"I haven't had a butterbeer in what seems like forever," Sirius said as they marched down the dirt path leading into Hogsmeade.
"Yeah, I could definitely use one, too," Remus agreed. He didn't say it, but both Jamie and Sirius knew that he was looking forward to seeing his mother after so many months. It was difficult for him to act like a different person around everyone else, with Sirius and Jamie as his only retreat in which he didn't have to hide when he was overly exhausted, frustrated, or a bit on edge as the full moon approached.
Sirius had always commented that he thought it was funny that his two best friends both had a certain 'time of the month'.
"When are your parents arriving?" Jamie asked Sirius.
"Dunno. Thursday as well, I guess," Sirius said. He allowed his hair to fall elegantly onto his handsome face and winked at some passing girls, who immediately burst into giggles.
"Mmm." Jamie had had to endure falling asleep last night with the other girls in her dormitory as they chatted excitedly about going shopping with their mothers for new dress robes that week, and being able to share a father-daughter dance at the ball.
Jamie let her eyes drop to the ground and lightly kicked the last piles of melting snow.
Sirius and Remus exchanged looks, and attempted to change the topic of conversation.
With one last glance at Jamie, and a wink at Moony, Padfoot ran off the path and into the woods, disappearing from sight, returning a few seconds later as a giant black dog. He leapt onto Jamie and pinned her to the ground. Padfoot continued to lick her face until she was screeching for him to get off, laughing nonetheless.
Trying her best to wipe off the dirt on her jeans, and covered in saliva, Jamie was able to stand up again and thoroughly scold the dog that now pranced around the two innocently.
Other Hogwarts students on their way to Hogsmeade scratched the dog behind the ears as he passed, giving extra attention to a group of Ravenclaw girls that were delighted at the appearance of such a cute, stray dog. Remus and Jamie had to hold back their laughter as the girls cooed at Padfoot and commented on what a nice doggy he was.
As the Hogsmeade village came into sight, Padfoot ran off into the woods again and Sirius reappeared, walking up behind them as if he were just catching up.
"Thanks Sirius," Jamie said. Sirius gave her one of his dog like grins he reserved especially for her, which caused her to laugh again and pick a dead leaf out of his hair.
The trio pushed their way through the bustling crowd down High Street, wizards and witches all doing their Saturday morning shopping. The three finally reached the end of the street and entered the Three Broomsticks.
Inside it was warm and noisy, a cozy fire crackling at the far end of the room. Tables were crammed into every possible nook, each filled with a variety of odd looking witches, wizards, goblins, and even an elf sat near a window, seemingly in deep discussion with Professor Flitwick about the best charms to use in order to disguise oneself.
The ancient grandfather clock that stood in the corner of the room close to the bar showed that it was a quarter 'til two. Remus peered across the room anxiously, trying to find his mother in the crowd.
Suddenly, Sirius let out a gasp. "Mum!"
Remus and Jamie stared in amazement as a woman with raven colored hair made her way over to Sirius and enveloped him in a hug.
Shocked, Sirius embraced her. When she finally pulled away, she beamed at her surprised son.
"What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be here until Thursday!" he said.
Mrs. Black smiled lightly, and instead of answering her son's question, turned to Remus and Jamie.
"And you must be Sirius' friends," she said, her warm brown eyes caused both Jamie and Remus to relax a little, as they had both attained a bit of an apprehensive air at being so suddenly greeted by Mrs. Black.
"Come," she said suddenly, "Remus, your mother is waiting for us over there."
She placed a hand on both Remus' and Jamie's shoulders and steered them towards a table in the corner of the room, Sirius following alongside them.
Remus' mother immediately stood as they approached the table and flung her arms around her son. Remus put his arms around her and Jamie saw the small smile that had formed on his lips.
She pulled away and held her son at arms length in order to inspect him closely.
"You're much too thin. Have you been eating enough, honey?" she asked, then, more quietly, "Full moons not dragging you down too much, are they?"
Remus shook his head and turned to introduce his friends.
"Mum, this is Sirius Black, and Jamie Potter, two of my closest friends," he said.
Mrs. Lupin smiled warmly at them, and Jamie noted that she wasn't what she thought she would be. Her hair was a soft brown, with a small section of bright pink near her bangs, and what she thought was the edge of a tattoo on her shoulder. The rebel married the werewolf? Jamie mused to herself.
After all the introductions had gotten out of the way, drinks were ordered, and Sirius immediately asked the question that was on all three of the teenagers' minds.
"What are you both doing here? Together of all things?" he blurted out.
Mrs. Black and Mrs. Lupin looked at each other.
"Well," began Mrs. Black, "After I found the picture in your room, and received your letter, I felt as if I should contact Nymphadora again."
"We met in Diagon Alley, in secret I might add," continued Mrs. Lupin, "so that your fathers wouldn't find out."
"We caught up on our pasts. It had been such a long time since we had spoken," Mrs. Black said wearily, "We didn't know how it was that our husbands' spat could have possibly kept us apart."
"So, anyway, we have been meeting up every now and again, and when Professor Dumbledore announced the ball, we felt it was more than appropriate to go see our sons at school together. And their friend, of course."
"And now we're here," Mrs. Lupin smiled.
"But what happened? How come they used to be friends but now won't even talk to each other anymore?" Sirius asked.
Mrs. Black looked pained.
"Now, don't worry about that. It's none of your business, and I won't say anything to your father about who you have gotten into all of your detentions with. Though I doubt he would disapprove of you, my dear," she said pointedly at Jamie.
"Me?" she asked, "What do I have to do with this?"
Mrs. Lupin pinched the bridge of her nose as if she could feel a massive headache forming.
"Oh, everything my dear. Your father, James, was Sirius' and Remus' best friend. They were all at school together a long time ago. They were like brothers," she said. Her eyes seemed to gain a far away look, as if she was thinking of something long past.
"Well, Jamie, sweetheart, your parents actually made Sirius your godfather before they died," Mrs. Black said, watching her tentatively for a reaction.
Jamie stared at her dumbstruck. On either side of her, Sirius' and Remus' awed expressions matched her own.
"I'm sorry to tell it to you like this, but it's just horrible that you haven't known all of your life. I think that you must have reminded him too much of James, and he tried to forget about you. But I daresay he still loves you just as much as when you were one, when he was already trying to teach you how to fly," Mrs. Black said, laughing.
"Oh yes, I remember that," Mrs. Lupin said, laughing with her, "Remember the look on Lily's face when she realized her one year old daughter was zooming around the living room?"
The two women laughed together, and it seemed almost as if no time had passed since they had been at Hogwarts together.
They were interrupted as Madam Rosmerta delivered their order of butterbeers, and everyone settled into their seats more comfortably and continued chatting.
It seemed that the more Mrs. Lupin and Mrs. Black recounted their husbands' adventures at school, the more of the story seemed to fall into place, and yet the more it seemed so strange. How is it that two close friends could have possibly disbanded, especially at a time when a person they considered a brother had just died? When the three tried to ask what caused it, or how it was even possible, both women brushed them off and said that they didn't need to stick their noses where it had no business being.
Finally, the three hopelessly dropped the subject. It made no sense to any of them.
"Now just don't worry about your fathers, they'll eventually come around. I am going to try however to have him lighten up about inviting your friends over for the summer," Mrs. Lupin said sternly, as if fighting back her anger with her husband. Jamie thought that fifteen years was a long time, and didn't know if anyone was going to 'eventually come around'.
"Yes," said Mrs. Black, sipping her butterbeer, "I think it wouldn't hurt for them to know that you three are friends. What could they do about it? I would love to have you two over sometime this summer."
Jamie, Sirius, and Remus grinned at each other, a new feeling of excitement coming over them. They had never thought it possible.
"I believe we will have to go out and buy you new dress robes," Mrs. Black said, "It's been a while since you've had an occasion to wear any."
"Yes, you need ones as well," Remus' mother added.
Sirius and Remus groaned in unison, and their mothers scolded them in return.
"How very much like your fathers you are," Mrs. Black commented. Her exasperated expression conveyed a mocking tone.
Jamie snickered, which resulted in Sirius punching her in the arm.
"Sirius!" Mrs. Black said, appalled at her son's actions.
"It's okay mum, I do it all the time."
Remus and Mrs. Lupin began to laugh.
"It's okay, really. I think the first time Sirius punched me was back when we were eleven. He can't give me any bruises that he knows he won't receive in return," Jamie said reassuringly.
"Isn't it a bit strange that Dumbledore announces a ball out of seemingly nowhere?" Remus asked, as if it was a question he had been burning to ask.
"Well…we believe Dumbledore has some…ulterior motives."
"Ulterior motives?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow. Mrs. Black and Mrs. Lupin exchanged glances.
"We believe that Dumbledore might have scheduled the ball as a convenient place and time for several members of the Order to meet again and possibly recruit new members. Get updated on the state of things and build up our forces."
"Um. I'm sorry. You lost me at 'the Order'," Sirius said, slightly confused.
Mrs. Black let out a heavy sigh.
"Back when Voldemort first gained power, Dumbledore organized a group of witches and wizards who were the opposing force against the Death Eaters and all that they did. It was called the Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization so that the Ministry would not meddle with it. We believe that Dumbledore is using the ball as an excuse for many former members to gather again without the Ministry interfering," Mrs. Black said. Her voice had dropped considerably, and Remus, Sirius, and Jamie all were forced to lean in over the table in order to hear her.
"So…so Dumbledore is building up an army?" Sirius asked.
Mrs. Lupin leaned back in her chair and pursed her lips, her eyes hard.
"We believe so. Knowing Dumbledore, he would have devised an ingenious plan like this."
They all sat in silence, Mrs. Lupin and Black lost in thought, and the three friends ruminating in this new information. It seemed to Jamie as if Dumbledore knew that Voldemort's forces were growing stronger.
"Well, anyway," Mrs. Lupin suddenly broke the silence, "How about a bit of shopping? You too Miss Potter, I daresay it's been a while since the last time you had a real shopping spree with some real girls."
Sirius and Remus exchanged looks of horror as Jamie, Mrs. Lupin, and Mrs. Black laughed together.
A/N: A review? Please? Thirty seconds of your time could make my entire week.