PUNKS & POETS (book one, year 1-4)

022; Marlene & Dorcas

Sirius skipped into the common room after dinner, plopping down on one of the red sofas by the fireplace. James was quick to sit down next to him, kicking his feet up on the coffee table before them. Remus and Peter dragged their feet behind the two boys, plopping down in one armchair each. Remus pulled his legs up to his chest, glancing at the warming fire that sparked against the ashes in the stone fireplace just before he got his book out of his old book bag. James and Sirius had just struck up a conversation about quidditch as the portrait of the fat lady moved. In through the hidden passage in the stone wall came Lily alongside four other girls, James recognized Mary and Alice as well as the dark skinned girl and the girl with the messy blonde hair, however he didn't know their names. He was sure that he had heard them sometime during the sorting ceremony but he couldn't remember.

"Hi Evans" James croaked out as the red haired girl walked passed. He huffed as she glared at him, not answering. She crossed her arms over her chest, walking off with her head held high. Mary and Alice followed her closely, but the other two girls lingered, seemingly in their own world. "Hey you" Sirius called out, pointing at the blonde girl "you weren't all too bad on a broom this afternoon"

"Hey me?" the blonde girl asked, turning to face Sirius with an eyebrow raised. Curiosity was written all over her fair face. "Sorry, hey miss..." Sirius trailed, looking at her as he awaited for her to fill in the rest of his sentence.

"Marlene McKinnon"

"Marlene McKinnon" Sirius said, nodding his head "well you're quite the flier Marlene McKinnon". "Thanks" the girl simply shrugged, a playful smile upon her lips "I suppose you're not too bad yourself". "McKinnon..." Sirius trailed, furrowing his dark eyebrows together "not sure I've heard that before"

"Alright, we'll not everyone can be born a fancy pureblood" Marlene said, putting her hands on her hips "as I'm sure you are if I'm not mistaken... Sirius Black is it?"

"The one and only" Sirius smirked, leaning back against the sofa and resting his hands behind his head "nice to meet you". "The one and only Black family disappointment sat right here before my eyes" Marlene teased, something so funny gleaming in her bright eyes "such a pleasure meeting you too". A loud laugh slipped out of Sirius's lips as he sat there, unsure what to say. He was often quick when it came to comebacks, but he hadn't quite figured out just how to joke about his family yet. However he knew that Marlene was only joking, probably having heard about the ancient tradition of the Black's being Slytherins, he could sense it. Most of the purebloods around him knew, so it wasn't odd to hear that it had spread to everyone else. "Well what can I say?" Sirius shrugged, smirking at her "we can't all be perfect right?"

"Right" she laughed, nodding her head with ease "perfect is kinda boring anyways"

"Hey you have your own broom right?" James butted in, leaning forward to look at the young girl. His eyes gleamed with interest, seeing as James took a liking to everything that was remotely close to quidditch. "I do" she answered quickly, nodding her head "my father gave it to me as a birthday gift, it's a Cleansweep Five". "That's quite nice" James smiled "I have a Comet two twenty myself". "Ah nice" Marlene smiled, tilting her head to the right "so you two are into quidditch then?". "A bit" Sirius shrugged, nodding his head towards James as he lowered his hands "him more than me". "He's kinda obsessed" Peter butted in, a cheeky smile upon his lips. "That's putting it mildly Pete" Sirius laughed, laying his hands to rest on his lap. "Are you trying out for the Gryffindor team then?" Marlene asked, looking at James curiously. "Definitely yeah, but perhaps next year" James said, pushing his hands through his messy hair "first years never make it anyways". "But don't you think it's worth a shot?" Marlene asked, a curious look upon her face. "I don't know" James shrugged, leaning back against the sofa "are you trying out then?"