The Marauders Unite (III)

Fifth Year Begins

September 2, 1975

In the Great Hall early the next morning, LILY is seated by herself, eating a bowl of cereal and reading the Daily Prophet. MARLENE enters, sitting down across from her.

MARLENE: (brightly) Morning!

LILY: (looking up) Hey. What's got you so excited?

MARLENE: Who knows? It's the first day of school, the sun is shining, fifth year is beginning-

LILY: True words. Hey, did you get that invitation from Slughorn?

MARLENE: (pouring a cup of coffee) For the Slug Club? Yeah.

LILY: (laughing) Is that what it's called?

MARLENE: I mean, that's what everyone calls it. My brothers always went to those things when they went here.

LILY: Do you know who else is going?

MARLENE: I dunno. Usually he invites all the Prefects, the students that he favors, and mostly people that come from old Wizarding families.

LILY: Oh. Are we supposed to bring dates?

MARLENE: (smiling) You could. Who do you have in mind? Remus?

LILY: Well, he's probably already going anyway.

MARLENE: True.

LILY: Who are you bringing?

MARLENE: No one. I live life solo, I'm a free bird.

LILY: (sarcastically) Yeah, okay.

MARLENE: (innocently) What?

LILY: Look me in the eye and try to tell me that you and Sirius haven't been writing to each other all summer.

MARLENE: Not all summer- how do you even know about that?

LILY: About half the school saw you two at Diagon Alley in August. Rumors are flying, Mar.

MARLENE: All right, then. Maybe I will bring Sirius. Slughorn will definitely have a good time if he comes.

LILY: Well, I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing if Sirius didn't come. I mean, his brother will probably be there-

MARLENE: Oh, yeah. I forgot about that.

LILY: Do you anything about- what's going on between them?

MARLENE: I mean, Sirius ran away from home over the summer and stayed with Potter for a month. His family can't be too pleased with him.

LILY: And Regulus, he just- he supports the same anti-Muggle ideologies that his family taught him?

MARLENE: Yep. Sirius thinks he's going straight to the Death Eaters after he leaves school.

LILY: Merlin's pants. Well, I guess it's hard to turn away from your family, especially if you were raised in a household like that-

MARLENE: Don't defend them, Lily. It's a basic principle of right and wrong. Sirius grew up in that house, and he's not hesitating to do what's right. The same with his cousin, what's her name- Andromeda. She left that family a few years ago and hasn't looked back since.

LILY: What about his other cousin, that blonde girl who graduated the year before last?

MARLENE: Narcissa? She got married to that Malfoy bloke over the summer.

LILY: And is she-

MARLENE: With You-Know-Who? I don't know if she's a Death Eater, but he definitely is. Along with her older sister, Bellatrix Lestrange. This is what I'm saying, the whole Black family is corrupt. It's a good thing that Sirius got out of there.

LILY: I guess the Sorting Hat was right, putting him in Gryffindor.

MARLENE: Just goes to show you. It doesn't matter what family someone is born in to, but instead what they grow up to become.

LILY: You're just full of inspiring quotes this morning, aren't you?

MARLENE: (raising her hands and shrugging) You know me.

LILY: (taking out her schedule) What's your first class today?

MARLENE: Transfiguration. 9 AM.

LILY: Same. Come on, we better get going or we'll be late-

MARLENE nods, finishes the rest of her coffee, and follows LILY out of the Hall.