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Early October 1997
“Another firewhiskey please,” said James. It was semi-empty at the Hog’s Head, perfect for hiding in plain sight. The doors to the pub opened and the cool autumn air swept into the pub. Sirius swooped dramatically, as per usual, through the door, and one could say he waltzed to sit down next to James.
“Firewhiskey please,” he said and turned his head toward James. “What happened that’s getting you this pale? Lily’s having another baby?” James knew Sirius was joking but he couldn’t help but stare into Sirius’ soul. “Kidding, obviously!” he laughed. “What’s going on, mate?”
“Nothing, it’s stupid.”
“Come on Prongs, you definitely wouldn’t be drinking if it was stupid.”
“As I said, Padfoot, nothing is wrong,” James said calmly.
“Right, so, I haven’t seen you drink this much for no reason since ‘85.” Aberforth passed them their drinks. Sirius opened his bottle and took a swig out of his. “Either this is a miracle, or something is definitely wrong. If you don’t tell me, I’ll go get Lily, and I don’t think you want that, so, spill.”
“Alright!” James practically yelled and ran his hair through the slowly greying unruly black hair. Most of the bar turned their heads in their direction. “But not here,” he said in a lower tone. James took a gold galleon from his pocket and paid Aberforth. He took the bottles and the duo left the pub.
Outside, James took Sirius’ hand in his and they disappeared with a loud crack . They appeared on the property line of what once was James and Lily’s home. Now, it stood abandoned where it once was full of life.
“Prongs, you’re not serious, are you?” Sirius said in a very serious tone, “It’s like you’re begging to get caught!”
“Relax Padfoot,” James took out his wand and cast “Muffliato” nearly silently. Sirius looked puzzled. “This way no one can hear us. Besides, they’ve already searched for us here, they’re not gonna do it again.”
Sirius visually relaxed. “Well then, Prongs, do spill the tea,” he said as he took another swig of firewhiskey.
“Remember when the first war was going on, and we were in your motorbike, being chased by Death Eaters and the muggle police on the motorway?” James asked. He took a rather large gulp of firewhiskey.
“Yeah, the best time of my life that was.” Sirius barked.
“Do you think that’s how Harry, Ron, and Hermione are feeling?” By now, James had drunk half the bottle of whiskey.
“I dunno Prongs,” Sirius answered after a while. “They’re probably having less fun though.”
“Yeah. Told you it was stupid.”
“Jamesy-poo,” Sirius teased, “You’re caring for my godson, that’s never stupid.”
“He’s my son too, Pads.” James reminded him for what was like the thousandth time. Both men drank some more.
“Has Remus been acting odd to you?” James asked after a while, changing the subject. “I mean, more odd than usual.”
“I don’t think so,” said Sirius, and James could hear the coldness in his voice.
“Well, obviously you wouldn’t know. You haven’t spoken to him in, for how long, ever since the wedding?”
“Which one his or Bill Weasley’s”
“And what if I said both?”
“Great answer, Prongs!” Sirius shouted angrily, James didn’t know why he was angry though, he was only asking about Remus. Were they drifting apart? Are the once Marauders, Marauders no more? Shit James, why are you so blind? Sirius is drunk, he’s angry at everything. “Did you know it wasn’t me that kissed first when we had our first kiss in 6th year, it was Remus?”
James seemed bewildered. “Erm- no,” he could only say.
“Did you know that we started dating after that kiss, but then he broke it off with me because of the war?”
“No,” James could only say.
“Did you know that Remus wanted to start again before you went into hiding?”
And yet again, James could only say, “No.”
“Well of course you wouldn’t know.” Sirius snapped. “You were too focused on you to even realize that there was something between me and Remus, to see that your brother was hurting.”
“Padfoot-”
“And then he goes on and marries my cousin.” Sirius sniffled, clearly, tears were about to break through the dam.
“Sirius,” but before James could continue, Lily apparated in front of them.
“Have you two gone mad?!” she very nearly yelled, but the very little bit of control that James knew his wife had was quickly deteriorating. “Death Eaters will kill you faster than you can pull out your wands!”
“Lily, we-”
“No excuses!” Lily cut James off. “Grab my hands.” She held out her hands for the men to grab onto.
“Wait a minute,” James said, “How do we know you’re not a Death Eater?”
Lily’s anger deflated a little at her husband’s tiny bit of common sense. “Good, you have some sense in that idiotic brain.” She pointed her finger at James. “Your Animagus form is a stag, and yours” she pointed her finger at Sirius, “is a big black dog. You became animagi for Remus. Now grab my hands before I murder you and make it look like an accident.”
“There’s our Lilybean!” Sirius teased while taking Lily’s hand. James quickly followed suit. They disappeared from the property line and made it into their cottage they were hiding in, in Hogsmeade.
“Explain yourselves.” the smaller red-headed witch said, but that didn’t make her any less scary.
James sighed. She was not going to let this go. “I went to the Hog’s Head as I told you I would, and, I was there,” James paused to look at his wife and when she looked like she was about to hex him into next week he added, “for a while.”
“You were there ALL DAY !” Lily retorted. She looked away from James to scold Sirius, “and you were supposed to see if he wasn’t dead and bring him back, not GO WITH HIM! ”
“Well, you know now that he isn’t dead,” Sirius added, rolling his eyes. Lily scoffed.
“And what would you have done if you were seen, James?”
James sighed. “Lily, I just wanted a drink, alright?”
“You’re both drunk aren’t you?”
Sirius said “Yes,” at the same time as James said “No.”
“I don’t know whether to be mad or disappointed,” she said, pinching her nose, “Getting drunk in the middle of a war when you’re wanted.”
“I didn’t mean to get drunk,” James said, “it’s just firewhiskey tastes so much better when you have too much stuff on your mind.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “And you, Sirius, do you have a better explanation?”
“He was in the feels, so I joined.” he shrugged. “I don’t see what’s wrong with that.”
James knew Lily could see multiple things wrong with that. He thought that Lily was going to explode, but surprisingly, she only aggressively rolled her eyes and left to go upstairs. On the way up she muttered something along the lines of, “irresponsible adult children.”
“You know James if we’re children, it’s nice having our childhood back.”
James couldn’t help but agree.