The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

All Done Up

Lily did up the many buttons that lined the front of the Auror's uniform, right up to James's neck, in a slightly off-center line that slashed across his chest.

Her hands were shaking slightly.

The uniform was a bit snug across his shoulders, and Lily had needed to do a charm to adjust the length of the legs, but otherwise the uniform fit pretty well. It was a good thing that Frank and James were of somewhat similar size - James had not yet been issued his official uniform, but Frank luckily had two.

"There you are," Lily said as she finished the last button, "All done up."

James smiled and ducked to look at himself in the mirror. "Well blimey, I barely recognize myself." He had smoothed down his unruly hair with Sleekeazy and Remus had found a potion that temporarily improved eye sight, though it made James's eyes itch and he hated it. The hope was between the slicked back hair and the lack of spectacles, James would be only marginally recognizable, having removed two of his most memorable features.

Frank was presumably at home taking similar measures, hopefully without his mum's noticing, and Remus had second dose of the Silicet Videre for Frank to take as well.

"I barely recognize you either," Lily said sullenly.

James turned about and pulled her into a hug. Lily wrapped her arms around him, we though clinging to him would make him stay, or serve some purpose of protecting him.

"Oh I hate this plan so much. It's so bloody risky." Lily leaned back so her hands pressed on his chest and looked up at him.

"I don't like it either, love, but we haven't any other plans and I can't leave Regulus vulnerable any longer than we already have. I'm truly afraid of what they'd do to him if they found him out and honestly he's risked quite a lot doing as much as he's done already."

"I know," she sad, "I don't want Regulus to be anymore vulnerable than he is. He's been through too much already."

James nodded. "Especially with him and Sirius sort of getting along a bit." He tucked a finger under the neckline of the uniform and tried to stretch it out a bit by tugging on it. "I know these things are supposed to fit snug but bloody hell. I feel like it's cutting into my apple."

"You want me to enlarge it a bit?"

James tilted his head so she could get her wand in there and very carefully let out a bit of the stitching so it wasn't choking on him as bad. When she'd finished he stretched his neck a bit. He looked at the mirror again for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Alright, better get this over with."

Lily caught his hand before he could go out the door and he paused and turned back. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him and he kissed her back, feeling stronger for every moment their mouths met. "Thanks Evans," he said when she pulled away.

She nodded, and he could tell she was feeling rather emotional because her green eyes were glistening. He had to swallow back his urge to cancel the whole thing, just to keep her from feeling as anxious as she was. But that would never do. He had to go - he had to get the werewolf venom back - to protect all of London, to protect Regulus Black.

In the living room, Frank was just arriving by floo. Sirius was having a muted argument with Remus in the corner about whether or not his big black boots were a smart option for footwear for the trip to Gringott's. Marlene and Emmaline were there, too, nervous expressions on their faces as they sat together in the overstuffed chair - Marlene balanced on the arm and Em in the seat itself.

"Alice sends her love," Frank told Lily as she hugged him hello. "I talked to her this morning." He turned to James, "Thanks for lending us those mirrors of yours. It's been so nice to be able to talk to her face-to-face like that."