Lily and James woke up the next morning at 7am. Lily groaned as she rubbed her eyes, she had only gotten about four maybe five hours of sleep during the night. She turned over to face James and smiled to see he was awake.

"Sleep okay?" asked James.

"I've had better, I've had worse." said Lily shrugging.

James rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

"What's wrong?" she asked stroking his cheek.

"I don't want you to join," sighed James.

Lily leaned on his chest and looked him in the eye.

"Why?" she questioned him.

"Because it's dangerous, I don't want to lose you." said James tucking her hair behind her left ear.

"Are you joining?" Lily asked.

"Yes," replied James.

"I don't want to lose you either," stated Lily.

"I can look after myself," said James.

"So can I," Lily wailed.

James kissed her forehead.

"I don't want you to get killed," said James.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"You don't decide what I do Potter," Lily growled.

James raised an eyebrow, she looked like her old self just then, when she always told him off for pranking people or when he annoyed her. He grinned a little.

"I love you, I just want you to be safe." James whispered.

Lily smiled a little.

"I love you too but Voldemort's targeting muggles and muggleborns, if I just sit back and do nothing I'm not helping them, I'm a muggleborn James. I'll be targeted whether or not I join Dumbledore's order." Lily stated.

James pulled her to him tightly and held her close, Lily closed her eyes as she settled on his chest and listened to his heart beating.

"I'll just have to accept your decision but promise me you'll keep yourself safe?" James begged.

Lily looked deeply into his hazel eyes.

"I'd do that for you," she whispered and then moved upwards so that her lips could meet his.


Remus knocked on Mary's front door at 8am that morning. He had left a note for James saying that he was getting his stuff from Mary's then he'd officially move in. He just wondered how Mary was going to take the news. Mary opened the door and smiled awkwardly as she let Remus enter.

"Tea?" Mary offered.

"Thanks," said Remus with a smile as he sat in the living room.

Mary poured them both a cup of tea and joined Remus in the living room. Remus started talking to Mary about Dumbledore's proposal. Mary listened and after Remus stopped talking she considered what he had been saying. She had a lot on her plate with work as it was already, she didn't want to put more strain on herself.

"Do you want to join?" asked Remus.

Mary looked at Remus as she placed her empty mug on the coffee table in front of her.

"I've got enough on my shoulders. I don't want more pressure but I fully support you if you want to join." said Mary.

Remus smiled and took her hand in his.

"There is something else I need to tell you," said Remus.

"Oh?" asked Mary.

"James has offered me a place to stay," said Remus.

Mary withdrew her hand from his, Remus's smile faded. This wasn't the reaction he had been hoping for.

"You don't want to stay with me?" she asked slightly offended.

"I can't help you pay the rent Mary, I can't get a job." said Remus.

"So James has offered to support you?" asked Mary.

"Yes, I don't like it but James said he wants to," he said.

Mary stood up and paced the room. After a few minutes she turned back to him.

"I thought you'd be pleased, I wouldn't be risking your safety." he said.

"Just because James, Sirius and Peter can turn into animals doesn't mean they aren't at risk." Mary stated.

Remus put his head in his hands, feeling ashamed.

"I'm a lot calmer when they are in animal form," he explained.

"It's a bit reckless," said Mary.

Remus looked up. His affliction had only come between them once, that was when he first told her the truth about him. It took her some time but she had said she wanted to be with Remus. Now it seemed it was coming between them once again.

"Mary, you once said that you wanted to be with me despite my condition, I feel maybe you are having second thoughts?" asked Remus.

Mary said nothing but turned away from him.

"I'll pack my things, if you need me I'll be at James's." Remus said quietly and then went upstairs to pack his things.

A small tear trickled down Mary's face. What had she done?


Peter was sat in the conservatory of his mother's house eating a full English breakfast that his mother had cooked him. His mother doted on him. He was, after all, her only child. His mother had made him breakfast as she did every morning before popping to town to get something that she needed. Peter often felt like his mother was compensating for the fact that his father left when he was a small child. His father had been too cowardly to raise him. He didn't talk about his father much, he didn't like being branded 'the son of a coward'. He was scared of turning out like him.

Peter was frightened about Dumbledore's offer. He didn't want to die, he certainly knew that dying was a very high possibility. He was still so young and he wanted to be able to go to the pub with his friends and not worry whether death eaters would be plotting to kill any of them. He was scared of the dark lord. He knew that he who must not be named was very powerful, and Peter feared too much power. That's why he liked James, Sirius and Remus, they were brave and being around them made him feel slightly braver, maybe because he knew that they'd always look out for him.

He didn't know what the right thing to do was. He knew that his friends wouldn't judge him if he didn't join the order but if he did and then later regretted his decision, it would be too late to back out once he made his decision.

Peter finished off his breakfast and placed the knife and fork neatly in the middle of the plate and took a swig of his orange juice. He couldn't even ask for his mother's advice because it was supposed to be kept a secret. He thought of all the things he and his best friends had done over the years, like training to be an animagus for one thing, the most riskiest thing he had ever done up until now. But he did it for his friend. A friend who needed him.

Peter thought once again about what Dumbledore had said the night before. It was all about stopping him. Peter then came to the conclusion that if killing the dark lord would save millions of lives maybe it was worth the risk? After all one life in return of millions? He decided to talk to the other marauders before making his final choice.