~*~*~*~ Authors Note: This is the sequel to "A Wizards War" 1st and "The Original Order" 2nd installments in this trilogy. Both are works in progress.~*~*~*~

Harry Potter

The Aftermath

Chapter 1

Happy Birthday

September 7, 2017

The date is July 31st 1981, little Harry's birthday. All of James and Lily's closest friends have came to give their little boy a birthday present they couldn't have been blessed with better friends. Naturally with the war going on they all had duties to preform and couldn't stay long but they came none the less. Even Remus had managed to make it for a few minutes, he'd been on assignment spying on werewolves as of late.

James had quit his job as an Auror when Lily had became pregnant in October 1979 and they went into hiding. Only Dumbledore and their closest friends knew where they were. James was now using his vast family fortune, which he inherited when his parents passed due to Dragon Pox to provide for his family and to sustain his friend Remus who was unemployable due to his status as a werewolf.

Sirius and Marie remained on the Ministry payroll as Auror's attempting to regain the peace. They along with Remus and Peter were all members of the Order of the Phoenix frighting on the front lines to drive back the Dark Lord Voldemort.

Recently the order members were beginning to believe their was a traitor in their midst. Some very good witches and wizards in high places in both the Ministry and the Order were going missing and even some were being found dead.

That's why this little party was a gods send to those fighting the battles on the front lines taking the fight to Voldemort and his followers. Watching little Harry play with their gifts brought a smile to their faces that had long since faded to grim expressions of war. Right now Harry was playing on a toy given to him by his godfather Sirius a little toy broom. He was zooming around the living room about a foot off the ground giggling madly at the fun he was having.

"He's going to be a Quidditch player just like his old man." Sirius said with laughter at his little godson having so much fun on a simple toy.

"I think you're right Sirius." James said and laughed as his son circled around his legs then zoomed off around the couch.

"Here James darling get a picture of him." Lily said as she handed her husband a camera.

"Sure." James said as he kneeled down and waited expectantly for his son to dart back around in front of them again.

"Here Lily, this is my present to Harry though I don't think he'll get to it any time soon." Marie said as she handed Lily a small wrapped present.

"What is it Marie?" Lily asked curiously as she took the small box from her friend.

"The other half of his present." Marie said as she poked Sirius with her elbow. "Actually I picked it out because of Sirius' present. It's a toy snitch he can chase around to his hearts content." She said and smiled brightly even if there were dark clouds behind her eyes.

"Oh Marie!" Lily said as she put the box down on the coffee table beside her husband then pulled Marie into a comforting hug. Even in hiding as they were she had heard about the death of Marie's parents and little brother a couple of weeks ago by death eaters. Jacob Willis, Marie's little brother was the Gryffindor seeker this was to be his final year at Hogwarts.

"I'm alright Lily." Marie said with tears in her eyes as she pulled back from Lily and smiled softly at her in thanks.

"Come on lets see if I can get a picture with you two when he zooms by." James said and laughed he had already got a picture of Harry zooming by the fireplace.

"Right." Sirius said as he pulled Marie over to him protectively then leaned down and kissed her head softly. "You sure you are alright?" he whispered as he hugged her with one arm around behind her.

Marie smiled softly as she looked up at Sirius lovingly. "Yeah." she whispered just before she leaned up on her tippy toes and kissed his lips quickly. Naturally James couldn't pass cute little moments like that with his best friend and he took a few pictures intent on giving them to them along with the pictures of his son playing with their birthday gifts.

"James..." Lily hissed at his as she slapped his arm to get him to leave their private moment alone.

"What it's free game if they do that in my house." James said and laughed when Sirius and Marie looked over at him curiously wondering what he was talking about.

"Here comes Harry." Lily warned as he came around from behind the chairs going back towards the couch again.

"3...2...1." James said as he took another picture this time with Harry zooming in front of Sirius and Marie giggling hysterically. Causing Sirius and Marie to bust out laughing at the small boy's excitement.

"I don't think you're ever going to catch him." Sirius said as he laughed some more at his godson.

"He'll eventually fall asleep." James said with a shrug he wasn't worried. He had been a chaser after all it had been his job on the team to catch the quaffle with dangers all around how difficult could it be to catch a one year old on a toy broom?

"We have an early start tomorrow Sirius." Marie said as she looked up at him hating to break up this fun but they had a very important mission for the Order to start tomorrow. They had talked Dumbledore into letting them share in Harry's birthday but that was supposed to have been just for a couple hours. It's now late too late to get started on their mission, they had stayed the longest watching the other who were already on their missions giving their toys quickly so they could return with out detection.

"Harry dear come to mommy. I have another present for you." Lily said sweetly as she kneeled down holding out a present to get the one year old's attention.

"It's late enough now lets see him play with your gift for a few minutes then we'll leave." Sirius said with a small smile over at Marie.

Marie smiled as she looked up at him. He always projected the tough guy routine but he was truly sweet at heart. He loved to make mischief but at times like these he was gentle and loving. "Sure." she said as she wrapped one of her arms around behind the small of his back hugging him. They had actually been together as a couple since a little after James and Lily's wedding in 1978.

Harry had managed to get over to his mom and tear, not so neatly, into the newest present. Then Lily opened the box for him so see his eyes light up when this toy snitch flew up out of the box. Harry reached out to grab it and it darted away a few feet.

James kneeled down beside the confused boy. "You've got to chase it and catch it. That's a snitch son." He said softly as he pointed to the toy snitch.

Harry looked up at his father then over to his mother who nodded and also pointed to the snitch. He giggled then took off chasing the small toy but now he wasn't just going in circles of the room he was zooming in between the furniture and people's legs trying to catch this elusive toy.

"Harry dear be careful." Lily said as he about flew into the wall then a table.

Marie laughed as she watched the happy child. "Maybe a toy for less furniture or outside perhaps." she suggested as she bounced out of the way and laughed as Harry came zooming by her.

"I think you're right." James said and cringed as something broke in the hallway where his son had just zoomed out of the living room where they all were.

"Good luck. We've got to go." Sirius said and laughed when the two parents cringed again when something else broke. They made their way into the hallway to see Harry playing happily with the small snitch now in his hand with two broken vases laying down the hallway.

"Bye Harry. Happy birthday." Marie said as she squatted down and waved to him down the hall. He giggled and waved back letting go of the snitch which flew away again.

Sirius laughed then walked down the hall and picked his godson up then the toy's. "Happy birthday my lil man." he said as he hugged the boy to him as he made his way back down the hall to his parents. "I think he's actually tuckered out." he said with a laugh.

"I'd say he is." James said with a small laugh as he took his son from Sirius then the toys as his wife fixed the vases their son had broken.

"We'll be gone for a while. We should be back before Halloween though wouldn't you say?" Marie said as she looked up at Sirius curiously wondering how long he thought this new assignment should take.

"Oh yeah definitely should be back well before Halloween. I'd say beginning of October at the latest." Sirius said as he shook hands with James after he put the toys away.

"Alright you two stay safe. We'll see you then." James said as he looked up at his best friend his eyes telling Sirius to come back alive.

"You three too." Sirius said seriously. This war was dangerous for everyone including those that weren't participating in it currently.

"Guy's..." Marie said to Lily and laughed as she pointed her thumb back over her shoulder at Sirius and James. "Why can't they just say they love each other?" she said and shook her head.

"I know. Their so serious telling each other to stay safe." Lily said with a smile on her face then she reached out and hugged Marie. "We do love you two, come home safe." she said softly.

"We know Lily and we intend to. You two stay safe and protect little Harry." Marie said as she hugged Lily.

"Oh Sirius I just love you so much!" James said over dramatic as he clung to Sirius on the opposite side he was holding Harry on.

"I know James I do too, to bad we have women now." Sirius said thickly as he clung to his friend.

"Awe bloody hell you two are a pair of smart butts." Marie said while laughing at the two jokers and rolling her eyes and shaking her head at them.

James and Sirius cracked up laughing as they broke apart. "Ya know he doesn't cling to me like that I wonder if I'm just a substitute." Lily said halting their laughter as she raised an eyebrow at her husband.

"Awe Lils wish I'd of known I could be that clingy." James said with a wicked grin as he made his way over to her and pulled her against him. "I figured you'd kick me out if I didn't let go every now and then." he said with a wink causing Lily to turn bright red in embarrassment. Her attempt at embarrassing them had backfired bad.

"You stepped in that one Lily. Good luck with that. Got to go bye." Marie said laughing as she made a be line for the door before Sirius could mimic James and embarrass her.

As Marie made it out the back door Sirius burst out laughing. "I think she thought I was going to do something like that." he said then continued laughing as he followed Marie towards the door. "Bye see you later, I better catch up to her." he said from the door then left as well so they could disapperate from the back yard out of the eye shot of the muggles.

"Where you going so fast Marie?" Sirius asked as he followed her to the designated disapperation spot in the back yard.

"Home." Marie said as she watched him chuckle and walk over to her.

"You didn't want me to embarrass you huh?" Sirius said as he walked over in front of her putting an arm around her and pulling her to him. "You're not going to get out of it that easily." he said with a smirk as he leaned down and kissed her.

Marie had her hands laid gently on his chest as she let him pull her against him out in the glorious summer night. "Tease..." she said when he finally pulled back. "Come on lets go." she said as she dug down in her bag and pulled out two cloaks with hoods. She handed Sirius his then put her own on fastening it then pulling the hood up to cover her face.

"Right." Sirius said as he put his traveling cloak on then put his hood up as well. "Wands." he said pulling his out then noticed she already had hers. In this time of war it wasn't a good idea to go anywhere with out the quick ability to defend yourself.

Marie put her back to Sirius then held her left hand backwards so that he could hold it which had became habit over the last three years. Their wands held lightly at the ready. "Here we go." she breathed out then the two of them disappeared with a pop.

"They never go anywhere without protecting each others back." James said softly over to his wife who was now holding their sleeping one year old boy. They had came to the door to see their friends off one last time, but held off since they were having a sweet moment together. Sweet moments like that seemed to be few and far between and he wasn't going to begrudge them their moment lord knows they deserved those few happy moments together.

"I hear Frank and Alice are traveling similarly now too. It's not a bad idea. No one can sneak up on you and between the two you have a full 360 degree viewing area." Lily said with a small smile then turned to go back into the house to take Harry up to bed.

~*~*~*~ Diagon Alley ~*~*~*~

Two hooded figures appeared with a loud pop scarring a cat causing it to run for cover. Both figures crouched slightly as she scanned the area until one figured our what the noise had been. "Just a cat." the woman said with a sigh as she stood back up to full height not lowering her hood.

"Lets go." the man said as he took off quickly down a side alley then again now following parallel to Diagon Alley. Shops up and down every alley had boarded up most had shut down and were in hiding others had been taken by death eaters and other shop owners had boarded it up for the missing owners hoping they would one day return. Unfortunately most didn't, this was a hard depressing time for the wizarding world here in London and across the country.

They came to a stop with the man looking around the corner of a building. "No movement behind." the woman whispered softly. Times were dangerous one couldn't afford to be followed home no matter how many enchantments you had set up they could be broken down overtime. Best if no one knew you were there to begin with.

"Clear ahead too." the male whispered as he pulled the woman up beside him. "Go, I'll watch the alley as you make it across." he whispered in her ear then released her hand finally.

"Right." she whispered back took a steadying breath then glanced both ways across the ally seeing no one she darted across quickly and soundlessly. She put her back to the wall of the entrance to a home at the end of Diagon Alley. There were several small houses down at this end of the alley some had small shops set up in the bottom others were just houses. Most of them were unoccupied but all of them were boarded up like that is going to save them if the death eaters came calling.

The man watched as she made it to the relative safety of the entrance way. He looked around the alley to see if there was any movement there was none be he waited for her to wave him across which didn't take long. He slipped across the alley pressing his back against the opposite wall watching down the alley.

The woman was doing the same they locked eyes for a moment and nodded to each other. He turned and unlocked the door he opened the door then slipped inside tugging on the back of her traveling cloak to get her to move backwards into the home quickly. She backed into the house and shut the door locking it and putting up their enchantments as the man searched the house just to be sure.

"Clear." the man said and pulled his hood back down.

"That is exhausting." Marie said as she pulled down her hood as well then slumped into a chair by the fire place.

"But it keeps us alive." Sirius said as he took off his cloak and hung it by the door then held out his hand expectantly for hers.

Marie sighed as she stood up then took off her cloak and handed it to him. "Happy?" she asked sarcastically before turning to head up the stairs to go to bed for the night.

"Very." Sirius said checking the enchantments one last time before he followed quietly.