Chapter 6: Wee Chats

"Have a biscuit." Professor McGonagall handed a tartan tin to Marlene.

"I haven't had lunch yet."

"And from what I hear you haven't had breakfast either." McGonagall tried again with the biscuits.

Marlene took one and muttered something about 'charmed with a cheering charm or laced with a calming draught.'

McGonagall just smiled and sat at her desk. "Pull up a chair, my classroom was the closest." Marlene took a chair from one of the desks and brought it so she was sitting opposite the smiling Professor. "I couldn't help overhearing your Howler."

"I think the whole of Scotland heard my Howler."

"Yes I remember your mother, she was five years ahead of me in school. She had good lungs then as well if I recall." Marlene smiled. "Yes well anyway I couldn't help overhearing that your are in a steady relationship with Mr Black of Gryffindor. Or is that Mr Black of Slytherin?"

"Gryffindor and I wouldn't call it a steady relationship more like a few dates here and there I mean he could be seeing loads of girls, deciding which one to.... date.... fully." Marlene rambled going red with embarrassment.

McGonagall eyed her necklace and nodded. "Yes, I see. And the reason you slept in this morning was because you were star gazing?"

Marlene took the double meaning of that question. She had listened enough in Astronomy to know that Sirius was the dog star. "Dog Star..." she murmured half to herself. She just realised what the smell of wet dog could mean when she smelled Amortentia. She looked up at McGonagall and turned even redder. "It wasn't star gazing in that sense. We talked and accidental fell asleep up there."

"I see." McGonagall said again, passing over the tin of biscuits. "So the main question is: Are you going to let this relationship get in the way of your studies. Each one of your teachers so far today have come to me with a small complaint. Whether it's lateness, clumsiness or yawning throughout the lesson. I know I don't need to remind you that your are in sixth year Miss McKinnon and looking back at last years career options your expressed an interest in joining your Father in the Auror office, and I'm sure I don't have to remind you that with out necessary precautions...."

Marlene suddenly got the gist of what McGonagall was trying to tell her. "Please Professor, I'm probably going to get this talk from my mother."

Professor McGonagall nodded. "However if talking to your mother is awkward then my door is always open, also Madam Pomfrey is happy to help if you ever need - to quote your mother: 'a wee chat.'"

"I'll bare that in mind. However my mother is a Healer it shouldn't be too bad. Also student's usually go to friends for advice in that department. No offence Professor."

"Non taken, but if student's go to friends for advice then we have the ultimate problem of peer pressure."

Marlene smiled, "Don't worry Professor the only smoking I'll be doing is blowing up my potions."

Professor McGonagall let out a small laugh. "My dear child, you've been spending too much time with Mr Potter and Mr Black."

There was a knock at the door and a small red haired boy peeped his head round. "Erm Professor the bell has rung."

Professor McGonagall placed the tin of biscuits in her desk and motioned for the line of student to enter. She pulled out a piece of parchment and quill and started writing.

Marlene was suddenly surrounded by first years, some of which were taller than her. Silently cursing her height she gave the red haired boy his chair. "You're not a Weasley are you?" The boy shook his head, scared at being addressed by a sixth year. "Didn't think so." She turned back to McGonagall.

"Take this to Professor Futhorc, it'll explain why you are late. Also if you could be in my office for 5pm on Friday."

"What for?" she exclaimed loudly making the first years in the front row jump in surprise.

"For detention Miss McKinnon, I cannot let these complaints from your teachers go unnoticed."

Marlene groaned inwardly; "I have Quidditch practise." she said suddenly.

"I think you might find that Mr Potter has cancelled it due to a prior engagement. Now go on I have a class to teach."

"Yes Professor." She took the letter that McGonagall had placed on her desk and walked out the door.

She has just closed the door behind her when she bumped into a student – causing his books to fall. "Sorry." She exclaimed bending down to pick up his books. "Heavy reading for a fifth year." She commented handing back the books on the Dark Arts.

"How do you know I'm a fifth year." He demanded, he hadn't really noticed who he had bumped into.

"You're Regulus Black." It was a statement not a question.

"Oh and you're my brothers girl." He said it like an insult.

Marlene ignored the jibe. "Well see you. I didn't know fifth years had free periods and McGonagall's teaching a class in there." She pointed to the closed door she had recently come out of and started off down the corridor.

"I'm sorry." He said running to catch up with her.

"Why are you apologising?" Marlene asked detouring slightly as she remembered she left her bag in the great hall.

"Because if you and my brother do get together. It might make my mother rethink about disowning him. She really likes your brother, Martyn and he's always speaking highly about you...."

Marlene stiffened. "What are you talking about, I don't have a brother!" She exclaimed running off to her next class forgetting her bag was still in the Great Hall.

Lily had thoughtfully brought Marlene's bag with her to Ancient Runes and as soon as the bell rang signalling the end of class she also brought out a plate of food.

Marlene grinned at the sight of food. "Thank Merlin for that!" She exclaimed between bites and walking back to the common room. "Lily you're a life saver."

Upon reaching the common room, Marlene headed straight upstairs, she knew the look Lily had on and wanted somewhere quiet where they could talk. They had at least forty-five minutes before their room-mates came back from Divination.

"Well?" Lily asked once Marlene had finished her plate of food.

Marlene spent the whole of their free period telling Lily where her and Sirius went last night, why she was late for class this morning. What the Howler was about and what Professor McGonagal wanted. She left out the bit about Regulus Black. "And now I'm really really tired." She finished rather lamely.

Lily just sat there, taking in all her friend had said. "Next Hogsmead weekend is 27th. Do you want some morale support?"

"I was actually thinking of taking Sirius..." She was interrupted by an owl at the window. "My parents have no sense in the fact that owl's are nocturnal birds."

"Is that a Ministry owl?" Lily asked slightly wary.

"Yeah my father is Head of the Auror Office. Don't worry it isn't bad news. It's a beige envelope, means it's personal. You start panicking when you get a black envelope."

Lily nodded, unfortunately Black Ministry Envelopes were a regular occurrence during a war. The ministry used them to convey their condolences when family members became casualties of war.

"Yep it's Father. Here listen to this. 'Dearest Marlene, I am writing to warn you that your mother has found out that you are dating a member of the Black family. This is to warn you of the Howler that is coming your way. (If it has beaten this letter then I apologise and I hope your ears aren't ringing to much and that you are not embarrassed by the scene she caused.) While it is true we are disappointed, there is nothing we can do. Your mother is just over-reacting and being over protective. Here at the office we have come to believe that several members of the Black family are loyal followers of Lord Voldemort, therefore when your mother heard about you new 'friend' she got a bit paranoid. Therefore it is our best interest that when you come and visit next Hogsmede weekend you bring Mr Black and introduce him properly.

Father.

P.S If your mother threatened to stop you going to Lily's then don't listen to her."

"Your father is very understanding." Lily commented once Marlene had finished the letter.

Marlene just smiled.

"How do I look?" Sirius asked for the thousandth time that day.

"Padfoot old friend, anyone would think you're nervous about meeting Marlene's Parents." James said using his nickname forgetting Lily and Marlene were present.

"Prongs, I'm terrified."

Marlene laughed. James, Remus, Peter and Lily were walking with them to the village and they had all arranged to meet up in the Three Broomsticks afterwards. Lily wasn't happy with spending the day with James but if she wanted to find out what happened with Marlene's Parents she'd need to be tolerant of him.

Marlene took one of Sirius' hands and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

He smiled and slipped an arm round her waist as they continued up the mountain to Marlene's house.

"Martyn?" Marlene stopped suddenly as a tall figure Apparated into view between two trees.

"You don't want to go in there, heated discussion about the fact that you're seventeen and old enough to date who you like." The figure said as Marlene and Sirius came up the frosty path.

"What are you doing here?" Marlene asked moving closer to Sirius, she was slightly wary of the brother she pretended was non-existent.

Martyn sighed; "Can I not visit my family?"

Marlene shrugged; The memory of Regulas Black and what he said came back to her.

"How's Albania?" She asked conversationally. "Oh this is Sirius Black." She added as Sirius shifted uncomfortably beside her.

"Oh I know." Martyn's tone was slightly unnerving but Marlene didn't have time to dwell on it as the front door opened.

"What are you all doing out here? Come on in Elenea's made some soup." Sirius looked up at the owner of the voice. He was a tall man, with thin grey hair and brown eyes that looked tired and worried. This he reasoned was Michael McKinnon head of the Auror Department. He had a kindly voice and even smiled at Sirius and shook his hand as they entered the house. "Thank you for coming Sirius."

Sirius put on his best formal voice and returned Marlene's fathers handshake. "Thank you for having me Mr McKinnon."

Michael McKinnon nodded before hugging his daughter and turning to the other member of the small party. "You should have warned us you were coming Martyn, your Mother will be please to see you."

"Thank you Father." Martyn nodded curtly and walked into the living room to say a brief hello to his Mother.

Sirius shifted uncomfortably. Marlene's mother hadn't taken her eyes of him since he had entered the room. Marlene was patiently telling her parents about their relationship, going bright red when her mother asked that question. Pretending he hadn't heard that question he turned to Michael who had just asked him a question about his future plans.

"I hope to join the Order." He said truthfully he and James had been thinking about this since their careers advice last year.

Mrs McKinnon looked at him surprised. "That's bold."

Sirius nodded, "As I mentioned before I hate my family's beliefs and want to do everything I can to fight against them. I started in 3rd year by taking Muggle Studies."

To his surprise Mrs McKinnon burst out laughing.

"Jo?" Michael looked at his wife worried. Marlene looked hopeful.

"You've got guts boy, that's for sure. Now I know from experience that my daughter is as stubborn as an eagle in winter and that trying to dissuade you two from seeing each other will only result in her going behind our backs. Therefore I am - at this moment in time, going to give you my blessings. But I'll tell you this: if my daughter comes home crying, heartbroken or pregnant before she's 21 you'll have a lot more than Lord Voldemort to worry about."

Sirius nodded, he understood loud and clear, this woman was competing with his mother for most scariest witch in Britain. She had such a split personality it was hard to know what mood you're going to get her in, one minute she's laughing and happy next she's on to you like a ton of bricks.

Marlene was grinning from ear to ear. "Come on." She whispered. "Let's go now before she changes her mind."

After a few goodbyes, hugs and the promise of bringing Lily next time she visited, Marlene and Sirius finally got out the house and set off down the mountain.

Sirius grasped her hand, glad that the torment was over. "Put it this way least you don't have to meet my parents."

And despite the fact she had a lot on her mind, Marlene laughed.

A/N: I am aware that this chapter isn't as good, although I am impressed I managed to fit it on five pages again. (It may be six now that I've made changes in editing lol) Next chapter will be up soon. Please R&R

Update: 26/3/10: Changed McGonagall's line about her becoming a teacher and Marlene's mother being head-girl (I hadn't done the maths) and changed it to being at school together.