Disclaimer: This world and all its characters belong to JK Rowling. I wrote this purely for entertainment purposes, and have no wish to sell, copyright or otherwise claim any of this content.

Alice stood and James bent over Frank, first casting a diagnostic to see if his condition was critical. What he saw was not good: Frank's breathing was shallow and his heart rate fast, and all over his body an angry red light indicated that he was still in pain, although no longer under the curse.

James cast a few basic healing charms to ease Frank's breathing and lower his pain. The fact that he didn't know how long Frank had been under the Cruciatus Curse was less than ideal, but from what he could see of Frank's condition he would guess that it had been for quite some time. James remembered that in school, Frank had always been both easy-going and surprisingly stubborn – he couldn't imagine that Frank would give in to the pain easily. "Rennervate," James said steadily. If Frank woke up, it would be easier to diagnose his condition.

Frank stiffened, then screamed. Almost as though she had Apparated, Alice was beside James. "Frank?" she demanded. "Frank, it's okay honey, it's okay." Frank groaned, breathing through his teeth. Alice turned to James. "What's wrong with him? Can't you do anything?"

"I'm trying!" James said frantically, waving his wand over Frank's body. After the third try he let out a sigh of frustration and cast a quick "Dormio." Frank slumped, but his breathing remained fast and his face was tense. "Damn them," Alice growled.

"Have you found Neville?" James asked quietly.

Alice shook her head, pressing her lips together. She stood suddenly and strode out of the room. After a moment James could hear her quick footsteps on the stairs as she went to search the second floor.

"Expecto patronum," he said calmly, thinking of Sirius' face when he'd sprayed him with water in the Shrieking Shack. Nothing. Biting his lip, James turned his attention back to Frank. He was just about at the extent of his healing knowledge, though, and knew that Frank needed real attention.

Feeling that there was nothing else he could do for Frank, James was about to get up and help Alice search for Neville when he heard a wail start in one of the upstairs rooms. A moment later Alice appeared, holding a sobbing Neville and looking so relieved she seemed about to collapse. Nevertheless she quickly crossed the room to where James was with Frank and knelt down, shifting Neville so that she could rest a hand on her husband's shoulder.

"We need to get him to the hospital," James said. "I think it would be best to floo."

Alice nodded, standing with Neville in her arms. "You go ahead. I'll send for someone to deal with them," she gestured at the captured Death Eaters, "and then I'll take Neville to his grandmother's before meeting you there."

James cast a fire in the grate, then cast a Feather-Light Charm on Frank before lifting him onto his shoulders. Then, tossing floo powder provided by Alice into the fire, he said the address for St. Mungo's and stepped into the green flames.

After being questioned by the Aurors and again by someone from the Department of Management and Control of Magical Children, Remus had finally been allowed to go back to his room at the Leaky Cauldron, without his wand and under strict instruction not to leave. He'd signed what he'd needed to sign, promised to behave, and collapsed on the bed the moment the door swung shut behind him. The relentless questioning and the hours of waiting and worrying about Sirius and James had taken their toll, and Remus was exhausted.

It seemed as though he had barely slept, however, when someone came knocking loudly at his door. It swung open a moment later, and Remus pushed himself into a sitting position, blinking blearily in the early-morning sunlight. Squinting, he recognized the short, dark woman before him as an Auror who also worked with the Order of the Phoenix. Jones, he thought her name was.

"Mr. Lupin?" Her eyes flitted around the small room before coming back to rest on him. "I'm here to take you to St. Mungo's."

Remus blinked at her in confusion, forcing his tired brain to work … then her words hit him and he hastily stood, self-consciously straightening his rumpled robes. "Is it Sirius?" he demanded. "Is he okay? Is James okay?"

Jones nodded, beckoning him out of the room and down into the main room of the Leaky Cauldron, which was surprisingly full considering the time. Jones led him to the fireplace, and offered him the floo powder. "There was an attack at the Longbottoms' house, which Potter was a part of. I could tell you now, but I think it will be better if you see for yourself."

Remus tossed the floo powder into the fire, and stepped in after saying the address for St. Mungo's Hospital. The fire roared around him, and then he was stepping quickly out of the fire and onto the soft carpet in the reception room. A second later Jones stepped out behind him and led him down a bright white corridor to a bright white door which led to a small lobby. Inside, Remus found a tired looking James watching an equally tired looking Alice pace in tight circles.

At the sound of the door opening, James' head snapped up. "Moony!" he exclaimed, and in three strides was across the room, grabbing Remus' shoulders in a tight hug. Tentatively, Remus returned the embrace, but not before noticing that James had a fresh bandage covering his left arm. "I'm so, so sorry that I left you and Harry like that," James said, stepping back so that he could look Remus in the eyes. "But I didn't think – he almost didn't make it…."

"But he's alright?" Remus asked anxiously, tensing. They'd already lost Lily, and he didn't know if he (or James) would be able to deal with losing Sirius as well.

James let out a deep breath and lifted a hand to run through his hair. "He's stable, but they still don't know if he'll pull through, or what the consequences will be …" his voice wavered slightly, before hardening with an edge of anger. "They've got an entire squad of Aurors up there, even though I told them he was innocent. Speaking of, though – they've got Peter, right?"

"He's in a holding cell at the Ministry," Remus reassured him. His eyes drifted to Alice, who was watching them with thin lips and a white face. "I heard there was an attack. What happened?"

"Fucking Death Eaters," Alice growled, and James shot her a look. "They didn't find Neville, thank Merlin, but Frank is in the spell damage ward. They said that he's suffering from prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus Curse, and he's in a coma. They don't know when he'll wake up," she added miserably.

Or if he'll wake up, Remus thought. He vividly remembered reading a chapter on the side effects of the Cruciatus Curse back in his fourth year at Hogwarts, and the prognosis for prolonged exposure had been grim. Very grim. "Alice, I'm so sorry. Do you know who did it?"

Alice pressed her lips together and turned furiously back to her pacing. Shooting an uncertain look at James, Remus saw that he too had a rather angry expression on his face. "Two of the Death Eaters Apparated out during the duel, but we had managed to capture the other two. We both left straight away: Alice brought Neville to his grandmother's, and I brought Frank here. We told Mad-Eye and he sent a team to collect them, but apparently when they arrived the two we had tied up had vanished."

"We'll get them," Remus said, watching Alice's pacing. "With Voldemort gone, they don't have anyone to run to. We'll make them pay for what they did, Alice, I promise."

Beside Remus, James was nodding. "We got old Voldemort already," he said lightly. "After him, the Lestranges will be a piece of cake."

Remus whirled on James. "The Lestranges?" he demanded. "You and Alice went up against the Lestranges?" All thoughts of vengeance fled, replaced by a feeling of horror. "What the hell were you thinking, James? You could have been killed – you should have gone for backup!" He'd met the Lestranges before, both at school and later during skirmishes between the Death Eaters and the members of the Order. He'd always been impressed by their skill, even when it had resulted in the deaths and injuries of many of his associates – they were feared as individuals for their ruthless cruelty, and he believed himself lucky that he'd never fought them when they were together. Now, it was almost beyond belief that James and Alice had made it away with only superficial wounds.

James lifted his hands defensively, taking a step back. "Okay, first of all we didn't know it was the Lestranges until after we had interrupted them. And second, they were torturing Frank, Moony. I –" James' eyes darted to Alice " – we couldn't let that happen."

Remus let out a gusty breath and sank into the nearest chair, scrubbing his face with his hands. Behind him, Jones moved forward and lay a hand on Alice's arm, taking her aside and talking quietly. If he'd wanted to, Remus could have heard what they were saying, but frankly he wasn't that interested. James gave him an indecipherable stare, then turned and walked to the assistant's desk where he leaned in and began talking to him. Curious, Remus watched the exchange. He still wasn't entirely sure why he had been brought here, but he was glad to be in the same room as one of his friends again. The assistant sent a paper bird flying off down the hall, and James turned and walked back to where Remus was sitting.

"Come on," he said, gesturing Remus to stand. "I've just informed the Squad that we'll be joining them. I didn't think it would be a good idea to go against them alone, but now that you're here we're evenly matched."

Remus sighed, smothering a yawn and pushing himself to his feet. "'The Squad,' James, is that really what we're calling them now? And surely you can take on one of your co-workers without me by your side?"

"Oh no," James said, rolling his eyes as they set off down the hall towards the lifts. "No, apparently Padfoot is such a big threat that they need three Aurors guarding him while he's unconscious. I can't wait to see what they do when he wakes up. They'll have the whole department down here, you mark my words." They entered the lift and James jabbed the button for the fourth floor. "Anyway, we stand a chance now because with your brains and my skills, we can take on anyone and come out on top. You're very persuasive, you know; I bet you could convince a hippogriff to hatch a dragon, if you put your mind to it."

Remus sighed, and reached around James to press the button for the fifth floor. "Fine. But before we take on three Aurors single-handedly, I'm having a cup of tea."

The first thing that Sirius was conscious of was how easy it was to breath. It was almost as though he wasn't breathing at all – he couldn't feel his chest, and the only reason he knew he was breathing at all was the feeling of air moving effortlessly in and out through his nose. Must be charmed … I mean spelled, he thought groggily. He briefly considered opening his eyes, but then decided that would be too much effort. Why open my eyes when I can breath just as easily with them closed …?

"I swear to God, Potter –"

"I just want to see him –"

The second thing Sirius became aware of were loud, muffled voices arguing just within earshot. Or he thought they were within earshot – it was hard to focus on what they were saying, and the words kept fading in and out. Eventually he realized that one of the voices belonged to James, and he definitely recognized the other voice, but his brain was so muddled right now that he couldn't put a name to it. James would know, he was sure, but how could he ask him? Sirius tried to open his mouth, but gave up on the second attempt. Apparently thinking really hard about opening his mouth wasn't going to do the trick, and he wasn't sure how else to do it. Shouldn't his body obey him when he told it to do something? Maybe he should just go back to sleep.

"I'm not giving up, you know."

Remind James …

"Potter, I have very specific instructions –"

"And, by the way, neither is Remus."

… that he is the most wonderful person in the world.

Sirius' eyes fluttered open, and he managed to keep them that way for about two seconds before they fell shut again. No. This time he put his will behind it, and they stayed open. Looking around, Sirius saw that he was in a small white room, empty except for himself, the bed he was presumably in (he couldn't actually see it, with his limited range of vision), and a small table of potions on his left. When he tried to move his head, he found that he couldn't. Not like he hadn't been able to open his eyes – he could feel his neck muscles trying to work, however weakly – but like he had been petrified. He also couldn't feel anything lower than his neck, and suspected that for some reason his entire body had been made numb.

This realization, however, seemed to have overwhelmed his slow-functioning brain. Sirius was aware of a rushing, roaring noise in his ears before the world swayed and his vision went dark.

"… said he was awake, but maybe it was a false reading – oh no, wait, here he comes again."

This time it didn't take nearly as much effort to remain awake, and it only took two tries to fully open his eyes. The room was still somewhat blurry, though, and the two figures leaning over him were even more so. Sirius blinked, trying to clear his eyes.

"Black?" Sirius couldn't tell which of the figures was talking to him, so he tried to focus on the one nearest him. "Can you hear me?" The face swam into focus, and Sirius was pleased to see that he had been right – it was the healer who was leaning over him and asking questions, while Joseph Bradley – a new Auror who had trained in the same class as Sirius and James – hovered apprehensively at the foot of the bed.

" … conscious, but that doesn't always mean the same thing –"

"I should probably inform Scrimgeour," Bradley said. He glanced in the direction of the door, but didn't make any move to leave. Sirius remembered that, during training, he had always been rather indecisive, and that had led to him nearly failing the program. Sirius still didn't know how he'd managed to pass the final exams, and although he knew it was mean of him to think so, didn't think that Bradley would last long in the real world. Although perhaps, now that Voldemort was gone, he would have a chance.

The healer made a noise like he was about to say something, but he never got the chance. The door flew open, startling both of them into jumping, to reveal James, Remus, and an annoyed-looking Fergus Crowley. James was alternating between glancing nervously at Sirius and smirking at Crowley, while Remus, after meeting Sirius' eyes for a brief moment, turned to the healer.

"How long has he been awake?"

"Not long – he seems to be drifting in and out."

James came and laid a hand next to Sirius – he assumed it was on his arm, but since he still couldn't feel anything lower than his neck, he couldn't be sure – and studied him for a moment before asking a question in a low voice.

What?

Sirius stared at James in helpless confusion. What did he say? But he couldn't explain that he hadn't heard him – he still didn't seem able to voice his thoughts out loud. The healer's voice drifted around the room, interrupted briefly by Crowley's, and Sirius saw James shoot a look of annoyance in their direction; it was so brief that Sirius wasn't sure anyone but he had noticed it. "Padfoot?"

But the world was spinning again, and this time Sirius didn't have the energy to fight it. James and Remus were here, Harry was okay, Voldemort was gone – voices and faces blurred together, and the world seemed to collapse inwards as Sirius was swallowed into the dark oblivion of sleep.

It was a cold morning in early April, and the last of the snow was finally beginning to disappear. The sun wasn't up yet, but James knew it would be soon – light was already beginning to illuminate the clear sky, and the sun would follow shortly. Shivering, James thought for a moment that at any other time in the past years, he would never be out here. Although he loved Hogwarts, he'd never particularly liked the climate this far north: it was too gloomy for him, too dark and cloudy.

A small, surprisingly warm hand slipped into his, and a flowery scent washed over him as soft lips brushed his cheek. "It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?" Lily whispered, staring around with a shy, pleased smile on her face. James let go of her hand, instead pulling her close against him. For this, I would live in Iceland, he thought giddily.

They walked down to the lake, then turned together and walked along the shore. The sun rose, first casting long shadows out of the Forbidden Forest and then finally, slightly, warming the air around them. And all the while, James couldn't quite believe how lucky he was. This wonderful, beautiful girl beside him actually liked him, even if she hadn't admitted to loving him yet – but that would come in time, James was sure, and he wasn't going to rush her. Having her just like him was enough, and James thought that would always be enough, if it had to be. Lily glanced up at him and smiled, as though sensing his thoughts, and James couldn't help the answering grin that spread across his face. "I love you," he said, pulling her close to kiss her.

Lily laughed, returning the kiss for a minute and then pulling away so that she could beam at him. "You have to," she told him. "That's your job."

"Even if I didn't have to," James insisted as they started back up the hill to the castle. It was almost breakfast, and James was sure that Sirius, Remus and Peter would sack the school to find him if he didn't show up for the first meal of the day.

They reached the entrance hall, but before they entered Lily tugged on James' arm, stopping him. "James," she said nervously, and even in the shadows James could see her blushing. Before he could ask why she was nervous (and before he had time to get nervous himself) she had pulled him down and was kissing him even as he had done moments ago. They stood like that in the shadows of the entrance hall for what felt like an eternity, and James never wanted it to stop.

Then Lily broke away and whispered "I love you too."

James started awake, his hand darting up to quickly wipe the tears from his cheeks. He took his glasses, which had fallen onto his lap, and placed them carefully on his nose, looking around to see if anyone had noticed him crying in his sleep. The only other people in the room, though, were Remus and Sirius. Remus was snoring quietly in the chair next to James, looking exhausted despite the fact that he was asleep, and Sirius lay pale and unmoving in the hospital bed, still except for the slight rise and fall of his chest.

Slumping back in his chair, James stared unhappily at his two best friends. He tried to think of the last time they had all had a chance to just be together, without having to be stressed or worried or afraid. The night Harry was born … but there had been a raid at the Ministry, where Peter had been working. Casting his mind back, James thought of his wedding day, and smiled, closing his eyes. He could remember the fresh smell of spring, Peter's laugh and Remus' smile, and Sirius' arm flung casually around his shoulders … but he also saw the way Mad-Eye and Crowley kept an eye on the outskirts, the way Dumbledore always kept one hand in the pocket of his dress robes … and later that night, the sadness in his father's eyes…. Maybe then it had been earlier, before their graduation from Hogwarts, for that day had brought only the knowledge that they were entering a world at war in which they had no choice but to choose a side, and fight.

On that day, James had thought it was obvious which side he and his friends would choose. Lily was muggleborn, Remus a werewolf, Peter a half-blood, and Sirius a blood-traitor. All of them would be outcasts, if not outright murdered, if Voldemort and his Death Eaters won. But then, as the months wore on, it became obvious that there was a traitor in their midst. James, Lily, Sirius, Remus – even Peter, all had near misses in which they were lucky to come out alive. Sirius and Peter had both thought it to be Remus, and Remus and even Lily had reluctantly suspected Sirius. James, though, had refused to believe any of his friends would betray him, and still had difficulty accepting what Peter had done.

He betrayed you. If you had been any less lucky, Voldemort would have murdered you and Harry as well.

James didn't feel lucky, though. His wife was dead, Remus was ill with stress and worry, Sirius was in a coma, and Harry would now live with memories of that night, and without a mother to comfort him. And Peter … Peter would probably spend the rest of his life in Azkaban for what he had done.

"He deserves it," James whispered. As though saying it aloud would make it true.

Remus let out another snore, and James glanced at him again. What would have happened, he wondered, if he had waited for Sirius? Of course he had thought about it, but he'd never let himself actually imagine it before; it just hurt too much. I could have been there, I could have saved her. But could he have? Closing his eyes, he imagined himself back in their sitting room, holding a restless Harry while Lily made herself ready for bed. Lily coming down the stairs, taking Harry, and then…?

"Oh come on, Remus. Please can we go find the others? I told you, I finished it."

Remus frowned suspiciously at James. "Let me see it, then."

James leaned over the edge of his chair to riffle through his school bag, pulling out his potion's book. "Here, I did it here." James opened the book to where the question sheet was and pointed triumphantly to where he had scribbled the answers in the margins. "See?"

Remus let out a horrified squeak. "James! You wrote in your book!" He snatched the book from James' grasp and gaped down at the smudged ink marks. "And half of these are wrong, too!"

James rolled his eyes and tried to tug the book out of Remus' grip. "Duh, I don't want to be too much of a smarty-pants. Gimme it." Remus' hands tightened on the book, and James tugged harder. "It's mine, I can do what I want –"

"There, look –"

"Shh!"

James and Remus both froze, and then Remus looked around nervously. "Did you –" he began, but James shushed him. "I think we're being attacked," he whispered, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. There were distinct advantages to having a werewolf on your side. "Probably for doing homework –"

"Potter! Lupin!" Sirius materialized from behind one of the couches a few feet away, and a second later Peter popped up beside him. They both had their wands pointed at James and Remus. "Your homework or your lives!"

"Go back to the dungeons where you belong, Slytherin scum," James retorted while Remus hastily piled their books into their bags. "You'll never beat us, we've got the smartest smarty-pants on our team –" he jabbed his finger at Remus "– and we've got enough chocolate frogs to last us a lifetime!"

Sirius grinned and waved his wand at James, who hastily ducked. "Quick," he yelped, "up to our impenetrable fortress!" He and Remus took off for the stairs, sprinting two at a time up to their second-year dormitory. They darted inside and slammed the door shut, and James turned excitedly to Remus "Quick, lock it before they get up here!"

Remus' hand flew to the pocket of his second-hand robes, and then a stricken expression flashed across his face. "I don't have my wand –"

"What kind of wizard forgets his wand?" James demanded. There were yells and the pounding of fists coming from the other side of the door, and James had to keep all his weight on it to keep it shut. "Get mine, it's in my bag." Remus snatched James' bag from where he had dropped it on the floor. "In the front, I think." James winced as one of his friends threw himself against the door. He suspected that it was Sirius, as Peter didn't usually get so physical.

"It's not here," Remus said, glancing up at James and then over to his bed. "Maybe it's on your bed, or in your pocket?"

"No," James insisted, "I know I put it in my bag –" and then I took it out to hex Prefect Biggins. "Oh, no." James' eyes widened, and Remus looked up suspiciously. "Oh, no, I left it on the table in the common room."

Remus' eyebrows disappeared into the sandy bangs that flopped over his forehead. "What kind of a wizard –" he began loftily, but just then the door flew open, throwing James down into the middle of the room. Peter burst in, followed closely by Sirius. "Your homework or your lives!" he proclaimed with a flourish of his wand.

James threw himself at Sirius, who let out a shout of surprise and they tumbled to the floor. James managed to land only two good punches before Sirius regained control of his wand, and then he had James frozen on the floor, trapped in Full Body Bind. Sirius smirked at him. "And that," he drawled, "is how we wizards do things."

"We surrender, we surrender," James heard Remus' voice yelp from behind him, and then a bag of books came soaring over him to hit Sirius, who looked so surprised that he nearly dropped it. "Have the stupid homework."

"And your chocolate frogs?" Peter asked, looking suspiciously between James and Remus. Remus sighed, and went to retrieve their stash from the bathroom. Meanwhile, Sirius tossed the book-bag back on the floor and released James from the Body Bind before flopping onto his bed. "Why'd you give up so easily?" he wanted to know.

"We forgot our wands downstairs," James said grumpily, pushing himself into a sitting position. Sirius let out a loud laugh; "You did what?!"

Peter laughed too, settling himself next to James on the floor as Remus re-entered the room and tossed some frogs at each of them before perching on the end of his own bed. "What kind of a wizard forgets his own wand?" Peter laughed, while Sirius added smugly, "We win!"