The Marauders: Year Six Part 2 #Wattys2017

Talk About Mother

"OH MY GODS WHERE DID YOU GET HIM?"

"Her," Lily said, as Marlene Mackinnon descended upon Patti the Pig with squeals of delight. She knelt down on the courtyard stone and reached out a palm for Patti to snort and snuffle against. "She belongs to Sirius Black. Well, he made her, at least. Ownership is still pending. He wanted to make her into bacon when he first made her, so I say she's mine."

Ali said, "What does Sirius Black want with a cute little piggy anyway?"

Marlene tickled Patti's chin and the pig tilted it's head up and practically melted into Marlene's hand. "Oh bloody hell, I've fallen in love," Marlene said. Then, "Hang on. Sirius Black made her?"

"From a lamp," Lily nodded.

"Wow," Marlene looked impressed as she stood up and adjusted her blue-and-bronze robes. "That's very good magic, honestly. Pigs are positively horrid to try to transfigure."

Lily nodded again. She didn't mention that Remus had finished the transformation off. She figured she'd let Sirius have this one. "He's come quite a way from missing his Transfiguration O.W.L."

"Good for him," Marlene said, smiling.

Ali nodded, "Yeah, good on him. Wish I  was good enough that I could miss my bloody Transfiguration O.W.L. and still pass the next year." She laughed nervously.

"You'll do spiffing," Marlene offered kindly, patting Ali's shoulder. "Really. You're very good."

Ali blushed, "Frank says so, too. And he's studying for the N.E.W.T.'s and everything already, and we've been sort of studying together..."

"See?" Lily said, tossing a bit of toast with extra butter smacked on to Patti, "You're already learning things for N.E.W.T. and you're only on your O.W.L.! You'll do splendid."

Marlene elbowed Lily, "Oi, did you sign up for the Spring disapparation lessons?"

Lily nodded, "Oh yes, months ago. So did James Potter and Remus Lupin."

Ali spoke up, "I wish I could disapparate."

"Next year," said Lily.

"Yeah, I know." Ali sighed. "I hate being a year behind you lot! Stupid autumn birthday!"

Lily gave Ali a half hug. "Look at it this way, it's a whole extra year you don't have to go and try to figure out how to be an adult that you've got on us."

"I am not looking forward to that," Marlene Mackinnon said, shaking her head, "It sounds positively awful. They say university is terribly hard, but you can't do much without it."

"What are you thinking of doing, then?" Lily asked.

"Dunno, I thought of maybe furthering in potions a bit. You?"

"Dunno, really. I mean we did that assesment with McGonagall and all, but it wasn't really clear to me what I want. I mean, I love doing magic and everything, but I really would like to travel and see the world, and I want to have a family someday when I meet the right boy..."

Ali cleared her throat, "Or perhaps just get your act together and finally get with the one you've already met?"

"Oh hush," Lily snapped.

Marlene laughed, "James Potter, you mean?"

Lily looked horrorstruck as Ali laughed and squeaked, "I told you everyone knows, Lil."

"Stop!" Lily swatted at Ali, then, to Marlene, she said, "I don't fancy James Potter."

Marlene shrugged, "Wouldn't blame you if you did. You'd be the only one in Hogwarts that didn't."