A/n: PLS READ- the rest is from 3rd person POV because- uh- well... I guess you'll see now...

TW AND CW: mentions of death 

Sirius shook his head in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

He held Anthea in his arms gently, now stopping the gentle rocking motion that helped her sleep.

"Sirius," said Dumbledore gently.

Everyone at the table was silent.

They were back at Fabian and Gideon's for an Order meet and Marlene had been gone for several weeks for a mission, promising Sirius that she was to return two days ago.

"Marlene's gone," breathed out Dumbledore quietly.

Not a single response from anyone.

Until the choked sobs of Lily broke the silence. "Marlene- no- she c-couldn't be-"

Baby Harry twitched in her arms.

"I'm afraid she is," said Dumbledore calmly. "Dorcas went to spy on the Death Eaters after Marlene had been late to come back. She... she saw her."

"How?" Alice managed to whisper.

"Killing Curse," mumbled Dorcas, staring down at her shoes. "Couldn't do anything."

Sirius hadn't said anything for a long time. He had simply stared down at the table.

Peter fidgeted awkwardly at the end of the table.

"I'm so sorry," whispered Sarah from next to Peter. "I know how close you all were."

"I think I'm gonna go home," said Sirius. "Bit tired. See you guys next week."

He stormed out the door, Anthea still in his hands."

"Is he alright?" asked James, trying to stop the tiny flow of tears pricking at the corner of his eyes. "Should I go talk to him?"

"I think he just needs some time alone with his thoughts," said Dumbledore. "He'll be alright soon enough."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirius apparated back to the cottage. 

He knew he would have to let go of Marlene soon- but there was one last thing that had been at the back of his mind for a long time that he just had to check.

First, Sirius went to put Anthea down for her nap, the thought of Marlene still nagging at the back of his mind, threatening to burst. 

After that, Sirius walked towards their room and opened Marlene's closet.

It had all her clothes and some other stuff laying around in it- but what interested Sirius the most was the dusty scrapbook at the top of her chest.

He picked it up.

It had always interested him ever since Marlene had insisted on taking the book in hand instead of in the neverending box.

He went to sit down on the bed and cracked it open to the first page.

It was photos of everyone- Lily, James, Peter, Remus, Alice, even Sarah, who she had just met.

One page was dedicated to just the two of them- Sirius and Marlene just having fun.

But there was one page that especially caught his attention.

The last one.

A/N: open scrapbook here and turn to last page for reference: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFWSXcLZt4/nSR2UOh83_nJLEUG1_exow/view?utm_content=DAFWSXcLZt4&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

Sirius shut the book quickly after reading the last page and clutched it to his chest, remembering something Marlene had said a while ago when he found out that Regulus had died.

"You know when people say focus on the positive?" she had said. "I say don't do that. I say forget about the positive for a second and think about all the bad things in my life. Then I realize there are only- like- two. That makes me realise how happy I am that there's so many good things in life. And then, I just decide that I need a nice, long, cry. So I go to the bathroom and cry my heart out. It always feels a little nicer, a little weight off our shoulders."

So Sirius did just that.

He sobbed openly.

He cried for Regulus, who he wished he could have been a little better to.

He cried for Anthea, who was going to grow up without a mother.

He cried for Alice and Lily, who would never meet their best friend again.

And finally, he cried for Marlene.

Am I allowed to cry-

This hurt physically to write- 

I know what you're thinking- "YOU CAN'T JUST KILL OFF MARLENE!" ik ik, but that's how it is cHrOnOlOgIcaLlY so bear with me for the last chapter or two. And no, there's no follow-up series for Anthea unfortunately... thx for all the reads, though!

- Jui W.