A/N: Just penned out the first draft of the big climax. It's amazing how much of an adrenaline rush one can have from just writing. I can't wait for all of you to read it!

HOLY CRAP SO MANY REVIEWS! Thank you so much to wishfulthinker93, Sweetbutteri, MaeveDevine, sarahmichellgellarfan1, DontTellMeImWrongBitch, missalex3030, and BeastlyBeauty! I really wanna respond to all of them individually, but we have a deadline Monday to meet at work, so I'm in a hurry to get back to that T_T But I didn't wanna leave you guys hanging all weekend with no update, so I'll have to write back next time! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

REVIEW MEEEEE!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 61: Of Fighting [Together]

It was uncomfortably tense.

Rowan, Mina, and Sirius sat in the Potters' living room together, all seated on the long couch. Mina sat in the middle, spine straight and alert. Sirius sat back sinking into the couch, face turned away from Rowan, mouth twisted and eyes set angrily on the wall. Rowan's eyes darted between her companions to her left and baby Harry in her arms. The infant was looking up at her calmly with a pleasant smile on his mouth. Rowan wanted to smile back, but she could barely muster a twitch of the lips.

Sirius was still obviously bristling about the mission at Dolohov Manor. Rowan was reminded of Remus' dark moments three years ago - he had reacted the same way when Isaiah Jones had betrayed them and Rowan had been caught in the line of fire. Mina hadn't been hurt this time, but it had been her mission, her personal endeavor, and Sirius obviously saw the traitor as not only a criminal, but also as a personal enemy for betraying the most important woman in his life.

But still, for him to suspect her... She wasn't sure how to react to it. She knew it wasn't personal - he suspected nearly everyone who had taken part in the mission at this point - but it still hurt deeply.

It probably wouldn't have stung as much if Remus had been around. Two weeks now - she hadn't seen him in two weeks. She wasn't sure if she should be hurt or angry, but she couldn't seem to muster the anger, even when she tried. Each time she considered what had happened, she just felt a wave of grief. She was grateful that at least her work had been progressing - even hindered now - for if it hadn't, she would be beside herself.

If Remus had submitted his two weeks' notice after their argument, then he would have finished his last day of work yesterday, she realized with a grimace. Where was he now? A part of her told her that she should go look for him, but really, if he hadn't sought her out yet, didn't that mean he didn't want to see her? That seemingly forgotten fear, that gnawing insecurity, had resurfaced over the past two weeks. Once again, he'd walked away, and though she kept reassuring herself in her private moments that he'd return - after all, he had promised - that ugly creature called fear kept clawing its way from the pit of her stomach and up her esophagus.

She was pulled from her dark musings when the doorbell rang. Harry cooed in response, and Rowan looked up, confused. Lily had said that it was just going to be the three of them joining her and James that evening. Who else could be there? She heard James answer the door, followed by a few exchanges of soft murmurs, but she couldn't identify the voices. A figure stepped into the hall, followed by another, and another, and anoth-

Clunk.

Rowan frowned. What was that?

The clunking continued. There was a step, then a clunk, then another step. It continued in this bizarre rhythm until the group reached the living room, and Rowan's frown disappeared.

It was Albus Dumbledore, Peter, Remus, and-

"Moody!"

Mina had leapt to her feet and rushed the old Auror, but just as she'd approached him, her body jerked back, suddenly aware of her lack of restraint. Her face twisted awkwardly, body jerking stiffly as she tried to sort out her movements. Finally, Moody grinned and slapped her on the shoulder in his rough way.

"It's good to see you, girl," he growled fondly. Mina tried desperately to fight the excited smile but failed. She blushed happily at her mentor's happy words. Rowan grinned at the strange exchange.

But then she frowned again. The source of the bizarre noise suddenly become very apparent as she looked down: where his right leg had once been was now fixed a wooden peg.

"What the hell is that, old man?" Sirius asked incredulously, voicing Rowan's question.

Moody grinned lopsidedly and glanced down at his new appendage. He waved it around in a circle comically.

"You like it? New addition. I think it adds a little something, don't you think?" he asked cheekily.

Rowan gaped openly. "But... wood? W-why wouldn't you get something a little more... sophisticated?" she argued weakly. She took another careful look. "It's not even finished wood! Look! You're shedding splinters!"

Moody just waved her comments away like a group of annoying gnats. "I don't need something so fancy as all that. This suits me just fine," he said proudly. Rowan wasn't sure if she should feel awed or frustrated by the man's lack of concern.

But then why was he here? She looked to the other three men. Peter and Remus were one thing - she had half-expected Lily and James to pull something like this - but Dumbledore? Her stomach lurched. She couldn't think of any reason for the great wizard to be here besides Order business. And if he had come personally, then it must be serious. Harry gurgled a bit, and Rowan bounced him absentmindedly, still frowning at the Headmaster's presence.

And Remus - of course he was there. She looked away quickly from Dumbledore and back down to Harry, attempting desperately to distract herself from Remus. She could feel his eyes on her, but she wasn't sure if she trusted herself to look back. She wasn't even sure how she felt seeing him there. Despite the feelings of aimlessness from the past two weeks, she suddenly felt a bout of anger bubbling in the pit of her stomach, and she knew that she'd cause a scene if she tried to speak to him now. Harry reached up and patted Rowan's nose almost comfortingly with his tiny hand. She smiled softly as Lily swept him up into her arms. She watched her collapse into an old recliner with her son fondly.

"Well, it seems that we're all here," Dumbledore said good-naturedly. "Why don't we sit and have a chat?" He flicked his wand, and another few chairs appeared, landing softly for him, Remus, and Peter. Lily sat in the recliner with James on the arm. Moody sank back into another cushioned chair, rubbing the area where his new leg had been attached. He was clearly not accustomed to it yet, despite his act of bravado.

"You're all probably wondering why we've gathered here together," Dumbledore began knowingly. He sat up straight and turned to James and Lily.

The three Potters were all seated together in the large recliner. Lily held Harry securely with James' arm wrapped around her shoulders. Rowan took a second to admire how perfect they looked together. Was there a more beautiful looking family than that?

James and Lily shared a look. Their mouths were tight, expressions suddenly heavy. Lily turned back to look at her precious son, and James turned to address their friends.

"We're sorry to have thrown this on all of you so suddenly. It's not ideal, but we really needed to see all of you quickly," he said. He stole a quick glance at Lily, hand squeezing her shoulder subtly. They shared a furrowed look, and Rowan's stomach churned. Mina's words from July echoed faintly from deep in her gut.

"Dumbledore has advised us to go into hiding. We'll be leaving next week," he announced solemnly.

"What? But that's so soon!" Sirius blurted. Rowan turned to see the black-haired man's eyes wide, chest thrust forward. His face was pale and - Rowan noted with horror - fear was written across his face.

James nodded. "We would have left sooner, but we needed to sort things out on our end, and it's been hard to get things figured out with Harry," he said, glancing to his son. Lily unconsciously held him to her chest tighter. "Dumbledore warned us a few months ago, so really, this is as late as we were able to push it. We really can't afford to stay any longer."

Sirius' hands trembled, fingers clenching tightly into fists. His entire body seemed to shake with anger, but he looked away, eyes fixed on a distant point on the wall. It looked as if he were trying to force all of his rage into that one spot.

"Why are we here then?"

Everyone turned to see Remus leaning forward in his seat, hands clasped tightly in front of him. His voice was calm, but Rowan could see the strain twitching in his jaw. His foot was jerking anxiously against the floor.

"I didn't mean that to be rude. It just seems like you need us here for a specific reason. Wouldn't it be safer if no one knew where you were, even us?" he clarified quickly. Always the voice of reason, Rowan thought.

Dumbledore spoke up this time: "I asked them to invite you here." He looked around at all of them seriously. "You all are James and Lily's closest friends and very capable witches and wizards. If anyone is to know their place of hiding, it seems obvious that it should be one of you."

"You're going to perform a Fidelius Charm then?" Remus asked seriously.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, that's exactly right," he said. "This means that we will need one of you to act as Secret Keeper."

Silence washed over the room. Secret Keeper - Rowan's insides turned acidly. Was Lord Voldemort seriously so bent on finding the Potters that they needed such a powerful protective spell? And to act as Secret Keeper - this person would have to be prepared to undergo the worst torture at any moment, potentially.

"I don't understand. What does this all mean?" Peter squeaked weakly.

"A Fidelius Charm is a powerful, ancient protective spell," Remus explained patiently. "It must be performed by two very skilled wizards - I'm assuming Professor Dumbledore and Moody will be doing this." Dumbledore nodded and waited for Remus to continue. "The targets of the the charm essentially give their location or 'Secret' to an individual called the Secret Keeper, which is stored within his or her body. It can only be given up voluntarily to another party. As long as the Secret Keeper keeps the Secret to himself, the targets are basically invisible to their pursuers, and if the Secret Keeper dies, then the Secret safely dies with them."

Peter's face paled. "So that means-"

"It means that they're asking one of us to put our lives on the line," Sirius said darkly.

"Sirius!" Mina barked. Her eyes flared angrily, but he continued to glare sullenly at that invisible point on the wall.

"No, it's okay, Mina. He's right," James said softly. He then turned to the rest of the group. "I know this is a lot to ask, and if no one wishes to take this on, we completely understand. We really do. And Dumbledore has said that he would be willing to act as Secret Keeper provided that we find someone who can perform the spell in his place. It's just that, well, you're our very best friends, and if we're going to trust anyone with this, it'd be you."

It hurt. Rowan's chest, her stomach, her eyes - they all ached desperately. She clenched her hands unconsciously. Her knuckles creaked and burned. As she looked over James - her oldest, dearest friend - she was filled with the deepest, most paralyzing fear. She could barely breathe. Her eyes then darted to Lily and Harry. Oh, Harry. Her lips began to tremble. Before she could stop herself, her words were leaving her throat: "I'll-"

"I'll do it."

Everyone turned. Sirius' gaze was still on that high point on the wall, but there was no longer any anger there. His expression was soft, nearly blank. Rowan could imagine herself molding his features between her fingers like clay. Finally, he turned to face James and Lily. A small smile danced on his lips.

"Let me do it, Prongs," he said quietly, beseechingly. "Please."

Rowan felt something wet fall into her lap and realized dumbly that she was crying. Her head dropped with embarrassment as she tried to hide her tears from her friends, wiping them away quickly, before looking back up. James had clapped a hand to Sirius' shoulder, eyes burning with gratitude. His mouth twisted with the words he wanted to say, but he couldn't seem to find his voice. Lily was beaming, eyelashes wet with unshed tears. She sniffled a bit, and James turned to smile brightly at her. She smiled wetly at the two men.

"So it's settled then," Dumbledore said quietly. He smiled at the three before turning to the rest. "It goes without saying that you should all spend as much time as you can with each other before the end of next week," he said softly. "One cannot say for sure when you will be able to gather together like this again." His blue eyes crinkled sadly, but then he and Moody stood.

"We will leave you to talk amongst yourselves. I'm sure there is much you need to discuss. I will contact you three with details as the end of the week approaches," he said. He smiled softly at the young adults, all still in a dazed stupor. "You are very lucky to have each other. Make sure to cherish this time." And with that, he and the old Auror left, leaving the Marauders and company in a heavy silence.

Rowan turned and looked back at James and Lily. They were both staring down at Harry, who had fallen asleep during their meeting. His mouth was slightly agape, one hand limp on his chest, the other splayed across his cheek. Rowan was filled with a deep sense of loneliness. When would she see Harry like this again?

"So," James said, clearing his throat, "what do you all plan on doing while we're away?"

They all stared dumbly at him, even Lily. He grinned awkwardly at them, pushing his hair messily.

But then Sirius grinned back. "Turn your flat into a dueling practice space," he jeered. "My aim's been off. I think I'll use those rubbish Wasps posters for target practice. What do you think?"

James' face blanched. "You monster!" he gasped. He then leapt to his feet and ran for his study where his Wimbourne Wasps paraphernalia was. Sirius jumped up and stampeded after him, a series of crashes and squeals following them from the room. The rest of the group gaped blankly after them.

But then a giggle was heard. Rowan turned and saw Mina, of all people, giggling quietly to herself. It wasn't an amused sound, Rowan noted. She realized that it was a strange hysterical burst of relief from her stomach. The giggle bubbled and frothed until one burst from her lips. She slapped a hand to her mouth, face red, as if she had burped instead, but it escaped anyway. Rowan felt her own relief start to force its way up her throat until the two young women were in a fit of giggles on the couch. Lily, Peter, and Remus exchanged incredulous looks before shaking their heads, smiling softly at their friends' ridiculous antics.

Rowan still felt that terrible sense of premonition in her gut, but her heart felt a little lighter. As James and Sirius came limping back into the room nursing new bruises, she looked around at her friends. Dark, dreadful things lurked in the distance, but at least some things would never change, and for that, she was very grateful.

It was late - Harry had been put to bed several hours ago - but the Potters' friends all remained in their flat, talking quietly into the night. They were all exhausted, many red-eyed from crying, but no one wanted to leave. They still had a week before Lily and James went into hiding, but it seemed critical that they squeeze as much time in together as possible.

Lily had disappeared into the kitchen, and Remus had followed her quietly, hands full of dishes. Rowan had made a point to avoid his gaze throughout the evening but had been sure to remain aware of his placement in the room, so to not accidentally sit across or next to him. The anger was still quietly frothing in her stomach, but she wanted this night to be as happy as possible. She wanted to make as many positive memories with her best friends before they left.

She looked around and saw that James had also disappeared. Mina, Peter, and Sirius were talking quietly in the corner over tea, and Rowan excused herself to go look for her old friend. She found him in Harry's room, looking over his son's cradle, hand gliding gently over the boy's head. Rowan approached the cradle softly to stand next to James. Harry's tiny form glowed in the dim yellow light of his room. His mouth was twisted somewhat, eyebrows furrowed slightly in his sleep.

"You know, I sometimes just stand here when he's like this and wonder what he's dreaming about," James said quietly. He brushed a thumb over his son's cheek. A gentle smile graced the man's lips. "I mean, it's not like he's got a lot of life experience or worries to fill his dreams, so I have to wonder - what do babies dream about?"

Rowan smiled softly. "I imagine he dreams about you," she whispered. She looked over the infant's still-soft features. "He looks more and more like you everyday," she marveled.

James' smile broadened a bit at this. "I kind of don't want him to. I know Lil is ready for him to mature a little - he's a lot of work as he is now - but I don't really want him to change. I want him to stay like this forever," he said.

"I'm sure he'll always be like this in one way or another - to you, at least," Rowan said, head cocking with a fond smile. James nodded and grinned. But then his smile faltered.

"I'm sorry, you know? I know you wanted to be our Secret Keeper," he said suddenly. Rowan frowned and glanced over at him. His eyes were still fixed on Harry, but his mouth was tighter now, twisted slightly. "I had originally thought to ask you."

Rowan's frown deepened. "But?" she urged.

James' lips twitched upward. "But after talking it over with Lily, we realized that you have more important things to do," he responded.

Rowan's lips parted questioningly. "What do you mean?" she whispered. She couldn't help the pang of hurt in her chest, though she wasn't sure why.

James' mouth twitched. "You have a definite purpose - a calling. Sirius is an Auror - doing this kind of stuff is his job. Everything you're researching - your role in the Order - it's all much too important. Especially now with the Prewetts gone, I don't know how the Order or our friends would continue if anything were to happen to you," he said. He smiled sadly. "I don't know what I'd do if something were to happen to you. There's no way I could ask you to risk your life for us."

Rowan's throat burned and tightened. She swallowed her tears down and shook her head. "Don't you think I feel the same way about you? How can you expect me to just stand aside as you run?" she asked.

"I don't," he said, "but you have to - in case something happens to me and Lily." He paused, breath catching in his chest. His lips trembled. "I need you to be here - for Harry."

Rowan's eyes widened, and James' face melted sadly. Her gaze scanned over his features rapidly, but he still wouldn't look at her.

"You're being terribly cruel," she breathed.

That sad smile still remained. James shook his head quietly. "I know," he breathed, "but you're going to have to let me do this one on my own this time. Okay?" He finally looked up, eyes burning. Rowan's lips trembled. He lifted a hand and grasped hers, squeezing it tightly. Rowan's heart hit her throat, and she pushed forward, closing the distance between them. He grunted slightly as her chest hit his, but as her arms wrapped around his middle tightly, he squeezed her back. A sob bubbled at the back of her throat, muffled slightly by his jumper.

"You and Sirius are always leaving me behind," she choked out. She thought of the two black-haired boys ditching her in their First Year, giggling amongst themselves secretly. She felt like that little girl again, running desperately after their backs, begging them to wait for her. She could feel James smile into her hair sadly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. Rowan shook her head jerkily but kept it buried in his chest. He held her silently, and she cherished every bit of him, willing his presence into her memory. Finally, he pulled away and held her shoulders so that he could look at her. Her face burned with some embarrassment as she realized the redness of her nose, the swollen state of her eyes.

"I know, I know," she said sullenly, wiping away at her eyes. She glared half-heartedly up at him, but he simply smiled. He placed a brotherly hand on her head.

"Thank you," he said. "You know we're going to be okay, right?" He smiled. She felt as if he were pouring all of his gratitude into her hands. It felt very heavy. She couldn't respond, simply nodding tearfully.

"Where will you go?" she asked. She then frowned. "Is it okay to ask you that?"

James nodded. "Yeah, with the Fidelius Charm in place, it won't matter even if you know where we are. You won't be able to see us or even access our hiding place," he explained. "We'll be in Godric's Hollow... in our old home."

Rowan stopped rubbing her eyes and looked up at him. "Godric's Hollow?" she echoed. Green images of the Dark Mark floating over the old Potter home flashed through her mind sickeningly. She suppressed a shudder. "Are you sure? Are you ready to go back there?" she asked concernedly.

James smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah, it's about time I went home I think," he said. "The Death Eaters probably won't think to find us there, and really, Harry should see it. He is a Potter, after all." He gazed warmly at his sleeping son. Rowan's heart clenched.

"I don't know, James," she continued questioningly. "I still think it'd be better to get out of England. Even with the charm, it seems foolish to stay so close."

James was about to respond, but then there was a knock at the door. The two looked up quickly to see Lily standing in the doorway. She was smiling fondly at them, looking slightly tired.

"The others are leaving," she said quietly. Rowan nodded then looked up at James. He smiled and then gestured for her to lead the way. She looked at him searchingly one last time then glanced down at Harry. Her eyes attempted to absorb every inch of his figure before turning reluctantly. She saw Lily still standing in the doorway, smiling sadly at her. Her stomach tightened, but she forced a smile and stepped forward, leading them out of Harry's nursery.

When they reached the living room, Remus and Mina were talking quietly alone. James looked around questioningly.

"Where are Wormy and Padfoot?" he asked Remus. Remus shrugged.

"They went to get their jackets - taken them a while," he said.

Just on cue, Sirius and Peter re-entered with their jackets on. Both had indiscernible expressions on their faces, mouths taut and eyebrows furrowed. Sirius had a hard look, and Peter looked nearly green in the face. Mina looked at them questioningly.

"Everything all right?" she asked carefully. Sirius looked up at her and pushed a bright grin to his face. Its suddenness was alarming. Rowan nearly recoiled at the sight.

"Of course! Everything's great," he said. His eyes darted to Peter almost unnoticeably, but Rowan caught it. She eyed the two men cautiously. Peter hadn't caught Sirius' glance, but he still looked very sick. What could they have been talking about?

"Everyone ready to go?" Sirius asked. There were some slight nods and quiet murmurs of agreement. James and Lily stepped forward to see them all out.

"Thanks for coming, everyone," Lily said warmly. "We really are so lucky. Really, I-" she stopped, choking slightly with some emotion. James wrapped an arm around her shoulder and smiled fiercely at her. She beamed at the rest of them. "I really can't say thank you enough," she finished brightly.

They all said their goodbyes and hugged both of the Potters. When Rowan stepped forward, James embraced her tightly and gave her one last burning look. "You'll come back again before next weekend, right?" he asked quietly. She nodded eagerly, and he grinned with relief.

Then Lily stepped forward quickly and grasped her so tightly that she lost her breath for a moment. Rowan held the redhead longer than the rest had.

"I'll always be here," she whispered. She felt Lily nod stiffly against her and a rolling wave of jerky breath. She squeezed her again and then let go. Her face was as bright as the sun.

As they stepped out into the night without James and Lily, the moon felt much darker in comparison to the Potters' light. Rowan suddenly felt very empty. Without them there, the awkwardness and bitterness between the rest remained. She turned to say goodbye to everyone and then realized that Remus had snuck up to her side while she'd been distracted. He didn't say anything, but it seemed clear that he wasn't prepared to leave without her. She didn't think she had the energy for it, but she wasn't going to fight it now.

As she embraced her friends goodbye, she noted the stiffness of Sirius' back. When he moved forward to say good night - was there a reluctance there? - he held her a split second shorter than he usually did and without the typical warmth. He didn't even hug Remus goodbye, instead offering an awkward handshake with a strange, guarded look. Mina eyed him and then Remus before shooting Rowan a wary look that said she'd be expecting an update later. Rowan smiled tiredly at the brunette and nodded to the unspoken request. Peter also hugged Rowan a bit too quickly, not even making eye contact with her. It hurt much more than she'd expected. As they Disapparated for their respective homes, she felt very cold.

But then she heard Remus step up beside her again. She nearly sighed but forced herself to look up.

He was smiling quietly, questioningly, down at her, hands stuffed in his pockets and shoulders slightly slumped. She knew that guilty look. She wasn't sure if she should be angry or not still.

"Come home with tonight?" he whispered.

Rowan nodded without thinking. She was too tired to think about it now. He reached a hand out questioningly, and she didn't fight it, though resenting the warmth from it a bit. He stepped forward so that their chests were nearly pressed together and then took her other hand too. His fingers laced with hers effortlessly. His lips twitched upward ruefully.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I fucked up again, didn't I?"

Rowan's eyes began to droop with sleep already. "Maybe," she murmured. "I think we both did." He shook his head silently, guiltily, but leaned forward till their foreheads touched. She closed her eyes.

They Disapparated.