Rivals [A Sirius Story]

« 10: Shocked »

« Marlene's POV »

I stare at my new boyfriend. Thank god I found the courage to tell him exactly what this relationship was, or I'd feel guilty as Merlin's old employer. Still, he seems inclined to believe that it could blossom into something more.

It could. I mean, he bears a few character traits similar to Black's, and he certainly has nearly as much physical appeal.

Wait. Why is being similar to Black a good thing?!

I turn to Regulus. "I'm worried about Black. I don't want him becoming angry, my sole intent was to prove that I have no ties to him...since he clearly has none to me."

Reg looks pained for some reason, but answers logically. "If he has no ties to you, then he shouldn't become angry."

"'Loss thinks he will. I don't understand why she keeps pushing this idea that he and I should date."

"Why, indeed..." he mumbles.

Suddenly, I hear the bustle of a quickly moving group of people and the shouts of none other than my best friend. Lily storms up to us, breaking Reg and I apart. "Guys – he's on his way!"

"Black?!" I ask, angered. He should stay out of this.

But you love that he doesn't. That he cares.

I shove the voice in my mind into a box, which I lock with the key that is my willpower.

Nice attempt, it says smugly. Can't get rid of me that easily.

Apparently, my willpower isn't that strong.

No. I'm just stronger.

"Well, I am!" Remus exclaims, pulling me away from my current thoughts.

"No, you aren't. This is an issue that my lovely brother and I have to settle. Moony, I know you're trying to keep me out of trouble, but drop it. This is my business."

"Marlene is your business? Who's buying her?" Peter asks innocently.

"No one if I can help it!" Black spits.

"...I don't buy it," Peter replies.

"If only everyone thought like you, we wouldn't have this problem," Black lowly hisses.

I whip my head towards them, their argument ringing in my ears.

I'm Black's business? That's equivalent to saying I'm his. His property. His to command.

I refuse to be commanded.

"Maybe because your 'lovely brother' doesn't think that way, like I'm something to be owned, I'm with him. Not that I get why you even remotely care!" I hurl out my words like daggers a warrior might throw. The words seem to hit Black harder than the daggers would.

"I don't! I don't care at all. But that doesn't mean that he can just claim you, just take you!" Black retorts.

"He isn't! No one can claim me!" I spit.

"He's pretty damn close, yeah?" By this point, a crowd's gathering, but Remus and Potter singlehandedly move them all away, Remus by reminding them all of the classes they need to get to, and Potter by shouting a lengthy string of curses that I don't even think make sense when put together. Regardless, their combined efforts do the job, and after a few moments of shuffling and murmured, but pointed, insults towards Potter's vocabulary, only Potter, Remus, Peter, Black, Reg, Lily, and I remain.

"Uh, thanks," I awkwardly say to Remus and Potter. I've no issue with appreciating Remus, I do so frequently, but appreciating Potter? That is an emotion I certainly did not expect to come about today.