Book I: Birth of the Order

Chapter VI: Secrets

Music Theme - The Joker - Steve Miller Band

The back room of Borgin and Burkes...

Bellatrix stomped around the back room, flicking her wand wildly at others to have them wince in pain. "Cowards! The lot of you. Fleeing from a bunch of children and an old man!" A chuckle game from Greyback who had just joined the meeting and leaned in the door. "What else do you expect from hiring children, Trixie?" She turned and glared then strolled towards him. "And some help you were… lingering in the shadows. Your mutt was even there."

"I don't take orders from you, Lestrange," he said as he lazily picked at his nails. "Besides, I couldn't make myself known yet."

"Why not?" She lifted her wand and swatted his hand away so he would face her. He inhaled as he rose his head to meet her eyes then glanced over her to the table of others. "Perhaps you should be talking to the ones who picked the fight." Regulus and Snape stared at him blankly. "Yes," Bellatrix said before turning and approaching them. "Why did you go without telling us? Trying to prove something?"

"Just following a hunch," Snape said with a shrug.

"Well a good one, I'll give you that," Bellatrix said. "But next time," she extended her wand and used it's tip to raise Snape's head by his chin. "Don't get strung up by your ankles by a little girl."

"Tabitha?" He pulls his head away. "I can handle her. I can handle them all!"

"Even James Potter?" Said a Malfoy from the corner. "Or will you let old school rivalries impede your judgement?"

"Be quite, Lucious," Snape snapped. "You keep out of this."

He held up his hands defensively. "I'm only suggesting-" but Regulus cut him off. "Sit down, Malfoy. Your voice is getting on my nerves." This caused Narcissa to stand so quickly her chair fell back. "How dare you speak to him like that! You wouldn't even be here if he hadn't pulled some strings. Don't be so ungrateful."

"Speaking of your loyalties, Reggie," Greyback started, "Why were you talking to Potter in Diagon Alley earlier?" Silence fell and all heads turned to Regulus who said, "Unlike You Fenrir, I have been a loyal fan of the Dark Lord before all of this even started. It was my dream to fulfill my family's legacy. I'm may have regrets about my past but I am not a traitor..."

"A dream? Or a duty?" He sneered. "I do what I'm needed to do in order to perfect this world. You do nothing. Your regrets do not make up for your falter in allegiance to this Dark Lord."

"A coversation with James Potter is hardly a falter in allegiance. I'll prove it to you!" He stood now as Greybak stood upright in the doorway and said, "Do it then."

"I will! I'll show you my loyalty!"

"I trust you will," Greyback said sarcastically. Narcissa, hoping to save her family's reputation from ruin, piped up. "Where is Forrestor? I didn't see him at our little tussle in Hogsmede." Heads turn to Greyback who struggs and says "Don't looke at me."

"You've been crashing at his flat while his brother is away, haven't you?"

"Stayed with him a couple times. He's got a good liquor cabinet. Nothing more. Any word from that brother of his? The hitman?"

"You make it sound so un-poetic, Fenrir," Bellatrix says. "He's in Paris right now. Working through the blood traitors and mudbloods as we speak. And don't think I didn't notice you avoiding the questions. Why did you stay hidden from your mutt today?"

Fenrir just smiled, "He wasn't the one I was hiding from…"

Meanwhile Just Outside of London...

The group arrived with staggered entrances and followed James up the street. He looked to his side and noticed Lily rubbing her head. "You alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine. Just mildly banged up. You?"

"That hex packs a wallop," he said bluntly. "I can't stand that woman," Lily groaned and added, "Or any of her insane family for that matter." Sirius cleared his throat behind them causing Lily to look back. He held his shoulder and was pale but still managed to give her a disapproving look. "Not you, Sirius," She said, "You're more of our family than theirs." He stayed quiet but seemed satisfied with that answer as he grinned, but grimaced as soon as Peter smacked him on the back. "Yea, Padfoot! You're one of us." The smaller boy beamed until he saw the look on Sirius' face. "Eh… shoulder still hurt then?" He stepped away and Sirius moaned, "How could you tell?" Tabitha chuckled and Sirius snapped, "What are you laughing at? Maybe if you had shown up sooner I wouldn't have a dislocated shoulder."

"Are you saying you needed my help, Black?" Tabitha raised an eyebrow.

Sirius fumbled over his words. "What? No!"

Marlene just rolled her eyes at the two. "We all did our best. They just outnumbered us and targeted our weaknesses."

"I don't have weaknesses," Sirius mumbled. Marlene just sighed and kept walking.

"I love this place," James said over his shoulder as he reaches for Lily's hand. He noticeed her refusal to take it. Lifting his eyebrow, he shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. "Makes me feel like a muggle," he added.

"Do many muggles live here?" Tabitha asked from behind and James nodded. "But there are quite a few wizards. Here we are." He approached one of the brick flats and unlocked the door with his wand. He pushed through the door and revealed his humble abode.

A picture of James and Sirius sat on the foyer table."Shouldn't you have a pictures of Lily?" Peter whispered to his mate. James gave a forgetful grunt then flicked his wand and changed the picture.

Everyone flooded into the sitting room of the small flat. It was somewhat grey in design. The shag carpet had taken a beating, the grey paint on the practically bare walls had faded. Even the sofa's were dull in their shape and color. James loved it though. His father insisted on supplying him with the proper furnishings and his mother attempted to decorate on every visit, but he always, uncharacteristically refused. This place was all his. James gave some swishes and flicks of his wand to clear away belongings that he had strewn about the place. "Sorry, I would have cleaned if I had been expecting company." He felt Lily rest her hand on his wand and lower it. "Sit, James. I'm going to make you some tea."

"I'm fine, Lily."

"Sit." She gave him a look and he obeyed, taking off his corduroy jacket. Sirius also collapsed on the couch and bit his lip to hold in the hiss of pain. Marlene walked over and rested a hand on his shoulder.

Sirius quickly grabbed her hand to stop her, saying, "Don't touch it."

"Don't be a baby," she muttered jerking her hand away. "I'll get something for that." She then followed Lily into the kitchen.

Tabitha watched Remus who started to pale. "He's about to be sick," She said as she sat beside him on the couch. "You alright, Lupin?"

"No," he choked out. Tabitha went to pat his back but hesitated.

"None of us are," Sirius grunted. "Sour Grape Snape just sicked some goons on us and won."

"They didn't win," James defended as he pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes exhausted. "At least the meeting dismissed before they got there."

"Yes, and that's another thing. They seemed to know about the order. Just how much information can be leaked about something before it's even organized properly?"

"Sirius, Dumbledore warned us that they may know our plans before we even know them ourselves," James replied.

"Can we just stop talking?" Remus said as he started to sway. Tabitha now put a hand on his shoulder to hold him steady and he whispered, "Liquor isn't my friend."

"Noted." She said and Remus' head dropped down onto her shoulder as if it had suddenly become too heavy. Tabitha tensed for a second then relaxed and whispered with a smirk, "what a lump..."

Marlene emerged from the kitchen and approached Sirius who groaned "You lot are worse than Pomphrey. I'm fine. I'll give it a good rub, pop it back into place, rub dirt on it, you know."

"Shut it and bit on this." She handed him a some candy.

"Oi! Not my good toffee," James protested follow by Peter springing up from his seat and running to the kitchen. "Wormtail, leave my pantry alone!"

Sirius reluctantly took it and said, "This better not have a million calories in it." He bit hard on it while Marlene waived her wand over his shoulder and muttered, "Episky."

A pop was heard and everyone winced as Sirius choked down his groan, tightening his jaw around the bit of toffee.

"And now you can eat the candy since you've been such a good patient," Marlene said and patted his head.

"Oi!" Sirius snatched her hand by the wrist and yanked it away from his head. It genuinely startled her. The reaction even shocked Sirius slightly, unsure of why he felt so triggered. Marlene had always been a little patronizing. "I'm not a boy," was all he could say and let go of her arm.

"A 'thank you' would suffice next time," Marlene said coolly.

James spoke up to break the awkward silence that followed. "How's our Moony, Delaney? He too heavy for that shoulder of yours?"

"Huh?" Tabitha glanced at him. "Oh, I'm fine."

"I bet you are," James said with a chuckle and she just rolled her eyes at him. "So Tabs. Marley. Is Lily going to be mad at me for not telling her that I saw Snape in Diagon today?"

"Yes," everyone said in the room said at the same time, Sirius and Remus included. James just nodded as if he expected that response.

"That's what you're worried about?" Peter said as he entered with the toffee tin. "We almost just died!"

"C'mon Pete," Sirius said. "You know James would rather face off against those followers of You-know-who than face an angry Lily."

"The Death Eaters," Tabitha corrected. "They call themselves death eaters, Dumbledore said."

"Why do you care what I call them," he said back to her with a shrug, a bit more on edge than usual. "Not like you're staying."

"Says who?!"

"Oh please, Delaney. You flaked your whole life. Loner at School. Loner in life, isn't that right? You didn't even show up to the end of year party."

"Leave her alone, Sirius." Remus mumbled. The room was still spinning, but he had strong maternal instincts when it came to Sirius that even liquor couldn't subdue. He recognized his friend's anxiety rising, but didn't want it to be a reason Tabitha fell under attack, especially now that he knew why she wasn't at the party that night.

"Speaking of loners-"

"I said shut it," Remus snapped. He become quickly aware of the placement of his head on Tabitha's shoulder and sat upright, a bit too quickly though. He grabbed his head and moaned then glanced to Tabitha and mumbled, "Sorry."

"Black, what the hell is wrong with you?" Marlene asked.

"Nothing."

"Sirius, you're being kind-of an ass," James agreed.

"My damn shoulder hurts! That's all." He barked and stood up quickly. "I just air." He grabbed his coat and headed for the backyard.

"Padfoot!" James stood to follow him but Lily intercepted him as she emerged from the kitchen with his tea and says, "Sit."

James obeyed without hesitation.

"Severus, James? Severus?" She plopped the tea on the table. "You didn't think of mentioning to me that you had seen him?"

"You wouldn't have wanted to know he was running about with Voldemort's lot," he said defensively. "Not that it didn't confirm what we already suspected."

"Really," Lily said looking offended. "Thank you, James." Her tone was sarcastic. "Thank you for making my decisions for me. Most husbands wait until after marriage to start with that nonsense, but it's brilliant to know where we stand now."

"Lily," James just let his jaw drop and looked to Marlene who had her arms crossed. "Can you believe this?" He asked her.

"I'm sorry, Potter. Do you think I'm someone else?" She asked checking over her shoulder.

"I can believe it." Tabitha added. "Especially since you didn't tell us about Regulus. That's probably why Black is pissed."

"I was trying to help him!" James shouted.

"Look, I've always had a soft spot for Regulus too. We were potions apprentices together." Tabitha said. "But you saw what him and his friends did out there."

"If everyone had been a bit more sober, we may have won!" Marlene said waiving to Remus as an example.

"So this is my fault?" Their voices rose and James shot out of his chair. Someone please get Remus a bowl before he vomits on my carpet." With that, James walked outside to the front garden for a breath of fresh air.

The room was quiet, besides the smacking chews coming from Peter as he snacked on his toffee. "Well," He finally said, "That was awkward."

"I'm never drinking again," Muttered Remus and Tabitha pat him on the shoulder. "Please stop being so nice to me," he muttered unknowingly aloud and Tabitha pulled her hand away.

Lily looked down at her ring. She sighed as and looked at Tabitha. "Well Remus is in good hands. Marley-"

"I've got Black,"

"Good. Peter, the remote is on top of the telly." Everyone looked at each other, knowing she was going to remedy things with James. That thought alone brought each of them some encouragement. She was right though. As the group sat in the dimly lit living room, they thought through the last couple of hours. They were a team, of sorts, and this bickering was childish. It was clear that they had taken on more than anticipated. Lily stepped outside and saw James standing in the small yard. "James?" She called. The young man glanced from the night sky. He saw her approaching and looked away, trying to hold his head high to suggest he wasn't sulking. Lily just smirked, knowing him better. "I may have been a bit hard, but you know you deserved it."

"Did I?" He huffed out, but couldn't hide the smirk. He glanced at her. "So you'll still marry me?"

"I guess. If there is nothing better to do that weekend."

"What could be better than marrying me?" He teased.

Lily shrugged and said, "I guess I could marry Sirius."

James just gave her a look and bluntly said, "Funny."

"He is handsome, after all. He dresses better too."

James' expression changed, "Alright, it was funny before but now I'm getting concerned."

"Oh, James, don't be a sap. You know I would never marry someone like Black."

"Someone like him? We are exactly alike!"

"Oh, I beg to differ, Mr. Potter." She grinned and sat beside him, brushing the dirt from her light blue jeans. James laughed and scratches the back of his head. He stared at the blades of grass in front of him then said, "I don't know about this, Lily."

"About what?"

"Dumbledore trusted me with this team. Not one hour later and I've gotten everyone drunk and almost killed."

"First of all, not all of us were drunk," she wrapped an arm around him. "And we are all in one piece. We will learn how to do this, James. We all were terrible on our first day at Hogwarts. This will be no different."

"But the risk is greater. If we messed up at Hogwarts, we lost some house points. Here, we could lose a friend."

"Don't be so defeatist, James. There is always light in darkness. Always a silver lining in a dark cloud. You just have to find it."

James pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and turned to face her. "How did you ever get so lucky to marry me?"

Lily raised a disapproving eyebrow. "James."

"Oh right. Strike that. Reverse it. As good old Willy Wonka says."

"And engaged isn't married. You still have plenty of time to mess things up."

"And send you running into the arms of Sirius?" He suggested in reference to Lily's earlier joke.

A laugh escaped her before saying, "Exactly." James wrapped an arm around Lily and the question rolled through his mind. How did he get so lucky? "James?"

"Hmm?"

"No more secrets, alright?"

"... ok?"

"Even if it involves Severus."

"Lily, I knew you would be upset if I told you he had confronted me. Besides, I wasn't wanting to talk with him. It was Regulus I wanted a word with."

"James."

"Fine.." He sighed, "I promise. No more secrets."

"No secrets at all." James is quiet at this. How could he tell her about Remus? How could he tell her about Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail. He couldn't… those weren't his secrets to share. At least, not all of them. "Lils." His eyes widened as he heard his own voice. It was as if he was having an out of body experience as he continence took the steering wheel. "I have to show you something."

Meanwhile in the backyard, there was little light save for the moon but most of it was blocked by an old tree. Sirius puffed his cigarette while staring up at the stars. He heard the back porch door open and refused to turn to see who it was.

"So this is the fresh air you needed?"

His lip curled to a hidden grin when he heard Marlene's voice.

"Spare a smoke?"

"Just don't let mummy catch you or she'll scold both of us." He took the pack from his pocket and held it towards her without breaking his gaze from the sky.

"You mean, Remus?" She laughed as she took one from the pack.

"Who else?"

Marlene smiled and followed his gaze to the stars above. She put the cigarette to her lips and her brow furrowed as she puffed at it, but it refused to ignite itself as most wiz-cigs did. Assuming it was a dud, she snapped her fingers at the tip of cigarette and a flame emerged and lit it. She inhaled one puff and coughed it out.

"Muggle-made. You get used to it."

"The muggle ones will kill you."

"Better to be a sexy corpse than an old square," He grumbled. "Still doing that finger-fire trick?"

"Jealous?"

"Nah... I have other advanced magic skills that are far more impressive that some wand-less fire."

"Like what-" she tried to ask but coughed again. After a moment, she got used to the smoke but after a few puffs just held it between her fingers. After some silence she muttered. "It's not your shoulder bothering you is it? It's Regulus. That's why you got so triggered when I called you, 'boy'. Seeing your family today brought back some hard memories... and some harsh realities-"

"I don't remember ordering a counseling session McKinnon." He said ripping the cigarette from his mouth and finally facing her. He softened when their eyes met as he could see her genuine concern. "Look, I didn't mean to get upset." He huffed.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

He blew the smoke into the air and watched it. "Wizard smokes make shapes when you blow them out, ya know. But I think it's nice to try to find your own art in the blur."

"Like what people do with clouds?" She asked.

"Yea." He watched the smoke vanish into the air. "You're right though. Godric I can't believe I'm admitting that. But you are. He's... really one of them now."

"And that's why you couldn't call them 'death eaters' because..."

"Because the first face that comes to mind when I hear it now, is my brother's." He shook his head. "Kid was... is... an asshole. But he had potential. Has potential."

"We can still save him, Sirius.

"Yea... maybe. Maybe that's what James was trying to do, I don't know." He tossed the cigarette on the ground and put it out with his foot. "Everything has just changed in a damn day."

"So this is about Lily and James too? Just because he is marrying her doesn't mean you're less his friend."

"Nah, this is how it starts. Next it will be Remus, then Wormtail. Hell, you might even find someone before I do."

"Oi!" She smacked the back of his head. "Why do you say that like it's so impossible?" They just laughed and she says, "At least I got you laughing again."

"Don't flatter yourself. It's just the cigs." He took hers from between her fingers and puts it in his lips to take one more puff before putting it out.

"Thanks, McKinnon. For the shoulder that is. The talk was unsolicited."

"Still helped."

"Whatever you say."

A dazed look covered Lily Evan's face as she stood in the faded grass outside James Potter's flat. Before her stood the most handsome stag she had ever seen. It stamped his foot and snorted before holding it's head up high. "You're an animagus? I don't know if I should be impressed or upset that you kept such an incredible secret from me." The stag nodded. "When did you learn this? It had to be our last year." The stag shook his head. "After school?" He shook again. "James," She said impatiently and the stag changed back to James who said, "Our fourth year actually."

"That's not possible."

"Ah, but it is Evans." He crossed his arms and leaned on the garden wall. "We took two years to perfect the skill. Second year we started our research after finding out…" He stopped himself and glanced at her, reminding him it wasn't his secret to share. "finding out how good we were at charms like that."

"I see." She smirked at his lame cover up and added, "Did it have anything to do with a trip to the shrieking shack once a month?" James' eyes widened as he looked at her. "Wha- I don't… that is…"

"Severus was my best friend, James. Do you really think he wouldn't tell me about Remus?"

"Well-"

"And did you think he would have stayed silent about it to the whole school if I had insisted he do so?"

"Well I was wondering why he wasn't spreading rumors. I just thought Dumbledore was making him." He shook his head. "We wanted to help Remus, but he always insisted we stay away for safety. Then Peter saw in a textbook that animagi wouldn't be affected by a werewolf scratch." He rubbed his head. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you knew!"

"It wasn't my business to tell. A lesson the lot of you learned the hard way," she said with a serious look and James rolled his eyes. "Don't blame me for what happened to Sour Grapes. That was Sirius' doing."

"James, aren't we a little old to still be blaming our mates for things?" Her green eyes cut through to his core and he looked down. "We almost lost him because of that…"

"Well don't worry," She said as she wrapped him in a hug. "The band stuck together."

"I mean it, Lily." He looked at her through his glasses with a sincere expression. "Remus has always been a flight risk and Sirius did let his pride come before his loyalty. I don't want anything like that to happen again."

"We aren't flawless, Potter. We all have faults. If we live without recognition of them, only then will we fail." She stood up and held out her hand to help him. "We should get back inside, though… Bambi."

James took her hand and stood, but then pulled her into a hug.

"Remus…." Tabitha whispered as she gently poked the sleeping boy's forehead. "Remus? Wake up time." Remus heard her voice as his eyes fluttered awake, but the light gave him a headache. Tabitha was standing there looking at him with a mug in her hand. "Hey… whipped something up for you."

"What is it?" He looked at the mug in her hand and she passed it to him. Their fingers brushed and she quickly drew her hand away. "Thanks," he said softly. After one sip, his entire expression changed to one of disgust. "Good Godric."

"Is it that bad?"

"It's a little… overdone, but thanks." He took some more sips and then looked at Pete who was asleep on the floor in front of the Telly with toffee wrappers all around him. "I guess we are the last two standing."

"Yea." She looked around just to be sure before speaking up.

"Rem-"

"Tabs-" They both spoke at the same time. "Sorry," He said. "you go."

"I shouldn't have told you about me. I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to think I left because of you."

"But you did." He said looking into his cup of hangover juice.

"Not because of anything you did, though. Hell, if anything, all you did was be kind to me and a good friend. I don't want to loose that. It was just too hard."

"Do you remember..." He paused wondering if he should say anything else. "Do you remember end of 5th year. You tried to punch Snape in the great hall."

"Merlin's beard." She covered her face embarrassed. "Of course I remember that. It was after Sev had called Lily a... Well... you remember."

He nodded. "I saw all of it. Everyone was horrified. But I was so bloody proud of you. Never had detention a day in your life but you were willing to end a friendship and your perfect school record for your best friend."

"It was a horrid punch though. Probably looked pathetic."

"That's when I realized... I..."

"That you... what?" She froze, unsure if she wanted him to continue.

"When I realized... you were special." He internally felt like kicking himself for course-correcting last second, but kept going anyway. "I had never seen that side of you. I don't want you to loose that fire or spirit, Tabitha. If leaving the Wizarding World, leaving me, meant finding yourself. I understand. I don't blame you."

"Still... I'm sorry. I never want you to feel you've done something wrong, especially to me. You could never hurt me."

His smile faded. She says that now, but if she ever saw the monster he became each month, she would take it back.

"But," Tabitha continued. "What happened today changes things. And what I saw in the muggle world too. This war is impacting everyone. It has to stop. I can't turn my back to protect myself."

"So... you're staying?"

"I'm staying. If it's ok with you?"

"Yes!" He says too quickly and clears his throat. "I mean yea, works for me. If I don't make you uncomfortable."

"No... we're... friends. Right?"

"Always."

Just then the door swung in from the backyard and Sirius emerged and said, "Feisty little thing, isn't she?"

"Interested in her, are you?" Remus said with a tired grin. Sirius let out a chuckle.

"In McKinnon? Don't be ridiculous."

"You're right," he sighed. "She's too smart for you."

"Oi! What do you know about it anyway?" He stopped, feeling the elephant in the room and glanced between the two of them. "Did I walk in on something?"

"Still smoking are you?" Remus said to change the subject quickly.

Tabitha stood and took the cup from Remus' hand. "I'll get you more of this."

"Oh... goody..." he said mockingly as she left the two of the.

"So?" Sirius asked after she had left. "What did I just walk in on?"

"Tabitha said... she loved me. Does love me."

"Delaney said that?" He scratched his head. "I didn't even think she was capable of love."

"I didn't think I was capable of being loved," He rubbed the back of his neck and shut his eyes. "Why now?" He whispered to himself solemnly. Sirius looked at his friend. The full moon was only a few nights away and Remus' mood swings were unpredictable. Normally, he would be so on edge at all times that he would force himself to be solemn and sulky to try and fight the frustration. Poor bloke hardly got to relax and be himself.

"Hey Moony?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you think about her?" Remus didn't answer but opened his eyes and looked at his friend who added, "I mean, I know you lot got along together in school. Godric only knows why though. She's so bloody annoying and pushy."

This brought a smile to Remus. "She's passionate."

"So? Do you… feel the same way?"

"... It doesn't matter. I can't feel the same way."

Just then the front door opened and Lily and James walked in hand-in-hand. "Feel what way about what?" Lily asked as they entered.

"About... McKinnon. She's smoking again" Sirius shrugged as Marlene walked in from the back and her jaw dropped at the accusation. He continued with a frown, "I'm afraid, she's a bad influence on the group."

"I'm going to bloody kill you." Marlene said and crossed her arms.

"No you're not, Mar." Tabitha huffed as she walked in with another cup for Remus and handed it to him. "Threatened to kill me hundreds of times and never went through with it."

"You two had trouble getting along?" Remus asked as his nose crinkled at the smell of the hangover gruel.

"It's McKinnon and Delaney," Sirius said, "Why are you surprised?"

"Is this about the troubles in Ireland again?" Lily sighed as flashbacks of dorm room arguments reappeared in her mind.

"You mean the Republic of Ireland?"

"Marley, please. Not now." Tabitha pleaded and the other witch nodded in submission. "Fine. So, what did you lot talk about?"

"Oh you know," James said. "Normal things. Lily saw... a deer."

"In town?" Tabitha asked confused.

"Mhmm."

It fell silent. Ironically, the hungover Remus was the first to realize. "Wait... was it a Stag?"

"James-" Sirius softly interjected.

"A stag with glasses?" Remus asked again.

"Yes."

"Jaaaaames." Sirius said through gritted teeth.

"Pete!" Remus shouted. "Wake up! The boys are fighting again."

"No we aren't," James said as Peter jolted up and toffee wrappers flew off him.

"Not yet." Sirius sad angrily.

"Oh for Godric sake, Potter," Marlene said. "We just calmed him down."

"You told her?"

"Well he showed me," Lily corrects.

"Showed her what?" Marlene asked confused.

"Aparently a deer with glasses?" Tabitha's face realized. "Wait are you an animagus too, Potter?"

"Too?" James snapped his head around to face Tabitha, "Wait what else do you know?"

"You're a what?" Marlene asked

Sirius faced both and pointed at Tabitha then to Marlene. "You stay out of this. You be quiet." He looked back to James.

"Woah woah woah, no. I want to hear this, "James said stepping to Sirius. "Tabitha, who else do you know that's an animagus?"

"Uhhhh" She glanced between everyone and Sirius stepped in front of her. Remus saw the way she was looking at Sirius and interjected "Oh my word! You told Tabitha about Padfoot didn't you?"

"Wait, I thought you were Padfoot, Black? Is that supposed to mean more than a nickname?" Marlene asked confused. "Are you all bloody Animagi?"

"Everyone shut it!" Sirius snapped. "James, explain yourself. Delaney, McKinnon and Moony, shut it. And Wormtail if you don't turn off that telly I'm going to take away your TV privileges for a month.

Just then there was a knock at the door. Peter turned off the TV and everyone turned to face the door quietly. At first they thought they'd imagined it until it came again, louder this time.

"James?" Peter whispered. "Who the hell else knows where you live?"