Saturday 24th July 1976
Potter Manor, 18:45
James held his hands over his ears as the shrill noise would not stop. Where was that coming from? What was it for?
He was running down the stairs to ask just that when his dad overtook him on the stairs.
"Dad?"
"Someone's triggered the medallions," he was told before he disappeared down the hall.
James stopped cold. What? The medallions? The ones he had given his friends that got used if they were in trouble? That's what was happening?
Now James was running, trying to figure out where his dad had gone. Merlin, he was fast.
Seriously, the man just vanished. Where was he? Where was he?
"Ah ha!" James said to himself, noticing an open door.
What he saw next was definitely not what he had been expecting. James didn't know what he had been expecting but it wasn't his dad crouch over what looked to be a human body? What in the world-
"Dad?"
Fleamont looked up, a worried look on his face.
"Jimmy!"
"What's going on?" James took a step forward and the body's - person's - face came into view. "Sirius?"
It was Sirius! Except, he wasn't moving and he was covered in... was that blood?
"Sirius!"
"Shh, James, he's injured," Fleamont told him distractedly as he waved his wand over Sirius' body which was now glowing blue. "Euphemia!"
"I'm coming, Monty!"
Everyone was all go, go, go and seemed to know what they were doing. Unlike James. And James didn't like not knowing or feeling this lost. Sirius was his friend and he was lying unconscious on the floor with so many cuts on his face. His clothes were torn as well and was je even breathing? James felt a moment of panic before he saw Sirius' chest rise and then fall. Phew. He had never felt so relieved.
What had happened? Why was so injured? How did he get into this state? All these questions were swirling around James' head and the one he asked was -
"What is he doing here?"
What happened to his best friend to get him into this state? Was he attacked? Who would do that? His parents? Surely not?
"He triggered the medallion."
James snorted at his father's response. He knew that. That hadn't been what he'd meant.
"I mean in here?" He waved his hand around the room.
"The medallions bring people here," Fleamont said distractedly, frowning at the results of his diagnostic spells "broken arm as well?"
Ignoring the mention of an injury - he couldn't process it at the minute, James asked, "So that's what this room is for?"
Fleamont paused long enough to give him an odd look. "Yes, of course. Didn't I tell you that when I gave you the medallions?"
"No."
"Oh. I meant to."
Euphemia broke in at this moment to frantically say, "Excuse me! There is a teenager bleeding on the floor here!"
"Oh. Yes. That."
"Do something, Fleamont!"
Fleamont turned to his son with a much more serious look on his face this time.
"James, go to my lab and fetch all of the purple vials. And one of the pale blue ones."
What? No! James didn't want to leave Sirius.
"But-"
"You'll be helping more by doing this!"
"But-"
"Do as you're told, James!"
That snapped him out of his silliness and he went sprinting out of the room. Why was his dad's potions lab so far from the receiving rooms?
He all but burst into the lab and looked around him. Cupboard, cupboard, cupboard. There it was! The doors were flung open with a 'BANG', putting all of the vials on display.
With shaking hands, James grabbed all that was needed. The blood replenishing potions and the blood clotting one (the pale blue one dad had been talking about). He had never been so thankful that his dad kept all the important healing potions in very striking vials just for times like this. James didn't think he would have been able to read labels in the state he was in.
Speaking of healing potions, James also grabbed two tall, slim, red vials. Fever reducers. They didn't know what state Sirius' injuries were in and he might have an infection.
He couldn't return as quickly out of fear of dropping the vials but he did manage to get back. Dad snatched them off him and started dousing Sirius with them. The blood replenishers he spelled right into his stomach but the clotting one and the fever reducers had to be fed carefully to him. It was quite the to-do.
Did Sirius really need that much? It seemed to be an awful lot of potions and dad was using all of them.
"Is he going to be okay?"
Fleamont muttered another diagnostic spell over Sirius rather than answer him. It glowed a darker blue and he sighed in relief.
"He's on the mend," he said, running a hand over his sweating forehead.
James didn't think that he had been so relieved in his life. He hadn't wanted to admit it to himself but for a minute there he had thought that Sirius was going to... well, it was a good thing he was going to be okay.
"Well, starting to be on the mend," Fleamont corrected himself.
What was that supposed to mean? Was Sirius going to get better? Was he in danger? Nothing was making any sense!
Wednesday 28th July 1976
McKinnon Farm, 14:00
"There's no way you can turn around there," Ciaran denied, shaking his head.
"Just because you don't have the skills," Marlene mocked.
Ciaran gave her an indignant look. "Excuse me, you're the one who has the least skills here!"
Technically, that was true. Marlene had only been able to ride a tractor for about a year now and not even a full one because school got in the way. Ciaran, on the other hand had three years under his belt. Not that it mattered, Marlene was confident that she would be able to do this.
'This' being a sharp turn between an old shed and a very sturdy tree. The two of them had to bring these two tractors over to a neighbouring field for dad and Patrick and this turn would shave off a good amount of distance and let them cut through a field that was next to the one they needed. But it was a very sharp turn and just about wider enough but definitely doable in Marlene's mind.
"Yeah, so if I can do it, you can do it."
"You don't know if you can do it!"
"Of course, I can!"
Ciaran rolled his eyes.
"In fact, I bet I can do it better than you!"
And there were the magic words. Ciaran bristled at her and jumped back onto his tractor.
"As if. I'm not the one who's crashed into any trees."
"That was last year!" Marlene said indignantly. "And it was Teagan's fault!"
"Uh huh."
Oh, how she wished she had her wand on her to hit him with a jelly legs jinx. Then he'd be the one crashing. Though, it would be onto the ground and not into a tree.
"Well, just because you won't be able to do it doesn't mean I can't."
Aha! That was enough to get Ciaran's back up. Good.
"Excuse me!" he spluttered. "I can do it!"
"Even around the tight corner?" she mocked.
"Of course!"
"Prove it then!"
Of course, Marlene knew her brother - there was no way he was going to be able to not take a challenge like that. No way.
With a determined look on his face, he started the engine and leaned forward. He got moving and was just about to make the turn when it all came to a halt.
"What are you doing?" Marlene exclaimed. "Too chicken?"
Ciaran shook his head mutely and pointed. Marlene followed his finger and the gulped.
"Hi, mum!" she chirped in as innocent a tone as she could muster.
Which, in hindsight, made her sound more guilty. Oh well. Mum was never going to buy it anyway.
Mary McKinnon certainly wasn't. She was standing in the field, her arms crossed and a very unimpressed look on her face.
"Ah, ah!" Mary scolded them, hands on her hips. "No, you two aren't doing that!"
"Aw! Come on!" "We need to get this to dad!" they both complained.
"And you can do that round the proper way."
"But that's so far!"
"And he wants them as soon as possible!"
Their mum wasn't convinced by any of their arguments and was shaking her head firmly.
"You had plenty of time before you started faffing around. Now get."
"But this way will work!" Marlene tried to persuade her.
"And knock the shed over? I don't think so!"
"We won't knock the shed over."
But Mary was not convinced.
"Catch yourselves on. The tractor won't fit through that there gap otherwise."
"We measured it," Ciaran said helpfully. "It's just about wider than the tractors."
Oh, now he was confident about their fit, was he? But Marlene bit her lip, not wanting to persuade her mum otherwise.
"No."
Thursday 5th August 1976
Smith Sett, 08:00
"I suppose you're doing NEWTs then," mother said with a great sigh.
Her school supplies list had arrived. Something Alice, for the first time ever, had been kind of excited about. She had literally just chosen her NEWT subjects the other week.
"Yes," Alice agreed, feeling a fluttering in her chest.
She was actually... excited? No, that wasn't the right word... Eager. Yes, she was eager to stay on in school. She loved Hogwarts. She had never thought that it was an option so it had never been a thought she considered. It never even occurred to her. But now that it was happening...well, she was looking forward to it. Really looking forward to it. Oh, it was so exciting!
Her mother sniffed and returned to drinking her tea without saying anything. Didn't ask Alice what subjects she had chosen or whether or not she was looking forward to school. She hadn't said anything at all since the decision had been made.
Neither of her parents had said much. They hadn't even tried to "advise" her on which subjects she could take. That was all left up to her. It was a weird feeling and Alice wasn't sure if she had made the right choices but they had been her choices.
"I'm looking forward to sixth year," she ventured, hoping for some sort of response.
A disapproving "Hmm" was all she got.
Her shoulders slumped only for another disapproving noise come from her mother so she straightened up again. Honestly, she wasn't given any slack for even a second.
Guest Bedroom, Potter Manor, 09:00
James was currently perched at the foot of his bed. Or, rather, the foot of one of the many Potter's guest beds. It was a familiar view to him because he hadn't really been allowed out of this bed. Except, thankfully, to go to the toilet. His meals had been brought up and James always saved something of his own meal to eat so he wouldn't have to eat alone. Which was nice. And unnecessary but James always seemed to do little things like that.
Speaking of little things, James (instead of, say, a House Elf) had brought up their Hogwarts letters to open together. They had come today. Not that there was going to be anything exciting in them - their exam results hadn't even come yet.
"Here's yours," James said, handing Sirius' over to him. "And I have mine."
Sirius ripped his open and his suspicions were confirmed. It was just a list of all the subjects possible to take in sixth and seventh year and their corresponding textbooks.
"Not much to it," Sirius said, looking back up at James. "James?" he repeated when his friend didn't reply.
He was frowning at his own pieces of parchment. Wait. Pieces?
"Captain."
Sirius gave him a confused look. "Excuse me? James?"
James finally looked up at him with wide eyes. "I'm Quidditch Captain."
"No way!" Sirius longed forwards to grab the parchment off him.
Tried being the operative word because James prevented him. He was quite capable of it despite being a scrawny idiot because Sirius still felt completely worn out.
"You're not supposed to be moving too much!" James scolded.
"Let me see!"
With an eye roll, James shoved the parchment over. Sure enough, it said, "Mr Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have been made Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor House..."
"Well, where's your badge?" Sirius demanded.
"Right here," James produced it, lying flat in his palm.
It was bigger than Sirius thought it was.
"Cool." He breathed.
Sunday 8th August 1976
Park, Cokeworth, 15:30
Severus watched from the shadow of a tree as people took, they're after church, Sunday walks. Which was why he normally didn't come here on a Sunday - too many people.
But today was different. Well, for him it was no different than the rest of this summer. He had spent most of his time by the park no matter what in a vague attempt to try and talk to Lily. But she hadn't shown up. Not even to walk past it. Which was odd. Lily loved the park. Sure, she was too big for the play equipment now but she still liked walking through it because of the flowers and trees. But she hadn't been there. This was the perfect spot to see the whole park so he would have seen her. It wasn't like he had anywhere to go.
He had actually got an invitation to go to Avery's house this summer- the first he had ever got. But there was no accompanying feeling of glee or satisfaction upon receiving it. Even if it did mean he had finally proved himself to the other boy.
No satisfaction or glee because, well he wasn't going to go. He didn't want to anymore. It was no longer a symbol of how well he was integrating with people. Because, well, Lily was right. Severus had done a lot of thinking and introspection and more thinking. What had he been thinking? These were the wrong sort of people. And not people he wanted to be associated with, he saw that now.
What was their association worth? Some praise? Empty promises? Acquaintances? Nothing compared to friendship.
Too little too late.
It was actually surprising that he still got the invitation - considering that he had spent the last week or so of school avoiding absolutely everyone. He just couldn't face any of them. Didn't want to.
Severus knew he was being silly but he felt like if he even hung around them it would mean that he would use that word again and he didn't want that to happen. He never wanted that to happen again. And if that meant he had to avoid everyone who used it, then so be it. Even though that was basically the entirety of Slytherin House who were just starting to not look down on him...
He shook his head. No! He couldn't think like that. Wouldn't think like that. They weren't important. They weren't. His friendship with Lily was important. The most important.
Well, kt used to be the most important. And he still wanted it to be! Of course, he did. Severus just wasn't sure Lily wanted his friendship anymore.
Familiar, red hair came into view and he got excited. Only for his hopes to be dashed when he realised that it wasn't Lily. It was just Chryssie.
Severus sighed and kicked at the grass in front of them. He was starting to leave little scuff marks here, exposing the dirt underneath. Whoops. Oh well. Not like that mattered. Still, he looked around to make sure no one had seen him do it (people around here liked to give him the most disdainful of looks). Nope. There was no one about. Good.
He went back to tearing leaves of the bush in front of him. There was a whole bare stem now thanks to his efforts.
A shadow was cast over him, making him look up. Chryssie had actually made her way across the park and was now standing right in front of him. And that expression on her face was not on of happiness. No. It definitely was not.
"Hi, Chryssie," he tried to say not too sullenly.
She didn't say anything in reply, just looked at him with a displeased look on her face. Not am expression he was used to seeing, she was usually so cheerful. Severus shuffled nervously at her lack of response.
"Is Lily with you?" he tried, peering behind her but there was nowhere there.
The question seemed to have some effect on her as she stiffened. Severus didn't think her expression could get any colder but it did. Before he could say anything further Chryssie took two steps toward him and suddenly there was a sharp pain in his nose and he was seeing stars.
His nose! She had punched him right on the nose.
"I've wanted to do that all summer," Chryssie said in a satisfied voice.
"What?" He said thickly. She had caught a bit of his mouth as well and it was already swelling.
Her knuckles stung but Chryssie ignored it. It was easy because she was mad. No, make that furious. Furious at a one Severus Snape. Lily's supposed oldest friend. Yeah right. Friends don't do the things he did. Don't say the things he said either. How dare he. She felt like she was vibrating, that's how angry she still was. That one punch did nothing to abate it. She felt like she wanted to keeping hitting and hitting him.
She wrestled with her self-control for a moment before deciding that she wouldn't. Not right now anyway. It looked like Severus was coming out of his state of shock anyway and was realising that she was quite capable of going physical if the way he took a step back was anything to go by.
There wouldn't be the same surprise factor if she punched him again anyway.
"What was that for?" Severus spluttered, spitting blood from his mouth.
She put her hands on her hips. "What do you think, Severus Snape?"
Was he really that dense? Or did he not think that he deserved it? Both would be just stupid of him. Though, if it was the latter, she would have to punch him again. Simple as that. And she would enjoy it.
"I apologised!" he said.
Okay, she didn't know that but that didn't change anything in her opinion. Because what he'd done was just too horrendous. Words meant absolutely nothing when coming from some people. Chryssie never thought that Severus would be one of those people but he was. You couldn't just throw that word out like that and not expect it to have an impact!
"So?"
He gaped at her, not expecting that response. He looked stupid-looking. Senseless. Like he didn't know what to say. Which was good because she had plenty to say.
"Is that what you really think of us" she demanded, hands on her hips.
"What? No! Of course, not-"
"So, what? That awful word just slipped out?"
"Yes. No. Look, Chryssie, could you please tell Lily that-"
She held up a hand to stop him.
"Oh, no. I'm not doing anything. If she doesn't want to talk to you, she doesn't want to talk to you. I don't want to particularly want to talk to you either which is why I let my fist do the talking. Do you understand?"
He nodded rapidly at that. Though that might have been due to the fact that she still had her fist raised.
Chryssie gave him a long look before ultimately deciding that he was going to do as she said. Her fist lowered and Severus waited a moment before letting out a relieved sigh.
He opened his mouth but, yet again, Chryssie stopped him. She didn't want to hear his excuses.
"I'm going now and so are you. Of Lily wants to talk to you, she'll talk to you."
"How's she supposed to do that if I'm not here," he said sullenly.
Oh? He didn't like that idea? Too bad. But he did raise a good point. Mum and dad did not want them going into the estate Severus lived on. Too dodgy.
"She probably won't talk to you until Hogwarts anyway," Chryssie told him with a shrug which made him look at her in dismay. "But I suppose I can't stop you hanging around the park."
Thursday 12th August 1976
Evans House, 12:00
Lily adjusted the bags she was carrying. She was a bit unbalanced because the bottle of lemonade was in one of the bags with nothing in the other to match its weight. She and Chryssie were helping their mum with a bit of last-minute shopping.
"Poor Severus has a bruised face again," Rosemary tutted. "Poor dear."
Lily looked up and gasped as she could see the purple and blue colouring on his face from here. He was a way up the street! He hadn't had bruises on his face since they started Hogwarts. He always managed to avoid getting hit by the local gangs. Mostly anyway. Well, that's what he said but the Evans' had their doubts.
Oh, Lily knew her mother had reported the injuries she had seen on Severus but he had always vehemently denied that his father did anything to him. Claiming that they were always the result of fights with the local louts on his estate.
Which was possible. She had seen some of those boys, teenagers now. They were rough and crude and uncaring. She was pretty sure they had been in trouble with the law too.
"I hope he's not getting targeted by anyone," Lily said worriedly.
Yes, they might be currently in the middle of a falling out but that didn't mean that she didn't still care about him.
"Hmm," Rosemary said suspiciously.
"Oh, no one's targeting him," Chryssie said unconcernedly, making Lily and Rosemary stare at her.
"And how can you possibly know that?" their mum asked.
"Because I gave him that black eye."
She said it so calmly too! Lily gaped at her sister.
"His nose? You punched him on the nose?" Lily spluttered.
"Yep!" said Chryssie, looking far too pleased with herself.
"Chrysanthemum!"
Chryssie scowled at the use of her full name.
"He deserved it," she muttered, kicking at the pavement.
Sunday 15th August 1976
McKinnon Farm, 10:00
"There you are!" Mary said in exasperation as Marlene traipsed through the back door. "Take your boots off."
Marlene had been working in a particularly muddy field all morning, her and Patrick had been fixing a fence. The spell was simple but it could only fix a few feet at a time.
"What's up?" she asked her mum, she sounded impatient.
Marlene didn't get a reply, instead she got an envelope thrust in her face. A Hogwarts envelope. Her heart came to a stop. That could only mean one thing.
Ciaran came in and wiped his feet. "Oh, is that your NEWT results?"
She couldn't answer because now her heart was in her throat. He plucked it out of her hands and flipped it over.
"Looks like it. Want me to open it?"
That snapped her out of it.
"No!"
He lobbed it back at her, "Then you do it."
"I was going to!"
He didn't have to rush her!
Tierney chose that moment to enter the kitchen as well. What was this? An assembly or something?
"Oh? NEWT results?"
Marlene gave him the evil eye.
"Go on, open it," Mary urged.
"I'm doing it. I'm doing it," she grumbled.
Couldn't a girl anxiously look at an envelope in peace? That was a no. But, knowing that otherwise someone would snatch it off her and open it themselves.
With a 'rrrrip', the enveloped opened and she slid the parchment out. Her heart sped up. Ba-dum, Ba-dum.
"Well?" Mary asked expectantly.
"I passed!" Marlene said in amazement, gaping at her parchment. "I passed everything."
She got Acceptables in History of Magic and Divination; Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration, Charms, Healing and Potions and Outstandings (she had multiple Outstandings in Defence, Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology! She was shocked at the Healing grade actually; she was sure the practical exam hadn't gone too well after the incident with the bandages.
Anyway, she had failed nothing! Marlene waved the parchment in the air in glee. It was promptly snatched out of her hands to be passed around
"We have our fifth NEWT student," Tierney said proudly, ruffling her hair.
Marlene wasn't even annoyed by it; she couldn't stop smiling.
Monday 16th September 1976
12 Grimmauld Place, 09:00
Regulus couldn't help but nod approvingly as he read the newspaper. The Dark Lord had made his demands very clear. They were quite reasonable too but, of course, the incompetent Ministry didn't think so.
"Country's going to the dogs," Orion had grumbled as he had passed the newspaper over to him.
"They'll see sense eventually," Walburga soothed him.
"Hmpf."
Regulus agreed with her because surely the Ministry couldn't be stupid as well? It would stop all this attacks on the more outspoken members of the Ministry, after all. The so-called Light ones. They were just not thinking straight.
"Can I keep this?" Regulus asked, indicating to the newspaper, not sure if his parents had finished with it
"Of course," permission was given quickly.
Regulus happily folded it up and tucked it in his robes. That picture of the Dark Lord was quite striking, after all.
Thursday 19th September 1976
Evans Home, 18:30
Lily sighed happily as she basked in the evening sunlight. It was so lovely and warm. "Hint of thunder in the air," dad had said but he was a spoilsport.
"So, what do you want to do?" Chryssie asked her from her position on their garden swing.
Lily sighed and rolled over onto her back. That's all that they had been discussing since her NEWT results had come in. Her very impressive ones at that. Outstandings across the board except for Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration, History of Magic and Arithmancy. She knew she should have studied harder for that one. She was happy just to have passed Transfiguration after what happened so close to that exam but she wasn't going to think of that right now.
"I don't know," she admitted. "Something to do with Charms, maybe?"
But even then, she wasn't too sure. She liked her Spellcrafting and Potions too - those were two of her NEWT subjects after all. Three if you included Charms. She wasn't sure what else she wanted to do. Most did three or four. Aurors and Healers to-be had to take at least five so Lily wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to leave as many of her options open as possible.
"I'm glad I don't have to think of that right now," Chryssie said fervently.
"You will next year."
"But that's a year away."
Saturday 21st August 1976
Diagon Alley, 13:00
"Oh, I don't know about this Jimmy, can't you have picked a nice, safe career?" Mrs Potter said anxiously.
"You mean like Potion brewing?" James shot back with a raised eyebrow.
Sirius had to hold back a chuckle as the three of them, as one, turned to look at Mr Potter (who was getting inordinately excited at something in the Apothecary window) who was currently looking a bit singed around the edges.
"Well," she said and then shook her head. "I suppose not."
"I'll have you know that Brewing is a perfectly respectable career," Mr Potter said with his nose in the air.
James and Mrs Potter laughed while Sirius echoed them nervously - not sure if he was joking.
"Yes, because the regular explosions prove that," Mrs Potter teased.
"Ah, ah, ah, my dear, that just means something's working.
They all laughed again, though explosions weren't really something to laugh about, were they?
"It's something I really believe in, mum," James said earnestly, getting back on topic as they all calmed down.
Mrs Potter's eyes softened. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."
"Of course, you don't," James agreed. "You wouldn't be mum otherwise."
The two of them gave each other a hug and Sirius had to look away, he wasn't used to such displays of emotion and it made him feel uncomfortable.
Which meant that a lot of the Potter's interaction made him feel uncomfortable. Were they always like this? Sirius hadn't noticed before when he had stayed during the holidays.
"I guess it's Flourish and Blotts first then," Euphemia said, looking at their supplies list. "Easy enough. Two of everything."
Sirius wanted to be an Auror too. Sort of. He had just randomly picked a career that he knew would annoy his parents the most. Though, was there even a point to that anymore now that he was no longer living with them? Eh, he didn't have anything better to do. And this way he could irritate his parents from afar.
"Then the Quidditch Shop," James said decisively. "I have to be prepared, after all."
Wednesday 25th August 1976
Evans Home, 18:00
"Bye!" Lily waved as Marlene and one of her brothers (she wasn't sure if that was Patrick or Kevin) disapparated with a 'Crack' from the back garden.
"That's so useful," Gavin said wistfully as the two of them walked back inside, probably thinking of his work commute. "No traffic..."
Lily giggled at her dad and shook her head. "I'll be learning that this year, apparently."
That got him looking hopeful. "Does that mean you would be able to do what Marlene and her brother did? Together?"
She shook her head after a moment's thought.
"I don't think so. It's meant to be hard to learn and then you'd have to learn to do it with another person..."
Mum chose this moment to poke her head into the kitchen, "You can't just magically appear at work, Gavin."
"But think of the time saved, Rosie!"
"Think of people wondering how you did it," she retorted. "And Lily won't always be here. She'll be at school."
"Spoilsport," he huffed.
Monday 30th August 1976
Potter Manor, 09:00
"Boys, eat your food, don't play with it," Euphemia scolded them absentmindedly.
Sirius and James had been throwing orange peels at each other, trying to get it on each other's face. James tried to ignore the fact that Sirius gave her an anxious look before realising that nothing was going to happen. He had a lot of behaviours like that, James was starting to notice.
Obviously, his mum didn't say anything else and just returned to reading the newspaper.
"Looks like the Weasleys have another son," Euphemia announced from behind the Daily Prophet. "Percival Ignatius."
"What does that make? Three now?" Fleamont asked.
"Yes."
"Good for Arthur. He's sure to be pleased."
"I know Molly always wanted a big family."
"Big families sound cool," James said.
He'd ways wanted a sibling or two.
"Loud," Sirius supplied.
"But fun."
Always having someone to do something with would be so good. Having Sirius here pretty permanently (it seemed anyway) was kind of like having a brother, James thought. Almost a twin? Sirius was only a bit older than him. But yeah, having him around was great. Well, now kt was now that he was all recovered. James didn't think that Sirius had winced once this last week!
"Are you two all packed?" Fleamont asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Yes," Sirius said quickly.
James nodded also. "Nearly."
"That doesn't mean you're packed, Jimmy," Euphemia said in exasperation.