A/N: So here it is! An extra long chapter for you all :) I'm back from my holidays now so updates will be back to normal until I go back to school in a couple of weeks. Personally, I really enjoyed this chapter. It was light and happy and made me smile while writing it. Sometimes I find Marauder stories can be full of doom and gloom all the way through. Enjoy xo

PS: Do you like the new cover photo for the story? The girl I see as playing Marlene is Felicity Jones and the guy Ben Barnes, although I think he looks a little old. Another question: Do you imagine Marlene to be a blonde or a brunette? I know opinion differs! I always saw her as a brunette because I always saw her as a seductress, which in Gothic Literature is traditionally associated with brunettes. I always find blonde hair a little soft for a firey character, but I'd love to hear your reasoning either way!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. In fact, I can't think of anything I own. My parents own most of my stuff, technically speaking.

Chapter 8- Love Story

Marlene couldn't help feeling a little forlorn as she sat around the lunch table. Everybody was chattering away, as usual, but Marlene knew this might be the last time she saw her sister for a long time. She was sat in between Scarlett and Lily. Sirius was opposite her, James was opposite Lily, Mrs. Potter was opposite Scarlett and Mr. Potter sat at the head of the table.
"Don't look so glum, Marley!" Scarlett poked her sister's shoulder, affectionately, "It's not going to be the last time you see me." An uncomfortable silence settled around the table, at the slight waver of uncertainty in Scarlett's light tone. The only sound to be heard around the table was the clinking of cutlery until Mrs. Potter cleared her throat.
"So, Lily, what do you plan to do after you finish school?"
"I would quite like to be an Auror," Lily nodded, "Or maybe a Healer. Something that is fairly hands on. Both jobs require grades that can be unattainable without the correct mindset though."
"Well, Charlus here is Head Auror, aren't you dear?" Mrs. Potter smiled lovingly at her husband, "I'm sure he can put in a good word for you! Anyway, I hear from James that you are top in almost every class. Brightest witch of your age, I believe!"
Lily blushed, her face turning the colour of her hair, "I would hardly say that."
"She's just being modest," said Marlene, "She's miles ahead of all of us in Charms."
"Remus is also very good," Lily shrugged, "As are James and Sirius. I don't hold a candle to their achievements in Transfiguration."
"Hooray for being geniuses!" Sirius cheered, throwing his fist up in the air and knocking over a jug of pumpkin juice, "Oops."
"Merlin's beard, Sirius, you're hopeless," Mrs. Potter rolled her eyes, cleaning up the mess with a flick of her wand.
"You love me for it!" Sirius stated dramatically. Marlene shook her head in disbelief at the boy's stupidity.
"Is that a headshake I see, dearest Marlene? You could not honestly be denying the fact that everybody loves me…could you?"
"I'm merely pointing out that vanity is not a quality that all people find attractive," Marlene shot back.
"Ten galleons says they get married," James mouthed at Scarlett.
"Deal," Scarlett mouthed back, "There's no way that you'll get Marlene into a white dress."
"I think that's enough now, Sirius," Mrs. Potter said, after a while of watching the two teenagers bicker, with amusement etched across her face, "What will Lily think of us?"
"You get used to it after a while, mum," James grinned.
"Don't tell me son, you think the arguing is a secret sign that they're hopelessly in love with each other?" The mischievous glint in Mr. Potter's crinkled blue eyes was scarily alike to the glint that James got in his eyes before pulling off a particularly well thought out prank.
"Don't be silly, dad! I know the arguing is a sign that they're hopelessly in love with each other!" James laughed.
"Pleaseee," Marlene huffed, "I have better tastes!"
"You say that now, but the weirdest of things do happen," Mr. Potter said, "I knew I loved your mother when I first set eyes on her on the train when we were eleven, but we were all certain she despised me until seventh year when I finally won her heart."
"You make it sound like you made some grand gesture!" Mrs. Potter scoffed, "In reality, you just stopped asking me out every two minutes and stopped being an arrogant toe rag long enough for me to see that you'd actually grown up a little bit."
"You would have hated a grand gesture dear!"
"Hogwarts does have the best love stories, don't you think?" Scarlett mused, "I mean there's so much unrequited love, and tension…it makes the real world of romance seem quite mundane."
"I agree! Some of the most romantic stories are made at Hogwarts!" Mrs. Potter agreed.
Marlene shrugged, "Not in our year. You either date, you don't date or you just have-..." Marlene trailed off.
"You have what dear?" Mrs. Potter asked.
"Yes, McKinnon, what do you have if you don't date, or not date?" Sirius grinned.
"You…um…well you have lots of gossip about those who date. Yes, that's right. You gossip," Marlene nodded.
"So which category do you fit into Marls?" Scarlett smiled, as if she was on in some kind of inside joke.
"The dating," Marlene decided.
"Oh really?" Scarlett wiggled her eyebrows, "I would have thought you'd have been in the 'have lots of gossip' category."
Marlene cleared her throat, "Well yes. That too, I suppose." Across the table, Sirius and James were red faced from stifling laughter.
"What about you boys?" Mrs. Potter wondered, "I imagine you date, hmm? With your looks and charm I imagine you could get any girl you wanted!"
"Not every girl," James shrugged, "Sometimes the ones you want are the hardest to get, right dad?"
"I can definitely agree on that one! I had girls throwing themselves at me left right and centre when I was a school, but I only had eyes for your mother."
"Oh James knows allllllll about that," Marlene giggled. James shot her a glare, as Lily blushed uncomfortably. She shielded her face with her hair so that the others couldn't see the colour of her complexion. When Mr and Mrs. Potter were distracted, she pinched Marlene's arm.
"Ouch!" Marlene glared at her red headed friend.
"What are you playing at?" Lily hissed.
"I don't know what you mean!" Marlene exclaimed, quietly, "It's not my fault yours and James' situation is similar to Mr and Mrs. Potter's!"
"Except James has yet to prove he's not an arrogant toe rag."
"Interesting…" Marlene mused.
"What?" Lily looked at her in confusion.
"You just called him James," Marlene remarked, "When Mr. and Mrs. Potter can't even hear you."
"It's a habit…" Lily faltered.
"Sureeeee," Marlene teased.
"Gosh you're so annoying sometimes!" Lily huffed.
"You love me," Marlene winked.
Lily sighed, "You seriously give me reason to doubt why you're my best friend sometimes."
"Because I'm perfect. Obviously."
Lily rolled her eyes, "Obviously."

With Lily's arrival, came Scarlett's departure. Although Marlene was excited to have her best friend around, she was going to miss having someone from her family with her.
"Do you really have to go, Scarlett?" Marlene asked, "Can't you stay for one more day?"
"Marls, we both know the longer I stay, the harder it will be to say goodbye," Scarlett sighed, pulling her younger sister in for a hug, "You've got Lily here now. And we'll see each other soon."
"You don't know that," Marlene mumbled.
"It was lovely having you dear!" Mrs. Potter watched the exchange with a smile, "You're welcome any time we can arrange it. And perhaps you can bring the little one to see us next time?"
Scarlett smiled, "Of course Aunt Loretta. Thank you so much for inviting me to stay with you."
"That's quite alright! Marlene really needed it, I think."
"I'd better get going. Jack is expecting me back," Scarlett pulled away from her sister, holding onto her shoulders and looking into Marlene's green eyes (identical to her own), "Remember what I said about that person we talked about. And I promise, I'll see you again soon."
Marlene nodded silently before speaking, "I love you Scarlett."
"I love you too, Marley," Scarlett gave Marlene another brief hug before apparating with a loud crack.
"Are you alright Marls?" Lily placed a comforting hand on Marlene's shoulder.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Marlene smiled reassuringly. After all, Marlene McKinnon didn't cry.

"Lily, Lily, wake upppp!" Marlene jumped on the red head's bed. It was eight o clock three days after Scarlett left, and two days before the ball.
"I'm awake, I'm awake," Lily grumbled, sitting up, "What's the hurry?"
"We're going shopping for dresses and school stuff today! Our supply lists came!"
"They're early this year, aren't they?" Lily looked confused.
"It's only a week until we go back to school, Lils!" Marlene exclaimed, "I can't believe you didn't realize."
"Really? I thought we had ages left," Lily yawned.
"Hurry up and get dressed unless you want to Lover Boy to see you looking like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards!"
"Always the charmer-hey, who's Lover Boy?" Lily scowled.
"James of course!" Marlene giggled, as she ran to the door, "Seriously though Lils, hurry up I'm dying to see if you're head girl!" By the time a pillow flew in Marlene's general direction, the door had slammed shut.

"How come Prongs and Lily Flower got two letters?" Sirius pouted, "I want two letters!"
"Don't be such a baby," Marlene rolled her eyes, "And it's obviously because Lily's head girl. But I don't know what James' second one is…"
"Maybe I'm head boy," James joked, his hazel eyes twinkling with amusement at the idea, "Oh."
"What?" Marlene frowned, peeping over James' shoulder at the letter, "Ohhhhh."
"TELL ME!" Sirius demanded, "Have you been expelled mate? I find that hard to believe considering I'm much worse than you."
James rolled his eyes, "Shut up, Padfoot and listen,

"Dear Mr. Potter,

I am delighted to inform you that you have been appointed as the new Head Boy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will find your badge enclosed. Please meet Professor McGonagall in the prefects' compartment on the train at 11:15am on September the first, to receive the details and instructions for your role.

Kind Regards,

Professor Albus Dumbledore."

"Oh James, that's brilliant!" Mrs. Potter stood up, and squeezed her son tightly, "Oh your father will be so proud when he gets home!"
"What was Dumbledore thinking?" Sirius gasped, "I know he's getting old now but I never thought he'd go senile…"
"Sirius, that's enough!" Mrs. Potter scolded him playfully, "Don't be so mean. James is a perfect student, aren't you darling?"
"Muuuuuuum," James' cheeks turned bright pink.
"Well, I'm going to owl your father! This is so exciting!"
"You got head girl, didn't you Lily?" Marlene double checked. Lily just nodded in reply. She was in a state of shock. If any of the Marauders got Head Boy, it was sure to be Remus. But the letter clearly said Mr. Potter. James looked a little sheepish as he gauged Lily's reaction.
"It makes perfect sense really," Marlene reasoned, "I mean you two are practically the smartest in the year."
"There's Remus," said Lily, "And Sev."
"Yeah but you wouldn't have wanted Snivellus to be Head Boy would you?" Sirius looked disgusted, "Not after what he did in fifth year!"
"I seem to remember yours and Potter's behavior also being appalling that day," Lily snapped. The red head's ex best friend was still a touchy spot for Lily.
"We would never ever dream of saying that word," James' voice was low and dark, and he almost looked…angry, "Sirius and I have our faults, Lily, but damn right prejudice is not one of them."
"Oh really? Because I'd say that you were both pretty prejudice against Slytherins," Lily challenged.
"We do not have a problem with Slytherins. Just Death Eaters. There's a difference," James retorted.
"Albeit not a very big one," Sirius chipped in.
"That's enough," Marlene interrupted, "Black, refrain from making comments about Snape please. Don't get me wrong, I don't like the guy, but he did mean a lot to Lily at one point. James, relax. There's no need for there to be an argument over this. You're a good person, we all know that. And Lily…please, don't read into everything James says and try to turn it into an argument. He did not mean harm by his comment; he was just trying to defend himself and his friend. Do you all understand?"
"You're hotter when you're annoyed," Sirius smirked. Marlene leaned back in her chair, and rubbed her forehead.
"Hopeless. All of you are hopeless."

NEXT CHAPTER: Lily, Marlene, Sirius and James go shopping. What would you like to see happen in Diagon Alley?