I do not own Harry Potter.

James escorted his family plus Ron and Hermione (who were practically part of the family anyway) to the Leaky Cauldron where they would be meeting the Weasleys. The ministry had wanted to send extra protection, but James had been able to persuade them not to. With him, Lily, Arthur, and Molly, they would be fine.

The Leaky Cauldron, with the exception of Arthur, Molly, and Ginny, was completely empty. James almost felt sorry they couldn't stop and give Tom some customers, but they didn't have time. Diagon Alley also had a distinct air of gloom and doom. Wanted posters covered the windows, and James couldn't help the flash of fury he felt seeing Bellatrix Lestrange's. First, she had tortured Frank and Alice (good people and better friends) into insanity, then she had killed Sirius. It grated on James' nerves that the entire might of the auror office could not bring her or anyone else to justice.

Many of the shops were closed, including Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. The man was almost certainly dead. James sighed. There was news of more deaths and disappearances every day.

Shabby stalls had been set up along the edges of the street selling various paraphernalia. Arthur was insulted by some obviously fake amulets, saying he would have arrested the vender if he was on duty. As it was, it was best to get through with their shopping as soon as possible.

Molly wanted to shop in one large group, but there were too many of them. So, James took Harry, Hermione, and Ron to Madam Malkin's for new robes (or dress robes in Hermione's case) while the rest of the group went to Flourish and Blots to buy everyone's books.

"...Not a child, in case you haven't noticed, Mother," a cold, drawling, familiar voice greeted them as they entered the robe shop. "I'm perfectly capable of doing my shopping alone."

James groaned inwardly as Madam Malkin tried to talk sense into a Malfoy, as if that would ever work. The last thing they needed was a run in with the Malfoys. Lucius might be the one everyone was scared of, but James knew better. Narcissa was just as dangerous as her husband and not to be underestimated.

Draco Malfoy strode into their line of sight as he went to examine himself in the mirror. He caught sight of them in the reflection, and his eyes narrowed. "If you're wondering what the smell is, Mother, a Mudblood just walked in."

"I don't think there's any reason for language like that," said Madam Malkin, coming into view as well.

James saw Harry and Ron draw their wands at the insult. "Boys," he said warningly.

"No, don't," whispered Hermione. "Honestly, it's not worth it."

"Yeah, like you'd dare use magic outside school," Malfoy sneered.

Narcissa arrived before James could order them to knock it off. "Put those away," she said coldly. "If you attack my son again, I shall ensure it is the last thing you ever do."

James did not take kindly to people threatening his son, but he was supposed to be defusing the situation. "No one's attacking anyone," although he'd have to ask Harry about the 'again' in regards to attacking Malfoy.

She raised a delicate eyebrow. "A statement undermined by the wands. Perhaps, you had better tell your son to back off, Potter."

"Or what?" Harry snapped, not lowering his wand. "You going to get a couple of Death Eater pals to do us in?"

James stepped on his foot, seriously wishing Harry hadn't inherited his recklessness and Lily's smart mouth. Although, Lily so rarely used it.

"I see being Dumbledore's favorite has given you a false sense of security," said Narcissa.

"Actually, it's called being a Gryffindor," said James, seizing Harry's wand arm by the wrist. "We're known for bravery, you know."

"Some would call it recklessness," said Narcissa, coolly, turning from Harry to James, "Thankfully, almost my whole family has avoided the affliction. Perhaps if dear Sirius had been in Slytherin with the rest of us, he would still be alive."

James saw red. For a split second, he was visited with the mad desire to hit her, to punch her right in the nose. Who cared if he was an auror and a public hero anyway?

He was brought back to himself by Harry raising his wand beneath his hand. At once, James yanked his son's hand back down and shifted so he was between Harry and Narcissa. "Perhaps if the Black's cared as much about family as they claim to, it wouldn't have mattered that Sirius was in Gryffindor," he said, quietly though his voice shook.

Narcissa did not answer at once. Their stare down was interrupted by a yelp from her son.

"Watch where your sticking those pins, woman!" He shouted, "Mother, I don't think I want these anymore." He pulled the robes off and threw them on the floor.

"You're right, Draco," said Narcissa, "now that I know what kind of scum shops here," with a contemptuous look at Hermione, "we'll do better at Twilfitt and Tattings." The Malfoy's swept out of the shop.

James situated himself in the corner of the shop, fuming, while the trio were getting fitted for their robes. It wasn't just the obvious reminder of Sirius' death and disinheritance from the family. The Malfoys were experts at obviously insulting someone while subtly slipping in sharper barbs. No, it was also the insinuation that if James hadn't been friends with Sirius, if Sirius had stuck with his family, he would not have died.

Which, James had to admit, was probably accurate. Sirius may have naturally been rebellious against his family, but it had been James who had pointed out that 'Mudblood' was incredibly insulting and not actually the correct term for them, James who had given Sirius a way out from his family and encouraged his rebellion, and it had been James who had first suggested to all the Marauders that they join the fight against Voldemort. All of these things were the beginning of a straight line to a few months ago when Sirius had been killed by the family he had left behind in favor of the Marauders.

Despite all this evidence, James could not bring himself to regret this. Nor was he arrogant enough to assume it was all his fault that Sirius had turned his back on his family; Sirius might have done that on his own. And if Sirius hadn't, it was very likely that James would have ended up fighting him in the wars, maybe even being the one to send him through the veil. James shuddered at the thought.

No, he did not regret any of the time he had spent with Sirius, and he was positive Sirius didn't either. That he was sure of. Their brotherhood was strong, and nothing could have persuaded either of them to give it up. Not even to spare themselves the pain of each other's deaths.

After the trio got their robes, James led them to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

Which was awesome! James spared a wish that Sirius could have seen it, or better yet, it had been invented when the Marauders were in school and pranking. Then, he plunged in with abandon, wanting to see everything.

At one point, however, Lily came up to him to tell him that the trio were nowhere to be found. They had just finished helping Molly search the whole store, when the lost ones themselves turned up, saying they had been in the back room the whole time.

Which, of course, was rubbish. James wasn't a Marauder for nothing. But then, Harry left with the Weasley's before James had an opportunity to interrogate him.