Welcome back everyone.

Big thanks for all the reviews. You're all amazing.

So, here's a much anticipated chapter. Ours heroes at a restaurant that a certain group of mischief makers are headed to. What will happen?

Tune in to find out!

If Someone Cared Enough

Chapter 117: Tables Away

"James," Remus began, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice, "Are you sure you wouldn't want to get lunch at a different restaurant? This one seems a tad too…stuffy. Uptight, you know?"

James snorted, waving him off, "Nah. This place is fine. It may not look it, but this swanky place serves some of the best comfort food around."

"And that's what this guy here needs," he added, swinging an arm over Sirius's shoulder, "Comfort. The kind of stuff mums make."

"My mum never cooked," Sirius mumbled, toeing a pebble with his shoe, "Said it was improper for a noble lady to toil over a hot stove."

James gave Sirius's shoulder a little squeeze, "Well you've had my mum's cooking. And Remus's mum has cooked for you. Lots of love in those dishes, right?"

Silently, Sirius nodded.

"Well that's the sort of thing you'll find here," James declared, pointing to the Golden Bridle. He ushered his friends towards the entrance, "Let's go."

Remus and Peter exchanged worried looks.

"Maybe we can convince James to ask for seating in the bistro," Peter whispered, "Less chance of him seeing them."

Remus nodded, hopeful they could accomplish just that. While Remus knew James was sincere in his 'be nice to Snape' plan since he was convinced it would get him closer to Lily, there was no way of knowing how James would react to the evidence that Severus was more than just her best friend at this point. He might switch back to hostility if he saw Severus as a rival for her affections.

Remus waited until James had given his name to the maître dto speak, "Hey James, don't you think some fresh air would be great for Sirius? We could eat out on the bistro, get some of that nice summer sun."

James seemed to consider this, tapping his chin, "Hey yeah. That's a great idea."

He grinned at Sirius, "Wouldn't it be fun to drive those old uptight biddies batty with our uncouthness?"

Sirius managed a small smile, a shadow of the smirk and swagger for which he was known, "Yeah…I guess that could be fun."

"Make 'em clutch their pearls and faint," James said deviously, "When we break out the beer and toast the town."

He turned to the goblin at the podium, "Four for the bistro, if you would, sir."

Remus and Peter breathed a sigh of relief as their group trotted out to the outdoor seating area. Crisis evaded.

Picking a table tucked into a corner, James caught the waiter before he left, "A round of beers, please. Two lagers, two pale ales."

"Actually, could you make one of those ales a gin and tonic instead?" Peter requested politely, "With a wedge of lime, please."

James snickered as the waiter left to get their drinks, "Traitor."

Peter shrugged, unbothered by his friend's jab, "I'm not big into beer, sue me."

"It is definitely an acquired taste," Remus noted, "Like coffee."

Peter wrinkled his nose, "I like that stuff even less."

James leaned his head into his palm, ignoring one woman's scoff of distaste at seeing his elbows on the table, "I'm honestly surprised you aren't into harder liquors. Word has it, your girlfriend can drink most men under the table."

Peter laughed, grinning fondly at the mention of Marlene, "It's the Irish in her. She says she's been trouncing her grandpa at drinking games since she was thirteen."

That even drew a chuckle from Sirius, glum as he was, "Drinks and talks like a sailor; there's a woman to bring home to mum."

"Hush," Peter swatted Sirius's arm, "My mum loves her; thinks she's good for my self-esteem."

James guffawed, "Well yeah. She's one of the prettiest girls in school. I think anyone would feel confident with her on their arm."

"She's also smart and athletic," Remus added, "Real headstrong too. Sort of makes me wonder why you never showed interest in her, Prongs."

James rolled his eyes, "Well obviously because she's no Lily Evans—no offense, Peter. She's a gem, really." Peter inclined his head, "None taken. Makes me feel better that you don't have your sights set on her."

Sirius snorted, "Lily could break out in hives and Prongs would still think the sun shined out of her ass."

James playfully shoved Sirius, "Come off it, I can't help it that she's so amazing."

Remus rolled his eyes as their drinks were set down on the table. He gave the waiter a nod of thanks, "Anyway, how's about we peruse the menus and pick something already?"

{page break}

"Isn't this great?" Lily asked, positively beaming. Her eyes flitted about the room, taking in the elaborate and fancy décor, the intricate detail of gold plated molding and the mural of unicorns amongst wispy clouds painted on the ceiling, "I feel like a celebrity."

Severus chuckled good naturedly, amused by Lily's enthusiasm, "Glad this is everything you ever dreamed it to be."

Lily smiled, "It is. I feel so mature. Wine, five star cuisine, music; not a speck of confetti or heart shaped doilies anywhere! This is an adult date."

"Still haunted by that horrid date at Puddifoots?" Severus asked teasingly.

Lily nodded, groaning exaggeratedly, "Be glad you weren't the one I took. It would have ruined any chance of something between us; every time I thought of you, I would have thought of that awful place."

Severus snickered, "That poor soul you went with. Perhaps he would have stood a chance if that café hadn't been seared into your memories."

"I still see it when I close my eyes," Lily groaned, "Pink…everywhere was pink."

Severus stifled a laugh as their server approached, holding a bottle of wine.

"The Moscato you requested," she said, placing the bottle carefully on the table. Uncorking it with a flourish, she presented it to Lily.

Without needing to be asked, Lily lightly sniffed the cork.

"Very nice," she complimented, turning the cork over in her hands, examining the brand print on it, "Santero, a lovely aroma."

"Thank you, Miss," the server said, taking back the cork and pouring Severus and Lily a glass, "Shall I leave the bottle at your table?"

Lily nodded, "Yes, for now, please."

The server bowed once before leaving.

Severus looked at Lily, raising a brow, "May I ask what that whole cork thing was about?"

Lily laughed, "Slughorn taught me. You check the cork's branding to ensure you are getting the real deal and not a knock off. It's easy to slap a fake label on a bottle, more difficult to replicate a brand."

Severus nodded along; that sounded reasonable enough, "And the sniffing?"

"To check for cork taint, of course," Lily said matter of factly.

"The what?" Severus asked, baffled.

Lily picked up her glass, lightly swirling it's contents, "The taint. It has something to do with how some natural corks are sealed. A contaminate or something. Gives the wine a taste of a damp basement from what Slughorn told me."

Severus cocked his head, "So then why not test the wine?"

"Because it's more concentrated in the cork," Lily said simply, "The wine might not be as obvious until a glass or two in. Smelling the corks the best way to tell. You want to get your money's worth."

"I see," Severus said, picking up his glass, "So…our first legal glass of wine..."

Lily grinned, lightly clicking her glass to his, "Cheers."

They both too a careful sip, Lily more adventurous than with hers than Severus.

Lily gasped, wrinkling her nose, "It's dryer than I expected."

Severus smacked his lips, frowning in thought, "And it's supposed to be one of the less dry ones. I can only imagine what a Merlot would taste like."

Lily took another sip, wincing less, but a shiver still ran through her, "It's not so bad after the second taste."

"You're right. It grows on you rather quick," Severus agreed, "Once you get past the bite of it. I think it's the subtle sweetness that makes it work."

"I feel like such a grown up right now," Lily announced with a grin, "This is a better drinking experience than my birthday; Mary talked me into trying some whiskey Marlene sneaked in from the Hog's Head. Merlin that stuff was awful!"

Severus hummed, "It was my father's drink of choice. That said all I need to know about it; never wished to try it."

"Then count yourself lucky," Lily said, "I swear I could feel steam coming out of my ears. And it roils in your stomach something awful. How do people stand it?"

Severus shrugged, "Must be something you have to get used to, I guess."

Lily shook her head, "Well you won't find me trying to like it any time soon."

"Now," she said, picking up her menu, "How about an appetizer?"

{page break}

"That," James said, dabbing his lips, "Was fantastic. Are you sure you don't want any Scotch Woodcock, Moony?"

Remus grimaced, sticking out his tongue, "Can't say I have any fondness for anchovy paste. I think I'll stick with the steak tartare."

Sirius swiped a scoop of the tartare off Remus's plate, "Must be the canine in you."

"You're one to talk," Remus snorted as Sirius gobbled down his pilfered helping.

James scoffed at his friends, "None of you know what's good. Civilized people eating their food cooked."

Peter raised a brow, "I've seen you eat bark right off a tree."

James flushed, "That was as Prongs…your tastes change when you're transformed."

Peter remained unimpressed, "And yet I can resist the temptation to eat crumbs as Wormtail."

Sirius chuckled at the scowl on James face.

Hearing Sirius laugh made James perk up a bit.

"There we go," he encouraged, slapping his friend on the back, "It's good to see that smile again. Feeling better, are we?"

Sirius's smile became a tad muted, but he nodded, "I guess getting out did me some good."

James beamed, "Told you so. Being cooped up all day is bad for your health. Best to go out and find something to be glad about, as my dad always says."

"And it's better to seek friends rather than isolation during hard times," Remus added, taking Sirius's hand.

"He's right," Peter agreed, "We're all here for you, Sirius."

Sirius glanced around the table taking in his companions' warm, concerned faces. He felt bad to admit it, even to himself, but he hadn't expected such an outpouring of support over his grief. They had never liked his brother, their disdain for anything Slytherin being just as strong as his own, especially James. If anything, he expected them to tell him to get over it—though not unkindly—and try and make him see the bright side, that it was one less potential Death Eater to worry about.

Seeing them all be so understanding, so willing to hold their tongues just to let him grieve, it really meant a lot to him.

"Guys, be honest with me," he asked finally, "Was I too hard on Reg? I mean he's was only a kid when he got to Hogwarts; it wasn't like he was a Death Eater yet simply because mum filled his head with rubbish. But I was…pretty cold to him."

The others exchanged unsure glances.

"I mean…" Remus started, "It wasn't like you weren't encouraged to do it. The houses had a long-standing rivalry long before any of us got to school. You were sort of expected to hate anything Slytherin."

"Yeah and you're parents were horrid," James tacked on, "It must have been annoying as hell to have your brother parroting at you all the bullshit they told him."

A woman at a nearby table gasped at his language, prompting James to make a face at her.

Peter gave Sirius an understanding look, "No one here doubts that you cared about your brother, if that's what you're asking. We could always see how down you were whenever Regulus followed people like Wilkes and Rosier around."

"Yeah, but did Reg know I cared?" Sirius asked morosely, "I can't remember a single kind word between us since he was sorted."

He looked at Remus, "You told me that Serapeum once said that we only pushed Snape further towards You-Know-Who by bullying him. Do you think my actions towards my brother helped put him down that path?"

"No!" Remus blurted out, aghast, "Sirius, what you did to Severus was far worse than any prank or rude word you ever gave your brother. You hated Severus; anyone could see that."

He squeezed Sirius's hand, "But you went easy on Reg. Hell, even your insults were tame. I think Regulus's choice to follow You-Know-Who stems more from being unable to escape your mother's influence the way you did."

Sirius slumped, "Right. I got out. But Reg…I abandoned him."

"That's not what I was saying at all," Remus stammered helplessly. He turned to his friends, at a lost as what to do.

"Hey, Pads," James said with false cheer, opening a menu, "We're here to celebrate Reg's memory, right? Why don't you order his favorite food. We'll eat it, no matter what it is."

{page break}

Lily bit into her last piece of fried brie with a sigh of satisfaction.

"How have I never tried brie before?" she asked aloud as the server took their hors d'oeuvre plates away, "And with raspberry sauce? It's incredible!"

Severus wiped his mouth, smirking behind his napkin.

"Someone's enjoy the fancy side of things," he observed.

Lily hummed, "It's starting to grow on me. I feel like a princess right now."

"You do realize we're currently living in a mansion, right?" Severus pointed out, "We're waited on by house elves and eat pretty refined dishes already. I fail to see how this feels any different."

Lily waved him off, "Yeah, but house elves are sweet little people who don't get a choice in serving you. It makes me feel more like an evil queen than the kind princess. Here, these people are paid to treat you like royalty; not obligated to."

Severus shrugged, conceding to her point, "I suppose it is a little awkward how often the elves are asking to do something for us. I offered to put my own clothes away last week and one of them cried because they wanted to do it."

"They're all so sweet," Lily cooed, hand in her palm as she stared at Severus, "Promise me if we ever have one, we'll always make sure they know how much we appreciate them."

Severus took her hand, "I promise. Though I'm sure if I end up inheriting Prince Manor we'll have far more than one. I don't think I'd be able to bring myself to free them; they'd be heartbroken."

Lily sighed, "Yeah, I wouldn't want to upset any of them."

She tilted her head to the side, watching Severus as he sipped his wine.

"Lord Severus Snape," Lily mused, "Not sure I could picture you walking around all stuffy and pompous like James. And you're hardly the type to go to galas and other things purebloods do."

Severus snorted, "Brown nosing with the rich; I'd sooner swallow my own tongue than throw away my dignity like that."

"Still," Lily said, an impish grin decorating her lips, "I wouldn't mind being Lady Snape."

Severus successfully managing not to choke on his wine.

"Just picture it," Lily went on, hands out framing her vision, "The Winter Solstice Gala. Everyone who's anyone is there. They're talking, making merry when suddenly—who's that on the stairs? The dark, mysterious Lord Snape and his beautiful wife on his arm. The envy of all for their sharp intellect and intriguing minds, his mesmerizing stare and her enchanting laugh capturing the attention of men and women alike."

"But all those who want them cannot have them," Lily went on dramatically to Severus stifled laughter, "For they are beholden only to each other, an all-consuming fire of passion and devotion burning for one another. They alone hold each other's hearts."

Severus coughed to mask a laugh, "You do paint quite the picture. Perhaps you should be a romance novelist."

Lily scoffed, "Pfft, as if I could ever produce the smut Petunia reads in those books of hers."

"Although," she added thoughtfully, waggling her eyebrows, "If I wrote about our exploits…"

"You are not writing about my ass in your book," Severus deadpanned, making Lily giggle as the server returned to take their entrée orders.

{page break}

James patted his stomach.

"That was surprisingly delicious," he conceded, putting down his fork, "What is this dish called again?"

"Htapothi sti Skhara," Sirius said, slightly butchering the pronunciation.

James burped into his hand, "Who knew octopus tasted good grilled."

Remus swallowed his last bite and chuckled, "Who knew octopus could taste good at all."

The others laughed, their boisterousness drawing the disapproval of the more uptight diners around them.

Peter took a long sip of his drink, "So that was Regulus's favorite dish, Sirius?"

Sirius nodded, "Yeah, he tried it once while we were visiting an old aunt out in Greece. He was hooked after that, always had Kreacher make it for him."

Sirius looked down into glass of stout contemplatively.

"I always thought it felt like chewing rubber bands," he confessed, "But I guess that's because Kreacher couldn't cook it right. This place seems to know how it's supposed to be done."

James patted his back, "Well I for one can't think of a better way to make a tribute to Reg; eating his favorite food, prepared the right way." He clicked his glass to Sirius's, and then took a hearty gulp.

"I'm not even invited to his funeral," Sirius mumbled quietly.

James nearly spit out his drink, barely restraining himself from coating Remus and Peter in backwashed beer. Not that his friends would have noticed as they stared shocked at Sirius.

Remus was the first to speak, "Are…are you sure?"

"Positive," Sirius replied glumly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled letter.

"This came two days ago," he explained, "From the family barrister."

Remus took the letter, gingerly unfolding it.

"Disowned parties…" he muttered aloud, reading through the letter, "Hereby excluded…banned from premises…trespassing—this is bullshit!"

James and Peter exchanged a look at Remus's choice of language. Around them, others scowled at Remus's profanity.

Remus smacked the letter with a hand, "They can't bar you from attending his funeral; you're his brother regardless of being disowned. You are blood related, for Merlin's sake. Being cut off from your inheritance doesn't make you any less related to him."

"And threatening to charge you for trespassing," Remus growled, crumpling the letter in his fist, "Of all the absurd ideas. That woman is evil incarnate; her youngest son is dead and she's still trying to find ways to lord things over you."

Remus glared at the balled up letter as if to ignite it into flames with the heat of his gaze, "Talk about callous."

Peter leaned across the table to place his hand over Sirius's.

"I'm sorry you're folks are being like this, Padfoot," he said sadly, "You shouldn't be treated this way."

Sirius shrugged, "It's not like I'm surprised. Mum always hated me; this is just one more way to make sure I don't forget how much."

James drummed his fingers on the table ponderingly.

"Hey Pads…Reg's is declared dead but he's missing, right?" he asked.

Remus shot James a scolding look which prompted the messy haired boy to raise his hands abating.

Sirius nodded, "Yeah…they never found him. We wouldn't have even known he died if it weren't for the tapestry."

"So then there's no…casket for the ceremony your folks are having," James stated.

"Hear me out," he added at Remus glare for his morbidity, "What your mum is doing is all for show; not even she can properly lay him to rest. So there is no one there for you to go and pay respects to."

Sirius tilted his head, mulling it over, "I guess that's true."

"So why not have your own service?" James suggested, "One that's personal; not a show for the papers. A service about who Reg was to you, not who he was as the heir to a noble family."

James picked up his glass and eyed his friend over the rim, "We could have a headstone made…place it in the Potter family crypt. It's not like anyone else would know about it. Besides…it's where you will be buried someday as an honorary Potter."

Sirius stared at James in amazement, "Really?"

James nodded, "Say the word and we'll do it."

To say Remus was stunned at his friend's level of thoughtfulness would be an understatement.

"James…that's…" Remus floundered for the right words, "Incredible…sweet of you."

James shrugged, "Sirius already has a spot saved for him in the crypt; not that much trouble to add his brother's name to it."

Sirius eyed James carefully, "My names reserved in your crypt? That's…creepy."

"I prefer to think of it was practical," James said casually, "You're my brother in all but blood, of course you'll be buried beside me."

He looked at the others, "I've got space for you guys too, you know. Be a shame to break up the Marauders."

Remus narrowed his eyes at James, "I'm not sure if I should be touched or worried you're planning my murder."

"This is going to be like the ancient Egyptians and their cats, right?" Peter asked warily, "Like how when they die, they have their pets killed and mummified to join them in the death?"

"Someone check James's will," Remus warned, "For possible mummification clauses if he dies before us."

They all stared at each other for a moment, eyes darting suspiciously around at each other.

It was Peter who broke first. It started with a twitch at the corner of his mouth, the pursing of his lips to fight off the smile. A snort escaped him.

Remus broke next, a smile breaking out across his face despite his attempts to fight it, forcing him to cover his mouth with his hands.

Sirius made no attempts to hold back, bursting out in raucous laughter, James quickly following. Soon they were all howling with laughter, much to the displeasure of other patrons.

"Okay," James wheezed, trying to calm down, "Okay…I promise not to have you guys murders and buried with me if I kick the bucket first. Does that put your fears to rest, Moony."

Remus dabbed at his eyes, still chuckling breathlessly, "I suppose your word is trustworthy enough."

"Great," James said, leaning back in his chair, "Glad that's settled."

He turned back to Sirius, "So what do you say, Pads. Want me to make arrangements for your brother's service?"

Sirius nodded, eyes swimming with emotion, truly touched, "I-I would like that."

"Then its settled," James declared, clapping his hands, "I'll tell dad straight away when we get home. Now who's up for some desser—"

James froze midsentence, hands stilling over the dessert menu.

Remus frowned, "James?"

James didn't answer, his eyes transfixed on something through the window into the restaurant.

"Is that…" he began hesitantly. He leaned forward in his seat, squinting.

"Is that Lily?"

I know you guys were anticipating a confrontation this chapter...so I deliberately dragged things out because I am evil. Bwahaha.

Wanted to have some depth added to the Marauders friendship and the relationship between Sirius and his brother. Sirius never truly opened up to his friends about how the distance between him and Regulus hurt him. He twists this sadness into a hatred of all things Slytherin to push that hurt aside.

Review please :)