Chapter 2
Marlene sighed and turned over the next page. It was the first page of the Hogwarts section. Marlene and Oliver were standing in front of the Hogwarts Express in the picture. Her Papa had taken that one. She still remembered how proud and happy he had been on that day.
Then there was a picture with Mary.
Mary MacDonald, her first girl friend at Hogwarts. She was shorter than her name but when she opened her mouth, none of that mattered. She was the most talkative person Marlene had ever known and that was saying something because she knew James Potter.
There was one picture of Marlene, Mary and Oliver, whose attention was on Mary rather than the camera. They were in their fourth year at that time. Later Mary and Oliver had dated too but they broke up just after graduation. Marlene still didn't know the reason because they didn't want to burden her with even more problems. Idiots. But after that Mary had disconnected herself from Marlene and rest of their friends too. Marlene had tried talking to her but Mary was just too stubborn. Even bigger idiot.
As she moved forward, she saw a picture of her with her first boyfriend, Regulus Black. They had started dating at the beginning of their fourth year. This picture was from their first Hogsmeade date. Instead of going to the crowded restaurants, Regulus had suggested going up the hill at the end of the village to spend some time away from the people with just each other as company. She had suspected it to be Sirius' idea which Regulus had confirmed later. The view from the top was so beautiful that Marlene couldn't help but click pictures and that was where Marlene had had her first real kiss. That was the time when Sirius and Regulus were really close. They had their issues at times but they stood by each other whenever in need. Sirius had fully supported their relationship even when Ollie hadn't. Oliver and Regulus did not like each other ever since their first year at Hogwarts, which was a big shock considering their brothers were best friends. But Oliver Potter and Regulus Black hated each other and it was Marlene Mckinnon who suffered the most between them. Then there was Walburga Black who was not happy at all with her favourite son dating a blood traitor's daughter. Marlene liked Regulus but there were just a lot of problems. They dated for a while before Marlene had to break up with him a few months before their final exams as the stress of the relationship was affecting her studies. Saying that Regulus was not happy with the decision was an understatement. He tried to do everything to convince Marlene to get back together. She tried to make him understand but was shocked when he tried to force himself on her. Before she could react, Sirius and James came out of nowhere. James fought with Regulus while Sirius seemed too angry and disappointed to move. She never saw the brothers talking after that and Sirius moved in with the Potters next summer.
She smiled as she turned over the next page. There they were, the four Marauders sitting at a booth in The Three Broomsticks and grinning (and winking in case of Sirius) at the camera. She remembered that day very clearly. It was the end of her fourth year and their fifth. James had won them the quidditch cup in his very first year as a captain. Needless to say, he was on cloud nine. After the party at the Gryffindor common room had died down, Sirius was still unsatisfied. So he had suggested sneaking out to go to the Three Broomsticks and celebrate. Oliver and Mary had denied but Marlene was intrigued. That was the first time she had sneaked out from the school, but surely not the last.
There were pictures of Marlene with them individually too.
The first one was with Peter, clicked in her fifth year in the common room by the fire.
Peter Pettigrew, or little fatty Wormtail, was the cutest of all the Marauders. Everyone thought that he was a weak marauder, but only few people knew that there was more to Wormtail than he showed to the world. He wasn't as athletic as James or as intelligent as Remus. Neither was he as handsome and popular as Sirius. But Peter was the one who kept the other three together. Whenever Sirius or James had an argument, or Remus was angry with them, it was Peter who made them sit down and talk it out. Marlene knew very well that if it wasn't for Peter, the Marauders wouldn't be what they were today. And Peter Pettigrew loved food, not just eating it but he liked sharing it too. So whenever Marlene's chocolate stash ran out and Remus Lupin was being a selfish bastard, it was Peter who shared his chocolates with her.
Next was with Remus, on his sixteenth birthday at the Shrieking shack. Remus Lupin, or Moony, was the quietest of them. He was also her bestest friend. She had known him since before the night Greyback had decided to bite him as a payback against Mr.Lupin. His father Lyall Lupin worked with Marlene's uncle Simon McKinnon at the Ministry. After Remus was bitten, Lyall wanted to move to a place, that was somewhere near a forest and away from people so that Remus could transform without harming others. That's when Uncle Simon had given him one of their family cottages that was situated at the end of the village near the forest. Marlene and Remus' friendship had grown over the years, especially during Hogwarts. He shared her love for chocolate and books and was the first person Marlene went to if she needed any boy related advice.
Then there was one with Sirius Orion Black aka Padfoot. They were sitting by an enchanted window at the kitchen and looking out at the full moon. It was the next full moon after the Snape Accident. The others, especially Remus had not forgiven Sirius yet and he had not been allowed to join Remus that night.
Marlene would be lying if she said that she was never attracted to Sirius' aristocratic looks and his stormy grey eyes and those ebony black hair that every girl wanted to run her hands through; (even though he never let anyone touch it). She was in fact very much attracted to him during her third year. He was her first crush. But he was also an arrogant, utterly heroic, self obsessed, foolishly brave and undeniably handsome bastard who was never interested in her because "I don't date Marls. I just snog bitches and you are way too good to be either of them." At least, that's what he had told her years ago. Things had changed between them after Hogwarts but they both needed to figure out a lot of stuff before even thinking of going there. But one of the best things about Sirius Black (which was probably the worst thing too) was that he could do anything for the people he cared about and Marlene was grateful to be one of them. After leaving his home at sixteen, he had become as much a part of the Potter and McKinnon clan as was any of them. For the past three years Sirius had become a very important part of her life. He was her teacher, her trainer, her roommate and most importantly her friend. She didn't think she would have survived the past three years without him.
And then there was the one with James Potter or Prongs or Jamie for Marlene. They were sitting by the lake just after he had finished his OWLs and were talking. Lily wasn't even looking at him at that time and he was terribly crushed.
Before Hogwarts, even though Marlene was not as close to James as she was with Oliver and Meghan, he had always had an important part in her life, in her heart. When they were small kids, Euphemia and Grace used to talk about getting James and her married. Marlene would never say it out loud but those talks had not meant as little to her as she used to pretend. Even as she grew up and started dating others, some little part of her always compared the guy with James; always hoped that James would be 'the one' for her. Maybe that was the reason that she was never as close to Lily as Mary was during their Hogwarts days.
But that summer evening, sitting by the lake, beside him, listening to him talk about life, watching him as he ran his hands through his hair and making them even more of a disaster, Marlene had realised for the first time that James Potter meant much more to her than she had ever expected.
Next was the picture of Marlene with the Head of the Gryffindor house, Minerva McGonagall, who also taught Transfiguration. And even though Marlene was not as good in Transfiguration as she was in Charms, McGonagall was her favourite teacher. She was her role model. Ever since Marlene had met her on her first day at school, she had looked up to her. This picture was clicked by Uncle Simon after a quidditch match in her fifth year. It was her first match as the permanent Seeker for the Gryffindor team.
Turning to the next page, Marlene found herself wrapped in the arms of James Potter, both of them sitting on the couch by the fire in the almost deserted Gryffindor common room late at night. Their eyes were closed and they seemed asleep.
The summer after Marlene's fourth year, she and James had developed a different kind of bond. While James had finally realised that Lily was never going to say yes to him, Marlene was trying to leave everything that had happened with Regulus behind her. Moving on from their respective love lives had brought them closer. They used to owl each other everyday and meet every weekend, either to go on a walk to the pond at Godric's Hollow or roam around in the Muggle world, or just to relax in each others company. Spending so much time with James had made Marlene realise that the acceptance of Lily's rejection had brought quite a change in James. He was now looking past the beauty of Lily Evans, at the turmoil that the wizarding world was going through at that time. He was finally growing up. They both had developed a kind of emotional attachment that Remus believed only couples had. Maybe that was true but neither Marlene nor James were ready to accept that at that moment. Their friendships were at the stake after all. Oliver had warned her not to get so close to him, because like always, Oliver knew that being so attached to James would only develop the feelings that even Marlene didn't know existed in her heart. And develop, they did. Marlene didn't even realise when she had fallen so deeply for James Potter until the first day of her fifth year.
After the feast at the great hall, all the fifth and sixth year Gryffindors were relaxing and catching up in the common room. There were a few seventh years too. But the rest had gone to bed. Sirius and James had arranged a few butterbeers and a bottle of firewhiskey; which they had nicked from Fleamont Potter and smuggled into the school. Everybody was a bit tipsy. Marlene was sitting on the couch between James and Remus. Sirius and Oliver were sitting on the floor in front of them while the rest occupied the armchairs. Marlene hadn't even noticed when she had rested her head on James' shoulder or when his arm had come around her. She was so comfortable and relaxed in that position that she almost fell asleep.
"Mar?" James whispered in her ear, when he noticed that her eyes were closed.
"Hmm," she murmured, without opening her eyes.
"I think you should go up to your dorm," Marlene just hummed in response,not really listening, "unless"-he paused to look at her -"you plan on sleeping on my shoulder, that is."
Marlene opened one eye to see him smirking down at her, but closed it again.
"I am comfortable here," she said, shifting closer to him.
James gave a short silent laugh but didn't say anything.
After a few minutes, she felt him keep his head on hers and pull her even more closer. She just sighed in content and fell asleep.
Marlene woke up after about an hour to notice that she was still in the same position with James but the rest of their friends had gone upstairs except Remus and Lily who were sitting at the homework table at the other end of the common room, deep in discussion. As she moved a bit, she also noticed Sirius snogging Emmaline Vance in one of the corners.
She looked at James to see him smiling down at her sleepily. "Good Morning", he said, winking.
Marlene snorted and moved away from him. She groaned realising half of the Gryffindor house must have seen them like that. "You could have woken me up."
James stretched his arms above his head while replying, "Well. I did try. But," he looked at her and smirked, "someone was too comfortable in my arms to go to bed."
Marlene blushed and stood up but turned back to look at his arms. "Well, you do have nice arms, Potter" she winked at him.
Before she could run upstairs, James pulled her back towards him but she lost balance and fell on him instead. He steadied her with his arms around her again and looked into her eyes.
"So you like my arms now ,hmm Mckinnon?" he murmured. They were so close that Marlene could feel his breath on her lips. James wasn't smirking or grinning anymore. He was just staring at her with an intensity that she had never seen in those hazel eyes before. And she was staring back. All Marlene wanted in that moment was just to lean in and press her lips to his. It seemed that James was thinking the same because he leaned in first and their lips met.
They had started dating after that incident. And Marlene's feelings for James had only grown with each passing day.
He was her first love. But sadly, she wasn't his. His heart had always belonged to Lily. So James and Marlene had broken up. Marlene was very angry in the beginning, angry at James, at Lily and at herself. She took her time but she understood that James Potter and Lily Evans were made for each other. James had waited for Marlene to move on before starting to date Lily in their seventh year. And Marlene had moved on, so much had happened after that, which made her realise that breaking up with James Potter was not the end of her world after all.