Like Real Muggles Do

Mind's Eye

"Gwen! You remember Gwen!" Ianto was pressing to John, clearly trying desperately to jog his memory. 

The four boys were just entering John and Ianto's property, just close enough for Remus to be able hear their conversation from inside. He smiled fondly as he heard the excitement in Ianto's voice. 

John threw open the front door to greet them (and figure out exactly who Gwen was) as they walked down the path to the house. 

"Oh!" he exclaimed, "Mop!" he seemed to be talking to Gwen, but no one was too sure. 

"Stick!" Gwen greeted, a bright smile on her face. 

Remus and Sirius shared a confused look. Though, they supposed, they were hardly the authority on appropriate nicknames. 

Ianto shook his head at the two of them as he closed the door behind them. "Good day everyone? Tea?" He asked, establishing answers and out of the room before anyone could reply.

Once settled-or rather, crammed- in the living room, James asked how Gwen knew John and Ianto. 

"Mop's dad has put me back together more times than I can count." John replied. 

"That's because you can only count to 7." Gwen replied wittily. 

"Look," John turned to her sharply "that was not my fault, and you know it!"

"There's a story here." Sirius said, to no one in particular.

"John was the..." Gwen cleared her throat pointedly, "magician" she rolled her eyes. "at my 8th birthday party. There was this disappearing trick where I would climb out the back of a box. Only Stick pulled the cover off too soon and ruined the trick. The few friends I actually had said I'd ruined their lives! I bet they still don't believe in magic, the poor bastards." Gwen's voice portrayed disappointment, but she smiled nostalgically at the memory. 

Ianto had re-entered the room, using, for the first time any of the marauders had seen, magic to levitate 7 cups of tea into the room. He didn't spill a drop as he placed them at various points by their perspective owners. 

"I can't quite remember where the nicknames come from though?" He questioned, leaning against the arm chair occupied by both James and Sirius. 

"Really?" John asked, incredulously. "You don't remember that she's looked like a mop that's lost its stick ever since she was born?" 

"Yeah, and he's looked like a stick without its mop ever since I've been able to see!" Gwen added. 

Ianto scoffed. "Of course." 

Gwen's auburn hair was permed, adding to its volume, but it was clear that with the sheer length and thickness of it, that was the best way to manage it. Today her hair had been half pulled into a scrunchie high on top of her head. Peter thought it made her look rather like a poodle. 

"Could I use your phone? Dad's probably realised I've missed the portkey by now." Gwen asked Ianto, as if muggle use of a portkey was not an incredibly odd sentiment in itself. 

While Gwen used the phone, the boys spoke cheerfully about their day, surprised at how quickly a day of mild hate speech and harassment had become a good day. 

A large grey cat had found its way onto Remus' lap. It curled up in a ball and purred contently as Remus stroked its fur, the sound of the light affection reverberating throughout him, warming him from the inside out. 

Ianto has focused most of his attention on Peter today, no longer trying to feign subtlety, simply hoping that Peter would meet his eyes-he just wanted to talk to him. Peter had a horrible feeling about Gwen. She seemed lovely, but there was something certainly off about her. How had she seen past every barricade they had put up? How did she know so much? Wizard parents or not-she was nosey and he didn't like it.