The next day, after James had gone to meet with Master Dumbledore, Lily called up Sirius poking her head thru the fire, "All clear," she told him.
She pulled her head out of the fire and stepped back. A few seconds later a body burst through. She laughed inside her head, once upon a time this seemed like such an odd way to talk and travel, but it was normal now. Grabbing his hand she pulled him back to the closet.
After finishing what they had to do they came out, smiles plastered to their faces. They both were immensely pleased with themselves.
"I can't believe we did it!" Lily cried, dancing around.
"Definitely an accomplishment," Sirius smiling proudly.
They took a few moments and then decided on a tea break. Sitting down at the table they sat opposite each other.
"Um, Sirius, last nite, James told me-" she started.
"I know, I'm sorry," he said interrupting. "He told me this morning, stopped by our place actually. Remus went with him though, he knew I had things to do."
"Yeah," Lily simply said, staring into her coffee.
"Hey, it'll be okay, they'll get everything set up and then we will do what needs to be done, and that's it. Easy as potions" he said snapping his fingers.
"Just a joke," he said seeing her withering look. "Oh come on."
Sirius gave her a comforting hug. At the moment James and Remus came through the fireplace and into the kitchen. James just gave them a strange look.
"What did Dumbledore say?" Lily asked walking over to her husband.
"They are almost ready. Just need to find a few more of the more unusual ingredients." James told them, still a little unsure of what he just walked in on. Coming up behind him was Peter. "Look who we found at the Court."
Lily greeted him and Remus as well and they all sat to finish her tea service. James told her and Sirius of what Dumbledore had said and his plan. The Potters were going to go into hiding. While there were still a few things that needed to be taken care of, most of it was done. The finale would happen when Sirius became their secret keeper. He had agreed whole-heartedly of course, but James was beginning to feel slightly uneasy about it. What was he saying? This was his best friend he thought. Since firstie together! James feed his insecurity a scone to quiet it.
"Well, tell us, P, how did that "business" meeting go?" Sirius inquired.
"Oh, it was, uh, successful?" he stuttered, almost unsure of himself.
"Was it now?"
"Sirius, mind your own business for a change," Remus told his roommate, sensing Peter's apprehension.
"You are just testy cause your cycle's coming on," Sirius stuck his tongue out on finishing.
"Don't worry, wolfie, I know what it's like" Lily assured Remus at his offense to Sirius comment. Picking up the empty cups, she went into the kitchen; Peter scooping up the rest of the dishes and trotting after her.
Remus took Sirius arm and pulled him to the side, leaving James all alone. James could hear bits of their conversation but wasn't really listening; apparently Remus was a little touchy on Sirius' abundance of lewd comments. James was once again left to his own thoughts. He was left to think about what he had walked in on. Once again he had found his wife and Sirius together. Although he trusted his best friends in the world he could not help but speculate at the past few weeks events.
"Deep thoughts for my fluffy-haired marauder?" Sirius said walking up behind James and patting him on the head, Remus still glaring at Sirius.
"Maybe," James growled, unaware of doing so, or simply not caring, "But how would you know?"
James walked off and left Sirius with wide eyes. Remus walked up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I won't say it," He simply said, "but sooner or later…"
They both walked into the kitchen to catch up with the others and found Lily cleaning the dishes. James and Peter were playing a game of Miny-Quiddy, a table with miniature quidditch players. Both had their wands out and were just starting to get warmed up, flicking and swishing as the stretched.
"Two on Two?" Remus asked.
"Like old times." James laughed.
Unlike old times, James went to Peter's side leaving Remus and Sirius on the same team. Sirius began to wonder if he had really insulted James; they had always been on the same team. Deciding not to analyze the situation, he simply played the game.
The game started out fair enough, but throughout the progression of the match things began to warm up. James had abandoned his usual station, with Peter only too happy to start as seeker, and seemed to find great delight in aiming the bludgers at Sirius' chasers. Consequent to James malice toward the Canis team chasers and Peter's delight at finally being seeker, was compel enough for them to win.
"After our blood where you?" Sirius asked James crossly, irritated at losing.
"Just a game, bud, just a game." James said, walking off to see where Lily and Harry had wandered.
Everyone seemed to end up in the Potter's family room, watching and playing with little Harry. Sirius, a little bitter over still having lost to his usual teammate, sat off to the side. Remus, walking by to go sit on the floor gave him a nudge as he walked by, also shooting him the get-over-it look.
James was having a wonderful time playing with Harry. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sirius stand up and walk toward them. Harry, seeing Sirius, began to sing his song. Hearing this, James' anger flared up again. He turned to hand Harry to Lily, and got up and went to pour a drink.
Sirius, noting James' departure, grew curious over his irregularly quiet demeanor. Leaving the rest to play with the kid, he approached James. He tapped him on the shoulder; James simply looking over his shoulder, seeing who it was, and turning his head right back around.
"Um, James, is there anything wrong?" He asked quietly and carefully.
"What could possibly be wrong, Sirius?" James, carefully drawing out his words. Sirius knew something must be wrong; James almost never called him by his given name, not unless things were serious.
"You seem out of sorts," Sirius began again.
"And what is my sort?"
Sirius paused. He realized that he had mistaken his friend's silence for a bad day.
"Well?" James persisted, trying to pick a fight.
"That floo fire char your cheeks on the way home?" Sirius snapped, glaring right back at James.
"Why don't you see if one gets you on your way home?" James spat.
"Tosser" Sirius said, disgusted with James. With that, he turned around and walked out of the house.
James suddenly noticed that everyone in the room had been watching their exchange. Instead of saying anything, he simply walked out of the room. There was an awkward moment left among Lily, Peter, and Remus. Remus, as usual felt an obligation to go after Sirius, making sure he didn't damage anything, including himself.
"I guess it's time that team canis went home, thanks, Lil, for everything." He said, kissing her on the cheek. "Later, Wormtail."
Before Remus left, he went to check on James and say goodbye. James was sitting in his normal chair in the study, brooding. Remus, unsure if James had even heard, turned and left to go find Sirius. It was so awkward when James and Sirius fought-not that it happened much, but when it did it was awful. Remus always felt like he was the levelheaded one of the group, always keeping James and Sirius from getting too carried away with their schemes and scams. In school, he was chosen as prefect, but back then he couldn't assert any control over his friends, since then he had learned to advise them and to talk to them instead of trying to be in charge of them.
Remus left the house and could see his friend off in the distance. Jogging to reach him, Remus was out of breath after catching up. Sirius was still walking very fast, Remus still had to jog to keep up with him.
"C'mon I'll buy you a beer," Remus told him. Sirius looked sideways at him, then slowed down, and followed him.
: Tear. A marauder fight! How sad. But kids, as always: Same Marauder time, same Marauder channel!
