'Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Warning: Mature Content: Scenes of a sexual nature.
Chapter 48 – Family, Friends & Tying Up Loose Ends
While James went to the kitchen to return the assorted bits and bobs of 'breakfast', Sirius took the stairs two at a time and made a beeline for the shower. His heart was lighter than it had been in weeks despite the uncertainty that still shrouded his relationship with Remus.
Sirius waited until the water had reached the desired temperature and then stepped into the shower, closing the frosted glass door behind him. As he poured out shampoo and began scrubbing his hair, Sirius found himself looking ahead to the next two weeks with real joy. He and James had resolved their differences, James and Lily appeared to be getting on quite well and, of course, he and Kate were here, together. A week ago, I couldn't have dared hope for half this much, he mused, rinsing his hair and lathering up a flannel with shower gel. I'm going to be grateful for it and try my best not to worry about Remus until I'm back at school. With that thought, Sirius quickly finished his shower, drying off haphazardly before securing the towel around his waist. Walking over to the sink, Sirius used his hand to clear the steam off the mirror and reached for his razor. As he lathered up the shaving brush with soap and applied it to his face, Sirius couldn't help but think of the reaction his family would have could they see him. Grooming the Muggle way, instead of having a house elf or other servant use magic to do so was taboo in households like Grimmauld Place. When he started his first year at Hogwarts, however, Sirius had his first chance to get to know Muggle born witches and wizards and he found that he truly enjoyed doing some things without magic. He remembered the first time his mother had caught him shaving himself – and the rather violent reaction that had resulted. Sirius winced at his reflection as a small red dot appeared amid the remnants of white foam on his chin. Right; no more thoughts of Grimmauld Place – or of her, he thought to himself as he daubed the spot with a bit of tissue. A few moments later, Sirius finished and rinsed the remaining lather from his face. He was just about to quit the bathroom when a knock on the door leading to the hallway caught him by surprise. Recovering quickly, he figured that James was having a bit of fun at his expense. I'll show him! He took a deep breath.
"James, there are plenty of other bathrooms in this place, you know! But since you obviously find me so irresistible after our time on that rock, who am I to disappoint?" And, with that, Sirius adjusted the towel so it hung a bit lower on his hips and flung open the door, fully expecting to find his friend with some sarcastic response at the ready. Instead,
"Kate!"
"Sorry to disappoint you, apparently," Kate replied, certain that her own face was at least as red as that of the wizard before her.
"I – umm – I was just – ahh, shaving and …" Sirius stammered, his right hand clenched in a stranglehold around the towel knot.
"You cut yourself," Kate observed, quite proud of winning the battle to keep her gaze fixed anywhere but on that towel. "Just there," she gestured to her own chin to show him the spot. "Looks like it stopped bleeding, though."
"Yes. Umm, Katie? Is there something I can do for you? I mean, did you need something from me? Bloody hell! Nothing I say is coming out right," Sirius said, running his free hand through his damp hair.
"I was just going to tell you that Mrs. Potter put together a bit more of a proper breakfast than James provided earlier. I came up to get you to join us all downstairs." Kate said, edging back into the hallway. She gestured toward the other door that led to the bedroom shared by the two wizards. "You should probably … you know," she trailed off, her eyes slipping downward then quickly back up to his face.
Seeing Kate's discomfiture gave Sirius back a bit of his old self. "Put on some shoes?" He struggled to keep a straight face.
Kate nodded. "Sure. Shirts, a shoe. I mean, a shoe and a pair of shirts," she stopped, closed her eyes for a moment and collected herself. "You great prat! Get dressed and meet me downstairs. I'm leaving." With that, she scurried down the hall, the sound of Sirius' laughter trailing after her.
XXXXXXXX
"What's he on about?" James asked as Kate took her place next to an empty chair at the dining table. "I can hear him barking all the way down here!" Although he did his best to grumble, James couldn't keep the grin off his own face. Padfoot's smile hadn't been seen in awhile; his laughter had been absent even longer. The return of both was gratifying, despite the fact that it would undoubtedly herald trouble for all of them at some point in the near future.
Kate felt herself blush again and groaned inwardly. "I don't think he was expecting me," she replied ruefully.
Affectionate laughter greeted her comment.
"What'd I miss?" Sirius entered a moment later and the laughter swelled a bit as he dropped into his seat next to Kate. He leaned toward her and kissed her cheek, whispering, "Is this outfit more what you had in mind?"
Taking in his lightweight Muggle dockers and short-sleeved white cotton t-shirt, Kate nodded, thinking that she was very lucky indeed that Sirius couldn't read her mind at the moment; the answer to his question might have shocked him.
"Ah, there you are, Sirius," Mrs. Potter smiled as she came up behind Sirius with a pot of fresh coffee. She leaned down and kissed his cheek as she passed then settled herself in the vacant chair next to Lily. "Isn't this nice and cozy?" James' mother smiled across at Kate.
"Didn't start without me, did you?" Mr. Potter came strolling in from the deck, slipping into the chair next to Sirius. He gave the boy's shoulder a squeeze, then reached for the tray of bacon. "Better get my share of this before you two pick it clean," he smiled at James and Sirius, helping himself to several crisp slices. "Ladies, I would advise you to do the same. I've seen these two in action and you'd best look lively if you don't want to starve!"
"Please, everyone; help yourselves," Mrs. Potter encouraged, pouring coffee for herself and passing the pot along to the others to do the same. For the next several minutes, the only sounds to be heard were the clink of serving spoons against china, the occasional request for sugar, cream or some other item and, through the open window, the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. Soon, everyone's plates were full and a rather elaborate late breakfast was underway.
Kate felt a hand steal into hers where it rested on her lap and she glanced out of the corner of her eye to see Sirius smiling as he munched on his toast. I'm so glad to see him relaxed and happy again, she thought as she squeezed his hand and felt him return the pressure.
"What are the four of you doing on this fine day?" Mr. Potter asked as he poured himself a second cup of coffee.
"I hadn't thought," James said, looking at Lily beside him. "Lils?"
Lily shook her head and looked across the table at Kate. "Good thing we're around, isn't it? These two wouldn't do a thing with their holiday!"
Kate laughed. "Too true. Well, you'll both be relieved to hear that we thought we'd do nothing more strenuous than lie about on the beach. We've discovered a very small stretch that's covered with lovely sand rather than those very uncomfortable shingles. Seemed like a nice spot to set up camp, if you're game."
"That does sound lovely," Mrs. Potter agreed. "You can take along some fruit and bottled water and make an afternoon of it."
"You're not trying to get rid of us, are you?" James eyed his parents suspiciously.
Hal feigned an innocent expression. "Us? Why would you think that?" he glanced over at his wife. "Darling, do I really look that devious?"
"Yes," came the definitive reply. "Where do you think he gets it? Certainly not from me or mine!" Margaret rose. "Now, you go and get ready for your afternoon at the beach while I clear up here."
Sirius glanced over at James. "You go on; I'll just give your Mum a hand and I'll be upstairs to change, ok?"
James nodded and 'shushed' Lily when she started to protest. "Upstairs, Lils. I'll spill my guts to you there."
Sirius gave Kate a small smile, slipped his hand from hers and rose. He gathered his plate and hers and headed to the kitchen behind James' mother.
"Come on, Kate; let's get the story from James, here," Lily said, giving James a poke in the arm.
Kate shook her head, smiling. "I'll wait out on the patio for Sirius to finish up. You two go on ahead and chat. We'll meet here after?"
Lily and James nodded and made their way up the staircase, presumably to the sitting room situated on the opposite side of the hallway from the two bedrooms. Kate heard Lily's tinkling laugh float down the stairs before it was cut off by the sound of a door closing.
Kate smiled and situated herself on the cushioned bench at the shaded edge of the deck, settling in to wait for Sirius to join her.
XXXXXXXX
"You don't have to help me with this, you know," Margaret Potter admonished Sirius as he scraped the remnants of breakfast into the waste bin. "You should go and spend time with that lovely young woman of yours."
Sirius felt his face grow warm and he smiled. "Oh, I will; don't worry about that. You like her, too, right? Kate, I mean." Somehow, Margaret Potter's approval was important to him; important enough for him to ask.
Margaret walked over and draped her arm around his shoulders. "Yes, I do. I like Kate very much. Of course, I don't know her very well, but I can see the goodness in her. She cares very much for you, and that can only strengthen my good opinion of her."
Sirius swallowed audibly. "Thanks. I appreciate that. Listen, I didn't just come out here because I wanted to help; actually, I wanted to talk."
"Well then, let's sit down," Margaret took the plates and placed them on the counter. Taking the boy's arm, she led him over to the small, cushioned window seat just beyond the working kitchen. "What's on your mind, darling?"
It was that endearment that was nearly his undoing and Sirius wondered if he should just leave it alone, but he wanted to tell her himself, so that she knew. "I just wanted to thank you for having me here this year, especially after what happened. And to tell you that you were right; James and I talked and things are alright again."
"I'm very glad," Margaret said quietly. "And you are welcome here or with us in London at any time; you know that."
"Thank you. I have to tell you something and I want you to hear it from me because I have no idea what you might hear from someone else – or after it makes the rounds at the Ministry," Sirius began, shifting nervously in his seat.
"Go on, dear."
"I've left home and I won't be going back. You know what my life has been like there. My mother, she – well, she finally went too far. My father's stepped in and sent her somewhere; he thinks they might be able to help her," Sirius said as he watched Margaret's face. Don't feel pity for me; don't be disgusted, either. Please. Just feel the same way about me. I know you're not my mother, but right now, you're the closest thing to it for me.
To his relief, Margaret's face was as it had always been: loving, concerned, honest. "Where will you live?"
"Hogwarts, during school terms, of course," Sirius said. "Professor Dumbledore has told me that I can go back to school before term starts, if I'd like. I might do that, I haven't had much time to think about it. My Uncle Alphard has been similarly tossed from the family tree, as well. He lives in France…"
Margaret reached over and put her hand on his arm. "Will you go to live with him?"
Sirius shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think I'll send him an owl; as a fellow former member of the Black family, he might be willing to take in his newly-disowned nephew."
"You know that I meant it when I told you that you were welcome to come and stay with us, yes?"
Sirius flushed. "Yes, of course; but I don't want you to think that I told you about my situation so that you'd offer. I wouldn't do that; you know that, right?"
Margaret nodded. "Sweet, you've been a part of this family for a very long time. Both James' father and I think of you as another son. I would respect your choice to go and live with your uncle, but I would hope that your first thought would be to come to us."
Sirius' throat tightened and he found it impossible to immediately answer her. She seemed to understand his predicament as she simply held his hand until he finally looked up at her. "Thank you; that means a lot to me. I've never really had a family – well, not like yours, anyway."
Margaret felt her own emotions rise as she listened to the boy – young man, really – next to her. No one should have to go through what he had, she thought to herself. I can only imagine what 'went too far' really meant when Sirius spoke of what his mother had done when he went home. Impulsively, Margaret leaned over and hugged Sirius. "I can't imagine what you've been through, sweetheart, but it's all over now. They cannot hurt you any longer. You've got a great many people on your side and we won't allow it to happen again."
Sirius tightened his hold on the older witch, relishing the borrowed moment of being held by a mother who truly cared about him and what happened to him; one who didn't judge him. "You said that you and Mr. Potter think of me as another son; I think of you and him as my parents. I just wanted to tell you that," he said very quietly, taking a breath and adding, "I love you."
Margaret kissed the top of his head. "I love you, too."
Sirius pulled back and smiled crookedly at her. "I think I might have officially become the biggest girl's blouse I know." He swiped at his eyes, then gestured toward his face. "I've done way more than my share of that in the past few weeks."
Margaret shook her head. "I think it was probably a long time coming. Now that you've gotten it out of your system, you can move forward."
Sirius rose. "Let's hope so," he said, then pointed toward the counter where the breakfast dishes were stacked and waiting. "You wash and I'll dry?"
Margaret glanced in the direction he indicated, then smiled and shook her head. "In case you've forgotten, I am a witch, you know. I think I might just wave my magic wand and watch them clean themselves this time. You run along and have some fun; summer holiday doesn't last forever!"
"Sure?"
"Positive."
"Ok," Sirius said, smiling. "Thanks."
"Go find the others and have some fun," Margaret returned his smile and watched as he left the kitchen.
XXXXXXXX
Thirty minutes later, Margaret stood at the large sitting room window watching James, Lily, Sirius and Kate wend their way along the shoreline, toward Kate's promised 'sandy beach'. James and Sirius each carried a handle of a picnic basket while Kate and Lily carried blankets and thick cotton beach towels in addition to smaller bags with sunscreen and books. Margaret was pleased to see them all together, young, happy and – for the moment – carefree.
She was about to turn away from the window when she felt a strong pair of arms slide 'round her waist.
"And they're off," Hal said quietly, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Yes, they are," Margaret agreed. "Lovely, aren't they? It's nice to see young people with nothing to concern them but a beautiful summer day."
"Mmm," her husband agreed, "let us hope that they have many more such opportunities."
Margaret turned around to look at her husband more closely. "There have been more reports, then."
Hal shook his head. "Nothing concrete, darling; just … rumblings. No more than we've been hearing right along." Regretful that he had allowed his thoughts to slip out, Hal smiled down at his wife. "Now, listen, Maggie, my sweet: in my line of work, there are always going to be stories about any and all manner of unpleasant things. It's been a fact of life since the earliest days of the Ministry and it's not apt to change any time soon. You know this."
Margaret nodded, a glimmer of worry remaining in her hazel eyes. "Let's hope that the stories remain just that for many, many years to come."
Hal leaned down and kissed her forehead. "How was your chat with Sirius, then?" He took her arm and led her over to the sofa.
Margaret frowned slightly as she settled herself against her husband's shoulder. "He's had a tough time of it at home, I'm afraid. Walburga and Orion Black should have never been permitted to have children, the way they've treated Sirius."
"He's suffered quite a bit of abuse at the hands of the mother," Hal commented, his voice tinged with anger.
"He told me that he's been disowned; he can't go back to his family's home," Margaret advised him. "I can't say that I'm unhappy."
Hal shook his head. "Nor can I. He'll stay with us, of course."
Margaret smiled then lifted her head and kissed her husband's cheek. "That's exactly what I said. You're a wonderful man, Harold Potter."
A light blush crept across the older wizard's cheeks. "Well, I would have to be, wouldn't I – to have caught your eye?"
XXXXXXXX
"He's better now, isn't he? Sirius, I mean," Lily shaded her eyes and looked out at the water where the young wizard in question was happily treading water and talking with James.
Kate put aside her book and followed Lily's gaze, smiling as she watched the two young men splashing each other and heard the resulting laughter. "I think he is," she nodded. "Despite the fact that he is responsible for this estrangement, Sirius has missed James terribly."
"Being the cause of the problem undoubtedly made it worse for him," Lily observed. She looked down at Kate, propped up on her elbows next to her. "It's more than just reconciling with James, though; Sirius is … different, somehow. Not subdued, necessarily, but definitely … I don't know – more low-key, perhaps?"
"No, I think 'subdued' is the more accurate term," Kate replied. "You can't go through what he has and emerge unchanged. I really believe that all the time he spent alone forced him to think about a lot of things – and his life has changed as a result."
"James said he's left Grimmauld Place – for good," Lily looked over at the water as the sound of a very loud splash reached their ears.
"Prongs! You great, bloody git! Wait 'til I get my hands on you!" Sirius' attempt at outrage failed miserably and his barking laugh soon accompanied another sharp splash as James suffered payback for his earlier actions.
The girls laughed at their antics, then Kate picked up the thread of their conversation. "James is right; Sirius' mother has disowned him."
Lily inhaled sharply. "I'm torn between being thankful that she can't continue to hurt him and anxious over where he'll live," she admitted to her friend.
Kate reached over and squeezed Lily's hand. "I'm sure he'll appreciate the fact that your first thought of him doesn't involve a wand and a stinging hex."
Lily smiled. "I can't imagine what's come over me!"
"Neither can I, but I'll bet it's the same thing that's made you reconsider your feelings for James!"
Lily was about to issue her own lively retort when the pounding of bare feet on sand caught her attention instead.
James and Sirius threw themselves down on the large blanket, spraying both young witches with saltwater droplets that spiraled from their hair and swimming shorts.
"Hey," the redhead cried out. "You're like two unruly, overgrown dogs with all your flailing about! Watch yourselves, please!"
At Lily's first comment, Sirius' head shot up in Kate's direction and they locked eyes. Kate could see the anxiety in his blue eyes and she shook her head slightly to show him that she had no intention of revealing his secret. He smiled and rose, taking the towel she offered.
"C'mon, Prongs," he called, taking several steps away from the blanket. "Let's dry off over here and keep the girls happy, shall we?"
"There. Spoken like a true gentleman," Lily said, giving James a light push on the shoulder to motivate him. "I don't see why you can't …" she allowed her voice to trail off, suddenly horrified at what she had been about to say. Kate wasn't letting her get away with it, however.
"What was that, Lils? Were you about to ask James why he couldn't be more gentlemanly – like Sirius?" Lily looked over to see her best friend with a much larger-than-normal grin on her face.
"Well, damn," Lily drawled. "I guess I was, at that."
"I'm certainly insulted," James griped, standing next to Sirius and toweling his unruly hair rapidly. With a bark-like laugh, Sirius flopped back down on the blanket, stretching out, cross-wise, on the blanket with his head in Kate's lap.
"Get over it, Jamie," he drawled, closing his eyes while Kate stroked his dark hair. "You know," he added, opening one eye and turning his face in the direction of his friend, "you might get this kind of treatment if you were more 'gentlemanly like Sirius'." With a teasing grin, Sirius turned back to his original position.
"Oh, all right," Lily said a few moments later. "Stop pouting and come over here."
Once both wizards had settled themselves, Lily glanced over at Kate and Sirius before speaking. "Sirius, I just wanted to say that I'm glad things are better for you now. That you and James have worked this all out between you."
Sirius opened his eyes and sat up, putting himself much closer to the redheaded witch than he'd been moments before. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Lils," he said, sincerely. "Maybe if I'd listened to you when you tried to talk to me at school, things might have been resolved sooner."
"You weren't ready," a blushing Lily replied. When James took a breath to add his own thoughts, she gently put her hand over his mouth. "It had to happen when you were. May I ask you something?" At his nod, she continued, "Where will you live now?"
Sirius smiled, glancing down at James. "Well, it seems I have a couple of different options. Dumbledore has said I could come back to Hogwarts early if I'd like. Of course, James' mum has said that I can plan to come and live with them for holidays, as well."
James sat up sharply. "Well, the choice is obvious, mate; you'll come live here where you belong."
Sirius smiled and settled back down on the blanket. He gave Kate a warm smile before continuing. "Thanks, Jamie. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what I'll do when these two weeks are up. I'll decide before we leave here, though."
"Are you alright, Sirius?" Lily asked. "About everything that happened with your family, I mean?"
Before he could answer, James jumped in. "His family is right here. He's part of the Potters now." James' voice was firm. "And everything is just fine."
Sirius caught Lily's eye and shook his head. "I think she meant with the Blacks, James," he said. "I worry about Regulus; he was the one who got in touch with my father and made him come back to London after my mother – well, after everything happened. He's stuck there now – and without me to take the heat from our parents, I'm afraid the pressure will be too much for him."
"You'll see him at school, though," Kate added. "Perhaps you'll be able to keep up with him there."
Sirius reached up and caught her hand, bringing it to his lips for a quick kiss. "Maybe. I hope that what happened with me has scared him enough that he'll want to turn away from them. It could do the opposite, though; Regulus just might think it's better to go along with them and avoid taking my path." He kept hold of Kate's hand and brought it to rest against his chest as he turned his face toward the water and grew quiet again.
Lily nudged James' shoulder and, when she had his attention, she inclined her head in the other couple's direction. "Let's go for a walk," she mouthed silently. James nodded, rose and extended his hand to help her up. Kate looked at Lily who smiled, took James' hand and, together, they walked over toward the bicycle path.
"Deserted us, have they?" Sirius murmured, shading his eyes with his free hand and looking up at Kate.
"Mmm-hmm," she nodded. "Whatever shall we do with ourselves?"
Sirius grinned wickedly and tugged on her hand. "Get down here."
Kate leaned down and Sirius kissed her gently. "Bloody awkward position, this," he grumbled.
"Sit up," Kate said. When he had done so, she scooted down until she was lying on her side, her head propped up on her hand. She pointed to the spot next to her on the blanket. "Get down here," she smiled and he complied, mirroring her position.
Kate reached over and cupped his cheek in her hand. "Are you ok now?"
Sirius turned his head slightly and kissed her palm. "Better than ok." He leaned over and captured her lips again, pulling her closer to him. When they broke for air, Kate looked at him. "You know, people could walk down here and stumble across us."
Sirius shook his head. "Can't. The Potters own this part of the beach. Even if the people in those houses down there looked out of the window, we're sheltered in three directions by these big boulders." He grinned. "I can snog you senseless and no one would be the wiser!"
Kate smiled. "Then you'd best get started before James and Lily come back."
Sirius raised his eyebrows then smiled in return. "Minx." He wrapped his arms around Kate and rolled onto his back, taking her with him. He relaxed his legs so she could settle comfortably between them. "You make a lovely beach blanket, Miss Morgan," he whispered, smiling. "Kiss me."
Kate lowered her face to his and placed a kiss on each eyelid, his forehead, the tip of his nose, each cheek and, finally, on his lips. What began as a gentle kiss quickly escalated into a more intense, passionate expression of their feelings. Sirius thrilled when he felt Kate's tongue brush against the seam of his lips and he immediately gave her access. She explored the contours of his mouth, relishing the soft moans her caresses provoked. Eventually, Sirius gently pushed her tongue into retreat and he took control of the kiss, tasting her, teasing her – becoming lost in her.
Kate was dizzy with the feelings and emotions coursing through her as their kisses continued. She began to feel an insistent pressure against her abdomen and recognized the effect their activity was having on Sirius. He was not alone. Kate's breathing was quickening and she there was an insistent, burning feeling between her legs. She felt Sirius gently shift until his arousal aligned intimately with her sex and she gasped at the sensation.
"Katie," he groaned into her mouth, sucking gently on her tongue as he moved his hips rhythmically beneath her. Kate whimpered at the sensation the friction created on her sensitive flesh and ground herself against him in an effort to create more of it.
"Oh, Sirius," she murmured, moving her mouth to the sensitive flesh of his ear, nibbling on the lobe in time with their movements. The pressure continued to build and she knew her suit was becoming increasingly wet with her own arousal. Kate began to push herself down against his clothed erection with more force, more speed and dropped her mouth to the juncture of his neck and shoulder, kissing and licking a spot that lifted Sirius' passion to another level. He brought his hands down to cup her buttocks and held her in place while he rubbed and thrust himself against her.
"Sirius," Kate cried softly, climbing steadily toward release. Sirius had her firmly anchored against him and, at her cry, he sped up his movements, driving both of them quickly toward the edge.
"Katie," he groaned. "I can't … I'm …oh!"
Kate felt him swell against her, then pulse and suddenly she felt an explosion deep inside her as she reached her own climax. She shook as she felt herself break, crying out Sirius' name as she felt a wet warmth spread between them.
They lay together, breathing harshly, Sirius' arms wrapped tightly around Kate's body. When she could move, Kate raised her head and looked down at him. Sirius' blue eyes locked on hers and his expression was clearly anxious. He opened his mouth to speak, but Kate silenced him with a kiss. "I love you," she whispered against his lips when they were finished.
"I love you, too," he whispered back. "I'm … I let thing get a bit out of control. I'm sorry; it's just that I want you so much and …"
"Shh," Kate said, raising her hand and placing a finger against his lips. "There's nothing to apologize for; I know how difficult it is for you that I haven't been ready to …"
Sirius shook his head. "My turn to interrupt," he said softly. "You have the right to decide when you're ready to sleep with me – absolutely. I don't resent you for that, at all. I respect you for it. I just hope that this," he gestured between them, "hasn't compromised that."
Kate kissed him again. "This," she gestured between them in echo of his earlier movement, "was incredible. I've never felt like that before." She paused for a moment, blushing a bit. "Sirius, I do want you – now more than ever. Soon – I promise you."
Sirius kissed her gently once and then again. She shifted a bit when pulling back and he grimaced. "Umm, Kate? Care to take a dip before James and Lily get back?"
Kate lifted up slightly and looked between them. "Not a bad idea," she agreed.
"It's cold," Sirius warned as they separated then stood on the blanket.
Kate smiled wryly. "I could do with some cooling off; you?"
Sirius returned her grin with one of his own. "Race you," he teased and the two of them took off at a run across the soft sand and plunged into the cool water.
James and Lily were walking hand in hand back toward the blanket when they saw their friends emerge from the shelter of the large rocks and race toward the water. Each smiled to themselves as they watched the two dive beneath the waves and surface seconds later, moving toward each other and embracing.
James took a step toward the beach, but Lily put her hand on his arm to draw him back. "Don't," she said quietly. "Let them be. They've both been through enough this past year. Besides," Lily grinned mischievously, "I've heard there's another formation of rocks – very like this one – a little further down the beach. Care to go exploring with me?"
James' eyebrows drew together for a moment then his face cleared as he realized that what she was suggesting. He cleared his throat. "Well, I certainly can't have you wandering about the beach by yourself, can I? You could get lost or hurt or something."
Lily nodded, tugging on his hand. "Or something…"
James smiled and tightened his hold as they retraced their steps to the path.
