Monday 3rd July 1978

Lestrange Manor, 21:00

"Hello, little cousin."

Regulus almost jumped five feet in the air at that voice. That very familiar voice, though he hadn't heard it in the last few years.

"Hello, Bellatrix." Regulus greeted as he turned around.

Somewhat surprisingly, Bellatrix hadn't changed much except for her last name. Still the same, old Bellatrix with her wild curls trailing down her back and her equally as wild eyes. There was passion there in them. Even more so than what he was used to but he supposed that was the effect of being around someone as wonderful as the Dark Lord. He brought out your passion. Your determination.

Rudolphus came up from behind Bellatrix and Regulus nodded at him in greeting. He always got the feeling that his cousin's husband always thought of him as a small child. Someone beneath his notice. Well, he wasn't. Not anymore. Regulus puffed up his chest a bit. He was someone to take notice of now.

"Are you enjoying serving our Lord?" she asked.

Yep, she definitely hadn't changed. Same bluntness. Same terrifying stare that meant you had to agree with her or else there would only be pain.

Not that he cared about that because of course he agreed with you.

"Definitely," Regulus assured her.

Because he was. It was everything he ever dreamed it could be and more. And it was just going to get better once he left school, he was sure. Actually, going out on raids and missions in the real world had to be great. He'd seen how all the other, older Death Eaters had returned, in high spirits and congratulating each other. Oh, to be a part of something like that.

"Wait until you can properly be involved," Rudolphus told him eagerly. "There's nothing that can compare to it."

"Nothing indeed," Bellatrix agreed in a patronising tone

Regulus tried not to show his annoyance at this. He wasn't some child anymore! He was seventeen! An adult! Who cared that je was still in school, he was still an adult and deserved to be treated as such? Especially by his cousin.

That was the only annoyance he had. Even if he would never, ever voice it to the Dark Lord. Or anyone. No way. But it was annoying that because he was still in school that he couldn't do anything other than childish things like graffiti walls or be threatening. But it wasn't worth the risk. Being active for the Dark Lord meant that you ran the risk of the public knowing who you were, like Bellatrix and Rudolphus.

"Aw, is widdle Reggie pouting?" Bellatrix said mockingly.

"Oh, give over, Bellatrix."

Far from being upset with him, she just laughed. Her laugh always unnerved him even though nothing ever came from it.

"Such a rush to grow up."

"I said give over."

She at least fell silent at that thought there was still far too much mirth in her eyes for his comfort. He didn't even know what was funny. She was just annoying him.

Regulus stayed silent, not really wanting to talk to her anymore. Stayed silent, not sulk or pout as he was sure Bellatrix would view it as. Those were childish things to do when you were small and didn't get your own way. Regulus was far too mature for that. He just didn't want to talk anymore, simple as that.

Bellatrix gave him an amused look that got his blood boiling. Oh, she was such a pain and she was always going to be a pain. See, this is why he preferred Narcissa out of all of his cousins. Sirius had always got on better with Bellatrix. Or had been better and giving as good as she dished out.

He shook his head. No. He wasn't supposed to even think of him. He didn't need to think of him. He had made his choices and Regulus had made his. And Regulus' was the right one. That much was evident anyway.

"How is that little bloodtraitor brat?" Bellatrix asked suddenly.

"Sirius?" Regulus asked in a puzzled tone.

He tried not to think about how weird it was to say Sirius' name out loud. He hadn't said it in such a long time. You know. Because of obvious things. They just didn't speak of him. He had all been but officially disinherited (the family was still working out the kinks). Of course, he didn't matter anymore. He had made his choice. He-

His thoughts were quite bluntly interrupted by a very loud scoffing noise from Bellatrix.

"That traitor? No. I meant Andromeda's brat."

"Tonks?" Regulus asked in amazement.

He wasn't entirely sure himself whether his amazement was from Bellatrix saying her older sister's name (he didn't even really know of it until he was nine) or the fact that she was asking after her child. That was weird. She wasn't even properly family.

"Her name is Nymphadora. At least Andromeda stuck to her roots for that."

"Yes, but she goes by Tonks."

"Horrid, nasty, Muggle name," Bellatrix. sniffed, folding her arms.

Regulus' eyebrows rose at her petulant tone. He wasn't going to argue with her there.

"Well?" She demanded.

"What?"

"How is she?" She even added an eye roll onto the end for good measure.

How was he supposed to know that? It wasn't like he associated with her! In fact, he did the complete opposite - he either avoided her or put her in her place.

Bellatrix and Rudolphus were giving him expectantly looks.

"I don't know," Regulus said defensively.

"You have to know something about her."

"I know she's obnoxious and doesn't know her place. What else do you need to know?"

Rudolphus snorted at that while Bellatrix sniffed.

"Figures. I doubt that she is even aware of her place."

Regulus shrugged. Whatever. What did it even matter? It wasn't like the Tonks girl did.

Sunday 9th June 1978

Potter Manor, 16:00

"Why does this summer feel so different?" Sirius asked, throwing himself onto James' bed.

It was funny, they both had their own rooms but they were rarely alone in them. James didn't know if it was residual from being in a boarding school for a good nine months of the year or because he and Sirius literally couldn't be apart from each other for too long but that was just the way it was. And he didn't really want to change it.

"Because we've left school?" James suggested.

It was pretty obvious that that was the reason. They were no longer Hogwarts students. Imagine that?

"That hasn't completely sunk in yet," Sirius admitted. "I mean, it just feels like we're on summer holiday."

"It really does," James agreed. "But it won't be a summer holiday. We start training in August."

Because they had been accepted into the Auror Training Program. They were going to become Aurors. And quickly. The last bit of correspondence they had got was their starting date and information on the duration of their training. It had shrunk again. It was normally three years or so and in had been reduced to a year or fifteen months for Frank. But for them it was apparently going to be nine months?

"It's going to be intense," Sirius said as if he was reading his thoughts.

"Well, we survived a Death Eater attack," James bragged with a lot more bravado than he actually felt. "It can't be more intense than that."

"But they weren't attacking us. Not really. They were just causing chaos," Sirius pointed out.

James fell silent at that, mulling over the events of just a few weeks ago.

"It was still scary, though," James said quietly.

Sirius gave him a look. "Yeah."

Then there was more silence as they both processed that. It was the first time James had said it out loud. That he had been scared. Terrified even. He didn't know whether or not he was going to get hurt. Or die. Or that something was going to happen to his friends. Merlin, he wouldn't be able to cope with that...

"Well, at least we're going to get trained for dealing with things like that," James broke the silence. "Maybe the next time won't be as scary."

Because they were going to be Aurors. Which meant there was going to be a next time. And a time after that. And a time after that.

They were going to be putting their lives in danger every single day. Maybe they would even get injured. Seriously injured.

"Yeah," Sirius said absent-minded, picking at the duvet cover.

There was something weighing on him. James could tell. He knew all of Sirius' tells. Though, anyone would be able to read him right now because he was being pretty obvious.

"What's up?"

"Nothing."

Lies but James didn't press him. There was no point, he would just clam up and that would be no use to anyone. James had learnt that lesson pretty early on.

Sirius just needed some space. And he would give that to him. Well, not literal space because he wasn't going to leave him alone or anything, and this was his room anyway, but metaphorical space. He wouldn't talk to him or distract him or anything. And it worked. Kind of.

"We're going to be Aurors." Sirius said quietly after far too long of a silence in James' opinion.

He gave his best friend a puzzled look.

"Yes."

Because what else did you say to that? Really?

Sirius was still plucking at the duvet cover, James noticed. He was surprised that he hadn't worn away a hole.

"We're going to be fighting Death Eaters."

"That's kind of the point," James joked but it fell kind of flat.

Mainly because Sirius didn't have any reaction to it whatsoever. He just stayed quiet. Which was concerning. Sirius was never quiet. He was always talking, flirting, shouting. Him being quiet was just unheard of. He even talked in his sleep sometimes! But now he was quiet and James really didn't like it.

Finally, Sirius looked up again, much to James' relief. Though, he still wasn't looking too happy.

"Do you- do you think I'll have to face... face my family?" Sirius asked quietly, his face drawn.

"What?" James couldn't help but say without fully processing what Sirius just said.

Which meant he didn't think because if he had thought about it, he would have been a bit more tactful.

"My family. Do you think I'll ever have to fight my family?" Sirius repeated. "Everyone knows Bellatrix is a Death Eater. And the Lestranges. Maybe Narcissa is too."

"You don't know that," said James. "About Narcissa."

Bellatrix was a lost cause, everyone knew that. Not that that was surprising or anything but this probably wasn't the time to say that.

"But I do about Bellatrix," Sirius sighed disconsolately.

James frowned. He didn't know how to fix this. Make it better. It wasn't like je could suddenly make Bellatrix Lestrange disappear or, even better, captured at put into Azkaban. Where she belonged. He couldn't do that. He couldn't change the fact that she was a bad person. Maybe even the worst of people. He couldn't change that. He couldn't do anything. Hell, he didn't even know how to reply.

"They aren't my family anyway," Sirius finally said.

Wednesday 12th July 1978

Evans Home, 18:00

"What do you mean you're moving out?" Lily said in dismay.

Severus shrugged but carefully didn't look at her. He had just given her the news that he had been planning for a while. Well, planning was probably too strong a word but it had definitely been in the back of his mind for months, if not years. Even if it had originally been wishful thinking. But now it wasn't. It wasn't even a thought anymore. It was going to happen.

"Just that. I'm going to rent a flat in London. Diagon Alley, if I can swing it."

"But that's not here!"

"Yes. That's the point."

He still wasn't looking at his best friend. No. He would just see disappointment and maybe even betrayal. No, he didn't want to see that.

"But, but-"

"It's better this way," Severus explained, finally looking up, only to wince at the hurt and confusion in her face. "I'm going to be working in the Apothecary part time while I do my Mastery."

Yes, he had finally secured an Apprenticeship to do his Potions Mastery. Which was brilliant and he really couldn't wait. Why did their NEWT results have to take so long to come out?

He was finally going places and staying here wasn't going to help with that. Oh, it was different for Lily. She had a loving family who genuinely cared for her. A safe and welcoming house. She was encouraged, people wanted her to succeed. He? Well, he had none of that, did he? Not at home anyway. Which is why he had to get away. It just made sense. It did.

"But you can apparate home," Lily told him.

"But I don't want to go home, Lily," Severus finally admitted. "You know what it's like."

Actually, she didn't. Not really. Even after all these years je had kept the worst of his father's treatment of him close to his chest. But she knew the jist of it. Knew that je was nowhere near the nest type of man, never mind a good father.

She had fallen silent and was giving him a look. He didn't like that look. That sympathetic, sad look which just far too close to feeling sorry for him. No. He didn't like it. It didn't belong on Lily's face.

"I didn't know it was that horrible," she said quietly.

"It is," he responded shortly.

Her eyes widened as his statement sunk in. Severus was kicking himself. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Why in Merlin's name did he say that?

"Well, not horrible," he tried to cover up quickly. "But you know. Not good."

She frowned at him, not buying it.

"Why did you ever say anything?"

"It's nothing. Really."

"But you want to go to London to get away from him."

"I want to go to London for my job," he half corrected. "And, hey, it's not long before our Apparition exams. This time next week we will be able to apparate back and forth. So, it won't be like I'm hundreds of miles away after all."

From what he had heard, the exam would be that hard. And he had managed to successfully apparate for the last four lessons at school so he wasn't too worried about that.

"I suppose," Lily said doubtfully.

"You and Chryssie can visit whenever you like," he told her honestly.

There was no way je was staying in that house for any longer than he had to. Of course, it wasn't exactly feasible last year (though, technically, he had been old enough to move out). He hadn't had enough money, or a job to maintain himself and he was still at school. But now none of those things were a problem anymore so he wasn't going to stay. No. No way. Who on earth in the right mind would stay in a house with Tobias Snape when they didn't have to? No, not him.

He was going to move to London and move on with his life. Be successful. Unlike his father. He would show everyone.

Sunday 16th July 1978

Smith Sett, 11:00

Frank was just nodding blankly to everything that was being said to him (at him, more like) when he was rudely interrupted.

"Can I tell you something?" Alice asked him in a hushed voice as she grabbed him by the arm.

"Um, sure?"

She looked around, a paranoid look on her face. "Not here, come on."

So, he let himself be dragged off only to be stopped before they got too far.

"Just where do you think you two are going?" Celia demanded. "Are you not aware of just how much we need to do?"

And here Frank thought that the groom didn't have to do anything. Wow, was that far from the truth. Mainly because his mother insisted on him being involved but still. Would you cross Augusta Longbottom?

"We're just going to go outside, mother," Alice said. "I want to show Frank where the marquee is going to go."

"Of course, dear."

It was weird how nice and sweet Mrs Smith could become when everything was going how she wanted it. And organising their wedding was definitely how she wanted it.

Frank didn't mind. It was something she was passionate about and it kept her happy. It also didn't hurt anyone. At least this way everything would definitely look very nice. She had the same taste as Alice. Celia was obviously where Alice got it from.

Anyway, Alice was allowed to drag him away from the planning. Which was somewhat a relief. Celia kept waffling between where to put things and it was very tiring to listen to.

Alice brought him all the way outside and down the side of her house.

"Well, what did you want to tell me?" He asked after she paced in front of him several times.

"I, uh, I don't know how to say it."

Frank felt a sinking sensation in his stomach.

"Just say it."

Just get it over with. Tear the bandage off. Frank tried to brace himself for the news.

"I got accepted into the Auror Academy," Alice blurted out.

"What?"

That wasn't what he had been expecting at all.

"Well, for the interview," she corrected.

Yes, okay. Frank understood that much. She had had her application accepted. But she had made an application? Since when? Was she aware that the interview was the last step and she would be in? Where did this come from? Alice looked like she didn't know whether to feel excited or not.

"You don't think I'll be able to do it!" she accused.

"What? No!"

Well, maybe. He had never thought of Alice being an Auror and was having difficulty picturing it. Alice? His betrothed? His delicate, dainty, ladylike, proper betrothed becoming an Auror? That was a lot of contradictions, wasn't it?

Alice as frowning at him, lines forming in her forehead.

"You really don't!"

She turned around and started walking away from him. No, that wasn't supposed to happen!

"Wait, no, Alice!

She wasn't stopping. Or turning around. She normally did one of those two but now she wasn't. Why wasn't she? Didn't she hear him? He hadn't meant his silence to be taken that way.

He was on shock and he had been thinking. Or trying to think. He hadn't wanted to say the wrong thing. Though it looked like him being silent was the wrong thing to do.

"That's, wait. Wait, come on, Alice. Stop," he pleaded as he caught up with her.

At least she came to a stop but she was still frowning and now her arms were crossed.

"Well?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I was shocked," he explained.

She frowned a bit more but then thankfully her face cleared and her shoulders relaxed.

"So was I," she admitted. "I had gone through all this process thinking that I wasn't going to get, there was no way I was going to get in. But I have. Almost."

She looked so overwhelmed by this that Frank did the only thing he could. He opened his arms for a hug which she gratefully took and buried herself in his chest.

"Why don't you start from the beginning?" He asked.

Thursday 20th July 1978

Potter Manor, 10:30

"Is there all reason why you called this meeting so early?" Peter complained, stretching out his arms and looking decidedly out of it.

"It's only half ten in the morning."

"Exactly. Early."

James decided to ignore that, mainly because he was far too excited about the news, he was about to impart on them all. If he was Padfoot, he would be wagging his tail. But stags were far too regal for such an action so he grinned widely instead.

"Look, me and Sirius got word that the Ministry no longer provides accommodation for new recruits," James explained.

"Something about needing the space for training or equipment or something," Sirius added. "Basically, something to do with the War."

"And?" Remus asked.

"And that means we'll need to find accommodation elsewhere. Preferably in London so we don't have to go far at the end of a long day."

Neither Remus or Peter looked too 9mpressed or interested in this.

"We were thinking about we should have a Marauder flat," Sirius burst out, apparently unable to keep himself contained for any longer.

That got their mouths gaping

"All four of us," James added. "Just like at school."

"Except we'd be in the real world," Remus said doubtfully.

"Exactly!"

11:15

"I feel like this is going to be a genius idea or a complete disaster," Remus said once they'd all finished discussing it.

"I think it's brilliant," Peter said.

"Yeah, Moony," Sirius grinned, elbowing him. "Be a bit more positive."

"There's positive and planning ahead."

"Yeah, planning ahead for fun," Sirius said eagerly.

"Do you think our rental agreement will cover damage from explosions?" Remus wondered out loud.

Thursday 27th July 1978

Evans House, 14:30

"It's so odd that you're going to a wedding for someone who's out age," Chryssie said as Lily checked her bag for the third time to make sure she had everything she needed.

Yes, well, this has apparently been in the works since before she and Frank hit double digits?"

"Really?"

"Uh huh. Some strange pureblood thing. Have you seen my blue heels?"

"You mean the ones mum finally let you buy last year? The ones that are barely a heel?"

"Yes. Those ones. And don't sulk at me, Chrysanthemum Evans. Mum let you get heels then too."

"Yeah, and then she took them away!"

"Because you climbed a tree in them and broke them!"

"I was rescuing a cat!"

"That jumped down by itself anyway!"

Chryssie couldn't say anything in retaliation to that so just pouted and crossed her arms. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Look, have you seen my heels or not?"

"You mean the ones that you put in your bag first?"

"Chryssie!"

Smith Sett, 15:00

"One of your friends from school is here, Alice," her mother said with a sniff as she opened the door to her bedroom.

Alice frowned at the emphasis her mother put on the word 'friends'. Like Lily wasn't her proper friend or something. Which just wasn't true.

"Thank you, Mrs Smith," Lily said politely as Alice ushered her in.

That just earned her a look up and down and another sniff as the older woman left to greet even more guest.

Alice smiled apologetically. Her mother hadn't exactly been approving of Alice inviting Lily. She wanted this wedding to go perfectly and perfect to her meant no one there was unimportant, society wise. And a muggleborn who was upper middle class (Alice thought, anyway) didn't make the cut. Not when there were the Potters here. Never mind the fact that the Potters were present because of Frank, not because of the Smiths but try telling that to Celia Smith.

Not that ice cared about all that. Not anymore, anyway.

"Lily! So glad you came," Alice greeted her friend happily.

"Yeah, hi, Lily," Mary said unenthusiastically.

Alice gave her a sharp look. She didn't know what Mary's problem was but she had better stop. She had become awfully cool towards Lily over the last year and Alice didn't know why but she netter not cause a fuss. Not on her wedding.

"I can't believe you're getting married," Lily told her.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Mary said dreamily. "I'm going to be next. In September."

"It's not going to be as big as this," Eleanor bragged.

Alice winced at that. It was just unnecessary. She was sure Mary's wedding was going to be beautiful. Amazing. Because it was going to be her wedding. Just like this one was hers and no matter what happen it was going to be good.