Marlene

21- Cheering Charms

Marlene didn't look at Sirius the next day. She was still struggling to believe that he could do such a thing. Not to Snape, but to Remus. She couldn't believe that Sirius put Remus in a position where he could've killed, or even turned someone. That would have destroyed him.

She found that she had a new respect for James, who had been the one to risk his neck in going after Snape and pulling him back.

She avoided the boys all day, spending her time with Lily instead, who thankfully didn't seem inclined to hang around Severus that day. Marlene didn't have to speak to Sirius, until the very last lesson of the day, Charms. Where, to her absolute horror, Professor Flitwick paired the two together to revise Cheering Charms ahead of their approaching OWLs.

"Marlene please hear me out!" Sirius said almost immediately, "honestly, I regret every part of what I did! It was stupid and-"

"Yes it was stupid," said Marlene stubbornly, "so why on earth did you do it?"

"I don't know," Sirius said helplessly, "just, please, let me make it up to you."

"How?" Demanded Marlene, keeping her arms tightly crossed, her wand clutched in one hand.

"Animaequiores," Sirius waved his wand and muttered as Professor Flitwick passed the pair. Marlene immediately felt much more cheerful about the topic, and her anger towards Sirius seemed to ebb away.

"You did that on purpose!" She beamed, unable to feel anything else other than a great sense of happiness under the influence of the Cheering Charm.

"Maybe I did," shrugged Sirius, "but it's good to see you smiling again."

"Animaequiores," Marlene retorted. Sirius immediately started grinning as well, "you know what Sirius."

"What?"

"I think I forgive you," Marlene grinned.

"Forgive," repeated Sirius, "that's a funny word."

Both of them dissolved into fits of uncontrollable laughter, which led the rest of the class to believe they had been a little too over enthusiastic with their charms.

********

Marlene stifled a small giggle as she sat down opposite Lily in the Great Hall for lunch. The effects over the Cheering Charm had worn off of the rest of the class, but both Marlene and Sirius had to be taken out of their Transfiguration class because they we unable to stop laughing.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter sat down beside them, much to Lily's horror.

"Are the giggly twins quite done?" Lily asked in a huffy voice.

Marlene swallowed down another laugh, "yes."

Sirius pressed his lips together to prevent himself bursting out in laughter again.

"Why are you sitting here?" Lily asked James cooly, who had sat directly beside Lily.

"It's a free world. I can sit where I want to," James gave her what he clearly thought was a dashing smile.

"Humph," said Lily, reaching for a platter of sandwiches.

"There's no need to be so rude about it Evans," said James, "I'm only trying to eat my lunch."

"Go ahead, just be quiet about it will you," Lily gave him a withering glance.

Marlene snorted and then put her hand over her mouth, trying to stop the laughter.

"You sound like a pig," Sirius observed and then he burst out laughing again. Marlene couldn't help herself. She also fell into fits of laughter.

"Merlin I hope this spell wears out soon," said James, "it's so hard to be angry at Padfoot when he keeps laughing like that."

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