Sirius sat alone in the courtyard. It had been three days since the wedding, and also three long days since he had seen James. What could possibly be occupying James's time so completely? Surely he and Lily hadn't been shagging for three days straight? Weren't they sick of each other yet? It was a thought that came more from bitterness than reason, because Sirius knew that if he were given the chance the have sex with James, he probably wouldn't stop for at least three days straight either.

The sky above was a dull grey, and the courtyard was nearly deserted due to the impending bad weather. Even as Sirius sat miserably outside on a bench, a light rain started to fall. He considered going inside, following the witches and wizards who were fleeing into the castle. In the end, he decided it was too much effort, so he stayed outside and got wet.

He tipped his head back and groaned. "Why?"

"Well, aren't you a pathetic sight."

He hadn't heard Cait approach thanks to the rain that was now pounding against the cobblestones, but she stood over him like some sort of frightful spectre, one hand on her hip, the other holding a basket.

"Go away, Cait."

In answer, she sat down beside him on the wet other half of the bench.

"You look like a drowned cat," she told him.

"Go away!" he groaned again.

"Wallowing in misery really doesn't become a person."

"What do you want?" he snapped. "Are you just here to insult me?"

"Partly," she said, putting the basket down.

She began to rummage through her basket. To his surprise, she pulled out a flask and offered it to him.

"If you're trying to get me drunk, you should know that witches aren't my type."

It was a mark of how bad this week had been that he would admit that out loud, something he hadn't been brave enough to do even in 1978. It was rather stupid to say it, really, because an eighteenth-century witch certainly wouldn't take such an admission well, but he was feeling reckless. He waited, silently daring her to make some comment.

"Obviously," she said. "But if you don't want the drink-"

He was so surprised to hear such a nonchalant response to him coming out that it took a moment for the second sentence to register.

He snatched the flask out of her hand. "I didn't say that."

She smirked as he took a large swig. It tasted like pure alcohol, and he had to fight the urge to grimace.

"I hope you aren't planning to cause problems for Lily," Cait said. "She and James are really happy right now."

Sirius scowled at the castle wall. "Only because she's jumping his bones. I'm sure the honeymoon phase will end soon."

He realized too late that this may be modern slang Cait didn't know, but evidently she got the idea.

Cait grabbed the flask back. "You can have this back when you're less mean."

"It tastes like shit anyway."

Cait huffed out a breath. "Lily is a special person, and she deserves to be happy."

"A special person? What does that even mean?" Sirius said. "Sure, she has nice tits, apparently, but I don't see what else."

"You deserve a good slap across the face."

"Why not give me one? I've had plenty in my time. I can take it."

Cait didn't answer for a while, and so Sirius sat in silence, fuming. It took him a solid minute to realize she was drinking steadily from the flask. That seemed odd, to Sirius. What reason did she have to drink during the day?

"Who hit you?" she asked.

"What?"

"If you've 'had plenty,' who did it to you?"

"Mind your own business."

She waited patiently, taking another swig.

"My parents," Sirius said finally.

Cait glanced sideways at him. "I guess we have some things in common, then, Sirius Black."

Sirius frowned. "Seriously?"

"My parents were great advocates for muggles and muggleborns. They died defending them, and so everyone talks about them like they're heroes." She scoffed. "Their cause was noble. But they weren't heroes to me. Going to Hogwarts was the second best thing that had ever happened to me, because it meant I was out of reach for months at a time. The best thing was their deaths."

"Oh, geez. I'm sorry."

"Lily thinks I'm kind for giving her their wedding rings. But I was so glad to be rid of them."

She held up one bare hand, watching it with a stony expression, before taking another long drink.

Sirius was starting to be a bit freaked out. "Did something happen?"

Cait laughed bitterly. "Oh, yes."

"Um… that's too bad." Sirius was beginning to look for escape routes.

"Brian got engaged to a rich English witch. An orphaned healer wasn't a good enough match in Duncan's eyes, and so their wedding will be happening in December. So, you see, Sirius, we have another thing in common. We both had our hearts broken this week."

He thought she might have been crying, but it was hard to tell in the rain.

Sirius yanked the flask out of her hand. "I think you've had enough."

He took another drink. Dealing with a miserable Cait was not something he imagined he would do today.

"It's awful," Cait said. Her voice was small; she was definitely crying. "It's so awful."

Sirius still wasn't sure why she had sought him out. Was she expecting some words of comfort? Some advice on how to deal with heartbreak? If so, he had nothing to give her. Still, being miserable with someone else was slightly better than being miserable alone, and so Sirius sat with her for some time, shivering and drinking in the rain.

James waited in the doorway of Duncan Ferguson's study, listening to the steady scratching of his quill as Duncan finished the letter he was writing. Outside, rain pattered against the castle, mingling with the sound of the fire crackling in the fireplace. Even hovering at the door, James could feel the warmth radiating from the fireplace, making the room several degrees warmer than the cooler hallways. The overall effect was cosy, but it did little to calm James's nerves, especially as Duncan kept him waiting.

After what felt like an eternity, Duncan placed down his quill and looked up at James. His expression lacked its usual warmth; it was careful, guarded. Without his smile, he resembled his sons much more.

"Have a seat," he told James.

James sat in the heavy chair on the other side of his desk. He had been in this position often enough at Hogwarts to have the distinct sense that he was in trouble, even though James wasn't sure what he could have possibly done in this case.

"Um… Lily and I wanted to thank you for the wedding presents," James said. "Thank you for the money… and the room, and… well, the wedding, really…"

A glimmer of Duncan's usual good humour returned as his lips twitched, which comforted James slightly. Whatever had happened was serious enough to warrant a discussion, but not incarceration. That was a good sign, too.

"I know when you fled, you weren't able to bring much with you," Duncan said. "I'm happy to help."

"You didn't have to give us anything. You've already given us a home. I don't know how we can ever repay you."

Duncan turned serious once again. "Perhaps you can." He sighed heavily. "I wrote to your relatives in England to invite them to the wedding, you know."

James felt the blood drain from his face. "I'm guessing they declined." He forced a laugh.

"The Potters not only declined, they also claimed they had no son named James."

James searched for an answer, but his mind had gone disturbingly and completely blank.

"And they claimed that if they did, and he chose to marry a muggleborn, they would not want him as a son any longer. And these, the same people that taught Lily about magic!"

James could feel himself breaking into a cold sweat. If Duncan now thought him a liar, what would he do to them? Would he think James was a traitor and execute him?

Duncan patted one of James's hands, which was gripping the edge of the desk.

"I know it must be difficult news to hear," he said gently. "Your own family pretending you don't exist because of whom you choose to love: it's a terrible fate."

Once his words registered, James nodded, relieved. "They always had some sympathy for Lily, but I don't think they wanted me to marry her."

"I'm sure they'll come around, even if it isn't the life they wanted for you," Duncan said. "A parent only wants what's best for their child, of course, and so even their cruelty must come from a place of love. You've chosen a difficult life, James. Things won't be easy for the two of you. I fear Severus Prince won't take being thwarted by you well; while he has power, you and Lily will always have to live in fear."

He leaned forward, gaze suddenly intense. "Which is why we need to stop him."

James felt a surge of excitement. "You're planning something?"

"You've earned my trust, James," Duncan said. "Breaking into Hogwarts to save a muggleborn, the veritaserum… all of it has just proven to me that you and Lily are on our side. We've been resisting the English, but I'm hoping to fight them more openly in the future. Can I count on your help?"

"Yes. Yes, absolutely," he rushed to say. "How can we help?"

"To fight, we need funds, and we need support. Write to your relatives and ask for funds. Your education was different than my children's. I would like you to duel each other occasionally, to learn from each other. And when the time comes, I will ask you and Lily to fight."

"And Sirius."

Duncan's expression became guarded. "You trust him?"

"With my life."

"Then, yes, Sirius should join us, too." Duncan hesitated. "I may also ask more of you."

"Yes?"

"There are few people I trust in this castle," Duncan said. "If I have to send someone around the country to gather support and funds, I may ask it of you, although it would be dangerous."

"Lily, Sirius, and I are willing to do anything for this cause," James said.

Duncan nodded his approval. "I'll keep that in mind."

James felt light after leaving Duncan's study. With little effort on his own part, he had somehow become part of this rebellion, which brought him one step closer to changing the future. He couldn't wait to tell Lily.

He was also one step closer to being able to return home, but to his surprise, he found the thought of returning home filled him with mixed feelings. The 1740s was a dangerous time, and he hated many thing about being here. But Lily was his wife here, and he hadn't forgotten their agreement. What if they returned to 1978 and Lily decided she didn't want to stay married? Now that he really thought about it, he thought that if that Malfoy witch never answered with information about the stones, James could be quite happy.

When he reached the infirmary, the door was open. Lily's back was to him as she stirred a potion, and her hair was up, as it always was when she made potions. He crept up behind her and put his hands on her waist, causing her to shriek and whirl around, her wand pointed in his face. He held up his hands, laughing.

"James!"

"Sorry, sorry," he said.

He leaned in to kiss her, and clearly she wasn't too angry, because she kissed him back enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around him.

Someone cleared their throat, and James and Lily sprang apart.

Lily's eyes widened. "Cait… what happened?!"

James could only stare as well. Cait was blue-lipped and shivering, her arms hugging herself. Not only that, but James thought she was the picture of misery.

"Oh, nothing," she said. "I got caught in the rain, that's all. I was checking on that wizard with the sniffles…"

She sniffed.

"I'll get you some pepperup potion," Lily said. "I just made some."

"Thanks, Lily."

James grabbed a blanket off the bed to wrap around Cait's shoulders, then guided her to a chair.

"Was he all better?" Lily asked. "The wizard with the sniffles, I mean."

"I don't think it's the sniffles, Lily. Your pepperup potion did nothing for him. He was even more ill today."

James froze. "What do you think it is? What's wrong with him?"

"Not sure, entirely," Cait said tiredly. "Today he has some spots. Looks faintly green. It doesn't look good."

James felt sick, and Lily was watching him with concern. She could also guess what it was, then.

Cait looked between him and Lily. "You two know what it is?"

"It sounds like dragon pox," James said hollowly.

Lily grabbed his hand, and he held on tightly, finding comfort in her touch. Cait had gone a few shades paler.

"Oh, that's bad…" Cait breathed. "I need to tell Duncan."

James took in the sight of her shivering in the chair. "I'll go. You just rest here and get warm."

Reluctantly, he let go of Lily's hand, and shakily made his way to the door. Once out of the room, he felt his breaths start to come more rapidly. He buried his face in his hands. How was it he had gone back two hundred and fifty years, and he still couldn't escape the ghosts of his parents? And if dragon pox was nearby, that meant it could come here.

"James… James…"

Someone pulled his hands away from his face, and he looked down at Lily's beautiful face, the crease between her eyebrows back as she looked at him with concern.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping…"

"I gave her the potion, and she's just lying down. She'll be fine for a few minutes; I wasn't sure you would be."

He realized he was shaking.

"Lily…" he said. He had to pause and catch his breath before he continued. "What if I die like my parents? Or worse, what if you catch it? Or Sirius? If you die, what will I have left?"

"You can't think like that," Lily said. "It's not at the castle yet."

"But it will be."

Lily cupped his jaw. "We'll get through it. I promise."

He knew she couldn't really promise something like that, but he found it comforting nonetheless.

"Lily," Cait called from the room.

"Will you be okay?" Lily asked him.

"I think so."

"Hurry back."

She kissed him on his cheek. As he watched her go back into the infirmary, James touched where her lips had brushed against his skin. The touch gave him courage, and he walked back towards Duncan's study to deliver the bad news.