AN: A while back a reviewer commented that they would like to see other people's perspectives. I've tried to do that with the second half of this chapter, I hope you enjoy. Please review.


Death didn't seem to leave them alone. It wasn't just the war. Of course there were the usual casualties, but it seemed that inevitable death hit James the hardest. It happened much like it did with his father, he would walk through the front door and say nothing as he cradled Harry against his chest murmuring some song. Although, it wasn't just after someone died. It was after a close call or a rough day or after he sees a particularly tragic story in the Prophet.

When Lily heard James and then saw a flash of him before he sat down on the couch she wasn't surprised. Instead of asking questions, she sat beside him and runs her hands through his hair. Mussing up his own hair is something that he's stopped doing, but she fell in love with a boy who typically looks like he just alighted from a broomstick. Therefore, the action felt almost as instinctual to her as it used to for him.

"You and Harry and Sirius are all I have left," he whispered.

She knew what that meant. While she hadn't heard much about his grandfather, he was old, even for a wizard. He was a good man and while she was sad to hear of his passing, at least he got to live to old age.

"I don't want it." His whole body moved when he shook his head, but Harry doesn't seem to mind. "The inheritance," he explained. "What in Godric's name am I supposed to do with all those galleons? I would trade them all in if-"

"I know." She moves the hand down to his shoulder, her eyes never leaving him. "We'll keep them in Gringott's and Harry will never have to worry about money."

"Yeah...but to use it all up we'd need a lot more kids." He maneuvers Harry so he can face him and stroke his soft hair. "Mum would have loved having a lot of grandkids." Harry leaned his head against his father chest as James leaned into Lily.

"Yeah, she would of," Lily murmured, but then thought of something and pulled off her wedding ring. "Love is strong as death," she read. "It applies to all kinds of love, not just the romantic type." At that she touched her son softly who now was gripping a fistful of James' shirt. "I don't how you came up with it?"

"Long story, but would you believe Remus?" he questioned, the memory coming back to him. "I never told you, did I?"

"No."

"You left your mum's bible out and he thought it was a textbook…" He shook his head and let out a laugh. "I grabbed it from him and it fell open to a page your mum had earmarked. I liked the sound of it and thought it was fitting." He grabbed her her hand and put the ring back on. "Lily?"

"Hm?"

"Why does Dumbledore want to put me on less dangerous missions? Frank and I have all but been removed from the rotation. You and Alice I understand, but us?"

Lily's eyes widened as she looked at her husband. "I should have told you."

"Told me what?"

"I didn't think anything of it at the time…"

"What?" he persisted.

"When I took Harry to the clinic Snape stopped me before I reached the apparition point." She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I hadn't seen him in forever and he kept on saying that were in danger." Tears picked at the edges of her eyes.

James gritted his teeth together and passed Harry to Lily before he got to his feet. He began to pace and run his hand through his hair. "I thought this stopped when he left Hogwarts. I don't want him anywhere near you."

"James, he's changed, so have you."

"He's changed alright, did his tattoo tell you that?" he hissed, biting his lip and taking in a shaky breath. James promised himself he would never lose his temper with Harry or Lily.

"He said he didn't want to lose me, he looked concerned."

"Why are you defending him?" his voice had an edge to that made Lily hold her son tightly. She was close to walking out and going to Marlene and Athena's flat.

"I'm not! I told him he'd already lost me, okay? I walked away from him." The tears that were threatening to fall, finally did.

"My lovely Lily," he whispered and walked over to kneel beside the couch taking his family into his arms. "I don't want to lose you."

"I know and I'm still made at Sev and I don't understand what he's doing, but it doesn't make it sting any less."
"I understand." He got to his feet and she scooted over to make room for him in the corner of the couch and then curled against his side. "More than you know." He sighed and carded his fingers through his wife's hair. "Remember when I came home late the night Harry was born?"

"Not really, I was given potions less than an hour later."

"You asked me about Remus, why he left." He sighed and shook his head. "Him and Sirius had a falling out. I only know one side of the story, but Sirius thought that Remus was...well, a double agent for Voldemort."

Lily's eyebrows shot up to her hairline and her mouth dropped open. Considerate, kind, intelligent Remus a Death Eater? There was no way for her to make sense of it in her mind. He had been nothing but wonderful to her. Without him she could not imagine making it through the summer her parent's died or back at Hogwarts when James and her were on thin ice. Tears started trickling again as his face flashed across her mind of that night when Agatha died and the rejection letter or the day he told her he was leaving.

"Lily Flower," he murmured, stroking her hair softly as she buried her face in his neck. Harry squirmed in her lap, clutching tightly to her dress, sensing the distress coming off of his mother. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know…" She swiped at her tears and maneuvered to her make her son more comfortable as she rocked him slowly. "It's just not fair... I understand Sirius, but Remus? I just feel…"

"I know, I know..." They sat like that for nearly some time, treasuring each other's presence and realizing just how lucky they truly were.


Sirius had managed to convince James that he was fine, but once he arrived at his flat he headed straight to the kitchen where he stashed the bottles. He opened the cupboard to pull out a half empty bottle of firewhisky and headed to the sofa to sit down. Losing his Uncle Alphred was difficult, losing Agatha was damn near impossible to survive, losing Regulus was surprisingly painful, losing Charles...He had gone numb to death by then. He had been there when Fabian and Gideon died...For some reason, though, losing the James' grandfather made him feel especially vulnerable. He didn't even know the man that well.

He sighed and tossed the cap aside to take a swig. As he pulled the bottle away from his lips he heard something that sounded like someone knocking on his door with a flat palm. Before he could pull out his wand or shout, the door flung open. The intruder slammed it behind them and in walked Marlene with her hands on her hips.

"We don't have a date," he said and took another drink.

"Put that down," she ordered and walked across the room, her dangerously high heels clicking on his hard wood floors.

"Bloody hell, can't you tell when I want to be left alone?" he questioned. "I'm fine, but I'm not in the mood to shag."

"Good, neither am I."

His eyes scanned her body, from the heels to the skin tight pencil skirt and silk blouse...He was glad that Marlene didn't like to wear robes and often traded it for muggle attire. "Then why are you here, McKinnon?"

"The only reason you're able to fool James is because he never stops worrying about Harry, but you sure as hell can't fool me Black," she said, taking the opportunity to walk closer so she stood directly by his legs.

"I wasn't trying." He rolled his eyes and got to his feet, standing to his full height. Her eyes met his with the nearly four extra inches of height. Out of instinct he reached for her blouse to undo the top button, but she grabbed his wrist before he could reach her chest.

"You can't distract me, I came here to talk."

He groaned and collapsed back on the couch, rubbing his face with both hands. "There's nothing to talk about and if that's all you want to do then leave."

"I'm not going anywhere." She sat beside him, so close that he smell her perfume, a soft of mixture of floral and sweet citrus.

"I just don't want to think about it, alright?" he finally said, his eyes fixating on her lips which were painted a vibrant shade of cherry red.

"You can't avoid it forever." A hand rested on her chest and grasped it tightly. "I'm gonna say something I've never said before. It scares me shitless and I know you won't like it." Her hands tenses up as she leans even closer to him, her dark locks caressing his shoulder. "I love you, Sirius Black."

He can't bring himself to look at her when he says the words so quiet if Marlene wasn't practically on his lap, she wouldn't have heard. "I love you, too."

Marlene wraps one arm around his waist and brings the other to rest on his face, covered in a layer of stubble. She bites her lip, smearing the lipstick with the action.

"Don't leave," he replied suddenly, his hands wandering to her waist.

She kisses him on the lips, forcefully, the other hand drifting to his other cheek. Not wanting to be outdone, Sirius uses his hands position to pull her onto his lap. "You don't have to worry about that, I'm all yours tonight."

"Not just for tonight," he added, looking up at her and hoping she would get the hint.

"Why Sirius Black, I never thought you'd ask me to move in." She leaned in for another kiss, still managing to keep a smile on her face. She had already begun worming her way in, claiming a drawer to put extra clothes, buying extras of her toiletries to store in his bathroom under the pretense of being able to spend spontaneous week day nights with him and not worry.

"I never thought I would, either." He let out a laugh and a smile crossed his face. Then he leaned in to kiss her, wanting to push away any doubts he had in his mind. His teenage self would have vehemently disagreed with a long term, monogamous relationships. Hell, a few weeks ago he was wondering when things with Marlene would crash and burn, as they started to stray from the whole "friends with benefits" routine. Strangely enough, though, he was fine with the change. He usually only let people in that he knew wouldn't leave and there was no way in Hell Marlene would be gone from his life anytime soon.