A/N: This is a short three-chapter fic that spans the three generations. It's already complete, and I'll be uploading one chapter a day for the next few days. I hope you enjoy it! :)

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own anything you recognise; as you already know, the characters and the world belong to J. K. Rowling.

Chapter One

"James, you're going to be late for your detention with – " Remus broke into a fit of coughing, having just walked into the smoke-filled dormitory. When he was able to cease coughing long enough to take a stale tasting breath he abandoned his previous reminder. "What the hell are you two doing in here?!" he yelled.

"Exactly what it looks like, Moony, or do you need to have your eyes checked again?" Sirius responded.

"Maybe I do, because it looks like you're smoking. But surely even the two of you wouldn't be stupid enough to smoke in the dorm."

"Well your eyes are fine," began James, exhaling smoke and passing the pipe to Sirius as he spoke, "but it seems you've once again over-estimated us."

Sirius took a long breath on the pipe before blowing the smoke in Remus' direction. "You won't tell on us, though, will you." It wasn't a question; both James and Sirius knew Remus would never turn them in.

Remus sighed. "No, but you better find some other air to pollute, preferably outside. You might not value your lungs, but I do." He pulled out his wand to extinguish the pipe and banish the smoke from the room.

James wasn't fazed. It was a big castle and at this time of night it would be mostly deserted. He grabbed his cloak out of his trunk and motioned for Sirius to follow him out the door. "Night Moony. Do us a favour and don't tell Wormtail. Wouldn't want the whole school finding out about this."

Once out of the common room and safely under the Invisibility Cloak, Sirius spoke up. "Where are we headed? Remus was probably right about going outside, but I don't fancy our chances with the front doors."

"My thoughts exactly. So, if you don't mind climbing a few stairs, I thought we might take a visit to the Astronomy Tower."

The boys walked in a companionable silence. They were lucky enough not to encounter any teachers or on-duty prefects and even managed to narrowly avoid a run in with Filch's cat.

"If it's true what they say about smoking destroying your lungs, that climb is going to get a lot harder if we keep this up," Sirius said as they reached the top of the tower and stepped out into the night. "Where'd you find this thing, anyway? It's very 'muggle' isn't it?"

"One of dad's muggle friends got him onto it," James half answered.

"And then you nicked it."

"I prefer to think of it as 'borrowed and improved'." James winked. "Dad was just using muggle Tobacco, but I've added a few magical touches."

Sirius put the pipe back up to his mouth and took a deep breath while he waited for James to continue. When nothing further was said, Sirius prompted, "Such as?"

"Oh, you know… powdered Billywig stings and crystalized fire whiskey." James took the pipe back. He held his breath for a few seconds before breathing the smoke out through his nose.

Sirius grinned. "So the lightheaded-ness I'm beginning to feel isn't because I just climbed over one hundred stairs and am not as fit as I used to be."

James laughed. "Well, I wouldn't completely rule out that possibility."

...

Two hours later found the boys laying back, hovering a few centimetres off the ground and looking up at the stars. The pipe lay forgotten between them, just as James' detention had been earlier.

"Did you know I'm the brightest star in the sky?" Sirius asked, pointing above him.

"At least you're the brightest somewhere, because you certainly aren't the brightest anywhere at Hogwarts."

Sirius ignored James comment. "And, my star is even part of the dog constellation. How weird is that?"

"What I think is weird is that you actually pay attention in Astronomy."

"Only when Mynce is talking about how bright I am."

Both boys broke into fits of laugher. Five minutes later, when they managed to calm down, James spoke. "Maybe if I had a star Lily would go out with me," he sighed.

"I thought Billywig stings were supposed to cause giddiness, not depression," Sirius said.

Ignoring Sirius, James closed one eye and stuck his hand out in front of him, tracing around a group of stars. "These ones look like a lilypad."

Sirius shook his head. Even when James was high he couldn't stop thinking about Evans! He picked up the pipe, re-lit it with his wand, took a puff and handed it to James. "Here, you're falling off your high," he said as James' back hit the ground with a thump. "I don't think a star would help your chances, mate."

James looked at the pipe in his hand and then put it down. Sitting up he looked at his friend. "But what would help my chances? I've tried everything."

"How about not doing stupid things like smoking on the top of the Astronomy Tower?"

The two boys whipped around, or in Sirius' case, tried to turn around and instead ended up rolling over and over in mid-air until James put a steadying hand on his shoulder.

"Evans?!" James yelped in surprise. "What are you doing up here? You almost sent Sirius rolling right off the tower!"

"Not coming to enjoy the effects of magically altered tobacco, I can assure you," Lily said. "Which, I might add, is bad for your health and completely against the school rules. I've a mind to turn you in."

"But you won't, because then you'd have to admit you were up here after hours," Sirius winked.

Lily glared at him. "You think you're so smart sometimes, Black, but – "

"Pray don't finished that sentence, Evans," Sirius said, "I'm far too high to produce any comebacks worthy of your lovely self. Anyway, I won't make you endure my presence any longer. I really need to take a tinkle." Sirius struggled to stand while still floating a few centimetres off the ground. It was more difficult that he had anticipated. As James was too busy chuckling at his choice of words, Sirius had to swallow his pride and give Lily his most pathetic puppy dog face until she consented to give him a hand. Once he was upright, he winked at them both and made his way to the stairs.

After Sirius disappeared down the spiral staircase, James realised that the pipe was still lying next to him. He hastily snatched it up and shoved it in his pocket, as though hiding it from Lily would make her forget what he had been doing a moment ago.

"Don't stop on my account," she said.

"It's really not as much fun doing it on your own." James winked and Lily pretended to try and push him over the parapet.

"You're a devil, James Potter," Lily said, laughing. "Now, which stars did you think looked like a lily pad?"

James smiled and looked back up into the sky. It took a while to find the group of stars again now that he was sobering up. "There, just above the horizon."

"You're not such a bad guy, you know, Potter. Just sometimes… misguided."