"Honestly- should be at home resting! How much of an idiot can he be to be out and about like this?"
"Thanks, Molly… good to see you too." Sirius muttered as he and James walked into the Burrow for the Order meeting.
James led him to the couch and sat down beside him and Lily on James's other side.
It had been almost two weeks since the accident and Sirius had just been let out two days ago. James and Lily had offered for him to stay with them, but Sirius refused. He had gone home to his own house. Though Lily had been strictly against him coming to the meeting, Sirius insisted, claiming that he hadn't been out in far too long. Also… he had thrown in the puppy look to win her over and let him come.
"Mr. Black… good to see you are well again."
"Always good to see you McGonagall; especially when I know, no matter what shit I do now, you can't give me detention for it."
She gave him a hard look, her lips reduced to a thin line. Sirius cowered slightly, muttering something about how he wasn't scared of her. James just laughed.
Arthur walked in a minute later and soon he and Sirius were in deep discussion of the motorcycle.
"So, how did you get it to fly?"
"It was simple, really. You see you had to use one of those charms and make it weightless. Not just the engine, like I would have thought….Unfortunately, it only works when it's in the air; nearly crushed me, didn't it James?" Sirius joked.
Quite honestly, it wasn't exactly something James wanted to remember so he just nodded turned back to Lily.
Sirius obviously was trying to make the situation a big joke, and he was mostly successful.
"I mean, come on James! We all knew it was going to happen one of these days! I just thought for sure you'd be the one to push me!"
"Oh trust me, I'd want to!" James and Sirius's laughing stopped abruptly as Albus Dumbledore walked into the cozy little room. Though they weren't school boys anymore, there was still something about their old headmaster that made them show him respect. He looked grim, but then again… so did everyone these days. James and Sirius were just about the only ones who tried to keep the mood light.
"Good evening, Albus." McGonagall said, her mouth became less thin at his presence.
"Yes, good evening, Minerva…." The old, slender man sat across from the couch, surveying the three, through his laced fingers.
"Sirius…. I'm glad to see that you are alright. I hope that whatever happened wasn't illegal…." Dumbledore gave him a knowing smile, and his eyes seemed to penetrate his mind, and Sirius had no doubt that that is indeed what they were doing.
Sirius just smiled back and said, "Well, Dumbledore, you know me… always following the rules; wouldn't dream of anything else."
At this Dumbledore had to chuckle.
After a few more minutes of chatting and catching on one everyone's part, it was time for business. Frank Longbottom pulled out his notes and they started listing off deaths and possible deatheaters. Sirius cringed slightly when they mentioned his father and Regulus, but other than that, he seemed alright. James kept an eye on him anyway. Remus and Peter, both sitting at the table, were also watching their friend anxiously.
There were several new names mentioned and everyone winced at the mention of familiar people from school and such. Then when the worst was over with, the even worse came; Dumbledore stood and faced Sirius, James and Lily again.
"I'm afraid I have rather grave news for you two." He indicated James and Lily. "If we may, I like to discuss this in private. Sirius, Remus, Peter… if the three of you would kindly join us; this concerns you as well."
No one really liked the sound of this. Mrs. Weasley led them to the first floor bedroom. Dumbledore looked James and Lily in the eye, with a sad expression on his face.
"What's going on, Dumbledore?" Sirius demanded, keeping a tone of respect, but he couldn't hide his concern. Remus helped Sirius to sit on the bed.
"Yeah… please, professor, what's wrong?" Remus's eyes were darting between James, Lily, and the old man.
Lily held Dumbledore's gaze, saying nothing, just waiting.
"You're both in danger, terrible danger." He said looking grim again.
"What? What do you mean?" Remus asked.
"Aren't we all, Albus? I mean in the times like, we're all kind of on the edge of our seats about what Voldemort is going to do next-."
"Don't, say it!" Peter squealed.
"Oh hush! It's not like it's going to bring him here just by saying it!"
Dumbledore only looked at James and Lily. "I might as well tell you what happened from the beginning." He said, indicating that they should sit. They did, by Sirius on the bed.
"About a week ago, I was looking around for a new Divination professor. Of course, you can imagine some of the witches and wizards that came to see me, claiming to be seers. It was quite entertaining."
"Dumbledore please… where is this going?" Sirius interrupted, sounding slightly irritated.
"Sorry, sir… he's been a bit… out of it since they took him of medication."
"Have not, you ass…." Sirius muttered. Dumbledore simply nodded and continued.
"Well, this one particularly peculiar woman came in- she was obviously a fake, however, as I was telling her that our meeting had ended, she had a vision; a genuine prophecy. She relayed to me that a child born in late July will come to defeat the dark lord-."
"Well, that's good isn't it?" James said anxiously.
"I thought so too- however, I discovered an intruder. Severus Snape had been listening in."
The room instantly filled with sounds of loathing from James and Sirius.
"Oh, that bastard!"
"We should have gotten rid of him when we had the chance, Prongs!"
"I'll kill him, what did he do?"
"Both of you- calm yourselves." Dumbledore said, sternly. Lily buried her head in her hands, you couldn't hear a thing, but it was obvious that she was hiding sobs. James put an arm around her, not thinking of why she was crying….
"He relayed everything to the dark lord and now I know from certain sources… that he thinks it means your son."
Lily gasped, lifting her head, her eyes wide with fear.
"Just what do you think you're playing at, Albus?" James demanded, looking livid.
"James, you must listen. Voldemort believes that the child born in late July is Harry. You both are in danger. He believes if he kills off your family he will be free of this prophecy and whatever it could mean. You have to protect yourselves."
"How?" Lily said in a petrified little voice.
"The fedilus charm. Find a secret keeper other than yourselves. He'll think that James will be secret keeper naturally, you'll want to use someone else; someone you trust."
"I'll do it." Sirius said, confidently.
"Sirius… I don't know… this is really risky…." James started, but Sirius stopped him.
"Look, James, you said I needed to be more responsible…. Well, here I am, taking this responsibility. I'm doing this. I'll protect you guys."
"Sirius! I was joking when I said that! I took it back-!"
"Sirius… you're still not well-."
"No, Lil's…. I'm fine…I'm doing this. You can trust me."
It was completely silent in the room until James sighed and said.
"Alright. Sirius…. Okay. I can't think of anyone better…."
James, Sirius, Lily, Remus, and Peter all came back to the Potter house in Godric's Hollow. Lily went straight up the stairs to Harry's room where he was being watched by their neighbor, Ms. Bagshot.
"Wow…." Sirius said as the four men sat around the table in the kitchen and James pulled down a bottle of fire whiskey. If there was any time to drink it… it would be now.
"I know…. Things are really changing now."
"Yeah…."
"This is… scary."
"Peter… you're scared of everything…"
"Am not…."
"You're shivering, Pete… come on it's still warm- why are you even wearing a jacket?"
"N-no reason."
"Come on, man, take it off. You're sweating now."
"No… no I'm fine…."
"Peter, come on… this is ridicules… and kinda gross…."
"I'll see you guy later." Peter said quickly, standing and rushing out, pulling his sleeves down tightly over his arms.
"Well… that was odd." Sirius said, reaching for another glass of whiskey, but Remus pulled it away.
"Then again… it's Peter… everything's odd with him…." James said.
"True that." Remus nodded, still keeping the drink from Sirius.