luv, hold me down

“Mum’s.” He shook his head with a laugh. “I might take you up on that offer. Just the thought of Walburga’s face is almost enough.”

“Soo unreasonable, right?” She rolls her eyes. “Yeah you should,” Marlene grinned, “Besides, maybe if you reply a few times, she might even you know.. stop.”

“Marlene, did you win Ms. Hogwarts?” Joey put the pillow over her face, crossing her legs underneath herself like a grade school child. “He kissed me,” She muttered into the fabric, not trusting her own skin color to not give away her emotions.

Marlene looked at her friend for a moment before bursting out in a laugh, “Did you like it?” She questioned, teasingly. “Is this the kind of practice you’ve been doing, hmm?”

“Maybe you should start using your powers for good. For evil when it comes to us wanting things, of course, but then if you see any other ne’er-do-wells, you can seduce them into a life of goodwill. Hm, I dunno, that seems to obvious. We need something that’ll be known as our trademark, like the Joker’s playing card!”

“You always have all the answers don’t you? This way everyone will be thankful to me and I will have all the fun. Genius, honestly.” Marlene was used to Lily bringing in Muggle references into every conversation but that didn’t make it any less confusing. “Joker?” She questioned, “See! I always said they were creepy. What the fuck kind of joker kills people?”

“Do you truly wish to cease smoking, though? Fabricating resolutions you have no intention of keeping is how the multitudes foil themselves before they begin.”

“Does anybody really mean their new year’s resolution?” She asked with a small shrug. “It’s only for show anyway.”

“Shit is right.” He said with a laugh. “You know me, McKinnon. I’m always up for a smoke.” Sirius shook his head. “Sending howlers costs money, of which I don’t have a lot.”

“My mum is on my case so I haven’t smoked in ages- which is like.. three days,” She shakes her head, lighting her cigarette. Marlene shrugged, “Yeah well if you still ever want to I’d be happy to help out. I mean the look on your mother’s face- now that would be priceless.”

“Perhaps you ought to follow suit, a new you would be a vast improvement.”

“A new me would be a disaster,” She scoffed. “It can never be anywhere as cool as the now me.”

“Even so, I have a pretty good feeling about this year.”

“Yeah well that’s how every year starts out. Until it turns shit.”

“What? I want to drop 50 pounds, stop smoking and learn to knit. New year, new me! Don’t judge me McKinnon.”

“Are you trying to tell me something Dearborn?” She teased.

“Well, McKinnon, I don’t know about you but I plan on becoming an entirely new person this year. What do you think about the name Gustavo? Does it fit me?”

“Only if you’re planning to join the Italian mafia.”

“That’s genius, Marls. But there might be some reports about bias in the workplace when only gay men and straight women are ever hired.” Lily made a face when Mulciber’s name was mentioned, remembering her run-in with him in the greenhouse. “We really do, don’t we? If we need a good first kill I fully vote Mulciber, though.”

“True,” She laughed loudly. “You’re right Lil, that would be very unfair. Maybe not then. Guess there will be no end to shoplifting then.” Marlene nods, “Agreed. How do we do it? Maybe we can throw him off the Astronomy Tower.”

“But I am innocent , if it were me she wouldn’t still be alive”

“Is that why you won’t admit it?” She raised an eyebrow, “Because you fucked up.”

“Oh I love the thought of new beginnings on the new year. However, it is merely an illusion. There are no new beginnings determined by the calendar. It does, though, make the time-keeping of your resolution more efficient.” 

“Resolutions are such bullshit, though. Quitting smoking has been my resolution for like the past three years and I’ve never even come close. It’s basically lying to yourself, you know?”

“Shut up,” Joey rolled her eyes, sitting up on the bed to give Marlene a glare. “It doesn’t matter what he did. He should have stayed focus. We were fight training and if that had been a real fight, we would’ve died and it would’ve been his fault. That’s plenty enough for one boy to do to deserve my disgust.”

“Yes, well, if it was a real fight he probably wouldn’t have done whatever the hell he did,” She pointed out in a matter of fact tone. “Please,” Marlene, rolled her eyes, “You don’t need a reason to be disgusted by a boy. Now tell me what he did.”