Wormy was here last weekend, I thought he seemed down,
but that was probably the news about the McKinnons; I cried all evening when I heard.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Chapter 10 - Kreacher's Tale

Chapter 1: To Share

"What is this massive news that you brought out into the cold to tell me?" Sirius asks as he leans over the pub table. Lily is practically glowing and Sirius knows but he's impatient to hear it from the mouths of the newly engaged.

"Not yet. We want you all to be here," James said with a wiggle of his eyebrow that causes Lily to roll her eyes and hit him gently in the ribs. "Wormy and Moony are on their way."

"Well Wormy is always late." Sirius groaned, "I can't explain why Remus isn't here."

Lily shrugged gently. "I'm sure we'll know when he arrives, couldn't you go get the drinks whilst we wait?"

Sirius nods, sliding out of the booth, knowing full well he's being excused so they can snog. Was he always that annoying when he was dating? He hoped not.

As he stood at the bar he checked the time, James had said exactly eight but there was no sign of Moony and it was almost half past. Sirius felt his forehead crease. He wondered if he should pop over to the hell hole that Remus called a flat.

He decided against it, Remus did what he needed and if that meant living in a squatter's hell no one was going to tell him to stop. The stubborn bastard.

"Where the hell are you Moon?" Sirius said to himself, checking the seconds click away and was most delighted to be distracted as the bartender came over.

"Four of your best Wild Witch Ales, oh and a Butterbeer."

Maybe if Remus drank too he wouldn't be so uptight all the time?

Mr Predeghast was a big man with a dirty blonde beard and small puny eyes and they were bearing into Remus's skull. The hallway was filthy, and people sat curled up in sleeping bags and Remus, dressed in a shirt and tie and looking remarkably too old for his age was trying to understand what he had done to make this man look at him this way.

"Mr Predeghast, all I want to know is why have you changed my locks? I have paid you in full for the last four months without fail…"

Still, the landlord didn't seem to want to speak, statuesque and looking rather terrifying where he stood. Remus didn't know if he had to speak slower but he doubted this was going to end on good terms.

Finally, the landlord spoke. "I don't have werewolves as tenants. I made that perfectly clear when you moved in."

Swallowing Remus took a breath. So he had found out. He thought it was because one of the homeless drug addicts had used his room whilst he had been kipping at Sirius's the night before.

"I –"

"I am not letting you rent that property again, you filthy dark creature. Do not come back here again or I will blackball you in this estate. Is that understood?" With that the landlord went to close the door and Remus panicked and stepped between the door and the frame.

"But wait, what about my things!"

Mr Predeghast seemed to have expected this because he suddenly threw down a cardboard box. Remus could hear the sound of something smash as it hit the concrete ground and as he scrambled to the floor to pick up his things the door slammed shut after his landlord. He decided then that maybe he shouldn't knock again and ask if he could have the month's rent he'd paid for upfront. That would be suicide. So now, Remus Lupin was left alone in the hallway.

The young werewolf, nineteen and now homeless for the second time this year looked down at his things with a sigh, at least it was in a form he could carry it with. He checked around him, only to remember that despite it's appearance this block of flats only housed wizarding occupants and tapping the box he shrunk the cardboard box an it's contents easily so it fit into his jacket pocket and as though nothing had happened he focused on his next destination.

He'd made a promise to be out for a drink, like hell he was going to turn up even later than he already was because he'd been kicked out of his home.

"What's the time Petey?"

The youngest marauder checked the clock in the hallway. Despite this being the first time he'd spent any time longer than just an afternoon at his very new girlfriend's house he'd done it just enough times to start remembering where everything was.

"It's just turned eight forty-five," he told her, looking around for his coat as he had somewhere to be. He would have been there forty-five minutes ago but luckily his lady had kept him busy.

"Well, I've got to get to this party for nine. You'll come back tomorrow won't you Peter?"

Marlene McKinnon had made Peter weak at the knees for as long as he could remember, he simply nodded, his eyes wide. He was always too eager he knew it, but he couldn't help it.

"Yes, yes of course, rapid dogs couldn't keep me away!" He gave her a nice nervous laugh, something he couldn't outgrow if he tried.

"So dramatic, Petey. Please don't forget you're meeting my mum and dad and my brothers…so…just try and be casual."

Peter didn't do casual; he always felt like he was on edge and if he was meeting her parents he would be no different. At least he could try, couldn't he?"

Marlene kissed him on the cheek and he smiled fondly at her. "I'll see you tomorrow then. Well, we'll be at the meeting anyway…"

Marlene made a face, then remembered. "Oh, Petey…you know the Order, I don't think it's a good idea we tell anyone we're dating yet. I know it's been a week but…"

"That's fine."
"It's just, I don't think it's safe…not with everything that's going on."

Peter just continued to nod on automatic pilot. "Sure Marley, you said it. Won't say anything. I'll keep your secret safe."

Marlene smiled at him and this time she gave him a proper kiss, kisses he liked best that made him wished he was staying later than he already had and then with a squeeze of each others hand they apparated.

Time to catch up with old friends.

"Took you both long enough!"

Sirius was in the bathroom within the couple of minutes Remus and Peter arrived. Lily was in the middle of kissing Remus's cheek when Sirius spread out his arms as though he was about to do a handstand.

"Mr Moony, been a long time" he said.

Remus curled an eyebrow upwards. "I saw you this morning."

"And I hope to see you tomorrow morning as well, but the hours just take too long."

Usually, Remus would have laughed but there was something about the way he held himself tonight that made Sirius worry. He didn't mention it though as he then ruffled Peter's hair.

"And how's life Wormy?" Sirius intoned as the rat and the dog sat opposite.

"Good. Really good," Peter gave a nervous smile, which told Sirius there is definitely something going on there too. Why were all his friends keeping something tonight?

Well apart from James, but he could read that big lug's face better than he could read his own. The ex Head Boy coughed for attention and the other three turned to face him instinctively as they had always done. James was their leader. James was…well James.

"I…and when I say I, I mean we, have asked you hear tonight to tell you some wonderful news."

He looked to Lily who looked back at him and Sirius could see that despite her own reserved look she gave to her boyfriend, something else was playing in her eyes, admiration or something. Sirius had always struggled to Lily but he could read James and that was enough.

"James asked me to marry him this afternoon." Lily said at last revealed her left hand and on top of it sat a beautiful engagement ring.

"What a whopper!" Peter crowed from his side of the booth before clapping his hands. "Fantastic James, fantastic! Well done both of you."

Remus was staring at the ring like it was some sort of deadly object before finally snapping out of it and giving the lovely girl a small smile.

"It's beautiful Lily," Remus finally said, as if finding his voice. "Really, I'm very happy for you both."

Despite the obvious underlying problem the others knew better than to push, if Remus had something to say he would certainly say it. He did however hug both James and Lily tightly and sit back down.

Sirius was grinning from ear to ear of course; it was exactly what he had expected it to be. He jumped from his seat from the booth and tackled the engaged couple with so much glee that he seemed to jump back in time to an age where that was perfectly acceptable in public.

"When are you going to get married? Where? Are we coming?"

"You think I could stop James having his friends at his wedding?" Lily quipped. "You are funny sometimes Sirius."

Remus was playing the frays of his jacket as everyone spoke and Peter sipped excitedly at his Wild Witch Ale that thankfully Sirius had paid for.

"Well, we're thinking of marrying in two months time, it's quick but…well, with everything going on…" James ran a hand through Lily's hair. "We want to be married soon and we want it to be quiet. Just a few friends and family. We don't want to attract too much attention…"

Remus nodded sombrely but he gave them a smile. "Dare I ask where?"

"There's a little place in the north of Scotland, you'll all love it its beautiful..."

Peter was smiling from his corner when he spoke. "So who's going to be your best man?"

"Me of course!" Sirius said with a bark of a laugh, his whites of his eyes matching his teeth as he bared them to James. "Well, it is isn't it?"

James opened his mouth to speak a few times before unashamedly - not meeting Remus or Peter in the eye - he gave a nod. "Well, you are the best at causing a ruckus, might make you settle down if I give you responsibility."

It was clear that Lily wasn't impressed that James had let Sirius make decisions about their wedding and Remus was too involved in his Butterbeer to make a comment. The most upset was Peter who wished right then he was still with Marlene in her lovely little house where he was the centre of that little world, after all he was friends with James too, wasn't he? Didn't he deserve to have a shot at Best Man?

"I'd better make a move." Remus finally said, shifting from the booth. "I have to get home..."

Lily's eyes creased. "I don't like that flat Remus you need to get out of that…that awful place."

"I assure you Lily I will be doing everything I can to find somewhere else to live," the werewolf told her with a hug and was nudged in all which directions by the rest of his friends before he started to leave.

"And where's my hug Moony?" Sirius mused out loud with a bit of a pout. Remus rolled his eyes and let the marauder hug him and for a second he seemed like he wanted to speak, to say something – anything, but he didn't. Instead the werewolf gave a small wave and he was out of the door as quickly as he could muster.

Sirius turned back to James and Lily confused, then to Peter.

"He was only here half an hour…"

"Well, he's not really a night owl is he?" Peter said and Lily gave a nod.

"His last moon was only a couple of days ago, it's possible he's not recovered yet." Lily counted on her hands as James ashamed sipped at his drink. "Have you lot been to see him recently?"

All three men spluttered and protested.
"Order mission—"
"I…was with you all that time."
"And I was…working."

Lily frowned a little and turned to look to the window, maybe tomorrow she would go see if her favourite werewolf would like some ice cream before the order meeting. Besides, she would love to see what she thought of their venue. If James was her husband then Remus, who did everything to keep her in the loop of this mad house they called the Marauder's family was the only one who she could have a civilised conversation with…for the most part.

"Another drink Lily?"

Lily shrugged but nodded, "Sure, but something small, we've all got to be at the meeting tomorrow."

Because tomorrow, she thought sadly, life goes on, the war continues and one marriage to a Mr James Potter wasn't going to make him stop killing people we love.