The years following their graduation from Hogwarts passed well for Sirius, Melissa, James, James, Lily, Peter and Remus. Although they constantly had the threat and fear of Lord Voldermort constantly hovering over them they managed to get on with their lives reasonably happily, even being in the Order of the Phoenix.
Obviously nearly everyday they where hearing stories about mysterious and deaths or just normal deaths and terrible accidents. But they all kept a positive mind by reminding themselves that it wasn't them or their family.
Two year later, in midsummer, James proposed to Lily. They both knew it was a little early to be getting married, but with the threat of Lord Voldermort everyone was rushing into marriage, you never if tomorrow would be your last day. They decided to get married in spring the next year. Melissa was maid of houner and Sirius was the best man. Even Lily's sister, Petunia, agreed to turn up to be a bride's maid.
On the third of May the next year the day came. Most of the Order came as did most of Lily and James' old teachers. Everyone forgot about Voldermort for one day. For one day everyone forgot the depressing stories published in the Daily Prophet everyday. For one day for all of them it was just about those two, it was all about Lily and James.
The Party afterwards was held in the town hall where Lily and James lived. Most had a great time apart from to figures each holding a bottle of mead watching everyone else dance. Peter turned to Remus "You think we could every have that?" he asked indicating to the dancers.
Remus looked at him in confusion for a second "Not with each other!" said Peter, startled that Remus would even think this. Remus looked relived
"I dunno." replied Remus sadly "I never manage to keep them. When I think I can trust them I tell them about... my furry little problem, and it starts to kinda go really downhill, you know to the breaking up stage."
"I see how that could be a problem."
"Maybe if I could find someone else with the...er... problem. How about you?"
Peter sighed "I think you're probably doing better then me! I think I must give off woman repelling rays."
The music changed to something less slow and soon Peter and Remus where joined by Sirius, it seemed as if he had been drinking a little too much and jumped in between the two of them. "Why don't you two dance?" he asked putting an arm round each shoulder and shaking them. "If you're looking for people to dance with I can find them for you. How about McGonagall, I know you've been dieing to get a hold of the old girl Remus and she's so drunk she'd dance with coat hanger if we didn't keep holding her back." He looked around again for a suitable partner for Peter "How about Lily's sister? What's her name again? Petunia! She is so for you!" said Sirius pointing over to the only other sitting down on the other side of the room.
"The muggle?" Peter asked looking startled
"Yeh! And by the way she's looking at you I can so tell she wants you!"
"Really?" asked Peter staring over at the woman slowly sipping elf-made wine and looking nervously at everyone else. She caught Peter's eye. He smiled nervously and waved; Petunia just narrowed her eyes and glared back.
"Ok maybe I was wrong about that one. Ok to make it up I shall show you how to seduce a woman!" Sirius shoke his long black hair and pulled Melissa down to him who was just passing by. "Hey gorgues. You want to dance?"
"Sirius you have had way too much to drink, but I except your offer!" She stood up and dragged him up with her. Sirius turned back and winked at Remus and Peter who smiled back.
As soon as his back was turned they both toke huge swigs from their bottles. "He really has drunk way too much. And that wasn't fair." said Peter finally
"I know, it's very easy to seduce someone when she's your girlfriend." said Remus
The two just sat there for the rest of the night until everyone started to leave. When they saw Melissa disapparate holding tightly to Sirius, who looked like he'd had a lot more to drink and was saying something about why drinking is very bad for you, Remus got up and stretched his arms out "Well see you tomorrow Peter." He waved goodbye to Lily and James and then he too disapparated.
Soon after Peter pulled himself up and he too disapparated. But Peter did not apparate near his house, but down a shady looking street. He looked around his quickly then sneaked down the street to the door of a concrete house surrounded by rubbish. He knocked on the door, muttered some words to the man inside and then entered.
Sirius woke the next morning and felt an unexpected pain in his head. He stumbled down his stairs still in his pyjamas (which where only an old pair of shorts and an old t-shirt) clutching his head. In the kitchen Melissa was sitting at the round table sipping tea. Sirius poured himself a cup and then sat down. "How you feeling this morning?" she asked as he sat down.
"Not too bad. How much of an ass did I make of myself last night?"
"You where alright. You told James about sixty times how happy you where for him and how you found him to be the brother you never had."
"That doesn't sound too bad."
"You tried to give Peter and Remus love advice and then woke up half the street by telling me how very very sorry you were all the way up the garden path."
Sirius continued sipping tea "I could have done a lot worse."
"I know honey I've seen you do amazingly worse!" Just then a large tawny owl came through the window and dropped the post on his table and then flew on top of the fridge.
"Are Lily and James off already on their honeymoon? Where'd they go again?" asked Sirius absent mindedly sorting through the mail.
"I think they went off to France. Wouldn't you like to go to France Sirius?" Sirius who was now reading the Daily Prophet just mumbled in reply. "We could go to Paris. See the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, L'Arc de Triomphe; we could get a five star hotel."
Sirius finally looked over the top of his newspaper. "I'm getting the feeling you want to go to Paris."
"Yes Sirius I want to go to Paris."
"Maybe we could go there for a honeymoon." he said still reading the newspaper, but suddenly his expression changed to shock as he realised what he'd just said. Melissa was looking at him with a look of excitement on her face.
"Are you suggesting we get married?" she asked finally after about a minute's silence.
"No...I...I meant if we were to get married a...at some point, we could maybe go to Paris...b...but Paris is a long way away and" Melissa was simply now staring at Sirius with her arms crossed. Finally Sirius stopped muttering about Paris and marriage and murmured something about having to get dressed rushing out of the kitchen as quick as possible.
Melissa shook her head and started to look through her mail which Sirius had kindly chucked at her. She chucked aside an advert for Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions and a free copy of the Quibbler. Finally she picked up something that looked worthwhile and opened it.
Upstairs Sirius had finished getting dressed and was just sitting on the huge four-poster bed pulling on his last sock when he heard a scream downstairs. He rushed downstairs to see Melissa standing with her back against the fridge with her hand over her mouth, pointing at something on the table. He moved closer to investigate. When he saw what it was he was a little taken aback, a dead extremely flat snake was lying on the table.
Sirius moved quickly over to Melissa and she crumpled into his arms. He held her close and stroked her brown wavy hair. "It's nothing. Ok?" he murmured to her. She nodded slowly "It's just... I thought... It was a snake and Vol..." She stopped herself "I was just so scared."
"I know, I know. But it was probably just some stupid joke from some kid, and even if it was...him than it means nothing, and it wouldn't have been from him anyway. He doesn't know where any of us live."
"You all keep telling me that, but people keep on getting found people keep on getting caught. I think" She looked quickly around to make sure there really was no one else there "I think there's a spy in the Order!"
"What?"
"People keep getting caught. Nearly everyone's had to move at least once. We have loads of spy in Voldermort's followers, has no one considered he might be spying on us?!"
Sirius stared at her for a second as if considering her. He took her by the hand and lead her into the back room. He closed the curtains and sat her down on the sofa "I've been meaning to tell you this for a couple of days but what with the wedding and all I haven't had the time or secrecy. Dumbledore told me he's almost certain that there is one of Voldermort's spies in the Order. He's now decided to only tell the very important plans to a small group of us. From now only me, you, Remus, James, Lily, Peter, Mad-Eye and the Longbottoms are going to hear all of Dumbledore's ideas and plans."
"Doesn't he even trust his brother?"
"Not yet, I think he will soon but at the moment I think he might feel uneasy about him."
"Who does Dumbledore suspect?"
"I think he is uncertain of all that aren't in the group and even some of them he might not be totally sure about."
Sirius stood up "If you excuse me I have to vist Remus, there are things I have to ask him." He headed to the kitchen leaving Melissa sitting on the sofa.
He entered the kitchen and paused momentarily stopping at the table and stared at the dead snake. He picked it up and in one sharp movement put it in his jacket pocket. He then disapparated and appeared again in Remus' front room. He staggered slightly as he landed as the pain in his head had tripled. After a few minutes to recover he moved into the kitchen where he found Remus sipping coffee staring confused at something on the table. Sirius cleared his throat and Remus jumped round. "I really wish you wouldn't just turn up uninvited like that!"
"Thanks for the kind welcome. If you want to not turn up uninvited then just put up the protective charm thingy." Sirius said sitting down opposite Remus.
"Can't be bothered." replied Remus lazily
Sirius looked down at the thing Remus had been staring at. "You got one too?" he said pulling the snake Melissa had found earlier and tossing it on the table.
Remus stared at the motionless snakes for a while "What do you think?" he asked "Just a prank? Or do you think it's actually a threat from Voldermort? Should we ask Dumbledore?"
"I think it was a prank. I don't think Voldermort would actually do something like that. And if we got them then I'm pretty sure Dumbledore would." replied Sirius
"You think there's any point moving again or should we just ignore it."
"Ignore it for now but if there's anymore then I think we would be better off moving. Melissa's going to kill me she loves it where we are at the moment." Sirius said running his hands through his uncombed hair.
"What is up with you guys?" asked Remus "I mean you've been together since fourth year in Hogwarts. Every now and again I heard you guys talking about marriage but then you just totally freak out."
"I know, we had one of those moments this morning. I accidentally said we could go to Paris for our Honeymoon."
Remus shook his head "Do you think about stuff like that?"
Sirius nodded slowly "All the time. But I mean right now what with everything that's going on what with Voldermort and everything I don't think the time is right."
"I think that's why Lily and James went ahead and got married. They're worried we all are, either one of us could be dead tomorrow! I think Melissa would prefer to die known as Melissa Black rather then Melissa Watson who did go out with Sirius Black for seven years."
"I know. You're right. But Remus we aren't just going to drop dead tomorrow."
"Are you not reading the Prophet Sirius?" Remus said jabbing the newspaper on the table "Everyday people are dieing do you think they expect it? Some of them do obviously but most of them are totally unaware."
"You're right as always Remus just I don't ever think..."
"It'll be you next?"
"Yeah that."
Remus got up and moved along to a bubbling cauldron at the fireplace fire that looked completely out of place in the modern kitchen. "Full moon tonight." he said as Sirius gave a questioning look "If I take this sleeping potion before I transform then I can become tame and not attack anyone."
"Remus just let me go with you. I really don't mind infact I enjoy it! We could get Peter to come! It'll be just like old times... except without James."
"I have to stop ruining your nights every month. Full moons are meant to be romantic! You could take Melissa to a nice restaurant and everything."
"And be thinking of you the whole time, worried how you are."
"I need to do this alone at some point."
"Yes, and you will but not tonight! Tonight Moony and Padfoot shall terrorise the streets of London once more."
"Ok fine, but no more jumping at people you did way too much of that last time and we stick to the wood!"
"Ok great! I shall be back here at around seven, but right now I have to get back to Melissa. I kind of dropped a bombshell on her."
"You told her about Dumbledore's suspicions?"
"Yeah. She told me she thought there could be a spy in the Order but I think she expected me to tell her that there were fine and there was no way we could be spied on. Tell her it was all going to be alright."
He got up and walked to the door then stopped "Could you dispose of that for me?" he asked pointing to the limp snake.
Remus nodded and with that Sirius disapparated.
Remus moved slowly towards the table and picked up the snakes. He shuddered slightly. Moved quickly over to the fire and tossed the snakes onto the flames. As they burnt to ashes a green smoke floated up around the cauldron. He then picked up the cauldron and tossed the contents onto the fire.
Lily stared out of the hotel window onto the landscape of Pyrenees. They had the gorgues Honeymoon suite but Lily felt uncomfortable.
James came up behind her. "It's beautiful. Isn't it?" he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and softly kissing her neck. "It is amazing. It's so peaceful. You could almost be fooled to think that there was no Voldermort."
"Can we please just for the honeymoon, pretend that there is no Voldermort."
"Just for you." she turned round and stared deep into his eyes. "I love you." she murmured.
They fell into a deep kiss, not knowing that this could be the last peaceful moment they had in the next few years.
Sirius knocked on Peter's door a couple of minutes later. Peter house wasn't as nice as Sirius' or Remus'. It seemed slightly grubbier.
Peter came to the door and nervously opened it. He came out of the house with a look of fear on his face, but when he saw Sirius he let out a sigh of relief "Oh it's you, Sirius! I was expecting someone else."
"Who?" asked Sirius with interest.
"Oh No one." said Peter wiping his brow. When Sirius looked at him in disbelief he started breathing a lot heavier "I mean no one you'd know. An old school friend."
Sirius just raised an eyebrow and folded his arms "Peter, I know all your old school friends! I am one of your old school friends! Oh I see you've got a date with a lady friend. I thought you looked like you were trying to smarten yourself up!"
Peter looked at Sirius in confusion for a second and then finally said "You got me Sirius! Yep I've got a date in a bit, so you better push off or she'll want you instead of me." He laughed nervously.
"Well I was on my way to Hogwarts and..."
"Why are you going to Hogwarts?"
"To see Dumbledore about the snakes. Didn't you get one?"
"No I didn't get any post today."
Sirius looked a little confused he hadn't mentioned anything about post but he decided someone else must have mentioned the snakes to Peter before. "Anyway it's a full moon tonight and me and Remus are going to hunt the woods we were wondering if you wanted to come."
"Sorry I have a previous engagement."
"Oh I should have guessed! With your lady friend right?"
"Yeh. And she's the type of person who really doesn't like to be kept waiting!"
"Well better be off!" Sirius then disapparated
Peter closed the door behind him and let out a deep breath. Wiping the sweat from his face.
Sirius apparated seconds later in Hogsmede just outside the Three Broomsticks. He walked at speed through the Hogwarts grounds and up to the castle.
When he reached Dumbledore office (after saying the password to the Gargoyle guarding the way, which all the members of the Order knew) he tapped on the door and was soon told to enter by the kind voice of Dumbledore.
"Ah Sirius. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Sirius found it quite funny how Dumbledore still talked to him as if he was the trouble making teenager he had been three years ago.
"Did you get anything unusual in the post this morning sir?" asked Sirius with the same politeness that he would have two years ago.
"If you are referring to the snake, then yes I did receive one."
"What do you think about it sir? Do think it's actually a 'gift' from Voldermort?"
"I am uncertain at the moment. I think it may be, but not as a warning. I believe Lord Voldermort is simply trying to scare us, for now."
The last two words sent a shiver down Sirius' spine.
"How are you feeling after last nights party Sirius? You seemed to drink quite a bit. I'm surprised you've been able to apparate."
Sirius blushed slightly "Er... Yeh I probably drank a little too much then I should have, head still hurts a little...well a lot actually."
"Well in that case I think you should go home and reassure Melissa that everything is going to be alright and then rest for the rest of the day. It's a well known fact that hung over wizards is no use what so ever. I remember once when I was hung over, I could barely raise my wand." He chuckled to himself.
Sirius stood up and went to the door. "Thanks for the reassurance Professor."
"Quite alright Sirius. I hope one day you might be able to do the same for me." He handed a scroll to Sirius who nodded his head and walked out of the office.
Sirius stepped put of the castle feeling the cold spring wind hit his face, blowing his hair in all directions. Sirius had forgotten how much he had he enjoyed walking the grounds at Hogwarts, watching the giant squid swimming along in the water with it's tentacles in the air. It was lunch and many students where enjoy the one day of sun they'd had for several months. Sirius was getting many giggles from the young girls as he walked down the grounds. He then saw someone he didn't really want to ever see again. Sirius' brother Regulus was in his last year at Hogwarts. He was hanging around near the green houses with his slytherin friends. One of his friends saw Sirius and nudged Regulus, and the whole group walked up to Sirius. "Sirius." said Regulus
"Regulus. How's the demons?"
"If you mean mother and father, they're fine... mother blasted you off the family tree when you left."
"I know. I'm glad."
"You're really never coming back?"
"Nope, never!"
"Good... I mean what a shame."
"Don't even try to pretend you want me back."
"Are you still with the mud-blood then?"
Before Regulus knew it, Sirius had whipped out his wand and was pointing it at Regulus' chest with a shaking hand, "Don't you dare call her that."
"I'll take that for a yes then." said Regulus coolly
"I'm going to let you off this one time," said Sirius putting his wand back in his pocket "because I know you've been badly influenced by the demons and because you're my brother, but next time I won't be so nice." Sirius turned away and continued walking down the grounds
Regulus turned back to his friends but spoke loud enough for Sirius (and possibly the whole school) to hear "You know I would of gone out with her 'cause she was hot and all but the whole mud-blood thing is such a turn off!"
In seconds Regulus' back was against the greenhouse with Sirius' wand pointing right next to his eye. "Take it back!" said Sirius shaking the scruff of his brother's robes. All the students that had been hanging around the lake had now surrounded the two brothers.
"Make me." said Regulus daringly staring Sirius straight in the eye. "Make me take it back about the filthy mud-blood."
Sirius let a few sparks fly from his wand, Regulus flinched. "Go on then." said Regulus "Curse me, jinx me, kill me."
"Oh I will." said Sirius.
Sirius raised his wand and was about to curse Regulus when he was pulled back by a gigantic force. Hagrid was dragging Sirius back from Regulus who was shaking slightly. "He was actually going to do." said Regulus quietly.
Sirius was still struggling against Hagrid's grip. "He ain't worth it Sirius. Let it go for now."
"But he called Melissa..."
"I know what 'e called 'er, you can get 'im later just not here." Sirius nodded and Hagrid let him go. Regulus opened his mouth to say something but before the words could come out Sirius punched him in the face. Slightly taken aback Regulus stumbled to the floor. Hagrid frowned at Sirius who merely said "Just let me have that for now, Hagrid."
Walking back down the grounds a lot more angrily then before. He stormed into the Three Broomsticks. "Oh hello Sirius darling! What will it be dear?"
"Just a small bit of elf-wine, Rosmerta. Need to calm myself."
She poured him the wine and then passed it over to him. Rosmerta was in her first year out of Hogwarts, she had gone for a job as barmaid in the three Broomsticks straight as she loved the place. Her and Sirius had been friends in Hogwarts "Didn't have enough yesterday then?" she said giving him a nudge. Sirius smiled weakly and continued to sip at the wine. "Oh dear! Something must be up if you can't even give me a proper smile! What happened at the castle?" She said pouring Sirius a little more wine.
"Just ran into my wonderful little brother." said Sirius gratefully taking the wine.
"Oh the little brat! I hate to speak bad of your brother Sirius..."
"No please go right ahead, it might make me feel better."
"I don't think it will. He comes in here every Hogsmede trip and causes trouble. And he's so awful to all the muggle-borns! I have to boot him out of here every time; I don't know how you could have been able to put up with him!"
"With great pain."
Madam Rosmerta chuckled "So what'd he do?" she asked
"Oh you know just his usual self." Madam Rosmerta seemed to read the signs. "Melissa right?" she said
Sirius nodded "You've always stood up for the muggle-borns Sirius. Even when you and Melissa weren't going out you would always be there for her, and Lily."
"Always had a soft spot for a pretty girl." He took the final gulp of wine and took a couple of silver stickles out of his pocket. "Thanks for the chat and the wine Rosmerta."
"Any time Sirius."