A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

Chapter Forty Five

Seeing Lily and James in person was much nicer than seeing their reflection in the mirror. Lily was looking much more lively than the last time Marlene had visited, and though the stress of the situation still sat heavy on all of their minds, the smiles the Potters offered at their arrival were nothing short of genuine and happy.

"I miss this," Lily admitted after pulling away from a generous hug. "I didn't realize how much I valued face to face time until I didn't have the opportunity for it anymore."

"I can only imagine," Marlene confessed. "I can visit you more if you'd like."

"As much as we would love that," James cut in, "I think it's probably best that we keep to the original plan. The minimal amount of contact the better. Just to be cautious, you know?"

"Of course," Marlene replied. The shame of hinting to Remus that she knew more about the Potters than she had let on had begun to eat at her more since her confession the previous evening. Though she had been vague and hadn't admitted anything obvious, she deduced that her response to his question would still have been against the rules.

In fact, she wasn't even able to set ten feet into the cottage before pulling gently on Lily's arm and asking her quietly, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, what's going on?"

"Perhaps somewhere more private?" Marlene whispered even softer.

Lily offered a knowing look and then announced loud enough for the boys to hear, "We're just going to check on Harry." James and Sirius had already moved into the living room and were engaged in a conversation Marlene suspected was related to the Order meeting. They were so absorbed in their discussion that neither bothered to acknowledge Lily's sentiment. "Alright then, come with me upstairs and talk."

Lily hadn't needed to check in on Harry. When they reached the top landing she guided her down the opposite side of the hallway to her bedroom.

"Harry's long been asleep," she admitted. "But neither one of them will venture up here to bother us."

"Well that's a relief," Marlene sighed. Two things weighed heavily on her mind and she knew that Sirius would eventually find out about both of them. However, still not feeling well, she wasn't prepared to fight either fire quite yet.

"So," Lily pressed her once they had entered the room and she had closed the door behind them. "Does he know?"

Marlene's admission about Remus died in her throat and she looked at Lily inquisitively. Could she possibly already know? She asked to clarify, "Who is he and does he know what?"

Lily offered her a dubious glare and pursed her lips. "Don't try to pull one over on me Marlene McKinnon. You know exactly what I'm talking about." Then Marlene watched as Lily's eyes travelled from her face and down the length of her body to where Marlene's hands instinctively moved to cradle her midsection. Lily's eyes lit up with excitement and she exclaimed loudly, "Ah hah!"

"How did you know?" Marlene hissed, her eyes shooting towards the closed door to where the boys muffled, yet boisterous laughing carried up the stairs and down the hall to meet her ears.

"Well I didn't know for certain until now," Lily replied, smiling. "The past week you've been looking rather...please don't be offended....but off. Every time we've talked you look more tired and sickly than usual." Lily looked embarrassed and apologized. "Sorry."

"That's a fair point," Marlene sighed. She hadn't realized that her illness had been so apparent. Obviously Sirius hadn't picked up on it, apart from the previous day when she was at her absolute worst. So why should she have guessed Lily, a magical mirror visit away, would be able to figure it out when her partner with whom she lived had not?