Green flames surrounded Lily, then the floo spat her into Diagon Alley. With a cough and splutter she dusted herself off. Sirius appeared an instant later, stepping from the floo exit as if he'd just walked through a door.
"Is there a magical mode of travel at least somewhat comfortable?" She patted one last patch of soot from her flowery summer dress and tried to tidy her mussed hair—perfect only two minutes ago.
"By your standards? Afraid not, love." Sirius didn't bother to hide his amusement at her frustration. His black leather jacket and sturdy leather boots looked good on him, and as his hair fell into his face, Lily couldn't deny the wild, rebellious air that rolled off him and she almost snorted as a girl on the other side of the street sighed over Sirius dreamily.
Regulus exited next, as if floo travel were second nature.
When the brothers weren't in their school uniforms, the differences between them magnified. Regulus preferred traditional wizard's robes and wore his hair short and neat, expression stern—though none of this stopped Sirius' admirer from appreciating Regulus too. The girl snagged her friend and whispered in the second girl's ear, her comments punctuated by frequent glances at both Blacks.
Remus exited last, after James, and brushed the soot from his shabby clothes.
"Looks like everyone made it all right," said Lily wryly. "You'd think there'd be a better way to travel."
The group stepped into the Leaky Cauldron.
The bar room was deserted. Only a man with salt-and-pepper hair and broad shoulders hung over the bar, his back to them. Three seats away sat a blonde woman—apparently on the tail end of a drinking spree—head on the bar as she drooled onto one arm and snored louder than an asthmatic walrus.
Tom, the pub's owner, bustled around casting them curious looks. Lily could hardly blame him. They looked a strange lot: her in a muggle summer dress and white sandals; Sirius in leather and black with a pair of golden rings in one ear; Regulus, ever the dignified; and Remus the bookish. Only James looked remotely ordinary.
If Peter were here, he'd probably be wearing the simplest thing possible to keep attention off himself. Sev would be in… the wizard's robes I gave him… Those robes always made him look powerful, forbidding. At least… that's what he'd have worn six months ago. Now, he probably looks gaunt and sullen. She imagined him scaring people out of his way now with his mere presence. No. Got to think about something else.
She took stock of their strange group. Individuality was good. When it didn't clash.
"Remus! Lily! Regulus!"
Everyone turned around to find Lucy waiting for them as promised. Her orange hair was still bright as the afternoon sun and she, like Regulus, wore wizard's robes, but hers were brown and almost as shabby as Remus' clothes though they looked practical and comfortable.
Lily had been surprised when Remus suggested they meet with Lucy. Until he pointed out they were all on Voldemort's hit list. Safety in numbers. That was their assurance right now.
Remus avoided looking at Lucy.
The girl approached. "Th-thank you for you inviting me." She bowed. "Gertrude-said-I-shouldn't-go." Her words ran together worse than a goose's chattering. "Oh—she's-me-mum's-old-friend! But-I-said-to-her-ya-would-protect-me-and-it-would-be-fine. I'm-sorry, I-hope-I-won't-be-any-trouble!"
"It's nice to see you again." Lily stepped forward first. "How are you…?"
Lucy blushed, but some of her nervousness melted, and her words slowed. "I'm… staying with one of me Mum's friends. It's nice getting to go outside for once. I haven't been allowed out all vacation."
"They still haven't found your mother?" said Remus.
Lucy shook her head. "Still missing."
"You haven't been home? At all?" said Regulus.
Lucy shook her head again. "Thank you so much for meeting me. I was going insane inside the house. Me head…" she held it as if it were about to roll from her shoulders and shatter like a glass Christmas bulb.
"I know the feeling," Regulus mumbled.
"Let's have a nice day out, shall we?" said Lily.
Lucy smiled at this. "Okay."
The group left the pub and split up. James took Sirius and Lucy to Gringotts Bank and Lily went with Remus and Regulus to help Remus look for some robes at the second-hand store. The arrangement kept in mind any potential trouble, though Regulus fit in with the store's clientele about as well as a moose in a flock of ducks, and he started to ask Remus the same hesitant question at least four times, but each attempt stopped after the second word.
"How about this one?" Lily held up a thick, black robe ideal for late autumn and winter. It was about the right size and not too shabby.
"Perfect." Remus took it. "It's my winter robes that need exchanging the worst."
"You weren't freezing last winter, were you?" she said, concerned.
"Nah. It was fine. My immune system is stronger than most."
"That's no reason to be cold. Here." Lily snagged a scarf and woolen gloves from a shelf. "I couldn't help noticing you don't have any."
Remus muttered embarrassed thanks.
"Do many people shop here?" said Regulus as he cast wary glances at patrons and wares.
"Probably about half the school." Lily chuckled to herself. "Half my books are second-hand. And it's not because my family's poor. There's just no reason to spend good money on new ones every year when used ones are just as good." She snorted. "You should see Sev's book collection. They were his mother's, but then he started using them as personal journals. They got so battered and scribbled over it's a miracle they don't fall apart every time someone touches them. He's good at repairing clothes too. Makes them at least look decent."
"Maybe he could teach me a thing or two," said Remus as he examined a previously patched summer robe.
Lily held in a chuckle. To imagine Remus looking other than shabby felt wrong. And Sev giving him housewife tips? Don't laugh, she told herself. Don't laugh.
Regulus seemed oblivious to the conversation's humor as he stared out the store's front window at a blonde boy. The kid was cute… but the shadow of madness lurked behind his light blue eyes.
"Who's that?" said Lily.
"Barty Crouch Jr. from the year below me," Regulus said hesitantly.
"Isn't his father a high Ministry official?" Remus thumbed through several more winter robes.
"Yeah," said Regulus.
"Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement if I'm not mistaken. A pretty ruthless fellow, if you ask me," said Remus.
Reg raised a brow. "You met him?"
"Once." Remus waved off Regulus' curiosity. "It was… a bit of a misunderstanding. Nothing big."
Outside, a man of imposing size stopped to stand beside Crouch. Reg looked away quickly, acting like he hadn't seen him. "That's Rookwood," he whispered. "A Death Eater. He was at the mansion."
Lily, Regulus and Remus sneaked glances out the window as Rookwood took Crouch by the shoulder and led him away, but not before Crouch gave Reg one last sour glare.
"What does that mean?" said Lily.
"Trouble." Reg's voice shook just a little, and he kept his head down. "They know we're here."
Lily swore. "We've got to tell the others and get out of here. Now!"
Both boys looked at her as if she'd just said she was a bald monkey. Lily rarely swore.
"Well." She made a shooing motion. "What're you waiting for, Remus? You've got everything you came for, right?"
Remus nodded. "Yeah. Just let me pay." He hurried to counter with his purchases.
"Coming here was stupid," Lily said.
"Agreed." Reg nodded.
"What?! Why?" Remus exclaimed from the counter.
"Simple. I don't sell to your kind," the clerk spat.
"How do you even know?"
The clerk threw a piece of parchment at Remus.
"Just great," Remus hissed as he read and then crumpled the paper.
"Stay here," Lily said to Reg and hurried over to the clerk and an unhappy Remus. "What is it?"
"Courtesy of Dolores Umbridge, the werewolf registry just got made public," said Remus so quietly that only Lily and the clerk heard him. "And according to her, we're all followers of Voldemort." The clerk flinched at the Dark Lord's name.
"Then I'll buy," Lily said.
The clerk shook her head. "You're buying for him."
"So? It's no business of yours who I'm buying this for. Take the money!" She threw the coins on the counter. "That should be enough. Let's get out of here." She bagged Remus' purchases herself and marched out the door, dragging Remus with her. Reg followed.
"What was that about?" said Regulus.
"Gossip and stupid prejudice—that's what it's about." Lily scowled.
Remus offered an apologetic, though strained, smile.
Regulus still didn't know about Remus' condition and looked even more confused the longer he tried to understand the brief exchange.
The three hurried toward Gringotts. Regulus and Remus tried to hide their faces—which only made them look more suspicious in Lily's opinion.
"Blood traitor!" one woman screeched with a finger pointed at Regulus. "Mudblood!" another snarled at Lily. "Half-breed!"
Lily cursed for the second time in less than twenty minutes. "Run for Gringotts. Now!" She drew her wand just in time to deflect a stunner hurled from three hooded figures gaining on them from behind.
The boys drew their wands and ran after Lily
"Get them! Get them! Kill the blood traitor, mudblood and half-breed!"
"Why half-breed?" Regulus whispered as they ducked behind a corner for cover.
"That's me," Remus said. He shot a blinding spell to create a diversion before they ran for the next corner.
"What do we do now?" Lily panted. "We're trapped here. No one can apparate in or out of Diagon Alley."
"How would I know?" Reg snapped.
"Any suggestion would do," Remus said. "The only one I've got is run!" He sprinted down a side alley as their pursuers neared.
"Whoa!" Lily, Regulus and Remus stopped when three more robed men blocked their way. Not Death Eaters. But not friendly either.
"Snatchers," Reg whispered. "And…"
"You!" The aversion in Remus' voice was so venomous it could have killed a snake. The man Remus glared at stank of rotten meat; his sharp, yellow teeth seemed more like a dog's than a man's, and dirt caked his long, claw-like nails.
"So, we meet again, Lupin. Has it really been twelve years? Why, you were no taller than a wobbly-legged foal last time I saw you." He spread his arms. "Give Daddy a hug."
"Confringo!" A blast from behind knocked the snatchers and the dirty man away. James, Sirius and Lucy stood on the other side of them, wands raised, ready to fight.
"What're you waiting for? Let's go!" James urged as he turned to flee.
Only Remus hesitated, giving the filthy man another poisonous glare.
"Moony, come on!"
Remus obeyed.
A green flash whizzed past them.
"Killing curses now? Are you kidding me?" Sirius snarled.
Precisely placed fire sprang up between the group and the still pursuing Death Eaters, buying time to put distance between them. They ran for the Alley's exit, but it wasn't long before more Death Eaters and snatchers tailed them.
They rounded another corner and Lucy's face blanked. "Call Kreacher," she said, almost hypnotically and without her accent, sounding nothing like herself. "He can apparate us out."
"What?" said Regulus.
Lucy shook out of the trance. "Wha'? Why you lookin' at me?"
"What did you say?" Regulus prodded.
"I didn't say anything." Lucy insisted. "Are you all right?"
"I don't know." Regulus called for his house-elf. "Kreacher!"
Nothing happened.
"In here." Sirius pointed to a door that stood open nearby. From inside, they appeared to be in an apartment building entrance hall.
"What's the plan now?" said Regulus as he latched the door.
"Don't get caught?" Sirius snorted.
A loud crack cut the air and all six of them jumped.
"What the—" Sirius began.
A house-elf appeared—though he looked nothing like the ones Lily had seen in her schoolbooks. This one's skin was so leathery and wrinkled Lily couldn't be absolutely sure it was a house-elf—and he regarded the group apprehensively.
"Kreacher," Sirius growled. "What are you doing here, you filthy—"
"Leave him alone!" Regulus pushed Sirius away. "And don't you dare insult him ever again!"
The instant he saw Regulus, the house-elf lit up in delight and displayed his two remaining teeth in a grin, arms spread enthusiastically. "Master!" he cheered only to draw back the next instant, flushed with embarrassment. "Mater must excuse Kreacher. Kreacher knows he is not allowed to touch, but Kreacher was so worried about Master Regulus."
"It's all right, Kreacher." Regulus smiled fondly. "You can touch me." He squatted to hug the old house-elf as the rest of the group gaped.
"Master." Kreacher broke into happy tears. "Kreacher knew it was Master's voice he heard. Kreacher knew it! Oh, Kreacher was so terrified when Master did not come home from school. Mistress keeps saying she has two disappointments now, but Kreacher did not believe it. Kreacher knows that Master Regulus will always be good."
"Kreacher, listen." Regulus let go of the crying elf. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but it's true. Mother disowned me."
Kreacher didn't seem to understand. "But Master Regulus is still Master Regulus?"
"Yes, Kreacher. I'm still the same, and you're still my best friend."
Kreacher's ugly face split into a grin. "Then Kreacher will serve Master Regulus. Kreacher will always be proud to serve Master Regulus, no matter what Mistress says."
Sirius scratched his head in bewilderment. "Why was he never like that to me?"
"Why do you think?" Regulus snarked. "Pushing him around, calling him names. What did you expect?"
"Ah. Well…" Red crept up Sirius' neck as he bit his tongue to keep from saying something he would regret.
Lucy kneeled beside Regulus and regarded Kreacher with curiosity. The house-elf scurried behind Regulus. "Excuse me for asking, but how did you get here, Kreacher? Ye canna apparate in Diagon Alley. Is it because of that elf magic a yours?"
Kreacher looked to Regulus in question. Reg shrugged.
"Elf magic is actually quite magnificent," said Lucy. "You can do all sorts of things without a wand, can't you, Kreacher? That's something most wizards can only dream of. And, like many creatures, you're not limited to wizarding wards and laws, since most wizards' magic can't sense you… Whoops!" She covered her mouth for half a second. "I'm being rude, aren't I? I'm Lucy. Pleasure to meet you, Kreacher." She offered her hand as if that were the most natural thing to do when meeting a house-elf.
Kreacher tightened his grip on Regulus.
"You can take her hand, Kreacher," said Reg. "She's not going to hit you."
The elf appraised Lucy warily, gulped, and gave her hand a limp squeeze before he jerked back behind Regulus.
"This is nice and all," Sirius snorted, "but we're kind of on the run here."
"Kreacher," Regulus said, "can you apparate us all to Godric's Hollow?"
"Certainly, Master. If everyone would hold hands, please."
Regulus and Lucy took Kreacher's hands; Lily snagged Lucy's, and the Marauders linked hands to complete a large circle.
"Don't let go," instructed Kreacher.
The familiar sensation of being pressed through a tube was only slightly worse than what Lily was used to, but when she hit the ground in Godric's Hollow, she almost toppled over Remus.
"Is there anything else Master Regulus needs?" said Kreacher. "You must excuse Kreacher, but Kreacher has a lot to do in the house. Kreacher should return at once."
"No, thanks, Kreacher. But I do have an order. Don't tell Mum you saw or helped me. If she asks, lie, and don't punish yourself over it. And… there's something Bellatrix supposedly got from the Dark Lord—to keep safe. Don't go out of your way to find out what it is, and don't try to steal it, but if you can find out anything without getting caught, come to me and tell me immediately. All right?"
Kreacher's bat-wing-like ears flapped as he nodded. "Is there anything else, Master?"
"No. That should be all," Regulus said. "If there is anything, I'll call for you. Oh, and, Kreacher? If you ever need anything, you can come to me too."
Kreacher grinned again. "As you wish, Master Regulus." The house-elf vanished with a crack.
"I never thought I'd say it, but Merlin bless the little bugger," said Sirius.
Regulus shot him a deadly glare.
"Hey, I did say Merlin bless." Sirius threw up his hands.
Lily chuckled at their antics. "It was a brilliant idea to call him, and we're lucky he decided to obey you, despite the disownment."
"It wasn't my idea," said Reg. "Lucy told me to call Kreacher."
"What?" Lucy looked at him as if he'd just claimed to be the prime minister of England. "I didn't tell you anything. I didn't even know you had a house-elf! Or that his name is Kreacher!"
"But you said it. Don't you remember? You specifically told me to call Kreacher."
"I didn't. Honestly!"
James frowned. "It was pretty chaotic back there. Are you sure you didn't imagine it?"
"Absolutely sure," Reg insisted.
"Then let's just leave it," said James. "It doesn't really matter, anyway. Right?"
Lily cut in. "If Lucy said something so important, but can't remember, I'd say it is important."
"Who cast those flames?" James shifted topics. "It was brilliant!"
No one took credit.
"Come on," said Sirius. "It must've been one of us." He turned to Remus. "It was you, wasn't it?"
Remus shook his head. "I assure you it wasn't."
"Then who?" Sirius' frown deepened.
"One of the Death Eaters?" Lily offered, doubting that even as she said it.
"More likely someone hiding on the roof," said Regulus.
Remus looked skeptical at that answer. "For all we know, it could've been a poltergeist having fun at the Death Eaters' expense."
Lily held up a hand. "Wait." This can't be coincidence. That fire… "I've only ever seen flames conjured and controlled like that once. Last March."
One silent second passed before they chorused, "Severus!"
Edited by Dtill359