Hi. I got my chapter names muddled up so the last one was meant to be called Building Up and this one was meant to be Victory.

The rest of the day they alternated between playing with Harry and watching the tv while he slept. They shared a pizza for lunch, (Share was an interesting way of putting it, seeing as Sirius had 6 slices and Remus ended up with 2), and just generally enjoyed being together again. (Sirius apologised at least 21 times for thinking Remus was the spy.)

James returned home quite late, in fact Harry was already fast asleep.

"How did Dadfoot and Moomy get on then?"

"How come I'm Moomy?"

"Well you couldn't be Dadfoot could you." James reasoned.

"And you look like a girl."

"Stop it Padfoot!"

"How was it?" Asked Remus, steering James into the kitchen, while deliberately stomping on Sirius' foot.

"It was, I don't know, I mean everyone was really nice, which was good. And I saw Minnie."

"How was she?" Sirius inquired eagerly.

"She was good." James answered with a chuckle, "said some really nice things about Lily. And she almost fainted when I told her I'd left Harry with you until I said Moony was there too."

"I don't know where I've got this irresponsible reputation from. I'll have you know Moony was absolutely useless today." Sirius pouted.

"I made lunch." Remus protested feebly.

"You got a pizza out the freezer, then used a 2nd year spell to heat it."

"There was something else as well." James said, interrupting his friends' bickering.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, startled by the gravity in his friend's voice.

"You'll probably need to sit down."

Remus and Sirius exchanged worried looks as they took their seats at the kitchen table.

"He's gone."

"Who?" Questioned Sirius.

"You know who."

"No I don't know who, that's the point-", Sirius broke off with a gasp. Remus was coming to a similar conclusion.

"You don't mean it Prongs?"

James nodded.

"It's, it was something about Harry, that, that killed him."

"But that's not possible."

"His followers have been slinking back to the ministry all day, obviously they can sense he's gone. There's been loads of arrests, Dolohov who murdered the Prewitts, your cousin Bellatrix, Sirius. Looks like half the ministry was under the imperius curse."

"So he's really gone?"

"Looks like it Padfoot. Yeah."

"I guess we won, then." Remus mused.

"Who'd of thought all we needed to do was stick a baby in front of -" Remus kicked Sirius under the table.

"Sounds like a celebration is in order." Sirius proclaimed, pointedly massaging his leg. "Got any hard liquor Prongs?"

"Nothing stronger than butterbeer." James answered regretfully.

"Ah well. Although Moony's such a lightweight we might still be able to have some fun."

"I did not get drunk on butterbeer!"

"So you were stone cold sober when you danced the Macarena on the common room table?" James inquired.

"I did what?"

"It was highly entertaining Moons, especially when you fell off." Sirius agreed.

"You two are terrible friends."

"Yes, we are." James said reassuringly, "But no one's getting drunk tonight, there's a 1 year old upstairs!"

"What about just a glass, to toast Lily and the victory?" Remus suggested.

"Yeah, that would be nice." James said quietly, with a sad smile.

-

Remus went first:

"To Lily, a witch, wife and mother so generous, that she gave her life to protect her son. One of the most honest and wonderful people you could ever meet."

Sirius was next:

"To Lily, who was kind to everyone she met, and loyal to the end."

Then finally James:

"To Lily, my time with you was a magic beyond anything any wizard could cast, everyday you filled my life with laughter and my heart with joy."

The 3 men clinked their glasses and drank. Remus was making hiccuppy noises, Sirius was openly crying and James had tears streaming down his face.

-

After they'd finished their drinks, James suggested they watch a film. They settled on Star Wars. Sirius watched in dumbfounded admiration as James worked the video player, making Remus laugh at the pureblood's fascination at the simple machine.

They curled up on the sofa together, James using his wand to control the volume as he and Lily had lost the remote months ago. He cast muffliato so they didn't wake Harry who was in his cot upstairs.

-

Sirius and Remus were on the verge of sleep by the time the closing credits were rolling, but James was wide awake. He was trying to prepare himself to ask his friends a question that he'd been thinking about ever since Remus apparated into his lounge the night before, exuding calm and efficiency.

"I've, I've got something I want to ask you, and it's big. You don't have to say yes, in fact I really, honestly don't mind if you say no."

"What is it Prongs?" Remus asked, recognising James' expression; it was the one he always wore when he was about to ask out Lily.

"It's been incredible having you guys here, I really would probably still be standing in the hallway if you hadn't come to help. I just wouldn't have coped. And in all honesty, I don't think I could cope if you left. I, just, if you really wouldn't mind. I would like you to stay."

He carried on before his friends could reply.

"I mean before it got serious with Lily, me and Padfoot were always talking about getting a place together. We all literally lived together for 7 years. Although I know you've probably got your own set up now Moony…" He trailed off realising his friends had been trying to answer for quite a while.

"Of course we will Prongs."

"Really Pads? What about you Moony?"

Remus was looking down at his feet, the blank tv screen, anywhere but James.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." He said eventually.

"Ok, I get it. Don't worry about it Remus."

Sirius knew that James thought Remus had better things to do, but having seen the latter's shack he knew that would not be the reason he had turned James down.

"What would you have said if you weren't a werewolf?" He asked.

James cottoned on quickly.

"Oh for goodness sake Moony, do you think you'll be unsafe?"

"Yes! Of course I'll be unsafe. I doubt this house has a special werewolf safe room with iron walls, padlocks etc."

"We can build one."

"The full moon's only just over a week away."

"Then you can stay in your house for the transformation until we've made somewhere secure."

"You would really be fine with having a werewolf in the same house as your baby?"

"You ran around a school Moony and you didn't hurt a soul, plus it would be good for Harry. Maybe it will encourage more tolerance in the younger generation."

"Then I would love to stay with you Prongs, more than I could possibly say!"

Ever since Lily's death, James had often asked himself whether he would have preferred 3 mediocre mates, or 1 traitor and 2 of the most incredible friends he could ever have asked for. Now, he finally had his answer.

I've noticed that literally every time Harry sees Remus, he describes him as shabby. Obviously for the most part that's because he doesn't have any money but even when he's living at Grimmauld, Harry thinks he looks unkempt. I think he's just not particularly good at looking after himself which is why he's in a bit of a state in this story.