Regulus Black's POV

I wonder when those two will pause to realize that they really haven't pranked me much. It seems as though they would have come to that conclusion, but apparently they're too busy attempting to get at one another. James currently is sporting neon pink and neon green striped hair and can only speak in haiku.

"I will get you back
Revenge will be sweet,
Better watch your back"

I nod, "Uh-huh, sure thing Jamesie boy. The day you get Lily back will be the day that I will die."

James just glares.

"That's what I thought."

Lily comes stalking into the kitchen. She glares at James before sitting down and buttering her toast.

"Something tells me not to ask, but what happened?" I sigh, secretly holding back laughter. This is going too perfectly!

"James thought it would be funny,
to cast a little spell,
on the one who he calls 'honey'.
How long it will last, I cannot tell.
Yet there's one thing I know,
In rhyme I must speak.
He will reap what he will sow,
Last time he did this, it lasted a week!"

Shaking my head I chuckle, "That's horrible! Sorry to laugh, but it is kind of funny."

The married couple glare at each other over their pumpkin juice before taking a sip. There's a flash of light and then they're both dressed as leprechauns. I blink before shaking my head and leaving the room. In my head I count to three before taking off at a run. Jumping over the couch and taking refuge from the spells and jinxes flying around, my mind races trying to figure out what to do. As their footsteps get closer, I make up my mind and dive into Remus's screen.

I stare at the werewolf as he paces, a book in front of him. He's muttering and can't seem to figure something out.

"I can't believe that he actually got out." Remus turns around and keeps muttering, "Of course it's a good thing that the Ministry can't prove anything, especially since I was the last person to visit him."

Remus jumps as he hears a howl. Walking to one of the windows he flicks the curtain open and inspects the night scenery. When he sees a shadow the size of a small bear moving he opens the door to his cottage. A huge black dog walks in, fur dark as night, and eyes the same gray as its human counterpart.

"Merlin Padfoot!" Remus whispers, "Come on, in to the living room with you."

I follow as Remus walks ahead of the dog and transfigures the couch into a large bed. He then rushes into the kitchen and moves around there, the sound of dishes clinking echoing into the room. Padfoot looks at the bed and jumps up. He circles a few times, making the bed comfortable, before lying down facing the fire. His eyes watch the flames as they dance in the grate, and I feel a wave of nostalgia flood me, remembering that he did the same thing at Grimwauld place.

Remus walks back into the room, resting a tray on his hand. There's a bowl of soup, some tea and a small thing of bread.

"Alright, we're going to have to slowly build up your appetite. You might be really hungry, but if you eat too much it could cause you to be sick."

I look at Sirius and smile when I notice that he will probably eat a bit of food before going to sleep. Glancing at the entrance to the netherworld, I quickly jump out.

"Dearest Regulus I hope you know,
This is something we can't let go.
You've gone against us,
So we've gone from two to one,
So go ahead, moan and cuss,
You'll be pranked from moon to sun." Lily says.

I chuckle, "Well that's good and all, but I don't think it's going to work. Good luck though."

Lily smirks and looks toward the door as a knock sounds on it. Confused I look to her.

"Expecting someone?"

She shakes her head, eyes narrowing as she turns her attention back to the visitors.

I head for the door and unconsciously pull my shoulders back and stand straighter. Swinging the door open, my first emotion is surprise and the second is caution mixed with anger. "What are you doing here?"

"What, can't a mother visit her son?" Walburga says, her voice silky yet with the underlying threat of danger.

"Not when she comes unannounced. What do you want Walburga?" I ask.

"Don't speak to your mother with that tone," Orion snaps, eyes flashing with his temper.

I can almost feel their magic pouring off of them. They're expecting a fight. I pull my magic together while wondering if they're going to start something right here. I really don't want the house to be wrecked. Mother's eyes dart around quickly, taking in everything and all the while that non-smile-smile doesn't leave her face. I really feel like smacking it off of her, but get the feeling that would be a bad move.

I tilt my head up, "Either leave here, or I will force you away."

"We just wanted to talk. No reason for you to act like your blood traitor of a brother."

"That blood traitor happens to be a better wizard than either of you, and I'm more than glad to act like him. Now Leave!"

Orion flicks his wand at me, but I block it with a shield before glaring at them. "Wrong move."

James Potter's POV

I come back downstairs to see Regulus leaving the house, hexing his parents. Before speaking I perform the counter curse to the spell I'd placed on Lily.

"What was that about?" I ask.

"Apparently the elder Blacks wished to talk with Regulus, but he wasn't in the mood for a family meeting. I-" Lily is cut off by yelling. She turns to Harry's screen and automatically stiffens in anger.

"Come back here boy!" Vernon shouts. Harry runs down the stairs and skids around the banister, racing along the hall, ducking the vases and other assorted objects being thrown at him. He dodges his cousin Dudley, who had tried to tackle him, and slides past Aunt Petunia, ducking the frying pan that she's wielding. Sprinting for the door the skinny boy who looks like an emerald eyed James Potter manages to escape the house of the Dursleys and keeps running until he's five blocks away.

Panting, Harry sits under a tree, "Thank god I'm so fast." He sits under the oak, catching his breath and watching the sun slowly set. He doesn't notice the dog that turns to the corner of the street, nor the way that the dog seems to stop in its tracks and stare at him. Harry doesn't notice that a tawny haired man with amber eyes walks up to the dog and kneels next to it. What Harry does notice is the sudden mass of black fur that is sniffing him.

"Padfoot, no! Back off, you're scaring him!" the man scolds.

Harry looks up at the man, "He's ok so long as he doesn't try to bite me. I really don't mind dogs, just not my Aunt Marge's dogs."

The man's eyes widen for a moment before he regains composure of his face.

"Damn," I whisper, "When did he learn to do that?"

"Can I sit with you?"

Harry shrugs and instinctively pets Padfoot who is already looking quite possessive of the young teen.

"So, what's your name?"

"Harry."

"I'm Remus."

"Remus?" Harry tilts his head, "As in Remus and Romulus?"

Remus looks at Harry in shock again, "You know about Remus and Romulus?"

"Uh-huh. I remember hearing about the story from somewhere, but I can't remember where. I know it wasn't at school because the teachers wouldn't think it appropriate for someone who's only ten to hear about," Harry explains, "Besides, whenever I think of that story, I think about red hair and bright green eyes."

Lily takes in a quick breath, her hand going to her mouth and eyes turning glassy. I place an arm around her waist and keep watching.

"I can believe that. Your mother was a walking mythology encyclopedia," Remus comments.

Harry turns to him quickly, "You knew my mum?"

"And your dad. You look remarkably like James, but have Lily's eyes. Though I imagine that you'll tire of hearing that one day."

"Never."

Remus smiles gently, "Would you like me to tell you more about them?"

At first it looks like the small speckled boy is going to agree right away, but then he turns hesitant, "How do I know that you're telling the truth?"

"Ah, you would have made Moody proud." Remus grins.

I chuckle, "He sure would have."

Reaching around to his back pocket, the amber eyed man pulls out a tattered leather wallet and flips it open. Searching for a mere moment, he pulls out a small picture and hands it to the boy. In the picture are a man and woman with a baby. The man looks like Harry, excepting the light brown eyes. The woman has red hair and bright green eyes. The baby, even though it was taken ten years previous, is obviously Harry. Harry looks from the picture to Remus, and back. He flips over the picture and sees a small inscription.

'Remus-Know that you're still sore from your furry-little-problem. Here's a picture of my little one so that you know what he looks like when you come in. You'd better come in to see him, Lily's been asking for you.-James'

Harry gasps, "You really did know them! What can you tell me about them? Please?"

Padfoot raises his head at the sudden excitement, wags his tail twice before settling his head back down in Harry's lap.

"What can I tell you about them? How about I start with James?"

"Why do they always start with you?" Lily asks, sounding slightly upset.

I think fast, "Because they're saving the best for last Lils."

She seems content with that.

"James was…boisterous, would be a good word for him. He always loved having something to do, someone to talk to and somewhere to go. Not to mention someone to prank, but I'll get back to that. He loved anything that was red in color, had to deal with Gryffindor or anything that involved Quidditch. He was a bit obsessive of that sport. Then again, he had good reason to be. James was the best chaser that this school had ever seen. Once he was a sixth year he became Quidditch captain, and finished the last two years of school with dual Quidditch cups," Remus says, "James's best subject in school was transfiguration and he chased after Lily's heart since his third year."

"When did they finally start dating?" Harry asks, looking oddly hesitant.

"Sometime during seventh year." Remus grins, "James couldn't quite figure out how to properly ask her until then."

"Understatement."

"Hey!"

"What-what about mum?" Harry keeps petting Padfoot, looking up at Remus once in a while.

"Lily had quite the temper. She was a prefect in school from fifth year until seventh year when she became Head Girl. The brightest witch in school she excelled in charms and potions. Everyone knew to avoid her after she'd had an argument with James. She wasn't as inclined towards Quidditch as James was, but she didn't mind flying for fun. She was a really good woman, and became a healer for the Aurors. She wanted to be close to the action, but didn't want to be a full fledged Auror, especially since that would use her charms and potions more. Lily had a strong sense of right and wrong, and she did not tolerate bullying."

Harry nods, but then looks up, his eyes wide and scared.

Lily's eyes widen as well, "What's going on? What's wrong baby?"

Padfoot raises his head, to look where Harry is staring at and is instantly on his feet, hackles raised and growling.

Vernon Dursley is waddling toward the small group, his face quickly turning from red to puce and then to a ruddy purple. A vein throbs in his temple and his barely visible eyes narrow.

"You'd better get over here boy! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Vernon says, spraying spit everywhere.

"Who are you?" Remus asks. He was still sitting, but his whole body was tense and his voice had a clipped edge to it.

"Walrus better watch it," I mutter, "Remus only uses that tone of voice when he's really pissed off."

Vernon starts, just now realizing that Remus was there, "I don't see why that's any of your business!"

"Actually it is my business when I think that some youth might be in trouble."

"Well this is my nephew, and I'll thank you to not decide if I'm allowed to take him home or not!"

Meanwhile Harry had stood up and gotten as close to the tree's trunk as he could. He knew what Vernon would do if he disobeyed, but Remus could tell him about his parents, something the Dursleys had never done.

Remus frowns, "Too bad. I don't think you have the brain cells to decide that."

Vernon sneers, "And you have no legal authority over me."

"He might not, but I do."

The two men turn in surprise at the new voice, Remus looking like he wanted to hit something, or someone, and Vernon looking like he was going to yell, again.

Sirius was glaring at Vernon, his gray eyes dark and cold. Since he still hadn't recovered from Azkaban he was still a frightful sight, but it was obvious that he'd been able to take a shower and cut his hair. He was dressed in black jeans and a t-shirt of the same color. He had on boots that looked like they'd seen better days, but overall, he looked more like Sirius than he had in a long time.

"And who," here Vernon seems to mentally appraise Sirius, "are you?"

Sirius smirks, "I'm his godfather."

"He doesn't have a godfather!" Vernon laughs.

"Wanna bet?" An eyebrow raises.

"You know what I just noticed?" Lily asks, "Sirius doesn't have any grays."

"Well he is only twenty nine."

"Yeah, but with everything that he's been through? I mean, being an Auror, fighting Voldemort and then being in Azkaban for nine years can't have been too stress free."

I think about it then shrug.

"How do I even know you're telling the truth?"

Sirius steps up, so that there are only inches between the two, "Because, at James and Lily's wedding, the only reason that you didn't ruin it for them is because I threatened you. You'd been flabbergasted then, and I'd told you that I took being best man very seriously. I'm going to tell you right now, if you were scared of me then, you should be terrified now."

"And why is that?"

Sirius leans in closer and whispers in his ear, "Because I'd kill for that kid any day."

Vernon pales remarkably. He nods, "Fine, you can have the brat." The large man then waddles away as fast as his hammocks would carry him.

Remus sighs and rolls his eyes, "You couldn't resist, could you Sirius?"

Harry looks at the new man, "Who are you? And were you telling the truth?"

Sirius looks at Harry, his eyes lightening and face softening enough to look like he'd gained five years of his life back.

"Harry, I would never lie to you about something like this."

Harry stares into Sirius's eyes for a while before nodding. Sirius glances around before turning back into Padfoot.

"Woah."

Remus chuckles, "I forgot to mention that bit."

Padfoot gives him a look that clearly says 'And you're the smart one?'

"Wait, what happens to me now?" Harry asks.

"Well cub, that is up to you. You're more than welcome to live with us if you'd like."

Harry looks at the pair. Padfoot giving him puppy eyes and Remus watching with nothing but patients and a smile. He glances at where Vernon had left, then back to the pair, and then back again. When he looks at the man and humongous dog there's a smile on his face and he nods.

Lily smiles and does a little jig, "I can't believe that he's left them! He's away from those dratted people!"

I laugh at her excitement before snagging her arms and spinning around in a circle in the room. To be frank, I feel the same elation that she does and can't wipe the smile from my face.

The door bangs open and then closed. Thus our happy bubble is knocked at. Starting at the sound we both walk toward the front door to see Regulus sitting at the bottom, his back against the wood.

"Regulus?" I ask, "What's going on?"

Regulus looks up, "There's a problem. It's started."

"What's started?"

"The battle for control of the Netherworld."

AN/ Sorry this has taken so long, but I have been trying to figure out what to write but, inspiration hasn't been readily coming. I know what I want to do in the end, but how to get there is the problem. Please review. I know I ask you all to do that every chapter, but it does feel nice to know what someone thinks. Alerts and story favorites are nice, but reviews are nicer. Tank ou to everyone who is reading and has not given up on this story because of the delay.