COMFORT ZONE | Sirius Black [REWRITING]

56. Candid Conversations

Saturday, 14th June 1975

"If Alice was here right now, she'd say it's unethical of you to be doing this, and if she knew about your bet with Remus, she'd say it was unethical of you to have ever made it and even worse that you're about to cheat on it."

Marlene scoffed, "I'm too ethical to let those two idiots keep making eyes at each other and not do anything about it."

Critical thinking having vanished spectacularly after the events of yesterday, Madiha just shrugged.

"If you say so."

This endeavour had briefly taken her mind off yet another day without any news from her parents, and as much as she knew Marlene's little idea could either go very well or turn into a humiliating flop, Madiha was too energised from her coffee to back out of the plan.

And their victim was sat in the perfect area of the quiet common room for them to attack.

With a final glance to ensure Marlene hadn't got cold-feet, Madiha pulled a chair from a table and plopped herself down in front of the armchair that seated Frank Longbottom, who appeared to be trying to doze off, which was in itself a bad idea considering that James and Sirius were probably on the prowl.

They were doing him a favour, really.

She flashed him a casual smile. "Hello, Frank."

The boy jolted awake, his eyes growing wide when he saw her and Marlene before him.

"Er, hi..." Frank blinked, "Madiha... and McKinnon."

Marlene merely raised an eyebrow before Madiha proceeded to freestyle her next sentence, "So, how's operation Mrs Longbottom going?"

If it weren't for the stakes in this game, Frank's hanging mouth might've sent her into a fit of laughter, but she kept a poker face. As did Marlene.

"You—Madiha, you can't just..." he stammered, "Who're you even talking about?"

Sitting up imperiously, Marlene cast him a very serious look.

"Longbottom, I'm saying this once, and only once," she said. "If you don't take Alice to Hogsmeade tomorrow—"

"What?"

"—then I'll tell her you said you fancy her."

Frank grew pink. "Now, you listen here, McKinnon—"

"Don't even try it, Frank," Madiha hushed him. "We know, and Alice will too if you don't listen."

"Madiha, this is literally blackmail."

"And what, Longbottom? Look," Marlene gestured to a rolled-up banner tucked away near the fireplace. "I'll hang up that banner in the common room and make sure Alice sees it, and it'll be spelling out your feelings for her letter by letter."

Frank's jaw slackened.

The funniest part about this was that if he'd been paying attention to James' planning only last week, he'd know that the banner Marlene pointed to was for Dorcas and Johnathan's sending off party from the team. It was already written on.

In other words, that part of Marlene's threat was utterly baseless, and this was a prime example of how they were winging this.

"You can't just do this," said Frank.

"I very well can. And I'm expecting to hear you're taking her out tomorrow, or—"

"What if she doesn't want to go?"