Brotp: lily/sirius, maruaders

Ships: James/Lily (het), Marlene/Sirius (het).

Characters: James Potter, Lily Evans, Marlene Mickinnon, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore

For:

If You Dare Challenge

13. Time Goes By

MY FABULOUS AND WONDERFUL AND SCRALUMPIOUS (I have no idea what that means so don't ask) TWINNIE MILLIE (and yes, I FINALLY got this done after much procrastinating and debating whether I should study for a test and do my homework or… write! So I chose write, of course :3 Okay just get on with reading I'm sorry btw, this killed me while writing) for the GGE.

Step By Step

MARLENE

[This is where the fairytale starts. Alas, fairytales are not meant to last.]

The story begins. You start off at the legendary school, with the legendary headmaster. He's just as his Chocolate Frog suggests.

But let's rewind a bit. The train, the glorious train that you know you were meant to ride. You meet him there.

Black hair, black eyes that look into your soul and the perfect smirk that gives you shivers when you look at him.

"Sirius Black," he introduces himself to you.

You glare at him reflexively. Mother always told you that the handsome boys are the ones who will break your heart. You harden yourself near him; create a barrier between him and you.

But deep inside you know. You're in love.

SIRIUS

When you first saw her, she was beautiful.

From her blonde hair, beautiful pale skin and warm brown eyes… she was beautiful.

You introduced yourself, but she blocked you out, glaring at you.

She was so beautiful, even as she glared at you.

[Fairytales do not always end as fairytales.]

MARLENE

Time goes by, and you're in your second year. He's still there, smirking that pesky smirk of his. You want to just kiss it off of him, see him shocked with no witty words to say for once.

But you hold back. Your parents would be terrified to know that you were dating or even just kissing at 12 years old.

Despite everything, you know that you love him.

[But some love is not meant to be.]

SIRIUS

Then, you're in your third year. She's still there, smiling her beautiful smile and laughing her tinkling laugh.

You want to take a lock of her hair and pull it, and you do.

She glares at you and slaps your hand away.

Even the littlest touches from her gives you butterflies in your stomach. And you can't help but want more.

Oh, how you want her.

[But what you want is not always what you need.]

MARLENE

Why is he hurting you this way? Why must he go off and have those little flings with those hideous girls?

And when Lily needs you most you aren't there for her.

Why? Because of him.

[Because he is what you crave.]

SIRIUS

You need her. So you use other girls as pleasure.

You know it's wrong. But what can you do when you don't have her?

[Nothing. The answer is nothing.]

MARLENE

The day has come. Finally, finally come.

Long after it should have come.

James and Lily are together, thank Godric they're happy. Lily matters so much to you, and as long as she's happy, you'll be.

Or will almost be.

But now, there's all the reason to be happy.

You let that barrier down for a second. One short, short second.

But of course, he doesn't let any chances slip.

He takes it. And then, all of a sudden, you're fallingdownspinning and you're so lost, and yet you feel so complete.

And it's perfect.

[Perfect things tend to crack.]

SIRIUS

You did it, and you can't stop thinking about her.

And you're together. And your lips are on hers, and they're so, so soft. As soft as you would have imagined them to be.

And you feel her breath on you, and your breath on her, and you feel so, so complete, for the very first time.

[Don't you know that nothing is ever complete?]

MARLENE

His hair is so silky and soft. You can finally run your hands through them.

You lie next to him, looking into those beautiful eyes, trying to peel away the many layers of darkness that he has. Trying to find his heart; trying to understand him.

And, for one second, he lets you. You see all the sadness, all the anger, all the pain he's been through. All the caring, kindness, and wisdom he's received.

All the hate he's received. And love.

What must it be like, with your whole family despising you?

You shuffle closer to him and put your arms around him.

His body is so rigid, so tense. He's too used to getting hurt; it's not easy for him to let his defences down.

But he does, for you.

[He has too much darkness outweighing the happiness.]

SIRIUS

With her, you can let yourself just be. You murmur all your worries to her, because you know she'll understand.

In return, she tells you everything, her family, her younger sister whose a Squib, and how much she feels bad for her… she tells you about Lily, and how Lily's older sister hates her because Lily's a witch and she's not.

You feel like you've known her forever.

Her eyes stare into yours and you know that she's the one.

There will never be anyone like her

[Never.]

MARLENE

Oh how your relationship with him has grown. The first baby steps with him, and the giant leaps afterwards. You plan to marry after you graduate from school.

Time goes by, and you're so happy. How can things get worse from such happiness?

[You should have known not to jinx it.]

SIRIUS

Professor Dumbledore tells you about the Order of Phoenix. Voldemort, the latest villain is killing harmless muggles.

He would be defeated soon enough. It's nothing for you to worry about. Villains like him always disappear after awhile.

[Get a grip on reality. This isn't a fairytale anymore. You've stepped out into the harsh world.]

MARLENE

You fight with him. Voldemort. You fight alongside Sirius, James, Lily, Remus. You feel safe, being there with them.

He has so many men though. 'Death Eaters', they call themselves. They keep on coming, and you feel the end is near.

Somehow you live through it all. All of you are safe, and you're so glad.

You got to Sirius and bury your face in his chest. Thank Merlin he's okay.

And then, you hear terrible news. Alice and Frank Longbottom-the newly wed, had been taken and tortured-and had lost their minds.

[It's no fairytale. It's not a story for young children to laugh at. It's the horror story, the horror story of life.]

SIRIUS

You didn't know him very well. But what you did know of him was that he was a brave, kind man.

As was she. She was so kind to him, smiling at him even when he bumped into her and made her drop all her things.

You should have made more of an effort to get to know them.

You should have. But you didn't.

[Why didn't you?]

MARLENE

You're home with you family. You told them about Sirius, and they're so happy for you. "Be careful that he doesn't break your heart," your mother tells you repeatedly.

"He won't," you reply, knowing that he would never.

[Instead, you'll break his.]

SIRIUS

"SIRIUS!" James says, running towards you, eyes frantic, clearly panicked.

"What is it, mate?" you ask him, confused, worried.

"It's Marlene… she and her family… they've been killed!" he says.

They've been killed. It echoes in your brain, and you still can't comprehend what it means.

You fall to your knees. You hear Lily crying, and see James comforting her with a hollow expression, but

you

just

can't

make

a

sound.

[Step by step, she broke your heart.]

MARLENE

Step by step you moved to save them. Step by step you saw the lights flashing around you. Step by step you saw your mother murdered. Step by step you threw yourself in front of your younger sister.

Step

by

step

you

feel

the

life

be

blown

out

of

you.

But all you can think about is Sirius.

And all goes white.

[Step by step, you died.]

SIRIUS

She's not dead? How can she be dead?

Images of Marlene pass in your head. Marlene laughing, Marlene crying, Marlene punching you, Marlene kissing you…

The images are endless. You're supposed to live your life with her.

So how can she be dead? How can she be gone?

You don't talk. You don't eat.

A week passes, and James enters your room once more.

"I'm sorry," he says, and you cry into his shoulder.

How can she be gone?

[Step by step, death comes. And step by step, life trails after it. For every lost soul, there is a new one. And he comes next. He comes after. He comes, shining light after him. Leading those who are lost. He is Harry Potter.]

The End