Complicity
The Library was closing. Remus and Lily continued bonded as they went up to their house so that he would continue to replay that morning's conversation in his mind.
Remus got up, opened the door to the meeting room, and said to Sev, "You may come in."
Sev walked in, relocked the door, and they both sat down.
"Explain to him the idea you've had, Sirius," Remus said.
"All three of us, James, Peter and I, are unregistered Animagi," Sirius said. "Remus explained that he already told you."
"Yes, I already knew that, for a long time," Sev said.
"And yet you haven't told on us," James told him.
"Well no, so as not to annoy Remus and make him stay alone in his crisis. I didn't do it for you, I did it for him, I put friendship ahead of the rivalry I felt towards you."
'I tell you, he's a good person, exceptional,' thought Sirius, who Remus was reading.
"Wow… that honors you" James told him, admired.
"Of course," Sirius said, with the same sentiment.
Remus read Sirius. 'I already knew that was the reason why he did not do it, but I am not going to miss the opportunity to value him.'
"The good feelings should always be above the bad ones, that's precisely why we're here right now," Sev said.
They were silent, thinking. 'I am still sorry and ashamed that he was the one who took the first step to create a good relationship, I feel that I am far below him. I have to live up to him, do everything on my part, whatever he requires of me. Now he'll know if he's reading me.'
"How is it possible that meeting often with Dumbledore hasn't discovered it?" Sirius asked.
Remus broke off, "There he hid again that he knew we were occlumants, although he suspected that Sev could have noticed, so that James wouldn't."
"Sure," Lily said. "Go on."
'Look of appreciation. He thinks I'm cunning, but I'm much less cunning than he is. He leans back, he's going to reassure us.'
"Don't ask me, maybe he has discovered it and doesn't care about it for the same reason, so that Remus won't be left alone, just like last year he didn't listen to me when I told on you about the Shrieking Shack."
'Very good dissimulation that he is occlumant, James will buy it. I admire him more and more.'
"Sure... So don't you think it's a good idea that we tell McGonagall about Peter so they can get him expelled?" Sirius asked.
"No, Sirius," Sev replied. "Maybe if you put McGonagall in the way she wouldn't be as compassionate as Dumbledore. You already know that she is very strict, and Transfiguration is her domain. And if you did that, Peter could tell on you too, maybe once out of school straight to the Ministry, and then you'd be lost. What you should do is register as soon as you turn seventeen."
"Can we?" James asked, interested. "Don't we have to wait until we graduate?"
'Good enough for us not having informed ourselves. We are very slob, much to learn. He knows it without being it, he thinks of everything.'
"No, it's enough to be seventeen. Do you turn them before Peter?" Sev asked.
"Yeah, he's one of the little ones, born in summer," James answered.
"And you, when?"
"March twenty-seventh," James replied.
"November third," Sirius replied. 'I'm sure he'll already remember our birthdays forever.'
"And when do you turn them, Remus?" Sev asked. "I've never asked you."
"March tenth," Remus replied.
"Oh, man… why didn't you tell me?" sorry.
"Because I knew that you would have been overwhelmed by giving me a gift."
"Ugh, Remus... but I couldn't even congratulate you like that."
"It's okay, Sev, I didn't congratulate you on yours either."
"But because it was on Christmas holidays and we didn't see each other."
"We saw each other shortly after and I didn't congratulate you."
"Well, next year we will congratulate each other, when we turn seventeen," Sev told him, nd to the others, "Well, there you have it. Sirius, you can register up at Christmas, and you, James, at Easter, and immediately afterward you tell on him and we'll kick him out of school. What do you think?"
"Ugh… still almost a year of hiding it," James said.
Sev addressed him, "Well, yes, because it is not convenient for him to turn against you during all that time. Learn from us, Remus has spent almost a year hiding his friendship with me from you and I did the same with the vipers until I had a chance to part with them. Now you are part of the team and you begin to be in on the secrets, you must learn to keep them for the good of all."
"You're absolutely right," Sirius said.
'James has a nerve to have complained after the talk I gave him. It is clear that he still has a lot to learn, he is already putting him in trouble. I'm going to have to keep a lot of secrets from him too.'
"Remus will help you, he knows a lot about it, and you should know a lot too, Sirius," Sev continued.
Remus was nodding.
Remus broke off, "And Sirius didn't nod, he hid from Sev the talk that he had thrown at James."
"Indeed."
Remus continued to reminisce.
"Any questions you have, ask him or directly me when we meet over the weekend," Sev went on. "I lead the fifth-grade group, you have very easy access to me."
"Thank you for giving us this opportunity, suspecting the risk we were all taking with Pettigrew," Sirius said. 'I am not going to lose any opportunity to value him.'
"You deserve it, you are so willing to take a risk in war like everyone else, the unfair thing would have been for you to stay alone and behind. Now you must design between the three of you a training attendance plan. Since Remus outplays you and he's not going to take Defense, he might be able to sacrifice more assists than you so you can catch up with the others as soon as possible. Would you be willing, Remus?"
"Of course," Lupin replied.
"I also do it for him, I understand that for him you are true friends. You made a great effort to become Animagi to accompany him and you take a risk every month being expelled. I am also grateful to you for that, I would not do it. I'm going to do it in the future, when I turn seventeen and I can register."
"When do you turn them?" James asked.
"January ninth."
"It is easier to become an Animagus in the animal of your Patronus. What is your Patronus?"
'Well, James is starting to do well, I'm going to remember his birthday too.'
"I have three different ones," Sev answered, proud of himself.
"What are you saying?" Sirius exclaimed, very astonished.
"What you are hearing."
"I don't believe it," James said.
"Believe it, he wouldn't lie about something like that," Remus told him, and to Sev, "You hadn't told me. Since when do you know?"
Lily and Remus had already arrived home, they sat down on the couch. Remus broke off, "There I stopped reading him because I was looking at Sev."
"Sure, keep going."
"Since Monday, when I tried them for this week's Defense class," Sev replied.
"You'll show me."
'Oh… I want to see them… and show him mine,' Sirius thought, read by Remus.
"I can show you the two new ones if you want, you'll like one a lot, so they see that I conjure at least two different ones and James believes it."
"Do it, I really want to see them."
Sev got up, they all did, positioning themselves between the headboard and the door.
Remus broke off, "That while I stopped reading."
"Yes, Sev too. Show me anyway."
Sev conjured nonverbally, a panther emerged, roaring at him, threatening with its paw.
"It's true, it's different than the other one," Remus said.
"Why do it do that?" Sirius asked, very astonished.
"My Patronuses are special, they do things," Sev replied, "I do the third one with you, Remus."
"Brilliant."
They conjured at a time. Remus's wolf and Sev's she-wolf emerged and began to play.
"Twin of mine? Is this memory with me?" Lupin asked excitedly.
"No, Remus. Yours is male and mine is female. I'll tell you later."
Remus broke off and asked Lily, "Who is the wolf with?"
"Twin of Deborah's."
"Oh… I continue."
"I've never seen anything like it," James said, amazed and excited. "I'm sorry for doubting you."
"Half a lifetime doubting me, James," Sev said sarcastically. "All is forgiven."
"I haven't doubted that you could do it, but it's amazing," Sirius said, admired. "What a power you have."
"It is simply that I have several very happy memories, each one with a different person. Can you show me yours?"
"Of course," James said.
James verbally conjured and the deer emerged, quickly rushing through the classroom door.
"I won't be able to make mine at a time that yours, Prongs, it would be devoured."
The four laughed. Remus and Lily did too.
Then Sirius conjured. A huge dog arose, bigger than the wolves.
"Wow, Padfoot…" Sev said, admired. "Yours is very powerful and he is a canid like my wolf."
"Of course, I'm the one who usually controls Remus the most in his crisis, but when you become an Animagus you'll help me too."
"Of course. Let's sit down again, we must continue with the talk."
They did, in the places they had already occupied before. Remus read Sirius. 'I suspect he didn't do the first one because he's involved with Evans and she's going to be an Animagus too, like Cecile. I know for sure that Evans is with him, but I'm not going to say anything to James or mention her during the conversation, but I do plan to keep James in check in that regard. If they are reading me they are already finding out.'
Lily interrupted, "Sev didn't get to read that Sirius knew you were reading them because he also read Potter, discovering that he didn't suspect anything."
"Brilliant. I continue."
"By the way, did Pettigrew manage to conjure Patronus?" Sev asked.
"No, he didn't even get an incorporeal," Sirius said.
"Well, there you have the proof, he is not reliable. So watch, listen and shut up. Any more questions about Pettigrew?"
"Not at the moment," Sirius said.
"Nothing," James said.
"Okay, then I move on to another topic, a warning," Sev continued. "Voldemort proposes that all good duelists join him as soon as they graduate."
"And how do you know that?" Sirius asked, very puzzled. 'He saves nothing for himself, what a favor he is doing us.'
"Long time in close contact with the enemy, Sirius."
"A magnificent double agent," he replied. 'He has to be careful with Dumbledore, not be manipulated by him. When we're alone, I'll talk to him about it.'
Remus interrupted and said to Lily, "You have to tell Sev about this."
"He has already smelled it for a long time, he told me on Monday."
"Ugh… this Albus is not to be trusted."
"Well no, luckily we are all occlumants. Go on."
"I warn you so that you can get ready, when we graduate we will be in the middle of the war," Sev said. "One more reason to have invited you."
They were silent. Remus read Sirius. 'I'm not afraid of Voldemort, I'm just deeply grateful to him for letting us know. I know that with the instruction we will be prepared, precisely thanks to him. How much he is doing for us.'
"And I'm very pleased that I did," Sev continued. "I have observed that in just an hour and a half you have improved a lot. You are going to be exceptional fighters, excellent signings."
"How generous you are, valuing us like that," James told him. "After all we've done to you."
'Very well said, James.'
"Something more that thank you for, precisely thanks to that I learned to fight thoroughly," said Sev. "I am now the second best duelist in the school while still in fifth year."
"Who's the best?"
Sev laughed.
'He's going to start teasing him. And quite rightly, what will that matter?'
"Alice."
"Longbottom's girlfriend?" very surprised. "Is she better than him?"
'What a sexist James is, the complete opposite of Prince, who has a girl second.'
"Of course she is, she is capable of fighting three against one against the lazy seventh-graders at a low level. How about? Hogwarts' best duelist is a witch."
"She doesn't seem, so petite."
"We are witches, that doesn't matter," Sev said. "It's about having agility and good reflexes. I suppose you have them too, being a Quidditch player."
'Absolutely right.'
"Of course, flying on a broom helps a lot to develop them."
"Do you fly too, Sirius?"
"Yeah, at James' we always fly," Sirius replied.
"I'm learning now, I haven't flown since first year."
"Oh…" James said, sad.
"I don't have money to buy a broom, I come from a very humble background," Sev said.
They both stayed silent. 'I feel absolutely no compassion for him, only deep admiration, he has made himself. Can't wait to catch him alone and have a good talk.'
"The other day my escort gave me one, a Nimbus 1500, the best that exists," Sev added.
"It's the one I have," James replied.
"Great. Well, knowing how to fly on a broomstick will be very good for you to fight. You know, the skirmishes."
"Sure, the skirmishes…" Sirius said, understanding. 'He knows a lot, as much or more than I do, and he controls Dark Magic. What I'm telling you, a magnificent double agent, and even more knowing Mental Arts and with two years still ahead of him to train. He has to be very careful with Dumbledore, although I'm sure he's already thought about it, he doesn't miss a beat.'
"From next year we will all learn, we will form squads and we will learn to fly in formation to fight like this," Sev explained.
"Wooow…" James exclaimed. "Fantastic."
'James is going to be blown away training for skirmishes. He has already finished winning him over, he knows how to win people over.'
"That is why we are already forming groups," Sev went on. "Half of the time the commanders form them to get to know each other and the other half are organized by affinity. That's why you couldn't stay behind, you would have been left alone."
"Sure…" Sirius said, understanding. "Thanks again for giving us the opportunity."
"Speaking of giving chances, also talk to the two girls from our year who haven't joined yet. One of them is Muggle-born, right?"
"Yes," James said.
"And the other one was attacked last year by the malefics of our year. Maybe she'd like to learn how to defend herself, too."
"We'll talk to them, of course," Sirius said. 'I know Mary won't say a word, Bethany I don't know.'
"Make sure they keep the secret from Pettigrew, one of them is quite a gossip. If they're not going to, don't tell them anything for now."
'He's got it all figured out, I admire him a lot, he's already been informed by Evans, Remus or reading us.'
"They are not going to study Defense, they will not be combatants and they will still have more than a year to learn when you expel the rat," Sev added.
The four laughed. 'He's funny. How he knows how to create a good atmosphere.' "We'll assess it," Sirius said.
"Assess it yourself, you know them better than me."
'He trust me, he already knows a lot about me.' "I'll do it, do not worry."
They were silent. 'I'm going to tell Mary so she can help us keep Peter under control as well, but tell James not to tell Bethany for now. And I know Mary won't either if I tell her, she has a crush on me and she'll be afraid something bad will happen to me. Besides, if he and Remus read, I'm sure Evans does too and they can keep both them and Peter in check.'
Lily interrupted, "There Sev read him but not to the point of realizing that Sirius already knew we read."
"Oh…"
"Of course, because he wasted some time evaluating the information he obtained."
"I continue."
"Any questions, Sirius?" Sev asked.
"Yeah. I think Mary can be trusted, and she could help us keep Peter in check."
"You know her better than me, tell her if you want. She won't tell the other one?"
"I'm sure she won't, she doesn't air the compromised secrets," Black replied. 'Her relationship with me.'
Remus interrupted, "He put behind the secret with which he leads his relationships to create trust."
"Of course, but he did not stop being discreet."
"I continue."
"Tell her then even if she can't come to train, she will do it in the future," Sev suggested. "Any other questions you have, ask me, okay? I am the one who looks out for everyone's safety."
"Of course I will, Prince." 'He's reading James without looking at him, in case he wants to bring up the subject of Evans, I'm sure he's already thought of it too.'
Sev turned to James. "Do you have any questions, James?"
"Yeah, what about Evans?"
'I already know them both by heart.'
Lily commented, admired, "Black is very awake, he already was reading Sev without reading him. You've had a great time."
Remus laughed. "Of course. I continue."
"Do you fear for her?" Sev asked.
"Of course, she was your friend for many years," James replied.
"Yeah, but you already saw that we parted away when my situation became compromised, no one relates us anymore."
"Did you get away from her because of that?" compassionate.
"Yes, for not putting her in danger," Sev answered.
"Oh… I thought you were still secretly together," sorry.
'What an exceptional liar, James buys it.' Sirius looked at Remus and smiled at him. Remus smiled back, raising his eyebrows.
"No, James, we are not."
"And if she is no longer in danger, why is she always accompanied by the Longbottoms?" Potter asked.
"Just in case. I still care for her very much and I have already told you, anyone close to me may suffer reprisals. Do not suffer anymore for her, she will have protection also in summer."
"And how did you organize her protection without being with her?"
'Merlin, I have to force myself not to laugh, what a fool James is.'
"Very easy. I simply asked Remus to protect her by making friends with the Longbottoms, and later, when I contacted him, Dumbledore as well," Sev replied.
"Wow… I see that you know how to take good care of people, without expecting anything in return."
"Yes, it is one of my qualities."
'One of many, he is caring of us without expecting anything in return. I'm sure James has bought it, he's reading him, now he'll read me too, yes, he looks at me. I know for sure, now more than ever, that you are with Lily, but I'm not going to say a word to James, I'm already more on your side than on his in every way. Let's see if he gives me a sign. He smiles at me, I smile back satisfied.'
Lily interrupted, laughing, "How come you didn't tell me this, Remus?"
"Because I thought that Sev would have told you."
"Look how mysterious you like to play. He has not told me anything."
"His little secret with Sirius, he has a right to have them," said Lupin.
"Yes, but he didn't think to be discreet enough."
"But now we are going to fix it, Lily, it's okay, let him learn too."
"Go on, go."
"I have something more to thank you for my part," Sev continued. "Precisely because of your bullying I am very famous throughout the school and that is why I had such a pull when it was discovered that I was on the side of the good guys."
"Wow…" Sirius said, "You really had us all fooled."
"No one fooled, I just hung out with my dormmates, as you have done with Pettigrew. If you noticed, in class I never sat with them, I always in the first row and they in the last."
"Yes, that's true," James said. "But you also hung out with the older purebloods, especially Malfoy."
'He has a nerve to bring up that subject, look, I asked him not to embarrass him, I'm going to have to tell him off well.'
"I was small and I was flattered that he paid attention to me," Sev replied. "He has no siblings and neither do I, he played the older brother."
"Of course, I can understand it, I don't have them either, that's why Sirius and Remus are like brothers to me."
"I can understand that too," Sirius said, "I have one but is like I don't have it. What a bad luck you had, that you were adopted by precisely the worst of all."
Sev smiled sadly at him. 'He really appreciated him before he realized what he was getting himself into, and Malfoy's not too bad either, he didn't let Narcissa get marked.'
"And Narcissa, do you ever see her?" Sev asked.
"Neither."
"And your other cousin, the one who is a blood traitor?"
"Andromeda? Neither," Black replied. "She cut herself off from the family completely as soon as she graduated." 'He is worrying about my whole family. Of course, his mother was also a Slytherin blood traitor.'
"Don't you know anything about her?"
"I don't." 'And I'm very sorry, it's the only family I have that is worth it.'
"I find it funny that almost all of you have names of stars," Sev commented.
"Yes, it is a tradition in my family."
"I adore Astronomy, do you like it?"
'Great, something else in common.' "Yeah, I love it too," Sirius answered, smiling.
"I not so much," Potter said.
'Ugh, James… you could have lied, now you really have earned him teasing you, you'll see. He leans back in the chair with his hands in his pockets in a cocky attitude, you'll see, you'll see…'
"But you like Quidditch and so do I. This year we beat you," Sev said.
'Take that!' Sirius smiled at Remus, who smiled back. 'Let's see what else he unleashes. He's not going to mess with me, I've already won him up.'
"You only beat Ravenclaw, you even lost to Hufflepuff," Sev continued.
James still didn't look up, Sirius and Remus were laughing, Sev too.
Remus broke off, "That's when I stopped reading him, we had finished with the controversial issues."
"Sure, Remus, well done, only in emergencies. But end up showing me."
"Your prongs weigh you down and you're going to fall off the broom," aggressive and vehement.
Lily and Remus burst out laughing.
"Do I continue?" Lupin asked.
"Go on, go."
Remus and Sirius burst out laughing, Sev too, James couldn't help but laugh, not looking up.
Lily interrupted, "He did read them, to see if they had understood the joke, Black did and Potter didn't. Continue."
Remus finished showing Lily the conversation, how the three of them had declared their eternal friendship and Sev had asked Sirius to fight.
When they were done, Lily said to Remus, "It's after half past nine, we have to design the strategy, make a list of the issues that Black can bring up and see how we respond to him."
They did, when they finished it was after a quarter past ten.
"Can you bring me the potion, Remus? So I go into the bedroom and you can spend some time with Cecile and tell Black. He is sitting alone, waiting for me to go with him."
"Sure, I'll bring it to you. Do you have a dispenser?"
"Yes, otherwise I could Summon it."
Remus went up to his bedroom for the flask of Restorative potion, handed it to Lily unnoticed and she slipped it into the pocket of her robes.
"Good night, handsome, see you after midnight," she said.
"Like the good old days."
"Well yes, let's see when they come back."
"I'm sure you'll see Sev soon, now there's no danger," he encouraged her.
"Hopefully."
Lily thought, If he hasn't been too much amazed about Lauren. He was right when he told me that it was going to hurt me that he was with her when he couldn't be with me. It's strange, I don't care about Deborah, but Lauren, in that aspect, is miles ahead of me, I have nothing to do against her. I don't even think Sev is waiting anymore for me to be his first. In any case, he will tell me, he would never lie to me about something like that.