Have a little faith in me

Didn't get to say goodbye

During the weekend the eight of them holed up in the boys dorm, although Marlene was pleased with being surrounded by her friends she couldn't stop herself feeling guilty that they were stuck with her, she spent quiet a bit of the weekend convincing people to go out but none of them would. On Sunday night she was in bed with Sirius she was facing him and he could tell something was up.
'You're allowed to be selfish right now you know.'
'It just feels wrong, normally I'm the problem solver not the problem.'
'Hey.' Sirius cupped her cheek 'In no way are you a problem, we would do this for any one of us. You know that.'
'But-'
'No buts.' His thumb stroked her cheek. 'You need time and support and we are all going to give it to you.' Marlene kissed his palm and closed her eyes.
'I love you.'
'I love you too.'

'I am not ready for class.'
'Ugh someone wake Sirius up.'
'Wait not yet look.' Everyone stopped to see what was happening.
'Aw James you were right, he is the little spoon.'
'Where's the camera?'
'Please don't ever let him forget this James.'
'Never.' Peter took the photo of Sirius wrapped in Marlene's arms and hid it where all the others were stored.
'Wake him up Mary.' Mary walked over to the side Sirius was facing.
'Oi Sirius.' She tapped him. 'We have school, wake up.' He stirred and his eyes flickered.
'Right now?' He mumbled.
'You need to get up right now.'
'Fine.' He slid out of Marlene's grip still with his eyes closed and got out of bed.

'So what is our plan?'
'What plan?'
'With Mar. She can't exactly go to her lessons.'
'Nothing-none of us has ever gone through this have we, there isn't anything we can plan.'
'She can't be left alone.'
'Sirius you can't be suggesting that we follow her everywhere.'
'She went missing for a week. We just need to know she is safe.'
'I'm not about to run away again if that's what you think.' Marlene sat up.
'How long have you been awake?'
'Since Si decided he wanted to track me.'
'Are you-I know this is a stupid question but are you okay?' Mary asked.
'No. But I shouldn't be, and I'm okay with that.'
Marlene got up and went with the girls to get changed for school.
'Hold up. Where are you going?' Remus asked Marlene
'To get changed.'
'For what?' Asked Peter.
'For school.'
'No your not.' Said James.
'Sorry what?'
'You shouldn't be going to class right now.' Sirius told her.
'I don't want to stay up here all day.'
'You aren't going to class Mar.' James continued.
'I think that's my decision.'
'Mar it's seven against one, your not going.'
'Can I at least come to breakfast?'
'I think that's a fair deal.' Lily replied from the hallway.
'Fine.'
'Fine.'

Marlene, James and Sirius sat on the floor of Gryffindor common room in front of the fireplace. The boys sat either side of her plaiting her hair, Sirius was doing loads of little plaits while James did one big french plait.
'Your pretty good at this...James.'
'What about me?' Sirius asked offended.
'I never said you were bad, I am just surprised at James' talent. Better than me at any rate.'
'I would of thought you would be able to do hair Mar, as you are amazing at basically everything else.'
'Wow the sarcasm is thick, I would but my mother always wanted my hair in a slick bun. Myles tried to teach me once, he even grew out his hair but I just never understood it.' Marlene went quiet, it was the first time she had mentioned one of her brothers that day.
'Mar, do you want to talk?'
'I would love to hear more about your brothers, they sound so nice.'
'Yeah. I'll tell you about my brothers.
Matt is my oldest brother and then Marcel then was Myles then the twins Marco and Marcus, I wasn't ever that close to the twins even though they were the closest to my age they left Hogwarts before I started. Growing up our parents put a lot of responsibility on Matt and Marcel to look after us all, we would go camping and stargazing. It was like they brought me up, in a weird way it was as if they were my Dad's. I had a father but I never had that loving father figure and they were so much older than me it was them.
I remember one trip, I must of been five or so and they were in their twenties, there was this huge lake and Matt dared Myles and me to race the twins to the other side, but we didn't know there was a lake so we were in our normal clothes, Marcel-he was always amazing at charms and he made it so I could see under water, it was absolutely stunning, and when I got out Myles asked me to explain what we had seen and he painted it, you could tell him anything and he could paint it perfectly. I'm sure it was in the summer, I remember it because our ages are so spread out that we rarely could all be together, so when we were it was special. I was sad because I knew this was the last time I would be with all of my brother's for most likely a year. And Marce' must of realised, I don't think I was as good at hiding my emotions as I am now, and I was looking in the fire and a robin appeared but it was made out of flames, since I was little that's been my favourite animal. I must of fallen asleep after that because I woke up the next morning in my bed. But when I got up I found a painting of a robin, the flame robin in a jar, a robin whittled out of tree bark. Those things were the things from my brother's that I kept closest.' Marlene stopped talking, and started breathing heavily. 'I left them.' Her eyes glistened 'Last Christmas I left them in my room.' Marlene looked towards Sirius and whispered 'That's the only thing I had of Marcel now that he's gone and I don't even have it.'
Marlene rest her head on Sirius' chest and stared into the fireplace.
'I'm sorry Marcel.' She whispered to herself.
The boys started to have a silent conversation with each other, both tying to convince the other of their plan.
'Lets take her up.' Sirius picked up Marlene and took her up to the girls dorm where Lily, Mary and Emmeline were.
'What are you doing?'
'Bringing her to bed.'
'No you guys are planning something, I can tell.'
'Lil it's better if you don't know, I don't want you to worry.'
'That's the easiest way to make anyone worried James.' Mary told him.
'Look it's for Mar. We need to do it.'
'Don't come back hurt James, or I will kill you.' Lily gave him a long hug and a kiss and they left.