Chapter 10: Guilt

Sirius glared at his friends and sighed. "Why me?"

It was Friday evening, Remus had been released from the Hospital wing earlier that afternoon and the four boys had immediately hid themselves in their dorm. They weren't hiding or ignoring anyone they were just discussing and planning what they were going to do about – what they now dubbed as: Vicious Bunnies.

"Because my dear Padfoot, you can use the wonderful powers of persuasion and distraction, to extract the information we need from your supposed girlfriend, whom – I may add – you haven't spoken a word to, since she arrived back almost two nights ago."

Sirius bit his bottom lip. "Can't you use your powers of persuasion and distraction on Evans?"

"And risk having my hair chopped off and being turned into a toad? I value myself way too much to get on the receiving end of Evans' anger. And before you ask:" he added when Sirius opened his mouth to speak. "Peter can't do it because he is still hurt about the rat comments Marlene made and Remus is trying to avoid them as he feels guilty and no matter how many times we try and convince him that it's not his fault he still feels like jumping off the top of the Gryffindor Tower."

Sirius sighed once more and stood up, "We'll get this all sorted Moons don't go jumping off any towers, to quote Evans 'you need wings to fly.'"

Remus smiled. "Thanks." He said locking eyes with his friend. As soon as the others had told him what had happened he had felt awful and just wanted to apologise. James had stopped him, reasoning that the girls might not have realised what had happened and put two and two together. Hence why Sirius was on a mission to see what Lily and Marlene had found out. This hadn't been the first time he hated who he was and James was right he had considered suicide on a few occasions. If it weren't for James, Sirius and Peter he didn't think he would've made it passed first year.

Sirius found Marlene and Lily in the Library pouring over books on Conjuration and copies of: 'Guide to Advance Transfiguration', he gave a small cough and slid into an empty seat. Lily glowered at him before turning slightly to watch the door. Her hands on her books ready to leave if Potter waltzed through.

"Give me a second to finish this paragraph then can we go somewhere?" Marlene asked without looking up.

Sirius shifted uncomfortably, Lily had taken to glaring at him again. "Sure."

He waited while Marlene finished what she was doing and packed up her stuff. They said bye to Lily before heading out.

There was an awkward silence as they walked. The both decided to break the silence at the same time:

"I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks for the flowers."

Sirius smiled and stopped walking. He pulled Marlene into a hug. "I was really worried about you." He whispered, "When you weren't on the train I didn't know what to think, and then when Dumbledore said you were in Hospital I felt awful like I should've been there. I'm so sorry. I just feel so guilty for leaving you alone."

Marlene pulled out of the hug and readjusted her bag on her shoulder. She looked up at him. "Don't blame yourself when you don't know the full story."

Sirius put his arm around her waist and they continued walking, he remembered what Dumbledore had said and didn't press further.

"Wednesday." Marlene said quietly.

"What about Wednesday? If you're talking about James being angry that you missed the first Quidditch practise of the year then he'll get over it." Sirius diverted from the main incident on that day with ease. He was silently pleased with him self at how quick he was.

"Huh? Oh oops."

Sirius waited for Marlene to elaborate but she just readjusted her bag once more switching it from one shoulder to the other. "Are you okay with that bag?" He asked.

Marlene nodded. "Just got a sore back that's all some random dog jumped me."

"Sorry about that." Sirius said without thinking.

Marlene raised an eyebrow and attempted to hide her grin. "Why would you be apologising?"

Sirius just shrugged, he had fallen into her trap without realising it. The girls knew nothing. This chat was to clear up suspicions, exactly what Sirius was trying to do.

Marlene grinned and turned to face him. "It was you wasn't it? Oh wow, that's amazing even Lily was impressed when I said I thought it was you guys." She gushed.

Sirius was stunned he hadn't expected this reaction, he also wasn't prepared for what came next.

"And Remus? We kind of put two and two together on that one. Bless him, you know that is a very sweet and daring thing you guys have done for him." She gave him a small smile then laughed at his confused face.

"You just said 'Bless him' about the guy that attacked you."

"Och" Marlene said dismissively. "It's not his fault he can't help it. It must be so hard for him. He's really lucky to have such good friends. As for the attack, it's nothing after all that handsome Stag rescued us."

Sirius pouted, "I helped."

Marlene laughed, "You a mangy old mutt? My favourite scarf now smells of wet-dog." She now realised the full intent of her Amortentia fumes.

Sirius sighed, "Sorry about that. Least you've got another scarf, the one I gave you."

Marlene glared at him, "That was the one you gave me."

Sirius stayed silent. And glanced at where they were, without realising they had climbed 3 flights of stairs and had arrived outside the portrait of the fat lady.

"Password?"

"Cuppa." Sirius replied before Marlene had even thought about it.

"Love one thanks." The fat lady said smiling and swinging open, "Two sugars and no milk."

Sirius and Marlene ignored her and walked into the common room.

"Did you guys take the long way round?" Lily asked as they joined her beside the fire.

Marlene just grinned, "I'm going up to see Remus, you coming?"

Lily nodded slowly, she didn't mind Remus after all he was a prefect and much more responsible than the others, plus ever since third year the three of them had shared Arithmancy. She also strangely enough wanted to see James again.

Remus was stunned. He hadn't been this stunned since James, Sirius and Peter all accepted him for who he was back in second year. Now these two girls were pushing it aside as if it was just a spot on his nose. They didn't seem to care what he was, they were genuinely worried about him. They didn't give him sympathetic or weary looks either, they had apologised to him then carried on treating him as normal. Even when he tried to apologise to them they accepted it without even batting an eyelid. Lily even hugged him and told him not to worry about it.

He had never thought he could have one friend who knew about his condition let alone five.

Lily had just finished telling the boys what Dumbledore had said when Marlene turned to Sirius.

"Did you get a flat?" She asked and Remus was relieved the conversation was being diverted.

Sirius beamed, "I had completely forgotten, I haven't even told Moony and Wormtail. Yes I got a flat in Soho. It's so muggle and wonderful and the best part is, the owner who sold it to me threw in a motorbike. He said he's moving overseas and couldn't take it with him. It's an old banger but with a lick of paint and some marauder charm I'll have it working in no time." Sirius grinned around the room.

Everyone just stared at him until Remus broke the silence. "What do you know about motorbikes?"

Sirius grin widened, he jumped up and went to his trunk where he pulled out a few muggle magazines on motorbikes and his Muggle Studies text book. "I got these from a newsagent in the

square and there's a whole chapter devoted to cars and motorbikes in my text book."

"Now all we need for you to do is hide in a cave and I'm all set." Marlene said flicking through one of his magazines and removing any pages that had semi naked girls on them.

Lily let out a little laugh and James looked at her.

"Care to elaborate Evans?" He asked trying not to sound as arrogant as he usually did when he spoke to the girl he'd fancied for years.

"Nothing your big antlers could comprehend." Lily said calmly.

Remus choked back a laugh. He remembered when James has first achieved the form of the stag and Sirius had compared his big antlers to his big head and how said antlers couldn't get through the door.

Peter was the next one to change the subject. "Have you guys all put your names down for Apparition lessons?" James, Sirius, Remus and Lily all nodded their heads and Peter looked downcast, then he noticed Marlene hadn't nodded her head. "What about you Marlene?"

"I already have my license." She shrugged nonchalantly and turned back to ripping pages out of Sirius' magazines.

"Oh."

"What's up Wormy, 'fraid you'll lose your tail?" Sirius asked while attempting to rescue his magazines from Marlene who had dodged and jumped behind Remus. She smiled maliciously.

"Well twelve galleons is a lot of money especially when I won't be taking the exam at the end,"

The girls looked confused.

"Poor Peter has a late May birthday, therefore isn't eligible to take the Apparation exam at the end."

Lily nodded sympathetically then frowned as something else came to her. "Peter can you become an Animagus as well?"

Peter nodded, eager to show off. "I'm a rat." He said proudly and a bit louder than normal.

Marlene stopped ripping up magazines and stared at him, "Erm.... you didn't happen to hear..."

Peter glared at her. "I did hear and that jinx you threw at me, nearly killed me."

Despite the fact that it was Peter Pettigrew and the fact that she had never really liked him, Marlene felt guilty. "Sorry." She apologised sincerely, "I hate rats and ever since I was three have been absolutely terrified of them."

"Hence the boggart in third year." James said knowledgeably.

"What you talking about mate, Marl's boggart is of some persons forearm. Everyone teased her for being scared of forearms. The Slytherin's walked around for days and every time she walked passed they all pulled up their sleeves and flashed their arms at her."

Marlene blanched she didn't like the way this conversation was going she tried to bring it back to something else. "So who's up for a game of strip poker."

James and Sirius ignored her and continued discussing the issue of the boggart in third year. Remus had also joined the fray: "Third year was a rat, fourth year was the forearms, I only remember because some stupid seventh year pulled up the sleeve of his left arm and showed everyone his dark mark by accident."

James and Sirius smiled at the memory. "That's right. I was gutted as Malfoy and Narcissa had left the year before and I would have loved to see their reactions." Sirius agreed. Three Slytherins had been expelled that year.

Peter felt left out. "Why forearms though and why the change?" He added hoping he'd asked the right questions to be included.

"That my dear Wormtail is a very good question. What happened in the summer of '74 that frightened our dear Marlene into fearing forearms more than rats?" Five pairs of eyes all turned to the small brown haired girl sitting on Remus bed.

Marlene glanced down at her watch. "God grief is that the time? Don't people have to patrol and such? As for me I have to go.... clean out my trunk or something like that so... yeah." Marlene grinned sheepishly at the five pairs of eyes and rushed out the room.

Four of the pairs of eyes turned to the green pair of eyes.

"Oh no," Said Lily standing up with her hands on her hips. "I may be as curious as you but I am not going to pry into my best friends life."

"Please Lily-kins." James begged before thinking.

Lily glared at him. "You were doing so well Potter." She said anger flashing in her green eyes. "Come on Remus, Marlene is right we have a patrol to do."

James mentally kicked himself as the fiery-red head stormed out the room.

A/N: Enjoy this one. Marlene's past will be revealed in due course. :)