This is the end, friends. I hope you had fun this month! Blackinnon Fest is something I’ll be back for next year, and I’m sure there will be other stories before then. Have an amazing day!
Ruse
Chapter 4 - When You Know, You Know
Marlene waited with Sirius near the door. If there was something Sirius was good at, it was backing his prey into a corner. He’d even managed it with Riddle despite her usurping that plan from him.
But Sirius had managed to outdo himself this time. She’d seen more sides of him in the last week than she’d seen in the little more than a year they’d been together. And through a great deal of scheming, they were now standing in the British Embassy in America’s capital.
Eloping.
“Everything’s ready. We just need them to show.” Sirius wrapped his arm around her waist and leant down to kiss her neck. “You look beautiful.”
“A bride is meant to wear a dress, love. I decided I should play the part.” She smoothed her hands down the cream colored lace that covered the ivory satin underdress. Its capped sleeves and knee-length design made it easier for her to secure the various weapons she preferred to always have on her person.
“You’re the perfect bride.” Sirius kissed the shell of her ear and Marlene spun to bring their lips together, gripping the lapels of his suit jacket.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” She resisted the urge to move this snogging session to more than kissing.
“Marlene,” he rested his forehead against hers, his steel gray eyes holding hers with an earnestness that made her heart stutter. “Marlene, you are everything. You’ve been everything from the moment I met you. Marlene, marry me? Marry me for real?”
“Yes!” The word was meant to come out in a shout, but Marlene was shocked that her voice was nothing more than a whisper. “Yes!” She said it again, stronger this time, surer. “Yes!” Her third yes was cut off in his kiss as he pulled him against her. His hands gripped the back of her dress as his lips claimed her in that way that always made her knees go weak.
“I love you.” The feeling of his lips speaking against hers was so familiar, so right, and Marlene had a moment of knowing exactly what she wanted.
Then they heard a car pull through the gates.
“Show time.” Sirius pulled her close for one more kiss before taking her hand and moving to the door.
They greeted Fletcher, Piquery, and Shaw, acting under the names of Finnegan, Patterson, and Smith.
“Yay! You found it!” Marlene squealed and ran to take Shaw’s arm. “I’m so happy you’re here for this!”
“I couldn’t let you get married on your own! And especially not someplace as beautiful as here!”
“We can’t tell you what it means to have you all here.” Sirius gripped Fletcher’s shoulder.
“What are friends for?” Fletcher patted his chest. “Especially friends that are bringing the ring.”
“I’m so excited to see it!” Marlene bounced in her heels.
“Let’s not keep my gorgeous girl waiting then. It’s time to make her mine before she has the sense to run away.”
“Oh Al, baby, you’re never getting rid of me.” Marlene moved from Shaw’s side to Sirius’ and took his arm.
“Good, I’d be lost without you, Ella.” He kissed her noisily. “To the wedding!” He shouted as he pulled back.
Marlene let him lead their little group back and casually glanced around as the embassy security moved into position.
One of the rooms had been set up for the purpose, and Marlene smiled at how the staff had taken to their task. It was beautifully decorated with flowers and a small cake even sat on a table to one side.
The officiator, a member of security who was also certified to marry, smiled as they walked in. “Alphard, Cedrella, so good to see you. Shall we begin?”
“We’re ready when you are.” Sirius shook his hand.
And the plan moved to phase two. As the officiator went through a relatively standard marriage ceremony, the rest of security moved to block all exits, and six of them moved to stand outside the door to the room. Marlene was impressed that she heard nothing; either this security team was very skilled, or this room was soundproof.
“Do you, Alphard Coal, take Cedrella, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Sirius looked deeply into her eyes, his smile playing softly on his lips. “I do.”
“Do you, Cedrella McLaughlin, take Alphard to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Marlene felt her smile grow wider across her face as she made up her mind. “I do.”
“Do you have a ring?”
Sirius winked at her before turning to Fletcher. “You didn’t let me down, did you, Finnegan?”
“I’ve got you Coal.” Fletcher pulled the ring out of his coat. “Highest quality diamond I’ve seen in decades, I assure you.”
Sirius took the ring and held it up to the light as he pulled a jeweler’s loupe from his suit. He was quiet for several moments before giving Fletcher a charming grin. “It’s perfect.” Then he turned back to Marlene. “Just like you.” And he slid their evidence on her finger.
“By the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Sirius kissed her and allowed their guests to clap for a few moments before squeezing her waist.
Three.
Two.
One.
They spun, Marlene ducking behind the table that held the cake to fall down the trap door and be caught by a security member waiting to catch her.
“Well done, Miss McKinnon.” He set her down.
“Thank you,” she looked down at the ring. “I suppose it won’t bother anyone if I wear this until Agent Black is ready for it?”
He laughed. “You keep that safe, Miss. Agent Black is right to trust you. I’ve not known many citizens that can manage to do exactly what they’re told in situations like this.”
“Well, thank you.” She looked around the little office they were in and saw a marriage license on a desk. “Did the staff think we were really getting married?”
Her companion nodded. “We didn’t tell anyone this was a sting operation.”
Marlene picked up the license. It was still blank, waiting to be filled in. She smiled and picked up a pen.
“Playing a joke on Agent Black?”
“I like to keep him on his toes.” Marlene winked at him.
She’d just signed her name at the bottom when Sirius walked in. “Well done! They’re contained and ready for transport and Picquery has been handed off to the FBI.”
“I’ll leave you to it then, Agent Black.” The security member smirked and walked out the door.
“What’s that?” Sirius came to stand behind her chair.
“The marriage license the staff left out for us.”
Sirius was silent for several moments. “You filled in our real names.”
“Hmm.”
“And you signed it.”
She bit her lip.
“Are, are you absolutely certain, love?”
“I meant it when I said ‘I do,’ Sirius.”
Sirius took the pen from her hand and signed his name next to hers. “So did I.”
Sirius watched Fletcher on the other side of the bar and rolled his eyes. The man was disgusting, Sirius was pretty sure he could smell him from here, his hair was greased down and globs of hair product were evident even from this distance.
“I told you he was worse in person.” Marlene whispered next to him as they leant against the table in the bar they’d followed him to. “Andromeda had one of her American agents pull information for me and he’s currently trying to get into the diamond ring.”
Sirius looked back at Marlene. “If Andy has agents here, why did she send you?”
“Because she knew Minnie was sending you.” Marlene smirked. “She’s a romantic and you’re family, so she does these little things.”
“Remind me to thank her when we get home.” Sirius brought his lips to hers for a brief kiss.
“We’re working, love.” She smiled as he pulled back.
“That was part of our cover. Alphard Coal and Cedrella McLaughlin are madly in love after all. Meeting last year and bonding over their parents abandoning England for the fast pace of the States is the best thing that ever happened to them.”
She pulled him in for another kiss. “You know you’re ridiculous, right?”
“And you love it,” he nipped her lip before looking back at Fletcher. “Who is he with?”
“Johnathan Picquery, he and Patricia Shaw, the woman we saw on the security footage breaking into my room, are his two contacts into the diamond ring right now.”
“Did I mention Patricia is on our flag list for entrance into the UK for that smuggling ring as well?” Sirius grinned as his mind began formulating a plan. “Maybe we can get more than I planned on.”
“Two birds, one stone?”
“Potentially.” Sirius took her hand. “Let’s join the dance floor until a table closer to them opens up.”
She bit her lip as she looked up at him. “I think you just want an excuse to dance with me.”
“If the shoe fits, love.” Sirius pulled her close and kissed her. “Come on.”
He took his time moving them to where Fletcher and Picquery sat. Sirius was still feeling the adrenaline of the attempt on Marlene and that dart was the only reason he was actually considering bringing Patricia Shaw in as well.
He took it personally when someone went after his girlfriend.
As he shifted them closer to the tables an idea began forming in his mind.
“Darling,” he leant closer to whisper against her ear. “I think I have a plan.”
“Do tell,” her lips rubbed against his cheek and he nearly forgot the plan altogether.
“What are your thoughts on posing as an outrageously rich engaged couple in need of a suitable ring?”
“My word Alphard, are you proposing to me in this place?” She gave a theatrical gasp.
“Cedrella, we’re terribly drunk,” he placed a sloppy kiss on her neck. “For all we know I’ve proposed on the subway.”
He felt Marlene chuckled against him. “Are you certain, Sirius?”
“In the words of Minnie herself, ‘Stop playing games you know you can win and start taking chances.’ It’s a risk, but I’m good at taking risks. After all, a risk got me you.”
“Minnie said that?”
“When I told her I wasn’t interested in joining her team.”
Marlene held on to him a little tighter. “Alright. Just remember if we get caught, you’re deaf and I don’t speak English.”
Sirius chuckled at her joke, “Relax, sweetheart,” he shifted into his American accent. “This one’s in the bag.”
I’ll post again tomorrow and then the last chapter goes up on Friday! Enjoy, my friends!
Ruse
Chapter 2 - Actions, Then Words
Marlene was fuming.
The only thing that was keeping her from coming completely unhinged was Sirius going through her room as she tried to be meticulous in making sure all of her effects were back in her bags.
“I’m going to make them pay.” She gritted her teeth, trying to let some of the anger seep out with the declaration.
“I’m going to kill them once they tell me why they were in your room.” Sirius’ answer was quiet but sharp. “Do you have everything?”
“Yes.” She slung her purse over her shoulder and picked up her suitcase.
“Then let’s get out of here.” He pulled on the suitcase.
“I’ve got it,” she huffed and pulled back.
“Marlene, I love you, but right now you need to shut up and take my hand. Someone just tried to either drug or kill you, and I take personal offense to both options. So let me hold the damned suitcase so I can also hold your hand and reassure my brain that you’re fine.”
Marlene let go of the suitcase. When he said it like that, what else was she supposed to do?
He took her hand in a death grip. “Thank you. Let’s go.”
Marlene looked at the hole where the dart had been as they moved to a side door. That hole was meant to be in her and it made her blood boil.
“How’s your American accent?” Sirius asked as he pulled them down a side street.
“It’s awesome, Alphard,” she shifted into her American accent. “Though I don’t believe that I’ve ever met an American with the name Alphard.”
“Alphard has English parents. He’s an American because he grew up here, but he was born in London and moved here when he was five.” Sirius answered in his American accent. “And speaking of who we are, we’re going to set you up with a completely new identity, not one of the ones you’ve used before.”
“Sirius-”
“Humor me, Marlene.” He turned again and then headed for a back door to a tall building. “Someone has figured out who you are, and they aren’t happy about what you’re here for. If everything goes wrong I want to give you the best chance to get out of here and get home.”
“We’re not here for someone on Riddle’s level.” Marlene followed him through the door and realized they were in his hotel. “Mundungus Fletcher is a petty thief that I’m here to scare away from the big guns.”
“Minnie wants me to bring him back for his involvement in a smuggling ring, but we’ll plan that out later. The big guns obviously don’t like that you’re working on this.” Sirius took her up the stairs. “Until we know who they are, I want them to think you’ve left. I’m going to make sure everything on the digital side looks like their dart failed and then Catherine McClane high tailed it home to England.”
Marlene hated it when he had good points. “I’m not a coward, Sirius.”
He stopped them at the top of one of the flights of stairs and dropped both her suitcase and her hand to take her face in his hands. “You absolutely are not a coward, Marls. You are the bravest person I know. I didn’t say you were running, your alias is. We’re going to create you a new alias and then we’re going to battle with whoever thought they could attack you.” Then he crashed his lips into hers.
Marlene threw herself into the kiss. This she knew how to handle, his lips on hers, his hands caressing her skin, her fingers gripping his shirt, pulling him closer. This she could do better than the feelings she felt after that dart came flying at them and Sirius shifted to his I can’t lose you mode. Those feelings were confusing, they twisted in her chest, but having Sirius’ lips pressed against her unwound all those feelings. She pulled back just enough to murmur against him.
“Men go into battle, love. Women wage war.“
He smirked against her lips, “Then I await the orders of my commanding officer.”
Espionage allows for all sorts of opportunities, and Sirius and Marlene are about to get the opportunity of a lifetime.
Welcome to the sequel to Reconnaissance, which takes place right before the Epilogue! This is my last story for Blackinnonfest! Enjoy my friends!
Ruse
Chapter 1 - We Meet Again
Sirius was sure he was being followed as he walked down the street his hotel was on. Which normally would be concerning, especially in a country not his own, but given that he knew who was following him, he turned to face her.
“Fancy meeting you here, Ms. McClane.”
“Mr. Coal,” Marlene smiled at him. “What brings you here?”
“I heard there was a beautiful woman here.” Sirius stepped closer to her, wrapping his hand around her waist.
“Sirius,” she whispered, even as she stepped against him. “We have rules.”
“Rule books are meant for kindling.” He brought his lips to hers in a soft kiss. “And I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” She snaked her arms around his neck and pulled their bodies flush against each other. “I’m so glad Minnie didn’t switch you with Vance. I would have been very put out.”
“Manipulating the boss, it’s a questionable line of work, but I’m good at it.” Sirius pulled her against him and kissed her deeply. “Let’s go.”
“Where are you staying?”
“The Ritz, babe,” he shifted to an American accent - though it was far more neutral than that of the people passing them - and indulged in the way Marlene laughed and leant into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“We should get my things and I’ll check out of my hotel. If your boss is paying for the best, I don’t see why Andromeda should keep paying for the quaint little hotel I’m in.”
“Spoken like a woman out to experience the finest.”
“I mean, I am dating you.” She smirked up at him as she bit her lip and Sirius didn’t resist the urge to kiss her.
“Smartest move we ever made.” He murmured when he pulled back. “Come on, let’s take the rest of the day to just enjoy ourselves.”
“Sound’s perfect.” Marlene pulled him down the next turn.
“Do you have any leads?”
“Does a zebra have stripes?”
Sirius laughed. “Good, I always appreciate someone else doing the work.”
“Don’t worry,” Marlene pulled her room key from her pant pocket. “I left plenty for you to do. Mainly the computer work.”
“No bomb making this time?” He whispered against her ear as she led him into a hotel.
“I hope not. It’s a lot harder to slide things like that here in the States.”
“That’s what makes it fun, love.” He kissed up the shell of her ear and pulled her back against him.
She pushed off of him but wrapped her hand around his. “This bed isn’t that comfortable and I’d much rather have you ravish me in your hotel room than here.”
“Then pick up the pace, Marls,” Sirius pulled her back into him. “I’ve been without you for nearly three weeks, I’m keen to have you back.”
“Look at the wait as a foreplay.” She kissed him deeply before pulling away and opening her room door.
Sirius went to follow her but immediately pulled her back when he heard a distinctive twang, throwing them both to the floor just before a dart flew over their heads and lodged into the wall.
Marlene swore as Sirius stood and pulled his .45 from beneath his suit coat.
“Let’s get your things, and then we need to get to my room.” Sirius carefully cleared her room. “We’re going to get Catherine McClane back to London and we’re making you a new identity.”
Marlene’s face was furious but she quickly started throwing all of her things into her suitcase and purse.
This is the end of Vignette. I’ll be back on Monday with the sequel to Reconnaissance!
Vignette
Chapter 4 - The Magic of Place
He was excited, but Sirius was also shocked at the nerves he felt. He’d never had nerves about hanging out with Marlene when they’d been teens, but now, well, now Sirius was looking at things differently.
Marlene and Sirius had spent their friendship navigating several near misses. They nearly crossed the line into something more than friends more times than Sirius could count. He told himself it was for the best, especially when she was going to uni in Ireland and him in Germany, but now Sirius was done pretending. They were in the same country, city even, and he wasn’t going to lie and say that he was happy being just friends. He was going to show her she was still an amazing photographer, of that he was sure, and then he was going to kiss her and see what happened.
If it blew up in his face, well, he always wanted to go see Sweden.
He parked his bike in front of her flat building and smiled when he saw her walking towards him, her old camera rucksack over her shoulder.
“I like the new seat.” She climbed on behind him.
“You mean you didn’t love sitting on vinyl held together with tape?”
“It had its charms,” She slid her arms around his waist and Sirius felt his heart beat a little harder.
“Sure it did,” Sirius laughed, “Like the tape residue sticking to your jeans for the rest of the day.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but yeah.” Marlene laughed with him. “So where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” Sirius winked at her and then revved the engine and moved them back on the road.
He moved slowly through the streets of London until they were finally out of the city and heading the hour or so southwest.
About thirty minutes in he felt her grip tightening around his waist and she pulled herself closer to him, pressing her body to his back. She knew where they were going.
Surrey Hills had been the location of most of their near misses. There was something magical about this place, something that made you feel like you had stepped out of the real world and none of the rules applied anymore. And if there was a place that could get Marlene taking pictures again, Sirius put his money on here.
He pulled off at one of her favorite spots and killed the engine. “Alright Marls, I think it’s high time you reminded those cameras and lenses that you’re still around.”
“Can’t we just enjoy being back here?”
“You haven’t been back since your mum got sick.” He didn’t ask, it was written all over her face.
“It was our spot.” She shrugged, and Sirius couldn’t help but agree; if he hadn’t run into her, he never would have wanted to come back here either.
He stepped off his bike and pulled her off with him. “Come on, get that camera out.” He pulled on the straps of her rucksack.
“Would you believe me if I said I just want to hike around with you and call it done?” She bit her lip, her signature blood red color freshly applied today. It drove him mad.
“Not for one second.” Sirius stepped closer, tucking one of her loose curls behind her ear. “It’s just you and me, like old times. Get the camera out Marls, for nostalgia if nothing else.”
She stared up at him with her ice blue eyes and Sirius nearly leant in and kissed her right then. But she seemed to take his comment to heart and began sliding the pack off her back and retrieving her camera. He smiled at the stack of lenses, and pulled the pack to him.
“Which lens do you want?”
“Just the standard right now.”
Sirius handed the case to her and then started loosening the rucksack straps. “I’m still not letting you carry this.” He took the case back as she attached the lens.
“I can carry my equipment.” Her answer was automatic, just like it had been when they’d been teens, an answer that was more for the script of the interaction than any real meaning behind the words.
“And I won’t let you.” He swung the pack over his back, finishing the script.
“I don’t even know what I’ll take a picture of.” She shook her head as they walked, but Sirius didn’t miss the way her hands held her camera, rubbing her fingers over the metal, fiddling with the shutter button, almost like she was itching for more than simply holding the camera.
“Take a picture of anything.”
“What if it isn’t good?”
“You used to say that before too, and they always turned out gallery worthy.”
“Sirius,” she laughed, “that is not true.”
“Sure it is,” He winked at her. “I wager that you’re so skilled at this you can’t even try to make me look bad.”
She smirked. “Is that a challenge?”
“If it gets you taking pictures then sure,” he shrugged. “But don’t be surprised when every one of those pictures makes you weak in the knees.”
He’d been expecting it. Marlene brought the camera up and took a messy candid of him. She looked down at the screen and groaned though. “How did you manage to look good in that?” She turned the screen around to show him smirking.
“It’s a gift, love,” he tapped her nose, “But whatever possessed you to do that should possess you more often.”
“To do what?” She frowned.
“Take pictures.” He turned her to the view of rolling hills and trees with leaves beginning to change color. “Show me what you see.”
Her movements were slow but he stood behind her, his hands still on her shoulder, his head ducked so his lips were behind her ear. She hesitated a moment when the viewfinder was nearly to her eye.
“You’ve got this, Marls.”
She let out a slow breath and he heard the click of the shutter button.
“Can I see?” He smiled against the shell of her ear.
Marlene was quiet for several moments as she let her lanyard take the weight of her camera. “Yeah, but it’s going to cost you.”
Sirius stepped closer to her, bringing his chest against her back, laying his cards further on the table. “That seems fair, name your price, Marls.”
She was quiet for several moments, but he felt her breathing grow shallow as he moved his hands to trace her shoulders and arms. Slowly, she leant back against him, relaxing her body into his and Sirius felt his thoughts rapidly slipping.
She let out the same slow breath she had before she’d taken the picture. “It’ll cost you a kiss.”
Sirius felt his chest explode at her words. He nuzzled behind her ear as he spoke. “The problem is, If I kissed you, I don’t think I’d be able to stop.”
He felt her breath catch in her chest and she slowly turned around to look at him.
“Then I guess I’d have to never stop showing you the pictures I take.”
Sirius didn’t hesitate, he was ready to get on to kissing Marlene full time, they’d wasted enough time already.
The last chapter will go up tomorrow and then I’ll start the last story of Blackinnon Fest on Monday! Remember that next week’s story is a sequel to Reconnaissance (you won’t need to read it to understand the story, but it’s such a fun story and I think you’ll like this story better if you’ve read the first story). See you tomorrow!
Vignette
Chapter 3 - Picture It
Marlene was almost scared to look up. The seconds that Sirius had been silent were dragging though and she couldn’t stand it.
She looked up to find Sirius gripping the table with white knuckles. “Are you alright?”
“Are you?” His face was sharp with anger but his voice was concerned, boarding on panicked.
His concern nearly brought her to tears again. “I’m alright. I ended up telling him off, in front of the entire party. So definitely not going to be modeling now.”
“Why modeling?” Sirius’ knuckles were still white and Marlene resisted the urge to intertwine her fingers with his and pry his hands from the table. “I always thought you lived for taking the photograph, not being in it.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. “I stopped taking pictures when Mum got sick. I haven’t taken any since. I was at a coffee shop and an agent started talking to me and gave me her card and an invite. I didn’t think I had anything to lose showing up.”
“Marls,” his hands loosened their grip a fraction. “Why did you stop? I thought photography was your everything.”
“I don’t know.” And she didn’t know. At first she thought it was because her time had been completely devoted to helping her mum. But even since her mum had been fine, Marlene had yet to pick up her cameras. “And it’s been years now, I’ve probably lost the skills I had.”
Sirius scoffed, “Impossible.”
She couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. Sirius had always been her biggest supporter among her friends. Marlene realized how much she’d missed it.
“What are you smiling about?” He knocked her hand with his knuckle.
“You.” She looked back at him. “I forgot how you always thought I was some sort of photographer genius.”
“You are,” he shrugged, but she didn’t miss the smirk playing on his lips. “Honestly, Marls, you have a gift, don’t throw it away because life tossed a wrench in your plans.”
“Sirius-”
“Give me your number.” He interrupted her. “Where are you living?”
“What?” She blinked.
“I’m going to get you an Uber home and then I’m picking you up tomorrow morning and we’re getting you and your camera on the road like we used to do.”
“Like, on your bike?” Marlene would be lying if she didn’t admit to the spark of excitement that lit in her chest.
“I said just like old times, Marls. Now,” he slid his phone across the table, “I need your number and your address.”
Sirius sat across from Marlene McKinnon in a dingy café that was still open at this late hour.
She was a sight to be sure, her golden curls soaking wet and plastered to her head, her dress was probably a deep blue when dry but currently it looked as though it’d been drug through a lake and the color was nearly black. Her makeup must have been waterproof though because her ice blue eyes still popped with the golden shimmer surrounding them and her lips still pulled him in with their blood red color.
Then she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and Sirius’ brain jumped back to memories from so long ago he’d nearly forgotten them.
“So, how was uni in Germany?”
“Alright, I managed to do well enough.” Sirius toyed with his mug. “How was uni in Ireland?”
Marlene stiffened and looked away.
“Not good?”
She didn’t answer and Sirius hated how he couldn’t read her as easily as he had before they both left the country.
“Marls, I have no clue what’s bothering you, so can you at least give me a hint?”
Marlene blinked, and the rigidness in her posture melted for a moment. Sirius capitalized on that moment of softness.
“Come on, Marls, it’s me.”
Her eyes returned to his and he was shocked at the pain he saw there. “I never went.”
“What?” That didn’t make sense. They’d both been wanting to get out of dreary old England and both came from families that had the funds to get them out, granted his family would have preferred him dead but they weren’t the family that paid for him to go to school, Uncle Alphard had seen to that.
“I never went.”
“But, James never said anything-”
“I threatened him not to.” Marlene sighed and looked down at her mug. “No one but James and Lily knew.”
Sirius couldn’t help staring. His mind had gone blank. “Why?”
“Mum got sick,” she shrugged. “I couldn’t leave Dad and Catherine to look after her on their own.”
“Is she alright?” Sirius felt his blood run cold.
“Yeah, the cancer is in remission, has been for two years, and the doctors think she’ll be fine.”
Sirius let out a long, shaky breath. “I’m really, really glad to hear that.”
Finally she smiled at him. “I’m really, really glad to be able to say that.”
He chuckled and resisted the urge to reach out and take her hand. “So what had you in the streets of London without an umbrella this evening?”
Her face fell.
Sirius briefly wondered if it was a date gone wrong. The thought soured his stomach.
“You might call it a business opportunity gone wrong.” Her shoulders slumped and she stared back down at her drink.
Sirius tried to stamp down his relief at it not being a date. “What kind of business?"
"I was at a party where agencies look for potential new models.”
Sirius opened his mouth but no sound came out. What happened in the six years he’d been gone? The Marlene he thought he’d sent to Ireland would have never pursued modeling. She wanted to be behind the camera, finding the perfect lighting, making him pull over on the side of the road because she had to get the perfect shot, obsessed with this lense and that film type. She was never interested in being the subject of a photograph.
“Yeah,” she shook her head. “I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I was wrong.”
Sirius’ brain finally started turning gears again. “Wait, how did that lead to you on the pavement in the pouring rain?”
“I made a scene and ran.”
“Why did you make a scene?”
“Because one of the agents decided he didn’t need to keep his hands to himself.”
Marlene had said it so easily, almost flippantly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Being caught in the rain is bad enough, but a friend from the past might be the means to the fresh start Marlene is hoping for.
I hope you all had a wonderful week last week! We’re back with Blackinnon Fest and this little Muggle AU! This story will post all this week, and then next week there will be one more story to wrap up the month! Next week’s story is a short sequel to my Blackinnon Spies story, Reconnaissance. If you haven’t read it jump over and read that in between these chapter updates!
Vignette
Chapter 1 - Expect the Unexpected
Her dress was sticking to her skin and not in a good way.
Marlene wiped her hair from her face and cursed. It wasn’t enough that she was running from a party that had the potential to make a new career, a new start. It wasn’t enough that she’d caused a scene, screeching at the cretin who thought he could touch whoever he wanted. It wasn’t enough that she’d probably just ruined any chance she had at breaking into the London modeling scene. No, none of that was enough. There needed to be one more thing to make her night miserable, and the fates decided it had to be rain. And not some light drizzle, oh no, it had to be pouring, a torrential flooding of cats and dogs, the kind of rain that cascaded from the heavens like an angry waterfall out for revenge.
Her phone buzzed in her clutch tucked under her arm and in her attempt to retrieve it she lost her balance in her sky high heels and crashed down on the pavement. Marlene swore as she rubbed at the pain in her hip and wrist.
“Marlene?”
She tried to pretend she hadn’t heard that voice. She tried to convince her brain that she was hallucinating under the stress. She told herself that the rain was so loud she was hearing things that weren’t there, couldn’t be there.
And she would have succeeded if a strong hand hadn’t wrapped around her shoulder and an umbrella came to cover her.
“Marlene, it’s me.”
“Do I want to know how long you’ve been standing there?” She didn’t look up at him, focusing instead on the umbrella in his hand.
It felt so good not to have the rain pelting her face.
“Longer than you’d like.” His voice was warm and so familiar that if she were any other woman she would have cried. “Your fall was graceful if that’s any consolation.”
“Of course it was.” Marlene grimaced against the pain as she moved to stand. He immediately pushed his hand under her arm, helping to lift her from the pavement. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but how did you get here? You were in Germany.”
“I moved back to London a few weeks ago.” He pulled her a step closer. “And don’t take this the wrong way, but are you actually going to look at me or is my umbrella the only thing you’re tolerating my presence for.”
Marlene closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she looked up at him, his black hair slightly damp as it hung around his ears and neck, his gray eyes danced with mischief like they always had so many years ago, and his lips quirked up to the left with the same smirk that had ensnared her when she’d first seen him.
She couldn’t stop the smile that pulled on her lips. “Hello Sirius.”
We’ve come to the end of this story, my friends. I’ll be off next week but I’ve got two more stories that will go up starting April 18th. Have a blessed Holy Week!
Heist
Chapter 4 - The Important Things
“Sirius, what in Merlin’s name?”
No answer.
She huffed and held out her wand. “Accio jacket.”
Nothing.
She looked around for Sirius but he stayed hidden under the cloak. Marlene was about to curse him when she heard a quiet bark. Were the Slytherins keeping dogs? Then something pulled on her pant leg.
A black dog stuck out from James’ cloak.
She gasped. “Where did you learn how to do that?”
The dog, apparently Sirius, barked again and pulled her over to a trunk. He sat next to it and nuzzled the lock with his nose.
“You’ve got so much explaining to do.” Marlene pulled her wand. “Alohomora.” The trunk clicked open and there lay her jacket. She gasped and pulled it to her chest before quickly slipping it on.
“I’ll explain later.” Sirius stood next to her now. “Tweedle Dumb is on her way.” He wrapped the cloak around them and levitated them back above the floor.
Marlene hissed and hugged his waist again. She hated the feeling of someone making her float above the ground, but while with anyone else she would have insisted they set her down, with Sirius she felt the instinctive desire to cling to him.
His arm wrapped around her waist pulling her closer, and Marlene resisted the sudden urge to bury her head in his neck. She’d already fabricated an excuse once on this crazy rescue mission, and that was quite enough.
Enough to fuel her dreams for weeks, months, years more likely.
“Grab the door.” Sirius moved them to the door and Marlene waved her wand for them to slip out and then quickly closed it in time for Tweedle Dumb to turn the corridor.
Marlene gripped her wand, trying to decide what curse she wanted to use as revenge.
Then Alecto fell straight back against the floor.
“Didn’t want her to get away.” Sirius whispered next to her ear.
“I was trying to think of what to use.” Marlene frowned.
“And I’ve bought you time.” Sirius’ hand rubbed against her back. “See no reason not to trust me.”
His hand on her back had Marlene struggling to think of anything other than how close they were, let alone what she’d like to do to Tweedle Dumb. “In my defense, I’ve learned my lesson.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment then.”
Sirius’ lips brushed her ear again and Marlene leant closer, relishing the contact. “Maybe we just leave her, and find someplace to celebrate?”
“Done.”
Sirius moved them, careful to avoid Tweedle Dumb so she wouldn’t see them floating in the air. He maneuvered them at breakneck speed back to the Slytherin’s common room and didn’t wait for someone to let them out. He waved the door open and closed behind them before pulling them behind a tapestry and then through a secret passage.
And finally, finally, he threw the cloak off of them, pressed her against the wall behind her, and brought his lips to hers.
Marlene thought maybe she’d died.
Her brain stopped and she was consumed by the feeling of her hands in Sirius’ hair, his lips on her neck, their bodies pressed so closely against each other she wasn’t certain where one of them stopped and the other began.
“Merlin, I’ve wanted to do this for ages.” He kissed up her neck.
“What stopped you?” She used her hold on his hair to pull him back to her lips, kissing him till he pulled back just far enough to answer.
“You’re you, McKinnon. I’m not screwing you around.”
Marlene smirked. “Am I the one to finally conquer the great Sirius Black?”
Sirius bit her lip and she melted into him. “Depends on if I’m the one to conquer the great Marlene McKinnon?”
“I mean, you did get me back my jacket before Tweedle Dumb shredded it.”
He hummed against her lips as she ran her black fingernails along his scalp. “See, I come with all sorts of benefits.”
“Do those benefits improve from here?”
“If you’re mine, those benefits never stop improving.” Sirius slipped his hand up from her waist.
She pressed up on her toes and pulled herself closer to speak against his ear. “Then I want a preview of what I have to look forward to.”
Marlene and Sirius are working to get James and Lily together, but there might be some other benefits waiting in the shadows. Blackinnon Muggle AU.
For the amazing HazzaP! I hope you enjoy this little story! Love you, darling!
(This is 1970s muggle au mostly because I wanted Marlene to have a fringed leather jacket, and I was feeling self-serving.)
Penumbra
Marlene slid into the booth and frowned when Lily sat across from her.
“What are you doing?”
Lily looked toward the restaurant door before looking down at the table. “Trying to take your advice?”
“Oh my gosh, really?” Marlene almost bounced in her seat.
“Well don’t make it weird!” Lily hissed. “For all you know one of our other friends might end up sitting next to me.”
“It’s just us tonight, remember? Everyone bailed except you, me, James and Sirius. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure Sirius gives the two of you plenty of space.”
“Please don’t be obvious about it!” Lily looked back at the door as James and Sirius walked in.
“Trust me, Lils.”
“What’s Lily trusting you with?” James laughed as he and Sirius approached their booth.
“The pizza order,” Marlene stood up. “Black, help a girl out and carry drinks?”
Sirius gave her an amused smile. “Always a pleasure to help a lady, McKinnon.”
“Brilliant,” she snagged his leather jacket by the arm and tugged him away.
“To give you the heads up,” Sirius’ hand slid across her waist, his fingers dipping just beneath her leather jacket. “I’m going to make James sit next to Lily.”
“Great minds, Black,” Marlene let him think her smile was only for his plan lining up with hers and not for the way his fingers lit her up like a Christmas tree. She definitely needed to find someone to keep touching her like that at some point, but tonight was about Lily and James. Then she could look into finding Mr. Right, or even just Mr. Right Now. Why should Lily be the only one enjoying herself? “I will be pulling us away for the same reason.”
“No one I’d rather work with.” They came to the queue to order and Sirius looped one of her loose curls around his finger. “Are you opposed to leaving early if the occasion arises?”
Marlene smirked up at him. “If it gets Lily and James together then I’ll leave with you right now.”
“Patience, Marls,” he dropped the curl and stepped back. “Keep your wits about you, yeah? They might need an extra push here or there.”
“Same to you,” she pulled her wallet from the pocket in her jacket.
“I’ve got this one,” Sirius pushed her hand into her chest. “In celebration of James and Lily figuring themselves out.”
“Let me pitch in,” Marlene opened her wallet and handed him two tenners. “They haven’t figured themselves out yet.”
“Are you a betting woman?” He swatted her bills away, snagging the fringe of her leather jacket in the process.
“Are you really this juvenile?”
“If James and Lily aren’t cozying up and wishing for us to bail in the next hour then I’ll take your twenty quid.”
“Betting means that you would give me twenty quid if it takes more than one hour.” She bit her lip and grinned at him.
“I believe it does.” He stepped closer, linking their pinkies together. “So, Marls, do we have a bet?”
“Is it really a bet if I want you to win?” She curled her fingers so the backs of their hands were pressed against each other.
“You were going to pitch in for the food and drinks anyway.” He leant closer and Marlene had to focus on breathing. It had definitely been too long. She needed to get out and have a good snog as soon as Lily and James were safely off on the road to happily ever after. Her body was suggesting dangerous things with someone she was friends with first and foremost.
“You have yourself a deal.”
Sirius’ smirk went softer as he smiled down at her and she felt her breathing grow shallow.
“Are you two ready to order?”
Sirius turned from her, breaking the contact of their hands, and Marlene barely managed to keep from gasping as he moved to the cashier. “Alright McKinnon, what’re we ordering?”
Marlene forced herself to laugh and join him at the counter. They placed their order and took their drinks and a stack of plates back to their booth.
Where both Marlene and Sirius nearly murdered their best friends.
“James, you are in my seat.” She glared at him.
“What?” James’ hand went straight for his hair. “I thought you’d like to sit next to Lily.”
“Come on, James, don’t rile McKinnon up. Just move so I can set these drinks down.” Sirius gave an annoyed huff and Marlene bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
“Er, right,” James stood and looked at Lily. “I guess we’re sharing this side of the booth tonight.”
Lily gave him a soft smile. “I don’t mind.”
Marlene helped Sirius set down the drinks and shared an eye roll with him. She really didn’t want to win their bet. She wanted to stop hearing Lily pine for a man that obviously wanted her.
“What pizza did you order?” Lily asked once everyone was settled.
“Anchovies and pineapple,” Marlene teased.
“And don’t forget the green olives,” Sirius smirked.
“Why do we put up with these two?” James looked at Lily.
She laughed and leant closer to him. “I don’t know but we should definitely unionize and go on strike.”
“I completely agree,” James slung his arm around Lily’s shoulders and Lily wasted no time in scooting closer to him. “We are on strike as best friends until you get us good pizza toppings.”
Marlene could hardly keep from bouncing. “I guess we’ll have to make due.” She smirked at Sirius.
He winked at her. “If they’re unionizing aren’t we supposed to come down hard? Fire them for lack of work or something like that?”
“That sounds like effort,” Marlene pouted. “Can’t we just let them strike until they’re bored of it?”
Sirius’ hand bumped the side of her thigh and he leant close again. “Brilliant. We’ll just wait them out.”
He was so close. Marlene could see the different shades of gray in his eyes, the way his midnight hair fell perfectly around his face, and smell the leather of his jacket mixing with her own. She wanted to be closer. She wanted to see what would happen. She was never good at thinking before acting. And before she had really processed it, she was sliding her hand against his.
Sirius’ eyes darkened, the gray fading away to black. His hand shifted to hers, fingers intertwining and grasping hers in an almost possessive way. Marlene felt her breath leave her entirely.
“We can wait.” James brought her attention back from the feeling of Sirius’ hand wrapped around hers and the way it made her want to feel his hand against more of her skin. “Pizza toppings are no light matter.”
Sirius didn’t let go of her hand as he turned back to James. “I think we could come to agreeable terms, but it might cut into your benefits.”
“What does that even mean?” Lily laughed.
“He’s trying to use his posh vocabulary to confuse us.” James faux whispered. “Don’t worry, I speak BS as well as he does.” He turned back to Sirius. “You know that cutting benefits will only turn us to explore other options. You could lose everything because you weren’t willing to work together on this.”
Marlene scoffed and Sirius squeezed her hand.
“But you’re assuming that we don’t have other options lined up. Marlene and I are desirable people. There are always openings.”
Marlene’s heart skipped a beat at him calling her desirable.
“You wouldn’t make it two weeks without us.” Lily laughed.
“Yes,” James nodded, “Lily’s right. You rely on us too much to lose us. We demand fair pizza toppings.”
Marlene leant closer to Sirius and faux whispered. “Is this the part where we laugh at them and tell them we’re teasing?”
“Don’t ruin the fun, Marls.” He squeezed her hand. “Jamesie and I are enjoying making fun of our upbringings.”
“Have fun then,” Marlene grinned and looked back at Lily. “So how was your day?”
Lily bit her lip and glanced at James who was now pressed completely against her side. “It’s going pretty good. What about you?”
Marlene forced her eyes to stay on her friend and not mimic the glance at the man sitting next to her. “Good, I snuck out of work early.”
“I think the girls are tired of the game.” James sighed.
“Eh, I get bored when you’re not in top form anyway.” Sirius shrugged and sat back.
James sputtered but Marlene didn’t give it much notice. She was too focused on Sirius’ thumb as it slid against hers.
She looked up at him, hoping to decipher what was happening between them. Sirius winked at her but his attention focused on their friends.
“What’s on the pizza then?” Lily asked. “And please don’t tease this time.”
Marlene chuckled and tried to keep her mind on the conversation and less on what was or wasn’t happening between her and Sirius. “The one the four of us like, but everyone else has something against it; pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and black olives.”
“That’s the only benefit of everyone bailing tonight.” James chuckled. “We get the pizza we like.”
As if summoned by magic, their number was called and Sirius let go of her hand. “I shall return with food.”
Marlene watched him go, knowing that there was no reason she should follow him. They’d only ordered one pizza, she had brought the plates with their drinks, and so Sirius needed no help. But for a reason Marlene wasn’t ready to think about, she wanted to follow him.
And when he returned with pizza and sat back down, he didn’t grab her hand again. That brought up more feelings that Marlene really didn’t want to try and think about. Sirius was her friend. And while she was very capable of looking at him and pointing out all the reasons girls fell at his feet, she didn’t know if she wanted to give into her body and be one of them.
The conversation continued though as if Marlene wasn’t struggling to decide if these feelings surrounding Sirius were worth pursuing. So she did her best to keep pushing James and Lily together while trying to enjoy her dinner. They’d been at the restaurant forty-five minutes when Sirius tapped her knee with his.
“I’m grabbing a refill,” Sirius lifted his cup. “Hand them over.”
“I’ll help you.” Marlene didn’t miss a beat as she picked up hers and Lily’s cups.
“You got them last time.” Lily protested.
“Did you hear something?” Sirius grinned at Marlene as she scooted out of the booth.
“Not a thing,” Marlene laughed and followed him as Lily shouted after them. Something about being obnoxious.
Sirius moved to rest against the wall as they waited and jerked his head, beckoning her to join him.
“I think it’s going well.”
“Me too,” Marlene smiled up at him, “James hasn’t let her out from under his arm for most of the evening.”
“Ready to bail after we finish the pizza?”
“Really?”
“Did you bring Lily?”
“No, she drove this time.”
“Perfect, because James rode the tube and I came on my bike. He and Lily can go home together and I’ll drive you home.”
“Lily and I live together.” Marlene pointed out. “It doesn’t make sense for me to go home with you. How are we going to pull this off?”
“Marls, you’re brilliant!” Sirius grinned.
“What?”
“You said it didn’t make sense for you to come home with me, instead of me to take you home. That’s the answer! You come home with me.” His eyes were bright and his grin filled his face.
“Wait,” Marlene shook her head while pushing away the pesky feelings that there might be something there between her and Sirius if he wanted to take her home. “Are we going to make it look like we’re hooking up?”
He stopped looking at her as he stepped up to the counter and set down the drinks. “Exactly. It’s the perfect reason for them to be left on their own.”
“We’d have to sell them pretty hard on it.” Marlene set down her and Lily’s drinks and glanced back at where James and Lily were cozying up on the booth.
“Not that hard.”
Marlene gasped as Sirius stepped up against her, one hand coming to rest on her hip, the other gently tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. His gray eyes were nearly black as he looked down at her, and Marlene felt herself instinctively step into him, bringing her hand up to his chest to steady herself. He smirked and bent down to whisper in her ear.
“See? We’ve got this, Marls.”
She couldn’t think. He was too close. She was enveloped by Sirius, his touch, his scent, the way his breath wafted down her neck from her ear. “And what do we tell them tomorrow?”
“We’ll talk about that after we’re sure James and Lily are stuck going home together.” His lips brushed against the shell of her ear and Marlene felt the sensation from her ear all the way down her spine.
“Are you sure you’re just not trying to get out of our bet?”
He chuckled, his breath tickling her neck. “You know I never would have taken your money.”
She did. She wouldn’t have taken his either. Probably.
“So we’re making James and Lily think we’re hooking up?”
“And we’ll go from there,” the hand that had brushed away her hair ran the length of her arm, slipping along her hand before he intertwined their fingers.
Marlene would be lying if she didn’t admit she liked the possibilities that existed in the phrase ‘go from there.’
“Let’s get these drinks and then get out of here.” His fingers squeezed her waist, and Marlene gripped his leather jacket in her hand.
“Sirius-”
“Come on,” he cut her off, pulling away and picking up their drinks. “We’ve got this, Marls.”
So she followed him. What else was she going to do? Marlene tried to reason with her warring emotions. Pointing out that Sirius could very well be Mr. Right Now. It would be fun, and if it didn’t go anywhere, then they’d laugh about it and just be friends. After all, it wasn’t until he’d run his hand along her waist that she’d actually thought that way about him. She pushed away the voice that told her she’d more than once admitted that if she were going to hook up with any of their friends she would choose Sirius, including when he’d been within earshot.
Whatever. They’d be fine. She’d be fine. It was going to be fine.
Then they sat down and Sirius slung his arm casually over her shoulders. Marlene looked up at him and he winked as he smirked down at her.
“Hey.”
Well, if they were putting on a show for James and Lily, Marlene figured she might as well make it a good one.
“Hey.” She pushed up against him, bringing her back flush with his chest.
Then she turned back to the budding couple across the table.
James’ eyebrows were creased down towards his nose while Lily’s mouth was slightly agape.
Marlene gave them a pleasant smile and picked up her drink.
“Lily, did you drive?” Sirius shifted his arm around her shoulders to be able to slide his finger under Marlene’s necklace, the choker sliding up with the action.
Marlene made a point of breathing out slowly.
“Er, yes.” Lily managed to pick her jaw up from the table. Marlene bit her lip. She was sure that Lily thought this all her doing, that she was leading Sirius along with no intention of following through.
But Marlene was quickly realizing as Sirius wound her up that she had every intent of following through.
“You two alright?” James’ brow furrowed further.
Marlene smirked. “Smashing, James.”
Sirius bent low to whisper against her ear. “Are you ready to bail?”
She turned, her lips so close to his cheek she could feel his five o'clock shadow against her face. “I am if you are.”
“More than.” He pulled her closer and looked over at James and Lily. “Have fun you two. We’ll see you later.”
“Seriously?” James sputtered again.
“It’s just Sirius, mate.” Sirius laughed. “Make sure he gets home, Lily. I don’t want to hear he took the tube home.”
Marlene winked at Lily, who was gaping at her again, and let Sirius pull them away and out the door.
Sirius kept her pressed against him as they approached his bike.
“Now,” he stopped them to lean back against his bike and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him so that she stood between his legs. “I’m going to tell you to call the next shot.”
Marlene let her arms come to rest around his neck, loosely linking her fingers under his hair. Her heart was hammering but she was relishing the feel of being this close to him. “The next shot for what?”
“You and me.” He leant in and Marlene thought he was going to kiss her but instead he rested his forehead against hers.
“So this is what you meant by we’ll go from there?” She gave into desire and leant closer, bringing her nose to nuzzle along his, their lips now mere centimeters apart.
His grip on her waist tightened and she had to take a half a step forward, leaving absolutely no space between her hips and his. “What do you say, Marls?”
“Are you willing to let this be something?” She shifted to let her lips brush his as she spoke.
“I’m planning on it, McKinnon.”
She could feel his smirk against her and deliberately licked her lips, the barest taste of pizza still there as her tongue brushed him. The sound that he responded with was guttural, primal, and she bit her lip as her stomach tightened.
“Me too,” Marlene murmured before finally, deliberately, bringing her lips to his.
Sirius wasted no time in deepening the kiss, sliding his tongue against hers while pushing his hands under her leather jacket. Marlene matched him, pushing her hands into his hair, sighing at its softness, pressing more of her against him, savoring this moment where she and Sirius crossed the line from friends to something different, something more, something decidedly better.
“Come on,” Sirius slowed their pace, “My flat is far more comfortable than balancing against my bike.”
“The bike is sexy, Black.” Marlene pulled his bottom lip between her teeth. “Don’t underestimate her.”
She felt Sirius’ chuckle against her chest more than she heard it. “Not to worry, love, I’ll make sure you don’t miss her too much.” He pulled away and climbed on, jerking his head for Marlene to follow suit.
Marlene pulled herself flush against him once she was on, and smiled when she felt Sirius’ hand wrap around hers over his middle and give it a firm squeeze.
She hasn’t realized how good it could feel, moving a friendship forward like this, but as Sirius pushed off and they started down the road toward his flat, Marlene didn’t regret any of the evening.
And she didn’t regret it in the morning either when Sirius woke her with soft kisses against her neck and shoulders. She didn’t regret it when Lily was shocked that her going home with Sirius ended up not just being a plot to get Lily and James alone. She didn’t regret it when they realized they’d been together for a year. And she didn’t regret it while sitting next to Sirius at James and Lily’s wedding as the maid of honor and Sirius the best man.
“Ready for your big speech?” Marlene slid her fingers against his palm before interlacing their fingers as they waited for the plates to be cleared.
“Of course, I’ve been ready since the first day James met Lils.” He let go of her hand to trace her shoulder along the off the shoulder sleeve of her dress. “And I should tell you before I give it, I’d been planning to try and sweep you off your feet the night they figured themselves out.”
Marlene blinked. “What?”
Sirius kissed her. “You’d been driving me mad. It just worked out that James and Lily could be pushed in the same night. But I was bloody determined, love.”
Marlene kissed him, pulling her fingers through his hair as she laughed. “I’m glad you did. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sirius ran a hand along her knee, his fingers caressing the skin exposed by the cut off her dress. Marlene caught his hand and interlaced their fingers. They had the entire night ahead of them.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
Sirius’ smirk hit his lips with lightning speed. “Couldn’t have you finding out in my speech could I?”
He kissed her cheek and then stood and held up his glass as he started his toast to James and Lily. He followed that immediately with his proposal to her.
Marlene didn’t think she could be any happier as he slid the ring on her finger and kissed her with abandon.
Sirius very quietly cast the charm, levitating them into the air. Marlene thankfully muffled her gasp behind her hand before spinning and wrapping her arms around his waist, holding tightly.
He wrapped his free hand around her waist, mostly because it was easier to maneuver them that way. Very little of it had to do with enjoying having her pressed against him.
“Alright, McKinnon?” Sirius whispered against the top of her ear.
“Sure, just don’t drop us.” She held on a little tighter.
“So little faith.”
“I have literally met puddles deeper than you, Black, so forgive my lack of faith.”
Sirius laughed quietly. “Well, that’s not a very nice way of putting it. But yes, I suppose you’re right. Don’t worry, McKinnon, I won’t be doing anything to jeopardize this mission. Your jacket is too important to risk being found out.”
He felt her smirk against his neck and it made him feel ten feet tall.
Levitating them through the girls’ dorms was no small feat as he constantly had to avoid Slytherins moving around them.
Sirius found an alcove and stopped them to pull out the Map.
“What’s that?” Marlene pulled back slightly when he let go of her, but kept a tight grip on his waist.
“A bit of magic.” He touched his wand and whispered as quietly as he could. The map filled out and he quickly turned to the Slytherin girls’ dorms. “Help me look for Alecto’s roommates.”
Marlene gawked at the map for a long moment before her eyes snapped back up to him. “When we get out of this, I want to know what this is.”
“Right, but first we need to get out of this, so if you please?” He gestured to the Map again.
Marlene and him looked at all the names of girls Sirius honestly would like to throw into the Black Lake when suddenly she touched the page. “There! Maleficent Simmons! She’s one of Tweedle Dumb’s roommates!”
“Hold this and watch for anyone we don’t want to deal with.” He handed her the Map and began moving them to the dorm that Maleficent was sitting in.
“She’s moving towards the door!” Marlene hissed as he reached out to open the dorm door.
Sirius threw them to the side, pinning Marlene against the wall with his body, the Map pressed between them.
Sure enough, Maleficent exited the dorm and moved toward the common room.
“That was close.” Marlene’s breath tickled his neck and Sirius looked down to find her ice blue eyes staring right back at him.
He forced himself to chuckle, to put some figurative space between them, to stop himself from doing something stupid, like leaning in and kissing her.
“Nice moves, Black,” Marlene gave his chest a light shove. “I see why the girls fall at your feet.”
Sirius smirked as she managed to break the spell that had frozen him. “You know you’re my favorite, right?”
A light brightened her eyes and Sirius nearly threw the game away right there.
“I better be.” She gestured toward the dorm. “Let’s get my jacket back, yeah?”
“Right.” Sirius moved them into the dorm and looked around. He heard parchment crinkling under Marlene’s fist and pulled the Map from her grasp before she took her anger out on it.
“I don’t see it.” She huffed.
Sirius lowered them to the ground. “Here, get out and start looking for it. I have an idea.”
“Aren’t you going to help me?”
“I am,” Sirius gave her a push out of the cloak. “But I need the cloak to do it.” And while still under the cloak, he transformed into Padfoot.
When Sirius awoke on a bright Friday morning, a suffocating worry seemed to grip his throat in a sailor’s knot. It took him more than a moment to remember why he was so sick, but as the misty memories of the previous night came to the surface, he felt the urgent need to sit up and figure out where he sought refuge, to pin him on one of the sofas he later recognized as belonging to the Gryffindor Common Room only a stabbing pain in his side. The fire was going out, but the embers and a dim flame pleasantly warmed the air and a soft woollen blanket helped to hide the wounds and the worn Muggle clothes, soiled with a now dry mixture of blood and mud. Remus must’ve hit him really hard, judging by the pounding rumbling in his ears, but the worst part was Marlene, still on the carpet at his feet, fast asleep after she took care of his injuries with the scarce means available in the dormitory. She seemed calm, her long dark lashes brushing her rosy cheeks and her blond hair neatly gathered under her head to add some thickness to the thin pillow she must’ve stolen from an armchair, but the same couldn’t be said a couple hours before, when she saw him enter the portrait hole as pale as a rag and barely able to stand on his own. In truth, he never calculated anyone could be still up in the middle of the night, and his plan to sneak up to his room to wait for James and Peter’s return would’ve succeeded, if only he hadn’t asked her help with Professor Jigger’s assignment, so essentially if he was now forced to lie blatantly it was his own fault. He didn’t want to do it, lies did nothing but push people away, but he wouldn’t betray the promise made to his friends, not when Remus’ life, and especially his stay at Hogwarts, depended on the silence of each member of the group. He looked at her thoughtfully for a while, wondering what she was dreaming of and what she might’ve though as she cleaned him up and cut her bedsheets to get some basic bandages. He certainly knew what had gone through his mind, focused on the only pleasant distraction from the pain radiating from every point of his slender body. Since he really knew her, almost a month ago, things changed a lot in their relationship: at first, he hoped to attract her as he did with the vast majority of their classmates, later he hurried to finish the Divination’s project to free himself from her academic dedication, but in the end he grew fond of her reproachful looks and unexpected acts of kindness, so he didn’t want to screw it up fantasizing about the feeling her fingers moving confidently on his skin gave him, yet he couldn’t resist those inopportune thoughts, or the temptation to lean out enough to smell her perfume, or to see the golden specks in her big hazel eyes.
“They’re still in there.” Marlene stepped back with him, the cloak sliding against them. Sirius didn’t hesitate to use their forced proximity to put his hand on her waist.
“Good, let’s move.” He pulled her against him as they walked carefully into Slughorn’s office and Sirius couldn’t keep the sneer off his face when he looked at the Carrows.
Bloody cowards, the both of them.
“I don’t know what happened to the jacket, Professor. I didn’t see McKinnon wearing one.” Alecto looked at her half-wit brother. “Did you Amycus?”
“No, she wasn’t wearing a jacket.”
Sirius felt Marlene tense against him and pushed aside his own anger at Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber to whisper against the shell of Marlene’s ear.
“Breathe, McKinnon, we’ll make sure we get it back.”
She stayed tense, but did let a long breath out. Sirius moved his hand from her waist to rub along her back.
“We’ve got this. Trust me.”
“Fine.” She grumbled, but Sirius didn’t miss her relaxing against him.
“You’re asking me to call into question the Head Girl, Ms. Carrow.” Slughorn shook his head.
“Professor,” She smiled at him, “Please remember that the Head Girl and McKinnon are good friends, and you know how everyone is suspecting the Slytherins of terrible things right now. I wonder if that has anything to do with it.”
Slughorn looked torn. “I’ll have to discuss this with the Head Master then. In the meantime, if you do happen to find Ms. McKinnon’s jacket, please ensure it gets returned to her. If there are more examples of Slytherins helping and caring for their fellow students, we’ll see less situations like these.”
“Of course, Professor.” Amycus nodded as he and Alecto moved out of the classroom.
“Let’s go.” Marlene began moving forward and Sirius moved his arm back to her waist, keeping them moving as one under James’ cloak.
“What are we going to do with it?” Amycus whispered.
“I don’t know yet. Maybe we’ll make a dummy with it and see how many slicing curses it takes to shred it into a thousand pieces. Then send them to McKinnon one by one.” Alecto laughed.
“I like that idea, she always was too stuck up for her own good.” Amycus sneered.
The only thing that kept Sirius from blasting the two of them right there was knowing he had to keep Marlene from doing exactly that.
“It’s in my dorm, I’ll bring it out later tonight and we can tear it apart.”
“I’m going to tear her apart,” Marlene’s voice came out in a sharp whisper that Sirius knew well at this point in their friendship.
“As long as it’s after we get your jacket back, sure.” Sirius pulled her closer. “But for now, let’s focus on one thing at a time.”
“Fine, but I swear she’s going to get what’s coming to her.”
Sirius chuckled, in his opinion, Marlene’s fight had always been the best part of her.
They walked silently behind the Tweedle Twins and right into the Slytherin common room, Sirius cataloging the password for future reference.
But to his frustration, Alecto didn’t move to the dorms, she sat down on a couch and began speaking with a group gathered near the fire.
“Now we just need to figure out which room is Tweedle Dumb’s.” Marlene whispered.
Sirius smirked and pulled his wand. “Hold on, Marls.”
‘The Lieutenant Colonel would like you to report to him immediately.’
‘Now?’
‘Yes Captain.’
‘He didn’t appear to mention what this is about, did he?’
‘No, Captain. They appeared to be discussing some form of classified information.’
‘Alright, thank you, Private. I shall be along in a moment,’ Captain Sirius Black sighed as he placed down the tin bowl containing his supper. He made a face at the jeers from his unit.
Marlene’s jacket has been stolen. So obviously, Sirius needs to get it back. They’re friends, he owes her that. But having her come along, and all these excuses to keep his hands on her…well, getting her jacket back might be easier than keeping his heart behind his carefully erected walls.
It’s Blackinnon Fest! A full month filled with Blackinnon! I have three Blackinnon stories that will go up this month! One for each week minus Holy Week. Enjoy this first story!
Heist
Chapter 1 - When Given the Choice
Marlene threw herself onto one of the couches in the common room and groaned.
“Everything alright, Marlene?” James looked up from where he sat with Sirius, Remus, and Peter, huddled over an intricately folded piece of parchment.
“Oh, just dandy, how are you?” She rolled her eyes.
Sirius laughed at her. “Don’t take your bad day out on us, McKinnon. We’re young and fabulous and life is good.”
“Can I stay in the reality of your universe?” She snapped at him. “Mine sucks.”
“Out with it, McKinnon.” He stuck her with the glare that always made her heart skip a beat.
“It’s stupid.” She huffed and turned away from the group. Then she gasped as strong hands grabbed her shoulders and turned her around.
“Where’s your jacket?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“McKinnon.”
“Black.”
“Where’s your leather jacket? You left with it.”
“I lost it.”
“You’re lying.”
“Oh, you’d know, eh?”
“Yeah.” He leant in, his gray eyes holding hers in a grip tighter than his hands on her shoulders. “I do.”
She pushed away, feeling her resolve starting to slip. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Did someone take it from you?” James now joined them.
“I said. It. Does. Not. Matter.” She ripped away from Black’s grip and went to storm away.
“Marlene!”
Marlene groaned at Lily’s voice. “Not now Lily.”
“Marlene, wait! Are you alright? Did they hurt you?”
“Who hurt her?!” Sirius was at Marlene’s side again.
“The Carrows were taunting her when I found them. They had her jacket but translocated it when I insisted they return it. I took them to Slughorn’s office and he said he’d take care of it.”
“Whatever, I’m going to bed.” Marlene tried to bolt for the stairs but Sirius snagged her hand.
“Nope, we’re getting your jacket back.”
“How did they get your jacket, Marly?” James fiddled with the parchment he and the boys had been looking at.
Marlene blinked back the angry tears that were rising to the surface. “I was stupid.”
“That doesn’t sound accurate.” Remus’ soft voice only seemed to infuriate her more.
“I let two idiot Slytherins get the best of me! That sounds pretty stupid to my ears!”
“Be nice to Moony, he only wants to help.”
She rounded on Sirius and the smirk on his face told her that was exactly what he’d wanted. “Comments from the peanut gallery aren’t appreciated!”
“This peanut gallery is going to get you your jacket back so I’d say the comments are necessary.”
“Awfully confident, aren’t you?”
“I mean, history says I kind of have the right to be.”
“Black, I swear on Merlin’s grave-” Marlene stopped as she felt James pulling her backward.
“Before you kill Pads, why don’t we start at the beginning?”
“Fine.” She ripped away from James. “I didn’t notice Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber hiding until they nearly knocked me over with a hex. I only had the jacket draped over my shoulders so when I started throwing hexes back it fell off and Tweedle Dumber summoned it before tossing it to Tweedle Dumb.”
“And she threatened to set it on fire,” Lily added. “That’s when I got there. I told them to give it back and she translocated it somewhere. I’m sure that Slughorn will get it back though.”
“Unlikely,” Sirius shook his head and pulled the parchment from James’ hands. “You and me?”
“I’ve got rounds in fifteen minutes.”
“Moony?”
“Wormy and I have to meet Dorcas and Benjy for our group project.”
Sirius turned back to James. “Does she know?”
“The cloak, yes.”
“That’s enough.” He looked back at Marlene. “Ready to take back what’s yours?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I told you, I’m stealing back your jacket and you’re going to help.”
“Sirius,” Lily huffed, “please wait until you know that Slughorn hasn’t managed to get it back.”
“Don’t worry, Red, I’ll be sure to confirm that Sluggy has failed before we break into the Slytherin’s dorms.”
“Wait, what?!” Marlene grabbed his sleeve.
Sirius smirked and leant close. “You want your jacket back don’t you?”
“Of course, I do.”
“Good, I’ll be right back.” His hand slid along her arm and Marlene felt just a touch of her embarrassment and ire slide out of her with him.
