Author's note: So, we've made a big time-leap. It's been about seven month's since the gang left Hogwarts. Sirius has been in Auror training, with Mad-Eye Moody as his mentor. Marlene has been out-of-country. James and Lily are moving into together (more on that in the next chapter) Remus is struggling to make ends meet and wee little Peter is fat, happy, and still living with his mother. (You'll get most of the Marlene/Sirius stuff this chapter, everyone else next chapter. I just wanted to give you a heads up.)

Danse Russe

Chapter 12

She reminds me

The dingy old pub smelled of mold and dust, and the scent attacked Sirius Black's nose as he stepped inside. He sneezed.

A hand slapped him roughly on the back and a gruff voice growled. "Buck up, Black. You'll be spending a lot of time here." Sirius nodded, lifting his gaze to the scarred, twisted smile of Mad-Eye Moody.

"Of course, sir," he answered, his grey his flickering about the dark muggle pub for enemies or attack. It would be like Moody to take him to an abandoned bar to test him on something under the pretense of getting drinks after a hard day at the Ministry.

Sirius bit back a groan, he really didn't think he could deal with some sort of test for his training tonight. It had been a hard day, six muggle schoolchildren caught admix a Death Eater-Auror battle. His cousin Bella had no qualms about using them to her advantage either.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Sirius bit back the bile rising in his chest at the memory of one of the children they had failed to save. Swallowing, he forced his thoughts back onto the pub, how many exits where there, patrons, was there a gun behind the bar?

"Relax, you numbskull, this isn't a test. Just my favorite joint. You deserve a drink after today," said Moody gruffly as he slumped onto a stool at the bar. Sirius nodded everyone of his senses in overdrive as he glanced around the near empty pub and he perched on a stool.

Mad-Eye rang a tiny desk bell a few times and arched a twisted brow as a tiny barmaid stumbled out from the back room, yawning and stretching her arms above her head. Sirius' heart stopped beating.

--

"You're leaving?" asked Sirius in more than mild shock as he stared down at the barely conscious Marlene in his bed. She yawned widely, nodding into her pillow. "B-but why?"

Tiredly, she chuckled and rolled over exposing her little breasts and running a hand through her mass of tangled curls. "Well, Black, the institute is in Greece, and really it only makes sense for it to be there. All the hands on training you—"

"What about this? Us?" he questioned, furrowing his brow. She was leaving him for Ancient Runes

"What about us?" repeated Marlene laughingly. "We just have sex, Black. I'm sure you can manage to find another fuck buddy. Plus, you're probably tired of me already."

Sirius smiled indifferently. "Yeah," he agreed, lying back down beside her.

--

"W-what can I getcha?" the barmaid yawned as she tossed her apron over her head. She slowly turned around and grinned sleepily at Mad-Eye. "Ah, some of Caradoc's whiskey, right Mad-Eye?" she queried, leaning over the bar and pecking his cheek.

Moody grimaced, his scarred face twisting into something nearly unrecognizable. "I've told you not to do that, McKinnon. The patrons will think something's afoot!" he barked, slamming his fist down on the bar.

The barmaid laughed. "Mad-Eye, I treat all my regulars this way. You're reaction is more likely to get a response than my affection for you," she told him cheekily. Turning from Moody's scowl, her hazel eyes landed on his handsome companion, staring directly at her.

"A-and for your devilish friend?" she stuttered.

--

Marlene panted heavily, her head thrown back and her body arced off the scarlet train compartment wall. She wasn't sure how she had ended up there — being fucked against the wall of some random train compartment, by none other than Sirius Black — She had been so sure after his cold demeanor the night of her confession to leaving the country for awhile that things were over. It had been so close to the end of the year anyway. And now, school was over and he was fucking her on their way home. Merlin, it was brilliant. Confusing as hell, but brilliant.

She stuttered over his name as she came, burying her face into his neck and clutching fistfuls of hair and shirt in her hands. In that moment, she wished she could stay with him forever, but she knew better. Sirius Black didn't settle down.

He stopped suddenly as she almost reached her climax again, and he desperately fought off his own. "No," she begged, afraid he would leave her like this, wanting him so desperately, needing him like she needed air. "Please no."

"Shush," he hushed her, taking her small hand in his, he pressed his lips to her wrist, feeling her blood race in her veins. She shifted and he released a guttural groan, gripping her hips to stay her, he shook his head. "No. Listen."

Tears pooled in her eyes in need of him and he gently kissed them away, each tiny movement making them both tremble. He slipped a bangle onto her wrist, the cool metal against her hot flesh making her shiver. "It's a goodbye present," he informed her, before softly demanding, "Don't forget me," in her ear.

"Never," she whispered, shaking her head as her tears fell down her cheeks again.

"Good," he murmured before he began moving within her again.

--

"Jack and coke," Sirius answered coolly and Marlene gave a curt nod. "I didn't know you were back," he said as she turned from him.

Her curls bobbed as she nodded. "Yeah," replied Marlene. "I've only been back for a few weeks though. Haven't even found a place yet." Smiling at him as she placed the drinks on the countertop, she shrugged and brushed her hair out of her eyes. A glint of silver caught Sirius' eye and the grey orbs watched, entranced, as the bangle on Marlene's wrist slipped lower. "The owner's been really nice, let's me sleep in the back."

"You're not staying at home?" asked Sirius and Marlene blushed.

"No." She shook her head. "They don't know I'm in London." Giving him a half smile, she traded an odd glance with Moody. "I'd like to keep it that way, if you don't mind."

Sirius nodded, confused. "Sure," he responded before taking a sip of his drink.

"Anyway," she said softly. "It's nice to see you again. Ring if you need anything."

As she moved to leave, Moody grabbed her arm and tugged her to him. Marlene released a sharp cry, but quickly clamped her lips shut and Moody started to speak in a hoarse whisper. "Clear the place. I've got news."

Sirius forced down his initial reaction to squash anyone who dared touch Marlene roughly and firmly gripped Moody's wrist in his hand. "You're bruising her," he growled and both Moody's eyes, one black and beady, the other blue and large, glared at him.

"Watch yourself, Black," muttered Moody, shoving his wand under Sirius' ribcage. Sirius glowered at him, but released his arm. Moody turned back to Marlene, his grip loosening a fraction. "The whole gang."

Marlene nodded once and strode from the room, refusing to so much as glance at her arm until the door closed behind her.

--

It was a matter of moments before the entire pub, and its four patrons, was cleared out and rearranged. The square tables lined up to resemble one long table, chairs encircling it and scattered around the fireplace in the back. Marlene was standing behind the bar, mixing a cornucopia of drinks, coffee, and tea, and laying out biscuits and crisps.

"Merlin, I love it when Marley's the one on deck. She always feeds us," a loud voice rang throughout the room as a tall red-haired man entered the room, followed by a strikingly similar companion.

"We should have recruited her ages ago," his companion agreed just as loudly as they dug into the snacks. "So, what's this about?" he asked, draping an arm around Marlene's shoulders.

"New recruit, I believe Fabian, but you can never be sure with Mad-Eye." She shrugged and flashed Sirius a wink. "Could've brought Mr. Black here so we could practice the new hex he's got us all learning on him, before he kills him."

The two redheads took the bait. "Yeah…" Fabian let his voice trail off before glancing up at the other man gravely. "Least this one's not as nasty as that stinging hex we used on the last one, right Gideon?"

"Don't know," replied Gideon darkly. "This one's awfully bloody…"

"Knock it off, you dolts," a large blonde woman muttered whacking Fabian upside the head as she dropped her heavy bag on the bar. "We need all the help we can get, don't go scaring of potential newbies."

"Ah, Jules, we aren't scaring him. Relax, it's all good fun," retorted Gideon, pouting slightly. Jules whacked him upside the head as well. "Ow…" he whined and Marlene laughed, laying her head on his shoulder. Gideon stuck his tongue out at Fabian and smirked before pressing a kiss to Marlene's hair.

Sirius watched with a dull anger boiling in his chest, before chiding himself. He had already over-reacted once on account of Marlene, he really didn't need to do it again. "So, what exactly am I being recruited for?"

The blonde woman burst out into laughter. "Stupid dunderhead," she chortled, "didn't even tell the kid what's going on."

Moody cleared his throat behind her and Marlene stifled her laugher behind her hand, as Fabian and Gideon stuffed their fists in their mouths in an identical fashion, snickering quietly. Sirius just smiled indifferently, taking in Marlene's appearance under hooded lashes.

She looked happy, he thought. Tired, judging by the dark rings visible under her eyes, and her wide yawns. She was thinner than he remembered, she had always been slight, but he thought she was verging on sickly. Her cheeks sunken in a bit, and her collarbone just a little too visible. Her hair was shorter too, now hanging in loose little curls above her ears. However, her eyes sparkled with a happiness he only spotted on a few occasions during their last months of school.

She caught him staring at her as Moody reprimanded the large blonde-haired woman and she smiled at him. He couldn't help but smile back.

--

Sirius was in mild shock, his mind reeling over what he had just heard. An underground group of witches and wizards, gathered by Albus Dumbledore, fighting against Voldemort, and they wanted him to join. Him? A Black?

Marlene grinned at him from across the room, tucking a stay curl behind her ear and his mind stopped reeling.

'Well, why not?' he thought. Marlene liked him. Moody liked him. Well, he tolerated him, which was saying something, really. The Marauder's loved him. And Lily, who spent most of her life despising him, had begun to like him just a tiny bit recently. He was top of his class at the Auror Academy. The only first year to have a mentor and allowed in battles and on crime scenes. He was loyal to fault. And deathly handsome. Why wouldn't this Order of the Phoenix want him in their ranks?

"We'll give you some time to think abut it, Mr. Black," said Albus Dumbledore, almost gravely as he stood.

Sirius shook his head. "No, professor," he stated firmly. "No, I don't need anytime to think. I'll do it. I want to be part of this, more than anything."

Mad-Eye Moody grinned. "Told you, Albus. He's a good kid. Bit rash, but that's to be respected." Sirius inwardly beamed at the praise.

"But, uh," he faltered this time, and ran his hand through his silky black hair. "I've friends, who'd kill me for not letting them in on the game."

Albus Dumbledore smiled. "Trustworthy friends?"

"The best there ever were."

--

"So," sighed Sirius as he nursed a glass of whiskey, watching Marlene sleepily sip at her cup of tea. "How long have you been a part of this?" he asked, tilting his chin toward the group of Order members still lingering in the pub.

Yawning, Marlene shook her hair from her eyes. "About three weeks. Dumbledore needed something translated. Babbling suggested me, because she didn't have the time." She chuckled. "I'm sure I wasn't the first on the list, but eventually he settled for me, anyway."

Sirius tugged on one of her curls. "You were supposed to let me know when you got back."

She blushed, smiling embarrassedly. "Oh, come on, as if you even missed me."

"But, I did," he answered with a smirk. "You've know idea how much." Marlene laughed, but the sound of it was lost in a yawn.

"Damn, McKinnon, how long as it been since you slept? You've been yawning all night."

Marlene glanced at the large clock behind the bar. "Uh… working on hour 42."

"What?" he gasped in disbelieve.

Shrugging, Marlene replied, "Shit happens. I've been translating through the nights and sleeping during the day, to stay out of the way. Anyways, emergency removal from headquarters yesterday, been setting up everything here — Caradoc's pub ­— 'til we find something new. Haven't caught a wink yet."

Sirius nodded. "'Suppose you haven't eaten either, by the ravenous way the Prewett brothers devoured your crisps?"

"Nope," laughed Marlene, "unless you count one of Moody's pepper-up chocolates."

Smiling, Sirius stood, holding out his hand. "Well, come stay with me tonight. There's a Chinese place 'round the corner from my flat. We'll have dinner and catch up."

Marlene paused for a moment before slipping her hand into his. "Alright," she agreed softly, allowing him to guide her from the room.

Endnotes:

1) Okay, did the time-leap bother anyone? I tried writing the leaving ceremony, but it wouldn't come out right, so I thought a few little flashbacks would be better. (My first time writing a flashback too… how'd it go?)

2) Sort of a first date coming up. Awkward, yes?

3) Thanks for reading (and reviewing). You guys rock.

4) By the way, I might possibly be starting a new job in a week or so. (Still up in the air. It all depends on if my drug test comes on clean. LOL.) So, I'm not sure what the updating schedule is going to look like, but I'll let you know. Hopefully, it works out to where I can still update at least once every two weeks.