Tuesday 30th September 1980

Hog's Head, 22:30

They all filed out of the Order Meeting, every single face solemn. You couldn't not be, after the news they'd just heard. Another one of their own was dead. Another one. Deliberately targeted. Just gunned down with absolutely no hesitation. He didn't stand a chance. None of them ever did when Voldemort decided to go after you.

Even thinking the name made James shudder. Then he stopped. No. He wasn't going to let fear take over his life. Especially not when it was a madman that went by the name Lord Voldemort. He wouldn't let it. No matter how bad things got.

And things were getting bad. Well, they already were bad but they were getting worse. That was possible, somehow. He felt constantly on edge. Like he had to keep looking over his shoulder but also look ahead and it was hard. It was hard to deal with and he didn't know what to do. None of them did.

None of them knew what to do with the threats that were a constant thing sent to the Auror Office. No one knew what to do with the taunting of the Death Eaters. No one knew how to keep themselves properly safe away from harm. Any harm.

It was all magnified now. Was it because of Harry? Because how long this had been going on for with no end in sight? Why was it this death that felt crushing even though he wasn't close with him?

When was this all going to end? Were they ever going to be safe or were they just going to wait around, waiting to be put off one by one? Because that's what it felt like they were doing. And James hated, seriously, seriously hated it. He couldn't help but clench his fists as he thought about that.

As much as he wanted to do something more, something that would actually have an effect, he just didn't know what that was. Didn't know what to do that they weren't ready doing. Gathering information. Trying to get ahead of the game. Predict and stop what was going to happen next. Except that didn't happen. They either found put nothing or they were too late. Too late.

And being an Auror wasn't much better. All they were doing was being reactionary. They were meant to be an intelligence agency but the attacks were too fast, too frequent, too powerful. And their members were also being picked off one by one. They all had targets on their backs. So, they didn't have the manpower either. And Death Eaters seemed to have an endless supply of people. Or at least cannon fodder. All the most recent rather blunt attacks had all been by these low-level Death Eaters who could hardly be called Death Eaters. Just knew enough to cause damage. All they were good for was causing mindless destruction and death while the real, high-raking Death Eaters made more targeted, important attacks. The side of height was being split up into far too many years directions. Some they couldn't even pursue.

"Stay low," Dumbledore had said.

James snorted. Yeah, because Aurors could really do that, couldn't they? Not. He wasn't trying to make light of the situation, he really wasn't. And he agreed that they shouldn't be going out more than they had to - they were already doing that. Hell, the general public was even doing that! And yes, it was more important for them because it was like Death Eaters were trying to pick off Order members one by one. But still, there was only so much they could do.

Though, it wouldn't hurt to put a few more wards around Godric's Hollow. You know, for peace of mind and all that.

Friday 3rd October 1980

Godric's Hollow, 17:00

"Lily?"

Lily looked up and the strange tone of her husband's voice. That wasn't how he usually greeted her, ne normally came bounding in with the biggest smile on his five, always happy to see her after a long day at work. Which made her feel really good. But that wasn't the case today. He hadn't even come in from the hall and she suspected that she knew the reason why. Though, she took her wand out, just in case. Dumbledore had cautioned them all, after all, and James was an Auror. Better to be safe than sorry. Especially when the spray meant that you'd be dead.

She still breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that James was the only person by the door - it was their apparition point in the house as they didn't have a receiving room like Potter Manor did.

"Welcome home," she said happily, stepping forward to give him a kiss on the cheek.

She did so and gave him a quizzical look when she realised, he wasn't looking at her but the door.

"When did we get a cat?" James asked.

"We didn't really." Lily said.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, I just didn't go out and buy a cat."

She wouldn't do that, not without asking first. Though she did want a cat but she thought that it would be best to wait until Harry was a bit older. She didn't think they'd be ae to deal with a baby and a new animal all at once. And technically she didn't buy a car.

"But we have a cat in the house."

"Yes."

A spark of recognition appeared in his eyes.

"This is the cat you've been leaving saucers of milk for?" James asked, hanging his robe up and carefully walking in a wide circle around the cat who was now cleaning itself. James was pretty sure it had a smug look on its face too.

"I think so. There's two of them. I think. But I haven't seen the black one in a while."

Which was a bit worrying, if she thought about it. Hopefully it just found another house to get scraps from and nothing bad had happened to him.

"And you just let him in?"

Normally the milk was left on the back step and the cat approached when they were both back into the house. It was a skittish, little thing.

"No," she said, giving the cat a thoughtful look. "Well, not really. I don't go near him usually. Don't want to scare him away."

She had tried to pet him once, when he had finished eating and was cleaning himself but he had bolted as soon as her hand was above him. He hadn't returned for four days. She hadn't tried that since.

"Well, I don't think he's scared anymore," James chuckled.

Lily grinned. "Apparently not."

"Wait, what do you mean 'not really' to bringing him in?"

She shrugged. I didn't bring him in. I had gone outside to put those pots that blew over next to the wall again and when I came back in, he was in the doorway between the hall and the kitchen."

"Probably to get out of the cold," James said thoughtfully, crouching down to inspect the cat.

The temperature had been dropping in the evening, these days. The cat looked thoroughly unamused by his actions and made as if he was going to go up the stairs but James blocked him. She hadn't realised that cats could make disgruntled noises but apparently this one could as it sat down and started grooming itself disdainfully.

"I forgot to close the door to the hall before I went out and that's how he ended up in the hall," Lily said apologetically. "He got startled when I moved towards him and bolted from the kitchen to there. I tried to pick him up but he hissed and backed up into a corner. He wasn't doing any harm so I nudged a towel towards him and just left him alone."

"Alone?" James raised an eyebrow.

"I put a ward on each of the doorways so he couldn't get through."

James looked back at the door to the living room which she had opened and walked through in confusion.

"It's only keyed for animals," she explained.

"You can do that?"

"With a bit of adjustment. But yes."

He gave her a proud smile. "My genius."

She laughed at that and gave him a light shove. "I am not a genius."

"When it comes to charms and wards? You kind of are."

She rolled her eyes bit decided not to argue with him. They'd just end up going around in circles. It was just a ward for a cat, nothing spectacular.

"Should we keep him?" Lily asked, chewing her bottom lip. "I mean, we both work and I know I do a lot of mine at home but we also have Harry-"

The cat wrapped himself around James' legs and looked up at him. James could feel his heart softening. He scratched him behind the ears and the cat went boneless against him. Aw, he liked that!

"I think we should. Cats are pretty independent, right?"

"I suppose," Lily agreed. "They still need some attention though. And fed."

"And we can do that," James said, warming to the idea.

The cat was now on its back just lying there with his legs splayed out all weirdly. Weren't cats supposed to be graceful animals?

"So, we have a cat?"

Lily nodded and bent down to pet it.

"I guess we have a cat."

James suddenly let out a laugh, startling Lily.

"Oh, just wait until Sirius finds out about this!"

Thursday 9th October 1980

Godric's Hollow, 14:00

"A cat! You got a cat!" Sirius said in horror as he stared at said creature curled up on top of a bookcase.

Lily shook her head at it. It had its paws hanging over the edge and it looked like it didn't have a thought in its head.

"Well, it kind of picked us," she replied. "And he's a he."

"Does it matter! You have a cat!"

"Yes, we do."

"That's, that's like the opposite of a dog!"

Lily let out a snort of laughter. "No, it's not."

"It pretty much is!"

"I don't think any animal is the opposite of the other..."

"Of course, there are!" Sirius insisted. "Fish are the opposite of bears. Owls are the opposite of frogs. And cats are definitely the opposite of dogs!"

Lily looked at him blankly before shaking her head in despair.

"I don't even know where to start with that."

"All of what I said is true!"

"No, all of what you said makes no sense whatsoever. Seriously, Sirius, how do you even come up with this stuff?"

"Do you hate me or something? You hate me, don't you?" Sirius all but wailed, lacing around, much to everyone's amusement.

"We don't hate you, Padfoot," Lily said soothingly. "Of course, we don't."

"Who hates Padfoot?" Remus asked, suddenly appearing in the room. "James let me in." He said by way of explanation.

"Lily and James, apparently," Marlene said from her reclined position in an armchair looking endlessly amused. "Oh, and the cat."

Remus stiffened at that. "Cat?"

"Yes, Moony," Sirius said petulantly, recognising that someone just might be on his side here. "James and Lily, the traitors, got a cat."

Remus spun around on the pair with a betrayed look on his face.

"A cat? You got a cat?"

"What's wrong with a cat?" James asked. "And we really didn't have much of a say in it. It kind of chose us."

The cat made a satisfied "prrrp" noise as if it was agreeing with him.

Remus and Sirius looked at it suspiciously but it ignored them and continued on with its grooming.

"Everything is wrong with a cat," was Sirius' opinion.

"They make good pets," Lily said.

"So do dogs!"

"We hardly need a dog when we have you, Sirius." She said dryly.

"Exactly!" He waved his arms in the air. "You have me! And Remus." He gestured at him. "We're canines and you got a feline."

"Well done for knowing more scientific terms," Lily said sarcastically.

The cat at this moment decided to jump down to the floor. Sirius and Remus left backwards so they could be as far away from it as possible. The cat gave them what could only be described as a disdainful look before promptly jumping up into Lily's lap where it got petted.

Sirius gave it a dark look. "It's the enemy," he vowed.

Monday 13th October 1980

Longbottom Manor, 07:30

"Maybe I shouldn't go back to work," Alice said as Frank pulled on his Auror robes.

Normally she watched him with a pang of envy, seriously missing work. But she didn't feel any of that today. Because today was going to be her first day back. She already had her scarlet roses on, her hair was pulled back into a sensible ponytail and her wand was holstered.

"What are you talking about?" Frank's asked with a frown. "I thought this is what you wanted?"

"It is. It was. But maybe it's not a good idea..."

"Why not?" He asked gently. "Are you nervous about Neville? Because you know the Nanny Elf will take fantastic care of him, just like she's been doing the last few weeks."

Alice bit her lip. "I know, it's just..."

Mary's words had been going round and round in her head. Was it really that important that she supervise the Elves' care of Neville? They did a lot without her direct input anyway. She just didn't need to give it. And she was happy with that. And, more importantly, Neville seemed happy with that. So, what was worrying her?

"Hey," Frank said gently. "You do want to go back to work, don't you? Because you know you don't have to if you don't want to."

"I do," Alice said. "I really do. I miss working. I miss tracking Death Eaters down but..."

"But..." He prompted.

She sighed. "What if I've forgotten things? What if I'm no good? Or get myself or someone else injured."

Frank shook his head. "Everything will come back to you when you start doing it again," he reassured her. "You can't forget all your training like that, it's etched into you. Especially when you were one of the best. Even Moody said so and he doesn't usually give out praise like that."

"What about if I get injured?" She asked quietly.

"You can't avoid that completely in our line of work. It's going to happen and we need to accept that. We know the risks. We always have."

They did. It just all seemed so much more now.

"So, are you ready?"

She shouldered her bag and nodded resolutely. "I'm ready."

Thursday 16th October 1980

Marauder Flat, 19:30

"Bye, Black," Emmeline said as she walked past him.

Sirius didn't even get a chance to say anything in return before she apparated away. Mainly because he was gaping at her in complete shock.

"Was that Vance?" Sirius asked as je came to his sense and watched Marlene sorted out a bottle for a fussing Cassie. It had taken them a while to figure out what type of bottle Cassie liked but they finally found one. Which Marlene was eternally grateful for because now she could get a full night's sleep. Which was handy when you were going back to work next week.

Technically Marlene was supposed to go back two weeks ago but she pushed it back, not quite ready to leave Cassie just yet. But she decided that she couldn't put it off any longer and she did want to work. It was just hard leaving Cassie. Sirius could relate to that.

"Yeah, that was Emmeline." Marlene replied in an unconcerned voice.

"Why was she here? Was it something for the Order?"

Marlene shook her head. "No. She is my friend, you know. She doesn't just have to be around because of Order business."

"She's your friend?" Sirius spluttered out. "Since when?"

He hadn't known that! How had he missed it?

Marlene gave him an odd look. "Since sixth or seventh year."

"Vance?"

Sirius couldn't get over this. It was Emmeline Vance! Terrifying Ice Queen who could stare down dragons, he was letting sure. He wasn't even sure that she was fully human sometimes, never mind knew how to interact with them. Yes, she freaked him out. Just a little bit. She didn't take crap from anyone, which he admired but she also froze people put while doing it, not being close to anyone.

Or, so he thought. Apparently, she was close to his girlfriend, partner, whatever.

"Yes."

He shook his head dolefully. "The things you don't know about people.

She chucked a cushion at his head.

Monday 20th October 1980

Tonks Home, 16:00

"Teddy! No!" Dora said with a laugh. "You can't do that!"

Teddy was a wriggly baby, it turned out. Always moving around with ailing limbs. It was kind of adorable, as long as you didn't get a baby fist to the face. Did you know that a baby's nails were sharp? Because they were. And Teddy did not like having his nails clipped. And he demonstrated this. Loudly. It was impressive that such a small person could make such a loud noise.

He gave this adorable little giggle that melted her heart. How could you ever be annoyed with such a cute little thing. Well, you could if the cute little thing refused to sleep properly but that was another matter entirely.

"Time to go," Remus said, handing her, her cloak.

"I can't believe we're know all grown up and taking our child to a play date," Dora said, shaking her head at the thought.

"I still don't feel like a real adult, sometimes," Remus admitted with a chuckle.

It was silly, he knew, considering that they both had jobs (Dora's, of course, more impressive), they had apparition licences and they both had a child together. But still. The idea of being an adult was still a weird one. Very weird. But there was no doubt about they were adults and they had to make their best try at it.

Speaking of making their best try...

"Do we have everything we might need?" Remus asked, looking around.

"Nappy bag," Dora adjusted the bag that was over her shoulder. "Enough nappies that should last a few days but in reality, don't, cream, baby oil, bottles, wipes, everything Teddy needs.

"And a change of clothes?"

"Two. After that blow out incident I do not want to be caught unawares again."