when i met you

75

"Sirius?" Lexi hovered in the doorway to his room with Buckbeak.

The older man lifted his head to look at his best friend's daughter, "Lexis, is everything alright?"

The question was fitting seeing as it was after midnight and the party had ended some hours ago after Mrs Weasley encountered the Boggart and everyone saw her children, husband, Harry and Lexi dead on the floor.

"Oh, yes! Everything is just fine..." she replied, stepping further into the room, "I was just wondering if I could ask you something, seeing as I probably won't have time later."

"Of course! Come, sit down," he patted the spot beside him and the young woman sat down comfortable. "Now, what was it? Your question."

Lexi took a steady breath, "Did you know Marlene McKinnon?"

Sirius face changed from curiosity to grief so swiftly, Lexi wondered how he did that. "I-I did. How did you know?"

"Well, I didn't know if you knew her, but Mad-Eye showed Harry and I a photo of the original Order and named people. She was one of them—as were you, Moony, mum and dad."

The Animagus looked at the floor and took two deep breaths, he remembered the photo. "I s'pose he told you then that she and her family were murdered by Voldemort soon after?"

Lexi nodded carefully, "I was wondering if you could tell me about her? She was very pretty in the picture."

Sirius smiled to himself, "Yes, yes, she was an extremely pretty woman." He was quiet for a moment. "Marlene was a Gryffindor in our year, one of your mother's best friends in fact. But it was her and Mary MacDonald that were inseparable."

Lexi smiled at the mention of her mother.

"Marlene was like no one else... she had an exceptionally caring soul, but what attracted people was her truthful nature. She had a habit of saying something without thinking of the consequences or how the truth would affect someone." He chuckled as he remembered the woman.

"She was quite a tomboy and was one of the best Beaters I'd ever seen. She didn't put up with my nonsense and was the first to slap me out of it—she was a very physical person. She was actually the first person I ever dated —"

Sirius gave a laugh at that and it made Lexi smile.

"— we didn't last long together, our personalities were too different and we often clashed too much, resulting in arguments. But we both learned from that and became quite close afterwards—closer than we'd been before. I'll always thank her for being in my life and I'll always love her, it's just a shame what happened to her..."

Lexi took Sirius' hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

Sirius looked up at his 'goddaughter' and smiled again, "You remind me of her, y'know?" Lexi tilted her head and Sirius went on, "Marlene may have been a more... stern or loud person than you are, but I see in you the exact same courage and determination I saw in her. You don't take anyone's sh*t and you're dyed hair makes you look much like Marlene."

The young woman had the beginnings of tears in her eyes but still managed to whisper out a 'thank you'.

"I wish I could've met her..."

Sirius wrapped his arms around her shoulder and pulled her into his side, "I wish you could've met them all..."

Don't forget to vote and comment <3