Wednesday, March 22, 1978

"Padfoot!" James tapped his finger against the glass and heaved an impatient sigh. "Padfoot, wake up!"

There was a muffled groan and the sound of something crashing to the floor. "Fucking hell," Sirius said, and then his face filled the mirror. He wore a scowl and his eyes were still half-closed. "What? It's too early."

"It's not bloody early, it's almost ten. Get up, you lazy arsehole. The shop will be open soon."

Sirius yawned and lay back down on the bed. "What, you think all the good rings will be sold if we don't get there when it opens? Fuck off, Prongs, I'll get up in a bit."

"Don't be a grumpy git. I'll buy you a coffee and a bacon roll." When Sirius only mumbled in response, James raised his voice and tapped on the glass. "Oi, Mary! Tell Padfoot to get up."

There was the creak of mattress springs, and then Mary appeared in the mirror. Her curls stuck up at odd angles, and there was a bit of mascara smeared under one eye.

"What?" she asked, stifling a yawn. "You're going ring shopping, then?"

"That's the plan, if your lazy boyfriend ever gets up. Do me a favor and give him a kick in the arse for me, will you?"

James heard a giggle and a shout, followed by peals of laughter.

"Sod you, Macdonald. I think he meant a metaphorical kick," Sirius said, scowling. "Prongs, I hate you, and I'm going to require two bacon rolls and a very large coffee, and a drink when the pubs open."

James grinned and got to his feet, bringing the mirror with him. "Love you, too. I'll be at your flat in ten minutes. Mary, do you want anything?"

"No thanks, I'm going back to sleep," she said, yawning and settling back against the pillows. "Enjoy your shopping trip."

Twenty minutes later James was strolling along the street with Sirius, heading for Muggle London. A weak spring sun was peeking through the clouds, and James turned his face up to the sky, basking in the warmth and savoring the exquisite rush of happiness.

"You sure you want to go to this Muggle jewelry shop?" Sirius asked, munching his second bacon roll. "Why don't we just go to the jewelry shop next to Eyelops? Or actually, didn't Mum say you could have your grandmother's goblin-made engagement ring? Just take that one, and we can skip the shopping altogether and go straight to the pub."

James had already considered this; in fact, he had spent more time thinking about engagement rings than he was willing to admit. His mother had offered him her mother's engagement ring for whenever he decided to get married, and it was gorgeous. Several small diamonds encircled the large center stone, and the band was engraved with a design of twisting vines and roses. It was worth a small fortune – most girls would kill to have a ring like that. But Lily wasn't most girls, and James was sure she wouldn't want anything besides the exact engagement ring Petunia had, except with a larger diamond. Lily had many admirable qualities that had made James fall in love with her, but she also had a tendency toward pettiness, and he was sure one-upping her sister would be one of the sweetest pleasures of her life.

"No, we need to go to this exact Muggle jewelry shop," James said, glancing sideways at him and grinning. "Now, quit complaining and eat your bacon roll. This won't take long, and then we can go to your precious pub, because being at the pub right when it opens on a bloody Wednesday is a perfectly respectable thing to do."

Sirius frowned and tossed the crumpled up bacon roll wrapper in his direction, but James reached out and caught it before tossing it into a nearby rubbish bin.

"I don't appreciate the judgment in your tone," Sirius said, giving a sanctimonious shake of his head. "If that's the way you feel, I'm happy to go to the pub alone."

"Right, because going to the pub alone is perfectly respectable," James said, rolling his eyes.

"Prongs, it's too early to feel this judged. Keep it up and I'm not going into the shop with you."

"Don't be stupid, of course you are." James glanced sideways at him and grinned. "I know you want to be the first to see the ring. Now hurry up. I think it's just up here."

The jewelry store was in an upscale part of London, nestled between a perfume shop and a store full of extravagant hats. James steered Sirius away from the hat store and stepped into the jewelry shop. A soft bell tinkled as the door shut behind them, and their laughter died as the hushed atmosphere of the shop enveloped them. James's eyes widened as he gazed at the glass case full of winking diamonds and sleek, shining gold. A display rack on top of the counter held a selection of watches that filled the air with soft ticking. There was not a single price tag in sight.

James was drawn to a selection of diamond solitaires arranged in order of size from large to fucking massive. He nudged Sirius and pointed to one, and was trying to imagine how it would look on Lily's finger when they were greeted by a woman in a smart Muggle skirt set and a sleek bun.

"Hi, welcome to Danah's. How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for an engagement ring," James said. "I like the look of that one." He pointed to one of the rings in the case, then frowned. "Or, I dunno, maybe the one beside it."

To her credit, her warm smile didn't falter, although James knew he differed from her usual clientele. In his Ballycastle Bats t-shirt and worn trainers, he doubted he looked old enough to afford even the cheapest cufflink in the shop. A grin spread over his face as he reached into his pocket and felt the fat wad of Muggle money he had gotten from Gringotts yesterday. He didn't usually enjoy flaunting his money, but this was going to be fun.

"What's your budget, love?"

James shrugged. "I dunno. I'm not sure I have one."

"Fuck, that sounds sexy when you put it like that," Sirius said, nudging James and grinning. "Doesn't that sound sexy, er…?" He scanned the woman's shirt for a name tag but found none. "Danah? Are you Danah?"

She laughed. "I am."

"Doesn't that sound sexy, Danah?"

"Don't make her uncomfortable, Padfoot," James said with an exasperated sigh.

"It's alright," she said, with another bright peal of laughter. "I'm not uncomfortable. I suppose it does sound rather sexy."

"Right? Because what's sexier than a big fat sale?" He leaned against the display case and flashed her his most charming grin. "You're about to make a big fat sale, Danah. He's not fucking joking, either. He's got a pocket full of cash, and more in the bank if needed, and he's here to buy a huge fucking diamond, and then we're going to go to the pub."

James glared at him. "Padfoot…"

"What? I'm cutting out the bullshit. We don't have time for bullshit." He glanced at Danah and grinned. "We're going to the pub."

"Yeah, you mentioned that." She gestured at the display case. "Well, what sort of girl is she? Because these are lovely, but they're sort of a lot, if you know what I mean." She pointed at a selection of rings a little further down the case. "These are a bit more subtle, but still really nice."

"I don't think she wants subtle," James said, frowning at the rings. "I came here to your store in particular because this is where her sister's engagement ring is from. You might remember the bloke that bought it for her. Vernon Dursley? Big stupid mustache, no neck, kind of a tosser?"

She stifled a laugh. "Actually I think I do remember him. He told me all about his job at some company that sells… hammers, maybe?"

"Something like that," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Anyway, I want to buy the same ring he bought, except I want it to be three carats."

She widened her eyes. "Do you – do you want to buy this ring just to one-up this girl's sister?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She frowned. "Are you sure that's what she wants?"

"Absolutely."

Sirius drummed his fingers against the glass of the display case. "You sure, Prongs? Evans doesn't strike me as the petty type."

"I promise you, she is," James said, adjusting his glasses after peering down into the case. "She just hides it well."

Danah shrugged and stepped behind the display case, then took out the ring James had selected. She held it between her manicured fingers so that the diamond caught the light. James extended his hand and she placed the ring in his palm reverently. It was heavier than he had expected. He held it up to the light, then offered it to Sirius to examine.

"What do you think? You think she'll like it?"

Sirius took it and slid it onto his pinky finger. "Prongs, this is a giant fucking diamond. I don't see how she could not love it. But then again, she's dating you even though you have hair like that, so maybe we can't trust her taste."

"Shut up," James said, snatching back the ring. He studied it, and an upwelling of joy and excitement formed in his chest until he thought he might burst from happiness. I'm actually going to propose to Evans. Bloody fucking hell, this is really happening. He imagined getting down on one knee, presenting the velvet box to Lily, sliding the ring onto her finger as her eyes welled with tears. Smiling so big that his cheeks began to hurt, he handed the ring back to Danah.

"I'll take it," he said, reaching into his pocket to pull out the wad of cash. He thrust it at her before she could even give him a price, and her eyes widened as a few bills fluttered to the floor and landed on top of her patent leather stilettos.

"Okay," she said, giving him an odd look as she set the ring on the counter and bent down to pick up the dropped bills. Delicately she gathered up the money, then smoothed it out and made a neat pile on the counter. She counted it twice, then handed him back a small pile of the bills.

"You keep it," he said, shaking his head and pressing the bills back into her hand. "For all your help today."

She stared at the money, taken aback. "I can't take this."

James grinned. "Sure you can."

When she continued to stare at the money as though afraid it might bite her, Sirius sighed and pulled his wand from his pocket, then flicked it in her direction. A contented, glazed look filled Danah's eyes, and her fingers closed over the bills with a crisp, rustling sound.

"Thank you," she said, slipping the extra bills into the pocket of her skirt. "Let me just ring this into the cash register, and I'll be right back." She bustled off behind the counter, taking the large pile of money and the ring with her.

"Padfoot," James said with another exasperated shake of his head. "You didn't need to do that. She was going to take it."

"We were wasting time," Sirius said, shrugging and tucking his wand back into his pocket. "I dunno if you know this about me, but I'm bloody impatient."

James laughed. "I had no idea."

A minute later Danah returned from behind the counter to hand James a plush velvet box and a receipt. He opened the box and took one last look at the ring, then closed the box with a snap and stowed it in his back pocket. He liked the way it felt there, just waiting for the perfect moment. Suddenly he had a wild urge to rush over to Lily's house and ask her today, right now. Sirius must have sensed his thoughts, because he nudged him and muttered, "You going to be able to wait until the summer to ask her?"

He shoved the ring box deeper into his pocket. "Course I will." A sheepish smile spread across his face as he added, "But, well, feel free to kick me if I look like I'm about to propose prematurely, alright?"

Sirius nodded. "Gladly."

Overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement and pure, unadulterated joy, James looked at Danah and grinned. "Thank you," he said, and before he could stop himself he had thrown his arms around her.

"You're welcome," she said, her expression surprised but not displeased when he released her, blushing slightly. "Good luck proposing. I'm sure she'll say yes."

"I hope so." He gave her one last smile, then followed Sirius out of the shop. He had just spent more money than some people made in a year, and he had made a fool of himself by hugging the jeweler, and Sirius had broken the law by using magic on a Muggle, but none of that mattered in the slightest, because James was now in possession of Lily's engagement ring.

When they stumbled out of the fireplace at James's house hours later, smudged with soot and stinking of firewhisky, Fleamont and Euphemia looked up from their respective sections of the newspaper and shot them amused looks.

"Isn't it it 2:00 on a Wednesday, or am I too old to know what day it is anymore?" Fleamont asked, checking his watch.

"Oh damn, I thought it was Tuesday," Sirius said, plopping down onto a chair and resting his feet on the coffee table. "Tuesday is my favorite day for inappropriate drunkenness."

James sat down on the sofa across from him and grinned. "Blame your favorite son."

"Right, because I held you down and forced the liquor down your throat," Sirius said, rolling his eyes and reaching for a half-full bag of crisps Fleamont had left on the coffee table.

"I'm not staying sober while you're drunk," James shot back. "You're obnoxious."

Sirius shoved a handful of crisps into his mouth. "I'm not obnoxious. Am I?"

"You're both obnoxious," Euphemia said, sighing and setting down her crossword. "Don't you dare wipe your greasy fingers on that chair, Sirius."

He grinned, then leaned over and wiped them on James's trousers instead.

"What's the occasion?" Euphemia asked, Summoning the throw pillow James had snatched from the sofa before he could chuck it at Sirius's head. "Why do we have the pleasure of seeing you two drunk off your arses on a Wednesday afternoon? Or is this one of those, 'You don't need a reason to get drunk' sort of times?"

"Nah, there's a reason," James said. "I've got something to show you. You know how I said I was taking all that money out of Gringotts to buy a new broomstick? Well, I lied." As he reached into his pocket to retrieve the ring box, a warm glow filled his chest that was quite separate from the effects of the firewhisky. He opened the box and held it out to his parents, admiring the way the enormous stone sparkled in the light. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Fleamont chuckled and raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry to let you down, but I'm already taken."

"Fleamont, you idiot!" Euphemia covered her mouth with her hand, then got to her feet and hurried over to take a closer look at the ring. "Our son brings home an engagement ring, and you make a stupid joke?"

"I thought it was funny," Sirius said, shrugging and shooting Fleamont an apologetic look.

"James, it's gorgeous." She reached out and touched the diamond, her eyes filling with tears.

"I'm sorry I'm not going to use Grandma's ring," he said, unable to keep the smile from his face as he gazed down at the ring. "I just thought this was more Lily's taste."

"It doesn't matter," she said, shaking her head. "Sirius can have that ring."

Sirius let out a snort of laughter. "I'm never getting married."

"It doesn't matter," she repeated. "James, are you sure? You're both so young…"

He thought about Lily's smile, and the focused look that came over her face when she brewed a difficult potion, and the way she searched through an entire box of Bertie Botts to find the grass-flavored beans. "I'm sure," he said, nodding. "Absolutely sure."

She wrapped her arms around him, and he felt tears dripping onto the back of his neck. He was reminded of a time over ten years ago when he had earned a spot on a competitive Quidditch team. The emotion on her face was the same: a mixture of pride, wonder, and joy.

"I'm so happy for you," she said, releasing him and pushing a lock of hair back from his forehead.

"You don't think we're too young and I'm making a horrible mistake?"

She shook her head. "We love her. Don't we, Fleamont?"

"She's great," Fleamont said, nodding. "Any girl who appreciates rare potions books is a winner in my eyes."

"Besides," Euphemia added, wiping her eyes. "Even if I said it was the worst idea I'd ever heard, you'd just do it anyway. I know you."

James ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "You're not wrong."

Euphemia sniffed and wiped her eyes again, but it did nothing to stem the flow of tears.

"Don't cry, Mum," Sirius said, reaching into his pocket and tossing her a handkerchief. "You're making James uncomfortable."

Fleamont got to his feet and stepped around the coffee table to clap James on the back, then peered down at the ring, his eyes widening as he took in the impressive sight.

"I knew racing brooms couldn't cost that much," he said, chuckling. "But I didn't want to say anything, just in case it made me sound old and out of touch."

"Don't worry, we already know you're old and out of touch," Sirius said.

"Oh, you hush. Maybe the Cannons should consider spending that much on new brooms. It might allow them to actually win a match."

Sirius held up a rude hand gesture, but Fleamont was still admiring the ring and didn't respond.

"When are you going to ask her?" Euphemia asked.

"Not until we finish Hogwarts." James gave the ring one last lingering look before snapping the box shut and slipping it back into his pocket. "So don't say anything."

"Of course not. But we should have her over for dinner or something. I'd like to get to know her a bit better, before you propose. How about Saturday night? We can have an early birthday dinner for you." She turned to Sirius, her face lighting up. "And you can invite Mary."

Sirius frowned. "Why?" he asked, suspicious.

"Because she's your girlfriend, isn't she?"

His frown deepened. "Yes, but—"

"But nothing. She's your girlfriend, and we should get to know her."

"Well, I'll have to see if she's free," he said evasively. "She might have to work."

"No she doesn't," James said, grinning. "She's working an early shift on Saturday. Out at one. That's plenty of time for her to come to dinner."

"How the fuck do you know her work schedule?" Sirius demanded.

James shrugged. "I had her write it down for me. I wanted to know when I would have the privilege of your undivided attention and when you'd be too busy shagging–"

Euphemia cleared her throat and shot him a disapproving look.

"I mean, too busy gazing into each other's eyes and talking about your feelings," he amended. "Sorry, Mum."

"Ugh." Sirius wrinkled his nose and slouched down in his seat, stretching out his legs and knocking the crisps bag onto the floor. "If you ever catch me doing any of that rubbish, it's probably someone impersonating me with Polyjuice, because I don't do that." He folded his hands behind his head, then sighed when he realized everyone was still looking at him expectantly. "Alright, fine, I'll invite her, but can it please not be a big thing?"

"Don't worry, I won't let on how old and out of touch I am," Fleamont said, flashing Sirius a cheeky grin. "If anyone wants to join me, I'm going into the kitchen to find a snack, seeing as someone ate all of my crisps." He eyed the empty crisps bag and shook his head in dismay, then picked up his newspaper and wandered into the kitchen. Euphemia retrieved her crossword and followed him, and a moment later Sirius had hopped up from the couch and grabbed the crisps bag before strolling into the kitchen after them. James stood in the empty sitting room, savoring the feeling of contentment and happiness washing over him, before making his way into the kitchen to join his family.

Later James and Fleamont remained at the kitchen table while Sirius and Euphemia wandered away to do the crossword together. The ring box sat on the table beside a half-empty glass of pumpkin juice and a plate covered with crumbs. James's hand snaked out to open the box, and his face lit up again as he admired the diamond sparkling inside.

"Checking to make sure it didn't turn into a racing broom?" Fleamont asked, grinning as he adjusted his glasses.

"I still can't believe I actually bought it," James admitted, closing the box with a snap and tucking it into his pocket. "I know it's fast. It's mad." He widened his eyes and looked up at his father, noticing the lines around his mouth and in the corners of his eyes. "But right now everything's a bit, well…"

"Mad," Fleamont finished, a grim expression clouding his usually cheerful face. "And getting madder every day."

James nodded. He teetered on the edge of confessing his plans to join the Order. When he and Sirius had discussed it earlier, they had decided to keep it quiet for the time being. There was no point in worrying their parents when there was nothing they could do about it, James had argued, and Sirius had agreed without argument. Yet now that James sat across from his father at the kitchen table, staring down at the remains of their afternoon snack, the knowledge sat heavy on his tongue just as the ring sat heavy in his pocket.

"Dad," he began, taking a deep breath and running a hand through his hair. "When we finish Hogwarts, Sirius and I aren't really going to travel. We're going to, er…" He swallowed, the rest of his sentence choking him.

"You're going to do something to make the world a bit less mad?" Fleamont suggested mildly.

"Yeah," James said, startled. "How'd you know?"

Fleamont smiled and brushed a few biscuit crumbs into a pile on the table. "Because I know you two wouldn't be satisfied sitting back and letting someone else handle it. You're too stubborn for that, and besides, I think you enjoy the risk."

"Us? Doing risky things for fun?" James grinned as the knot in his chest eased. "When have we ever done that?"

Fleamont raised his eyebrows. "I seem to remember the two of you letting a Bludger loose in this house once or twice. And I think one of you owns a flying motorbike. And didn't I get a letter from the school last year saying you'd broken your arm during a Quidditch match because you took a Bludger for a teammate?"

A sheepish smile spread across James's face as he listened to their mishaps, laid out in Fleamont's calm, casual manner.

"But you're right," Fleamont continued, Vanishing the pile of crumbs with a wave of his wand and looking back up at James. "You two are the very model of cautious, rule-abiding citizens." His smile tightened as his eyes bore into James. "It's going to be dangerous."

"Yeah, it is." James thought about all the hours they had spent hurling spells back and forth in that empty classroom, the sting of his wounds before Peter had forced the torn flesh back together, the potion Lily had been stealing during her evenings in Slughorn's workroom. "But we're used to danger. We'll get through somehow. We always do."

Fleamont sighed. "You do. I'm proud of you both, you know. Your mother is, too."

James ran his finger along the beads of condensation left behind by his glass of pumpkin juice. "Are you going to tell Mum?"

Fleamont shot him a sharp look over the top of his glasses. "As a rule, you should never try to keep big, important secrets from the woman you love. It'll come back to bite you in the arse later."

James grinned, imagining Lily's face if he had tried to keep something this important from her. "Noted."

"Anyway, she already suspects," Fleamont continued. "We both knew it would come to this."

He watched James for a moment, his lips parting as though he wanted to say more, but then he cleared his throat and got to his feet, his casual smile back on his face. "I'm going to go see how they're getting on with the crossword. Your mother makes that adorable face when she can't figure out an answer – it always makes me laugh."

James remained at the table for a moment, mulling over the task that lay in front of him, until Sirius shouted his name. Sighing, he rose from the table and made his way into the living room, shoving the worried thoughts to the back of his mind. They would get through somehow – they always did.

Friday, March 24, 1978

James strode up to the restaurant, coming to a stop outside the door when he realized Lily was no longer beside him.

"What's wrong?" he called, bounding down the steps to join her.

She shook her head, reaching for his hand and sighing.

"I'm afraid this is going to be a bloody disaster," she said, eying the restaurant with apprehension. "The last time I saw Vernon, I shouted at him and threw a napkin in his face. And somehow I don't think you're going to have much more success getting on with him."

"What do you mean?" he demanded, pretending to be affronted. "I'm going to be on my best behavior." He kissed her forehead, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo.

"You'll be on your best behavior until he says something even the slightest bit rude to me, and then you'll be calling him all sorts of names and insulting his mustache and I don't know what else," she said, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Evans, I would never insult a man's mustache. Who do you think I am?" He pulled her in for a hug, hoping he would in fact be able to hold back if Vernon Dursley was not on his best behavior. "Now, let's go in, because you're cold and I'm hungry."

Vernon and Petunia were already seated at the table, but they both stood to greet Lily and James. Vernon had a meaty, sweaty hand, and his grip was just a bit firmer than was necessary. His eyes traveled over James, lingering over his untidy hair and his brown shoes that perhaps did not quite go with his black trousers. As they sat down at the table, James noticed that Vernon leaned forward in his seat, his chin jutting out aggressively and his legs splayed out so that Lily had to scoot her chair back to avoid knocking into his knees.

"So, Vernon," James said after Vernon had stopped interrogating the waitress about the wine selection and they had all placed drink orders, "Lily tells me you work for a company that makes drills. That must be, er, interesting."

James was not quite sure what a drill actually was, but he assumed Vernon was about to talk about them for the next five minutes at the very least, and he was not disappointed.

"But that's enough about drills for now," Vernon finally said, chortling. "I don't want to bore you with too much business talk."

James glanced sideways at Lily and swallowed a laugh. Is he joking? he thought. I'm already more bored than I've ever been in my entire life.

Vernon must have noticed James's amusement, because he shot him a cold look and leaned even further forward in his chair. His ample stomach was now pressing against the edge of the table.

"I hope you didn't have trouble finding parking tonight," he said, casting an obvious glance down at his watch to emphasize their lateness. "We had to drive around several times to find a decent spot." He raised his voice and added, "I have a company car now, so I can't park it in any old spot where some hooligan could dent it. What sort of car do you drive, James?" The sneer on his face suggested that no matter what James's answer was, Vernon would deem it somehow unacceptable.

"Oh, I don't have a car, actually." He smiled at the waitress as she set a drink down in front of him, then waited for her to leave. "I never learned to drive. My best mate drives a motorbike, but I prefer my Nimbus 1250."

Vernon glanced at Petunia and frowned. She shook her head and shrugged, then took a large sip of wine.

"Sorry, your what?" Vernon asked. "Nimbus – what is that, a bicycle?"

James laughed. "No, it's a racing broom."

Vernon mouthed the words, his eyes narrowing in confusion as though James had spoken a foreign language. "A racing broom?"

James took a sip of his drink and nodded. "It's the most popular choice among professional Quidditch teams – sorry, that's our sport played on broomsticks, if you didn't know. Anyway, some people will tell you the Cleansweep is still the way to go, but it really can't keep up with the Nimbus, especially as far as braking is concerned. My broom gets up to around 120 miles per hour, and it's perfectly smooth even at top speeds. That's how you can tell the difference between a true quality broom and a mediocre one, because a lot of the cheaper models will start to shake once you get up past 100 miles an hour." He glanced at Lily and grinned. "Evans has ridden on it. What do you think, Evans? It's brilliant, right?"

Lily smiled and nodded. "It's pretty fun, although I'm hopeless at flying on my own." Her smile faltered when she saw Vernon's face growing red with anger while Petunia's mouth became a thin, hard line. "Petunia, why don't you tell us what you're planning for the wedding. I think you said you went with a pink color scheme?"

As Petunia began gushing about centerpieces and bouquets, Lily reached for James's hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. Be nice, she mouthed out of the side of her mouth.

"I am," he muttered. He was being nice, wasn't he? It wasn't his fault if his Nimbus was better than Vernon's stupid company car. Tosser, he thought, scowling as Vernon's eyes glazed over during Petunia's detailed description of their place settings.

The tension at the table eased as they ordered entrees and the conversation shifted back to Vernon's career. James resorted to running Quidditch plays in his head after Vernon's discussion of his recent promotion lasted almost ten minutes.

"What do you plan to do for work once you finish school, James?" Vernon asked suddenly. James blinked, his thoughts still on the Dobblebeater Defense, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

"Haven't you given it any thought?" Vernon persisted, a cruel smile spreading across his ruddy face. "Wizards work, don't they?" His smile widened as he lowered his voice and continued, "Or do they have to survive on unemployment benefit? I'd be ashamed to live that way, personally."

Lily's hand tightened around James's; it was a warning, but it was unnecessary. He wasn't angry. He wanted to laugh. If Vernon wanted to insult him, he had chosen the worst possible way to do it.

"Wizards work," James said, nodding. "Although I won't need to. My parents have piles of money. Actual piles, in our underground vault at Gringotts."

Vernon's smug smile flickered. "Gringotts?"

"Yes, it's our bank," James said helpfully. "Where wizards keep their money." When Vernon continued to stare at him, he added, "Money from working. Our money is in solid gold, not those little bits of paper Muggles use." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of money. "They're called Galleons," he said, holding them out for Vernon to see.

Vernon picked up a Galleon and examined it. He traced a finger over the writing on the front, then held it in the palm of his hand to feel the heft of it.

"Is this real?" he asked, eying it as if he was considering taking a bite out of it.

James frowned. "Is it real? It's not leprechaun gold, if that's what you mean. Keep it and see for yourself." When Vernon continued to stare at him with his mouth hanging open, James explained, "If it doesn't disappear within an hour or two, you'll know it's real. I think there's another way to tell the difference, but fuck if I know how to do it."

Vernon stared down at the gold in his hand, then dropped it on the table and glanced sideways at Petunia. His gaze returned to the Galleon, then he looked back at James.

"Are you taking the piss?" he demanded, his voice rising and attracting the attention of the couple at the table across from them.

"No," James said in an overly patient tone. "I'm explaining how our money works. If I was taking the piss, you'd know it."

"James," Lily whispered, squeezing his hand again. "Be nice."

"What?" he asked, becoming defensive. "I am being bloody nice. Children understand how Gringotts works, Evans. I'm not sure how to be more clear about it."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Vernon shouted. His face was now a dark shade of red, and there was a tiny crumb of bread nestled in his mustache. Petunia rested a warning hand on his shoulder, but he seemed unaware of her touch. "Do you think I'm stupid, because I'm not a…" He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Because I'm not a wizard?"

James hesitated. "No, not because you're not a wizard," he said.

Lily kicked his foot under the table. He probably deserved that, because strictly speaking he was no longer being nice, but Vernon Dursley had asked for it. He shouldn't have asked the question if he wasn't prepared for the answer.

Vernon's face turned an even darker shade of red, veering dangerously close to purple. He stared at James, apoplectic with rage, then turned to Petunia.

"Do you hear this arsehole? Sitting here implying that I'm some sort of idiot?"

James ran a hand through his hair and frowned at him. "Technically, I didn't imply it. You asked, and I answered."

Petunia ignored James. "Don't act like this is my fault, Vernon! I warned you what he would be like, what they're both like."

"Excuse me, what do you mean, 'what they're both like?'" Lily snapped, setting down her wine glass so hard that little droplets flew out and flecked the tablecloth. "I've been nothing but nice all evening!"

"Don't act all innocent," Petunia shot back. "I know you're going to go home and talk about how awful we are, your Muggle sister and her stupid Muggle fiancé – too ignorant to understand about racing brooms or Gringotts or bloody leprechaun gold!"

Her voice was a vehement hiss as her face contorted with rage. The couple at the next table peered over, curious to see what all the fuss was about.

"Don't be stupid, Petunia," Lily said, rolling her eyes. "Of course I know you understand about Gringotts. Mum and Dad took us both there the summer before I went to Hogwarts for the first time."

Vernon shot Petunia a sharp look, and her thin face flushed all the way down her long neck to the collar of her lacey blouse.

"You don't need to bring that up," Petunia said, glowering at Lily. "Vernon doesn't need to hear about all of the strange things I've been subjected to, growing up with you as a sister."

"Yes, it must've been horrible," Lily scoffed. James gave her hand a squeeze, but she wrenched it out of his grip. "Being dragged to a bloody bank! The horror! The fucking audacity! How have you ever recovered from your traumatic childhood?"

"We're leaving," Vernon said, standing up so fast that he bumped the table and knocked over Petunia's wine glass. It splashed across the table cloth, covering Lily's pale green dress with bright red spots. "Sorry," he spluttered, gesturing at the dress. "I'll, er, pay to have it dry cleaned."

"Don't be silly," James replied, because Lily was still glaring across the table at her sister. "I can just get it out with magic."

This seemed to push Vernon past the limit. Swelling with rage, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, then emptied it out onto the table. "Here, this should cover the bill," he spat. "I don't think they accept leprechaun gold here." He seized Petunia's ugly, oversized handbag from the back of her chair and thrust it at her, then marched her across the restaurant and out the door. In the wake of their departure, James heard the man at the table across from theirs mutter, "Leprechaun gold, did he say?"

James sat there waiting for Lily to respond, to react in any way, but she didn't move. Scrambling for something to do, he righted the toppled wine glass and attempted to soak up the spill with Vernon's discarded napkin – he didn't dare use magic to clean it with their neighbors wondering aloud about leprechaun gold. When he had done all he could, he looked up and saw Lily still staring at the empty seats Petunia and Vernon had just vacated.

"Evans? You alright?" he asked, touching her arm. She didn't respond. "I think he's left more money than we need to cover the bill. Should we order a bottle of champagne?"

Her lip trembled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. He watched, horrified, as she dropped her head into her hands and began to sob. James put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him, but she only cried harder.

"Don't cry, Evans." He rubbed her arm, then reached up with his free hand and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Please don't cry."

"I knew this was going to be an absolute bloody disaster," she choked out through her sobs. Tears dripped from her chin and fell onto the table, mingling with the spilled wine. The woman at the table beside them craned her neck to hear their conversation, but James gave her the two finger salute and shifted his chair to block Lily from her view.

"I don't know why I'm surprised," Lily continued. "Every time I try to fix things with my sister it blows up in my face. I should've known that bringing you to meet them was going to be no different." She rubbed her eyes, smearing mascara and tears across her face, then shook her head in frustration. "I had this stupid idea that we could have a nice time, that I could be like a normal person who has a normal relationship with my sister. And instead I end up screaming at her about Gringotts, of all things!"

"It's my fault," James said, awash with a sudden sick sense of guilt. Those tears running down her face were his fault. She was hurt and miserable, and it was his fault. He didn't give a toss about Vernon Dursley – for all he cared, that git could shove one of his precious drills right up his fat arse – but he cared about Lily more than anything else in the world, and the fact that he had upset her made him feel like the worst sort of person. "It's my fault. I'm sorry. I'm a fucking arsehole."

"Yes, you are," she said, wiping away more tears. "I told you to be nice, and you – you called him stupid!"

James scanned the table and found the cleanest napkin, plucking it up and using it to dab away her tears.

"Well, he is stupid."

"James!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. You're right. I made a mess of the whole evening, and I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you." He dropped the napkin onto the table and pulled Lily close, rubbing her back until her shoulders stopped heaving with sobs. "I mean it," he whispered into her ear, before kissing her hot, tear-stained skin and releasing her to look into her eyes. They sparkled with tears, rimmed with red but still startlingly beautiful. "I'm going to fix this."

"You're just saying that so I'll stop crying," she said, her tone petulant as she stared down at the soiled tablecloth. "You hate seeing me cry."

"Well, yeah, I do." He laced his fingers through hers and gave them a squeeze, conveying comfort this time rather than a warning. "But I really mean it. I'm going to apologize to Vernon – to both of them, actually – and then we can try again. We can all get along and go to dinner and…" He fumbled for ideas, desperate to rectify the situation. "They can come to my parents' beach house this summer. It'll be a laugh, and they'll forget I was such a prat. Alright?"

She sniffed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, then nodded.

"Yeah, alright. But next time I tell you to be nice, try to listen to me." A reluctant smile tugged at her lips, and she reached over to adjust his glasses. "And if you can't be nice and talk at the same time, just shut up."

He mimed locking his mouth and handing her the key. She took it and pretended to chuck it at his head.

"Ouch," he said, rubbing the spot where the key would have landed.

"I can throw something real at you, if you like," she said before looking down at her ruined dress and letting out a burst of laughter. "Look at me. I'm a mess."

He ran his thumb across the edge of her jaw, then leaned in and kissed her. A hint of wine lingered on her lips.

"You look beautiful," he murmured. "Your dress is a bit of a mess, but as I mentioned earlier, I can get the wine out with magic."

She giggled and shook her head. "I can't believe you said that."

"I honestly wasn't trying to be a prat!" He replayed the conversation in his head, chuckling at the memory. "Although now that I think of it, I suppose it did sound a bit like I was taking the piss." He nodded at her half-full wine glass. "You may as well finish that. It might make you feel better, and it's already been paid for by Vernon's salary from his stupid fucking job at the most boring company in the entire history of the world."

She laughed, then picked up her wine glass and drained it in one gulp. "I do feel a bit better," she admitted, wiping droplets of wine from her lips.

"Come on," he said, getting to his feet and helping her up. "Let's go back to my house. You can borrow some clothes and I'll get the stains out of your dress, and we can have a drink and talk about what a tosser your sister's fiancé is. And if my parents are still awake, we can tell them all about it and give my dad a good laugh. Okay?"

She nodded, lacing her fingers through his and following him toward the door. As they passed the nosy couple, James leaned toward them and muttered, "Mind your own damn business."

"James," she scolded, stifling a giggle.

"I'm not sorry about that," he said, holding the door open for her and stepping out into the chilly night air. "Nosy gits. But I am sorry about causing such a scene. I promise, I'll make this right at the next opportunity. I'll fix it, you'll see." He pulled her to a stop, his eyes wide and earnest. "I love you."

She grinned. "I love you, too, even if you can be the world's biggest idiot sometimes." She snaked her arm around his waist and led the way down a promising-looking alley to Disapparate in. "Now come on. I'm cold, and I want to get out of this stupid dress. I smell like a bloody winery."