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the ball had begun, and felix lead to marina to the dance floor. "so charming." marina muttered as he stepped on her dress on accident. "don't buy such a long dress next time!" felix said defensively. "watch where you're going!" marina hissed.
the two danced for a while, felix spinning marina every so often. she was having a very fun time, but she couldn't get alice's words out of her head.
"honestly, the way he talks about you, you might as well think he's in love with you!"
"you alright?" felix asked once he noticed how distracted marina was. "yeah, just thinking." marina sighed. "is it about lupin?" he asked. marina bit her tongue.
"okay, let's go get some drinks and talk about it." felix told her. the two walked quickly off the dance floor, weaving in between dancing people and made their way to the drinks table.
"so, what's going on with lupin?" he asked, handing her a drink. "i heard something from lily evans and her friends." marina informed him.
she told him all about her encounter and what lily and alice had said. felix listened the whole time, sipping from his drink. when marina finished talking, he looked away, looking as though he was deep in thought.
"so...remus tells you it wasn't him talking...then this happens..." he said slowly, trying to comprehend everything. marina nodded.
"i believe remus." he said simply. marina felt her jaw hit the floor. "you believe lupin?" she asked, disgust hitting every word. felix shrugged, then nodded.
"that's ridiculous! what could have happened?" marina asked. "polyjuice potion?" felix suggested. marina let out a harsh laugh.
"who would have the time or even want to do something like-" she started to say, but then it hit her. it seemed to his felix too, because they said the next word in sync.
"charity."
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marina instantly regretted telling laura when she saw the look on her face.
"before you go and hurt her, we need to test this theory out!" hayden told her, grabbing her arm.
marina, felix, laura, hayden, and amelia were standing the in corner on the great hall. hayden and laura had been dancing with their dates, but felix had grabbed them and walked them over. laura didn't like that.
"we need to get her to tell the truth somehow." felix said thoughtfully. marina was about to ask how they would do that, but they heard another voice.
"way ahead of you on that one."
the group looked over and saw james potter waltzing over to them. marina rolled her eyes.
"i couldn't help but overhear while i was eavesdropping, and i know just the thing to help." james said as he took a little vial from his suit.
"veritaserum." he explained. marina's eyes brows shot up. "how the hell did you get that?" laura asked, walking over and examining it.
"that's a secret, ryann, but i will tell you i can sneak it into her drink." james said, sticking the vial back into his pocket. "do it!" laura said happily. marina, however, shook her head.
"we can't just do that, james." marina snapped. "why not? that's how we prove remus is innocent!" he snapped. "one, it could be dangerous, two, we could get in serious trouble, and three, if remus actually said that stuff then that would be a waste of veritasermus!" marina listed.
"what's life without a little risk?" he asked. "risk? you mean doing something that's probably illegal?" she asked. "exactly!"
"guys?"
marina looked over james' shoulder and saw the other three marauders walking over. "oh, hello boys." james said, turning around.
"what are guys being so secretive about in this corner?" sirius asked, walking past james and slinging and arm around laura's shoulders.
"nothing!" they all said too quickly. james could see how the tension rise, so he turned to felix. "so, mate, who's your date?" he asked.
marina winced.
"oh, me and marina came together." he explained, walking over to marina and resting his arm on her head like it was an armrest.
"oh." james said, looking nervously at remus. "are you two a thing now?" remus asked, his voice breaking slightly. "i would never date this thing." felix said, lifting his arm up and showing her. "prat!" marina gasped sarcastically, ramming her shoulder into his.
"we just came as friends." she said, looking back at james, peter, and remus. "ugh, i forgot i was friends with you." felix said, making a fake retching noise. marina stomped on his toes with her heels.
"marina, can we talk?" remus asked. marina internally groaned. "why not?" she muttered. she looked back at her friends helplessly as remus lead her away, and they all shrugged.
"yes?" she asked once they were a good distance from their friends. "did you come here with felix as friends in spite of me?" he asked, causing marina to roll her eyes.
"no, lupin, i didn't." she scoffed. "he asked me to go as friends because he knew i didn't have one, because as i recall correctly, you didn't even want to go with me."
remus shook his head. "marina, how many times do i have to tell you that i didn't do that!" he asked, looking helpless. "until i get proof." she spat, turning around and walking away.
her friends were no longer in the corner, but she spotter felix near the drinks and walked over. "everything alright?" he asked. "not really, but i'm fine." she sighed.
the two walked to the dance floor and began dancing once again. marina knew he was dancing to get her mind off remus, but it was okay.
that's when marina heard it.
charity. she was saying something. something very odd.
"oh, yeah, that was me. i've been working on the polyjuice potion for months!"
felix and marina stopped dancing and immediately looked over to where the voice was coming from.
it all happened in slow motions. remus dropped the glass he was holding, laura swung a punch at charity, knocking her to the ground, james and sirius grabbed laura to get her off, and professor mcgonagall came rushing over.
