Saturday 8th November 1980

Godric's Hollow, 13:30

"It's really real, isn't it?" Lily asked, breaking the silence they had been sitting in.

She was sitting on the sofa, feeding Harry his bottle, which he was drinking quite contently. James was sitting by her feet, on the floor for some reason but he said he was comfy so she didn't bring it up again. Sometime she ran her hand through his hair, for comfort and because she found making his already messy hair even messier good fun.

James knew what she was talking about even though it hadn't been mentioned before. At all. Not since Dumbledore had told them. He stiffened; his head held straight.

"James?"

He let out a noisy breath.

"It really is."

Silence. She said absolutely nothing to that for a few minutes, just absorbing what he said and being lost in her own thoughts. Which were not good thoughts, let her tell you that. They were never good thoughts, these days.

"I don't want it to be real."

Who would want such a thing to be real?

"I don't want it to be either but it is."

James rubbed his forehead and frowned.

There was a dark red spot on his forehead because of that movement. He'd done it repeatedly today as he thought and tried to come up with ideas. His poor skin was so irritated and inflamed looking. That had to hurt but James hadn't seemed to notice and let out a long breath, startling Harry who made a little squeaking noise at her. She quickly pressed a kiss to both his cheeks and cuddled him close.

"I don't know how were supposed to do this," James admitted. "I don't know what we're even supposed to do."

"Me neither."

She didn't know what to do. She always knew what to do. Or at least knew who and what to ask to figure something out. But this time she didn't. She didn't even know where to start. Didn't know ow if it was possible for them to do anything. Surely there was something that they could do? They couldn't just do nothing!

"I mean," James scratched the back of his head, messing it up even more than usual. "I've strengthened our existing wards and I feel like we should be putting more up but I just don't know what."

Yes, Godric's Hollow had lots of wards on it, despite it being a small and probably temporary home. But it was still their home for the foreseeable future and they were in the middle of a war and James was an Auror. Of course, they had protection. They'd be stupid to not have it.

"Me neither," Lily said with a sigh, rubbing at her eyes. "I know a few ways we can adjust them from my research. Well tested adjustments," she added to reassure him at the doubtful look he gave her. "But do we make them more aggressive? Defensive? You can only do one and I need to check whether adjusting one would cancel out any of the others."

Which they definitely didn't want. She felt pretty safe here with what they had but it could be improved. Especially if it wasn't just causal Death Eater and dark wizard attacks, they were protecting against. Voldemort was a whole other matter entirely. It just had to be done the right way.

"At least that's something we can do."

She knew James hated sitting around not doing anything, not contributing. He was never one for being idle. It was one of the reasons he became an Auror. There was no slow work there. Well, there wasn't right now, anyway.

Lily bit her lip. "It doesn't feel like enough," she admitted.


Monday 10th November 1980

London, 19:30

Severus didn't think that his smile could get any wider or his heart any bigger. Chryssie, Chrysanthemum Evans had said yes to him. To marrying him. She said yes! And she was wearing his ring.

Or, rather, she was going to be wearing his ring if he could actually put it on her finger. His hand was shaking so much from all his nerves leaving him and his adrenaline wearing off.

He had done the whole thing. He'd bought a ring. He'd figured out her ring size (not in that order). He'd asked her father permission to marry her. He had set up the dinner reservations and then the walk afterwards. Which in hindsight hadn't been the best of ideas - it was November, after all - but Chryssie had seemed to appreciate it. What she hadn't appreciated was him using her full name to propose but it wouldn't feel official if he didn't use it, in his opinion anyway. It was going to have to be used when they had their wedding ceremony anyway, not that he was going to remind her of that little fact right now.

Chryssie giggled as he missed her finger again. He blushed hot in embarrassment. What was he like? This was awful. She took pity on him, took the ring and slipped it on her own finger. He couldn't help but frown. He was supposed to be the one to do that!

"Now I'm engaged," she said teasingly and he pulled a face at her.

But yes, he looked down at her hand. They were now engaged. He gathered her into another hug, shocking himself as he did so. He wasn't usually so demonstrative but he felt like the occasion called for it.

"We're going to be getting married," Chryssie said breathlessly once beet her go, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks bright red.

He nudged her awfully with his shoulder, feeling very pleased with himself.

"Well, you did say that you wanted us to get married."

"When I said someday, I didn't mean within three months," she laughed as he twirled her around.

Severus couldn't help but laugh at that. Like, honest to Merlin laugh. Okay, yes, maybe it felt a little soon, they hadn't really been going out at all that long, after all. Had they? No. But that didn't matter when you were in love, did it? And he was in love. Surprisingly. It used to be that he didn't ever think that he would be capable of falling in love but here he was. Had been for a while, really.

And it wasn't like there was any real urgency about them getting married, despite them not going put for long. It wasn't like Chryssie was pregnant and they didn't feel rushed because of the war or anything like that. It had just felt right for him to propose so he did. It was really as simple as that.

"We're going to get married!" He said in amazement as it started to sink in for him.

Chryssie smiled the biggest smile he had ever seen on her and leaned in for a kiss.

"We're going to get married," she breathed as they eventually came up for air.


Wednesday 12th November 1980

Godric's Hollow, 17:00

"I can't go back home, Lily. I just can't. Not yet," James said, shaking his head as he paced up and down the living room. "Anyway, this is home now," he gestured around.

"I understand, James," Lily said soothingly. "And we don't have to. It's just an option."

He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I know," he admitted. "And it's a pretty good one too."

He knew that the wards on Potter Manor were much better than the wards they currently had on Godric's Hollow. And there were some pretty good ones on this place! They just didn't have the benefit of being in place and absorbing ambient magic for centuries. That wasn't something you couldn't just cast. Not to mention some wards and protections on Potter Manor and the grounds were put in place so long ago that there was no longer any record of how to cast them! Just a description in a log book.

Be that as it may, he still couldn't go back there. He couldn't. Did that make him a coward? Not being able to face his childhood home, his home, because he didn't want to force himself to admit that his parents weren't going to be there. Hadn't been there for a while now. That the house was empty except for the House Elves? That there was no real life in it anymore?

Maybe it did. Maybe it didn't. And James found that he didn't care. What sort of Gryffindor did that make him?

"They we won't," Lily assured him. "Not if we don't want to."

"I don't."

"Okay then."

And, thankfully, that was that. He'd thought so, anyway.

Lily then hesitated and he looked at her expectantly.

"What?"

That came out harshly and he was instantly sorry. He hadn't meant to sound like that. All this talk about Potter Manor had got him all confused.

"It's just, well," she fumbled with her words and Lily never fumbled with her words. "James, have you been back to your home since the funeral?"

James blinked at her, not understanding. Not wanting to understand.

"Godric's Hollow is my home," he said instead, gesturing around them. "With you and Harry." He ticked his son's stomach, making him gurgle baby giggles.

That sound was music to his ears, soothing his bruised heart.

"You know what I mean, James," Lily said gently.

Of course, he did. He was the one being deliberately obtuse, after all.

"I haven't," he said curtly.

She gave him a measured look that made him squirm but thankfully nodded.

"Okay then. What do you think if I tweak this ward..."

James reached for Harry and settled down, more than happy to talk about how to further fortify their home.


Friday 14th November 1980

Dumbledore's Office, 19:00

"You need to seriously start considering what you are going to be doing in response to the news I gave you," Dumbledore told them, steepling his fingers together.

He'd brought them all together in yet another meeting. Apparently, he thought that he'd given them enough processing time. Frank had almost snorted when he had told them that, just enough time to panic, more like.

"It is starting to look like time is of the essence here. From my sources, Voldemort has been focusing on other parts of the prophecy but it won't be long now until he decides that having someone who could possibly defeat him is not acceptable. You need to be under protection."

"We're," Frank cleared his throat and looked at Alice who nodded reassuringly at him. "We're going to remain at home. Longbottom Manor has plenty of existing security measures and we can add to those."

Dumbledore gave him a long look. Frank didn't know what he was looking for or what he was expecting but he held the older man's gaze. Dumbledore must have seen something he liked because he nodded slowly. Frank found himself letting out a relieved breath. Right. Their plan was a good one then. That was a relief. A big relief. Dum Elmore accepted their plan. He hadn't realised how much he needed that until he got it.

"And you, James and Lily?" Dumbledore turned to the other pair. "Are you going to be making use of Potter Manor's defences?"

"I, we, I mean," James managed to get out and clu5ched Lily's hand. "We're not sure yet."

"We're trying to figure out what would have the most effect," Lily explained. "Defences only mean so much if most people know where your location is. And Potter Manor is fairly well known."

Frank frowned at that. He hadn't thought of it that way. People also knew where Longbottom Manor was. Lots of people did.

"And Godric's Hollow is under several layers of wards already," James continued. "Good ones. We made sure of that. It's just were not sure if it's enough."

"There's some adjustments I'm looking to make," Lily added.

Frank raised an eyebrow at that. He knew Lily was talented a spell creation but enough to be able to alter wards without training under a Ward or Rune Master? Impressive.

Dumbledore considered them for a moment before nodding slowly.

"It might be acceptable," he told them. "Let me see you plans and I'll see if they will work."

"Thank you," Lily said emphatically.

Despite the awful, no good, horrible situation this was (a situation that was starting to feel a little too real) Frank found himself feeling lighter than he had in days.

Maybe they could make this work. Get through this.


Saturday 15th November 1980

Marauder Flat, 17:00

"Come on," Sirius hissed, looking around as if a certain someone was going to pop out of nowhere. "We need to talk!"

Remus and Severus raised an eyebrow at each other and then faced Sirius with folded arms.

"You do know that Lily and James aren't here, right?" Remus asked. "They went to the Evans' for dinner.

"Oh. Then why aren't you there?" Sirius asked, pointing at Severus.

"Chryssie has the late shift and I was supposed to be brewing a potion but the Lab exploded so, here I am. It was too late and I didn't want to interrupt dinner."

They all stared at him for that.

"The lab exploded?" Sirius spluttered.

"I didn't make it explode!"

He wasn't that incompetent!

"Sure, you didn't," Sirius said sceptically.

Did Sirius really enjoy being this annoying? He had to.

"The idiot before me did. An incompetent Hogwarts student he's tutoring," Severus said impatiently. "Weren't we talking about James and Lily?"

Yes, he might be sitting on the best news ever but that didn't mean that he was completely oblivious to what was going on around him. He was well aware that James and Lily were hiding something from them. As were Alice and Frank, for that matter. Severus didn't know if they were related or not but it was pretty suspicious. Especially since they hadn't shared it with any of them.

"Maybe we should give them a bit more time," Remus said with a frown. "Dora said we shouldn't push too hard and they'd tell us when they're ready."

"But they aren't telling us," Sirius said. "And, no offense to my cousin but we're," he gestured between himself and Remus and Peter, "James' best friends. We know him better! And Severus is Lily's! So, he knows her best!"

"Maybe we should just leave it," Peter said earnestly. "It's probably nothing."

Sirius snorted at that.

"Dumbledore told then something, Wormtail. I hardly call that nothing."

Peter gave him a hurt look but honestly, what did he expect when he suggested something so ridiculous?

"I don't think Dumbledore would tell them something frivolous," Remus told him a bit more gently.

He always the least blunt of the Marauders.

"But if it was really serious, they would have to us, right?" Peter said nervously, twisting his fingers together.

Which was a fair point.

"I don't know anymore," Sirius said heavily. "James isn't acting like James so I just don't know.:

Severus could see how this was eating Sirius up inside. He and James were usually so close, basically joined at the hip - even after James getting married and both of them having babies. It was weird seeing Sirius like that.

That made him make his own decision.

"Let's give them a nudge," he threw his opinion in.

Just how hard a nudge was a completely different matter.


Tuesday 18th November 1980

Severus' Flat, 18:30

They had been sitting on their engagement for over a week now. Which is when they had been planning on sharing either everyone else. They had just wanted some time to themselves, celebrating and getting used to the fact. But they also couldn't wait to share their news either. Good news was something to be shared far and wide these days, after all. Well, that's what Chryssie had originally thought but now she was second-guessing herself.

"Maybe we should wait until this thing with James and Lily blows over," she said doubtfully.

Whatever this thing was. Lily still hadn't said anything to her despite all of her attempts and she was her sister. And they were close. Or, at least, Chryssie had thought they were. They were supposed to share things. But they weren't.

She looked down at her ring. She was hiding her engagement and Merlin knows what Lily was hiding. This sucked. They shouldn't be hiding things from each other.

Severus bit his lip, looking like he didn't know what to think.

"I want to share us," she said emphatically, grabbing his hands so he didn't turn away from her. "I just, I, well, I want it to be completely about us when we do."

Oh, that sounded horribly selfish when she said it out loud like that. She really was an awful person, wasn't she?

"I want the same thing," he tried to reassure her. "I don't want to just blurt it out and have it be forgotten. But I so don't mind waiting at all. You know that."

Chryssie did. But she suspected it was because that he still didn't like all of the attention being focused on him.

"I want us to do this when it's right for us," he finished up and Chryssie found herself nodding along in agreement.

Yes. This was about them and no one else. They had to think about them. And it was kind of nice having this just between them for the meantime. Yeah. Just for them.

"Let's wait then," she said decisively.