Tuesday 19th December 1978

Auror Academy, 14:00

"Very nicely done, Smith."

"That's how it's supposed to be done."

"See how Smith does it?"

That's all she felt like she heard these days, day in and day out. Sure, they praised other Trainees as well but Marlene was pretty sure it wasn't as much as they directed at Alice. Marlene was sick and tired of the instructors singing Alice's praises. At least Moody wasn't doing so but even he seemed to be somewhat impressed by her.

It wasn't fair! Alice had never wanted to be an Auror until recently. She hadn't even considered getting a job! She was going to be a good, little housewife and do housewifely things. Not be an Auror Marlene had wanted to become one for years and years and then Miss Priss just swoops in and is great at it? Something wasn't right there. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair.

"McKinnon, you're up."

They were putting into practice their "capturing" skills today. They had to successfully catch a moving target without the target's head hitting the ground. Because that was an avoidable injury that could get the Department in a lot of legal trouble and there for them in trouble which meant far too much paperwork. Apparently. Marlene was going to take their word for it. She was going to do as she was told.

"When you're ready McKinnon."

Oh, she was ready. This took patience and control and a good aim. Normally things she was good at. Not as good as Smith, apparently, but she was still good at them. Unfortunately, Marlene forgot to take into account that she had got herself all riled up. And when she was riled up, she was very much not in control. Their instructors had been very clear on this. A clear head meant you got the job done, if you didn't you would cause more problems.

And cause problems it did. Well, mostly one big problem. As in her 'suspect' exploded with contact with the spell into lots and lots of teeny tiny pieces. Instinctively she (and everyone else) ducked as the pieces flew across the room. Ouch. Who knew parts of what was basically a stuffed sack could be so painfully when speeding into your face?

Also, was it supposed to smell like something rubbery was burning? Because it smelled like that and that really couldn't be a good smell.

"Okay, who can tell me where McKinnon went wrong?" Williams asked as he stood up and dusted himself off. "Black?"

"She overpowered her spell," Sirius answered promptly.

Which was fair. Because she did. And she definitely shouldn't have done it.

"Correct." Williams nodded and then acknowledged another raised hand. "Smith?"

"She didn't take into account her surroundings. The opposite side to which she directed her spell had less objects in the way therefore less chance of causing an injury," Alice said quickly.

"Also correct but considering that the spell made the suspect explode instead of being securely captured it's a bit of a moot point here but definitely something everyone should be considering when you are trying to subdue someone. Very good, Smith."

Marlene tried not to pull a face at that. More praise for Alice. Yippee. She quickly straightened up as Williams turned to face her again.

"And you, McKinnon. You need to keep your emotions in check when you're casting. Do you know how dangerous it is when you overpower spells like that? What we had here was one of the better results."

"Yes, sir," she replied, trying to look suitably chastened.

Which she was. It wasn't going to happen again. She just had to not think about Alice and it would be fine.

"You'll stay late tonight and do power drills with me," she was informed before he went to pick another student to demonstrate something.

Great. Marlene really groaned at that as James patted her sympathetically on the back. Power drills really were the worst. They were repetitive. Monotonous. Boring. And really easy to screw up which meant you had to repeat the whole exercise again. And it was Alice's fault.

If she just heard a little bit less of her then everything would be fine at work. And then she had Lily go on at her because she wasn't playing nice. Playing nice? She wasn't some child and neither was Alice. She didn't have to play nice with her if she didn't want to.

Why did Lily even care anyway? It wasn't like she hung out with them both at the same time. Though, Marlene was still smarting that she hung out with Alice at all. What made her so interesting? She certainly wasn't fun.

"Now, I need someone to demonstrate this spell on," Robertson was now saying.

Oh, Marlene hoped Alice was chosen. Getting demonstrated on normally meant you ended up falling over, getting tied up or flying across the room. If you were very unlucky it was all three. And even padding charms didn't stop that sort of thing from hurting, they just stopped you from getting injuries. Though Marlene had noticed that the instructors had been using less and less of the padding charms recently. Apparently, it wasn't like that in the real world and they had to toughen up or some sort of nonsense like that. She was plenty rough. She didn't need toughening up.

"McKinnon!"

Marlene groaned as everyone else grinned in relief. Of course, it would be her chosen. Today simply wasn't her day at all, was it?

Eurgh. She couldn't wait until Christmas. Just a few more days and they all had a week off. It was going to be great. Family. Food. No getting up at the crack of dawn. No having to listen to Alice or people talking about Alice. It was going to be great.

Thursday 21st December 1978

Williams' Office, Auror Academy, 11:00

Frank couldn't help but bounce on the balls of his feet as he waited outside of Williams' office. In just a few minutes he would hopefully be finding out if he had passed or failed the Stealth and Tracking module. Of course, he hoped that he passed. That would just be embarrassing if he didn't.

Was it time for his appointment yet? Frank pulled out his watch for what felt like the twentieth time. Yes, it was time. Where was Williams? He said to wait right here and he'd come get him at eleven. It was eleven.

Just then the door opened and Williams poked his head around the door.

"Ah, Longbottom. Come in."

Was that a serious tone? A tone that was delivering bad news? Or maybe good news? Oh, he hoped it was good news. The best news.

Frank stood himself in front of Williams desk, rigidly at attention.

"At ease, Longbottom."

That did really make Frank relax that much. And he tensed all over again when he saw the brown envelope on Williams' desk with his name on it. His results?

Williams picked it up.

"These are you results from your repeated module."

"Yes, sir."

He probably hadn't been looking for a response but Frank gave it anyway. Williams then just looked at him, not saying anything. Why was it when anyone was giving you news that there was always a pause before they spoke? It was completely unnecessary. The tension did not need to be heightened. Trust him, he was already tense enough as it was.

"You passed."

Williams' face actually broke out into a smile at that news. Frank hadn't thought that the man was capable of that. But who cared? He passed! He was now a full-fledged Auror! That was it, wasn't it?

"I passed?"

Did he spend too disbelieving? He felt really disbelieving. Like, he had hoped, really hoped, that he had passed but now that je was hearing it... Had he really passed?

"You have. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

That had to be the weakest thank you he had ever said but Frank was just in so much shock. Williams, on the other hand, was all business.

"When you return after your Christmas break you will report to this office and you will be given your assignment."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," Frank said, feeling somewhat in a daze.

He shook hands with his instructor, not really taking anything in. He was an Auror. An Auror!

"There'll be a little graduation ceremony for you who had to make up a module or two. It will also be after Christmas. I'll give you the date when you return."

He was an Auror. An Auror.

Williams shook his head at him.

"Get out of her and enjoy your Christmas, Auror."

Auror!

Friday 22nd December 1978

Evans House, 17:30

"London is just so amazing," Petunia gushed, pinks cheek with excitement.

Which wasn't something any of them had seen in quite some time. Lily still wasn't sure whether or not she was unnerved by the apparent flip in Petunia's personality. But she didn't want to be all negative on Christmas so she just shoved it to the back of her mind and listened to her sister.

It was nice to hear her so happy and excited about something. Of course, the reason why she was happy because she was bragging. That was literally one of the few things that made her happy. But still, she was happy.

"There's so many people and the shops are amazing."

"Some of the buildings look cool as well," Lily piped up.

Well, that's what she thought when she walked through the muggle side anyway.

Petunia frowned at her. "Who wants to look at buildings?"

"I was just saying..."

Rosemary gave both of her daughters a warning look and Lily resolutely kept her mouth shut. It wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth it...

With a flick of her hair, Petunia resumed her talking, not paying any attention whatsoever to her. Lily sighed and tried to keep a smile on her face. It was the holidays. It was Christmas. She wasn't going to start an argument.

What she was going to do was sit here and listen to Petunia twitter on about her "experiences" in London and not say a word. Not even a little one.

"I got lost and had to ask a policeman for directions. He was ever so kind and he got me just where I needed to go-"

Monday 25th December 1978

Potter Manor, 11:00

Severus scrunched up his nose as he gave his hands a cautious sniff. How did his hands still smell despite washing them five times? He'd even used carbolic soap in his desperation and even that hadn't fixed it. It just gave his hands a vague vinegary smell on top of the smells already present. Why did carbolic soap make his hands have that smell? The soap itself didn't smell vinegary. What did it react with? No. Now was not the time to be thinking of things like that. He could research that later. Right now, he should be trying to figure out how to get rid of the smell on his hands.

He couldn't show up at Potter Manor with smelly hands like he had shoved them down a frog's throat! That was disgusting. Even if it was kind of true. He had been dissecting frogs to harvest their parts today. Not exactly pleasant work but it had to be done.

Bit did it have to be done when he was going for dinner at the Potters? Christmas dinner nonetheless. He had to be at his best!

Well, he wasn't going to manage that, not with this smell on his hands. He would just have to make the best of it. A few deodorising spells straight onto his hands out to do the trick nicely. And it did. Kind of. They smelt better but still not good.

"Let's go," Remus urged, pulling on his robes.

Ah, yes. The Potters. All of them had been invited over for Christmas dinner. Of course, James and Sirius were already there. Had been for the past two days. Remus had said that the apartment was very quiet without them. And yes, Severus was feeling a bit anxious. Hell, he didn't even go over to the Evans' house for Christmas except, you know, as year when he was forced to. He just didn't like feeling like he was an imposition.

"He's overthinking again," Peter called.

"I am not!"

"No time for that," Remus said. "Time to go!"

Severus rolled his eyes but did as he was told. They weren't running late at all. They were on time. He closed his eyes as Remus side-apparated him. Eurgh, he hated that feeling but it had to be done. He had never been to Potter Manor before.

"Wow."

He opened his eyes to see the front of the house. The Manor. It was, well, it was very impressive. All white with well-manicured gardens. Wow.

"Remus! Peter! Severus!" Euphemia greeted, flinging open the door.

Hugs and handshakes were exchanged all around. Far too much touching in Severus' opinion. Then it all began again when Fleamont was called over.

Fleamont looked down at his raw, red hands and gave him a knowing look.

"Can't get rid of staining or smells? Which is it?"

"Smells, sir," he admitted reluctantly.

For some reason that made the older man burst out into very loud laughter. Severus gave him a confused look.

"What's going on over there?" Euphemia asked, bustling into the hallway. "Ah, Severus, dear. How lovely to see you."

"It's a pleasure," Severus croaked out, feeling awfully embarrassed.

"Severus here was just telling me that he can't get rid of the smells of Potions ingredients from his hands. I was just telling him how familiar I am with that problem.

"Trust me, we're used to all sorts of smells in this house," Euphemia reassured him. "Yours will never be as bad as some of the smells that come from Monty."

"You couldn't," Fleamont agreed. "Come on, I'll show you what I do to sort the smells out. It has to be in the lab because it produces a lot of smoke."

Severus blinked as Fleamont ambled down the corridor. Did Fleamont Potter just invite him into his Potions Lab?

"Severus?"

Severus blinked and shook his head. Yes, he did!

"Coming!" He called, walking quickly after him.

Potter Manor, 18:30

"Why didn't you tell me?" James asked in a hurt tone.

"We didn't want to worry you, Jamie."

"And anyway, were all okay now."

But they weren't, even Remus could see that. They looked delicate. Old even. And the Potters had always exuded youth and energy to him.

And it wasn't just because of worry because of the war and James and Sirius becoming Aurors in the middle of one. Apparently, they had been ill in November. Dragon Pox. One after the other. It apparently took a while to recover from when you were older.

"But-"

"None of that, Jamie," Fleamont chided. "We're all healed now and getting stronger by the day. Why don't you tell us what you've been learning recently at Training?"

Now that was a forced subject change, he of he ever heard one. Thankfully James went with it instead of arguing. Probably because he was still so full of Christmas Dinner. The Potter Elves knew how to put on a spread.

"We've been learning about always being aware of our surroundings and never letting our guard down," James said slowly.

"So, we're not caught unaware and are always ready," Sirius added. "This way we have the upper hand."

"Now, don't let it rule your life. You can't live like that," Fleamont cautioned.

"But anyone could be a Death Eater, dad."

Fleamont appeared to be unconcerned by this and stabbed a piece of gammon with his fork and ate it.

"And anyone could also be a good person. It goes both ways, James."

"Yeah, yeah," James grumbled, taking a bite of a mince pie.

Thursday 28th December 1978

Potter Manor, 12:00

"James, you're going to have to think about sorting out your own Steward."

James gave his father a bewildered look. "A Steward? You mean like Robards?"

That was his father's Steward. Adam Robards. Had been forever. Actually, James didn't think his father had changed his Steward at all since he hired him.

"Exactly. It's about time for you. The best relationship between a Steward and employer is when you have to learn the job together. That's how Robards and I work so well together."

That was a fair point but that didn't help the wave of anxiety and panic that he felt about this topic being brought up.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked anxiously.

Fleamont was suddenly taking about his responsibilities to the House of Potter, James felt like he had cause to be concerned like this. What with that and his parents'' recent illness...

"Nothing's wrong," Fleamont was quick to reassure him. "This is something completely normal. Every Potter Heir has to consider who they want to make their Steward when they are eighteen. It's a rite of passage as you take on more responsibility."

"But I'm not even fifteen yet," James pointed out.

"No," Fleamont agreed. "I just wanted to make you aware of it now. You don't have to make a decision now or anything. Or even when you turn eighteen."

James heaved a sigh of relief. Right. Okay. His father was fine. His parents were fine. This was a normal thing about growing up. Sorting out a Steward.

A Steward managed the Potter affairs; their properties, investments and people involved in those tasks. It also involved sitting in on the Wizangamot meetings the Potters were required to attend and all sorts of other things that James didn't even know about. The one thing he did know, however, was that a good Steward was invaluable. Had to be someone you trusted.

He had a lot of thinking to do.

Sunday 31st January 1978

Marauder Flat, 22:00

The Ministry had put out advice that large numbers in the current political climate was unadvised. They made for easy targets. Of course, with the majority of them being Ministry employees, they had to set a good example, didn't they? Even if it was the new year.

It didn't mean that they couldn't celebrate, however. They just had to be sensible. With alcohol. Let's see how that would go.

First it started with a large number of them all being in the Marauder Flat (the name had stuck). 'Them all' being him, James, Sirius and Peter, of course. And then Lily and Marlene and Severus and Chryssie and Dora. They had invited Frank and Alice but they had turned them down, wanting to spend their first holiday period as a married couple together which Remus could understand. And he was also quite grateful for because there was really no room for them in the flat. Already if you moved the wrong way, two other people had to move in order for you to get anywhere.

"Why is there so much alcohol on the table?" Lily asked.

Remus turned to where she was looking. Ah. That table. He had thought James and Sirius had spent a little bit too long in setting it up. And that was why.

"It's the New Year, Lily," he told her.

"I know that but does that really require enough alcohol to get the entirety of Hogsmeade drunk?"

Now that was a little bit of an exaggeration. And not all of those bottles were full. He thought so anyway.

"Yes."

Lily sighed and shook her head. Sirius, on the other hand, rubbed his hands together in glee.

"Tonight, is going to be fun!"

Wednesday 3rd January 1979

Auror Academy, 10:30

"You have to choose one." Auror Johnson was saying to Moody, who just grumbled in return.

"I'll do what I like."

Johnson rolled his eyes. "We all know that."

"Then don't rush me."

James looked on curiously and eagerly just like everyone else. It was time for the senior Aurors to choose which Trainees they were going to guide through the last third or so of their training. Normally this wouldn't happen until the last eighteen months of the three-year course but when the course didn't even last eighteen months it had to happen a lot sooner. A lot.

So now all of the trainees were standing around in a crowd waiting to be chosen. It was weird and James felt butterflies in his stomach. He never did like that feeling. He was used to feeling confident, not nervous. He didn't like it.

Especially since he couldn't change it. He was just going to have to wait like everyone else. Which was apparently going to take a while because the Senior Aurors had decided to let Moody make the first pick. Why would they even let him do that? He was so pernickety and strict and James thought that the man adamantly refused to take on trainees to mentor? Why were they making him pick now?

And apparently, he wasn't picking. Because he wasn't. He was just looking them all up and down and not saying anything.

But it would be cool to be picked by him. The man was amazing. So, James stood a little bit taller and puffed his chest out just a little bit more.

Moody walked up and down the line three times.

"Eh, maybe next year," he grunted making everyone deflate and the other trainers to complain.

Saturday 6th January 1978

Marauder Flat, 15:30

James was taken advantage of the very rare opportunity to relax and do absolutely nothing at all. It was glorious. He could stretch right out here on the sofa, close his eyes and-

"Why didn't you tell us about this? I can't believe you didn't tell us about this!" Sirius exclaimed, brandishing a piece of parchment as he stormed into the flat.

A piece of parchment which James recognised. Dammit, he thought he had burned that letter.

"Because he is an absolute incompetent nincompoop."

"Hi, Severus," James said tiredly, rubbing at his eyes and sitting up.

He just got a glare in return. OK then. No one was feeling very friendly right now.

"Don't you Hi me!"

"I can't believe you never said anything!"

And there was Remus. Fantastic. Was everyone here? Yep, there was Peter as well. Even more fantastic. Argh. This was not how this was supposed to go at all!

"Have you answered it? Have you sent anything? What have you done?" Sirius fired off all of the questions.

"No. No. And nothing."

Sirius didn't look like he believed him. Great.

"I haven't replied or anything," James reiterated. "I mean I tried to but what the hell am I supposed to say?"

Of course, that question led to an argument on what you said to a Dark Lord when you were refusing his offer. Something that James never thought he would have to figure out but here he was at the only desk in their whole apartment with a piece of parchment in front of him and a quill in hand. His fancy quill too. It was a pretty important letter here. He couldn't believe he was even writing a letter.

"How the hell am I supposed to write Voldemort a letter?" James demanded. "It's not like I can go, 'Dear Voldemort, I'm sorry to inform you that I cannot in good conscience join you. Sincerely, James Potter'. It doesn't work like that!"

"Nah," Sirius said, shaking his head. "It would be more like 'My esteemed rival'-"

"What about, 'My beloved nemesis'?" Remis chimed in.

"Dearly detested, would work better," was Severus' opinion.

"Guys, this is serious!" James protested but there was a smile on his face.

How could there not be when they were all acting like this?