By the end of the week, the rains had moved on, and while the sun still refused to show itself, the overcast clouds were withered and dry, all too weak to produce so much as a morsel of water. The heat, however, was another story entirely. As it was usually like in early August, the air was muggy and warm. The fact that it had been raining nonstop the entire week only made the dank air more thick and soupy.

Of course, for the four Marauders, Lily, and Bastet, none of this mattered. Sure, times were tough. The impending dark war loomed like a terrifying shadow over the Wizarding world. Many wizards and witches began fleeing England in favor of France, Denmark, Scotland, and Ireland. But since the birth of the 'fifth Marauder" (a term Remus affectionately bestowed on Harry), even Peter seemed lighter on his awkward feet. Lily and James were the proudest parents that this and the Muggle world had ever seen. So despite the times, this family of seven saw only a bright and wide horizon.

On little Harry's 5th day of life, he and Lily were seen fit to return home. James and Remus went to the hospital to help Lily pack and check her out. Meanwhile, Bastet, Sirius, and Peter had all snuck into the Potter home to set up a surprise Homecoming party for the Potters. Sirius cast a music charm so that as they walked into the house, a certain tune played throughout the house without a need for a record player. Everyone has also brought gifts and food for the party. Bastet had given her godson a rattle that would fill the room with a pleasant, relaxing aroma whenever Harry shook it. Remus had given Harry a charmed bib that would prevent messy feedings and spitting up in the aftermath. Sirius' gift, however, was the best among them. He'd made a crib with a special charm that would sooth any fits the baby would have, and when placed in the crib for a nap, Harry would see a beautiful fantasyland that would send him right off into a peaceful sleep. The crib also had a veil over it that would protect Harry against bad dreams at night.

"He truly is a handsome child," remarked Bastet. She, Lily, and James had moved aside from the party as Sirius goofily waltzed around the room with Harry in his arms to the music. The sight, while incredibly corny, was probably the funniest sight anyone had seen all day.

"He takes after me," James said proudly. Lily jokingly elbowed him in the stomach. James doubled over in mock pain.

"He has MY eyes! Besides, if he did take after you, then he'd already be playing jokes on people," Lily said. James smirked and put his arm around Lily. Bastet sighed. To be married, how wonderful that must have felt. Sirius, the free spirit he was, hated talking about it, so Bastet never brought up the subject of matrimonial commitment. Besides, they were both still young, they had years to think about a future.

As if James was reading her mind, he looked over at Sirius. "It's really wonderful that you two are together," he said. "If Padfoot doesn't propose soon, I'll make him eat slugs!"

Remus interrupted. "Oh come now, Prongs, that's child's play! You should challenge him to one-on-one Quidditch and jinx the bludger to chase after him!" Everyone laughed.

Bastet shook her head, her cheeks slightly flushed. "The time isn't right," she said. "What with so much going on outside these walls, after what happened with Regulus a little while ago, along with the rest of the Blacks, a wedding wouldn't exactly be a welcome occasion."

Bastet looked across the room at Sirius. She was actually only making up excuses. She knew the real reason why Lily and Bastet weren't pregnant side-by-side like they'd dreamed about during their days at Hogwarts. Sirius just wasn't fascinated by the idea of being tied down by marriage. Like she, Sirius was a free spirit who'd much rather drink from the cup of life than be mixing formula for a baby, as fond of Harry as he already seemed. Bastet didn't mind, but everyone else, particularly James and Remus, were always joking and pushing the subject on her.

"But we shouldn't be talking about me anyways," said Bastet. "Today is Harry's day!"

"Here, here!" said James, raising a glass of cider he'd poured. "Now there's five of us Marauders!"

Lily shook her head. "There is no way Harry's getting into all the mischief YOU got yourself into at school! Speaking of which…where's Sirius?"

Looking over at where Sirius stood, was only Peter, holding the baby, as still as stone. Sirius was gone.

"YARGH!" Bastet suddenly yelled. She leaped about 10 feet in the air. At her feet was a large, hairy, black dog lapping away at her toes, exposed by her sandals.

"Sirius, for the love of Merlin!" Bastet moaned. "How many times did I tell you to NOT do that! It's…not sanitary!"

The black dog whimpered and looked up at Bastet with sad eyes. She rolled her eyes and pulled out her wand, pointing it at her boyfriend. "That never worked with me, and you know it," Bastet shook her head. The dog looked at the floor before slowly morphing back into a man: Sirius himself.

"But Bastet, you know you can't resist it when I lick your—"

"—Sirius, you're embarrassing the girl!" Remus warned. Bastet nodded at Remus in gratitude, her shoulders relaxing.

"Ahem..."

Everyone looked at Peter, who was handing Harry over to his mother. "Um, while there's a lull in the festivities, I need to speak with you and James, Lily," said Peter. Lily looked a little bewildered, as did everyone else.

"But we're in the middle of—"

"—it's urgent, it can't wait any longer," said Peter. James and Lily looked down at Harry and then up at Remus, Sirius, and Bastet. Peter looked directly at Sirius. "And we need to be alone."

"I suppose if it is urgent, then you three can come back in an hour?" James asked, looking at Remus, Bastet, and Sirius.

Peter nodded approvingly. Remus sighed and looked at Sirius, who looked at Bastet, who looked at Remus. They all nodded and solemnly headed out the door, somewhat confused as to what could possibly be so important and secretive that it had to be said right now, in the middle of the party.

James turned to Peter as he closed the door. "Now, Wormtail, what's this all about?"

Out in the Muggle world, Remus and Bastet stood out like sore thumbs. For Remus, it was because of his shabby appearance, large bags under his eyes, countless scars on his face, and constant checking calendars and such for what phase the moon was expected to be that night. For Bastet, her constantly changing hair color was odd, it changed so much not even Muggles could accuse hair dye. Bastet's hair went through an entire color spectrum in 2 weeks, and then started over again. Today she sported light green locks with yellow highlights. Sirius, when he first met her, thought that perhaps she was a Metamorphagus, which would have been fascinating. But that wasn't the case. Bastet claimed that it had been the result of a potion-gone-wrong back in Hogwarts, resulting in unstable hair pigment (or something along those lines). Lily usually backed her up on her story, but Sirius still liked to think otherwise. Even if it wasn't true, it still turned him on.

Sirius fit in perfectly with the Muggles, however. He was usually dressed for the Muggle times and the Muggle styles (Sirius liked to call himself a 'rebel'). It was only his height that caught some people off guard. Other than that, Sirius was a wizard in Muggles' clothing.

"I wonder what Peter's problem was?" he asked. Remus shrugged.

"It's anyone's guess, really. He's been acting a bit withdrawn for awhile," said Remus, sighing to himself. "But the sigh, interestingly, had a happy tone to it. Bastet noticed first.

"Remus, you seem a little perkier than usual," she mentioned. "News? Anything happen lately?"

Remus stopped in his tracks. Sirius and Bastet turned to face him.

"Did you finally get laid?" asked Sirius. Bastet swatted the back of his head.

"Sirius Black, you toerag!" she cursed. Sirius could only chuckle. Remus went red, but didn't stop smiling.

"Well, actually, I was planning to save this information for later, when we were all together, but…"

"…but what, Remus?" asked Sirius.

"I wrote to Albus Dumbledore the other week about a job. I really need one now, and he told me that a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was going to be needed once Professor Celestia retired at the end of next term. And he said that I could fill in!"

Bastet screamed in delight and ran to hug Remus. Lately, Remus had been scrambling to find a job in order to contribute to society, and it seemed like all was lost many, many times. Remus' 'disability' (that is, his lycanthropy) always turned off potential employers, and before Harry's birth, every passing day grew more depressing for him.

"Remus! That's great news!" Bastet laughed. Sirius hugged Remus next. The smile was clear on his face. It was so wide it seemed to put the rest of his face out of proportion.

"I'm a teacher!" Remus smiled. Sirius was beaming too.

"He's gone to the other side now. We'll miss you, buddy!" Sirius said solemnly. "Let's go get some food, and we can go tell James and Lily!" he proposed. Bastet cringed.

"I'm not so sure…" she said. Bastet had had some pretty rotten luck with Muggle dishes, and Sirius knew it. More than once she'd ended up either in the hospital for digestive problems or in the dentist's office for broken teeth on various Muggle-tradition foods. Her intolerance for "Take-Out Thai" food was especially hilarious for Sirius, at least until Bastet gave him the hospital bill because HE'D been the one to give it to her.

"Come on, just sodas then!" Remus begged. Bastet gave him an eye. "They're just fizzy flavored water; I hardly think anyone could wind up sick over one!"

Bastet licked her lips. She hadn't eaten much at the party…

"Fine, let's do it," she said.

What the hell, she thought. Times were good enough. Merlin knew how much longer they would last…