One Can Only Hope
Sirius eventually got his wish three days later…sort of. Him and James would go shopping at muggle stores in Soho but they wouldn’t be the only ones. James had invited Lily and Peter, who couldn’t come because of his mum.
Lily could though, and because she didn’t want Sirius to be alone with her and James, or because she wanted James to herself and for someone to keep Sirius busy, Lily invited Marlene.
Now, here Marlene and Sirius were being the fourth and fifth wheels, walking a few feet behind Lily and James. The two may have been holding hands, Sirius couldn’t tell with how closely they were touching at the shoulders.
“It's sweet, you know.” Marlene said, referencing the couple ahead of them.
“Yeah. Sickeningly so.” Sirius said.
“Bloody hell, you’re fun to be around.” Marlene said, giving him a glare and slightly raising one side of her lip.
“Right back at you, McKinnon.” Sirius shot her a smile, knowing it would make her laugh. “Reckon we can stop somewhere without them knowing?”
“Come on,” she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the nearest music store. Marlene was many things and a music snob was one of them.
Sirius turned to face Marlene just in time to see her walk down the row of records of varying artists. “When I said I wanted to stop somewhere, that wasn’t an invitation for you to tell me my music taste is bad.”
Marlene glanced up from the Stevie Nicks vinyl she had been eyeing, “I don’t think your music taste is bad.” She said innocently. “I think Remus’ music taste is bad.”
Sirius chuckled, it was true.
“Come on,” Marlene continued, “Who doesn’t like ABBA?”
Sirius laughed even more at this. “I don’t know who’s worse, you or Remus.”
“He’s worse. One thousand and ten percent.”
“You seem very passionate about ABBA, I’m guessing Remus has struck a nerve on this before.”
“He told me to turn off "I've Been Waiting For You” when I was playing it in the common room. I mean, who doesn’t like that song.” Marlene nearly shouts. “I’ll tell you what, play that song at my funeral.”
“To do that, you’d have to die before me.” Sirius said.
“You’re right,” Marlen nodded. “With all that you smoke you’re in for an early death.”
“Oi,” Sirius stepped back in mock offense. “Don’t say that I’ll be young and beautiful forever.”
Marlene rolled her eyes and continued to rove over the records. Sirius moved about the store but eventually ended up on the other side of the row Marlene was examining.
“I meant it, you know.” Marlene said so softly that Sirius had to lean forward a bit to hear her. “About James and Lily. It's sweet, they’ve been pining after each other for long enough.”
Sirius raised his brows, “You don’t think they’ve been pinning for each other perhaps too long for it to work.” This was a concern that Sirius had barely thought about. What if they had both wanted each other for so long that it was inevitable for it to not work out.
Marlene seemed to think about this for some time. “No,” she said finally, “I think that when two people like each other and care for each other enough it’s only bound that their relationship becomes more than it previously was. That, and they did spend lots of time together as prefects this year. Forced proximity and mutual feelings, you have a recipe for a very romantic last year of school.”
Sirius laughed but was also a bit stunned, would he ever find someone who would care about him in the way beyond friendship or found family. Would there ever be a person who was so perfect for him that their relationship lined up like the perfect answer to the perfect equation as Marlene just described.
“Merlin, McKinnon, what made you such an expert at all this lovey-dovey stuff?”
Marlene blushed, making her look down. “It’s just stuff I’ve picked up from some books I’ve read.”
Sirius thought on this for a second, “What kind of books? Romance Books?” He raised a singular brow.
Marlene’s eyes widened when she realized what she had just revealed about herself to Sirius and she turned a whole new shade of red that rivaled her earlier blushing.
“Shuddup.” She said, “If you tell anyone I’ll hex you so hard that James and Remus will have to carry you to all your classes.” That was enough for Sirius.
The two spent another couple of minutes in the record store before moving on.
“I don’t think Lily and James even noticed we left them.”
“Not a chance.” Marlene said, then pulled him into a clothing store.
Finally, Sirius thought.
He perused the racks of various muggle clothing pieces. He wished he had Remus here as a guide for muggle clothing, Sirius felt his pureblood stupidity as if it were its own entity.
He scanned the store, taking the time to touch and consider each piece that he liked, while avoiding the ones he didn’t. Sirius vaguely considered buying a bathrobe, then realized that his roommates would never let him hear the end of that one, and he put it back where he had found it.
It took at least thirty minutes but Sirius finally found the most perfect piece of clothing he had ever found. It was an oversized, black leather jacket and when he tried it on it fit like a glove and he never wanted to take it off. He stared at himself in a mirror, wondering how any frivolous jacket could feel as perfect as this one did.
“Bloody hell, Sirius.” Marlene came up to him, “You look as though you just discovered what happiness is.”
Sirius glared over his shoulder at her, then turned to go buy it.
***
Sirius and Marlene left yet another clothing store, Marlene said that she wanted to get a birthday gift for Mary and Sirius didn’t mind going along with her. He had absolutely no intention of looking for Lily and James only to be a third wheel. The two bounced from topic to topic, whether it be about Qudditch or what the newest drama in the girls dormitory was, there was never a dull moment with Marlene.
It was getting late and when Sirius looked up he could see that the sun would be setting soon. That made him think of Remus. If they were at Hogwarts and if it was a full moon, Remus would be preparing to go to the infirmary, to then get walked over to the Shrieking Shake with Madam Pomfrey. Unbeknownst to her, Sirius, Peter, and James wouldn’t be too far behind. This also made Sirius remember that the full moon was coming up very soon. Hopefully after that Remus would come back to the Potter’s for another extended visit. One could only hope.
Marlene seemed to spot Lily and James, holding hands and focused entirely on each other.
“LILY! JAMES!” Marlene shouted, and Sirius swore he saw a flock of birds fly away at the sound of her shout.
Sirius covered his ears, “Merlin, warn me next time.” Marlene flipped him off, but directed her attention back to the approaching couple, who had looked up from each other with matching startled looks on their faces.
Lily turned to James and said something to him, probably about how it was time for them to leave. James whispered something back to her, then swooped down and kissed Lily full on the mouth. Lily gratefully wrapped her arms around James’ neck.
Sirius turned back to Marlene. “I suspect I’ll have to pry them apart to get back before curfew.” She said, and Sirius could only agree.
It took a few minutes but Marlene eventually got the two apart and with a brief goodbye to James and Sirius, Marlene dragged Lily away.
Sirius and James fell into step with each other to an appropriate spot to apparate from.
“Nice jacket.” James said.
“You like it.” Sirius said, doing a spin.
“You’re a vision in leather, Padfoot.” James said and Sirius shoved him.
Sirius gave it a second then said, “Is it safe to assume that everything is all good with you and Evans.”
James pushed back his hair, “It’s more than good. It's bloody amazing.”
“I’m glad,” Sirius smiled, he assumed that because James hadn’t brought it up that Lily had not said anything about Sirius’ involvement in this development. “Finally I won’t have to hear about your unrequited feelings for Evans all year long.” This time James shoved Sirius.