Chapter Two:
"Little one!" James Potter shouted, pulling Andromeda into a crushing hug. "It's been awhile."
"Not long enough," Andromeda coughed, pulling out of his overbearing grip. People around the room laughed good-heartedly. She stood in the doorway taking in her surroundings. The room wasn't in the best of shape, with obvious signs of magical repair in places. But still it was rather cosy. A warm fire hung in mid-air crackling pleasantly.
On an old green sofa sat Remus Lupin and Lily Evans. They both looked exhausted, but managed to keep a smile on their faces. Snuggled into a bean bag chair in the corner was Peter Pettigrew. His nose twitched nervously when she looked at him. Behind them hanging on the wall between to grimy windows was a large mirror. Smoke twirled about it's surface and Andromeda could see the faint outlines of people walking around.
Sirius pushed in behind her and set her trunk against the wall. He looked at Andromeda for her response. "Well, I've seen worse places," she said in a haughty voice, turning her nose up. "Though not many."
"You haven't seen the best part," Sirius stated, pushing on the adjacent wall to the entrance. The plaster and wallpaper disintegrated and before them stood a plain wooden door. Andromeda pushed it open and walked into a small room. Sirius followed her in, flicking the light on. The light hummed quietly casting the room in a yellowish tint. In the corner sat a bed with an old iron frame. A quilt covered the top of it. It had the pentagram on it.
"You can hide in here when mother comes to get you," Sirius said. "And just a warning the couple above us just got married. Their bedroom is directly above yours so if you hear any… noises, don't be frightened."
Andromeda laughed, wrapping her arms around Sirius. "Thank-you," she whispered, kissing his stubble covered cheek.
"Hey, are you two going to stand around all day or are we going to have a party?" James yelled from the old green sofa, snuggling up to Lily.
Sirius turned off the light and closed the door behind them. It quickly camouflaged itself as the wall again.
"I suppose you'd like to wash up," Sirius said walking into the small kitchen, he stared out over the counter to the living room where his guests sat. His finger pointed to a hallway behind the green couch. "The bathroom is directly at the end."
"Thanks." Andromeda folded her travelling cloak and hung it on the back of an unoccupied leather chair. She headed down the small hallway, smiling pictures lined the yellow, damaged walls.
"Any news from Dumbledore?" James asked Sirius in a low voice. "We haven't heard anything since we got back from our honeymoon." The atmosphere of the room instantly became tense and serious. Everyone leaned forward.
Sirius looked down at the bathroom. The door was closed and light spilled out from beneath it. He leaned over the bar, his voice lowering to a dull whisper. "Voldermort has someone inside the Order. Dumbledore thinks they were responsible for the Prewetts death."
Peter twitched involuntarily at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. His small beady eyes darted around the room nervously.
James and Lily shared worried glances. "Do you have any clue as to who it is?" Lily asked, grabbing hold of James' hand. Sirius stared at them sadly, the dark emptiness of his grey eyes telling them everything. Lily's green eyes filled with despair.
"If I ever catch the little rat I'll skewer him on his own wand and roast him above Voldermort's burning corpse," James growled, his hand tightening around Lily's.
Peter squeaked and toppled off his bean bag seat. He rolled across the room banging his head on the coffee table. Everyone sniggered into their hands.
Remus sat there in silence staring at Sirius as his friend started to pull out bags of chips from the cupboards. He tossed them onto the counter and pulled open the refrigerator. Remus got up and walked into the kitchen, his hand softly touching Sirius' side.
Sirius looked over at him sadly, tears rolled down his cheeks. "I know I should tell them but they're so happy. I'd hate myself forever if something happened to them yet I still can't bring myself to ruin the one good thing that's happened in a while," he whispered, pouring some salsa into a small bowl.
"Would you prefer if I told them later tonight after the party?" Remus muttered, leaning lightly on Sirius. "They have to know Voldermort is after them. They need to be prepared."
"No, I'll tell them." He looked up as the bathroom door opened. "Andromeda come help your old cousin with the food." He plastered a smile onto his grim face.
Andromeda laughed, picking up a couple bowls of various dips. Sirius followed her into the living with the chips. Remus stared at his back before grabbing the drinks.
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"How is everything at good ol' Hogwarts?" Lily asked tossing a chips into her mouth.
Andromeda swallowed what was in her mouth, washing it down with some coke. "Eh… okay, I guess. Though it's not nearly as fun now that you guys are gone."
"Has anyone even tried to take James and Sirius place as top trouble makers?" Remus asked, grinning at his two friends.
Andromeda laughed. "A few have but none of them have a knack for getting out of trouble only getting into it. One guy attempted to disrupt the O.W.L.s by letting a swarm of billywiggs loose in the Great Hall. You should've seen McGonnagall, I swear she was very tempted to let Filch have his way with the boy. She even told him to make sure his chains were ready."
"Bloody git," James sniggered. "If he was going to disrupt something that big he should've at least done it in a way that wouldn't get caught."
"Oh he wanted to get caught," Andromeda stated, dipping a corn chip into the salsa. "He wanted everyone to know his name. He was so hung up on that that he told everyone he could what he was planning to do."
Sirius shook his head sadly. "We should take a trip over to Hogwarts and show all these idiots how to pull off a good trick," he told James. To the right of his head the fire crackled pleasantly, casting a reddish glow on his face that made him look all the more devilish.
"Yes, you both could both set a fine example of how immature trouble makers turn out," Lily stated caressing James face. "And everyone can see what cute little boys you are." Her lips touched his smooth cheek.
Sirius looked over at Remus raising his eyebrows, a huge grin was plastered on his face. Remus blushed and got up off the couch and sat down onto Sirius' lap. "You're cute too," he muttered. He leaned back against Sirius chest, resting his head on his shoulders.
Andromeda leaned over and hit her cousin's arm. "Will you all keep the P.D.A level down. I'm still an impressionable little girl." She smiled sweetly as Sirius' eyebrow raised in question.
"Come on little one," James said, smiling. "You're telling us that you are innocent and sweet. If I remember correctly you kissed me."
Andromeda looked shocked. "And if my memory serves me correctly you also kissed me." And it had been heavenly, Andromeda could still feel the heat creeping up her face.
Lily rolled her eyes. "And if all of us think back we see that you two were always flirting and skirting around each other. Even if it was in the most innocent of ways. Nothing ever came of those kisses so let us forget they ever even happened."
"You're just jealous that you wanted me and I kissed another girl," James smirked, a wide grin on his face. "Don't fret you're the only girl for me." His kissed her on the lips;
"And what about you, Andromeda? Have you found yourself a beau?" Remus asked, twisting his fingers unconsciously around Sirius' long black hair.
Andromeda blushed, feeling the eyes of the boy from the train station boring into her head. The way his hair cutely stuck up in back. To hide her embarrassment she shook her head rapidly. "I haven't been on a date since mother set me up with Lucius Malfoy's horrible little brother. He spent the whole time talking about some guy called Tom Riddle, I suppose that must be his secret boyfriend."
Everyone in the room tensed at the name, Tom Riddle. Remus sat up in Sirius lap and stared hard at Andromeda. "What exactly did he say about Tom Riddle?"
Andromeda looked around uncomfortably at the faces of her companions closing tightly around her, looks of fear and apprehension on their faces. "Just that he had held a party a week before and that it was rather extraordinary. He kept saying that Tom was great and awesome and that one day he would change the world. He invited me to the next party but I declined."
"Is that all he said?" James asked looking deeply into Andromeda's eyes.
"Yes, I'm sure. Why? What does Tom Riddle have to do with anything?"
Everyone looked at each other, Sirius was about to say something when his eyes widened, staring at the wall behind Andromeda. She turned and the ugly, palling, wrinkled face of her aunt stared down at her from the frame of the foggy mirror.
Sirius tossed Remus off and catapulted out of his chair grabbing Andromeda's arm. He wouldn't let them take her, not with their growing involvement with Voldermort. It was like sending her into a pit of poisonous snakes.
He pushed his hand against the invisible door and as it appeared he thrust it open. Andromeda scurried in, Sirius pushed her trunk in after her. "Don't make a noise," he warned, slamming the door shut.
Andromeda fumbled around in the dark until she found the light switch. The small room was bathed in a pale, yellowish light. A loud banging noise above made her jump, Sirius hadn't been kidding when he said noises.. She stared up at the shaking ceiling. Dust fell down into her black hair.
Trying to ignore the noise she pressed her ear against the door. The sound of the front door squeaking open caused her breath to slow. She heard the loud, powerful step of her dear Aunt entering the apartment.
"Where is she?" Mistress Black demanded. Andromeda pulled away at the sound of her loud, grating voice.
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