How We Proceed

16.2K 685 1.7K
                                    

"You've been laid!

James looked down at himself, then back to Sirius. "How the bleeding hell can you tell?" he asked, so flabbergasted he forgot to even try to cover up for dignity's sake.

Lily was laughing as Sirius jumped over the fencing and punched James in the shoulder, "You - you git! You didn't mirror me to tell me? WHEN?" Sirius looked at Lily, "And it's obviously you who's boinked him. I expect all of the details. I'll get you a quill and parchment if you want to give a go at illustration..."

"Oh stop, you pervert," Lily laughed, her face pink. She pushed Sirius's arm. "Mind your own business, you nosy fool."

"But really, you'll tell me later, won't you?" Sirius asked conspiratorially.

"You'll have to wait until next Tuesday... or a bank holiday."

"Damn it," Sirius muttered, but he was grinning. "I should hate you, hogging all the James to yourself... and we all know he's plural... What wouldn't I give for just one wild night of passion..."

Remus cleared his throat.

"Sorry, babe," Sirius whirled about, "You know I love you most. But I had a gander at Prongsie's pecs in the mirror and you'd be jealous of Evans, too, if you'd seen'em..." Sirius mimed grabbing at James's pecs and James swatted his hand away, ducking back behind Lily, who laughed so hard she snorted, and Sirius jumped after James anyway, flinging himself upon him so that James had to catch him and Sirius wrapped his legs 'round James middle, laying his head on his shoulder. "And I thought I was going to be your first!" he fake-cried.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Get a room."

"Evans, you're supposed to defend my honor," James said, muffled by Sirius's body.

Remus was shaking his head as he walked forward to join them by the fence, "Bleeding glad I love you, or else I'd call the whole thing off..." he muttered as he ducked 'round the gate.

"But really, how did he know?" asked Peter, glancing to Regulus with questioning eyes. Regulus shrugged. "But really - how?" Peter insisted.

James shrugged Sirius off him finally, "Alright, alright," he said, "Later - there's plenty of time for this later. Right now, we've got things more important to attend to..." 

"More important than appeasing your forgotten lover?" Sirius teased, but he stopped with a look from James, the moment for joking about it having come to an end.

James's eyes landed on Regulus. "Hey Reg." He held out his palm to shake hands. Regulus took his hand and James pulled Regulus into a tight hug. "I'm bloody glad you're alright."

Regulus looked surprised. "You're not cross with me?"

"Why would I be?" James asked.

Regulus looked down, "Because of the duel..."

James shook his head, "You didn't have a choice, mate, I know. Voldemort was there. You had to play your part. I'm glad you did. And blimey, that was a great Flippendo! Really excellent."

Regulus flushed. "Yeah? Sorry about that, though."

"Yeah, you were really great. And very convincing."

"Very," Lily spoke up quietly from behind James, remembering the rage that had been in Regulus's eyes when he'd played the part of hollering at her for being a mudblood... the intent that had weighted his voice as he'd started to cast the interrupted crucio... "Never thought I'd be happy to hear You Know Who's voice, but when he interrupted you... well, thank gods."

Regulus said, "I wouldn't have done it..."

"You would've," Lily said, shaking her head, "And you should've. You can't be found out - he'd kill you for certain. I was really impressed how brave you were." She grabbed James's arm. "Both of you were so bleeding brave."

The Marauders: Year Seven Part TwoWhere stories live. Discover now