Marlily
Chapter Four: The Keeper of Secrets
The Hogwarts grounds were bathed in the golden light of late afternoon, the crisp autumn air carrying the faint scent of leaves and pumpkin juice. Lily Evans sat cross-legged beneath a tree near the Black Lake, her Transfiguration textbook open in front of her. She wasn’t reading, though. Her green eyes were fixed on the reflection of the sun on the rippling water.
“Lost in thought, Evans?”
The voice startled her. She looked up to see Marlene McKinnon standing a few feet away, her broom slung over her shoulder and her hair windswept from practice.
Lily smiled faintly. “Just taking a break.”
Marlene grinned, dropping down to sit beside her. “From studying? Or from babysitting James Potter and his merry band of troublemakers?”
Lily let out a laugh. “A bit of both, I suppose. Though James has been… less insufferable lately.”
Marlene raised an eyebrow. “Less insufferable? High praise coming from you.”
Lily rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. “What about you? Shouldn’t you still be on the pitch?”
“Nah,” Marlene said, stretching her legs out in front of her. “Practice ended early. McGonagall said we were being too rough, which is ridiculous. It’s Quidditch. What’s the point if you don’t get a little bruised?”
Lily chuckled, shaking her head. “You and Sirius are a lot alike, you know. Always looking for trouble.”
Marlene smirked. “Maybe. But I like to think I’m better at hiding it.”
The two girls lapsed into a comfortable silence, the sound of the water lapping against the shore filling the space between them.
“Can I ask you something?” Marlene said after a while, her tone more serious.
“Of course,” Lily replied, turning to face her.
Marlene hesitated, her fingers tracing patterns in the dirt. “Do you ever feel like… like you’re caught between two worlds? Like you’re trying to be one thing for everyone else, but inside, you’re not sure who you really are?”
Lily blinked, surprised by the question. “I… I suppose I have. Why do you ask?”
Marlene shrugged, her gaze fixed on the horizon. “Just something I’ve been thinking about lately.”
Lily studied her friend, noting the tension in her shoulders and the faraway look in her eyes. “Marlene, if something’s bothering you, you can tell me. You know that, right?”
Marlene was silent for a moment, then let out a soft laugh. “You’re too good, Evans. Always ready to listen, always so bloody kind. It’s a wonder you haven’t hexed Potter yet.”
Lily laughed, but her expression remained gentle. “You’re avoiding the question.”
Marlene sighed, leaning back against the tree. “It’s nothing, really. Just… family stuff. Expectations. You know how it is.”
Lily nodded slowly, understanding all too well. “If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here.”
Marlene gave her a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Lily. I mean it.”
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the two girls continued talking, their conversation shifting to lighter topics. They laughed about James’s latest attempt to impress Lily (a disastrous serenade in the middle of the Great Hall) and debated the merits of pumpkin pasties versus treacle tart.
When the dinner bell rang, Marlene stood, brushing dirt off her robes. “Come on, Evans. Let’s go make fun of Potter together.”
Lily grinned, standing as well. “You know, you’re not half bad, McKinnon.”
“And don’t you forget it,” Marlene said with a wink, slinging her broom over her shoulder as they headed back to the castle.
As they walked, Lily couldn’t shake the feeling that Marlene’s earlier words held more weight than she let on. But for now, she didn’t press. Sometimes, she knew, the best way to be there for someone was to simply let them know you were willing to listen whenever they were ready.
And as the two friends disappeared into the warm glow of the castle, the sun set over the Black Lake, casting the grounds in a soft, golden light—one more secret tucked away among the many that Hogwarts held.