All in the Family

Chapter 94: The Parting of the Ways

The cold smack of hardwood floor across their faces was not the way to instill motivation for them to keep going with all of this. Lily wasn't even sure of where they were as she got to looking around. They were in a very large, long hall, three dozen fireplaces on each side right up until the proportional middle, where a great golden statue stood. From this far away, she could only make out the largest was a wizard with his wand aloft. Beyond that she saw golden gates.

Frank had found himself landing on a desk and not looking particularly comfortable for it, but he'd also found the book resting precariously on a tiny little needle that had a bunch of papers jammed on it. Clearly eager to keep going with the revelations far more than any of them, who would have liked a year's break from learning any news at this point, he saw Alice coming over to sit by him and began to read The Parting of the Ways.

Lily wasn't entirely sure what that meant, was Harry going to get into a fight with someone else now permanently?, and didn't entirely care right now as she stayed where she was and let out a long, exhausted sigh.

Remus was sitting on the edge of the fountain he'd just pulled himself out of, and still dripping wet, was dumping gallons of water out of his shoe along with a few galleons. Why did he keep getting involuntarily wet? His three friends were slowly meandering towards him, and he wasn't sure if they were looking to pick up on their newest little spiff or just a distraction.

He had no more idea than James or Sirius what Peter meant by it, trying to get them to go check on Regulus. Thankfully Alice had intervened regardless and Sirius had broken off the argument for now, but he was not looking forward to it coming up again. They'd never given a care for Sirius's little brother before this, and nothing of what they'd heard really felt they needed to be letting Peter indulge in this particular friend he seemed to be trying to make.

Admittedly the fact that their group had two really bad fights back to back was putting them all on edge, but Remus didn't at all like the fact Peter was still trying to shake things up. Were they not good enough for him anymore? What did he mean by it, trying to invite Regulus over?

Sirius made it to him first and hopped up on the ledge next to him, dipping his hand back into the water and fishing out a sickle. "Think if you take the coin back the wish goes away?"

Well at least he was still trying to be in a good mood.

"That's implying the wish works at all," he chuckled.

"I know what I'd be wishing for," Sirius told him grandly, giving the coin a little flick with his thumb, and catching it just as fast in his palm. "Heads or tails?" He asked with a grin that didn't at all seem to pertain to the coin anymore.

Remus laughed rather than answer as James and Peter were now in hearing distance. There were still a few beats of silence as they all stood in a loose circle, and Remus's laugh echoed in the Ministry's atrium into the burning silence of Frank retelling everything that they just went through, through Harry. He knew what he'd wish for right now, the banishment of awkwardness.

Peter cleared his throat, and at the last minute Remus thought with relief he was about to lose his nerve and not say it. Then he forced out in almost one breath, "look I'm sorry it bothered you guys, I just wanted-"

"Forget about it," James waved off, not looking at him. "Just let it go. Instead, why don't we see if those elevators work, I want to try and get another go at Bagman's office!"

Nobody responded, James made no move towards them anyways. Instead he kept casting his eyes around, and caught sight of Evans sitting in the middle of the atrium by herself, and without further ado waved and took off towards her anyways.