The Marauders Unite (III)

The Owlery

November 26, 1975

MARLENE: Who are you writing to, anyway?

SIRIUS: Who are you writing to?

MARLENE: I asked you first.

SIRIUS: I asked you last. (He grabs MARLENE'S letter out of her hand).

MARLENE: Give that back, you arse!

SIRIUS laughs as he sprints up the hill toward the Owlery. MARLENE quickly chases him up the stone steps until she barges in the room, where SIRIUS grabs her around the waist and lifts her up.

MARLENE: (laughing) You - arse - put - me - down!

SIRIUS lowers MARLENE down until her face is level with his. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him for a moment before grabbing her letter back.

MARLENE: Ha! Better luck next time.

SIRIUS: Whatever.

MARLENE: If you must know, I'm writing to my brother, Malcolm. If anyone knows what's going on with this Order of the Phoenix, it's him.

SIRIUS: Aren't all your brothers in that?

MARLENE: Yeah, but Malcolm's the only one who'll write me back, at this point. The rest are too intimidated that owls will be intercepted. Anyway, I told you. Now you tell me.

SIRIUS: (hesitating) My cousin. Andromeda.

MARLENE: Oh.

SIRIUS: I haven't written her in a while.

MARLENE: (somberly) She's the only one who understands you, isn't she?

SIRIUS: (nodding) She was the runaway before me. She had the courage to leave our family when no one else before her did.

MARLENE: (resting her head on his shoulder) I'm so sorry, Sirius. I can't imagine how difficult this is for you.

SIRIUS: It's just- growing up in that household for so long, it's hard to turn away from it so quickly. Makes me wonder if I'll ever be able to leave that life.

MARLENE: (facing him) Listen to me, Sirius. You are not anything like them. You're in Gryffindor for a reason, because you know the difference between right and wrong. This inherent racism is not a way to live life. But the life you live right now is your destiny.

SIRIUS: Thanks, Mar.

MARLENE: I'll always help you any way I can.

They kiss once more, and stand in each other's embrace for a still moment.

MARLENE: Are you ready?

SIRIUS: Yeah.

Together, SIRIUS and MARLENE attach ANDROMEDA'S letter to a school owl, which swiftly hoots and flies off the ledge into the chill autumn air. The two watch it fly away before leaving the Owlery together, hand and hand.