Modern No-Magic Wolfstar AU

Chapter 70

"Why are you taking us down here?" James' confused voice echoed around the cement staircase. "I didn't even think this place was in use. When father bought the building he told me junk was stored here!"

"Well, it- I can't exactly- why not just take uh, take look?" Peter's voice squeaked.

From where he was crouching behind a table, Sirius squeezed his fist together. You better not blow this for us, Wormtail. Through the dark, he looked over at Remus (who was crouched behind a rather large bunch of balloons) who smiled at him.

"It's so dark down here," Lily's voice observed.

Peter, ever so subtle, said, "Is it? May- maybe you should turn on the, um, the light so that you can see better."

"This is very suspicious..." Lily trailed off. Sirius could just imagine her squinting through the darkness, trying to figure out what was going on. "What did you say you needed us to find?"

"Just, ah..."

You better think of a good lie, Pettigrew, or I'll have you strung up by the-

"Apparently there are a bunch of unused boxes of takeaway cups and I thought I'd grab two more people just in case there are a lot more. Yep, that's it."

Sirius felt himself actually be a little bit impressed.

"Are there spiders down here?" James' voice shook. "Because maybe you could get someone else to help you with that, and-"

"Just turn on the light, babe." Lily interrupted.

His heart rate spiking, Sirius prepared himself. He couldn't slide the grin off his face. It was finally the moment.

The lights almost blinded Sirius' eyes that had gotten used to the darkness, so squeezing his eyes shut, he leapt up and screamed in unison with every single other voice, "SURPRISE!"

The scream James Potter let out was the most high-pitched, most comical thing Sirius had ever heard in his life.

In between fits of laughter, Sirius managed to shout, "Happy Going Away Party!!"

Lily's face was shocked, her eyebrows raised and her mouth ajar. "What's all this?"

"It's for you!" Alice beamed, moving out from her hiding spot to hug Lily and James as best as she could with Neville in a carrier on her front.

Remus' eyes shone. "It's your last day before you leave for Australia, so Sirius had the idea months ago to throw you a surprise party!"

The Potters looked at Sirius who tried to untangle himself from his hiding spot. "Thank you for trying to upstage me with my surprise birthday party, like, damn, get your own thing." But he smiled and practically sprinted over to them, wrapping his arms around them tight. That was perhaps the first time it actually sank in. Lily and James Potter were moving to Australia, and he was not coming with them. "I'm gonna miss you guys so much," he said, his voice cracking, pulling them in closer.

"Oh, Sirius," Lily said, burying her face in his shoulder. "If you cry you know I'll cry."

"I already am," James' voice wobbled. He sniffed before speaking again. "Also, when you- when you set all this up, did you happen to see any boxes of takeaway cups?"

His voice muffled, Sirius shook his head, "That was clearly a ruse, you're an idiot, I love you so much, please don't leave me!" He was pretty sure that James' shirt would be permanently stained by the amount of tears it was taking in.

"Enough emotions, let's get the booze!" Marlene called out, greeted by a roomful of cheers.

Laughing, Lily turned so that she was looking up the stairs. "Hagrid, you can bring Harry down, now!"

Heavy footsteps clunked and in no time Hagrid's large figure appeared, holding the child in his arms, beaming. "'Ow was it?"

"Everything went exactly as planned, thanks for stalling them," Sirius grinned. "Get in here, you big oaf." They hugged, making sure not to squish Harry you yelled out, "Padput!".

"Hagrid, you knew about this?" James pretended to be offended, making the older man cackle.

"Right you are, James. I knew this entire time and then Black texted me on the telephone and said to stall, make sure you's don't come down jus' yet. Though' I was gonna fail!" Hagrid ruffled James' hair, almost knocking his glasses off in the process.

"I feel... very betrayed," James laughed. "My child, come to me." Holding out his arms he received Harry and stroked his soft, messy hair. "Already takes after his papa." James said proudly.

Harry's big green eyes stared at James and then he lifted a chubby hand to touch his eyes. "Daddy? Okay?" he said softly.

Taking Harry's hand in his own, James kissed it with a sound that could have been a laugh or a muffled sob. "Daddy's okay, I'm okay."

The touching moment was ruined when Marlene and Dorcas, both with their arms full of beer bottles, dance past and shove one into James' hand, saying, "Drink up, bitch. Time to be in denial!"

"Good heavens, what is going on down here?"

James turned to the stairs and then smiled so wide. "MINNIE!" he sprinted over to the old lady who, when crushed in a hug, let a rare smile appear on her face.

"So it seems you will no longer be with us, Potter." McGonagall readjusted the pointy witch hat she was wearing as part of her costume. "I hope you know that we will indeed be missing you, young man."

James looked like he was about to tear up all over again.