♫ Lonely is the room, the bed is made... The open window lets the rain in... Burning in the corner is the only one... Who dreams he had you with him... My body turns and yearns... For a sleep that won't ever come...♪

1980...

London was always a dreary city to you. Even drearier now that the war started and you're not at Hogwarts anymore.

You just smoke on the little balcony your flat has to offer and stare out at the smog obscuring London. Lily and James are married and expecting a new addition in Castlereagh with Lily's family, Remus and Sirius are sharing a flat in Soho, Mary is out somewhere in Chelsea, Dorcas is with Moody in Bristol, Pandora is out in North Ireland Causeway Coast you think, Peter is in York, and Marlene..?

She's asleep on your bed from a particularly close encounter with a group of Death Eaters in Glasgow so you offered up your bed, as usual. It's hard for you to say no to that infuriating smile. You sigh and light another fag as it starts raining.

It's only been a year after you all got out of Hogwarts and it feels like a decade. You didn't want a war. You didn't want to fight. You have to. To protect your family.

Lily and baby Harry, James and his stupid Quidditch talk, Sirius' red face anytime Remus even remotely flirts back with him, the way Remus' scars lighten in the summer, Mary and her incessant need to make everyone feel included, Pete and his quiet gloating when he beats Sirius in chess, Pandora's way of loyalty, Dorcas' unflinching desire to end this war quickly, and Marlene's way she makes everything seem safe.

You had to protect that. Them, your family.

Didn't matter much if you have so much blood on your hands that you can't remember names anymore. Didn't matter that you were turning into Moody at this rate. Didn't matter until everyone you cared about made it out of this war alive.

You didn't even realize that Marlene was right behind you.

"Bum me a fag, yea?" Marlene asks in that haughty Scottish accent you've grown to relax to.

"How long you've been up, Marls?" You smile slightly and offer her a cigarette. She lights it with her thumb, a trick she begged Remus to teach her. Ironically the only time she was on her knees for a man. The thought almost makes you smile.

"You think it outta be sunny with all this rain we been gettin'." She smokes and nudges her shoulder against yours. She's wearing a worn Ramones cropped tee and shorts, you wonder how she doesn't get sick.

"You would think... how are you not cold?" You blink at her and smoke.

"I run hot, like my looks." She grins and wiggles her brows, that makes you chuckle slightly. You roll your eyes and smoke, tossing the bud into the old ashtray on your balcony floor.

"Hungry? Either I spend my last 21 pounds on food or I cook breakfast." You give her your robe and stretch.

"You cook?" She raises a brow.

"How else does one survive? Not everyone is insanely wealthy like you, princess McKinnon." You smile slightly as she scowls.

"Don't call me that, you know I hate that. I've decked guys for less." Marlene tosses her bud on the ashtray and follows you inside.