Harry Potter Isekai - Marauders Era

Chapter 11: Which one is it?

Chapter 11

James's POV

Marlene McKinnon is an enigma. She's wise, yet has enough sense of humor to appreciate jokes. She's generous and friendly, yet stubborn. She's beautiful and humble. She's warm but also cold when annoyed by you. Why haven't I noticed any of this before?

After that snowy night on top of the astronomy tower, McKinnon has been extra kind towards me. Probably because she understands the pain. She was there. She forced me to face it – forced me to cry and let it all out and I'm forever grateful. As our 4th year comes to a close, I've been catching myself staring in her direction a lot.

"Hey mate, moving on already?" Sirius sits beside me at the Gryffindor table in the great hall during free study period. I don't even bother to look at him.

"She's interesting, isn't she?" I smiled softly, "She helped me a lot. I don't think I would have been as okay as now after that night." I spoke, finally taking a peek at my best mate.

Sirius scoffs. "You can say that again. Imagine my surprise to see you come back in the early hours of the morning, red eyed, snot face and yet, you had a smile plastered on that face of yours."

"Speaking of McKinnon, I always noticed you two talking every so often and you flirting with her too. When I asked before if she was one of your girls, she got so offended. What's up with that?"

He chuckles with his head back. "You asked her that? I'm surprised she didn't hex you! Who said she was one of mine? Of course she got offended. I don't even think she's ever been with anyone, mate. She's the ultimate secret garden."

"So you never fancied her?" Confusion crossed my features.

"Oh I did – reckon, still do, but she's off limits."

"A girl is off limits to the Great Sirius Black?!" I mocked the gasps of shock and horror.

"A girl is off limits for you, Sirius? Now that's a keeper." Remus comes and sits down across from us with his potions books in his hands.

Sirius chuckles again, "She's just off limits because she's family."

"She has Black blood?"

"No. She's off limits because of Reggie." We look over to Marlene again as I notice Sirius's brother next to her doing homework while she talks to Crouch.

"Doesn't look like he's interested."

"Who said he was interested?" Remus and I look back at Sirius with deadpanned expressions on our faces.

"YOU DID!"

He chuckled once more, "I did not! You assumed." I glared at him and he turned serious. "You both know I haven't been the best older brother. I left Reggie to fend for himself in that bloody house ever since I was sorted into Gryffindor. Reggie found an older sister in her and for that, I'm forever grateful. She became what I couldn't. He asked me to stop courting her – not that I ever actually did; just flirts here and there. He said she's family and that it would be incest if I touched her, that's why McKinnon is off limits."

I nodded in understanding. Sirius's family situation is always a sensitive topic. He's planning on living with me and my parents starting this summer. It's tearing him up inside about leaving Regulus, but he has made his decision.

"Although if you start courting McKinnon, mate, I have to warn you: Reggie and his group of friends wont make it easy for you."

"Who said I was courting her?" I can feel my face warm up from the revelation. "I-I don't know how I even feel right now. About anyone. I just find myself thinking about her more often, is all. I'm just... grateful?"

"Who are you trying to convince, mate? Us or yourself?" Remus offered.

"I've always had eyes for Lily. I feel like I'm betraying her if I think about anyone else romantically so quickly."

"Was it quick though?" Sirius questioned.

"What are you on about?"

"I'm just saying, you've been chasing her down for a couple of years now; always finding her, talking to her, you two went to Hogsmeade together ALONE twice now. I just assumed you moved on."

"Honestly James, it was a slight surprise when you asked Lily out again after her breakup with Snape." Remus shrugged.

"Was this how you two felt this whole time?" I was baffled when they both shrugged. Since when did they think like this?

Am I falling for her or am I just grateful to her? Which one is it?