HELLO MY BABIES!

Thank you so much as always for your constant support and love! I never get used to the idea of having people reading and enjoying my story! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! It's definitely a fun one! Please don't forget to review, favourite and follow!

ALSO ITS MY 16TH BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead

Lily looked up from her Butterbeer as she felt a gust of wind enter the Leaky Cauldron as the door flew open, a smile couldn't help but spread across her face as the rest of the group dawdled into the pub. Dark bags circling their eyes and skin pasty, they all looked worn out from their long work hours and from their losses.

She couldn't believe it.

There were times where she would forget that Mary was gone, she would remember that she had to send Mary a letter, or she'd see something, or find a photo and go to send something to her. And then as she was tying a letter to their owl's leg she'd remember that Mary was gone. She was never going to open her mail or fight another death eater, she was never going to marry Remus, she was never going to go to an order meeting. … Her life was over, the book was closed.

It was strange to see an absence of Mary's head amongst their group. She wasn't the only blonde, but somehow, her lack of presence made a large difference. She wasn't the only blonde in their group, Marlene and Alice filled that gap. But without her, their group dynamic had shifted dramatically.

Due to all the deaths and the endless drama in their lives it had been a while since all of them gathered due to mutual need, as opposed to being together for Order meetings or funerals. They had much to catch up on, no longer did they always know one another's business, they had to make an effort to find out the going on of one another's life.

"With everything going on we never did find out how your honeymoon was…" Alice stated her brows furrowed and cheeks flushed, James and Lily looked up and shared a secretive smile.

"It was beautiful." Lily gushed, her still sunkissed skin glowing. James rolled his eyes from behind her and shook his head.

"Beautiful, but not that great." Lily turned towards him and raised a brow,

"You're only saying that because you got us kicked out of our hotel-"

James looked at her affronted, "I did not get us kicked out Evans."

"Potter now, and you also tipped the gondola over."

Sirius snorted into his glass of mead, Elizabeth laughed and hit him on his back.

"How do you tip-" Elizabeth began before Marlene interrupted,

"No, I want to know how they got kicked out of their hotel."

James flushed slightly whilst Lily sniggered into her hand, "Its nothing particularly interesting."

Peter raised his bottle of Butterbeer, "And that's how we know its an interesting story now spill."

James sat with his arms crossed, stubbornly refusing to reveal how he got them kicked out.

"We were staying in Venice and the magical community was miles away so we'd agreed to magic only in the room." Lily threw Sirius a dirty look as he sniggered into his drink.

"I thought James had his magic touch though." Frank quipped, wrapping his arm around Alice and chuckling deeply as James did an inappropriate hand gesture towards him that made Lily nudge him.

"Anyway." She threw a sidewards glance at the boys, "We were erm preoccupied in the hotel and James went to cast a silencing charm but erm…" she flushed slightly and began to giggle into her drink, tears springing to her eyes from the memory, "Due to erm… well our activities, from the erm…well...heat of the moment cast the wrong spell and-"

She was in hysterics as the others watched her describe the situation with fascination. She waved her hands around as tears sprung to her eyes from her hard laughter. James scowled at her, covering the smile that was threatening to split over his face.

"- where was I? Oh yeah, he erm… set the room on fire!" They all gasped and laughter began the echo from the group, even James's scowl had dissipated, and his lips were upturned as he reluctantly found the humour in his actions.

Alice calmed herself down, fanning herself, and began to giggle again, "Isn't it technically both your faults."

James turned to Lily and raised an eyebrow triumphantly, "See Lils, I told you, it takes two to tango." He said smugly,

"It didn't take two of us to set the room on fire!" She retorted, and the smugness slipped off his face. She turned back to the group who had calmed herself. "So then the owner kicked us out."

Remus raised a brow, "So you came home?" He was giving them a curious look, from his mead, having been silent throughout the conversation.

Lily flashed them all a guilty look, her fr3ekcled cheeks flushing, "Erm...Not exactly."

James snorted, "This was three days in and truthfully Venice was getting rather boring so-"

Alice gasped and gave them a scandalised look, "Venice, boring? Are you sure you were in the right place?"

The pair flashed the group guilty smiles, and Lily let out a laugh, "It was too calm, and after we ended up tipping the gondola over and choking on a heap of dirty water, we were kinda over it."

James lit up, his smile growing on his face, "So we went to Ibiza."

Sirius's head snapped up scandalised, his jaw-dropping in horror,

"EXCUSE ME!" his voice caught the attention of the other people in the pub causing the group to hiss at him and Elizabeth to nudge him in the side,

"Nice going Sirius," Frank muttered as the patrons kept throwing them all dirty looks,

Marlene threw a glance at the boy who was gaping at his best friend, "Sirius calm your tits and shut your gob."

"YOU WENT TO IBIZA." Sirius exclaimed, ignoring those around him, "WITHOUT ME?"

Lily raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Yup."

"Is it as good as they say?" Marlene downed a shot and gestured for Tom to give her another one. James shook his head and laughed,

"It's better." He took a sip of his mead, "We were at festivals and clubs every night and during the day we were on the beach, or at the pool or at a the first time in forever I felt my age."

Sirius shook his head and placed his hand on his chest, mock wounded, "I can't believe you went to Ibiza without me."

"Aw poor Padfoot." James cooed, patting his best friends head, "What do you say to all of us going on your… twenty-second birthday."

Sirius raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Why not 21st? That's bigger."

"I need to recover from this time," James stated causing Lily to snort into his Butterbeer. Alice raised an eyebrow,

"Why do I feel like they're keeping something from us?"

Elizabeth let out a laugh, "They probably are, but it must be like Vegas, Whatever stays in Ibiza stays in Ibiza?"

"See Black, your girlfriend gets it." Lily retorted causing the group to once again dissolve in hysterics.

After several minutes of laughter, the group finally calmed, and Remus spoke, taking the subject away from James and Lily's honeymoon.

"Is there any other news that is long overdue?" The rest of the group looked at one another,

"I reckon." Lily replied, flashing Remus a relieved look, "Oh yeah- actually, my sisters pregnant."

Sirius spat his drink out and Alice and Remus snorted.

"Eurgh!" Elizabeth exclaimed and took a swing of Sirius's mead, to cleanse herself of the disgusting imagery.

"Everyone seems to be saying that," Lily said to herself causing James to snigger,

"Don't blame them." Lily roughly nudged him in the side causing him to wince.

Frank raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Did the subject change?"

Marlene nodded with Frank, "Last I checked babies were good news?"

Frank agreeing with the blonde nodded along, both having never met Petunia or Vernon, tentatively asked, "What's so bad about that?"

Peter nodded, he had never met the pair either, "Yeah."

Those that had met Petunia or heard Lily's tales of her threw the unenlightened trio pitying glances.

"IT DEFINITELY is not good news!" James stated, looking slightly green, "Lily's sister -who looks like the result of a tree and deranged horse breeding- is having a baby with a stupid walrus that has a strange obsession with drills!"

"James!" Lily exclaimed, turning towards him with a horrified look on her face, "Don't forget that's my sister you're talking about!"

James flashed her a charming grin, "Hey lils, at least you don't have to worry about looking like the result of a tree and deranged horse breeding."

"James in third year you thought that calling me Christmas tree would make me fall in love with you."

The man in question winced slightly, "Well can you honestly disagree with anything I've just said."

"Well…no." Lily conceded after a moment.

"There must be something in the water." Peter thought out loud, "Mrs Weasleys also pregnant, and so is Edgar Bones wife…"

Sirius let out a laugh reminiscient of his dirty minded thirteen year old self, "Hate to break it to you but its got nothing to do with water."

Marlene snorted, "Hey you never know, maybe they're creative!" She leant over and gave a laughing Sirius a high five causing Elizabeth to snort at their childishness.

"No they're right, I heard at the ministry that the Patils are having twins." James included,

Marlene furrowed her brow, "Apparently Narcissa Malfoy's pregnant." Sirius let out a groan of disgust, "And Nott and Parkinson."

"Inbreds!" Sirius's groan was muffled by the table, "Another generation of inbreds!"

Remus raised an eyebrow, ignoring his friend, "Merlin, for war times theyre going to have quite a large year level at this rate."

Frank gave Alice a sidewards look, the latter of whom nodded surepticiously, "Actually I know someone else who is pregnant."

"Don't tell me its another one of my inbred cousins." Sirius hit his head on the table, scowling,

"I think theyre only a little inbred." He quipped, Alice kicked him in the shin and threw him a dirty side look causing him to wince.

Elizabeth leant forward,a small smile on her face, "Anyone we know?"

Due to the smile that spread across Alices face and the flush that lightly dotted her cheeks, Lily put the pieces together and jumped off her hair with a squeal and wrapped her arms around Alice.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" The pair jumped up and down before Lily pulled away slightly, "It's you right?"

Alice nodded, her smile wide, Elizabeth followed Lily's example and embraced the short blonde, the three a squealing mess.

Marlene nodded along and turned towards the guys, patting Frank on the back she smirked, "Well mate, hope adulting goes well for you."

James, cleared his throat and clapped Frank on the back, "Congratulations mate."

Sirius shook Franks hand, "Great job man, hit the bullseye I'd say." Frank who was already flushed, blushed an even darker crimson at Sirius's lewd comments.

Remus whose face was contorted in pain from the girls squealing shook franks hand, "Real happy for you, Congratulations."

"Er-" Peter said confused, "Well done."

The five men dissolved into sniggers as they looked at one another, their maturity going down the drain and resembling nothing more than randy teenagers.

"No I don't feel sick at all!" Alice answered Elizabeths inquiry, "I mean theres still a few weeks that I could start up, but my mum didn't have any with me."

"Fair enough, I heard genetics has something to do with it." Lily nodded along, "When are you due?"

Alice let a smile creep up her face, "Oh the doctor said Mid July!"

She let out a squeak mid way through answering the girls twenty seventh question ad turned as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She sighed in relief when she saw who it was,

"Peter,"

He gave her a soft smile, "Sorry Ally, I have to head off, but I just wanted to say Congratulations."

"Awh!" she leant forward and embraced him, kissing either side of his cheek, "Thank you! Stay safe! I'll see you at tomorrows meeting!"

He nodded, embraced Liz and Lily before walking out of the bar. Elizabeth turned and jumped slightly when she felt arms wrap around her waist.

"Sirius." She breathed out, her heart slowing. "Don't do that."

"Sorry." He whispered, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her scent, "Peter seems different doesn't he?" Sirius retorted after a moment of silence between the two, only Lily and Alices babbling in the background.

She turned in his arms so he was facing him, her nimble fingers running through his dark waves, "Perhaps his growing up."

He let out a soft laugh, disbelief plastered on his face, "He probably found a bird or something."

"well," Liz sighed, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, and thoughtfully speaking, "We'll find out soon, Keeping secrets isnt a part of Peters skill repitoire."

"We have a spy."

Elizabeth's head snapped up at Moody's proclamation, shock marring her figures at such a bold statement. Of course, it had crossed her mind before, but to hear it verbalised, to hear that three letter word thrown around… It made her blood run cold.

James groaned in his seat, "Moody-"

"Potter if you keep protesting I'm going to start thinking you're the spy!" Moody snapped causing James to flush and sit up in his seat,

"Sir, I look around this room, and there is nobody here that I can imagine being a death eater, let alone double timing!"

Moody slammed his hand on the table and snarled at him, "Potter that is what a spy does! They're unidentifiable and usually the person you least suspect! For merlin's sake it could be your best mate!"

"Leave Sirius out of this!" Elizabeth snapped, her cheeks flushing,

"I wish you girlie-" Moody pointed at her, "would fight for the order as much as you did your beau!"

As Elizabeth went to argue back Sirius realised he'd had enough, tensions had been running high for weeks now, and he'd reached breaking point.

"ENOUGH!" he snapped, pushing himself up and leaning against the table, his chair making a loud screeching sound as it was pushed back. "MOODY I AM SO SICK OF YOUR CONSTANT COMMENTS! NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOUR SHIT HERE BUT ALSO AT THE OFFICE."

"Get used to it Black!" he emphasised the last name,

Sirius's eyes darkened dangerously, very closely resembling his cousins, "I am not a death eater, and I never will be. Would I have run away from home if I planned on joining Voldemort in the first place."

"Never know." Moody snapped, his eyes dragging over Sirius, "Maybe you wanted to get close to the Order."

Sirius snorted, "I didn't know what the order was at the time Moody, so your point is null. As are all your other ones."

Alice flung her arms up in the air, She had spent the entire day with a frown and had snapped at every single person in the room.

"Look, even if there was a spy, it isn't going to be one of us, It's going to be someone who's not as close to the group."

"Exactly!" Benji sighed, "I know some of us have our differences, but I would trust you all with my life."

"That's what Mary Macdonald would've said." Sturgis Podmore's deep voice echoed through the room, "That's what Dorcas Meadows would've said, so would've Cardaroc Dearborne."

"Maybe it was Cardaroc." Emmeline Vance suggested, biting her lip with guilt, "As much as I hate to admit it, he disappeared without a trace, lately when somebody has been captured and killed they've well… let us know."

Lily shook her head in denial, unbelieving of that possibility, "He had a family Em, What motivations does he have to possibly follow Voldemort?"

"Who knows?" She questioned, "Cardaroc kept to himself, perhaps he craved glory and power, maybe he believed in the pureblood supremacy."

Remus ran a hand over his face, "Nothing she is saying is out of turn," many members eyes turned and fixed on him, he suddenly felt as though he should've kept his mouth shut.

"Who's to say you're not the spy?" An elderly woman questioned, "You spent months away with a werewolf pack, what is to say you did not convert?" There were murmurs of agreement around the room. Elizabeth felt anger welling within her as she watched Remus accept the woman's cruel comments. From her peripheral vision, she saw Mrs Potter glaring daggers at the women sitting across from her.

"I understand where you are coming from." He said diplomatically, "But the fact of the matter is that I am not the spy, Dumbledore gave me hope for the future, he provided me with an education and through that, I met my best friends, why would I throw that back in his face? Why would i deny those like me a future by prolonging Voldemorts regime?" His voice got louder as more words spilt from his lips, "Why would I have the woman I love killed by the man that ruined my life?"

The women looked down, shame coursing through her as Remus spoke, his picture of calm and diplomacy.

"So until you can justify reasons as to why I am the spy, other than my condition. Then continue to do so, but until that point in time, I'd appreciate for you to treat me as you did before today's meeting. Accusing me of being a spy due to my status is no different to accusing Sirius because of his last name."

Mr Potter nodded, "His right." The man's eyes raked over everyone in the room, "The more we divide the weaker we will become, and that is something we cannot afford at this point in time. Without unity, we will crumble and there will be no one to defend the civilians from Voldemorts reign of terror."

After the meeting, when most members had left and all that remained was their main group when they were able to speak freely.

Alice ran a hand over her face, "Emmeline's right about Cardaroc, I hate to admit it, I liked the man but-"

"But there's no proof his dead." James finished and leant back in the chair,

"That's the problem." Lily sighed, "The only reason we're pointing fingers at Cardaroc is because we're not sure if he's dead…" she trailed off,

Elizabeth nodded, "I get what you mean, I can name heaps of people that I can confidentially say are not the spy, but I mean once you take us out of the picture-"

"My parents." James supplied,

"Hagrid-"

"Moody." Frank threw in,

"Dumbledore definitely isn't." Marlene said causing the group to raise their eyebrows at her, "I thought we should cover all our bases."

"It's not Croaker." Elizabeth added on, at the groups looks she continued, "His the head of the DOM and his old, there's no way his the spy."

"So what, The Weasleys? Gid and Fab."

"I can imagine that now, Mrs Weasley is going to spill all our secrets then fold Voldemorts socks then tuck him in. She's definitely the spy."

Marlene snorted, "Well it's not them."

Peter leant forward on his elbows, "So basically its nobody?"

Sirius let out a choked laugh, "Basically." He shook his head, "I mean Emmeline has always been Anti Voldemort, my family hates her. Diggles a fruitloop, Doge is too old and I'm pretty sure Aberforth Dumbledore is too senile to know any of our names."

"Therefore we're back to square one." Alice muttered, "All we know is there is a spy."

This is how things went on as time progressed, the word spy was thrown around and hovered over the members of the order like an annoying fly.

With the recent deaths of Cardaroc Dearborne, Dorcas Meadowes and Mary Macdonald, it was a sign that they had been compromised. Somebody had betrayed them.

Suddenly, Everyone in the Order was less friendly with one another, they were more guarded and reluctant about their private information. Slowly, slowly, nobody knew each other's business. Those that did not know each other well never would, The less you knew someone, the less they were inclined to share their business.

Everybody had their own theories and opinions, based on dislike, grudges or prejudice, some on pure gut feelings. Nobody shared their opinion out loud, they did not need to divide the order any more.

And it seemed everyone suspected everyone, and the only person who was not a suspect was the spy itself.

Elizabeth rolled in her bed and turned to face Sirius, who was lightly snoring; his hair sticking up at the back, full lips slightly parted and long lashes brushing his raised her hand and moved a stray curl away from her face and smiled softly;

He was so beautiful,

She knew that it wasn't very masculine, and men didn't usually like being called beautiful, but he... there wasnt another word to descibe him, it wasnt just his physical appearance, but it was the casual elegance with which he held himself, the charisma that attracted all to him, the confident aura that surrounded him... He was beautiful.

She couldn't help but love him, for all his faults and baggage, there was always two positives; He made her feel alive, he made her want to live her life to the fullest. He showed her how exciting life could be when you don't follow a plan. Spontaneity had the ability to test their limits and allows us to explore things outside of their comfort zones. When she was with him, it was just the two of them.

One day, she hoped, the rest of the world would see him as she did; see him as a good man, and say that, he is better than his father.

"Are you going to spend all day staring at me, babe?" She let out a soft life as his hoarse voice whispered, She placed her soft hand on his cheek which was rough with stubble and caressed him.

"It would be my pleasure to." She breathed out, he opened his grey eyes and gazed at her through dark lashes, his eyes slightly swollen. Sirius flashed her a smirk and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer and pressing a soft kiss on her lips.

"I want to stay here all day." He whispered, burying his face in her hair and inhaling her scent, she sighed and snuggled towards him,

"We wont be able to now that you said that."

He threw her a questioning look at looked down at her,

"You jinxed it hun." she whispered, "Give it an hour and the order will call us out."

He groaned and buried himself deeper into his pillow, still with his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I can't wait for all this to be over." he rubbed his thumb down her spine causing her to let out a shuddering breath, "I just want us to do normal young adult things, and just pack up and go on a holiday without being interrupted or go out to clubs and get smashed and party. I feel like I'm thirty, not bloody twenty."

She let out a sigh, "I know what you mean."

Elizabeth hated it, she hated that they all felt what he said, she hated that they had lines forming far too early and permanent scars etched onto their skin.. she hated that for the rest of her life she was going to carry the effects of the war on her body and be constantly reminded of the horrors she faced every day.

She flashed him a broad smile causing him to raise his brow at her, "What are you thinking Lizzie?"

"Well since you want to adult a little more, maybe we should do some more grown-up stuff..." She raised a brow and nudged him slightly causing him to throw his head back and let out a bark of laughter,

"We did some pretty grown-up stuff last night didn't we?"

She rolled her eyes and pressed a kiss on his cheek,

"Yes darling, but it's not classy!"

Sirius snorted and leant down, kissing her on the lips and tracing patterns on her back,

"I'm Sirius Black, I can make anything classy!"

She bit her lip and ran her hand down his cheek, "Are you sure about that Mr Black?"

"Are you challenging me Miss Gilmore?"

She laughed softly, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer, "Perhaps I am."

Suffice to say, they did get called out by the Order less than an hour later...

I hope you all loved it! Below is a sneak peek as always!

we will be husband and wife

Wellllll... that sounds interesting! I adore the upcoming chapter! Lots of fun stuff coming up and between me and you, the story is coming to an end hehe!

Anyhowwwww, reviews are birthday presents and you don't turn 16 every day! Also, I have my first ever shift at my job on Sunday! Its a very exciting week!

That's all from me fam, leave your feedback and I hope all is well!

Ruby xx