Thanks to Blueowl,Ujemaima, Ranma's girl1, Piscesgirl35,Jn.v13, Twichild369, Smile-bestthingintheworld, Irinaa3, xLoveChuuChuuTrainx, RedStalkingDeath, Kungfooey, HughSoSexy, MissGracieKathy, Rosel, The Wilde Rose, HarryPotterIsSiriuslyAwesome and Kinole009x for their kind and helpful reviews! You all helped me out of my rut, so to speak. I received more reviews on this chapter than other chapter before!

It wasn't required for anyone to contribute an idea, but I was curious if there was anything in particular any reader wanted to see or know more about for ideas. Thanks for the reviews and ideas. I may consider it for later chapters.

Ranma's girl1 and Piscesgirl35 helped inspire the ideas for the chapter, so I'll dedicate this to you both! Thanks a million!

*Cleaning up my chapters, but this is not the newly edited version yet so may still have a few typos/errors.

Chapter 14: Dinner at Lupin's

"I can't believe I was talked into this." Severus said, straightening his robes. Lily was putting on Harry's coat.

"Dumbledore said he wanted you there for some reason." She picked Harry up. "Okay, we're ready to go." They headed out the door.

"It's going to look awkward walking to the alley. People may think we are, you know, a couple."

"Good." She said, matter-of-factly. "Then hopefully no boys will assume I'm single and try to get my number."

"Well, you are single."

"I'm a recent widow and I don't want anyone asking me out for a date randomly. You are a good cover. I'll look married with a child." He couldn't help but smile at the fact that she using him to her advantage.

"You know, Lily, I always knew you would have made a good Slytherin." She stopped and looked at him with shock. "You can be rather cunning, using me to your advantage."

"Well, I didn't mean it that way. I don't want to use you. I'm sorry if it came out wrong."

"No, really, it is very clever." Harry dropped the bear he was holding and started to fuss. Lily picked it up and handed it back to him.

"He loves the bear you got him. He even napped with it this afternoon." She said with a smile at Severus.

"It's just a stuffed toy." In truth, he figured he ought to give the kid something. Lily and Harry had lost many of their possessions after Voldemort had set the home on fire after his failed attempt to kill Harry.

"Not to him. I am glad you got it for him. Out of all the toys he was given, he picked yours as his new favorite."

"He doesn't like the ride-on dragon Sirius gave him."

"Not really, but he still likes the box it came in. I think the toy scares him a little bit. Maybe he'll like it more when he's older." They apparated to Lupin's home. Lily knocked on the door. Lupin answered and welcomed them inside.

"Everyone is in the next room." They entered to find about two dozen other people there. Severus could feel several eyes on him as he entered the room. Many of the women came to greet Lily and coo over Harry, saying how big he had gotten. Lily ended up being pulled into the kitchen and Harry was passed around the older women.

"Isn't he just adorable?"

"Look at him. He looks just like James, doesn't he?"

"Yes. I wonder if he'll be as good a chaser as James."

"I have no doubt. It's in his blood."

"He's just the cutest thing. Aren't you? Aren't you?" Some girl said to him in baby talk. Severus rolled his eyes, slightly disgusted. Harry didn't seem to like all the commotion over him and began to fuss and squirm.

Not much like his father yet, thought Severus. Potter would have eaten up the attention.

The Weasleys turned up as they entered the small dining room that had an extension charm on it so everyone could fit. The women began to fawn over the Weasley children next.

"Oh, look at her. She's adorable. I bet you are glad it is a girl this time after six boys." One middle-aged woman said.

"I haven't seen your children in ages. How old are you they now?" Another woman said, pinching Fred's cheek. Fred looked annoyed.

"Ginny is four months old already and Ron is almost 22 months now. Fred and George are three and a half and are quite a handful, if I do say so. Percy here is five, Charlie just turned nine and Bill turned eleven last month."

"So Bill will be going to Hogwarts next year?"

"Yes, we can't wait."

"I bet. One less howler monkey quiets the zoo." He mumbled to himself and felt a sharp nudge in his ribs. Lily had elbowed him. "Ow." He rubbed his ribs where she had struck him and looked at her, confused. She glared at him. "What?"

"Be nice." She snapped at him.

"I am only being honest." She rolled her eyes. Lupin cleared his throat.

"Dumbledore would like to speak to you all about the Order."

"Thank you, Remus." Dumbledore stood up. "First, I wanted to say that it has been awhile since we met. I thought we might start our feast with a moment of silence for Benjy Fenwick, Caradoc Dearborn, Dorcas Meadows, the Bones family, Fabian Prewett, Gideon Prewett, the McKinnon family and James Potter. They have all lost their lives in this war to Death Eaters. Also to Frank and Alice Longbottom, though alive in body, are no longer alive in spirit." Everyone's head was bowed.

"Now, on to better news. I have yet to introduce a new member of our Order." Severus looked up at Dumbledore, knowing full well who this new member was. "Severus Snape has joined our side and the Order." Everyone was looking at him now. He didn't like the attention. Just to make the glares even more unpleasant, Alastor Moody, a well-known auror took his seat beside Severus.

"Aren't you a Death Eater?" Before Severus could say anything, Moody grabbed his left arm. Severus swallowed hard, knowing what Moody was about to do. He doubted the others would be quite so easy to convince of his new allegiance.

"Did I say you could grab my arm, Moody?" Moody glared at him.

"I know a Death Eater when I see one." He started to pull Severus's sleeve down.

"There will be no need for that, Alastor. Severus is on our side. You will have to trust me on this one." Moody mumbled a few unpleasant choice words.

"Like ya trusted Pettigrew. Look where that got us." Mundungus Fletcher spoke up.

"I trust him." Lily said. Severus turned to her. She did?

"Well, ya trusted Pettigrew too and now look at ya, you a widow now."

"To be honest, I didn't know Pettigrew all that well. He and I weren't really friends. He was friends with James."

"I still don't trust him."

"Should we trust you, Fletcher? You are a known thief, after all." Lupin said.

"I don't do no thieving no more. Thieving isn't as bad as killin'"

"It is still a crime, Mundungus. Besides, I trust Severus. He was the one who figured out where Pettigrew was. He helped us to capture Pettigrew and Rastaban Lestrange." Dumbledore spoke. Fletcher grumbled a few colorful words that made Molly pull her eldest sons to her and cover their ears.

"Watch your language, Fletcher. Children are in the room."

"Let's dig in, shall we, Lupin? I know we are all grateful you invited us into your home for dinner." Severus rolled his eyes. Everyone was having their own conversations and he stayed quiet. An elderly woman, who was sitting on the other side of Harry, turned to Lily.

"So, Lily, have you found a new mate yet?" Lily looked at her, astonished.

"No, it's barely been two months."

"Plenty of wizard men would gladly take a young and intelligent witch like yourself for a bride." Lily felt disgusted.

"I do not wish to marry so soon."

"Well, it is not very acceptable for such a young thing such as yourself to stay single. You don't want to stay bitter forever and end up an old spinster. You have many skills to offer and would make someone else a good wife as well. With that cute figure you've got, plenty of men would pay money to take it." Lily didn't kindly to those words and sucked in air. Severus watched her, knowing she was about to explode.

"I am not a pawn to be auctioned off at a market! Nor am I a spinster! I was married, after all!"

"You know that's not what I meant, dear."

"Then what did you mean?"

"That you should try and find someone to settle down with again."

"I am not ready to settle down yet."

"Fine, but when you do, there are plenty of men available. I wouldn't wait too long though or all the good men will be taken."

"I think I'll be fine, but thanks anyway."

The old woman turned to another young woman and began to lecture her on being single. Severus turned back to his food. Moody was watching him like a hawk, as if waiting for his prey to make the wrong move so he can swoop in. It made him very uncomfortable. He had no idea Dumbledore why had wanted him to be here so bad, besides putting Severus on the spot. Right now, he wished he had stayed home and made a calming potion with the Variscite Lily gave him. He could certainly have used the draught right now.

A woman across from Lily suddenly gasped. "Lily, where did you get the necklace?"

"It was a gift."

"It's beautiful. Who gave it to you?"

"A friend."

"A male friend?" Lily frowned.

"I don't think that matters."

"It matters."

"No, it doesn't. It was an old gift really. This friend gave it to me in our fourth year at Hogwarts. My mother had passed away just a couple months before and my friend gave it to me as a birthday present to cheer me up. However, we had a falling out after our fifth year and I gave it back to said friend in my anger. We have gotten back in touch recently and became friends again, so he gave it back to me."

"So it was a lad." Lily sighed. "Will you two be, you know, going out?"

"No. We are just friends. We were once best friends. He gave it to me as friend."

"It really brings out your eyes."

"Thanks."

"So, do we know this boy?" Lily didn't answer, only rolled her eyes.

"Don't even start."

"Start what?"

"There is nothing going on, so don't start any gossip, Mae." Mae started to protest. "This conversation is over." Sirius was seating across from Severus. Sirius was looking at him rather suspiciously.

"You were the one who gave her that necklace, weren't you?" He hissed. Severus glanced at Black a second and ignored him.

"What are were trying to do, make her forgive you?"

"I wasn't trying to do anything."

"Except try and win her affection. She just lost her husband."

"It was her gift, Black. I thought she should have it back." He whispered through gritted teeth. Sirius flicked a pea at Severus, but it fell short of his plate. "Nice throw, Black. How mature of you." Severus looked away and started to eat some of his yorkshire pudding.

A moment later, Severus caught Sirius pulling his spoon back, ready to use it as catapult. The pudding flew his direction and Severus ducked out of the way. The pudding missed him and hit Alastor Moody in the side of his face. Moody turned to Severus, who pulled himself back up and glared daggers at Black.

"Who hit me with their food?" Sirius pointed at Severus, who was glowering at Black. Moody looked at Severus. "Snape?"

"I was the target." Severus said, putting his hands up in defense. Moody looked between Sirius and Severus a few minutes before griping to himself. Moody then threw one of his Yorkshire puddings at Sirius. The pudding smashed into his face. Severus tried not to laugh as others gasped.

"You think it is funny, do you, Snivellus." Sirius threw one of his own puddings at Severus, but Severus ducked his head. The pudding smashed into Emmeline Vance's hair. She screamed. Lily threw her hand up her temple.

"Somethin' fun, finally." Mundungus Fletcher spoke. "Food fight!" He called and grabbed a handful of peas and threw them at Elphias Doge. Doge got angry with Fletcher and flung a stack of carrots back at him with his wand. The carrots missed and hit an elderly man. It was then that all hell broke loose.

A/N: There are people at the dinner who were not in the first Order, but who are still on their side. Also, the spinster comment: This was partly taken from a real conversation someone I know had. The young girl was also a widow (22 years old) and had an infant. An older woman expected her to find someone else because she'd be a "spinster" otherwise.