ARC I

- 06 -

Moving Right Along

Their fate pursues them, they can't seem to duck it…

And at the end of Act Five, they both kick the bucket.

- The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged

June 22, 2000 – 07:00

Marauder's Den

Unknown, UK

The tea would be a comfort. They sat together in silence on the lounge; heads turned to each other, a blanket strewn about them in a cocoon. Remus looked at the pair with a quiet sigh. They had stayed that way since last night when Lily came home with James in tears. None of the other Marauders disturbed them. With a flick of his wand, the room became alit with merry flames in the fireplace in front of them. The redhead moved and gently twisted about to glance at him. He sighed; Lily had been awake it seemed.

"Thank you Remus." She whispered, fingers unwrapped around James' hand to reach for the cup of tea the quieter man finally gave her.

"It's my pleasure," Remus replied quietly as. He sat in the spare chair, crossing his legs and enjoyed the quiet. It had been far too long since he'd been back from working for the Order. Parlaying with Scottish werewolf clans had been an education in patience. They were far too inclined to stay out of anything wizarding. Additionally, they had almost killed him. Thankfully Peter had been there helping him; remarkably the smaller man was a deft hand in negotiating with the clans. It had been a revelation on the man he'd been friends with for years. It also prickled something he refused to evaluate in the back of his mind. Some of the tactics Wormtail had used didn't sit well with him.

"I heard you just barely got out of negotiating with the clans in Scotland." Lily sighed.

Remus nodded. "Peter did some of the talking to get us out of their – claws."

"Oh?"

"Quite, would rather not think on it at the moment."

"What did he do?" James' quite, scratchy baritone filtered the air and the brunette snuggled closer to his wife who did the same. Remus pursed his lips and shook his head. The trio sat quietly for a moment. The werewolf of the troupe thought about their mutual friend. He still couldn't believe that during their mission and towards the end; Wormtail had actually had silver on him. Rather than negotiate an escape, he'd threatened his way out with Remus scrambling after him. It brought uncomfortable thoughts and feelings welling up within him that he didn't want to even consider.

"I think it's about time for breakfast." Lily stated.

James groaned and sat up properly. "Sit in love. I'll get something for us."

Lily coughed and looked at Remus. James blinked, groggy from sleep with a modicum of contentment. The brunette looked between the pair, arched an eyebrow before shrugging.

"Mr. Mooney, suppose Mr. Prongs may need some assistance."

"Undoubtedly; else you may burn things."

"Touché," James retorted. "Mr. Prongs would like to remind Mr. Mooney of the one incident involving a house elf, the marauders and chocolate."

Lily grinned in amusement as the pair of friends left her alone in the lounge with her thoughts. She picked up her wand from beside her and charming her tea back to a delightful warmth. She had plenty to think about as she sipped.

Since November when she first met that confounded Muggle and gotten pregnant in a dizzying, terrifying moment of lust. Her life had indeed changed. The moment James had become her partner back in January and now, almost seven months later they were engaged. Perhaps it seemed like their partnership was far too quick. As if they were under some love potion. However, seven years in a school in the same house with multiple incidents as Head Boy and Head Girl established a certain kind of familiarity. In many ways they had known each other first before even getting romantic; at least on her end. She knew James had always fancied her. She also had up until recently had truly liked him to a degree growing up. Despite everything that had happened with Severus.

Here she took a sip of tea, watching the flames crackle. From the other room she could hear her fiancé's baritone in contrast with Remus' more subtle tenor.

She grinned. James and the Marauders were also a packaged deal. Remus was her favourite although Sirius had a large place in her heart. She didn't know Peter very well but considered him odd if not eager. Clint – James said – was a new member of their ragtag group of trouble makers. The American had grown quite close to the brunet who'd saved his life.

Another sip of tea as her thoughts wandered to how she got here.

James with all his faults like stubborn Gryffindor foolhardiness was kind and generous. He had become quite aware of Lily's physical state after the botched mission. He understood despite her child being another man's. Certainly there were feelings of confusion. It helped that they were familiar to each other as they had worked through those early days together of where each of them stood. James was quite clear in his intentions towards her. He loved her and any offspring she bore because the child was all hers. When he had been discharged from the Healers, she had taken him alone to lunch as a thank you which somehow evolved into their first date lasting for most of the day. Everything just seemed to progress from then on. Now they were here, winter giving way into spring and now it was nearing summer. James had put up with Lily's varying mood swings, food cravings and had even learned how to massage her feet the Muggle way lately just to ease her pain even a tad. Foolhardy, loving, beautiful Gryffindor he was.

He'd been there almost immediately when she called him from the muggle hospital last night. He'd come straight away as she had been quite alone to withstand Petunia's great lump of a spouse. The insult of that walrus-like man; she shuddered thinking it was a good thing she had had a back-up plan should anything go astray after her baby's birth. Her sister was indeed her flesh and blood. Her last known next-of-kin even if they did have a couple of cousins somewhere near America – or was it Russia?

When Dudley Vernon Dursley was born; it had been bittersweet. It had been the first and would be the last time she'd see her sister or nephew. The brief moment she had with Tuney and Dudley had been sweet. Her sister had looked into her eyes with this resolution deep within them and the closest thing to forgiveness the blonde could muster. However, Vernon's short temper had also riled up James. The two men were soon quarrelling outside the room Petunia had been sequestered into. Vernon immediately wrote off her fiancé, thinking him off colour. James thought him loud and rude after attempting to cause a small grin to hover on his soon to be sister-in-law's face when he'd made a small joke.

By the time they had left the muggle hospital; the hormones kicked in and Lily was a sobbing mess. The pair of them quite decidedly sat upon the divan in front of the fire place to take comfort in each other's presence.

"Here you are love, all set." James had come drifting in with the bright, happy smell of breakfast. She grinned as she felt her son kick in her stomach. The spread the pair of Marauders brought was quite well enough. "I hope you enjoy Mooney's cooking."

The eggs were just perfect.

"Indeed, what did you put effort into?"

"The toast of course, didn't even burn it."

The feeling of joy was fleeting in these dark times. Lily Evans relished it, feeling deep within that something wasn't quite right.

June 30, 2000 – 19:00

Hog's Head

Hogsmeade, UK

The dark was frigid despite the time of year. The clouds hung low and the solar bodies above were dim from the weather. A storm came rolling in whilst Albus Dumbledore made his way indoors. There had been an applicant for the professorial position in Divinations.

He'd been wary of course but Sybill Trelawney had some ties to foresight due to her familial lineage. The witch and Seer Cassandra Trelawney had been remarkably powerful. However, it was possible her granddaughter twice removed could be quite an interesting applicant should her talents prove true.

How little did he know how this meeting would become more than just a job interview.

July 31, 2000 – midnight

Day before the wedding

"Damn Tony Stark." Lily gritted her teeth, the pain was unbearable.

"Breathe love, breathe!" James reminded her, face pale yet red as his hand was clutched in his fiancé's hand.

"Why today of all days?" Lily groaned.

"Breathe love, breathe."

"MEN!"

"Keep going Lily, just breathe." Poppy's soothing voice did nothing to help the redhead at the moment.

"Oh Merlin's balls, my hand!" James uttered.

"Potter you are never getting me pregnant!"

Author's Note: Apologies for the late update! I've been moving from city to city which isn't an excuse to let this one drift but hey I updated! I know it's short but I hope it addresses some of you lovely reviewer's questions. I know it's super slow and we only have Hawkeye so far. As you can tell we'll be getting into the meat and potatoes soon. Since we'll be diverging into AU territory soon. I'll try to keep close to certain canon facts but from here on out. Yeah, more action/adventure/humour because do I have a scene that'll put you into stitches. Thanks for the faves/follows/reviews! Keep them coming! If you see any plot holes, please let me know!