1981 » The Marauders Era

four ; prophecies and firewhiskey

"Is Emmeline alright?" Remus asked as Lily stepped back inside. He was about to check on what was taking so long, when she returned into the hallway with a troubled face. Lily silently nodded and walked past Remus, back into the living room.

James grinned at his wife as she took a bottle of gillywater/firewhiskey and sat on his lap. He noticed her cheeks were rosy and wet as he brushed a strand of her auburn ginger hair past her ear. "It was just cold outside." she assured him, smiling faintly.

"So, are we going to Alice and Frank's party next week boys?" James asked the Marauders, attempting to start another conversation. Remus hesitated, but Sirius jumped in.
"The answer is yes." he replied grinning at Remus.
"What about you, Wormtail? You're taking Dorcas, right?" James said, making Sirius laugh.
"More like Dorcas is taking him."
Lily rolled her eyes at him and Peter shuffled, nervously scratching his cheek. "Well actually, Dorcas is dating Benjy now," he sighed.
"Maybe if you stopped writing her all those love letters, she might actually give you a shot," Sirius laughed.
"We've all seen the letters, Wormie," James said, embarrassing his friend even more.
"Howlers." Remus added. Lily laughed.

↠—↞

Another knock at the door, roughly just ten minutes after the first one, silenced the conversation. Lily immediately jumped up, but before she could leave the room, Remus had already made his way to the front door. Damn those long legs, she thought.
"Emmeline's still here?" Sirius asked, still laughing. Lily stuttered, unable to get her words out when she heard a deep warm voice coming from outside the front door. She exhaled, relieved that it wasn't Severus. But as she listened closer, she realised who it was.

"Came for a drink, Professor?" James smiled at Professor Dumbledore as he invited him inside. Marlene followed closely behind.

As they sat into the now crowded living room, and after Lily offered Dumbledore a drink, to which he replied "No thank you, dear. I'm afraid this get-together is simply urgent.", everyone went silent, out of confusion. Marlene stood in the doorway. It was only at this moment when everyone realised her distressed face.
"What's up, McKinnon?" Sirius nodded at her. She ignored him, obviously agitated and glared at Professor Dumbledore.

"I'm afraid I have news," he began. "I have found out something truly terrible and trans-formative." The five friends looked at each other, wondering if anyone actually knew what he was talking about. "Months ago, on the 24th of February," he continued, " I met with Professor Trelawney at the Hog's Head," Lily looked down at the floor, guilty and confused. "Professor Trelawney spoke a prophecy. A prophecy of a child who will have the power to vanquish the Dark Lord," James furrowed his eyebrows, he already knew what this meant. He knew why Dumbledore had come to Lily and James. "Born as they seventh month dies, the child will be marked as the Dark Lord's equal, though he has power that the Dark Lord knows not," Peter's mouth hung open. Sirius had his hand over his. Remus had closed his eyes, unable to comprehend it. "Neither one can live while the other survives." said Professor Dumbledore. Tears silently fell down Lily's soft cheeks. James was in shock.

"Wait, did you say the 24th of February?" Remus asked, opening his eyes and looking at Dumbledore. "The day of the attack?" he continued. Dumbledore nodded, sadly.
"It's the most unfortunate timing. Mary-" Marlene choked. "Mary would have still been here."

"That's what Severus wanted to say." Lily muttered to herself. Everyone looked at her, confused.
"Snivellus?" Sirius asked.
"What- what are you talking about Lil?" James whispered to her. She sighed,
"Severus came earlier. He said something about Dumbledore and the Hog's Head but I just wanted him gone so I-" she broke down crying.
"It's alright," James assured, as he hugged her, "But why didn't you tell me?" So you wouldn't make a big scene, she wanted to say. So you can carry on being the mature man that I know you truly are.

"So Snivellus knows about the prophecy?" Sirius said. Lily sniffed and wiped her tears away.
"Can we not make this about Severus for once please? Harry's in danger, we all are." she begged. Peter nodded and Sirius looked down.
"Lily's right, we need to have precautions to protect Harry. If what you're saying about Severus is true, Lily, then I have no doubt that the Dark Lord knows the prophecy as well," Professor Dumbledore said. "I'll take care of Severus whilst you go into hiding. I suggest one of you should become a secret keeper for them, Sirius?" Dumbledore proposed, gesturing to Sirius. James nodded at him slowly, thinking. Into hiding? This is really happening isn't it. War is coming. "I must be off now, important things to do," Professor Dumbledore said, getting up. "I shall see you all soon."

↠—↞

The bright half moon shone in the dark sky, covered in a blanket of stars, as Marlene and Sirius walked home from the Potter's. They thought that Lily and James, who were already on edge, needed space and time to grieve. So the friends all parted and made their individual ways home.

Drinking from a bottle of 'Blishen's Firewhiskey', stolen from Lily's kitchen, Sirius and Marlene stumbled through the narrow streets of Godric's Hollow.

Perhaps it was their ways of coping with the trauma is what always brought them together at times of hardship.

"How did any of this happen?" Marlene nervously laughed, as she took the bottle from Sirius for another drink and stood still. He looked at her. "Last time I checked, we were all still at school," she said, making Sirius smile to himself. "Worrying about making sure our potions essays were done on time, training for Quidditch or wondering if Lily and James were ever going to get together," she took a sip of the firewhiskey and swallowed. Perhaps it was also their high tolerances to alcohol which also brought them together. "But now, we could all die tomorrow." she said, walking on.

Sirius caught up with her and held her gaze. His black eyes always meant trouble for Marlene. "I'm not afraid of dying," Sirius told her. "It's far worse for those left behind."

They continued on until they reached the rusting gates which met with anyone entering/exiting Godric's Hollow. There sat Sirius' black and silver triumph bonneville, one of his most prized possessions. The two of them climbed on top and quickly rode out of the perfect little village, into the night.