Chapter 1

The dappled autumn light fell across the street, illuminating everything with an orange glow to match the leaves on the trees. The light breeze ruffled everything, playfully tugging at people's hair and coats. The early evening was perfect, it reflected everything that was right in the world at that moment.

Willow Evans' eyes tracked a duckling as it chased its mother across the lake at the center of the park. Sitting cross-legged on the park bench she continued to wait. The wind picked up the ends of her red hair tossing it across her face. A smile curled her lips as she watched the few people passing her by. It was so peaceful here that she didn't want to move. The sun warmed her skin and her eyes drifted closed, relaxing into the worn wood of the bench. In these times you couldn't let your guard down for a second, but for the few moments it lasted it was nice. Half opening her eyes she spotted the blur of red as it sprinted at her. Before she could do anything the woman was on her. Willow felt the air crushed out of her lungs.

"Hey Lil, I'm using those lungs!" she chuckled patting her sister on the head. Laughing the other woman let go. Matching green eyes and flaming hair showed the obvious relation. If the pair hadn't been separated by those two years of age they could have been mistaken for twins. Lily Evans sat onto the bench next to Willow, eyes darting round to check for danger.

"Where's that no-good husband of yours then?" Willow prodded, distracting Lily from her scan of the near vicinity. Lily shifted uncomfortably under the teasing gaze.

"Yeah well, where's Tara!" She poked her sister in the side, Willow slapped the hand away.

"How do those even link Lil? I mean James, your husband, as in the man you are married to for eternity. And Tara, my best friend and flat mate, yes I love her but... Really no connection what so ever," Willow babbled before taking a deep breath of air and answering the question "Tare's caught up at St. Mungos. Said she'd meet us there." Lily rolled her eyes at her sister's denseness.

"Friends, yeah," She received a death glare "James' got distracted by a dog." One red eyebrow rose in response, Lily waved the silent question away.

"Your husband is odd." Willow said as she wrinkled her nose at the thought of the black haired man in question. A look of delight crossed her face as she turned to voice a thought to Lily.

"Don't you dare say this proves your 'James and Sirius secret luuuurve affair'," Willow laughed at the flat tone in Lily's voice

"You read too much muggle romance novels, James and Sirius together, no. Uh-uh, and James just likes dogs okay?" Lily puffed out her cheeks in annoyance as she finished her rant.

"Totally gay for each other Lil, if you weren't in the picture… Bam! Instant couple!" Willow chortled, hearing her sister mutter darkly under her breath, Willow laughed harder.

"Thanks so much, Miss 'I'm gayer than Christmas'." Came the defensive tone of a man. Willow rolled her eyes and hopped of the bench to greet her brother-in-law. Giving him a one armed hug, she couldn't help but smile.

"Oh James-y, you know how proud of that title I am." With a wink she ruffled his dark hair and knock his glasses lopsided before spinning on her heel to help her sister up. James' scowled at his sister-in-law.

"I don't love Sirius! Tell her Lil." He whined to his wife as she linked his and Willow's arms through hers.

"Of course James, now be quite." She shushed her husband before turning and vanishing into thin air with husband and sister in tow, leaving only a loud crack of sound behind them in the peaceful park.

No one would have noticed the trio appearing in the dark and dank London street miles away from their original location, that is unless they'd been waiting. The blonde witch, who was hiding in the shadows of the tall dirty brick wall, whipped her wand out pointing it at them.

"Tare!" Willow cried hurrying to the other witch to hug her. Before she could get the other witch in her arms she was poked hard in the chest with a wand. Big pleading green eyes met hard blue.

"Sorry Will but y-you know what Dumbledore said about checking." Willow pouted, before the fact settled in and a guilty smile painted itself on the witch's face. Tara's eyes darted to the couple behind the redhead. Matching guilt.

"None of you checked?" Three heads shook "We're in the middle of a war! And I think that the auror would be the one to remember to check." Willow pouted pitifully at her flat mate. Tara's heart melted.

"O-okay Will, but w-what's the name of our cat?"

"Miss Kitty Fantastico!" Willow smiled brilliantly before returning the gesture.

"How did we meet?" Tara sighed to herself; this was one of Willow's favourite questions to pull out of the bag.

"You knocked me over in your haste to get to the food trolley on our first train journey." A giggle was covered up from the pair hiding behind Willow. Turning a glare on them a flush covered her face, she'd forgotten they'd been there.

"Okay, I was excited. Hello, first time on the way to a magic school and the snacks looked really good." James sniggered behind a hand as Willow shot lasers at him.

"Don't forget Mister I let a lot of stuff slide at Hogwarts when I was head girl, plus I let you have my baby sister!" An outraged look crossed the married couples' faces as they both opened their mouths to argue back. A soft hand on Willow's arm distracted her from the family squabble and she looked at blue eyes shining with mirth. Waving a hand in the direction of her sister and brother-in-law to show how little she cared, she turned her attention back to her flat mate.

"See, knew it was you, makin' me get all check-y." Willow mock glared and stuck her tongue out, wrapping her arms around Tara in a friendly hug.

"Of c-course Willow, but did you check those two?" Willow dropped her arms before grumbling to herself about procedures and knowing her own family. Tara stifled her own laughter at the predictable girl.

Standing in front of two grubby houses the group paused, attempting to look casual.

"Who's got the note? You know Dumble's been fiddling with the security." James hissed at the three women. Three sets of eyes fell on Willow.

"Why do you assume I have it, jeez." She was met with a series of raised eyebrows, with an irritable roll of her eyes she began to search her coat pockets. Before they knew it an endless stream of useless items were being retrieved from the redhead's pockets. A packet of sherbet lemons along with a catnip toy, luminous green nail varnish, toothbrush, screwdriver, lighter, five pound note, a retainer and a file marked with confidential found their way into Tara's hands. She and James eyed the few muggle items tangled up in the more normal items; both of them being pure blood meant they were still a little confused by some of the things Willow toted around with her daily. Lily hit her forehead with her palm when her sister passed her a rubber duck.

"Willow, come on-" Lily groused before getting cut off by the sound of triumph the other redhead made as she whipped out both her wand and a scrap of parchment. Beaming happily, Willow stuffed the items back into her pockets before opening the parchment, reading it and handing it over to the others. A loud grinding sound rent the air as a house pushed its way between the other two houses that they stood outside of.

Number Twelve Grimmauld place loomed over them, dark and foreboding. The sun that had been warming the world since early that morning seemed to disappear, leaving in its wake a cold emptiness. For a moment no one moved, they just studied the house.

"I forget how butt-ugly Sirius' house is." James muttered pulling a face.

"C-cold t-too." Tara stuttered glumly. The two Evans sisters shared a look of similar disgust before making their way up the dark stone steps.

"Meeting ahoy!" Willow enthused as she used her wand to unlock the front door's many locks.