Chapter 7: NEWTs

"Newts are next week." Professor McGonagall, Slughorn and Flitwick all began class to a roomful of students who looked as if they had been picked up, punched by an angry giant, then dropped back at their desks.

"Afterward you will probably never pay attention to another word I say, so let me make this very clear-" Professor McGonagall continued looking around the room at each of her students, "These test are hard, grueling, and you should take them seriously. Do everything you can to score Outstandings. You should work every hour you are not sleeping up until you are finished, but if you fail, and you might, know that a test score cannot define you as a witch or wizard. Your life doesn't end after NEWTs." McGonagall's stern features were betrayed by unusually soft eyes. "You will make it through the next three weeks." She finished.

James and Sirius, having been berated for weeks by every professor's very pointed notions about the ferocity of the exams, were even beginning to worry. James was making predictions that he would have no problem in Defense against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures and Transfigurations, but was allowing Remus to quiz him about Arithmancy when the more studious of them was flipping through his amassed flashcards. Sirius was actually seen picking through a potions book for tricks and tips after an especially terrifying anecdote from Professor Slughorn. Remus had talked them all into dueling practice to both work on spell casting for the practicals, and as preparation for joining the Order. In the span of two weeks they had walked into Madam Pomfrey's infirmary over twenty times. "A record" she said on their twenty-first visit to get a sizzling fragment of a transfigured teacup removed from Sirius's shoulder.

Needless to say by the time the Monday of the first test rolled around, no one felt well prepared, or well rested. In the dorm that morning, as Peter almost puked from nerves again and Remus flipped through another pile of flashcards Sirius felt his first pangs of true fear. He did, actually need high scores if he wanted to be an auror. James looked at him from across the room and he knew his friend was thinking the same thing.

After wearily eating breakfast they walked together to the large classroom where the test would be administered since OWLs were taking place in the Great Hall. An eerie silence descended as they saw the desks set up in neat rows, an inkwell and quill set out on each. Remus stopped mumbling facts to himself, and James and Sirius's nervous jokes abruptly stopped.

Professor Flitwick directed them to assigned seats and as they separated they gave each other weary looks of good luck. This was their first exam day and it was charms. Just charms, it would be a piece of cake.

James sat down slowly in his seat as the room began to fill with other nervous seventh years. He could hear the panicked sobs of Delphine Pratchet as she took her spot behind him. After what felt like and eternity he heard the sound of the door close, leaving behind a high-strung silence of held breaths and the occasional sound of an inkwell sliding on wood. Professor Flitwick's shoes clicked as he walked to the front of the room. He read a short piece on directions for the test, and with a flick of the wrist sent a stack of papers flying onto their desks.

James looked down at the sheet in front of him and breathed out. The first question was simple, and James caught himself smiling. "Name three emotion altering spells, how they are cast, and how they affect the recipient." James began to scrawl, the sound of his quill scratching away and fusing with the sounds of a dozen other quills until he relaxed, losing himself in the writing.

He blinked awake hours later, having written more in one sitting than he felt he ever had. There was still some time left so he flicked through his answers, but felt confident in them. He scribbled on the margins until Flitwick called their attention to tell them time was up. The professor collected the tests and a dulling weight suddenly lifted from the room. "So does this test come with a free cheering charm?" Sirius tried to joke. Someone in the back of the room laughed nervously, and there was a communal release of breath and a few more giggles as they stretched out of their test induced comas and began to file out. James slumped onto the wall right outside the door and waited for the others. Remus was rubbing bloodshot eyes, but looked confident. Lily slipped her hand into James's then leaned her head heavily into his shoulder.

"One down." Sirius tried to sound cheerful holding up a hand for half-hearted high-fives. "Half of seven done." Remus reminded, thinking about the practicals that afternoon.

"Half of six!" Sirius countered optimistically. "You and Lily are overachievers." He picked. They all groaned and eventually stumbled down to lunch where the OWLs seating had been transformed back into the usual dining accommodations. They ate food slowly, deliberately, dreading their practical that afternoon, but knowing it would play to their strengths.

And it did, each left the room feeling confident and relieved at having succeeded.

That night Sirius broke out half a dozen Butterbeers for them, which they drank slowly in the corner circle of couches and chairs as they prepared for the next day's Transfigurations exam. They all felt they nailed that exam with ease as well; Lily doubly so as she had been training with the Order for months now and could do several facial transfigurations in her sleep. There was a brief reprise on Wednesday as only Lily and Peter had taken Herbology past OWL level before the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam on Thursday where James managed to use a patronus to his advantage and gain the favor of his examiner.

Remus didn't sleep that night in fear over his Ancient Runes test, but without a practical portion he was finished by lunch. The marauders were able to and spent the rest of the evening sleeping next to the lake and zapping unsuspecting students with a popular new tickling spell.

The weekend's fine weather was tempered with the need to study for Potions and worry over Monday night's full moon. In a deal Sirius swore was not black market, they handed Remus highly concentrated caffeine Tuesday morning so that he could stay vertical long enough to take the Potions exam. He admitted Wednesday morning, while Lily was worrying about her Astronomy exam, that he didn't remember anything from the previous day.

It was the second Thursday of exams, with one day left, when several seventh years were lying sprawled over any surface outside the testing room. James, Sirius, and Remus had just finished a particularly rigorous Arithmancy exam, and with only History of Magic left they were all burnt down to their last nerve. Sirius was completely finished with exams as was Peter, but they were all commiserating their lack of sleep together when Dumbledore approached them in his sweeping blue robes.

James was on his back on the cold stone floor, Lily resting her head on his stomach while he stroked her hair absently. Sirius was on a bench next to them trying to distract himself with a muggle motorcycle magazine and a pamphlet from the Office of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. Remus was cross-legged on the ground, a book open on his lap, but his eyes were glazed over, taking in nothing, Peter asleep to his right.

"Just the group of students I was looking for." Dumbledore said looking down at the pile of tired, lifeless students at his feet. "Would you come with me?" James and Sirius shared a look, then rose wearily to their feet. They must have been fully found out in the Mulciber incident. A few weeks ago several Slytherins appeared in class with splotches of itchy black tar on their hands and faces, and anger rolling off them. It took a week to remove both the tar and the rashes underneath but the fury remained.

"Sir?" James asked once he was on his feet, but Dumbledore had already turned and was leading them down the long hallway. Remus scrambled to his feet dragging a disoriented Peter behind him. Lily followed silently.

Dumbledore led them through the school to the base of the gargoyle. Remus could feel his stomach twist into a knot as Dumbledore mentioned something about Donuts. They had one final test tomorrow. They couldn't get caught now, expelled after they had put in so much effort.

The gargoyle sprang to the side allowing them passage onto Dumbledore's rising staircase. Nobody was speaking, either from weariness or nerves as they stepped onto the staircase. Dumbledore opened the door to his office and led them inside. It looked as it always did, warm with color and covered in strange glass trinkets, but they were surprised the see that the room was not empty. Three other individuals were positioned around Dumbledore's desk, two of whom were looking stern and pensive. The third was behind Dumbledore's desk leaning back in the Headmaster's chair. He had brown hair, well on its way to being grey and wore a half bemused smile as he fiddled with the objects on the desk, seemingly unaware of the new arrivals.

To the side stood Alice, a hand on her hip, and looking at them with interest. Her hair was still brown and shoulder length, her face round. Sirius smiled and winked at her but she only rolled her eyes in response, an old game between the two that neither she nor Frank had ever really been bothered by.

The last individual stood out from the others, and the boys' eyes were immediately drawn to the maroon robes he wore even though Alice was in her streets. The auror stood off to one side of the desk, face grizzled and set in a steeled frown that made the nervous smile fall from Sirius's face. The older man's arms were crossed over his chest. James sucked in a breath, terror racing down his spine. Surely a prank didn't merit a visit from an auror! James licked his lips nervously and tried to gauge Dumbledore's expression, but gained nothing. He blinked to Remus who looked ready to flee at the sight of an auror, a group he didn't like from a distance let alone up close and personal. The burns on the Slytherins, James realized with a sudden horror, were slightly more than a prank, slightly more dangerous somehow.

Alice nodded Lily over to the table and the marauders suddenly remembered she was still with them. This wasn't about the Mulciber incident. Surely they didn't think Lily had anything to do with that? James made to follow her to the desk but was stopped with a pointed finger by Alice to stay where he was. As Lily stepped up to Dumbledore's desk the Auror stepped toward the boys who had formed their customary line a few steps from the door.

"James Potter?" The man's voice was gravelly and James noticed for the first time that his electric blue left eye was not tracking with his right, instead it began to search him up in down as his right stared him in the eyes. James nodded and stuck out a hand, trying to appear confident in his somewhat confused state. Both of the auror's eyes glanced to the proffered hand then one shifted to his face while the other began searching Sirius next to him. "You ever been in battle?" He demanded a bit of spittle escaping his mouth with the ferocity of the question.

"I've dueled plenty of times." James said taking his hand back and eyeing the man with matched intensity and suspicion. He would not be outdone or intimidated. The auror looked to Dumbledore, disappointment evident on his face, "and a Black?" He added incredulously taking a step over to Sirius. James was slowly beginning to realize this definitely had nothing to do with the Mulciber incident. The auror's tone was unimpressed, but not angry, not accusing.

"That's right sir, and Sirius about it too." The observed boy tried making a joke before sticking out his own hand. Peter laughed nervously from the end of the line, but when the man's face contorted in unrestrained annoyance, and a wild eye flipped to him he slipped backward trying to hide himself behind the rail-thin Remus.

"And you?" he barked moving his attention away from Sirius completely. Remus caught his breath, hoping the man's gaze had moved beyond him to his friend. Remus nudged Peter into talking.

"Pettigrew. Sir." He squeaked.

"You sure?" The older man asked. Peter's eyes grew and Remus elbowed him in the stomach again. Peter nodded.

"And who're you, might I ask?" Sirius butted in trying to regain control of the situation. He raised an arm onto Remus's shoulder and leaned into him nonchalantly. The auror walked back over to Sirius, and glared. Dumbledore finally stepped in.

"This is Alastor Moody. Auror, and member of the Order of the Phoenix." Dumbledore said with a nod. James, Remus, and Peter let out their held breaths, now certain they weren't in trouble. James was suddenly much more interested in what was going on. The Order?

Moody took a step away from the group, sizing them up again, and made an unimpressed noise. James looked past him to Lily who was leaning over the table looking at something with Alice. He wanted to know what they were looking at, but he realized quickly that Moody was the gatekeeper, and he wasn't getting by him without proof of something.

"We are in a bit of a predicament, and I suggested since NEWTs are almost finished, and you will be joining us shortly, that we should invite you all to help solve it." Dumbledore stated and all of the marauders perked up at the invitation.

"I'm not so sure that we suggested anything Albus." Moody argued.

"That may be so, but I don't think it will hurt." Dumbledore soothed. Moody huffed but didn't put up a fight. He mumbled something about inexperienced children under his breath as Dumbledore began to walk toward the fireplace, motioning for the boys to follow.

James and Sirius eagerly followed with Peter falling behind, but as Remus tried to slip by the auror his arm was caught up in a tight grip, his heart stopping. Moody leaned in and asked in a rough voice, "Remus Lupin?" He was looking him up and down with both eyes, searching intently for something in the same way he had with the others, but for some reason this felt more personal, more invasive.

Anger and fear flared in Remus. He almost jerked out of the man's grasp, but caught himself. He didn't want to give an auror any excuse to suddenly hex him, turn him in…Instead he took in a long steadying breath his nostrils flaring. He refused to look the man in the eye when he nodded an affirmative. To his relief the auror did nothing but nod back and slowly release his arm. Remus didn't take a second to think but hurried to the where his friends were grouped. Sirius knocked him on the back jubilantly as Lily and the other two joined them by the fire.

As soon as they were gathered Dumbledore took a deep breath. "I must admit I don't believe you will enjoy this work."

"Don't care, let's get going." Sirius said excitedly.

Dumbledore peered at him. "Always nice to see you excited about something, but you will see what I mean soon." He motioned to James and held a small bag of floo out to him. "Hessington and Able" Dumbledore informed. James took a small handful and with an excited look back at Sirius tossed it into the fire. Green flames burst to life and he stepped in calling the name of the place he was sent off to. The man from behind the desk followed, cutting off Sirius with a pat on the shoulder. Slowly the rest filed out, Moody being the last to join them on the far side.

They had stepped into a dingy brick building. The ceiling was three stories above them and strung with ripped out wires. The large windows were smudged over with dirt where the glass wasn't broken and the concrete floors were covered in a layer of grey dirt and dead bugs. Though the space was vast the corners were still stacked high with disintegrating wooden crates and cardboard boxes.

"A warehouse?" Sirius finally asked looking around and recognizing the architecture from his childhood wanderings in London.

"Ah yes." Dumbledore agreed. "Your job-" He paused levitating a box from the corner and letting it drop in front of him. Rags and cleaners tumbled out and Dumbledore finished by pulling a few brooms from inside his robes, and resizing them to normal with a flourish, "-Is to clean this place. We were hoping to hold an Order meeting here tonight, but it seems to need a bit of a touch up before we can welcome the rest of the group." The marauders stared at the Headmaster.

"A bit of a touch up?" Sirius asked, disbelieving.

"I did say you wouldn't like the work, but it needs to be done, and Alice and- oh you haven't met Edgar Bones-" Dumbledore realized waving to the brunette man who had wandered off to look through a small clean space he had rubbed in a window, "agreed to help you." Remus briefly looked over his shoulder to the auror, hoping he hadn't agreed to help as well.

"Then we get to stay for the meeting, right?" James asked walking over and picking up a rag. "And we can use magic?"

Alice laughed loudly and they all looked at her uncomprehending. "Sorry, I forgot that's a thing I couldn't do at one point. Hogwarts rules and all." She smiled.

"This isn't detention Mr. Potter." Dumbledore explained. "Or school grounds…"

Sirius was sizing up the place with an annoyed expression. "That's good because this is at least three detentions." Sirius informed the headmaster.

"Detentions are a type of measurement for Sirius." Remus explained with a sigh, in case Dumbledore wasn't privy to Sirius's unique unit of measurement.

The headmaster laughed briefly and then clasped his hands in front of himself. "And yes James, I do expect you to attend the meeting tonight." He clarified. James and Sirius whooped in unison.

"Well, I have a meeting with McGonagall about some of her students and a certain tree so I must head out." He said giving James a significant look. "Good luck, and I will see you tonight." He turned and headed toward the fireplace, his blue cloak puffing dust in his wake. Sirius and James were silently cheering about their good luck as he left through the floo, whistling a quiet tune. Remus on the other hand, seemed overwhelmed and Peter appeared shocked as Alice grabbed a broom and placed it in his hand.

The remaining group stared at the pile of rags and mops left behind by Dumbledore. "I can't believe our first Order duties involve cleaning." Sirius whined.

"This sucks." James agreed looking around the large space.

"I mean come on, we just finished NEWTs, at least give us a night to sleep. Moony over there looks like he's been beaten by a troll." Sirius added motioning to Remus who was standing resolutely next to the pile of rags, hand on his hips, apparently lost in thought. James looked him up and down.

"Yeah maybe you should like sit and do cleaning Moony." James suggested seriously.

Remus looked up from the pile and blinked. James watched as the werewolf briefly scanned the room. Remus caught sight of Moody watching them from a door on the other side of the building. Before anyone else could say a thing Remus picked up a broom, a handful of rags, and a bottle of cleaner. He tossed the broom to the side and enchanted it to begin sweeping. He then walked to one of the large windows in the back, hopped onto the thin sill and used a rag to test how thick the dirt was. Thick and dark he discovered. He used the cleaner and began to scrub in earnest.

The rest of the group was watching him stubbornly rubbing away the layer of dirt on the window. Edgar smiled warmly at the boy's decisiveness, clapped his hands together and grabbed a rag, ready to join the sandy-haired boy.

James and Sirius glanced at one another realizing they were being outworked by a werewolf who had barely slept since the full moon, had taken a test that day, and had another the following. Sirius picked up a second broom, "Can't say I haven't done this before." He sighed and walked to help Remus's uncoordinated, enchanted broom sweep through the layers of bugs and dirt. James grabbed another rag and sent it aloft to swipe cobwebs from the ceiling while Lily dragged Peter along to another set of windows. Alice smiled and went to siphon dust off the empty boxes.

Somewhere by the door Moody was reevaluating the young group of wizards. Not particularly experienced, not particularly bright, or respectful, but willing to work. Not at all the pampered rich kids he had expected upon reading their names, well, at least on reading three of their names. He watched them a while longer, the Black and Potter boys playing games and telling jokes as they went, and the others quietly playing along. After ten minutes he huffed to himself and decided he should get along to his own job.


Moody returned from securing the perimeter and setting up concealing charms as dark was beginning to fall. He was grumbling and holding a box of food.

"Oh." Alice smiled jumping off her windowpane and walking to the older man. Most of the windows were repaired and could be seen through, the ceiling was cobweb free and thanks to Sirius the floor looked more like concrete and less like packed earth.

"Courtesy of the Mrs." Moody said glancing to Edgar Bones who had wandered over with Alice. "Start setting out tables boys, the meeting will start after dinner. You've done enough for now." Moody called.

Sirius cheered loudly and let his mop hit the ground with a clatter of wood. He threw his hands in the air and started walking toward the food. Moody moved it out of his grasp and nodded to where a stack of tables had been placed. James and Lily had already grabbed one and were setting it up behind the auror. Sirius mumbled something about being treated like a house elf but joined the others in setting out two rows with chairs in the center of the room.

Their small work crew sat around one set, as Moody and Edgar pulled homemade sandwiches, as well as mason jars of lemonade, and applesauce out of the box. Peter's eyes were huge in anticipation.

Edgar planted himself down across from Lily and James with a relieved sigh. "This is all from my lovely wife," He began. This was the first time he had spoken to James. His voice was commanding but soft as if spoken through a pillow. "and that-" Edgar said picking up the jar of applesauce, "I believe Allison had a hand in making last fall." He said proudly setting the jar in front of Lily and James.

"Where is Melinda tonight?" Lily asked.

"She's with the kids. Mungo's been giving her weird hours, so she hasn't seen the rascals lately. I don't think she'll even be at the meeting tonight." Edgar replied. Lily looked disappointed. In the last few months Melinda had taken her under her wing and besides Alice and Marlene she was one of the few people Lily felt comfortable around at Order meetings. Of course that would change tonight with the addition of the Gryffindor boys. She looked down at them, as they began to pick up sandwiches and make large bowls of applesauce for themselves; Sirius ignoring the bowls all together and eating straight out of the jar. She hoped they wouldn't act out at the meeting because of the menial labor, but it was important work, in a way. If nothing else it got them on the rest of the Order's good side.

"Melinda told me to tell you that she found that recipe for lemon squares, but then Alana got her hand caught in a vent and neither of us remembered to write it down, so we haven't forgotten about it, but we don't have it for you yet." Edgar continued, taking a bite out of his ham and cheese sandwich. Lily laughed openly and reached for a sandwich on the top of the pile.

"So you're married to Melinda Bones, and Alice is now officially a Longbottom?" James asked Alice whose ring he had noticed earlier that evening.

"Two months," Alice said smiling and flashing her ring finger. From next to her Moody hrumphed and peeled the meat from a sandwich. He sniffed it skeptically before adding it to a second sandwich where he had slowly been piling ingredients.

"Who else is in the order? Anyone we would know?" James asked ignoring the auror's scorn at marriage. Lily had never said names, worried about safety.

Edgar thought about it as he chewed, "Frank, and Marlene, of course, and do you know the Prewetts?" He asked.

Sirius's attention jumped away from trying to drop a pickle down the back of Remus's robes. "The Prewetts?" He asked, a look of awe crossing his face. Remus slapped his arm and the pickle fell to the ground. "Oi I just cleaned that." Sirius scolded his friend.

"Then you won't mind eating it off the floor then." Remus said picking it up and putting it on top of Sirius's sandwich.

"Not a bit, delicious." Sirius retorted, before snapping his attention back to Edgar. "So they'll be here tonight? Lily why didn't you tell us this!" Lily raised her hands in innocence as Edgar said,

"Probably. They're usually pretty good about showing up."

Sirius cheered and reached over Remus's head for a high-five with James.

"So you know them?" Edgar reasoned.

"Worship them really." Remus said wiping at the back of his neck. "I'm going to smell like pickles all day now." He pouted at Sirius.

"We aspire to achieve their pranking genius." Sirius stated ignoring his friend's complaint. James smiled almost sheepishly when Edgar's eyebrows rose questioningly.

"They were seventh years when we were first years, they were kind of amazing." James admitted.

"Still are rather amazing." Edgar agreed with a soft laugh. "Who else then Alice? Emmeline Vance she spends quite a bit of time with the Prewetts, Hestia Jones, Benjy, Elphias Doge, get to know him- he knows concealment and safety charms bettern' Alastor himself, real knack for it." Alice nodded then looked contemplative.

"McGonagall comes sometimes." She said with a cheeky smile. "Sits in the back stoically. She gave a report once."
"McGonagall? James repeated, and Alice nodded again.

"Hagrid." She added.

"No wonder he's been all manner of button lipped about everything lately." Sirius smirked.

The marauders listened as names were said, occasionally nodding at a familiar surname, or the name of someone their parents might have known. They had finished off the applesauce and sandwiches when the floo lit up green again.

"Lovely!" Dumbledore's calm voice approved as he swept towards them. The table of people turned to watch the man walk toward the center of the room. "A few more tables and we'll be ready. Moody tells me he's informed the rest of the members, they will be arriving shortly." James and Sirius looked like giddy school children as they sprung up to set out the remainder of the tables and chairs.

The metal tables screeched and bounced against the cement floor as they set them out. Lily and Peter eventually rose to help them set out chairs and Remus leaned in to ask Alice about her work with the ministry, his face creasing in weariness.

Two more tables had been placed when the door Moody had entered through earlier burst open and a worn looking older gentleman entered holding two bottles of champagne under his arm. He was heavier set with slightly balding, fair hair under a broad-brimmed straw hat. Remus heard Moody grumbled about a ridiculous hat before getting to his feet.

"Elphias!" Dumbledore smiled crossing the room.

"I brought a housewarming gift." He said with a lopsided smile holding out the champagne to his old friend.

"Wonderful Elphias, we'll be sure to make a toast before the meeting begins. Come in, meet some of our new recruits, they've been working to spruce the place up." Dumbledore said waving absently to the crowd of students in the room and beginning to look through some of the boxes for any type of cups.

Elphias walked the rest of the way into the room, shaking hands with the older members and slowly meeting the students. Outside more popping noises sounded in the distance before more members began entering. James and Sirius continued to stand in the back near the doors, excited by each new member. A short man with a broad smile and another bottle of champagne gave them each a firm handshake and a quick cheery hug. A man in a fashionable suit under his cloak, looking greasy, refused to shake their hands and instead gave them each a weary look before sitting. The Prewetts arrived simultaneously, wearing red scarves each with a letter emblazoned in gold on the end. They shook the hands of the obviously stunned James and Sirius then pulled a pair of rubber chicks out of their cloaks to hand to a disgruntled looking Moody and a Dedalus who almost laughed himself off a chair.

Frank Longbottom was the last to enter, wearing auror robes that made Remus squirm and eating the last bite of a bowl of soup. He immediately launched into an excuse to Moody about forgetting to pick up the fuses then smiled warmly at the marauders, welcoming them. He motioned for James and Sirius to sit down by him knowing the meeting was to begin soon.

Not everyone Edgar and Alice had listed were there, James guessed about half, but those who were there were powerful magical forces and James almost felt intimidated being included among them. Dumbledore rose moments later to begin the meeting.

Across the room a hand shot up as a slick, accented voice cut into whatever Dumbledore was about to say "Dumbledore 'fore we begin might I asks a question?" Dumbledore stood taller, seemingly unfazed by the sudden intrusion.

"I suppose Mundungus." Dumbledore replied calmly, though it sounded like he knew what was to come.

"I jus' I thought we agreed no Hogwarts students, and those new boys look like kids." He said in a nasally voice James didn't very much like. "And the girl's still here." he added as an afterthought.

"As we've stated before, Lily has proven herself to be able to handle coursework and Order work. As far as the new recruits go, I thought it pertinent that they visit a meeting before choosing to forgo further education to be full time with us. Their Head of House agrees." Dumbledore explained. James squinted at his Headmaster; surprised that this was his reasoning for bringing them here. There was no doubt, at least in his mind, that this was what he wanted to do. He tried to look down the table to catch Lily's eye but she was focused on the man on the other side of the room. She looked calm, but James could tell by the slight furrow in her left brow that she was surprisingly close to launching a loud, angry complaint against him. It was the same crease above her eye that she would get when he would scheme during Head Boy duties.

"Sweetheart, go back to school, finish your NEWTs." The man continued leaning in and speaking smoothly to her. Lily's nostrils flared. James suspected this wasn't the first time he had made this suggestion.

"Button yur mouth or I'll do it for ya Fletcher!" a gravelly voice finally snapped. Mundungus sneered at the Auror, but leaned back into his chair, giving up the fight. Dumbledore didn't seem to recognize that anything had been said but waved his wand toward a box at his ankles. A wide array of cleaned glasses floated out, clinking like chimes over the group's head.

"A few of our members wanted to celebrate our new headquarters before we began today." Dumbledore said lightly, and with a warm cheer. The glasses set themselves before each of the members, "and with fear in my heart at giving my students alcohol at their first meeting, I do believe they should be taking as much joy in this moment as the rest of us as they have kindly given up an afternoon of studying to tidy this place up." He smiled, looking around their new space proudly.

"If you call sweeping out a mountain of bugs tidying." Sirius tried to joke. A few members closest to him laughed politely, and the glasses began to fill with champagne. They all clinked their glasses, and someone gave a short toast to the new headquarters before the real work began.