A/N: Whoa! I'm completely overwhelmed by the response to the first chapter!
Now I really feel like I have something to live up to! I hope you like this
chapter as much! One thing, though – I've screwed up my own timeline in
terms of when Sirius and Olivia are starting their classes. I think
everything flows better this way. Lo siento mucho! (I'm very sorry!)
I'm also really sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter. It's a shame, but I'm letting work and real life get in the way of writing fanfiction. What am I thinking? I should know better!
I don't own Harry Potter.
Becoming Adults
By the time Sirius and Remus walked down the stairs the next morning, James and his mother had put their rather dark conversation behind them. They realized that their time together like this was limited, and had turned their conversation to James' new job, which was quickly becoming Mrs. Potter's favorite topic. When the two visitors entered the kitchen, they found James and Mrs. Potter talking and laughing together.
"Good morning," James greeted them.
"Good morning," Remus replied. He took a seat next to James at the table.
"Do you want something for breakfast?" Mrs. Potter asked, getting up to help Hetty find them something to eat.
"I'll get it," Sirius said. He was already on his way to retrieve the juice pitcher.
James laughed. "I think Sirius knows this kitchen better than you, Mum."
"He should, after the amount of time he's spent in here," Mrs. Potter said with a tolerant smile. "Here, Sirius, let me help you."
"I've got it, Mrs. Potter, I promise."
Hetty came scurrying in with a tray of breakfast foods. "Sirs are awake!" she exclaimed.
Sirius laughed. "Or maybe Hetty's got it."
"She always has it," James grinned. "You're the best, Hetty."
The small elf smiled. "Master James always says that."
"Because it's true," James said.
Sirius and Remus sat down at the table, and began to eat breakfast. James picked up a muffin, realizing that he hadn't eaten anything while talking to his mother. They ate in comparative silence. As soon as the last bit of food was gone, Hetty came in to clear the table. Mrs. Potter waved her off, and gathered the plates herself.
"Well," Sirius declared, clapping his hands together, "I think we should be off. We have a flat to find!"
"Wait just a minute," Mrs. Potter said, stopping on her way to the sink, where Hetty was waiting to take care of the dirty dishes. "Where exactly do you gentlemen intend to look for this flat?"
The boys exchanged a glance. They had never decided where they wanted to live. They had just assumed that they would find the perfect place. Mrs. Potter watched their faces, and nodded.
"Just as I suspected. You three have no idea what you're doing, do you?"
"Well, we pretty much know what we want," James said uneasily.
His mother smiled, and shook her head. She handed the plates to Hetty, and sat down at the table with the boys again. "Let's think about this rationally," she said. "Where do you want to live?"
The boys shrugged. They hadn't given it much thought.
"All right," she sighed. "Where will you all be working or going to school? James?"
"The Ministry," he said.
"Which is where?"
"London."
"Good. Sirius, where is the Auror Academy?"
"London," Sirius replied.
"I'll be in London, too," Remus said without waiting for the question.
"Good!" Mrs. Potter smiled as though she had uncovered a long-buried secret. "Then where do you think you should live?"
"Er – London?" James suggested.
"I've raised a genius," she said sarcastically. "May I suggest Diagon Alley?"
"That's a great idea, Mum!" James exclaimed. "Don't you guys think that Diagon Alley would be a fun place to live?"
"It would be fantastic," Sirius enthused.
"Perfect," Remus agreed.
"Now," Mrs. Potter continued, "you need to see what's available." She gave them the copy of the Daily Prophet that she had been reading. "See what you can find."
They spent what felt like hours poring over the paper, trying to find a flat that would suit their needs. They wanted something with three bedrooms that would be close to, as Sirius put it, "the fun." Mrs. Potter watched their progress, making suggestions as they went along. They selected five locations that they felt had potential, and, at Mrs. Potter's request, sent owls requesting appointments.
By noon, they had appointments to see all five flats that day. James looked at his mother gratefully as they prepared to leave.
"Thanks, Mum. We would have been lost without you."
Mrs. Potter smiled. "I couldn't stand by and watch the three of you go about this the wrong way. I'm glad I could help."
James leaned down to kiss her cheek. Even though he had been taller than her since he was fifteen, it was still odd to look down on her mother. "Thanks again. We'll have an address to give you when we get back!"
"I hope so," Mrs. Potter smiled. "Good luck, gentlemen."
"Thanks!"
The boys Apparated to Diagon Alley, and found the address for their first appointment. A short wizard met them at the door.
"Black, Lupin, and Potter?" he asked as they approached.
"That's us," Sirius replied.
The man nodded. "Glad to meet you. I'm Dedalus Diggle. Now, which of you is which?"
Once they had all introduced themselves, he nodded again. "Well, let me show you the flat I have available. I think – I hope – it's just what you need." He winked at them, and led them inside and up the stairs.
The flat occupied the top floor of an older house. It had plenty of windows, which gave it a bright, airy feeling that James thought Lily would appreciate when she came to visit. The bedrooms were all a fair size, and the sitting room was quite large. The kitchen was well-equipped; although none of them really knew what they were doing with cooking, that would make their mothers happy.
As they walked from room to room, James became more convinced that this was the place they would call home. He looked at Sirius and Remus, and realized that the same thoughts were going through their minds.
"I'm sure you have other places to see today," Dedalus said as he took them back around to the front of the flat. "I can hold it for a day or two, if you need time to think it over."
The boys exchanged a glance, and the slightest of nods. Smiles lit each of their faces.
"I don't think that's going to be necessary, Mr. Diggle," Sirius grinned. "We'll take it."
The man practically jumped out of his skin, his face reflecting the excitement on all of theirs. "You don't need any more time to decide?"
"Nope," Sirius said cheerfully. "Where do we sign?"
Diggle laughed in excitement. "Dumbledore will be thrilled!"
"What?" James asked.
"I can't say more now," he said, holding up a hand as though to stop both their questions and his words. "But you'll understand soon . . . I'll just go get the paperwork."
Once he had left the room, the three young men turned to one another with questions in their eyes.
"What was that all about?" Sirius asked.
James shrugged. "Dumbledore certainly is one for mystery, though, isn't he?"
"Seven years of school with the man, and you finally figured that out?" Remus chuckled.
"Eh, shut it," James grinned. "I think Lily's going to love this place. I can't wait to show it to her."
Sirius grinned. "Yeah, Liv's going to love it, too."
"I wonder if the girls have found their new homes yet," Remus mused.
"It's too bad that Laura's not living with the other girls," James said.
"She wants to be on her own," Remus said with a shrug. "Whatever makes her happy, I guess."
Mr. Diggle returned with a stack of parchment, his face lit up with a smile. "Well, shall we begin?"
***
It took the better part of two weeks for the boys to get settled in their new flat. Both the Potters and the Lupins were there every day, trying to help as much as possible. Although they never complained, all three boys couldn't help wondering if things would have run more smoothly without all the parental involvement.
By the time they were officially moved in, the girls had all achieved the same feat. Laura had found a place in Hogsmeade, and Lily, Dana, and Olivia were living in London. James, Sirius, and Remus had been surprised to learn that they had chosen to live in the city, but the girls had fallen in love with the flat, and refused to consider living anywhere else. Lily and Dana promised that they would keep Olivia from making any fatal mistakes in front of their Muggle neighbors.
It seemed they had barely had a moment to themselves when adulthood slapped them in the face. On the same Monday, James and Laura began their work at the Ministry, Lily started with the Daily Prophet, and Remus, Dana, Sirius, and Olivia attended their first classes.
Laura and James were both nervous about starting at the Ministry, and wanted to arrive together. She Apparated to the boys' flat before eight in the morning on their first day. James took one look at her, and knew that she was more nervous than he was.
"Have you ever been to the Ministry before?" she asked.
"Sure," James replied. "My dad's an Auror, so I've been there to visit him at work."
Laura nodded. "The only time I was there was when I went for my interview."
"It's going to be fine, Laura," James said. "I'm sure you'll love it." He grinned. "Remus says that you're a brilliant at arguing, so I'm sure this will work out for you."
She smiled, and shook her head. "Is he still here so I can kill him for that comment?"
"I'm not here if that's how you're going to be," Remus laughed as he entered the room. He pulled Laura into a warm embrace. "It's going to be fine, love. You'll be brilliant at whatever you do." He leaned down to kiss her. "There's your good luck kiss. Now you can't fail."
She smiled up at him. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
James cleared his throat. "We really do need to get to work."
"All right," Laura reluctantly agreed, pulling herself away from Remus. "I'll be back with James tonight. I want to hear all about how your first day of class goes."
Remus made a face. "Just swimmingly, I'm sure."
"Everyone will be over tonight," James said. "Even Peter's coming."
"Really?" Laura asked. "How is he doing with his parents?"
James and Remus exchanged a glance. The tone of Peter's letters had left them wondering the very same thing.
"We'll find out tonight," James said at last. "Come on, Laura. We don't want to be late on our first day."
She nodded, and kissed Remus good bye. She and James Apparated to the Ministry of Magic offices.
***
James was bored. He had been paraded around the office by his supervisor, Mr. Fudge, who introduced him to everyone possible. He knew there was no way he'd remember all the names and job titles he had learned, but also knew that he couldn't protest what his boss wanted him to do – particularly not on his first day.
"It's all for your own good, Potter," Fudge said eagerly. "The more people who know you, the better your chances of being promoted. And, just between the two of us, I don't think I'll be in this department too much longer. The junior minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes is retiring, and I'm hoping to be promoted into that position. Not that there's anything wrong with the Department of International Magical Cooperation, of course, but I could be JUNIOR MINISTER over there! Can you even imagine?"
James plastered a smile on his face. "What a wonderful opportunity for you, sir."
"Yes, it is, isn't it? I'll be Minister of Magic one day, James – mark my words!"
James smiled the same fake smile, but the man's words made him want to grimace. THIS man as Minister of Magic? James couldn't imagine the wizarding world making that error in judgment.
***
"Welcome to the Auror Academy. My name is Alastor Moody, and I will be overseeing your training."
Olivia stifled a gasp, and slid a bit closer to Sirius on her seat. Alastor Moody was a rather intimidating figure. His heavily scarred face made both of them a bit nervous. Is that what they would look like after a few years as Aurors?
"Now, with all that our world is going through, your training will be accelerated," Moody continued. "We're going to accomplish in two years what would normally take three. We want to have you ready to go out into the field as soon as possible. If you are not ready for this rigorous training, or to perform the duties being an Auror demands, I'd advise you to leave now. In fact, I'll help you find a job working in Honeyduke's. You'd be of far more use to me there than working in a profession you don't feel dedicated to or passionate about. For those of you who remain . . ."
He shot a Stunner into the crowd, knocking a young man off his chair. A collective gasp went through the group.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
***
"So, Lily, do you know a bit about Quidditch?"
Lily grinned at her Elaine Kramer, editor. "My boyfriend and my best friend were Chasers on our school team for six years. I know everything they've taught me."
"Well, you're definitely better off than the last sports writer we had, then," Elaine said cheerfully. "That man couldn't tell a Quaffle from a Bludger! But I think you'll work out just fine. And, between you and me, the sports position tends to be a 'starter job,' if you will – if you please us, we'll move you on to bigger and better things!"
Lily smiled. This was perfect! There was no way she was going to spend the rest of her life interviewing Quidditch players.
"Now, we've set up your first interview for you, but after this one, you'll be on your own. This first one is with Ludo Bagman. He's a Beater – have you heard of him?"
Lily laughed. "I think James might just spontaneously combust when I tell him I'm interviewing Ludo Bagman!"
"James is your boyfriend?" Elaine grinned.
"Yeah," Lily replied. "He's a bit of a fan of Mr. Bagman's. Really, so is Olivia – my other Quidditch playing friend."
"Well, I'd mention that if I were you. Mr. Bagman loves to hear people sing his praises. It'll open him up a bit."
"Done," Lily grinned.
***
It was late when everyone convened at the boys' flat for dinner. Everyone stumbled in into the flat in various stages of exhaustion. Remus, who was the most adept of the boys at cooking, made dinner. Once they were all situated, James opened the conversation.
"Right. Let's hear from our Healers first. How was your first day?"
"Fabulous!" Dana exclaimed. "We're going to learn so much. It's fascinating, isn't it, Remus? I mean, I thought we had learned so much in Potions and Herbology at Hogwarts, but it's amazing how much more there is out there. I can't wait to actually get out in the field to do some work – but at the same time, I'm afraid I'll never know enough to do it. What did you think, Remus?"
All eyes turned to Remus, who looked a bit uncomfortable. "It was about what I expected," he said. "My dad had me pretty well prepped for it."
James, who was well-aware that being a Healer wasn't Remus' first choice, moved the conversation along. "Aurors? Let's hear it!"
"I have never worked so hard in my entire life," Olivia moaned. "Those people are insane! And that Moody – honestly, Sirius, have you ever met anyone like him before?"
Sirius laughed. "Mr. Potter told me about him, so I was a bit forewarned. He's crazy, all right, but he really knows his stuff. Granted, I think that Stunning a student ten minutes in was a bit much . . ."
"He Stunned a student?" Lily cried.
"Oh, yeah," Sirius grinned. "And then revived him, and proceeded to preach for forty minutes about –"
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Olivia cried. "I think it's his mantra."
"Hey, it's gotten him this far," Sirius laughed. "How 'bout you, Little Flower? How's the world of the Daily Prophet treating you?"
"It's going to be fun," Lily said, smiling as though she had a great secret. "My editor, Elaine, is really funny, and she's going to be very helpful. She said she's very willing to promote me if I do well for her. She's already got my first interview set up for me."
"Really?" James asked with interest. "Who are you interviewing?"
Lily paused dramatically. "Ludo Bagman!"
"LUDO BAGMAN!" James and Olivia yelled as one.
"Lil, you have GOT to get me an autograph!" James cried.
"Can I come with you?" Olivia begged. "Please, Lils?"
Lily laughed. "I knew you two would go nuts."
"Seriously, can we come?"
"No! Not on my first interview! But enough about my job. Tell me about yours, James."
"I want to hear more about yours!"
"No! We all need a chance to talk! This is your turn!"
James laughed at her. "All right, if you insist. Well, my boss is a complete moron."
"Who is it?" Laura asked with interest.
"His name is Cornelius Fudge. He's obsessed with himself. He made me walk around and meet everyone in the whole bloody Ministry this morning, I swear. He was quite eager to introduce his new assistant – I am NOT his assistant, but that's what he kept calling me. I don't know what his problem is! Then he informed me that he won't be in our department much longer – he's hoping to be promoted to junior minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes. I hope he does get that promotion – maybe I won't have to deal with him as much. Oh, and get this – he told me he'll be Minister of Magic someday! Well, he'll get there without my support, I'll tell you that!"
"James, it's been one day," Lily said soothingly. "Maybe you'll learn to like him."
"Oh, I doubt it. Thank goodness I'm doing work for Dumbledore, too, or I think future-Minister Fudge might just drive me to take a header off a bridge!"
Laura laughed. "Well, then I probably shouldn't say anything about my department."
"Oh, no, you're not getting out of this," James said. "Tell us all about it."
Laura smiled. "I really like it. The other people I'm working with are very nice – and very brilliant. I've never seen such a collection of minds! This is going to be a fantastic experience."
"Good for you," James grinned. "At least one of us likes the Ministry." He turned to Peter, who had been rather quiet. "What about you, Peter?"
Peter smiled. "Well, you know, it's sort of like any other summer. I'm at home with my parents. My mum's great, and my dad's impossible to please. I have a job in a shop in town, so at least I'm getting to meet new people."
"That's a good thing," Sirius said encouragingly.
Peter nodded. "But I really miss you guys."
"We miss you, too," Remus said softly. "Maybe your parents will change their minds."
Peter shook his head darkly. "Not very likely."
"Well, regardless, remember that our offer will always stand. You're always welcome here," James said.
"I know that," Peter replied with a smile. "You guys are the best friends I could ask for."
***
"I'm worried about Peter," James said.
Everyone had left for the night, and the three boys were alone in their flat. They were wandering through their living space, collecting all the trash and dirty dishes they could find.
"Me, too," Sirius said. "He doesn't seem like himself, does he?"
"How can he? He's stuck up there with his parents for company, and they won't let him grow up," Remus said.
"He really needs to get down here with us," James said. "He just seems . . . depressed, or something."
A flash of light filled the room, making all three boys jump. Once the light had returned to normal, a letter was lying on the table. A single golden feather was on top of it.
"What's this all about?" Sirius asked, crossing to pick it up. He held up the feather uncertainly. "Who has an owl with golden feathers?"
"That's from Fawkes!" exclaimed James, who had spent far more time in the Headmaster's office than the other two.
"Who?"
"Fawkes! Dumbledore's phoenix! That letter must be about the Order!"
Sirius put down the feather, and examined the envelope. "It's addressed to all three of us."
"Open it," Remus encouraged, crossing the room to read over Sirius' shoulder.
"It says we have to report for training tomorrow night," Sirius said. "We have to meet the girls and Peter in the Leaky Cauldron at seven. We'll receive more information when we get there."
"Rather cryptic, isn't it?" Remus frowned.
"That's Dumbledore for you," James replied. "I'm glad we'll get to see Peter again."
"I think he's having a hard time of it, but doesn't want to admit it," Remus said. "You know how hard it is for Peter to admit he has problems."
"He never had problems admitting stuff like that to us before," Sirius frowned. "We were always the ones he came to when he needed help."
"Yeah, with school stuff," Remus replied. "We were right there, and we could see for ourselves what was going on. But this – this is different. This is something he can hide if he wants to." He looked off into space for a minute. "But we can't let him. We have to let him know that we're still there for him, even if we can't see him every day like we could before."
James sighed. "All this would be so much easier if his parents would just let him live with us."
"Or if he'd grow a spine and stand up to them," Sirius added. "When are they going to realize that he's not their little boy anymore?"
"Probably about the same time he does," Remus said rather harshly.
James and Sirius stared at him.
"My parents are rather like that, too," Remus said. "You have to make them realize that you're not a little kid, or they'll always treat you like one. They wanted me to stay with them, but I said that this was what I wanted to do, and they agreed. Everyone has to grow up. Some people just have an easier time doing it than others."
***
At promptly seven o'clock the next evening, James, Sirius, and Remus walked into the Leaky Cauldron. They spotted Lily, Dana, and Olivia seated together at a table. They crossed the room, and sat down with them.
"Thank goodness you're finally here," Olivia said, grabbing Sirius' arm. "The waiting is driving us mad."
"You haven't received any more information yet?" James asked.
"No," Lily replied, reaching out to take his hand. "We don't even know who we're supposed to meet."
The door opened, and their heads shot up. Laura walked in, with Peter right behind her. They grinned at the sight of their friends, and hurried across to join them. Both of them were laughing as they sat down.
"What's funny?" Remus asked, kissing Laura's cheek.
She giggled. "Peter and I just ran into each other."
"Obviously," Sirius grinned. "You came in together."
"No, we literally ran into each other," Peter laughed. "We both Apparated into Diagon Alley at the same time . . ."
"And at the same point," Laura finished. "Honestly, the most bizarre things happen to me."
"I think we all fall under that category," James grinned. "It's good to see you both. How are things?"
"You have no idea how wonderful it is to hear silence," Laura grinned. "I'm sure I made this point at dinner last night, but this is the first time in my life that I've been able to live alone, and –"
Her statement was cut off as the door opened again, and Hagrid walked in. He exchanged a friendly greeting with the barkeep, then his eyes fell on the table of recent Hogwarts graduates. His face lit by a smile, he crossed the room to their table.
"All right there, you lot?" he asked as he approached.
"Hi, Hagrid!" Sirius exclaimed cheerfully. "How are the Hippogriffs?"
Sirius had become rather fond of Hagrid's Hippogriffs after spending so many detentions helping the gamekeeper. Hagrid loved Sirius for the interest he took in his creatures. He grinned at the question.
"They're doing just great," he replied. "But I have more to talk to you lot about than Hippogriffs."
They all became serious at once. Almost instantly, they all realized that Hagrid was likely their contact person from the Order.
"Professor Dumbledore has sent me to bring you all to him," he said. He glanced around. "I can't tell you much now – you'll find out more once we get there."
"Where are we going?" James asked.
"Headquarters," Hagrid replied, his voice just above a whisper. He pulled a key from his pocket, as well as several slips of paper. "This is the portkey we'll be using to get there. Everyone touch it – we have about a minute." He hastily handed each of them a piece of paper. "Read this – think about, and memorize it."
The paper gave the location for the Order's Headquarters. The writing was unfamiliar to James, but he quickly memorized the address. After he ran through the words in his mind twice, he felt the jerk of the portkey transporting him there.
James' feet slammed into solid ground. He felt someone crash into him from the left, and instinctively reached out to steady his companion. He looked up, and saw Lily smiling at him.
"Thanks," she murmured.
"Anytime," James grinned, giving her a wink.
She smiled again, and gripped his hand, lacing her fingers through his. James leaned over to kiss her cheek. He wanted desperately to hold her close, but knew that this was not the appropriate time to do such a thing. Sirius, who was on his other side, sucked in his breath sharply.
"Welcome."
James looked up, and saw Dumbledore standing before them. He was flanked by two men that James had never seen before. All three of them were surveying the younger people before them as though deciding whether or not they were worthy to stay. James drew himself up, and released Lily's hand.
"Welcome," Dumbledore said again, "to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Thank you, Hagrid, for bringing them here safely."
Hagrid nodded. "Anything else, Professor?"
"Not at this time."
Hagrid nodded again, and left the room. Dumbledore looked back to his new recruits with twinkling eyes.
"Please, sit down."
They lowered themselves onto chairs and couches, never looking away from their former Headmaster and his companions. Dumbledore and the other men took seats with them.
"Membership to the Order of the Phoenix is a rigorous and dangerous thing," Dumbledore said. "Our members put their lives on the line every day in the name of our cause. Battles with Death Eaters are only one part of the work that we do. We require you to be strong physically, mentally, and emotionally. Before we allow you to attend meetings, or to be full members, we will require you to go through a very intense training process. Once you have completed your training, we, along with you, of course, will decide if you should be allowed full membership.
"These two men will be responsible for your training," Dumbledore continued. "This is Frank Longbottom, and this is Alastor Moody. Both men are high-ranking Ministry Aurors, and both men are the foundation of the Order. You, Mr. Black, and you, Miss Alexander, will find yourselves answering to them both here and as a part of your work."
Sirius and Olivia glanced at one another, then back at the men in front of them. Neither of them would tolerate anything but excellence; they were already well-aware of that. They had not been aware that they would be spending every waking moment in their company.
"You will spend the next month training with Alastor and Frank," Dumbledore said. "Should anyone ask why you are spending so much time away from home, you are here to learn Advanced Transfiguration with me. At the end of the month, we will make a final decision about your membership."
They all nodded. In that one moment, they made their own final decisions. There was no turning back.
Dumbledore nodded, and looked from the new recruits to Moody and Longbottom. "I'll just leave them with you, then." He turned to look at the eight young adults that he would always consider to be among his best students. "I wish you all luck. Until we meet again." He turned on his heel, and Dispparated with a soft pop.
"Come," Moody said, his voice harsh and gruff, "let's begin our training." He glanced at Sirius and Olivia. "I will expect nothing but perfection from both of you."
Sirius and Olivia nodded, never breaking eye contact with the older man. He nodded back at them. Never taking his eyes away from theirs, Moody's wand shot up, pointed at Laura. Before he had time to utter a spell, Sirius' wand shot up to point at Moody.
"Good, Black! You're learning! The rest of you – did you see that? You must be prepared for anything! CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
They all jumped in their seats a bit. Longbottom picked up the lecture.
"You also must notice how quickly Mr. Black jumped to Miss Bond's aid. That is an essential part of what you will do with the Order, and what we are going to teach you tonight."
Both Aurors stood, and motioned for the others to do the same. Frank waved his wand, making all furniture in the room vanish.
"Trust," Moody said quietly. "Trust is a vital part of all that we do. We must have complete trust in one another, or we have nothing. We depend upon each other for our very lives in many cases. Today, we will work on trust."
"This first exercise is very simple," Frank said, picking up where Moody had left off. "You will each work with a partner. All you must do is to turn your back to your partner, and fall back into his or her arms. Your partner will catch you before you can fall."
Lily frowned. "I've heard of this sort of thing before."
"Have you tried it before?" Moody asked.
"No," Lily said honestly. "But my sister went to a camp where they did these sorts of exercises."
"What is the point behind them?" Moody asked.
"To show your trust in the person catching you," Lily said. "And the person catching you demonstrates that they will do just that. That they will be there – that they are trustworthy."
"Exactly," Moody said. "Like Longbottom said, this isn't a difficult exercise. We'll do some that involve spells and curses once we complete this." He looked around at them critically. "You will all do this exercise until you have been partnered with everyone. However, to start, let's break up our happy couples. Let's put Potter and Alexander together, Evans and Lupin, Bond and Black, and Morgan and Pettigrew. Now, let's see what you can do. Potter, Alexander, you start. Show us how much you trust one another."
James grinned at Olivia. "You know I trust you. You were my captain for two years!"
"Let's see you prove it, then," Olivia grinned. "Turn around and fall."
"Are you sure you can support me?" James asked.
"Are you saying you don't trust me?"
"Right, right." James turned his back on her, and paused a moment before he fell.
Olivia reached out and caught him before he hit the ground. He had been right about one thing – he was heavier than she would have guessed. As soon as she held him suspended over the ground, her muscles began to protest. She gasped, and he quickly pulled himself up.
"Good show," Moody growled. "Alexander, we're going to have to work on your strength."
"I thought I was strong," she muttered. "I played Quidditch for the past six years."
"Well, apparently you didn't train hard enough," Moody shot back. "But no matter. We can build your strength. It's the trust I'm concerned about. Now, let's see if you trust Potter as much as he trusts you."
She grinned at James, who gave her a wink. She turned around, and promptly fell back into his arms. James caught her, supporting her easily. Moody nodded his approval, and called Lily and Remus up for their own display.
All four groups performed their first test admirably. Moody and Frank nodded, and realigned the groups. James found himself working with Sirius, who grinned at him.
"I think I'm a bit heavier than Liv," he teased.
"I've seen you eat," James laughed. "I KNOW you're heavier than she is."
"More work and less talk!" Moody bellowed.
James and Sirius halted their conversation at once, and went to work on the exercise. They made their way around the room, working with a different partner each time they performed the exercise. For the last round, the three couples were reunited.
"Are you ready for this?" James whispered to Lily.
"I'd rather be in your arms than anyone else's," she whispered back, giving him a special smile.
James felt his heart jump when she looked at him like that. Oh, WHY, couldn't he just take her away from here so they could be alone and he could snog her senseless?
"Black, Alexander, you're first," Moody called.
Sirius and Olivia performed the trust exercise, followed by Peter and Dana. James and Lily were next. Each time, Moody's only comment was that they needed to build their strength. James feared that he would soon be working on quite a few exercises.
"All right, let's see Bond and Lupin," Frank said.
Remus gave Laura a smile as he stepped up behind her. She tried to smile back, but failed. Remus frowned. Why did she look at him like that? He had seen her fall into Lily's arms, and Dana's, Peter's – everyone's. Why was she concerned about this exercise? She had done it before.
Laura was almost shaking as she turned her back on Remus. In her mind, she was in the Shrieking Shack, listening to him tell her the truth. For years, she had been with him while he lied to her. She had proclaimed her trust a thousand times since they had gotten back together, but this was a very serious – and very public – test of her words. Could she really do it? Could she really trust Remus to catch her?
In her mind, she knew the answer was yes. Remus would never let her fall. She took a deep breath and started to fall backward . . .
She tried to catch herself before Remus had a chance, falling in the process. Both Moody and Longbottom raised their eyebrows. She didn't trust her own boyfriend to catch her?
Remus looked at Laura in horror. She didn't trust him? "Laura?" he asked shakily.
"Remus," she said slowly, her eyes filling with tears, "I –"
Her next words died in her throat as the door burst open, and Dumbledore appeared, his face ashen. Remus helped Laura to her feet, and they, along with everyone else, stared at the older man. Something had happened – something awful. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding his or her breath, waiting to hear what Dumbledore would say.
"I need to talk to Miss Morgan," he said, his voice very urgent.
Tears gathered in Dana's eyes. Even before she heard whatever news the Headmaster had brought, she knew it would break her heart. "What's happened?" she whispered. "Is it Aidan?"
"May I take you next door?" Dumbledore asked gently.
Dana shook her head, and grabbed the hand of Lily, who was standing next to her. "I'd rather have my friends here with me," she said, trying desperately to be brave.
Dumbledore nodded, and conjured several chairs. "Very well. At least sit down, please."
Dana nodded, and dragged Lily to a loveseat with her. Lily sat down next to her friend, gripping her hand tightly. She placed her other hand on Dana's upper arm, trying to protect her, to shield her from the awful news that was coming. She could feel Dana shaking as they awaited Dumbledore's proclamation.
Dumbledore sat down across from the girls, looking at Dana with compassion. "There was another attack," he said gently. "The Death Eaters attacked part of Diagon Alley."
There was a collective gasp from the group. Dumbledore glanced up. "It was away from where you live," he said.
James, Sirius, and Remus nodded. They all felt a bit relieved, but a bit ashamed for feeling relieved. Their flat was safe, but someone close to Dana was not.
"The area that was attacked was near your father's shop," Dumbledore said gently. "He went outside to help, to try to hold off the Death Eaters – he was trying to protect some people who had been caught in the crossfire."
Dana drew her breath in sharply, and gripped Lily's hand so hard that Lily was concerned her fingers might break. She squeezed back, trying to tell Dana that she was there for her without saying a word.
"I'm so sorry, Dana," Dumbledore said softly. "Your father was killed by a Death Eater. It happened just as members of the Order were arriving on the scene. He died as a hero, and will be hailed as one."
Tears escaped, running quickly down Dana's cheeks, and her mouth opened in a silent scream. She tried desperately to compose herself, but her voice shook when she spoke. "Does my mother know?"
"Yes. She's at the Ministry right now."
"Can I go to her?"
"I'll take you myself."
"Dana, do you want us to come?" Lily asked. She felt tears stinging her eyes as she looked into Dana's horror-stricken face.
Dana looked over at her. "I need to be with my mum," she said softly. "She needs me right now."
Lily released her hand, and pulled her into a tight embrace. Dana clung to her, and sobs began to wrack her body. Olivia crossed the room, her own eyes full of tears, and pulled both girls into her arms. They stayed like that, locked into each other's comforting embraces, gently rocking back and forth.
A/N: Moody's line about helping anyone who doesn't have the passion about their chosen career find a job elsewhere is a tribute to my educational psychology professor – one of the best teachers I've ever had. She had a very similar line she gave us about dedication to the teaching profession – although the job she offered to help us find was at Circuit City.
I'm also really sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter. It's a shame, but I'm letting work and real life get in the way of writing fanfiction. What am I thinking? I should know better!
I don't own Harry Potter.
Becoming Adults
By the time Sirius and Remus walked down the stairs the next morning, James and his mother had put their rather dark conversation behind them. They realized that their time together like this was limited, and had turned their conversation to James' new job, which was quickly becoming Mrs. Potter's favorite topic. When the two visitors entered the kitchen, they found James and Mrs. Potter talking and laughing together.
"Good morning," James greeted them.
"Good morning," Remus replied. He took a seat next to James at the table.
"Do you want something for breakfast?" Mrs. Potter asked, getting up to help Hetty find them something to eat.
"I'll get it," Sirius said. He was already on his way to retrieve the juice pitcher.
James laughed. "I think Sirius knows this kitchen better than you, Mum."
"He should, after the amount of time he's spent in here," Mrs. Potter said with a tolerant smile. "Here, Sirius, let me help you."
"I've got it, Mrs. Potter, I promise."
Hetty came scurrying in with a tray of breakfast foods. "Sirs are awake!" she exclaimed.
Sirius laughed. "Or maybe Hetty's got it."
"She always has it," James grinned. "You're the best, Hetty."
The small elf smiled. "Master James always says that."
"Because it's true," James said.
Sirius and Remus sat down at the table, and began to eat breakfast. James picked up a muffin, realizing that he hadn't eaten anything while talking to his mother. They ate in comparative silence. As soon as the last bit of food was gone, Hetty came in to clear the table. Mrs. Potter waved her off, and gathered the plates herself.
"Well," Sirius declared, clapping his hands together, "I think we should be off. We have a flat to find!"
"Wait just a minute," Mrs. Potter said, stopping on her way to the sink, where Hetty was waiting to take care of the dirty dishes. "Where exactly do you gentlemen intend to look for this flat?"
The boys exchanged a glance. They had never decided where they wanted to live. They had just assumed that they would find the perfect place. Mrs. Potter watched their faces, and nodded.
"Just as I suspected. You three have no idea what you're doing, do you?"
"Well, we pretty much know what we want," James said uneasily.
His mother smiled, and shook her head. She handed the plates to Hetty, and sat down at the table with the boys again. "Let's think about this rationally," she said. "Where do you want to live?"
The boys shrugged. They hadn't given it much thought.
"All right," she sighed. "Where will you all be working or going to school? James?"
"The Ministry," he said.
"Which is where?"
"London."
"Good. Sirius, where is the Auror Academy?"
"London," Sirius replied.
"I'll be in London, too," Remus said without waiting for the question.
"Good!" Mrs. Potter smiled as though she had uncovered a long-buried secret. "Then where do you think you should live?"
"Er – London?" James suggested.
"I've raised a genius," she said sarcastically. "May I suggest Diagon Alley?"
"That's a great idea, Mum!" James exclaimed. "Don't you guys think that Diagon Alley would be a fun place to live?"
"It would be fantastic," Sirius enthused.
"Perfect," Remus agreed.
"Now," Mrs. Potter continued, "you need to see what's available." She gave them the copy of the Daily Prophet that she had been reading. "See what you can find."
They spent what felt like hours poring over the paper, trying to find a flat that would suit their needs. They wanted something with three bedrooms that would be close to, as Sirius put it, "the fun." Mrs. Potter watched their progress, making suggestions as they went along. They selected five locations that they felt had potential, and, at Mrs. Potter's request, sent owls requesting appointments.
By noon, they had appointments to see all five flats that day. James looked at his mother gratefully as they prepared to leave.
"Thanks, Mum. We would have been lost without you."
Mrs. Potter smiled. "I couldn't stand by and watch the three of you go about this the wrong way. I'm glad I could help."
James leaned down to kiss her cheek. Even though he had been taller than her since he was fifteen, it was still odd to look down on her mother. "Thanks again. We'll have an address to give you when we get back!"
"I hope so," Mrs. Potter smiled. "Good luck, gentlemen."
"Thanks!"
The boys Apparated to Diagon Alley, and found the address for their first appointment. A short wizard met them at the door.
"Black, Lupin, and Potter?" he asked as they approached.
"That's us," Sirius replied.
The man nodded. "Glad to meet you. I'm Dedalus Diggle. Now, which of you is which?"
Once they had all introduced themselves, he nodded again. "Well, let me show you the flat I have available. I think – I hope – it's just what you need." He winked at them, and led them inside and up the stairs.
The flat occupied the top floor of an older house. It had plenty of windows, which gave it a bright, airy feeling that James thought Lily would appreciate when she came to visit. The bedrooms were all a fair size, and the sitting room was quite large. The kitchen was well-equipped; although none of them really knew what they were doing with cooking, that would make their mothers happy.
As they walked from room to room, James became more convinced that this was the place they would call home. He looked at Sirius and Remus, and realized that the same thoughts were going through their minds.
"I'm sure you have other places to see today," Dedalus said as he took them back around to the front of the flat. "I can hold it for a day or two, if you need time to think it over."
The boys exchanged a glance, and the slightest of nods. Smiles lit each of their faces.
"I don't think that's going to be necessary, Mr. Diggle," Sirius grinned. "We'll take it."
The man practically jumped out of his skin, his face reflecting the excitement on all of theirs. "You don't need any more time to decide?"
"Nope," Sirius said cheerfully. "Where do we sign?"
Diggle laughed in excitement. "Dumbledore will be thrilled!"
"What?" James asked.
"I can't say more now," he said, holding up a hand as though to stop both their questions and his words. "But you'll understand soon . . . I'll just go get the paperwork."
Once he had left the room, the three young men turned to one another with questions in their eyes.
"What was that all about?" Sirius asked.
James shrugged. "Dumbledore certainly is one for mystery, though, isn't he?"
"Seven years of school with the man, and you finally figured that out?" Remus chuckled.
"Eh, shut it," James grinned. "I think Lily's going to love this place. I can't wait to show it to her."
Sirius grinned. "Yeah, Liv's going to love it, too."
"I wonder if the girls have found their new homes yet," Remus mused.
"It's too bad that Laura's not living with the other girls," James said.
"She wants to be on her own," Remus said with a shrug. "Whatever makes her happy, I guess."
Mr. Diggle returned with a stack of parchment, his face lit up with a smile. "Well, shall we begin?"
***
It took the better part of two weeks for the boys to get settled in their new flat. Both the Potters and the Lupins were there every day, trying to help as much as possible. Although they never complained, all three boys couldn't help wondering if things would have run more smoothly without all the parental involvement.
By the time they were officially moved in, the girls had all achieved the same feat. Laura had found a place in Hogsmeade, and Lily, Dana, and Olivia were living in London. James, Sirius, and Remus had been surprised to learn that they had chosen to live in the city, but the girls had fallen in love with the flat, and refused to consider living anywhere else. Lily and Dana promised that they would keep Olivia from making any fatal mistakes in front of their Muggle neighbors.
It seemed they had barely had a moment to themselves when adulthood slapped them in the face. On the same Monday, James and Laura began their work at the Ministry, Lily started with the Daily Prophet, and Remus, Dana, Sirius, and Olivia attended their first classes.
Laura and James were both nervous about starting at the Ministry, and wanted to arrive together. She Apparated to the boys' flat before eight in the morning on their first day. James took one look at her, and knew that she was more nervous than he was.
"Have you ever been to the Ministry before?" she asked.
"Sure," James replied. "My dad's an Auror, so I've been there to visit him at work."
Laura nodded. "The only time I was there was when I went for my interview."
"It's going to be fine, Laura," James said. "I'm sure you'll love it." He grinned. "Remus says that you're a brilliant at arguing, so I'm sure this will work out for you."
She smiled, and shook her head. "Is he still here so I can kill him for that comment?"
"I'm not here if that's how you're going to be," Remus laughed as he entered the room. He pulled Laura into a warm embrace. "It's going to be fine, love. You'll be brilliant at whatever you do." He leaned down to kiss her. "There's your good luck kiss. Now you can't fail."
She smiled up at him. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
James cleared his throat. "We really do need to get to work."
"All right," Laura reluctantly agreed, pulling herself away from Remus. "I'll be back with James tonight. I want to hear all about how your first day of class goes."
Remus made a face. "Just swimmingly, I'm sure."
"Everyone will be over tonight," James said. "Even Peter's coming."
"Really?" Laura asked. "How is he doing with his parents?"
James and Remus exchanged a glance. The tone of Peter's letters had left them wondering the very same thing.
"We'll find out tonight," James said at last. "Come on, Laura. We don't want to be late on our first day."
She nodded, and kissed Remus good bye. She and James Apparated to the Ministry of Magic offices.
***
James was bored. He had been paraded around the office by his supervisor, Mr. Fudge, who introduced him to everyone possible. He knew there was no way he'd remember all the names and job titles he had learned, but also knew that he couldn't protest what his boss wanted him to do – particularly not on his first day.
"It's all for your own good, Potter," Fudge said eagerly. "The more people who know you, the better your chances of being promoted. And, just between the two of us, I don't think I'll be in this department too much longer. The junior minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes is retiring, and I'm hoping to be promoted into that position. Not that there's anything wrong with the Department of International Magical Cooperation, of course, but I could be JUNIOR MINISTER over there! Can you even imagine?"
James plastered a smile on his face. "What a wonderful opportunity for you, sir."
"Yes, it is, isn't it? I'll be Minister of Magic one day, James – mark my words!"
James smiled the same fake smile, but the man's words made him want to grimace. THIS man as Minister of Magic? James couldn't imagine the wizarding world making that error in judgment.
***
"Welcome to the Auror Academy. My name is Alastor Moody, and I will be overseeing your training."
Olivia stifled a gasp, and slid a bit closer to Sirius on her seat. Alastor Moody was a rather intimidating figure. His heavily scarred face made both of them a bit nervous. Is that what they would look like after a few years as Aurors?
"Now, with all that our world is going through, your training will be accelerated," Moody continued. "We're going to accomplish in two years what would normally take three. We want to have you ready to go out into the field as soon as possible. If you are not ready for this rigorous training, or to perform the duties being an Auror demands, I'd advise you to leave now. In fact, I'll help you find a job working in Honeyduke's. You'd be of far more use to me there than working in a profession you don't feel dedicated to or passionate about. For those of you who remain . . ."
He shot a Stunner into the crowd, knocking a young man off his chair. A collective gasp went through the group.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
***
"So, Lily, do you know a bit about Quidditch?"
Lily grinned at her Elaine Kramer, editor. "My boyfriend and my best friend were Chasers on our school team for six years. I know everything they've taught me."
"Well, you're definitely better off than the last sports writer we had, then," Elaine said cheerfully. "That man couldn't tell a Quaffle from a Bludger! But I think you'll work out just fine. And, between you and me, the sports position tends to be a 'starter job,' if you will – if you please us, we'll move you on to bigger and better things!"
Lily smiled. This was perfect! There was no way she was going to spend the rest of her life interviewing Quidditch players.
"Now, we've set up your first interview for you, but after this one, you'll be on your own. This first one is with Ludo Bagman. He's a Beater – have you heard of him?"
Lily laughed. "I think James might just spontaneously combust when I tell him I'm interviewing Ludo Bagman!"
"James is your boyfriend?" Elaine grinned.
"Yeah," Lily replied. "He's a bit of a fan of Mr. Bagman's. Really, so is Olivia – my other Quidditch playing friend."
"Well, I'd mention that if I were you. Mr. Bagman loves to hear people sing his praises. It'll open him up a bit."
"Done," Lily grinned.
***
It was late when everyone convened at the boys' flat for dinner. Everyone stumbled in into the flat in various stages of exhaustion. Remus, who was the most adept of the boys at cooking, made dinner. Once they were all situated, James opened the conversation.
"Right. Let's hear from our Healers first. How was your first day?"
"Fabulous!" Dana exclaimed. "We're going to learn so much. It's fascinating, isn't it, Remus? I mean, I thought we had learned so much in Potions and Herbology at Hogwarts, but it's amazing how much more there is out there. I can't wait to actually get out in the field to do some work – but at the same time, I'm afraid I'll never know enough to do it. What did you think, Remus?"
All eyes turned to Remus, who looked a bit uncomfortable. "It was about what I expected," he said. "My dad had me pretty well prepped for it."
James, who was well-aware that being a Healer wasn't Remus' first choice, moved the conversation along. "Aurors? Let's hear it!"
"I have never worked so hard in my entire life," Olivia moaned. "Those people are insane! And that Moody – honestly, Sirius, have you ever met anyone like him before?"
Sirius laughed. "Mr. Potter told me about him, so I was a bit forewarned. He's crazy, all right, but he really knows his stuff. Granted, I think that Stunning a student ten minutes in was a bit much . . ."
"He Stunned a student?" Lily cried.
"Oh, yeah," Sirius grinned. "And then revived him, and proceeded to preach for forty minutes about –"
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Olivia cried. "I think it's his mantra."
"Hey, it's gotten him this far," Sirius laughed. "How 'bout you, Little Flower? How's the world of the Daily Prophet treating you?"
"It's going to be fun," Lily said, smiling as though she had a great secret. "My editor, Elaine, is really funny, and she's going to be very helpful. She said she's very willing to promote me if I do well for her. She's already got my first interview set up for me."
"Really?" James asked with interest. "Who are you interviewing?"
Lily paused dramatically. "Ludo Bagman!"
"LUDO BAGMAN!" James and Olivia yelled as one.
"Lil, you have GOT to get me an autograph!" James cried.
"Can I come with you?" Olivia begged. "Please, Lils?"
Lily laughed. "I knew you two would go nuts."
"Seriously, can we come?"
"No! Not on my first interview! But enough about my job. Tell me about yours, James."
"I want to hear more about yours!"
"No! We all need a chance to talk! This is your turn!"
James laughed at her. "All right, if you insist. Well, my boss is a complete moron."
"Who is it?" Laura asked with interest.
"His name is Cornelius Fudge. He's obsessed with himself. He made me walk around and meet everyone in the whole bloody Ministry this morning, I swear. He was quite eager to introduce his new assistant – I am NOT his assistant, but that's what he kept calling me. I don't know what his problem is! Then he informed me that he won't be in our department much longer – he's hoping to be promoted to junior minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes. I hope he does get that promotion – maybe I won't have to deal with him as much. Oh, and get this – he told me he'll be Minister of Magic someday! Well, he'll get there without my support, I'll tell you that!"
"James, it's been one day," Lily said soothingly. "Maybe you'll learn to like him."
"Oh, I doubt it. Thank goodness I'm doing work for Dumbledore, too, or I think future-Minister Fudge might just drive me to take a header off a bridge!"
Laura laughed. "Well, then I probably shouldn't say anything about my department."
"Oh, no, you're not getting out of this," James said. "Tell us all about it."
Laura smiled. "I really like it. The other people I'm working with are very nice – and very brilliant. I've never seen such a collection of minds! This is going to be a fantastic experience."
"Good for you," James grinned. "At least one of us likes the Ministry." He turned to Peter, who had been rather quiet. "What about you, Peter?"
Peter smiled. "Well, you know, it's sort of like any other summer. I'm at home with my parents. My mum's great, and my dad's impossible to please. I have a job in a shop in town, so at least I'm getting to meet new people."
"That's a good thing," Sirius said encouragingly.
Peter nodded. "But I really miss you guys."
"We miss you, too," Remus said softly. "Maybe your parents will change their minds."
Peter shook his head darkly. "Not very likely."
"Well, regardless, remember that our offer will always stand. You're always welcome here," James said.
"I know that," Peter replied with a smile. "You guys are the best friends I could ask for."
***
"I'm worried about Peter," James said.
Everyone had left for the night, and the three boys were alone in their flat. They were wandering through their living space, collecting all the trash and dirty dishes they could find.
"Me, too," Sirius said. "He doesn't seem like himself, does he?"
"How can he? He's stuck up there with his parents for company, and they won't let him grow up," Remus said.
"He really needs to get down here with us," James said. "He just seems . . . depressed, or something."
A flash of light filled the room, making all three boys jump. Once the light had returned to normal, a letter was lying on the table. A single golden feather was on top of it.
"What's this all about?" Sirius asked, crossing to pick it up. He held up the feather uncertainly. "Who has an owl with golden feathers?"
"That's from Fawkes!" exclaimed James, who had spent far more time in the Headmaster's office than the other two.
"Who?"
"Fawkes! Dumbledore's phoenix! That letter must be about the Order!"
Sirius put down the feather, and examined the envelope. "It's addressed to all three of us."
"Open it," Remus encouraged, crossing the room to read over Sirius' shoulder.
"It says we have to report for training tomorrow night," Sirius said. "We have to meet the girls and Peter in the Leaky Cauldron at seven. We'll receive more information when we get there."
"Rather cryptic, isn't it?" Remus frowned.
"That's Dumbledore for you," James replied. "I'm glad we'll get to see Peter again."
"I think he's having a hard time of it, but doesn't want to admit it," Remus said. "You know how hard it is for Peter to admit he has problems."
"He never had problems admitting stuff like that to us before," Sirius frowned. "We were always the ones he came to when he needed help."
"Yeah, with school stuff," Remus replied. "We were right there, and we could see for ourselves what was going on. But this – this is different. This is something he can hide if he wants to." He looked off into space for a minute. "But we can't let him. We have to let him know that we're still there for him, even if we can't see him every day like we could before."
James sighed. "All this would be so much easier if his parents would just let him live with us."
"Or if he'd grow a spine and stand up to them," Sirius added. "When are they going to realize that he's not their little boy anymore?"
"Probably about the same time he does," Remus said rather harshly.
James and Sirius stared at him.
"My parents are rather like that, too," Remus said. "You have to make them realize that you're not a little kid, or they'll always treat you like one. They wanted me to stay with them, but I said that this was what I wanted to do, and they agreed. Everyone has to grow up. Some people just have an easier time doing it than others."
***
At promptly seven o'clock the next evening, James, Sirius, and Remus walked into the Leaky Cauldron. They spotted Lily, Dana, and Olivia seated together at a table. They crossed the room, and sat down with them.
"Thank goodness you're finally here," Olivia said, grabbing Sirius' arm. "The waiting is driving us mad."
"You haven't received any more information yet?" James asked.
"No," Lily replied, reaching out to take his hand. "We don't even know who we're supposed to meet."
The door opened, and their heads shot up. Laura walked in, with Peter right behind her. They grinned at the sight of their friends, and hurried across to join them. Both of them were laughing as they sat down.
"What's funny?" Remus asked, kissing Laura's cheek.
She giggled. "Peter and I just ran into each other."
"Obviously," Sirius grinned. "You came in together."
"No, we literally ran into each other," Peter laughed. "We both Apparated into Diagon Alley at the same time . . ."
"And at the same point," Laura finished. "Honestly, the most bizarre things happen to me."
"I think we all fall under that category," James grinned. "It's good to see you both. How are things?"
"You have no idea how wonderful it is to hear silence," Laura grinned. "I'm sure I made this point at dinner last night, but this is the first time in my life that I've been able to live alone, and –"
Her statement was cut off as the door opened again, and Hagrid walked in. He exchanged a friendly greeting with the barkeep, then his eyes fell on the table of recent Hogwarts graduates. His face lit by a smile, he crossed the room to their table.
"All right there, you lot?" he asked as he approached.
"Hi, Hagrid!" Sirius exclaimed cheerfully. "How are the Hippogriffs?"
Sirius had become rather fond of Hagrid's Hippogriffs after spending so many detentions helping the gamekeeper. Hagrid loved Sirius for the interest he took in his creatures. He grinned at the question.
"They're doing just great," he replied. "But I have more to talk to you lot about than Hippogriffs."
They all became serious at once. Almost instantly, they all realized that Hagrid was likely their contact person from the Order.
"Professor Dumbledore has sent me to bring you all to him," he said. He glanced around. "I can't tell you much now – you'll find out more once we get there."
"Where are we going?" James asked.
"Headquarters," Hagrid replied, his voice just above a whisper. He pulled a key from his pocket, as well as several slips of paper. "This is the portkey we'll be using to get there. Everyone touch it – we have about a minute." He hastily handed each of them a piece of paper. "Read this – think about, and memorize it."
The paper gave the location for the Order's Headquarters. The writing was unfamiliar to James, but he quickly memorized the address. After he ran through the words in his mind twice, he felt the jerk of the portkey transporting him there.
James' feet slammed into solid ground. He felt someone crash into him from the left, and instinctively reached out to steady his companion. He looked up, and saw Lily smiling at him.
"Thanks," she murmured.
"Anytime," James grinned, giving her a wink.
She smiled again, and gripped his hand, lacing her fingers through his. James leaned over to kiss her cheek. He wanted desperately to hold her close, but knew that this was not the appropriate time to do such a thing. Sirius, who was on his other side, sucked in his breath sharply.
"Welcome."
James looked up, and saw Dumbledore standing before them. He was flanked by two men that James had never seen before. All three of them were surveying the younger people before them as though deciding whether or not they were worthy to stay. James drew himself up, and released Lily's hand.
"Welcome," Dumbledore said again, "to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Thank you, Hagrid, for bringing them here safely."
Hagrid nodded. "Anything else, Professor?"
"Not at this time."
Hagrid nodded again, and left the room. Dumbledore looked back to his new recruits with twinkling eyes.
"Please, sit down."
They lowered themselves onto chairs and couches, never looking away from their former Headmaster and his companions. Dumbledore and the other men took seats with them.
"Membership to the Order of the Phoenix is a rigorous and dangerous thing," Dumbledore said. "Our members put their lives on the line every day in the name of our cause. Battles with Death Eaters are only one part of the work that we do. We require you to be strong physically, mentally, and emotionally. Before we allow you to attend meetings, or to be full members, we will require you to go through a very intense training process. Once you have completed your training, we, along with you, of course, will decide if you should be allowed full membership.
"These two men will be responsible for your training," Dumbledore continued. "This is Frank Longbottom, and this is Alastor Moody. Both men are high-ranking Ministry Aurors, and both men are the foundation of the Order. You, Mr. Black, and you, Miss Alexander, will find yourselves answering to them both here and as a part of your work."
Sirius and Olivia glanced at one another, then back at the men in front of them. Neither of them would tolerate anything but excellence; they were already well-aware of that. They had not been aware that they would be spending every waking moment in their company.
"You will spend the next month training with Alastor and Frank," Dumbledore said. "Should anyone ask why you are spending so much time away from home, you are here to learn Advanced Transfiguration with me. At the end of the month, we will make a final decision about your membership."
They all nodded. In that one moment, they made their own final decisions. There was no turning back.
Dumbledore nodded, and looked from the new recruits to Moody and Longbottom. "I'll just leave them with you, then." He turned to look at the eight young adults that he would always consider to be among his best students. "I wish you all luck. Until we meet again." He turned on his heel, and Dispparated with a soft pop.
"Come," Moody said, his voice harsh and gruff, "let's begin our training." He glanced at Sirius and Olivia. "I will expect nothing but perfection from both of you."
Sirius and Olivia nodded, never breaking eye contact with the older man. He nodded back at them. Never taking his eyes away from theirs, Moody's wand shot up, pointed at Laura. Before he had time to utter a spell, Sirius' wand shot up to point at Moody.
"Good, Black! You're learning! The rest of you – did you see that? You must be prepared for anything! CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
They all jumped in their seats a bit. Longbottom picked up the lecture.
"You also must notice how quickly Mr. Black jumped to Miss Bond's aid. That is an essential part of what you will do with the Order, and what we are going to teach you tonight."
Both Aurors stood, and motioned for the others to do the same. Frank waved his wand, making all furniture in the room vanish.
"Trust," Moody said quietly. "Trust is a vital part of all that we do. We must have complete trust in one another, or we have nothing. We depend upon each other for our very lives in many cases. Today, we will work on trust."
"This first exercise is very simple," Frank said, picking up where Moody had left off. "You will each work with a partner. All you must do is to turn your back to your partner, and fall back into his or her arms. Your partner will catch you before you can fall."
Lily frowned. "I've heard of this sort of thing before."
"Have you tried it before?" Moody asked.
"No," Lily said honestly. "But my sister went to a camp where they did these sorts of exercises."
"What is the point behind them?" Moody asked.
"To show your trust in the person catching you," Lily said. "And the person catching you demonstrates that they will do just that. That they will be there – that they are trustworthy."
"Exactly," Moody said. "Like Longbottom said, this isn't a difficult exercise. We'll do some that involve spells and curses once we complete this." He looked around at them critically. "You will all do this exercise until you have been partnered with everyone. However, to start, let's break up our happy couples. Let's put Potter and Alexander together, Evans and Lupin, Bond and Black, and Morgan and Pettigrew. Now, let's see what you can do. Potter, Alexander, you start. Show us how much you trust one another."
James grinned at Olivia. "You know I trust you. You were my captain for two years!"
"Let's see you prove it, then," Olivia grinned. "Turn around and fall."
"Are you sure you can support me?" James asked.
"Are you saying you don't trust me?"
"Right, right." James turned his back on her, and paused a moment before he fell.
Olivia reached out and caught him before he hit the ground. He had been right about one thing – he was heavier than she would have guessed. As soon as she held him suspended over the ground, her muscles began to protest. She gasped, and he quickly pulled himself up.
"Good show," Moody growled. "Alexander, we're going to have to work on your strength."
"I thought I was strong," she muttered. "I played Quidditch for the past six years."
"Well, apparently you didn't train hard enough," Moody shot back. "But no matter. We can build your strength. It's the trust I'm concerned about. Now, let's see if you trust Potter as much as he trusts you."
She grinned at James, who gave her a wink. She turned around, and promptly fell back into his arms. James caught her, supporting her easily. Moody nodded his approval, and called Lily and Remus up for their own display.
All four groups performed their first test admirably. Moody and Frank nodded, and realigned the groups. James found himself working with Sirius, who grinned at him.
"I think I'm a bit heavier than Liv," he teased.
"I've seen you eat," James laughed. "I KNOW you're heavier than she is."
"More work and less talk!" Moody bellowed.
James and Sirius halted their conversation at once, and went to work on the exercise. They made their way around the room, working with a different partner each time they performed the exercise. For the last round, the three couples were reunited.
"Are you ready for this?" James whispered to Lily.
"I'd rather be in your arms than anyone else's," she whispered back, giving him a special smile.
James felt his heart jump when she looked at him like that. Oh, WHY, couldn't he just take her away from here so they could be alone and he could snog her senseless?
"Black, Alexander, you're first," Moody called.
Sirius and Olivia performed the trust exercise, followed by Peter and Dana. James and Lily were next. Each time, Moody's only comment was that they needed to build their strength. James feared that he would soon be working on quite a few exercises.
"All right, let's see Bond and Lupin," Frank said.
Remus gave Laura a smile as he stepped up behind her. She tried to smile back, but failed. Remus frowned. Why did she look at him like that? He had seen her fall into Lily's arms, and Dana's, Peter's – everyone's. Why was she concerned about this exercise? She had done it before.
Laura was almost shaking as she turned her back on Remus. In her mind, she was in the Shrieking Shack, listening to him tell her the truth. For years, she had been with him while he lied to her. She had proclaimed her trust a thousand times since they had gotten back together, but this was a very serious – and very public – test of her words. Could she really do it? Could she really trust Remus to catch her?
In her mind, she knew the answer was yes. Remus would never let her fall. She took a deep breath and started to fall backward . . .
She tried to catch herself before Remus had a chance, falling in the process. Both Moody and Longbottom raised their eyebrows. She didn't trust her own boyfriend to catch her?
Remus looked at Laura in horror. She didn't trust him? "Laura?" he asked shakily.
"Remus," she said slowly, her eyes filling with tears, "I –"
Her next words died in her throat as the door burst open, and Dumbledore appeared, his face ashen. Remus helped Laura to her feet, and they, along with everyone else, stared at the older man. Something had happened – something awful. Everyone in the room seemed to be holding his or her breath, waiting to hear what Dumbledore would say.
"I need to talk to Miss Morgan," he said, his voice very urgent.
Tears gathered in Dana's eyes. Even before she heard whatever news the Headmaster had brought, she knew it would break her heart. "What's happened?" she whispered. "Is it Aidan?"
"May I take you next door?" Dumbledore asked gently.
Dana shook her head, and grabbed the hand of Lily, who was standing next to her. "I'd rather have my friends here with me," she said, trying desperately to be brave.
Dumbledore nodded, and conjured several chairs. "Very well. At least sit down, please."
Dana nodded, and dragged Lily to a loveseat with her. Lily sat down next to her friend, gripping her hand tightly. She placed her other hand on Dana's upper arm, trying to protect her, to shield her from the awful news that was coming. She could feel Dana shaking as they awaited Dumbledore's proclamation.
Dumbledore sat down across from the girls, looking at Dana with compassion. "There was another attack," he said gently. "The Death Eaters attacked part of Diagon Alley."
There was a collective gasp from the group. Dumbledore glanced up. "It was away from where you live," he said.
James, Sirius, and Remus nodded. They all felt a bit relieved, but a bit ashamed for feeling relieved. Their flat was safe, but someone close to Dana was not.
"The area that was attacked was near your father's shop," Dumbledore said gently. "He went outside to help, to try to hold off the Death Eaters – he was trying to protect some people who had been caught in the crossfire."
Dana drew her breath in sharply, and gripped Lily's hand so hard that Lily was concerned her fingers might break. She squeezed back, trying to tell Dana that she was there for her without saying a word.
"I'm so sorry, Dana," Dumbledore said softly. "Your father was killed by a Death Eater. It happened just as members of the Order were arriving on the scene. He died as a hero, and will be hailed as one."
Tears escaped, running quickly down Dana's cheeks, and her mouth opened in a silent scream. She tried desperately to compose herself, but her voice shook when she spoke. "Does my mother know?"
"Yes. She's at the Ministry right now."
"Can I go to her?"
"I'll take you myself."
"Dana, do you want us to come?" Lily asked. She felt tears stinging her eyes as she looked into Dana's horror-stricken face.
Dana looked over at her. "I need to be with my mum," she said softly. "She needs me right now."
Lily released her hand, and pulled her into a tight embrace. Dana clung to her, and sobs began to wrack her body. Olivia crossed the room, her own eyes full of tears, and pulled both girls into her arms. They stayed like that, locked into each other's comforting embraces, gently rocking back and forth.
A/N: Moody's line about helping anyone who doesn't have the passion about their chosen career find a job elsewhere is a tribute to my educational psychology professor – one of the best teachers I've ever had. She had a very similar line she gave us about dedication to the teaching profession – although the job she offered to help us find was at Circuit City.