Wasting Time

16

Sirius found me later, in the attic painting with a cigarette between my lips. A muggle band, Queen, was playing on the record player.

"I didn't know you were still doing that. Painting, I mean," he spoke up from behind me. I shrugged and kept painting.

"Haven't had much time I guess."

"I've never understood why you paint muggle portraits."

"I like it. They can't tell me what they think and they don't have to be real. I can go through a blue phase if I want to."

He didn't say anything and we sat in silence for a moment.

"Have you heard this record before?" I asked. He shook his head.

"What is it?"

"Some muggle band. Queen. They're very good." I patted the floor next to me for him to sit. He did.

He sat and listened to Queen with me for hours. He watched me paint, never speaking. But he was there. This was a gesture. He didn't have the words, but he could sit and listen to my favourite muggle record with me.

"I think art and music are the two things muggles have perfected," I said absentmindedly after awhile of silence.

"And why do you say that?"

"Listen to this song. The emotion, the operatic section, the range. A wizard couldn't do that. Or they haven't at least. This is the perfect song."

"What's it called?"

"Bohemian Rhapsody. It's six minutes long, they weren't allowed to release it as a single but they did anyway. They're gonna make a film about them one day, I swear. That Freddie Mercury is something else."

"What's a film again?"

"The moving pictures that tell a story. We went to the cinema with Lily last Christmas?" I nodded, but was interrupted by James knocking on the door before I could answer.

"Letter for you Marley," he said as he entered.

"From my brothers?" He shook his head.

"Fabian Pruitt." I frowned slightly and I saw Sirius' brow furrow.

"My ex boyfriend Fabian Prewett?"

"Do you know another Fabian Prewett?" Sirius asked sarcastically. I shot him a look.

"That's odd," I said slowly.

"What's odd about it? I thought you guys were friendly?" James interjected.

"Well yeah, but we aren't exactly Christmas card friendly. We don't write each other."

"Well obviously you do now. Just open it already," Sirius said, obviously curious about what my ex boyfriend was writing to me about.

I grabbed the letter from James while shooting Sirius another look. I read the letter quickly while the boys watched me.

"So?" James asked expectantly as I looked up from the letter. I frowned.

"Gideon Prewett was killed last night."