A/N: New chapter for you all! Hope you enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, JK Rowling does, okay? Except, I do own Posy the owl. She's mine.
Little Too Late- Chapter 4- Confusion
"Ah, Marlene dear, there you are!" Mrs. Potter bustled into the guest office where Marlene was watching her tawny owl flap into the distance, "You couldn't take this up to Sirius could you? I'm so busy! There's a dear!" With her parting words, Mrs. Potter was gone, leaving a tray full of mouth-watering buttered toast, crimson and gold iced cupcakes, chilled pumpkin juice and a pot of hot tea with ribbons of steam swirling upwards from it.
Picking it up, Marlene made her way across the hallway to Sirius' room. (Both of their rooms, offices and bathrooms were on the guest floor.) She knocked once.
"Enter!" Sirius demanded, mocking a man of extreme high status and importance. Marlene rolled her eyes, and pushed the door open.
"Oh brilliant a pretty lady!" Sirius looked excited, "And she brings my most favourite thing in the world...food!"
"I had rather hoped you'd be asleep Black," remarked Marlene, dryly.
"Now, now Miss. McKinnon, do not deny the needs of the heart. Have a seat-make a dying man happy!"
Marlene sat with another prolonged eye roll, "You are hardly dying Black. There's barely a scratch on you since Aunt Loretta worked her magic. Still if you'd like to become a dying man, it could easily be arranged..." Marlene twirled her wand thoughtfully.
"I'd like that on record!" Sirius exclaimed, "to prove to dearest Prongs that you are in fact, a violent human being."
"Whatever," Marlene shrugged, "I thought you were hungry."
"Not if there's a better offer than food," winked Sirius suggestively.
"Ew, there's not! You're delusional." Marlene replied, in disgust, but the girl couldn't help a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"Nope, I'm a dreamer," Sirius said.
"They're some twisted dreams."
Sirius smirked, "I save my most crazy and erotic ones for you McKinnon. Only you."
"And crazy they are. Never going to happen, sweetie."
"We'll see," Sirius smirked. Marlene stood up to leave but Sirius cried out suddenly, "No!"
Marlene looked back over, and for a moment, she swore she saw a flash of vulnerability cross the normally egotistical boy's face but she was tempted to dismiss it.
"Don't leave me alone. Stay for a bit," Sirius said softly before clearing his throat, "After all, I'm dying of boredom shut up in here, and you wouldn't want me to die alone would you Marley?" And with a wink, the innocence and fear Marlene thought she'd seen previously had vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"I'm worried about Black," Marlene told James, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl in the Potters' dining room where James was pondering over a piece of parchment.
"Hmm?" James didn't glance up.
"I said I was worried about Black...hey what you got there?" Marlene asked curiosity lacing her tone, as she pulled up a chair.
James rubbed his forehead, a frown creasing his brow, "I want to write Lily a letter. Asking her to come to the ball. But I don't know what to say."
"Oh you needn't worry about that!" Marlene laughed, "I've already asked her. I'm just waiting on her reply."
"Yeah...but I kinda wanted her to..y'know come as my date..." James mumbled, blushing.
Marlene's eyes widened, "Ooh, right. Well, don't bother. Unless you want to experience the bitter taste of rejection yet again," The girl bit into her apple, before sighing, "Do you actually like her James?"
James nodded.
"Then something has to change. She hates the idea of you seeing her as some kind of trophy."
"That's not how I see her at all!"
"Isn't it?" Marlene raised an eyebrow, "Look at it this way. Throughout her whole time at Hogwarts, you've been pursuing her. You've never let up once. She can't understand how someone could genuinely like her for that long and still manage to say all the wrong things. So she just assumes you don't actually like her."
"You've completely lost me."
"You've got to make a choice, James. Is Lily really that important to you? Is she important enough to you that you're prepared to make some kind of change in your life? Because if you're not, I can name at least twenty five girls who want to date you and that's just off the top of my head."
"She's that important to me. What do I have to do?"
"Back off."
"What?"
"Well if I know anything about the female race, and I like to think I do, as I've been part of it for seventeen years, I know that if you take something away from them that they're used to having, they'll miss it. Even if they found it annoying."
"So you're saying, that even though Lily thinks I'm the worst human to walk the planet-"
"Overreaction."
"-If I stop talking to her, she'll miss me?"
"Sure. Although I was going more for 'stop asking her out' rather than cutting her off completely. That'd just be kind of insulting."
"Right," James nodded and discarded the parchment and turned his attention back to the dark haired girl, "So, what were you saying before?"
"Oh, that…" Marlene hesitated, "It doesn't really matter."
"I think it does. You seemed pretty solemn when you came down."
"I'm just a bit worried about Black, that's all," Marlene sighed.
"Why?" James wondered, aloud.
"Well, earlier on, he was annoying me-I just presumed he was back to his normal health. But, when I stood to leave, and get out of his company, he called me back. The cry he let out was almost vulnerable and so un-Sirius-like. I don't know, I just wonder whether this incident has had more mental affects on him than we can see."
James nodded, "Hmm, I wouldn't worry about it, Moo. It's been a terrible ordeal for him, and unfortunately, they're not all too uncommon. He's bound to be acting a little strange for a while. Sirius has always had a fear of being on his own."
"How come?"
"I've never been quite sure, it must be something psychological. That's partly the reason he sleeps around so much. He has to feel wanted somewhere, and if he's not with someone, he's lost."
"Oh," Marlene felt her heart drop a little at the thought of Sirius (however much she despised him) having problems. It was all so foreign, because he was always so full of life, and joking around. It always was hard to believe that a person with behavior like that, had issues.
"It's best not to talk about it," James shrugged.
"But how is he always so happy if he has all these family problems?" Marlene had to know.
"I don't know. A coping mechanism, maybe? We all deal with things in different ways, Marley."
"I know," Marlene sighed, "Sometimes I wish everyone thought in the same way. Everything would be so much simpler then."
The next morning, Marlene was woken by the incessant tapping of Posy, her owl's return. Marlene rolled out of bed, looking at her clock. 9 in the morning. Typical of Lily to reply ridiculously early.
Letting Posy in the window, Marlene snatched the letter. Posy screeched in offense.
"Nobody cares," Marlene snapped. She wasn't a morning person.
Dear Marlene, the letter read,
Thank you for the invitation. My mother is making me come, despite my thorough explanation of my relationship with Potter. She seems to believe a ball will be the greatest of fun; probably because she never had the opportunity to attend one. Just one question, should I arrive with a dress, or will we shop for one? I'll see you on the 20th.
Love,
Lily
Marlene decided that Lily would want a prompt reply, so dressing in a casual Gryffindor red summer dress and tying her almost black hair into a messy side bun, Marlene headed downstairs to greet Mrs. Potter.
"Morning dear!" Mrs. Potter beamed, pulling Marlene into a motherly hug the instant she saw her, " You're up early! I'll get the house elves to prepare some breakfast if you want? The boys will be sleeping 'til midday at least! I'm sure Sirius is looking forward to being up and about, the poor dear. Don't you look lovely today?" Mrs. Potter rambled, happily. James was very lucky to have such an excellent mother ". Marlene had a good relationship with her mum and dad, but not nearly as good as the relationship James had with his parents.
Mr and Mrs. Potter were a mix of doting and firm with their only son. Although rich and privileged, James was not spoilt and knew how to earn the things he wanted, which made Marlene admire the family even more.
"I heard back from one of my friends, Lily." Marlene said, as she followed Mrs. Potter into the dining room, "She says she will arrive on the 20th. The ball is on the 25th isn't it?"
"Lily...now why does that name ring a bell?" Mrs. Potter smiled, "That's fine today. Is she going to be staying for the remainder of the holidays?"
Marlene nodded, "That's right. Lily was wondering whether she would have to come with a dress or if we will buy one together."
"Ooh I think it will be nice for us girls all to go together, don't you?"
Marlene smiled, "That is what I thought you'd say. Thanks Aunt Etta."
"Not a problem dear. What about your other friends, Emmeline and Dorcas is it?"
"Dorcas is staying with her grandparents in Scotland for the whole holiday, and Emmeline can only make the ball."
"Oh okay then! Much like Remus and Peter."
"Will they be attending?" Marlene questioned .
"Remus will for the evening, Peter is away with his mother."
"Oh right," Marlene went silent for a moment before continuing, "Have you heard from my mother at all?"
Mrs. Potter smiled sympathetically, "I'm afraid I haven't, Marlene. How about I write to her? See if she would like to attend the ball?"
"Is it safe?" Marlene asked, anxiously.
"Charlus and I will find away to make it work."
Marlene nodded, "If it wouldn't be too much trouble. Thank you Aunt Etta. Not just for making the effort to try and contact my parents, but for putting a roof over my head this summer."
"It is the least I can do," Mrs. Potter assured her, "Our families go way back. It would be like leaving James out on the streets, to have not offered you a home."
"I really do appreciate it," Marlene smiled gratefully, "Right, I better go and reply to Lily's letter and finalise the arrangements!" And with that, the girl had disappeared up the stairs, leaving Mrs. Potter staring after her in bewilderment.