Alice was at the Longbottom's for dinner but she couldn't seem to keep her attention focused on the food before her.

"So, I had Lucille order the flowers and if I might say so myself they are positively radiant." Alice had a plate full of roast beef and mashed potatoes before her, a gorgeous array, but she couldn't bring herself to touch it much. They'd gotten home from Hogwarts earlier that week and she was still experiencing a bit of shock from the conversation she'd overheard Frank having with his ex-girlfriend.

"I know you said you didn't want the flowers to be generic Alice, dear, so I made sure to find anything but roses!" Augusta was so proud of all her wedding planning. She'd been sending Alice endless letters while she was at Hogwarts and now that the couple was home for good, well, Augusta could call her over for tea or dinner anytime she pleased.

"Oh, just wait till you see the centrepieces!" Augusta enthused. "The most beautiful gerbera daisies you will ever see. I know you said you'd like soft pastel colours so I had Lucille make certain to get these gorgeous lavender ones. You'll love them."

Augusta didn't even know that Frank had dated Cecily, let alone slept with her. Augusta was traditional. She still believed couples should sleep in separate beds before they were married and that "virginity" was a precious thing. What would she say when she found out her golden boy was having a baby out of wedlock? With a woman other than his wife no less?

"Do you not like the food, Ms. Griffith?" Binx, the Longbottom's house elf, asked Alice, standing right by her elbow as he refilled her water glass.

"No, it's perfect, thank you." It was her favourite meal. She just hadn't felt very hungry all day…

"I'm just not feeling well. Actually, I…I think I might be getting sick."

Augusta looked ready to pass out. "Sick? Darling, the wedding is in four days!"

"Maybe I should go home," Alice suggested. Her chair flew backwards as she stood, squeaking against the hardwood floor.

"I'll get your coat, miss," Binx insisted, hurrying towards the closet by the door. Frank stood up as well, dropping his napkin into his chair.

"I'll walk you out."

"We're still going to go out shoe shopping tomorrow afternoon?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Alice promised Augusta before heading for the door.

"You're upset," Frank whispered once they were out of earshot of his mother.

"I'm confused," Alice answered honestly.

"About what?"

"What we're doing—"

Frank grabbed onto her forearm tightly. Alice stopped dead in her tracks, looking him in the eyes for the first time all night. She hadn't been able to since she'd arrived. It was too painful. All she could hear were his words of comfort for Cecily. The sound of her muffled tears as he held her close.

"What does that mean, Alice?"

"It means…" her head dropped guiltily. "I feel like an idiot," she finally explained, Binx emerging from the closet with her coat.

"Why? Why on earth would you feel that way?"

Alice stayed quiet as the kind-hearted house elf helped her into her coat, smiling at her with a slight nod of the head before heading back to the dining room.

"Because, it's humiliating. Going out to tea with your mother and her friends, listening to them chat to me about how exciting married life is going to be. Gossiping about living together and having children when Cecily is very likely carrying your baby—"

"Do you want to say that a little louder?" Frank hushed her.

"What does it matter?" she snapped at him beneath her breath. "She'll find out eventually."

Alice flicked the lock on the door, stepping into the warm evening air that greeted her on the Longbottoms' front porch. They had a beautiful home. A tall Victorian house gated front yard. Frank followed her outside.

"You can't possibly be mad at me for this situation?" he asked her, speaking more freely now that they were certain no one could overhear.

Alice kept her back to him, her hands pressed into the porch's railing. She felt a sudden urge to run. Far, and as fast as her legs would carry her, away from the mess that lay behind.

"Of course not," she finally sighed, dropping her head. "It just hurts."

"Yeah, well, I know how that feels," Frank scoffed. Alice turned on him with a biting glare.

"That's not fair," she snapped at him.

"I'm just saying—"

"So, what? Every time you screw up you get to bring up my mistakes?" She crossed her arms defensively, her breathing heightened as anger grew inside of her. "Do you think I don't wake up every morning feeling terrible for what I did? I hate myself for it, okay? I give myself enough punishment as it is and I don't need to wake up for the rest of my life and know that you're still punishing me for it as well."

"Alice, I—" Frank looked at her in distress, clearly not expecting such a strong reaction.

"You screwed up too, okay? Why do I have to be the only fuck up here?"

"I'm not saying you are!" His voice was beginning to rise now as well.

"Yeah, but you think it! You think I don't have a right to feel hurt by this because I hurt you? Well, I do! I do, Frank. I'm hurt. I'm hurt that you slept with Cecily and that you probably told her all the same things you tell me and that if this baby is yours she's going to be in our lives forever and I'm always going to be reminded that it's my fault!"

Alice was certain if she stayed any longer she'd just cry so she turned and rushed down the front steps of the porch and past the gate. At some point, she heard Frank call her name but she didn't stop. She walked at rapid speed all the way to the corner and then apparated away.

She hated yelling, she hated fighting even more. In their three years together she could count the number of fights she'd had with Frank on one hand. Alice liked it that way.

She landed in Diagon Alley, right in front of the Leaky Cauldron. You could hear the sound of its happy drunks and music wafting out from inside. Even on a Tuesday night it was a party at the popular pub.

Alice stepped inside, the bell above the door ringing as she did so. Nearly every table in the place was filled. Alice could barely hear herself thinking over the noise.

After arriving home from Hogwarts she'd headed for Tom's pub with Mary, the two girls taking up room and board in the nice pub. Alice had a healthy amount of money in her bank account from her parents and she didn't much feel like staying in her own childhood home – packing that place up would be punishment enough.

Mary was stood behind the bar with Tom, helping him to serve drinks and wait tables. She had a black apron tied round her waist and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Alice slid onto the bar stool in front of her.

"You're back early," Mary observed, grabbing her friend a beer. Alice was thankful; she needed a little alcohol after tonight.

"Left early," she explained.

"Uh-oh."

"Frank and I got in a fight as well."

"McDonald, you're not on break—"

"Alice is having relationship problems, Tom! We need five minutes." Tom rolled his eyes impatiently but Alice knew deep down he'd let Mary sit there with her all night if she needed it. He was a big teddy bear, even if he liked to act otherwise.

"Keep going," Mary instructed her friend.

"It's just…shitty, you know? Having Augusta plan this big wedding and tell me about how our lives are starting together, as a team, meanwhile, Cecily is possibly out there, carrying my husband's child." Alice shivered just thinking about it.

"I can imagine," Mary nodded with a frown. "So, this fight?"

"Urgh." Alice pressed her face into her hands. "It's like, every stupid, horrible thing that happens is my fault!"

Mary's eyebrows rose. "I don't quite think you can be blamed for Frank and Cecily's lack of protection—"

"I mean, if I hadn't cheated on him like a complete idiot, he would have never slept with Cecily in the first place. Mary, if this is his baby all I'm going to see whenever I look at it is my mistakes. My stupid, selfish mistake. I regret it so much and it feels like it was a lifetime ago and yet still, it's haunting me."

"Oh, Al…"

Alice took a large gulp from her glass. "What do I do?" she asked Mary hopelessly. Her friend's sympathetic smile from across the bar told her clearly she had no answers in store tonight.

"Finish that pint and let me get you another," Mary finally shrugged.


Marlene had arrived home to quite the surprise. Her bedroom, once her own little oasis, had been constructed into a baby's nursery in her absence. Her mother had briefly mentioned the room swap would be taking place at some point but Marlene had clearly not paid much attention to the announcement.

With Amy and Alex moving in, and their baby due any day, there needed to be somewhere for the baby to sleep. Which meant Marlene had been given the luxury of camping out on the couch.

"Well, if you're leaving for three months in a week's time anyway I don't see why it should be such a hassle," Maureen spoke casually from across the dinner table. Marlene's mother had never been very sentimental, it wasn't surprising she couldn't understand why it was frustrating for Marlene to come home to her things packed up in boxes.

"It would have been nice if you could have at least waited until I got home to kick me out," Marlene snapped under her breath.

"Don't blame Mom, it's my fault," Amy informed her. "I was worried about the baby coming early, I pushed the whole thing."

"Well, where am I supposed to stay when I get home?" Marlene grumbled. "Because I am not splitting a bedroom with a three-month-old baby." As excited as Marlene was to become an aunt, she wasn't ready to give up her steady eight hours of sleep a night.

"Well," her father cleared his throat. "We have been thinking about that."

"Should I be worried?"

Marlene caught Amy's glance across the table. Her sister was struggling to suppress a big grin. That meant it was good news.

"Well, we know you're still set on getting into the Prophet when you return," her mother explained. "Your father and I thought, perhaps, since you'll be very busy between that and the Order…" Marlene dropped her knife and fork, too excited to keep eating.

"We've decided we'll get you your own flat."

"SERIOUSLY?" Marlene couldn't stop herself from screaming out the question. "I'M GETTING MY OWN FLAT?!"

"I'd like to keep my eardrums intact, thank you very much," Danny stated snidely.

"See, losing your room to the baby isn't half bad," Amy told her happily.

"Yeah, except I'm stuck on the couch until I get home from the trip."

"Small price to pay," her father reminded her.

"I can't understand why you won't just stay at the Potters'," her mother sighed. She'd been nagging Marlene all day to go take up room there so she'd be off the couch. "Caroline would be more than happy to have you."

"I don't want to impose…" Marlene mumbled, stirring around the green peas on her plate.

"Well, I ran into Caroline today at the office and she was surprised when I told her you'd be gone for the next three months. She really wanted to see you before, I think her and Alec would be more than happy…" Marlene hadn't mentioned to her mother that she and James were no longer on speaking terms. She knew it would just upset her and she'd give Marlene a big speech about the importance of family and how long she'd been friends with James. She wasn't in the mood to hear it.

"I can't believe you might miss the baby being born," Amy pouted, placing a hand on her protruding belly. She was going to pop any day now.

"Well, tell it to hurry up! It's not my fault your kids a slowpoke."

"Hey! Babies can hear you talking while in the womb, you know," Alex teased her.

"I'm trying to help your kid grow a healthy ego," Marlene smirked.

Her brother in law had become a rather nice addition to the family. She couldn't miss how happy he made her sister and he had been a massive help to the family while her mother was in the hospital.

"Was Joni excited when you told her about the trip?" Amy asked.

"She practically tackled me to the ground so, yeah, I think she's going to have a good time."

"I think it's great you're doing this," Alex told her with a proud nod.

"Yeah, it's going to be hard to miss those first three months with my new niece or nephew, though!"

"You'll get lots of time to babysit when you come home, we promise," Amy smiled, taking her husband's hand in her own.

There was a sudden ring at the door, Maureen jumping up excitedly.

"Oh, that must be them!"

"Who?" Marlene asked as her mother stood up.

"Raffi! Is dessert ready?"

"Yes mistress!" the house elf called back from the kitchen.

"Marlene, can you and your brother clear these plates?"

"Can you tell me who is at our front door?" Marlene asked once again, completely lost. She seemed to be the only one in the room who hadn't a clue what was going on. Danny began carrying plates into the kitchen, Alex helping her sister out of her chair so they could travel towards the living room.

"I told her it was a bad idea," Amy whispered in Marlene's ear.

"What's a bad idea?"

Her mother had ushered the three Potters into the living room, Marlene making eye contact with James across the room, both bowing their heads awkwardly.

A long night was most certainly in store.

X

With the adults having downed a few drinks, and Amy wandered off to sleep, Marlene had managed to sneak out into the back garden for a long cigarette break. All night her mother had been trying to force her and James to interact, dropping more than a few hints that Marlene should go home with the Potters at the end of the evening. It was suffocating.

Marlene heard the sound of the sliding door, turning around to see James stepping out hesitantly.

"They insisted I go find you," he explained as Marlene watched him over her shoulder.

"That's fine," she shrugged, taking a long drag. She turned back to face forward, watching the wind bristle the leaves of the grand oak tree in her backyard.

"So, going away for three months, huh?" James asked casually, sitting on the back step next to her. Marlene tapped at the cigarette between her fingers, watching the ashes shake down to the grass.

"Yeah," Marlene nodded, her voice flat. "I'm taking Joni around Europe. She and Henry were supposed to go together…"

"Sounds fun," James told her, more enthusiasm in his voice than Marlene could possess. It felt strange, the new formalities between them. He'd once been her closest friend. Her brother. She'd known James since before she could talk and now, well, they barely talked at all.

"You and Lily are going to be planning your wedding now I suppose." It was a subject that would have brought her such joy in the months before. Now she could barely bring it up with an ounce of excitement.

"No," James informed her. "We, um... we've put that on hold for now."

"Why?" She asked the question without giving herself any time to think about it. James' response was only silence, Marlene slowly turned to stare at him beside her. "Oh, James…"

"It's not just about that," he assured her, clearly meaning the tension, which stood so tall between them. "Lily's mum is ill and…well…it feels a little morbid to be planning a big party right now."

"Maybe that's what everyone needs," Marlene shrugged. James turned to her with a look of utter confusion, her optimism startling him. "To distract them from everything," she elaborated.

"Well, it'll be my second wedding, won't it?"

"Sorry?" Marlene questioned him, her eyebrow arched. She passed her half-smoked cigarette in James' direction and he took it between his fingers with a smirk, taking a long drag. Marlene knew he missed the lung killing luxuries. He'd stopped smoking since getting with Lily but she could see the hunger in his eyes as he watched her slow inhales.

"You don't remember?" James asked hoarsely, exhaling into the summer's night. "You and me. This back garden, when we were six."

Marlene paused, reaching into the depths of her brain for the old memory, and then erupted into laughter. "Danny was the ring bearer!"

"Quite an event, huh?" James handed the cigarette back to her and Marlene took a final drag before tossing it into the grass casually.

It was the first real conversation they'd had in months. Half of Marlene ached for more. She wanted to look up at her old friend and tell him all was forgiven. The less agreeable part of her recoiled at the thought.

"Travelling though…that should be fun." The awkwardness between them had returned, Marlene turning her head away to look forward once more.

"Yeah," she responded, half-heartedly. "Good fun."


Lily had returned home to a house filled with relatives and friends of Petunia's. Everyone had come to stay with them for the week before the wedding, helping to prepare and showering Petunia with compliments. The whole scene made Lily entirely nauseated.

Her mother seemed in better health, but perhaps that was just because they'd stopped the chemotherapy. She'd purchased a wig for the festivities, so she could look more like her usual self. It was shoulder length and blonde, parted on the left side. It reminded Lily of how her mother had looked in her childhood.

Currently, Lily was hiding upstairs feeding Apollo as her Grandmother and aunts filled the kitchen with the smell of cooking and joy. Lily found little joy in this whole event. Since she'd been home she'd spent her time being treated as a nuisance while her sister waltzed around the house like she was the bloody Queen of England.

"Lily," a muffled voice asked from behind her door, tapping lightly. "Can I come in, darling?"

"Sure." It was her mother's timid voice. She stepped inside, smiling at Lily, who had Apollo rested on her arm.

"Your father always loved that owl," her mother told her, stepping forward to stroke Apollo delicately. "He thought it was just the most wonderful thing when we bought her for you."

"She's pretty great," Lily agreed. She carefully helped Apollo back into her cage, locking the door to hoots of displeasure from her owl.

"I wanted to talk," her mother explained, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Okay." Lily didn't join her. She stood a few feet away, arms crossed, staring down at her mum sceptically. She could tell already this was not a conversation she was going to like.

"We never really discussed your role in the wedding…" Just the tone of her mother's voice assured Lily this was something she dreaded speaking about. "Petunia…well…she decided she'd like to have Marge as her maid of honour."

Lily knew she shouldn't be surprised by the revelation. It wasn't as though she had Petunia had much of a relationship, in fact, she was sure at this point Marge was more of a sister to her than Lily was. That didn't mean the redhead felt good about the snub, though.

"Right…" Lily nodded, struggling to keep her face from revealing what a stab in the gut the news was.

"I tried to reason with her, Lily…"

"It's fine," Lily shrugged. She turned away, facing her window. It was dark out, stars twinkling from the skyline.

"Come here," her mother urged, stretching out her hand. Lily turned and took it, letting her mother guide her from the room and down the hall. "I knew you'd be down about the whole thing," her mum explained as they stepped into her bedroom.

She flicked on the light, illuminating the green carpet and floral comforter. Lily sat on the bed as her mother rummaged around in the closet, stepping out with a garment bag in hand.

"What did you do…" Lily asked in awe, watching the glee in her mother's eyes as she lay down the garment bag across the bed, unzipping it down the middle. A long green empire waist dress lay before her, silky and new. It had spaghetti straps and a square neck. Lily could tell already it would make her eyes shine. Lily pursed her lips, holding back tears.

"Thanks, momma." She threw her arms around her mother, holding tightly to her thin and frail body. How many more times would she get to do this? How much longer did they have together? The doctors promised a few months at most.

"I'm marrying James," Lily blurted out. Her mother's eyes widening as she pulled from their embrace. She held Lily by the shoulders, looking as though she desperately needed to take a seat.

"What?"

"He proposed, a few months ago. I…I didn't want to say anything with Petunia's wedding craze going on—"

"Darling, that's amazing!" her mother enthused, pulling Lily into her arms once more. "How come you aren't wearing a ring?"

"It's in my jewellery box," Lily explained, staring down at her bare ring finger. "I didn't want Petunia to get all upset…"

"Oh, Lily…" her mother's eyes filled with tears as she stepped backwards, resting herself down on the end of the bed. She pressed a shaking hand to her lips.

"Don't cry mum!" Lily jumped forward to comfort her. She hated to see her mother do anything but smile these days.

"I'm just so glad." It seemed as she tried to speak she only cried harder, her whole body shaking as she struggled to get out the words. "All I wanted was to know you'd be cared for."

Lily's vision blurred as she watched her mother, struggling to swallow back the lump in her throat.

"Do you love him?" she asked. Katherine turned to Lily with glossy eyes, filled with hope and desperation.

"More than I've loved anything in my whole life," Lily assured her with a shaky voice. "He makes me so happy, mum."

Her mother reached forward, rubbing away a loose tear from Lily's cheek. "Good." She nodded. Ms. Evans paused, smiling. "You know what you two remind me of?" she asked with a hint of humour. "Your father and I, when we were young. Before we'd married. He would've been so happy for you, Lily."

Lily would have said more. She would've told her mum how proud she hoped her father would be or maybe how desperately she wanted to feel her mother's presence at her wedding. She didn't get a chance. Right then there was a knock at the door and Petunia poked her head in, letting them know dinner was ready.

Something about the lingering glare she left with Lily told her that she'd been standing behind the door for longer than she'd let on and she wasn't very happy with anything she'd heard. She never was.


Remus realized, once he'd arrived at his destination, that he had not yet entered Dorcas Meadowes' apartment from the front door. He found the fact slightly peculiar, and a little comical, as he tapped lightly on her front door, his stomach a mess of nerves.

The pair hadn't really talked since their night together when Remus had shown up in her fireplace and she'd had no choice but to invite him in. Since then all he'd gotten the chance to do was replay the moment over and over in his mind, hoping it was repeated.

"Oh," Dorcas commented in surprise, swinging her door open. He'd caught her off guard, once again. "This is...unexpected."

"A pleasant surprise?" Remus asked hopefully.

Dorcas had her adult face on and Remus feared this conversation might not go exactly as planned. He'd hoped he was going to knock on her door and find her excited to see him, a big grin growing upon her face when he entered.

"Do you, um…want to come in?" Dorcas asked, anxiously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, the door widening for Remus to enter. He could hear jazz music's soft melodies in the background, a record spinning around on the turntable in the back corner.

"Can I get you anything? A cup of tea?"

"Am I missing something?" Remus asked boldly. Dorcas seemed to be standing as far from him as possible, wandering around the room to prevent the two from getting too close.

"Sorry?"

"Cause, I mean, I had a really great time, that night, the two of us…"

"Oh, Remus…"

"I was pretty sure you did too? Unless I'm completely off the mark?"

"It's more complicated than that," Dorcas sighed, plopping down onto the couch. Remus joined her, his hands clasped in his lap. "It's inappropriate," she determined.

"I'm not a student anymore—"

"You're only seventeen!"

"Eighteen, actually. My birthday is in March."

Dorcas ran her hands through her long black hair. She was tapping her foot on the floor feverously, looking ready to explode with all the thoughts swarming through her head.

"I really like you, Remus—"

"Great, I really like you too…"

"But, we can't. What would my colleagues think? It just wouldn't be right. You're way younger than me—"

"Four years. There have been larger age gaps." He wasn't going to make this easy for her. This behaviour wasn't anything like Remus. He was always reserved, never making total light of his feelings. He couldn't do that with Dorcas, though. Not when everything between them felt so right. She was the only girl he'd ever met that made him feel like he was more than his flaws. He didn't care that he was a werewolf around Dorcas, it didn't seem like a problem because she saw more than that in him, she always had.

"I'm not that great," Dorcas told him, her brown eyes stern and serious. "I'm a total slob and I get horribly grumpy when I'm tired. Sometimes I eat the same thing for dinner three nights in a row and I can't cook for the life of me. This whole aura of perfection will soon wear off, okay?"

"I don't care," Remus told her honestly. "I can't see anything I don't like, Dorcas."

"There are so many amazing girls your age who would die to be with you," Dorcas said exasperatedly. He could see she was finding it harder and harder to shove him aside. "Don't waste your time here, Remus."

"You're smart," he told her, edging a little closer. "Beautiful. Incredibly funny. You're one of the strongest fighters I've ever seen. You're kind and understanding. You have the most stunning smile—"

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she warned him, but Remus could see he was already wearing her down.

"Let me take you out," he insisted. "One date. If it's a terrible disaster you never have to see me again."

Dorcas took a deep breath, turning away. Remus bit his lip nervously as he anticipated her answer. All he wanted was to hear the word yes slip from her lips.

"I'm not making any promises," she grumbled, her head still turned towards the window.

Remus had to restrain himself from jumping up victoriously. "Okay," he nodded keeping his cool, a huge grin smearing across his face. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven. Be ready."

"To go where?" Dorcas demanded, turning back to face him. He could tell she couldn't stand the suspense of it all. A part of him relished in that.

"You'll see," he winked, wandering back towards the door with a cocky skip in his step.


Peter was in Jamie's bedroom, playing a game of Wizard's Chess with his little brother. Jaime lay across the floor of his bedroom; his elbows propped up, his face contorted in concentration. In all honesty, Peter was letting his little brother win the game. He'd been trying to teach him the strategy of chess for over a year now.

"Don't do that," Peter warned his brother as he went to make a move that would let Peter take out his king. Jamie stared up, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Why? I'm going to take your knight—"

"Yeah, well, that's great until you've lost your king and your side is damaged. It'll be close to impossible to win without him."

Jamie pouted, readjusting his strategy. "I'm rubbish at this game," he complained, his eyes drooping with disappointment.

"You're learning," Peter reminded his brother kindly. "It takes time." When Jamie still looked defeated Peter leant forward, giving his little brother's hair a ruffle. "Hey, by the time you get to Hogwarts you'll be a pro," he promised him.

Jamie perked up, shooting Peter a toothless grin, thanks to having lost his front teeth a week ago. "I hope I'm a Gryffindor, like you," he insisted. Peter's stomach sank. "Mummy says you're the bravest one in this house."

"Oh, I don't know about that…" Peter squirmed uncomfortable from his spot on the carpet. In fact, Peter was certain his mother was wrong. He was the farthest thing from brave…the Sorting Hat's biggest mistake had been sorting him into Gryffindor.

"I'm going to be just like you when I grow up!" Jaime insisted, leaping up from his position on the floor. He ran towards his closet and emerged with a plastic toy sword. He swung it around in the air, lunging forward and back, looking ready for a fight.

"I'll get all the bad guys! Just like you, Pete!" Jamie swung around dramatically, lunging at the vacant space behind him.

"I'm sure you'll be twice the fighter I am," Peter insisted, clearing his throat awkwardly. He watched Jaime swinging around the room with his toy sword and couldn't shake the feeling he was letting his little brother down. Peter had gotten himself stuck in an impossible situation, one where he was betraying all the people he cared for most, and he didn't know how to save himself.

Just then there was a knock on the door and Peter's mother entered, smiling proudly at her two boys.

"You've got a visitor, Peter," she announced, moving aside so Aldora could enter the bedroom. Peter gulped anxiously, smiling at his girlfriend.

"Hey Dora," he greeted her from the floor.

"ALDORA!" Jaime cried. He dropped his toy sword and charged into the witch's arms, giving her a big bear hug.

"Hullo, darling," Aldora greeted him. Peter stood up, brushing off his pants, and wandered towards his girlfriend to give her a quick kiss.

"We're going to head to my room, Jaime," he told his brother who'd only just detached himself from Aldora's side. "We'll visit with you after, okay?"

"You have to come look at my new chess set, Aldora!" Jaime insisted.

"In a few minutes, okay Jaime?" She smiled, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

Peter guided her down the hall into his own bedroom, shutting the door behind them. He had his window open, the curtains swaying around the room with the warm summer's breeze

"I've missed you," Aldora told him. Her arms hung over his shoulders, her mouth pressed to his. Peter couldn't deny the butterflies that filled his stomach anytime Aldora touched him. He liked her. He knew he shouldn't when she was pressuring him to do things he hated, but a part of him couldn't help it.

"How've you been?" Peter asked once they'd pulled apart, catching a breath of air.

"Oh, you know, busy," Aldora answered casually. She wandered towards Peter's bed, lying down across it on her side. "Things are getting more…serious."

"Oh," Peter answered nervously, sitting down beside her.

"Petey," Aldora spoke very calmly. She rubbed at his arm comfortingly. She made Peter feel safe in her company. He knew nothing would come to touch him with Aldora around. "We're going to have to start asking more of you," she explained. She spoke with such casualness you'd think she was simply telling him about a homework assignment he'd missed. A part of Peter wished she were.

"Right…" Peter sounded timid as a mouse.

"Can you tell me what's been happening recently? What is the plan for you guys now that you're out of school?"

"They want us to join an army," Peter explained shakily. After the words escaped his mouth he wondered if it would have been better to lie, to throw the Death Eaters off their trail. He couldn't do it though, something stopped him every time he considered betraying Aldora. "We're supposed to give them our answers by the end of the week and then sign up." The thought of joining the fight, when he was helping out the other side, had kept Peter up every night since he'd been in Dumbledore's office.

"Good," Aldora nodded, as though she'd planned the whole thing herself. "You're going to join, right?"

Peter turned to stare at her in terror. "Am I?"

"Of course," Aldora told him, beginning to stroke his hair as if he were a small child in need of comfort. "If you're in then you can tell us everything that's happening. We can know the plan of attack before it even happens."

The plan sent shivers up Peter's spine. It was all fun and games but what happened when they figured out there was a rat in the group? What happened when because of Peter's actions one of his friends died?

"It's so dangerous," Peter fretted. "What happens if they catch me?"

"They won't," Aldora assured him.

"You can't promise that." Peter stood up, walking away from her. Sometimes he thought about giving up this whole charade. He'd tell his friends the truth, Lily or Alice, someone kind and understanding. Perhaps Remus would get it. He'd see that Peter hadn't meant to get swept up in the whole thing. Then Peter remembered Donovan's. All the innocent lives lost…there was no going back from this.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Peter." Aldora stood up, her hands massaging his shoulders. "I'll always protect you."

"If they find out it's me—"

"The last person they'll ever assume is selling their secrets would be you, Peter. Not to burst your bubble or anything. You're quiet, shy, friendly. Do you really think your friends would believe you could be playing them?"

"Maybe not…" Peter did remain pretty invisible to them sometimes. Not that they meant to do it. He just had a way of drifting into the background…

"They'll point fingers at each other before they even notice you. Anyways, we have plans. We aren't unprepared."

"What happens when they send me out on missions?" he demanded, his voice shaking with fear.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Aldora pressed her lips to his temple. "For now, just keep us updated okay? Any bit of information helps."

"Okay," Peter gulped.

"Will you face me, Peter?" Aldora requested. Peter slowly turned around, staring down into his girlfriend's sparkling eyes. How had he, small, shy Peter, ended up with such a beautiful girl?

"Let's just have some fun for now, okay?" Aldora asked, smiling.

"Yeah," Peter nodded, "okay."

Aldora pressed her lips to Peter's and then guided him back towards the bed.

No, Peter realized, there was no going back now.


James had decided against going home. He'd been low in spirit after leaving the McKinnons' and had parted ways with his parents and visited a local pub instead of heading back to the house with them. It was one in the morning by the time he stumbled out, running his fingers through his messy hair.

When Marlene had first stopped talking to him, James had convinced himself it was only temporary. She'd forgive him soon enough and then they could be back to normal, good old pals. It' never happened like that though. Instead, James was stuck with months of silence and cold stares and now she was leaving for three months. He realized what it meant. They were never going to be the same again. she was done with him.

"Are you okay?" a man down the road asked as James nearly walked right into him.

"Yeah, sorry," he apologized, rubbing at his eyes beneath his glasses. "One too many pints."

"Right, get home safe okay?"

James turned the corner and apperated off, landing rough in a back alley. He traveled down it, past the backyard gates and dark gardens until he reached the house with the gate painted blue. He'd memorized the path.

James stepped into the back garden, picking up a handful of pebbles from the path. He chucked one at the top right bedroom window and then another when he got no response.

It took a minute or two for the light to come on and then he saw the face he was hoping for. Red hair all piled on a bun atop her head, her eyes weary from sleep.

"What are you doing?" Lily called out the window, struggling to keep her voice from getting too loud.

"Missed you." One day they'd been apart and James couldn't keep away.

"You realize I've a house full of family? My aunt is sleeping in the living room—"

"I'll climb up the tree!" James insisted, his voice flushed with excitement.

"Are you crazy?" Apparently he was, because James immediately clutched on to the lowest branch, pulling himself up. There was a branch which nearly reached Lily's bedroom and with his alcohol fueled confidence James was certain he could reach it with a good jump.

"James, stop! You're drunk aren't you? Oh, my god, you're going to kill yourself!"

James was halfway up, watching Lily's anxious face from below. He was thankful her second floor window wasn't too far from the ground. At least he'd survive the fall.

"I can't look," Lily admitted, covering her eyes as James reached the final branch, which hung out towards Lily's bedroom. She lowered her hands from her eyes, watching as he, very shakily, made his way towards the end.

"This is by far the stupidest thing you've ever done."

James laughed. "Oh, you haven't seen the worst yet." With more confidence than any healthy person should possess, James Potter went leaping towards his girlfriend's bedroom window, clutching on to the windowsill for dear life.

Lily gasped, using all her strength to yank James into the bedroom where they both collapsed onto the floor with a thud.

"Well, we've woken up half my family now at least," she complained, slapping her boyfriend's arm. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"Love makes me do crazy things," James responded, Lily rolling her eyes.

"Alcohol makes you do crazy things. How much did you drink? You smell like a brewery."

"A pint," James shrugged, sitting up. "Or four."

"Why?" Lily's eyebrows drew together the way they always did when something called for great concern. She leaned forward, across the floor, stroking aside some of James' hair delicately.

"It doesn't matter," he lied. The truth was, he was just too drunk to bother talking about it. "I just wanted to see you." James smiled sloppily.

"Petunia will absolutely murder me if she realizes you're in here tomorrow morning," Lily told him, clambering to her feet. She brushed herself off, settling back down on her bed. "Vernon's mum and dad are coming with him for breakfast tomorrow morning. It's a big thing," Lily rolled her eyes to show her true feelings on the whole thing.

"Sod 'em." James crawled up onto the bed towards her.

"Yeah, easy for you to say," Lily scoffed. "You're not the one getting an earful tomorrow morning about how I'm ruining bridezilla's wedding."

"I'll make it worth your while," he promised her, lying down across his side next to her. Lily shook her head but the smirk on her face promised James she wasn't opposed to the idea.

"Oh, I love when my drunk boyfriend comes crawling through my window in the middle of the night with propositions of sex," Lily stated sarcastically.

"Fiancé," James corrected her with a grin. Lily paused for a minute, staring down at James as though a light bulb had just gone off in her head. "What?" he asked, worried he'd said something wrong.

"It just…doesn't feel real sometimes, you know?" Lily admitted to him.

"We haven't really done any wedding planning, have we?" James asked, Lily shaking her head. "Do you want to?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Kind of? It would be a nice distraction…"

"It would be nice to finally be married," James added as a positive bonus.

"Oh god, a lifetime of you." She tried to look reproached by the idea but James caught the glee in her eyes. He moved forward, resting his chin on her stomach. Lily stared down at him with eyes filled with warmth. She stroked James' hair softly.

"I love you," Lily whispered to him. James wrapped his arms around her, holding tight. She was the most important thing in his whole world. The one thing he couldn't bear to lose. Love didn't even begin to sum up James' feelings for Lily.

"Come on then," Lily, prompted him, tugging at the covers James lay on top of. "I can't make you go home now.

James obliged, climbing beneath the blankets, cuddling up close to the woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with. Lily flicked her bedside lamp off; the room engulfed in darkness as the pair lay there, breathing softly.

Yes, James thought happily, this was exactly how he planned to spend the rest of his days.