Chapter 11:

Couples

"You look amazing," Sirius said to Junie when she reached him. "What happened to your sweater?"

"My friends decided I needed to show a bit more skin," she said. By this time, his arms had wrapped around her waist, and he'd pulled her close. Emboldened by his physical reaction, she leaned in and whispered in his ear, "they thought you'd like to see more of me." Sirius shuddered at her words.

"I definitely do." He then caught her mouth in a searing kiss. The other three couples had already gone through to the dining room. The kiss left them both a bit breathless. "Juniper Meadows, you are so beautiful."

"Thank you," she answered before kissing him sweetly.

The others were chatting comfortably around the table; Remus was finishing filling the wine glasses, while Marlene was bringing out the lasagne she'd had in the oven. A big basket overflowing with bread was already on the table. The peas they'd been shucking were not present, which led Junie to think they still sat on the kitchen table where they'd been left over an hour ago. Junie said hello to Peter and Dorothy, but she didn't know either of them as well as her Hogwarts friends and their husbands. Dorothy had been in Hufflepuff and was exceptionally quiet, which was saying something considering no one would call Junie chatty. Peter was a pleasant enough guy, but he always seemed a bit lost among his friends' enormous personalities.

Remus sat at the head of the table, James to his right, Peter next to him, and Dorothy next to her husband. Marlene was at the other end of the table, with Lily next to her, then the open spot for Junie and Sirius ending their side, placing him next to Remus. Yes, the table was basically divided men at one end, women at the other, but as Marlene put it, "It's easier to make conversation."

"Where is Eddie tonight?" Dorothy asked, referring to Eddie Potter.

"Harry is taking him to Ginny's match, and then he's staying overnight at his brother's house. I don't think Ginny was thrilled about that part," Lily explained, and they all laughed. Ginny's morning grumpiness was well known within the Marauding family. Eddie was an early riser.

"It's sweet that Harry wants to spend time with his younger brother like that," Dorothy said. "He's what, twelve years older than his brother?"

"Almost thirteen years older," Lily said. "Eddie was a surprise for all of us."

"I seem to remember you wanting to murder James when you found out you were going to have another child," Marlene said.

"Yeah, well, anyway. Is little Peter with your parents?" Lily asked to change the subject. Peter and Dorothy had one child, Peter junior, who was two and a half.

"They like having their monthly sleep-over with him. I like that we get a night out," Dorothy admitted. "Can't sleep in tomorrow, though; it's a Hogwarts Saturday, and the one before Valentine's Day. We will be hopping tomorrow."

"I'm sure you will," Junie said. "Minerva has all of us on duty tomorrow because, as she explained it, 'there will be many spats and tears as students come back to the castle,'" Junie said, impersonating her boss perfectly. "Valentine's Day never lives up to the hype."

"I do not envy you at all," Marlene said. "I'm glad I have boys. I don't think I could do the girl hormones."

"Out of all of you, there's only one girl, isn't there?" Junie mused.

"I guess you'll just need to have more," Lily said. "Can any of you imagine if Sirius had a daughter? The hair products that family would need!"

"Lily dear, don't hate on the fabulous hair," Sirius said sweetly. "It's a Black family gift." Sirius had his hand on Junie's knee and leaned over to her to whisper, "If we had a little girl, I'd want her to look like you." He then kissed her cheek.

Plates were passed to Marlene to scoop steaming slices of vegetable lasagne onto them. The breadbasket and a crock of butter were passed, and soon, there was an easy conversation about anything, and everything running around the table. Junie was pressed into sharing information about the Hogwarts aged kids, but she refused. Having your honorary aunt working at your school was bad enough; no one needed her sharing gossip about them.

"Come on, I told you when I took the job, I wasn't going to be a tattletale on the kids. Sure, there is plenty of tittle-tattle I could tell you, but they deserve their privacy. I cannot imagine any of you would have wanted someone telling your parents everything we got up to." Junie looked at her friends. Marlene was nodding, but Lily seemed annoyed.

"You Fire-called when Charlie was in the hospital wing," Lily stated.

"Yes, because I offered to do that for Minerva, but otherwise, she would have contacted you like all parents are contacted when their child is in the hospital wing for more than a simple scrape or runny nose. Lily, don't press me on this, please." Junie sounded annoyed.

Lily scoffed and mumbled under her breath, "Always so proper." Marlene stood up, grabbed Lily's hand, and pulled her into the kitchen, claiming she needed help.

"What in the name of Merlin's baggy y-fronts has you in such a pissy mood?" Marlene asked.

"Nothing is wrong," Lily said. Marlene cocked an eyebrow and waited for an answer. "What?" Lily said defensively.

"For someone is who is supposed to be one of Junie's closest friends, you've been rather rough on her tonight. Not believing what she said about Sirius' past –"

"He told her a line. You and I know he was a man-whore," Lily bit back.

"We don't know that." Marlene countered. "Yes, he dated several women, but that doesn't mean he slept with them all. It actually makes more sense that he didn't sleep with them all, considering how long it took us to…you know."

"The two of you were sixteen; of course, it took a while to have sex when you are teens."

"How long after James got his mark did you have sex with him?" Marlene asked, but she knew. It was six weeks later.

"Totally different, we were Bonding. Sirius lied to Junie. I think it's our job to set her straight." Lily countered.

"Lily, it's not. They are old enough to talk about this stuff on their own. It's not like she wasn't around him for the last twenty-whatever years. Just drop it, Lils. They seem happy, and I think it's a good thing."

"Maybe that's the issue," Lily admitted.

"Oh, are you jealous of Junie?" said in sudden awakening.

"I am not interested in Sirius Black, Marlene."

"Of course not, but you are jealous of the romance."

"James can't even remember our wedding anniversary most of the time, let alone things like my birthday or the day he first told me he loved me. Harry had to remind him my birthday was happening the day before. James had done nothing when I turned forty."

"Not to excuse James for his lack of remembering in advance, but he did end up taking you to Paris for the weekend, and he bought you a new cat," Marlene said. "That was pretty romantic."

"But you don't have those problems with Remus, either. Maybe James doesn't love me anymore."

"Oh, Lily, open your bond and feel the emotions there," Marlene comforted her with a hug. "He loves you. He's loved you since you were twelve. I remember him first asking you out in second year, and he had nowhere to take you except for a walk around the lake. This year has been hard, and he's been working longer since he lost his assistant when Junie went to teach at Hogwarts. Cut him some slack, Luv." Marlene hugged her friend.

"As for Remus and romance, they're simply different types of men. Remus reads poetry because he likes it, so yes, he recites it too. We knew they were different in school; Remus opened his books and studied them. James and Sirius never did."

"You're right. I'm sorry." Marlene hugged her friend again.

"Come on, let's go eat. Be easier on Junie and Sirius, I think this is going to last, and it is good for them both."

When they came back in, Remus raised his eyebrow at his wife, but she shook him off. It wasn't something he needed to concern himself with now. They'd talk about it later. Lily was volatile, always had been, probably always would be. Marlene was as calm as a placid lake, letting nearly everything wash over her and then doing what she could to make things better in the aftermath. It's one of the reasons Remus loved her so deeply; there were no recriminations with his wife, just patient care and support. She was even stellar at Healing Charms, a boon for someone who needed them monthly.

Marlene looked over to where Sirius sat, his arm casually draped over Junie's chair, gently stroking her shoulder. He was eating with one hand, but honestly, she didn't think his food was vital to him. Marlene was happy that he'd finally found someone who really could love all the parts of him. She knew it was easy to be lost in the good looks and charm, but beneath all that, there was a remarkable man. He was intelligent and surprisingly well-read on wizarding matters. He was also attentive and deeply concerned about those in his life. For years she was worried she alone knew what a marvellous catch he was. Junie really seemed to be what he needed.

Most people would think Junie was dull if you met her out or in a group. She could carry on a conversation with anyone, but she wasn't one to strike one up. The exception was their monthly jaunt to a night club in town so they could dance. Junie loved to dance.

Junie remembered things such as what child liked which book series or who was on their favourite Chocolate Frog card. She knew when something important was on the calendar, and always Fire-called and excelled at sending out cards for holidays and birthdays. After Marlene, Lily, or Dorothy had given birth, Junie made sure there were quick-to-heat meals stocked in the fridge, and she came over to clean or do laundry spells for the first month. If anyone was ill, she was the one to bring them soup or collect needed potions. When Marlene's father passed the day after a full moon, Junie sat with Remus and healed him so Marlene could go to her mother. Junie was the quiet, steady friend people relied on more than they knew.

For her part, Junie was keenly aware of Sirius' hand and the fact that he was brushing up and down the strap of her bra. He had to know it was different than her usual sports or utility bra. Even as she discussed with Dorothy about what flowers were most popular at the shop, she fought the urge to kiss Sirius.

Lily glanced at the newest couple and struggled not to complain, just because her husband wasn't touching her that way. She remembered when they first were matched – well, a few days after Lily cursed The Source for matching her with the one person she didn't like – and how they couldn't keep their hands off each other. She discovered how she enjoyed sleeping in James' arms, and they often charmed the curtains closed so she could stay overnight. They were the couple that the others had to beg to cut the displays of affection. They just couldn't be without the comforting touch of the other. She couldn't imagine how Sirius and Junie were handling things since they lived so far apart.

When dinner and pudding were done, the dishes charmed to wash, dry, and put themselves away, the four couples sat down in the lounge to finish their wine and just talk. Usually, the four guys and three women ended up in separate groups; tonight, however, Sirius sat down on the settee, bringing Junie with him. Remus followed his lead, sat in 'his' lounger, and had Marlene sit on his lap. Dorothy and Peter sat next to each other on the other settee, leaving James and Lily Marlene's comfortable wingback. James sat down, Lily sitting on the arm, her legs draped over her husband's lap. She was thrilled when James began to stroke her leg with his hand; it felt like it had been so long since he'd done so.

"Junie, I know you don't like to be put on the spot about such things," James began, "but Rosie isn't telling us anything about her plans post-Hogwarts. Do you know anything? I know it's not professional Quidditch, which Harry wouldn't tell us about until he was already hired. I'm just worried about my little girl."

"Well, I'm not her head of house, so technically, I don't know what her plans are. That said, we have talked about it at our weekly tea, and with her grades, nearly any career path is open to her. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say she's leaning toward history and research as her fields. She keeps discussing translations of ancient texts that she's working with in her Runes class. She's brilliant at it too," Junie answered. "But none of that is official, and I wouldn't ask her about it. She's liable to deny it."

"Why do you say that?" James asked, concerned.

"Because she's a nearly seventeen-year-old girl, worried about getting her name, and not wanting her parents, and I quote – interfering – 'in her life.' Give her space, James, and she'll talk with you. She's scheduled to have her conversation with Filius this month, which might give her a clearer idea of how to make her dreams happen. I know I didn't even think about being a liaison between the magical and Muggle legal worlds until I visited the Ministry at the beginning of my seventh year. I wasn't even sure I wanted a career in the magical world at that point."

"How could you not want to be in the magical world?" Peter scoffed somewhat rudely. Peter didn't have his friends' refined manners, which was something Junie was conscious of.

"My mother was Muggle; she worked as a teller at the local bank. Dad works for the Ministry in the Potions department, but as a pre-potion ingredients assistant. We lived in a Muggle house; I'd gone to Muggle primary school. The magical world hadn't treated me all that well, and I didn't know if I wanted to stay. When I learned I could positively bridge the two worlds, and I was smart enough to study legal matters, I was thrilled," Junie explained. "I've always been the most Muggle out of all of us."

"I am thrilled you studied what you did," James said. "You were top-notch in your briefings and handled things before they blew up."

"Your new assistant not quite settled into the job?" Junie asked.

"I'm on my second one since you left," he said. "The first one couldn't take the responsibility. This one was someone Harry knew at Hogwarts, a year ahead of him, and played on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, Muggle-born. I think his ultimate dream is to become an attorney himself, but he wants to earn some money to help pay his tuition."

"Sounds like he might be a better match for you."

"We will see. I'll get him trained, and with my luck, he'll kick off to Cambridge for the rest of his schooling. Good brain on him, which is why I know he won't stay. Apparently, going to Hogwarts was a financial stretch for his family, and he doesn't want to put them through the expense of the dual program at uni."

"That's strange," Sirius said, "Hogwarts shouldn't ever be a burden for a family, even if they are Muggle-born. That's what the tuition assistance fund is for." His arm was across Junie's shoulders, and she was leaning into his side. They were holding their other hands. Even when he released it to use his hand to emphasise a point, he quickly found hers again when done.

"Well, they must not have qualified," James said. Lily was gently playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. His hands were still languidly tracing the stitching on the outside of her jeans.

"All half-blood or Muggle-born students automatically qualify," Sirius said. "Even some pureblood families qualify, depending on their circumstances."

"Ginny's family all went on partial scholarships, based on how many of her brothers were there at any given time," Lily said. "Harry paid for her tuition last year because they were already bonded, and he somehow convinced Arthur she was his responsibility."

"How did he do that?" Remus asked.

"I don't put it past him to have put a Confundo on him," James said. "He took his responsibility to his Bond mate very seriously."

"Not everyone is born knowing who they're going to matched with, like those two and the matching marks over their hearts," Remus said. "But once that Bond is solidified, the need to care for your partner is strong." Sirius smiled at his friend. Yes, Remus could take the mickey out of him like James, but there was a stalwartness to Moony that made him the guy you turned to when you needed someone to listen.

Sirius was able to look happily at the closeness his friend shared with Marlene. Not that it was always like that; even into seventh year, it stung to watch them being so happy when he had once considered Marlene his. Now, though, he was pleased for the pair of them. They were so well matched and so joyful in their love; Sirius couldn't imagine them not being together.

Then he felt Junie snuggle into his side deeper and resisted the urge to sigh. He never had felt completed by someone, not even Amelia, who he'd come close to asking her to marry him. Something held him back, which is why he'd never shared it with anyone. Now, he was happy he'd not.

The conversation moved back and forth around the room, eventually turning to Quidditch stats, which the men knew by heart, and the women only cared about how the Wimbourne Wasps and the Holyhead Harpies were doing.

Marlene looked at her friends, now comfortably paired off, and felt contented. They were always happy as individuals to be together; now, their group's last was coupled up. As a beautiful bonus, with someone they already knew and loved. She wondered if the way the other couples were touching each other might have been inspired by the power of Sirius and Junie's bond. It wasn't unusual for her to share the chair with Remus, but James was attentive to Lily in a way she'd not seen recently. To her surprise, Peter and Dorothy held hands, which was about as public as their displays became. Marlene was sure it had everything to do with the softness to Sirius' eyes that had nothing to do with the glasses of wine he'd drunk and everything to do with the woman who looked at him with such tenderness it nearly brought Marlene to tears.

She felt Remus question her emotions through the Bond and sent him back a strong wave of love. Tonight, was a good night all around. When Sirius and Junie were the first to stand and prepare to leave, no one was surprised. What was surprising was Sirius offering to have everyone to his house in March. Junie piped up and said she'd cook if his house-elf would let her, and everyone agreed that it would be a nice change.