Chapter 6


"Come here, Devil," James said, picking up the girl from her crib. "I will show you something."

Remus had gone out to shop for groceries. Since, Remus lived in a Muggle neighbourhood, there were so many Muggle things to observe. Remus often got tired explaining them to both of them. Sirius had accompanied Remus on this adventure trip. Merlin knew what would happen today!

James took the girl to the living room. Placing the girl carefully on the floor, James retrieved an album from Remus' bookcase.

"Here, Devil," James said, opening the album and showing it to Hermione. "This has all our memories from the past. Wanna see?"

Hermione nodded; colourful pages had caught her attention.

First page of the album contained five different pictures of four boys and one girl. All of them were eleven year old and were wearing their new Gryffindor robes and waving at the camera.

"We were sorted into Gryffindor the previous night," James said, smiling at the picture fondly. Only James and Sirius knew each other by then. They had collaborated the photographs later and gifted them to each other on Their Graduation Day.

Hermione was copying the action and waving at the pictures. James chuckled and moved to the next photograph. It was of Marauders having dinner in the Great Hall on Halloween.

"Here," James said pointing to the boys. "Tell me who are they."

Hermione stared at the pictures for a minute. "Mooey," she said pointing to sandy haired boy. "Pongs," she pointed to the spectacled boy. "Pafoo." This time black haired boy. She stared hard at the fourth boy and then looked up at James with a questioning gaze.

"No need to know him," James said bitterly and moved to the next photograph.


"Hey, Moony," Sirius cried from somewhere.

Remus looked up from the shelf he was busy with and looked around. Sirius was nowhere to be seen.

"Sirius!" Remus called out.

"Here, Moony," Sirius called back, "In here … the tub."

Remus followed the voice and was shocked at what his eyes registered.

"Sirius! What are you doing in there?" Remus anxiously looked around. Thankfully, it was a weekday and there were fewer customers.

"I wanted to see what's inside," Sirius answered happily. "I think we should buy one. Devil will love it."

"Will you please come out?" Remus asked exasperated. He knew bringing Sirius along was a bad idea. "I don't want to explain this awkward situation to anyone."

Sirius obliged. "We're buying this."

"We don't need this," Remus answered, dragging Sirius away from it.

"I told you; Devil needs it," Sirius said, stopping Remus and looking at the contraption. "Perfect size too."

"Unless you want to wash Hermione in it," Remus answered tiredly, "We don't need this."

"Wash?" Sirius asked, confused.

"It's a washing machine, Sirius," Remus said. "You wash clothes in it, not children. And it runs on electricity; we don't have that."

Sirius gave him a sheepish smile and followed Remus in the opposite direction.

However, soon, Remus lost him again. Normally buying grocery never took him this much time but with Sirius … he wasn't sure when would he finish.

Remus had searched the entire food section, still no sign of Sirius. Thinking that Sirius might have gone back to washing machines, Remus went there.

He did find Sirius. Not staring at washing machine, but at another electronic equipment.

"Sirius," Remus called out irritated.

Sirius turned around, gave him a sheepish grin, before stating anxiously. "See, what I found! Devil will definitely love it."

Remus looked at the equipment. How Devil would love it was beyond him.

"Lily explained them to me some years back. They show all cool pictures and those pictures move," Sirius was explaining happily. "Just like magic. And there are so many pictures, you never get bored. I don't remember what they call it … something with T and vision."

Sirius lost himself in thought and Remus groaned. "Sirius--" he started but was cut-off by Sirius.

"There's only one thing I didn't understand. Why is it getting hot?"

Remus' eyes snapped at the equipment. It was a sample and Sirius had it on. Merlin! Remus immediately found the switch and switched it off. Apart from some smoke, it looked pretty okay.

Once again Remus looked around. The security guy was looking at them suspiciously. Remus gave him a smile.

"Sirius," he turned to look at him. "This is not a television. This is a microwave."

"No," Sirius shook his head stubbornly. "It has black screen. See." He pointed at the opening window of the microwave.

"Trust me, Sirius," Remus said, gritting his teeth. "This is microwave. I will show you a television. Come with me."

Remus dragged Sirius away from ovens to televisions. Sirius looked at them and was instantly asking Remus to buy one.

"For Merlin's sake, Sirius," Remus was royally pissed off now. "They run on electricity. And with all that magic around our house, none of them will work."

Sirius stuck a tongue at Remus before crossing his arms across his chest and looking away.

"Very mature," Remus commented. "We are done with shopping and we are going home. Come."

Thankfully nothing happened as Remus paid for the items and they got out of the mall. Sirius tried stopping at various places to look at strange things, but Remus dragged him away. Eventually they found a dark alleyway and Remus apparted both of them away.


"This is our Graduation Day," James showed Hermione a photograph containing all four Marauders and Lily, all having goofy smiles on their face.

Then James moved on to the next photograph of Lily in her wedding dress along with Remus. Tenderly, James moved his hand over the photograph, his eyes glistening. Lily looked divine that day.

On the next page was the photograph of Sirius and himself. That was his best day.

"This is … Sirius," James said emotionally, "My best man."

Hermione looked at the two men smiling broadly at the camera and happily yelled, "Buduy Idos!"

James stared at Hermione who was grinning at him.

Someone chuckled and he found a smiling Sirius and an embarrassed Remus standing in the doorway.

"Budy Hell," Hermione cried as she saw Remus and Remus groaned.

"She doesn't forget easily," Remus commented.

Sirius laughed out loud. "Way to go, Moony."

"You taught her all that?" James asked bewildered.

"I didn't," Remus grumbled. "She picked up on the words."

"What else the writer taught her?" Sirius teased.

"Shit," Hermione said at the precise moment.

Even James couldn't help but laugh now as Remus covered his face with his hands, totally embarassed.

"Let's sleep, Devil," Remus said, picking up the girl, before she decided to spill out more of such words.

"You won't blame us now, Moony," James called out, "If she picks some words from us."

Remus showed them the middle finger behind his back so that Hermione couldn't see it as he moved out of the living room, leaving two Marauders roaring with laughter.

"Thanks, Devil," Remus said once they were alone, kissing Hermione's head as she snuggled closer to him. "Thanks for making us laugh."


"I think Dumbledore has finally lost it," Sirius said jovially, munching his muffin.

Remus and Sirius were in the kitchen enjoying tea and muffins while James had taken Hermione out for a walk. They were going through evening prophet.

"He is the most powerful wizard," Remus chided Sirius, "And the most intelligent."

"Yeah, yeah," Sirius said airily, "I get it, Dumbledore lover."

"Shut up, Sirius," Remus said, "Just because I respect him doesn't mean I love him."

"You're in denial," Sirius teased Remus. It was so easy to get Remus worked up.

Remus glared at Sirius, who continued to munch the muffin blissfully, pointedly ignoring the glare.

"If Dumbledore says Voldemort isn't gone as yet," Remus said after a while, "I believe him."

"Then where is he?" Sirius asked, "I doubt he has gone for some holiday."

"Bidding for his time," Remus said, scanning the article that had Dumbledore's interview. "He says he is quite weak as of now and will try to regain strength.

"Dumbledore has never been wrong till now. We have no reasons to doubt him now."

The last two statements had Sirius thinking. "You are right." Then he was back to munching muffin.

Remus decided it was totally pointless to discuss the matter with Sirius. When had he taken anything serious, no pun intended.

Remus was lost in his newspaper and Sirius in his muffins when they heard tapping on the window. A brown, official looking owl was tapping impatiently on the window. Remus got up and took the note. He had barely opened it when the owl flew back.

"Quite in a hurry," Sirius commented. "Who's the love letter from?"

Remus groaned. The letter was from Dumbledore and telling Sirius that would just make him target for another round of jokes.

"Dumbledore wants to meet us tomorrow," Remus said, once he had finished reading the note. The seriousness in the note made him forget of his resolution of not telling Sirius about it.

"Why?" Sirius asked.

"Wants to discuss something," Remus answered, "But he hasn't mentioned anything in here. 'Couple of issues' he has written."

Sirius was, for a change, serious now. "Do you think it's about Harry? Or … maybe Hermione? What if he has found her relatives and wants us to hand her back?" There was a fearful undertone to Sirius' voice.

The prospect of Hermione leaving them was frightening for Remus as well. For the last one week that Hermione had been here, they all had gotten attached to her. It would be too big a blow for all of them, especially James, to handle now.

"Let's hope it's some good news about Harry," Remus said. He sounded too lame even for himself.

"Yeah," Sirius said quietly. A moment later he added, "By the way, it definitely was from your lover even if it wasn't a love-letter." With that Sirius sprinted out of the kitchen.

"Sirius!" Remus roared, chasing after him.


A/N: I am back. And, hopefully, with a good chapter. But, of course, that's up to you to tell me.

I know fully automatic washing machines have their opening at side, but semi-automatic ones, at least in India, have their opening at the top. Just clarifying if you found the incident confusing.

I wrote a one-shot with Ron and Voldemort as pairing. Slash, of course. So, if you want to go through it, you are the most welcome. I know, i am promoting myself.

Thanks a ton to all the reviewers and readers. This is the most reviewed story of mine. Read and review this one as well.

Ciao