Chapter 26 – Rising Tensions

Soon she's gonna find stealing other people's toys

On the playground won't make you many friends,

She should keep in mind,

There is nothing I do better than revenge,

- Better Than Revenge, Taylor Swift

Regulus,

If you can come to the old Defence classroom on the fifth floor half an hour before dinner, I'd be really grateful. I need to talk to you.

Marlene

He held the folded note in his hand as he slipped noiselessly down the corridor. The halls of the school were deserted as everyone was flooding to the Great Hall for the evening meal. Contacting a Gryffindor wasn't something his friends would be very pleased with but Regulus was confident that it would be about Sirius.

And, to him, that was worth the risk.

"McKinnon, are you here?" he called calmly, tuning left onto the corridor.

There was a scuffle from the nearby room and a blonde head popped out, grinning.

"You came!" she gushed, stepping back to let him in, ignoring Regulus' eye roll.

"Of course I did, you said you needed to see me..." Regulus turned around and trailed off as he saw an uneasy Sirius sitting at the back of the classroom, obviously forced to come by Marlene. "Oh..."

Marlene frowned slightly. "What do you mean, 'oh'?"

Sighing, Sirius tipped backwards on his chair. "He thought he was talking to you alone," he said and there was a bite to his tone.

Regulus looked uncomfortable. "You just put 'I' in your note, Marlene, I... I assumed..."

She bit her lip, sensing the tension between the brothers. "That's my fault, I'm sorry."

"And now he wants to leave," Sirius said, "I told you this was a bad idea!"

"No, I don't!" Regulus insisted, lying, "I just thought it was going to be about something else!"

Marlene shrugged awkwardly. "I figured seeing as you'd asked to be kept informed..."

He nodded. "How are you, Sirius?"

His brother shrugged and refused to meet his gaze. "Everything's okay."

"Look," Regulus said, narrowing his eyes, "I only want to have a civil conversation with you. I helped you, Sirius! You'd have been drinking yourself into oblivion for the whole two weeks if I hadn't done something!"

"I'm fine," Sirius said candidly, "Thank you."

"You're not grateful, though, are you?" he replied bitterly. "No matter what I do. Have you forgotten all those times you were locked up?"

Marlene stared at the two of them in shock: locked up? What did he mean? Thinking about it, she didn't really know anything about their home life except that Sirius had left a few years back.

"Of course not, I am grateful," Sirius scoffed, "But nowadays I assume you're a bit too busy practising your magic tricks to care."

His younger brother's eyes hardened. "Yes, well, I came here knowing that if my friends find out they might ostracize and ignore me, clearly I don't care at all," he drawled sarcastically.

Suddenly, Sirius stood up and the chair fell over backwards, making Marlene jump as it clattered angrily against the slate floor.

"We're not going there, Regulus, you could easily make new friends that wouldn't hate you for talking to me or Marlene and don't encourage the things they do!"

Regulus laughed coldly. "And a whole new family, too? I don't think so, Sirius, I love our parents even if you don't!"

Before Sirius could spit out a response, Marlene stepped forwards, eyes wide. "Please don't fight! I just wanted him to know how you were, Sirius! And Regulus? ... Sirius did find a whole new family, ones that really care about him. I like you, I know James does too, you don't have to stick with people like that..."

"Like what? What do you really know, Marlene?" Regulus accused angrily, "What has he told you? Nothing, I bet."

Marlene hesitated.

"See," he snapped, "You know nothing. So stay out."

"Oi, she's done nothing!" Sirius said defensively, stepping in between them, "She's trying to be nice to you, you shit!"

But Regulus had been slighted and so responded in kind.

"Or, more accurately, she's done nothing apart from you - by the looks of things you two have got up to plenty. You need to top up your makeup, Marlene, there seems to be something on your neck," he said, sneering as he backed towards the door. "Such a shame," he continued as Marlene clapped a hand over the bruise, "Now the rest of us can't even have her without your dirt on her..."

She flinched and Sirius growled at his brother.

"You take that back," he snarled, "She's not something you can possess, she's not yours or anyone's! You're just jealous because you always hated me having things you couldn't."

Regulus laughed mirthlessly. "Oh, of course... If that's what you want to believe..."

Taking a deep breath, Marlene put her hands on her hips and faced both of the boys, noticing - not for the first time - how ridiculously similar they looked.

"Regulus, you wanted to know how he was; Sirius, you told me how grateful you were that we had come and found you. You two need to stop arguing! Also, I can do whatever and whoever I want – both of you get your heads out of your asses," she growled, giving them both a furious look.

The brothers widened their eyes: while Marlene wasn't placid, she rarely had the fiery temper of Lily or the outspokenness of Mary, she had her own quiet force. Sirius saw the anger in her eyes and stepped back first, turning away from Regulus and leaning against a desk to calm down.

"Marlene, I-"

"No, Regulus, go," she snapped, resting a hand on Sirius' tense back.

His dark eyes flickered from her to him and his wand arm twitched angrily.

"Go!"

Surprised at her venom, Regulus stepped backwards jerkily before he turned and fled. Marlene turned to Sirius and sat on the edge of the desk, swinging her legs as she took a long breath.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I thought he'd be better away from his friends…"

"He can be. When he's in the mood," Sirius muttered, "And it isn't your fault. You were just trying to help again." Sirius sighed, straightened up and smiled weakly at her.

She returned it half heartedly. "Come here, you."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Marlene breathed out against his skin, sending a shiver down his spine. Sirius folded her into a hug, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"I just wanted to help," she said sadly.

"I know, McKinnon, you did, I promise."

She held onto him for a few more minutes before she reluctantly pulled away. "We should go and get some food before it's all gone," she mumbled and Sirius agreed, helping her off the desk.

They walked out together quietly and Marlene pulled the door shut behind them before catching up with him. Dinner had already started when they found their friends and began to eat. Marlene watched Sirius carefully because he seemed rather withdrawn but it would just be because of the confrontation with Regulus - he'd be back to normal soon enough.

"How did it go?" Lily whispered to Marlene.

Marlene pointed her knife at Sirius, who was looking particularly sullen, and raised an eyebrow.

"Take a guess."

She sighed. "You gave it a go, Mar, no one can say it was your fault. Some relationships just aren't good, you know? Me and Snape, for example."

Marlene found Regulus at the Slytherin table, eating stonily.

"This is, Lils," she said softly, cutting up her beef, "They could be so good. They care about each other so much but they won't admit it! And I'd bet anything that their parents are responsible for that."

Chatter sprung up after a while and only once they had all eaten sufficient and the plates had disappeared did anything eventful happen.

Professor McGonagall strode down the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables, looking very stern. All four Marauders looked up, very familiar with the sound of her shoes clacking angrily against the tiles.

They seemed to instinctively know it was them she was there for and looked apprehensive.

"I don't think I need to explain what this will be about. All four of you report straight to Professor Dumbledore's office once everyone leaves. We will discuss matters there."

While her tone was sharp, her expression was more of deep concern than real anger and the boys exchanged looks. Turning on her heels, she walked out purposefully, leaving the Marauders to concoct their own versions of the gruesome punishments awaiting them.

The boys filed into the circular office, not even looking around in awe at the trinkets and paintings that decorated the high walls – their line of work around the castle meant they knew Dumbledore's office about as well as they knew their own homes.

The headmaster himself was seated at his desk, a pile of papers in front of him. He looked up once they were all shuffling nervously.

"I trust," he began, "That you know why I brought you up here, boys."

They nodded guiltily.

"Mr. Snape has told me his, rather biased, side of the story. If his tale is to be taken literally, half the school is plotting his murder so, naturally, I'd like to hear it from your point of view."

Nodding, he signalled that they should begin and settled back into his plush, high backed chair.

"It's my fault," Sirius started hastily before the others could try and cover it up. "I sent him there, they stopped him, I promise, Sir!"

James interjected, "But he didn't, you know, just decide to murder Snape and get Remus incarcerated!"

"Snape had been provoking him," Peter said forcefully. "Taunting him and stuff, we told him not to but he didn't listen."

Remus stayed silent, watching Dumbledore.

The old man pressed his fingers together thoughtfully. "Mr. Lupin, can you confirm this? Was Mr. Black provoked?"

The other three turned to Remus as he nodded.

"Snape had been at it for weeks. He's suspected for a while now about my... condition... He saw it as a way to get leverage over us. Sirius was just trying to protect me in his usual misguided, bull headed but well meaning way," Remus said with a fond smile. "Of course it was awful and we're lucky no one got hurt," he added hastily.

"I agree, yes," Dumbledore said sagely. "I can see why you felt your actions were justified, Mr. Black."

Sirius was gnawing on his bottom lip anxiously.

"Clearly there will be serious repercussions for all students involved," the man warned, giving them a look, "But Mr. Snape has given me his word that he will not breathe a word of this matter to anyone and I trust him."

All the Marauders let out an audible breath of relief.

"You five will, however, be serving detention together three times a week for two months and 40 points will be deducted from Gryffindor with 10 taken from slytherin."

Dumbledore looked over his spectacles at them and sighed. "You are free to go. Next time, speak to a Professor if another student is harassing or blackmailing you, never take matters into your own hands, am I clear?"

Mumbling, 'Yes, Sir's, they shuffled towards the door.

"James?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"May I speak with you for a moment?"

He gulped but stayed where he was.

"What you did for Severus was extraordinarily brave - may I first congratulate you on that. You saved multiple lives, that much is clear. But I have just one question... Forgive me for insulting your abilities, but how on Earth did you distract a werewolf long enough to get Severus to safety?"

James gulped again and felt sweat beading on his forehead. "I... Uh... We, me, Sirius and Peter, we kept his attention away. Sirius and Peter took it in turns to draw M-Remus away while I carried Snape out."

"Peter baited an angry werewolf?" he asked, tone light but slightly incredulous.

James smiled. "He's braver than he realises when he isn't thinking about what he's doing, Professor."

He nodded in understanding. "An often difficult trait, yes. Thank you, James, you can go now."

"Thanks, sir," he said with relief before he hurried out, leaving the Headmaster pondering the events, his machines whirring and humming as he sat in silence.

It had been usually warm for April so far and during lunches and weekends the corridors of the castle were deserted and the grounds were packed, teeming with students. Just like any one else who had the sense to enjoy the sun while it lasted, the Marauders and reclaimed their old, ivy-lined courtyard and were happily lounging on the sun-warmed benches.

Mary and the already freckling Lily were with them, waiting for Hestia and Marlene; the boys were lightly bickering over the best way to fold a sock and the atmosphere was of carefree happiness: a lot had happened recently and it was nice to get away from it all.

"I'm telling you, Moony!" Sirius said, raising his voice, "You have to put the right sock inside the left one!"

Peter snorted. "Is this your thing about control again, Padfoot? He arranged the bathroom shelf last year, do you remember?"

"We all know Sirius has issues," James teased an received a whack around the head.

There was a little laugh from behind them and Marlene and Hestia grinned as the Marauders turned around.

"Anyone could have told you that," Marlene joked and Sirius pulled a face at her.

Snorting, Hestia sat down in the spot between Lily and Mary while Marlene was tugged forwards by Sirius.

"Rude," he pouted as everyone resumed their conversations.

Marlene laughed at his wounded expression and perched on his lap playfully. "How much are you complaining?"

"A lot, my ego is bruised beyond repair!" he exclaimed, cracking a smile.

Mimicking his pout, sticking her bottom lip out, Marlene leaned forwards, hesitating a moment before pecking his lips. Neither of them noticed that all their friends were watching surreptitiously and privately smirking.

She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear to stop it falling in her face and grinned. "Still complaining?"

Sirius pondered the question. "Maybe, I still feel a little bit upset..."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Really?"

He winked and kissed again before leaning back and pulling her more securely onto his lap.

"You have freckles," he commented, raising an eyebrow slightly. "I've never noticed them before!"

Giggling slightly, she shrugged. "Either you haven't been looking or I've had makeup on. They're annoying, I tend to cover them up."

"Why? They're nice," Sirius smiled, quite surprised he was complimenting her - they weren't something he gave out very often.

She seemed shocked and stared up at him from under her eyelashes. "Who are you and what have you done with Sirius Black?" she teased, looking almost shy.

Lily, Hestia and Mary were spying at them out of the corner of their eyes, pretending to be talking about homework when really they were listening in.

"But you don't think they're going out?! Why the hell not?" Hestia whispered.

Mary shrugged. "Sirius is clearly head over heels for her..."

"But he's Sirius Black," Lily finished, "Which means he'd rather die than ask her out on a date."

"Except Marlene would rather die than be someone's bit on the side," Hestia said sadly.

"This isn't going to end well," Mary said, glancing across at the pair who were now both laughing.

Lily secretly agreed - not short term, at least. If they were going to work out, and she hoped they did, it wouldn't be any time soon and there would be plenty of tears before that happened.

"Leave them be, I say. I haven't seen her this happy in months and if Sirius is getting through to her then my hat goes off to him," she said, smiling slightly.

"Are they shagging then?" Mary piped up, trying to lighten the mood.

Both Lily and Hestia rolled their eyes.

"Have you been living under a rock?" Hestia asked.

"Oh they're shagging alright. Or at least passionately making out every time they're alone, judging by the amount of love bites she's had," Lily muttered, smirking slightly.

Again, the girls looked across only to see Marlene plaiting Sirius' fringe lazily as the Marauders guffawed.

A derisive noise came from behind them from the path and everybody turned, wondering who it could be when everyone was already there. The person there was definitely not a welcome addition to the group: Emmeline's mouth was now curved into a cruelly amused smirk but her eyes were hard as she stared at Marlene and Sirius. Marlene visibly tensed up and all four boys straightened their backs in anticipation.

"I heard rumours," Emmeline said calmly, looking at all of them one by one, "But I didn't think they were true."

"Emmeline, don't," Lily warned and the sleek-haired girl scoffed.

"I'm just curious, can't blame me for that, can you?"

"Yes, leave us alone," Sirius snapped, not even trying to be polite.

Something dark flashed across her features and she pursed her lips. "Fine, I'm going."

And although she turned on her heels and left immediately, Marlene didn't relax until long afterwards, staying perfectly still on Sirius' lap.

They had all begun to hope that maybe Emmeline would leave it alone when she entered the dorm without a fuss that evening. It was false hope: when Marlene exited the bathroom, towelling off her damp hair, Emmeline glanced at the fading hickey on her neck and made a little noise.

Normally, Marlene wouldn't have reacted - there was no need to - but she was losing her patience with people making comments about what her and Sirius got up to when it was none of their damn business: Regulus, Emmeline, even their friends to some extent.

"Got something you want to say?" she said sharply, yanking her hairbrush through her knotted hair aggressively.

Emmeline shrugged and turned away. "No, I'm not in the mood for your cattiness."

"Oh, don't play innocent. My cattiness? Don't make me laugh," she snorted.

"I think I'm allowed to be a little bit disgusted by your gross behaviour - I didn't think you were a slut, Marlene, but perhaps I was wrong..."

Marlene's face darkened and she stepped forwards, inches away from Emmeline's smug face. "Say that again."

"You. Are. A. Slut. A slut that fell so easily the second he fluttered his eyelashes at you and now what are you? The girl he shags because it's easy. You're not even going out, you're just his-"

Her bitter tirade was cut short when Marlene slapped her hard across the face, leaving a throbbing red mark. Face cold, she stepped back to grab her jumper and tugged it on angrily.

"I'm so sick of this shit," she snapped, "You shut your mouth and leave me alone!"

All three of them gaped at her and Emmeline's hand flew to her burning cheek.

Gripping her hairbrush, Marlene pointed it at Emmeline. "You don't get to comment, you don't get to bitch, you don't get to gossip, do you hear me? What have I done to you? Nothing! What have you done in return? Well, let's see... You told me I was lying about by parents' death, you've insinuated plenty of times that I'm beneath you, and now you're telling me Sirius doesn't care about me."

Lily looked like she wanted to intervene but Mary stopped her.

"You're just jealous because you can see that he does care about me!" Marlene continued, laughing coldly, "I've got him and what have you got? Bitterness and ealousy."

And then, before she started crying or Emmeline ripped her eyes out, Marlene threw down the brush and fled to the Common Room, hoping someone would still be there to keep her company.

As luck would have it, the Marauders were still there, gathered around the low table by the fire, playing a lazy game of Exploding Snap. It seemed like Peter was winning if the others' groans were anything to go by.

Quickly, before they noticed her, Marlene wiped her eyes and ran a hand through her hair, taking a deep breath. James happened to glance up and smiled widely at her.

"Hey, Marls, come and join us!"

That made her decision for her and she slipped over to sit between Sirius and Peter.

Noticing something was up, Sirius nudged her as she fiddled with the hairbrush still in her hands; he frowned slightly and Marlene smiled back feebly, trying to indicate that she was okay. She declined a hand of cards and just leaned back against the sofa to watch, slowly finishing brushing her hair. She'd always found the slow, repetitive nature of it relaxing, especially when her Mum had done it for her as a child.

Sirius made sure he kept glancing across at her but she wasn't paying attention and didn't catch his eye.

Once the game was over, with Peter being proclaimed the unquestionable winner, the others traipsed upstairs, yawning. Marlene stayed where she was, staring across at the table where the cards had been dumped. Sirius was still watching her, wondering what could possibly be the matter.

"So, McKinnon, Knut for your thoughts?" he smiled slightly.

Marlene turned her head to him, his voice breaking her daze. "Hmm?"

"What's bothering you?"

She sighed slightly and shrugged. "Nothing, really, it's not important, Sirius."

Raising an eyebrow at her, Sirius snorted and gave her a look. "So you just enjoy sitting silently and staring at the wall with a pained expression, huh?"

Marlene gave him a look too, smiled slightly and shrugged.

"I call 'em like I see 'em, McKinnon..."

"You're awful."

"No, I'm Sirius. Awful went to bed about a minute ago, messy hair, round glasses, you know him, I think?"

She cracked half a smile at that and rested her head on his shoulder. "I slapped Emmeline."

"You what?!" Sirius spluttered in shock.

Marlene flushed and tried not to look too pleased. "I slapped her."

"Why did you slap her? Merlin, Mar, are we going to have to separate you two by force one of these days?"

"She decided, as per usual, to make bitchy comments about us and forgot that I no longer give a fuck," Marlene muttered.

"I feel like most people would tell you off but I'm just going to congratulate you," Sirius chuckled and Marlene punched his arm lightly before falling quiet.

"She said that I was a slut. That you were going to shag me and leave me," Marlene mumbled after a few minutes.

Tense beside her, Sirius pulled her closer. "Well we all know she's full of bullshit."

Nodding, Marlene looked up at him and licked her lips. "What are we doing though? You and me?"

Sirius sighed slightly and took a few seconds to reply. "I'm not entirely sure," he admitted, "But I'm not about to go and find someone else just yet, I promise. Is that good enough for now?"

Despite the vagueness of his answer, Marlene seemed contented and made a small noise, settling against him happily, fears dissuaded.

"I'm guessing you don't want to go back up to your dorm?"

Marlene shook her head sleepily.

"Nah me neither," Sirius chuckled, stretching an arm out to reach the blanket on the other sofa and draped it across her carefully. She smiled and rested her head on his lap.

"Why aren't you sleeping upstairs?" Marlene mumbled, looking up at him through half closed eyes.

Sirius shrugged feebly. "It's warmer down here. And Peter snores."

She didn't buy it and gave him a look which said 'yeah, sure, and I'm best friends with Severus Snape'. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"It's a story for another time, okay? I'll tell you later when you're not about to fall asleep on me," he promised, not intending on telling her - later or otherwise.

"Mkay," Marlene mumbled, closing her eyes. "Aren't you going to lie down too?"

She tugged on the front of his top and he manoeuvred them both around so there was enough room as she flung the blanket over them both and settled down contentedly. Sirius smiled slightly and wrapped his arms around her lightly.

"Better," Marlene said smugly, snuggling up to him with a grin.

Snorting, Sirius closed his eyes. "Go to sleep, Marlene."

"Go to sleep, Sirius," she mimicked with a little giggle.

He grinned into her hair and drifted off slowly. She fell asleep with a happy sigh to the feeling of his lips pressed softly against her neck and his arms encircling her comfortingly.

Thanks to everyone who's stuck with this godforsaken story and my awful updating abilities. I'm currently starting work on an original story alongside this one so don't expect anything frequently. Still, it's nearly summer and that will give me plenty of time to write!

A special thank you goes out to all the amazingly lovely people who sent reviews for the last chapter. A shoutout to TheInsaneWitch and their ghost readers at school (drop a cheeky review sometime, mmh? c; ), BooksMoviesFandoms, Lunacrazy Luna - enough Emmeline for you?, Pumpkin Pie Motherfuckers, Blackinnon-4-Ever, Elis.n, RosexDoctorForever and all the guest reviews. You're all wonderful human beings.

Love and hugs to you all xoxo

PIAM3