlene's eyes widened as she took the box. She opened it to find a gold bracelet with a diamond in the center. "Oh, Siri," she gasped.
"Only the best for you, Marley," Sirius smiled as he fastened it around her wrist. Marlene pulled him into a searing kiss as the ticking clock echoed in the Entrance Hall.