chapter eighteen
When she awoke it was Sirius she was facing, amber sunlight spilling in through the other window as it rised. He was glowing in the sun’s affection, a peaceful state of slumber still evident on his features. She kissed his hot shoulder and studied the beautiful slope of his nose and ebony eyelashes.
When she heard Remus grumble awake, and sit up, she feigned sleep. Sirius had felt the shift in the bed and in turn woke up slowly. Remus caught his eye contact, and the boys smiled at each other, shaking their heads.
“We need to get dressed, I’m sure the others are up by now too,” Sirius yawned.
“We gotta wake up Gold here too,” Remus stretched his arms over his head. He wrapped one around her sleeping figure then and spoke once more. “How do you suppose we do that?”
Marigold couldn’t help but crack a minuscule smile it this feeling of domesticity. She felt like she had two boyfriends right now, two beautiful admirers she could call her own.
“Hmm…” Sirius saw the slip up in her facade, he pretended to think. “You reckon we got time for a quicky?”
He placed a hand on her hip, dragging it up the curves of her side. She couldn’t play anymore, she sat up instantly giggling.
“I had a feeling you were awake!” Remus kissed her neck.
“You think you’re a real prankster, huh?” Sirius tickled her sides.
She lept out of their hold and off the bed, knowing she was the only one fully dressed, having stole Sirius’ sweat pants and Remus’ hoodie again before she fell asleep. She crossed to the door, a wicked grin at their protests.
“I trust I’ll see you boys down stairs soon?” She raised an eye brow shooting them both a look of mock dicispline.
Remus scrunched his nose at her, Sirius falling back on the bed pathetically. She slipped out of the door quickly, shutting it behind her. She glanced up at James door where Lily was doing the same exact thing.
“What were you-“ Marigold gaped at her, the corners of her lips turning up.
“Sh, I don’t want to talk about it, especially here with everyone and his parents!” She hushed her friend with a hand over her mouth.
As soon as Lily released her hand, Marigold mouthed the same thing Lily had a month prior in class.
“Was he big?” She mimed, her hands held in front of her in the same fashion Lily had too.
“Oh shut up,” Lily batted her hands down, a blush on her cheeks evident. “Whatever you think happened, didn’t.”
“Alright well if it did, you best pray the boys don’t find out, Peter’s the worst at letting things slip,” Marlene mused, she and Dorcas stood in the doorway of their room which had never been closed that night.
“Good grief,” Lily rolled her eyes, a small bashful smile on her face. “Let’s go see if Peter’s downstairs,”
The followed her down the rugged stairs, but not before Dorcas gave her an animated wink.
To their luck, it was only Mr. and Mrs. Potter downstairs, having some tea in the library.
“There’s a kettle on the stove if you girls would like some,” Mr. Potter said as they passed the open French doors.
Mrs. Potter hoped up and followed them into the kitchen, wanting to be a good hostess and make sure they were all enjoying themselves.
“How did you sleep?” She asked, pouring them each a tea cup and serving a big slice of quiche for them to share.
“Really good, the comforter you have on the trundle is such a lovely pattern,” Marlene complimented.
“Your house is very lovely and warm, I slept great,” Dorcas agreed.
“Thank you, I’m glad! And that comforter, let’s see, I think I bought that one in a linen boutique some decades ago…I doubt they’re still around I’m sorry dear,” She smoothed down a cow lick in Marigold’s bangs and fixed Lily’s necklace so the clasp was in the back again. “And you two?”
Marlene snorted in her teacup, and Dorcas coughed on her bite of quiche. Marigold sent them a look of unrefutable “are you kidding me?”
“Oh I slept great, you know…” Lily tried to act natural. “It’s a really great thing you sent Remus in with Sirius and Marigold, otherwise no one would have been able to sleep,”
Marigold turned her head from Marlene and Dorcas to Lily, her eyes as big as the tea saucers in front of them.
“I slept very soundly, thank you again for having us,” Marigold tried to perform calmly.
Euphemia looked between the four girls fondly, and a knowing smile grew on her lips. She nodded and turned her back to them, making more tea for when the boys awoke.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but I was young once. You’re all good, smart kids, spare maybe James on certain days…needless to say, I’m an old lady and I don’t have the energy to run behind children disciplining them anymore. Just, tell me you’ll be safe and smart with your decisions?”
Marigold was not expecting a birds and bees talk from James’ mother at this early of an hour, or really at all, but felt somehow incredibly cared for by the woman.
“I wish my mother was more like you,” Marigold admitted.
“Well maybe if she had, you’d be more like James and I don’t think anyone wants to deal with that,” The white-haired lady laughed, turning around again. “I’m sorry if I seem to pry and get giddy with gossip, we just don’t get many visitors these days…you four remind me of my youth and I want you to make these incredible memories before your joints hurt and your hair starts to gray!”
“We really appreciate you,” Lily told her genuinely. “You’ve been such a great hostess and kind mother.”
“You’re all welcome back as soon and often as you’d like, my son’s lucky to have such loyal friends,” Euphemia squeezed her hand and grinned.
Marigold had an incredible talent of being able to laugh at herself and the complex situations she found herself in, so Lily’s comment was forgiven instantly. This is why Lily considered the girl with long shagged hair her best friend, she never took herself too seriously, and her easygoing nature.