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March 1979
Plymouth Beach
Remus was the last to arrive at the beach.
He apparated in to already find Sirius, Peter, James, Lily and Thea setting up a picnic. Their coats looked out of character on the beach, but it was windy and cloudy that day, so he couldn't blame them.
Thea had obviously made an assortment of snacks, he could smell some of it from where he stood.
James and Sirius had reverted back to their Hogwarts selves: boys that weren't ridden with the paranoia and devastation of war.
Remus muttered a quick few protection spells just in case. They were out of season and in a secluded part of the beach, but in these times, one could never be too careful.
His hands tightened around the strap of the polaroid camera looped around his neck as he slowly lifted it up and snapped a picture, just one.
Peter was the first one to notice him, greeting him with a bright smile and an offering of one of Thea's famous mini Victoria Sandwiches.
Remus politely refused, claiming to want to eat lunch first ( which was not a lie ).
"So, Thea, how's analytics going?" Remus asked as he settled himself on the blanket she'd ( probably ) laid out.
"It's actually really interesting, though I do sometimes wonder what it would be like to be an auror. It's always interested me, but in the end, I think I'm better where I am," she rambled as she continued to prep their lunch, "what about you?"
"It's a bit violent for me, but these guys get me through it," he said as a small smile graced his face.
"I'm afraid my answer's the same," Thea said with a scrunched nose, "who knew I'd ever be saying coming home to Sirius Black holding a cup of tea would be heavenly."
"Hey!" Sirius yelled, "I head that!"
"I'd hope so," Thea joked as she held out a plate with a couple of sandwiches on it.
James and Sirius eagerly jogged over and started to stuff them into their mouths.
"Honestly James, where are your manners?" Lily tutted as she handed him a napkin.
"Back at the house," he said with a full mouth.
Remus and the girls scrunched their noses in disgust.
"How do you put up with him?" Thea asked, leaning over to Lily.
"You know, I could ask you the same question," Lily said as she glanced over at Sirius.
"At least he's not always like that," Thea retorted.
"Touché," Lily conceded.
Thea and Lily kept sitting in silence, looking at the boys who were making fools of themselves.
"I can't believe Dumbledore let all of us have a day," Thea muttered as she fiddled with the clingfilm that covered some of the sandwiches that Lily had brought.
"I'm sure that Molly and Arthur have everything covered and surely Edgar can handle the analytics department for a day," Lily joked, "you haven't taken a break since you were practically eleven and haven't taken a break from the Order since you started."
"Yes, but we're in a war, Lil," Thea protested.
"And you can't be your best if you don't give yourself a break and you know better than anyone that anyone, especially you and especially with the position you've earned, needs to be at their full capacity," Lily reminded her.
Thea hummed and smiled, nodding a bit.
"You know, you'd make a great mum," she said as she smiled and looked over at the redhead.
"Well, don't hold your breath," Lily joked.
Then, out of nowhere, a ball of sand came flying in the direction of the girls, nearly hitting Lily in the chest.
The boys stopped laughing and looked over with shocked and apologetic faces that became increasingly scared as Lily didn't say anything.
"It's fine," she muttered as she pushed sand off of herself, "I'm fine."
Then, Thea heard her mutter a spell and twelve identical balls of hand rose up and launched themselves at the boys.
Lily grabbed Thea's hand and they ran towards their boys, tackling them to the ground.
"James Fleamont Potter!" Lily screeched, "I know it was you and you're so going to get it!"
Lily chased James around the beach, trying to smush a gross combination of sand and seaweed into his face as payback.
Thea had pinned Sirius on the beach ( but Sirius will insist that he let Thea win ) and had shoved sand down his pants because he'd gotten it practically all over her.
"You're cruel, woman," he muttered into her ear.
"Oh you have no idea," she said with a victorious smile as she got up and ran away, Sirius following closely behind.
Thea hid herself behind Peter, using him as a human shield as she hugged him from behind and placed her chin on his shoulder.
Peter protected her from Sirius's grasp as she tried to catch her breath. Once she was confident she could outsmart him once more, she quickly kissed Peter's cheek and ran away.
