Sunday 4th October 1981

Marauder Flat, 12:00

Peter didn't really know what to do, now that he was back in the Marauder Flat. Even though Sirius was the one who dragged him back, saying he was being silly and it was his home too. So, he had given in (quickly but that was beside the point) and returned home. Because it was his home, wasn't it? Yeah, of course it was. Though, don't get him wrong he was glad to get away from his parents. He had forgotten just how overbearing they could be. It was annoying.

But this wasn't much better, being here. It was supposed to be fun with Sirius and Marlene. And it normally was, when they were being... his face flushed... inappropriate with each other. Except it was neither of those things now. Because, you know be whole losing her parents and her whole family thing.

Yes, it was a 'thing' and nothing else. Thinking of it as what it actually was made his stomach drop and he didn't like that feeling. So, he just didn't think about it. Which was easy enough as long as he didn't look too much at Marlene.

But it wasn't just the sad atmosphere that was mao9ng him feel weird. Something didn't feel quite right. Something he couldn't put his finger on but it made him feel uncomfortable. Were they suspicious of him? Had he messed up? The Dark Lord would not be as forgiving this time of the messed up. Shuddering at the thought, Peter tried to put that out of his head. He was trying to not think about an awful lot of things.

Was this whole living situation just something else he shouldn't be thinking too much about? It wasn't like there was anything wrong with it, right? Everything was fine. Well, it wasn't. But he couldn't put his finger on what was wrong which meant it wasn't as bad as he was making it out to be. Right?

It wasn't fun here anymore he realised. Not for him, anyway. When did that happen? Was it when James got married? Or that whole thing with Dora and Remus when she had got pregnant? Or was it when everyone started hooking up except for him? Or maybe it was when he, you know... no, that couldn't be it.

Did it really matter when it happened? All that mattered that he knew it wasn't fun. It wasn't really the Marauder Flat anymore despite having two of them in it, was it? The Half Marauder Flat? He shook his head at himself. That wasn't even funny.

Maybe it was just time for him to move on. Strike out on his own. Everyone else had done it. Technically. It was just his turn now, right? He could do that. Live by himself.

It would be easy.

Dora and Remus' New Flat, 09:00

Remus looked around, feeling utterly satisfied. Not a feeling he was used to feeling in these sorts of situations. Especially with all the disappointments they had had throughout this whole process.

Actually, he hadn't been expecting this to work out at all so this happy feeling was rather foreign and suspicious to him.

You see, they had finally managed to get themselves a flat. A small one but it was enough for their little family. And it was in London too. It just came out for rent just as they were considering looking further North. And it was good. No weird smells or suspicious stains. No weird awkward steps in doorways which were definitely accidents waiting to happen. And speaking of accidents waiting to happen, this one's electrics were all fine and they were actually provided a copy of the certification for it (it was a muggle flat though their landlord was a squib, surprisingly)! It was all very surprising but in the best way possible. How could they get so lucky? They weren't used to being this lucky.

"This is really ours?" Dora asked in amazement.

Remus waved their copy of the lease. "All ours."

She somehow managed to beam even wider and thank Merlin he knew how to read her because that meant he was ready for her when she ran over and fling herself at him. It was more of a chokehold than a hug in her excitement but he couldn't fault her for that. He was equally as excited.

"And we can really move in right now?"

He chuckled. "We can move in right now." Then he looked around and shook his head. "Maybe we should get furniture first though."

Dora pouted at him for ruining the moment but sighed her agreement. And then she smirked at him.

"Bed first," her eyes glittered disturbingly like Sirius' did when he was up to no good. "We're going to have to christen the apartment."

And now he was rolling his eyes at her. There was absolutely no doubt at all that Dora and Sirius were related to each other. Sex on the brain. All the damn time. Then again, he wasn't exactly complaining.

"Bedroom first," he corrected.

Because having a place all set up to sleep after a long day of moving sounded like the best way to do things so they didn't end up sleeping and doing other activities on the floor. Neither of those options sounded particularly comfortable to him. Though Teddy would probably sleep on the floor given half a chance. That's where he seemed to nod off the most these days anyway. Seriously, one minute he was playing on the floor, hair happily changing colours, and the next he would be out cold.

On the plus side, it was a small enough flat so it wouldn't take much to fill it. They were going to have to replace the bookcase provided though (and calling it a bookshelf was a stretch, more like two small book shelves connected by a back) because that was definitely not enough space for his books. A whole wall might be but he was unsure if he could persuade Dora that that was a good idea.

Not that he needed to make any decisions right now because this was their place, a rented place but it was still theirs. Something that they shared. Somewhere where they were going to raise Teddy together. With no one else to share the space with! It was going to be so good to sit in their own living room and just relax and chill and simply not have to share it with anyone else.

Not that Andromeda and Ted were awful people. Far from it. They were some of the best people he knew. Bit their house had been their house. Not his or Dora's. They could do whatever they wanted in their house and not worry about if it disrupted anyone.

Actually, there was a lot to do that they hadn't thought out fully yet. The aforementioned furniture. Sorting out rooms. Updating records at their respective jobs once they did move. Though, that was more something Dora had to do. He was between jobs. Again. He was trying not to dwell on it. Another job would come up soon, he was sure. And it made him free for more missions for the Order so he supposed that was a silver lining. Even though recently those hadn't had the best of outcomes.

But that wasn't something to dwell on when something so happy had just happened. They had a flat! With space for them all and it was a good one!

Longbottom Manor, 14:00

"Should we give Neville a sibling?" Frank asked, after watching Neville play with his blocks for a few minutes.

It was always very entertaining to watch. They were ones that started to float if you didn't stack them or line them up or something, encouraging the baby to do something interesting with them. Neville loved them and squealed with glee every time one of them floated. Which no d of defeated the whole purpose of them but he was happy and that was the most important thing

"Pardon?" Alice genuinely asked, having been distracted by the magazine she had been reading.

"A sibling for Neville? What do you think?"

She closed her magazine and set it off to the side. And then she took a deep breath. Oh, no. Had he said something wrong? Should he not have asked that?

"I hated being an only sibling," she said very honestly. "It was very boring growing up with no one to play with except for the children of the friends my parents invited over. And most of those times weren't casual so we couldn't really play anyway. I always wanted a sister."

"Not a brother?" Frank teased and Alice pulled a face.

"No, boys were gross. What about you?"

Be shrugged. "I didn't mind being an only child. It was sometimes a bit lonely but I basically grew up with James so..." he shrugged again, not really sure how to put it into words.

"He was basically a sibling to you," Alice said knowingly.

"Something like that."

He supposed that's what James was to him. Some sort of pseudo-sibling. But not really a sibling. Siblings were good things, weren't they? Maybe not to the same extent the Weasleys were going. What was it, seven children now? Merlin. Six siblings. Imagine having six siblings. And were Molly and Arthur even done? It wasn't something you asked people, that was just rude.

"I think it would be nice for Neville to have a sibling," Alice told him. "It means he won't be alone in this big house."

The manor wasn't that big.

"He's not exactly alone," Frank pointed out. "We're here."

But Alice made this dismissive gesture with her hand.

"Oh, you know what I mean. There will be times where we'll be busy and he'll be with a Nanny Elf."

That was true. And sometimes that did get rather boring.

"I'm sure he'll have Harry and Teddy and Cassie as well," said Frank and then chuckled. "Though, who knows what he'll think of a girl following him around."

That got him a soft punch to the arm - something she'd picked up from Marlene, though Marlene didn't do it softly.

"Nothing wrong with girls."

"Of course not," he said hastily.

"And anyway," Alice continued, "if that child is anything like either of her parents then she'll be do it in there with all the boys."

Frank had to laugh at that. That was true. She'd probably terrify all the boys, make them do her bidding.

"They'll all have such good fun growing up together," Frank said with a nod.

Because that's what would happen. They were going to have the chance to grow up together. They had to.

"Yes," Alice agreed. "But friends aren't exactly family."

Try telling that to the Marauders but Frank decided not to point that out.

"Could we really do it?" Frank asked, biting his lip as he started having second thoughts.

"Do what? Have another child?" Alice frowned and looked down at her stomach. "I'm sure we could."

He shook his head. That wasn't what he was asking. He hadn't been questioning her fertility. Of course, he wasn't. He wasn't a Malfoy, after all. Merlin.

"No, that's not what I meant."

Alice gave him a confused look.

"Then what did you mean?"

Frank stayed quiet, not knowing how to put it into words. Or, rather, he did but he just didn't want to. Because, well...

"Frank."

He sighed.

"Would it be fair?"

She blinked at him. "Fair."

He gestured around them, "Yes. Fair. Would it be fair to bring another child into this world when our world is going to be this house for the foreseeable future?"

"It's not always going to be."

But Alice was chewing her lip. He sighed again. Why weren't things ever simple?

Tuesday 6th October 1981

Potions Lab, 16:00

Severus cursed loudly as he threw away his stirring rod. He wanted it as far away from him as possible. He didn't even want to look at it anymore. Okay, maybe he wasn't as spontaneous as he could have, he knew exactly where his stirring rod flew across to. He wasn't just going to throw it to the floor or against the wall, glass stirring rods were expensive. Especially the ones he used these days. Don't get him wrong, they were worth it, being stain proof, never gained any sort of charge and always glided smoothly through any potion. But still. Expensive.

"Something go wrong?" His mentor asked, raiding an eyebrow at his outburst of emotion.

Knowing that he was being asked about the potion that he assigned him, Severus shook his head.

"The Felix Felicis is fine," he said confidently, pointing towards the simmering cauldron.

He wouldn't be able to do anything to that for a while now, hence why he was working on another potion. His potion. The one that would hopefully allow him to gain his Potions Mastery.

Severus was coming to the end of his apprenticeship, surprisingly. Normally a Potions Mastery took five years to complete. He was on track to complete it in three and a half. To complete it and pass well, he had to demonstrate his ability to brew three of six complicated potions and complete his research project. He had chosen Felix Felicis as one of his, one that apprentices never chose, it was that complicated. Usually of you were going for higher bands of Mastery you might choose it. Like the upgrade from second class to first. Never an apprentice to fifth class. But he was doing it. He could do it. He knew he could.

But as complicated as that was, that wasn't the cause of his current distress. No, not distress. Annoyance. Because things were not going the way he wanted to.

Remember all his research into blood-typing? His sort of false front for his tendrils of an idea for something to help werewolves? But he didn't want to say that out loud at all because people always got so weird when it came to werewolves. And not in a good way. The dunderheads.

Anyway, he had accidentally got really into that - It turned out that your blood type did have an effect on how potions interacted with you. For example, if you had O-negative blood then fever reducers took longer to fight your favour. On the other hand, AB blood meant that they took effect almost immediately. Fascinating stuff. And the Wording World wouldn't appreciate it as much as they should because they were so weird about blood. For good reason but this was innocuous.

But that was beside the point. The blood typing was not meant to be his research topic. A werewolf cure was. Or, a werewolf aid, anyway. Werewolf blood and human blood were such fascinating things to compare. He had spent so long comparing and record g how each reacted to different ingredients.

But he had screwed up his last experiment. He hadn't kept the sample free from contaminants and now three day's worth of work was down the drain. Hence his frustration.

His mentor was still looking at him expectantly and Severus flushed in embarrassment.

"Just discovered I wasted three whole days," he mumbled.

That got him a raised eyebrow.

"Indeed. Frustrating but not exactly deserc9ng of such an outburst."

Severus winced at his chiding tone. He really was going to have to get a grip on himself.

Thursday 8th October 1981

Tonks' Home, 19:00

"I still can't believe that you're moving out," Andromeda said in disbelief, shaking her head. "I honestly thought that there were no houses or apartments left to see in London."

"Us either," Remus replied, feeling tired just thinking of all the hunting they had done to get to this point.

"Going to miss us?" Dora asked cheekily.

"Of course," Andromeda said instantly. "But I'm just surprise that everything came together so well for you."

Dora beamed at her mother. "I know! Isn't it great?"

"You were due a bit of luck," Ted said, nodding and then hauled a box across the room and shrunk it. "I think that's the last one."

"It is," Remus agreed after checking it over.

It really was amazing how much stuff one managed to accumulate over just a few years.

"That's us then," Dora said, biting her lip. "We're done. Ready to go."

And they were. What a strange thought. Remus wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It still didn't feel real to him. Was that normal? He felt like he should feel more excited but he didn't. Not really. He didn't feel sad either though. Just kind of like... well, he'd been cast adrift. It was such an odd feeling.

"Ready to go," Andromeda repeated, her eyes shining oddly brightly.

It made Remus uncomfortable, not used to her displaying a lot of emotion. She was still the epitome of a Black Lady in a lot of ways, after all.

They all looked at each other, none of them really knowing what to do. This was the end of an era, so to speak. They were no longer going to be sharing a house. They were moving out. Going off by themselves. Of course, he and Dora had lived away from home before. Separately. And then everything happened. So, he supposed that this was them returning to normality.

Ted broke the silence by chuckling and opened his arms. "Oh, come on. Bring it in."

That was all they needed to cling together in a big group hug.