A/N I changed the ending of the last chapter, if you haven't seen it yet you may want to reread the ending. I moved some of the info into this chapter, it's not repeating itself.

Chapter 62

Home again, Home again.

Before they were ready, it was time to leave. Even James felt like he should be staying longer then he was. Only Remus was ready to go home, and that was only because he hadn't gone home for Christmas. Peter didn't seem to care either way, every time any of them mentioned it to him he just shrugged. It wasn't long into the ride that he convinced Sirius to help him with his homework so that he didn't have to do it on the way back to school in the fall. They each had developed their own way of getting him to talk to them when he was depressed, Peter's was asking for help, Remus would stand or sit by him and just keep silent eventually Sirius either got annoyed with the silence or decided he wanted to talk. James' way was the fastest, he'd make Sirius laugh, none of knew how James managed to do it, but he did and always got Sirius to talk. Remus and James' methods worked best when they were alone with Sirius, thus the reason Peter was using his.

The train ride was mostly quiet, they chatted a little but not much was said. It wasn't until they were nearly at the station that Remus found something to actually talk about.

"I can't believe Hufflepuff won the house championship." He complained. James sat up quickly.

"I know it's horrible. I mean we only were under by five points."

"Next year we have to make sure we win. It should be our personal mission." Sirius added managing to look away from the window that he'd been staring out of since Peter finished all the homework he was willing to do at the moment.

"I like that idea. That's what we'll do then." James nodded smiling. "Anyone object?" There was a moment of silence. "I'll take that as a no."

No one really had anything else to say after that, James was starting to get annoyed with the lack of communication.

"Hey Si, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did."

"You aren't as funny as you think you are you know." James rolled his eyes and Sirius smiled.

"What do you want?"

"How did you manage to get your school books? I didn't think your mom would take you to get them." Remus turned to Sirius as well now, he'd been wondering this for a while, but he hadn't thought to ask.

"She didn't. I swiped some money and snuck out."

"You can do that?"

"Sure, it's easy just make sure they're not around when using the floo powder." he shrugged and James laughed.

"The what powder?" Remus looked back and forth for a while while they just stared at him. James sighed.

"It's a transportation device, maybe I'll show you some time. Oh oh oh oh!" They all looked at him in surprise.

"What?"

"You should come over sometime and stay the night over the summer, you all should. That would be so cool!" James was nearly jumping up and down on his seat.

"I hate to say it but don't count on it, for me anyway. I can sneak out, but I can't stay out for very long. I can only sneak out long enough that she wouldn't know I was gone, she'd know if I did an overnighter."

"Aww" James looked like someone had just stolen his last acid pop.

"I probably can, depending on the date." Remus said, his parents would love the idea of him staying over at a friend's house.

"Or to be more specific the moon phase." James smirked.

"Shut up." Remus growled. "There are people in the halls you know."

"Oh come on, like the can even hear us. Let alone understand our conversation."

"I'm sure it's not that hard to hear over these thin walls."

"We can't hear them." Sirius told him, knowing that he doesn't have a way of knowing how well normal people hear.

"You can't?"

"Nope. Had no idea they were there till you said something."

"Oh."

They heard the whistle of the train go off.

"We're back." James said without much enthusiasm.

"I miss Hogwarts, but I also miss my mom. Those two are impossible to deal with at the same time."

"At least you have a reason to go home."

"And I count myself lucky for that."

"You better." Sirius said standing up and pulling his trunk from the storage compartment and then helping Remus with his.

They walked off the train together, determined to not split up until absolutely necessary.

"Mum!" Remus called loudly when he got a glimpse of her, and jogged over to her dodging the crowds of people. He gave his mum a hug and then did the same to his dad. Mr and Mrs Potter and Peter's parents were there as well and they all greeted each other. They talked, or most of them Sirius was still rather quiet, until people were finally starting to file out of the station.

"She came." Sirius said quietly. Remus followed his gaze.

Mrs. Black stood talking to her youngest son and his friends. Remus had seen Mrs. Black one time before, she was pretty as were all Blacks but you could tell it was only an outward appearance, maybe he was bias.

"Why she didn't come last year?" James asked not willing to look in the direction of his least favorite person on the planet. He hated her more than he hated Snape, and that was saying something.

"Regulus." Remus answered for Sirius. Sirius didn't really seem in the mood for talking.

"I think I'm going to go, before she sees me."

"Good Idea. See ya." James hugged him, Sirius wasn't real responsive. "I'll give you a date for meeting at Diagon Ally."

"Thanks." Sirius said and walked off. Thankfully she didn't seem to want to publicly humiliate him and just completely ignored him as they left.

"I hate her so much." James said quietly.

"At least we're going to Diagon Ally together."

"That's true."

"Just remember that when you get worried."

"I'll try."

"I know it's hard, James. Remember this, it will only last three months, and as soon as he's seventeen you don't have anything to worry about."

"That's true, that makes it a little easier."

"Good, I'm glad."

"I miss him already."

Their parents began to lead them out and they split ways with a hug. James followed his parents behind a magic wall that they could apparatus from behind so no muggles could see them.

James didn't eat dinner and went straight to bed he felt his mother's eyes following her.

Sirius didn't call him that night, or the night after. By the end of the third day he was laying on his bed staring at the mirror willing Sirius' face to appear on it.

It was another half a week before it did.

"SIRIUS WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" James yelled scaring his father half to death. He'd taken to carrying the mirror with him everywhere, even to the bathroom. He was at the dinner table now.

"Don't do that to an old man, James. I could have a..." James didn't hear him, he'd already ran out of the room.

"Sorry, mate, they locked me in the basement. I told her to buzz off. It was worth it."

"You look awful."

"Thanks. I figured you were probably worried so I didn't want to wait till after I cleaned up. I think she told Kreacher to never clean the basement ever again like fifty years ago."

"Gross."

"Ya, I think I have cobwebs in my hair. Do you mind if I take a bath? We can still talk."

"No, go ahead. Have they been feeding you and everything?"

"Ya, Kreacher has been bringing me food, not enough but whatever, that's normal here."

"Is there a way I can send you mail or something? Maybe I can send it in the cloak."

"Why we can talk like this?"

"I know, but Remus keeps sending me letters that are for you and I feel uncomfortable reading them."

"I don't mind."

"I still don't feel comfortable."

"I guess if you used the cloak they'd never know. I can't send you anything back though."

"That's okay, I can write the response back to Remus. I'll send them by tomorrow morning."

"Okay, thanks." Sirius said, James could hear running water on the other end.

"Is July third a good day for Diagon Ally?"

"No, they've got some kind of party. They're forcing me to come."

"You would think they wouldn't want you to come?"

"I'm not allowed to be in the house alone. They're worried I'll bring a muggleborn over or something."

"Oh that makes sense."

"Besides they know I'll behave. Trashing one of the ministries parties is not something that even I would do."

"Ministries parties? Dad never mentioned having one of them."

"Most people don't take their kids, that's probably why."

"He normally asks me if I want to go."

"It's not for another month."

"Oh okay that would be why."

"Ya."

"Right, I don't want to wait that long to see you anyway."

"Same here." James heard Sirius say. His face disappeared from the mirror and James set it on the counter to give him a little privacy.

"So when is a good time to plan it."

"Two hours from now."

"I don't think Remus and Peter would get the memo in time."

"Darn."

"What about the 15th?"

"I really don't want to wait that long. I've been in the basement for like a week I kinda want to get out."

"Um, it's been a week and a half, Si."

"Please, please tell me your kidding."

"Sorry."

"Eh, I feel like I just wasted half my life."

"What about this Saturday? Can you wait till then?"

"I suppose, as long as I have my window open at all hours of day and night I can make it."

"Now your just being dramatic."

"Just a little bit."

"Is it really that bad?"

"My water is like five hundred degrees and I'm still cold. It's cold, dark, wet, there are spiders, and other creatures that I don't even want to begin to identify. Yes it's that bad."

"I'm sorry man, I'll send you something to make you feel better, how bout that?"

"I'm fine, James. After a while it'll go away."

"You're not going to change my mind."

"Fine, just be careful okay. I'm kinda on think ice at the moment."

"Ya, I can tell. Try not to mouth her off too much. I'd like to still have my best friend when I get back to school."

"I'd like for you to still have your friend when you get back to school too."

"Best friend, Sirius." James corrected.

"Ya, sure." Sirius acknowledged but didn't seem to be entirely convinced.

"Am I your best friend?"

"No."

"What? Who is?"

"Remus. You're my brother."

"Oh, right. He I forgot."

"I'm rather insulted Jamie."

"If you keep calling me Jamie I may just bump you down to just plain friend status."

"Eh that's okay. I think Remus is more fun."

"That hurt." James did a mock cry.

"You started the threat." James stuck his tongue out towards the mirror, counting on the fact that Sirius couldn't see him.

"Keep it up and a phoenix may just poop on your tongue some day."

"How did you know!"

"I know you better then James Bond knows how to use a gun."

"Who's James Bond?"

"A spy in a muggle movie."

"What's a gun?"

"I don't know James, I just heard Remus say the phrase once. I thought it sounded cool."

"You really shouldn't say things that you don't understand just because someone else said it, Sirius. It could mean something bad."

"James, this is Remus we're talking about."

"Oh, right. Ya you've got nothing to worry about."

"Ya, that's what I thought."

"Sirius."

"What?"

"You know no matter what happens you'll always be my best friend. Right?" James said glad Sirius couldn't see him at the moment. He heard Sirius pause what he was doing and there was silence on the other side for a moment."

"Ya, James I know."

"Good. Don't forget it."

"I won't, I promise."

"Good." There was a pause for a moment.

"James."

"Ya?"

"Thank you."

"Anytime, Si. Anytime."

They both hung up and James laid on his bed a while before falling asleep.

Nothing could ever separate them. Not even some stupid witch hag.

Especially if this witch hag was Sirius' mother.