Chapter Text
Y/N sketches the beautiful man at her side, her movements loose and fluid. She’s not trying to impress anyone for once.
“When are you going back to your godfather?”
Sirius smiles, the golden warmth of sunlight tickling his cheeks. “Very soon.”
“You’ve said that at least a dozen times in the past month.”
“Short answers save trouble.”
“He expects you, so why don’t you do it?”
Sirius sits up with some effort, “Natural depravity, I suppose.”
“Natural indolence, you mean.”
“I’ll only plague him if I go, so I might as well stay and plague you a little longer. You can bear it.” He reaches for her, squeezing her cheeks, “In fact I think it agrees with you.”
She pushes his hand away, “What are you doing?”
“I’m looking at you.” His voice is cheeky but his face reveals a hint of his changing feelings for her.
Y/N’s voice is stern, “No, I mean what do you intend. To do.”
“With life?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve been writing an opera, I’d be the central figure of course.”
Y/N goes back her sketch, “That’s a waste of time.” She would know.
“And what would you have me do?”
The two smile at each other, the air changing around them.
“Go back and work for your godfather.” And their bubble is broken, Sirius gets up. “Make something of yourself, Siri.”
“You’re not playing fair.” He mutters.
Y/N stops him, holding the sketch out, “Here.”
He appraises her work, a gentle touch around the edges of the pencil lines.
“It’s very good.” She smiles, pleased he at least liked her work.
There’s a second sketch, much older, hiding beneath the new one.
“When did you do this one?”
“That day at the beach. First time I met Fred.”
Sirius hands the sketches, face pensive. “What’s he doing?”
“He’s in London on business.” Y/N avoids making eye contact by making some final touches to her work. “He’ll be back in a few weeks.”
He gives a light hum and begins to walk away. Y/N’s startled when he speaks up again.
“Don’t marry him.”
“What?”
“Don’t marry him.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
It takes a moment but she realises what he means. “No, no, Sirius no.”
He reaches for her face, “Yes, Y/N.”
She pushes his hand away, “You’re being mean. Stop it.”
“What? How am I being mean?”
Y/N backs away, face curled with heartbreak, “I have been second to Lily my whole life in everything. And I will not be the person you settle for just because you cannot have her. I won’t do it.” She turns away, tears threatening to crack her voice, “Not when I’ve spent my entire life loving you.” She drops her sketches and pencil on the ground and storms away.
~*~*~*~*~
The Evans home had always been lively and bustling with activity, but with Marmee gone, it was also an incredible mess. Hannah shook her head and joked, “It’s like the inmates are running the asylum.”
This particular morning saw Y/N with her foot in a bucket of plaster, Alice reading a letter from Frank, Lily writing a story and Marlene finishing a pair of slippers for Mr Dumbledore.
“I’m making a mould of my foot for Sirius to remind him how lovely they are.”
Alice ignored her youngest sister in favour of leaning over to Lily, “Mr. Longbottom writes that Father is still very weak, but improving. Mr. Longbottom also says Mother is the best nurse a man could have.”
Annoyed at the lovestruck expression on her sister’s face, Lily spat, “I wish the letters were from Mother, and not Mr. Longbottom.”
“I’m grateful for any letters.” Despite her motherly and stern expression, Alice put the letter away with great care. She began writing an errands list as Marlene walked over to Y/N.
“I think the deep purple is very fitting for Mr. Dumbledore, do you agree Y/N?”
Y/N looked over, rather preoccupied with her current task, “Quite. And the design is very cunning.”
“I had to thank him somehow for allowing me to play the piano at his house all the time.”
Alice smiled distractedly at her sister, then pointed to Lily, “I’ll go into town for groceries, can you go look into getting more firewood?”
“You all haven’t been to see the Weasleys. We should go.”
Lily looked over her shoulder, “Marls we barely have enough to feed ourselves. Besides, I have to finish this story.”
“Marmee said-”
“Marmee said so many things we can’t possibly do them all.” Y/N tried to pull her foot out of the bucket.
“But I always go by myself and you haven’t been keeping up with your tasks.” Marlene crossed her arms.”
Alice waved to her sister gently, still distracted by the errands list, “Don’t worry sweet girl, we’ll find a time.”
“MY FOOT IS STUCK! I CAN’T GET IT OUT!” Y/N cried, hobbling around with the bucket attached to her leg. Between her cackles, Lily tried to help her get it off while Alice chastised the little one.
“Fine I’ll go myself.”
Marlene made her way to the Dumbledore house first, giving the wrapped slippers to a servant.
She then walked to the Weasley house, arms full of supplies and blankets. She heard the panicked cry of a baby and ran inside.
She went home empty handed, heart full of grief.
Despite her sisters’ sweet faces greeting her at the door, she couldn’t match their energy.
“Look what’s here!” Y/N cried with excitement as she and Alice presented Marlene a beautiful new piano, Lily handing her the note that was attached.
Marlene was overwhelmed with emotions, “No, Lily you read it. I cannot.”
“Miss Beth March, I have had many pairs of slippers in my life, but I never had any that suited me so well as yours. And they will always remind me of the gentle giver. I hope you will accept this gift. Your grateful friend and humble servant, Albus Dumbledore.”
“Humble servant, how lovely Marls!” Alice smiled, rubbing her sister’s shoulder.
Y/N pointed out all the fine details like a salesman, “See the brackets to hold candles, the nice green silk.”
Marlene marched out the door, ignoring her sisters’ confused shouts. She walked straight up to Mr Dumbledore’s office, knocking politely. When he opened the door, she slammed into him with a hug.
He accepted it with all the warmth he had. While his sister was no longer here, he could give all the love he held for her to someone else.
“I should have given you the piano long ago.”
Marlene’s head fell into the crook of the old man’s neck. It felt wrong though. He pulled back from their embrace, “My child, your skin is burning up.”
Along with some servants, Mr Dumbledore called on a doctor and raced Marlene back to her home.
Alice stood with arm in arm with Mr Dumbledore while Y/N and Lily held each other tightly. They watched the doctor as he examined a delirious Marlene. When he was finished, he turned to the family, sadness gripping him.
“What is it?” Mr Dumbledore asked.
“It’s scarlet fever.” The doctor lowered his voice to talk Mr Dumbledore, “It’s already taken two Weasley children.”
The doctor turned to the girls again, “Have you all had it before?”
“Alice and I have, but Y/N hasn’t!”
“She’ll have to be sent away.”
“I don’t want to be sent away!” Y/N clung to her sister.
Alice ignored her, not maliciously, talking to Lily, “I’ll see if Aunt Evans can take her.”
“I don’t like Aunt March.” Tears welled up in Y/N’s eyes.
“Should we send for Mother?” Lily couldn’t look at her little one, wanting to remain calm for her sake.
“No, we shouldn’t worry her.”
Lily nodded looking to the doctor, “We’ll nurse her and she’ll get better. She will. She must.”