A/N: I know this is really really really late, but I've been extremely busy with college, not to mention writers block. I hope to update next week. If I don't feel free to send me hate mail until I do x3
And now, without further delay, the eleventh chapter of Origins.
James and Lily's Wedding was fast approaching, and it was time for the Bachelor Party. Sirius, as the best man, was in charge of the planning and preparation. This gave Sirius a great opportunity to act like his old self. The old, rowdy, mischievous Sirius that existed before the pregnancy happened. The Sirius that existed before Remus' love changed him. Sirius was sitting on his sofa going over the plans, floo calling stripper companies and owl ordering booze and other requirements for the party. He owled the invitations to all those fit for the wedding; Peter, Remus and himself (he sent that invitation just for kicks), and all the old friends who used to be invited to the rare private bashes the Marauders would hold back in school.
As he was sitting there, working on ordering the snacks and sobering potions, he started wondering just when he became the softy that he is now. He didn't remember waking up one day to realize he didn't want to be a ladies man, or deciding that he wanted to stay in line. At times he missed the shenanigans he would get up to, but he figured that this was just some form of nostalgia. He was expecting a kid, he didn't have time for the antics anymore. Nonetheless, maybe one more bit of fun wouldn't hurt. A farewell to the old Sirius—a way for him to bow out with a bang and let the new Sirius in.
Sirius felt the long missed devious smirk sprawl across his face as his brain started forming a plan. Immediately he sent a galleon order to Zonko's Joke Shop with the list of things he would need. He had just released the owl when he heard a loud crack.
Remus sat on the bed, a sense of nostalgia rushing over him. He had just received the owl from Sirius inviting them to James' Bachelor Party. He felt himself chuckle as he mused over his boyfriend's humor. While part of him missed the rowdy, eccentric, damn sexy man that Remus first began to like, it was the kind, soft, gentle, sweet man that took his place now that Remus grew to love.
It was this man that Remus realized he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. The man he was having a baby with. At this thought, Remus placed his hand in his pocket and fiddled with the small velvet box hidden away. Remus felt a lump in his throat as he realized what he had bought. He realized that the contents of that little box could change his life for better or for worse, but I guess that part goes with the package. He knew it was silly, because they would never be able to make it legal, but it was the bond, the meaning, not the legality, that Remus wanted. He knew he had been acting like a total twat for the past few months, and just wanted to show Sirius that he was Sirius. After all, Sirius did grow up a considerable amount in the past year all for Remus, so if Sirius could change, then it was the least Remus could do to marry the bloke.
Remus' thoughts were interrupted by a loud crack outside. Grabbing his wand, the werewolf snuck his way over to the door and opened it just in time to see a beat red Lily, puffy eyed with tears rolling down her face like mini waterfalls. The crying red head threw her arms around Remus and started balling.
"R-Remus… I-I-It's terrible!" She hiccupped into his shoulder. "I-I don't know wh-wh-what t-t-to do!" Remus lead her into the kitchen and made a pot of tea. After handing her a cup, he sat next to her and looked her in the eyes.
"Lily, what happened?"
"I-I don't know how to tell him."
"Tell who, Lily?"
"J-James!"
"Okay…" Remus started slowly, "Tell James what exactly?"
At this, Lily wailed and buried her face in her hands. Shit, Remus thought.
"Lily. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."
"No! You didn't upset me! I just… I just…" Her voice was muffled in her hands, her shoulders were shaking uncontrollably. Panicked about how to calm his friend down, he was never so relieve to see Sirius come rushing in.
"What's wrong, Remus?" He noticed the ginger. "Lily!" Sirius rushed up to the girl's other side and put an arm around her.
After two hours of tea, balling, and hugging, Lily finally calmed down enough to explain what was wrong.
"James is living a double life." Lily started.
"Why would you think that?" Sirius asked.
"He says he works at the Ministry, but he has enough gold to live comfortably, and three weeks ago he woke up, rushed out the door muttering something about being late, and forgot his lunch. As soon as I realized this I went to his work to bring him it, and that's when I realized that I didn't even know what he did. So I went to the information office, and they wouldn't give me any information.
"After arguing for about fifteen minutes, the woman finally told me that no one by the name of James Potter worked there. So I hired a private detective to spy on him." Remus looked at Sirius, then back at Lily, who was fumbling around in her large purse.
"Detective Cobrun, he found out James has been spending his time—well, why don't you look for yourself." with that, she pulled a large envelope out of her purse and threw it on the table. With the flick of her wand, a stack of pictures soared out of the envelope and spread out across the table. Each picture showed James doing various things. One showed him walking into Gringotts, another showed him leaving. Then another showed him going down an alley. The next picture showed him throwing on his cloak in the alley. These picture had dates and times spanning the course of two weeks. Every day showed the same process, going into Gringotts, leaving, going into an alley, putting the cloak on.
Remus noticed a piece of parchment laying across the table with the picture. He picked it up and read it.
Lily,
I understand your concern with your fiance's double life. He is clearly up to something, however, whenever he puts the cloak on, it is impossible to continue following him. You hired me to find out if something was up, and I can definitely say that he is, in fact, up to something.
Here are the pictures, and using these as evidence I would suggest confronting the subject to figure out where he is going.
Thank you for using Cobrun and Callop, Private Eyes.
Most sincerely,
Jed Cobrun
"I found out what he was doing." Lily said, pulling out a piece of parchment.
"Lily," Sirius started, slowly, "Is that—?"
"No, Sirius, it's not the Maurader's map. It's similar, though. Something of my own creation. It's a map of Diagon Alley." Lily opened the map and placed the tip of her wand on the centre of the map. "I solemnly swear that I worried to death" Suddenly ink poured out of her wand and spread across the paper to show a full map of the shopping centre. The only thing different was that there were no people on it.
"Lily, this is a blank map." Remus said, looking at her. Just then, Lily broke out in the most evil smile Remus had ever seen.
"That's the beauty of it." Lily said. "The only person it shows is James. I was able to see that every day, after putting the cloak on, he goes here." She pointed to a small alley near Olivander's. "After that, he disappears when he gets to the end. So I went to the spot in which he disappears and found a trap door. This morning, I gave James a minor poison that left him with the stomach bug, and took one of his hairs. After using my sources to get some polyjuice potion, I turned into him and went to the spot and rapped on the door.
"A portly man opened the door and asked for the password. I poked my head out and asked if it was really necessary. The man saw me, and, mistaking me for James, apologized sincerely and opened the door. I walked into an underground gambling casino. After that, the potion wore off, so ran outside and apparated straight here.
"I don't know how to tell him, what do I say? 'Hello dear, I know you have a gambling problem and have been lying to me for six months because I spied on you for three weeks'? That won't work. I need help."
"I have an idea." Sirius said, you could practically see the light bulb lighting up over his head. "I'll tell him I was spying. I'll say I went to surprise him at work and found out he didn't work there, so I followed him one day and saw him go into a casino that I used to go to."
"Sirius," Remus started, a feeling of extreme adoration warming his soul, "You're a genius! I love you!"
"Thank you, Sirius." Lily said, starting to cry again. "It means a lot to me that you would do that."
"I'll be back soon. I'm going to talk to him now." And with that, Sirius turned on his heel and vanished.
"You really did pick a keeper, Remus." Lily stated, staring at the spot where Sirius just apparated.
"Yeah, I did. He really smartened up since Hogwarts."
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