Peter sat in a booth in the Curry restaurant downstairs from the flat, kneeling on one of the bench seats, a bit of parchment unrolled before him and a quill in his hand. Across from him, Oni sat with a cup of something she called karkadeh that Peter thought smelled more like flowers than of a drink. He was nervous, a bit pale, but trying to be cool, his mind repeating the mantra what would James Potter do? over and over again.

"That boy at Speaker's Corner," Peter said, "That was Barty Crouch. He's a Slytherin. Should be in your year at Hogwarts this term. He was mates with Regulus Black. Or at least he was when Regulus first started at Hogwarts, I remember them always being 'round one another back then. Would've been room mates, the same as me and Sirius were. He was a bit of a bully 'round the school."

"Yes," Oni nodded, "He still is. I recognized him, too."

"I'd be interested to hear what the rest of his speech was about, honestly," Peter said. He stared down at the paper in front of him. "I mean, I know obviously blood supremacy is wrong -" he added quickly, "I'm not saying it isn't. And You Know Who is definitely wrong on all counts. But. But I - I mean, I've now heard a couple people talk about Grindelwald's theories and..." Peter flushed. "Is it wrong that I'm not entirely turned off by the idea of a world where peace is protected - or enforced - and people are equals and taken care of and all that? Where magic can be used for the good of everyone?"

Oni flushed, too, and lowered her voice like Peter had done, leaning closer, "I don't think you're mad for it, no. I don't know. Everyone talks about Grindelwald's ideas like they're horrible, but what if they aren't so bad? What if he's been misunderstood? If someone as clever as You Know Who must be - he must be clever, don't you think? at least a little? to have led such an uprising as he's done? - if even he can misunderstand Grindelwald's meaning, then surely everyday people could."

Peter nodded. "Maybe they don't understand that he didn't intend to kill all the muggles, but to take care of them."

"Right, exactly, so they fought against him. And You Know Who thinks he's following the agenda that they all believed Grindelwald was teaching but really it's a whole different thing."

Peter hesitated then. "Well, wait, wait. Dumbledore, though. Dumbledore was against Grindelwald. Surely he didn't misunderstand Grindelwald. Right?"

Oni frowned. "Yeah, that's true. Him and Grindelwald worked together for a really long time, though, they were best friends in school, that's what all the history books say. But they split ways. Dumbledore defeating Grindelwald in 1945 is part of why You Know Who is so scared of him now. Because Grindelwald was so powerful and Dumbledore beat him in a duel."

Peter sat back in his seat. "So if Grindelwald's teaching isn't bad," Peter said, "Then why would Dumbledore duel him?"

"I don't know," Oni murmured.

They were quiet for several moments, each thinking the question over, turning it in their minds.

"You know... James Potter has 't been much fond of Dumbledore lately," Peter said thoughtfully. "Something happened back in March. I don't know what exactly. But ever since Regulus died, there's been some strange feelings about Dumbledore. Maybe he found something out and... maybe... I mean. Dumbledore. Like. Is he - you know - trustworthy?"

Oni thought for a moment, then said, "Regulus didn't trust him either. He was always getting detentions from him and McGonagall."

"McGonagall's alright," Peter said, shaking his head. "Its just Dumbledore I don't know about."

"There must've been more to the duel," Oni said.

"Must've been," Peter echoed.

"I think that our first step is to research the duel between Grindelwald and Dumbledore and find out what the more-to-it is," Oni suggested. "We need to know what Grindelwald's views were and if Dumbledore fought against him on a specific principle or on all of the theories. Then, we can use that to determine why Dumbledore hasn't just dueled Vol -- sorry. Why he hasn't dueled You Know Who. Like, is he afraid he won't win against You Know Who? Is He Who Must Not Be Named more powerful than Grindelwald?"

"A lot of people say he's the most powerful dark wizard that ever lived," Peter said.

"Because they're afraid," Oni said. "When Grindelwald was in power I'll bet that they said he was the most powerful. People tend to think whatever they are currently facing is the worst of the worst, but it's often exaggerated by the immersion in it. Right?"

"Maybe," Peter said.

"Sort of like how we all thought nothing could get worse than first year homework assignments 'til we saw second year, or fourth year assignments compared to seventh."

"Well those things did get progressively worse," Peter pointed out. "By that theory, You Know Who would be worse."

"That's what we have to find out, I suppose. Once we know more about Grindelwald, I'll bet we can learn a lot about You Know Who by juxtaposition."

"Yeah," Peter nodded.

"Then we'll have our platform. Out starting off point. We'll know for certain that our plan to assassinate You Know Who will be justified."

"I can tell you it's justified. Just by what he did to my sister. To my mum. I can tell just by the way he treated my friend James," Peter squeaked. His brows furrowed together, "James is the best, most brave person I know, and he's so kind. And yet You Know Who nearly killed him."

Oni nodded, "And he had my family killed. And Regulus."

"Our plans are justified," Peter said firmly. "But I agree, it starts with knowing more about Dumbledore and Grindelwald. If nothing else, maybe we can pick up some tips on how to duel a dark wizard and win."

Sirius was laying across a bus stop bench outside the muggle college. He had larked about without James - rode his motorcycle around the city and got himself a quick drink at the Grindyswallow, and now he was awaiting Remus outside the school. Sunglasses on, he stared up at the sunshine and sang in a quiet tone, shaking his Doc Marten clad foot to the beat as he sang.

"I don't care about history... rock rock rock'n roll high school! Cause that's not where I wanna be... rock rock rock'n roll high school! I wanna have some kicks, I wanna get some d-- Remus! Darling!" Sirius sat up, interrupting himself just before his personal modification to the song. He grinned raising his glasses. "You know the stereo typical thing where the dog waits for the people to come home?"

"Yeah?"

Sirius waved his palm over himself. "Here I am."

"There you are," Remus said, smiling.

"Remus!"

Remus turned around and saw Lula running across the quad of the school toward him. She was clutching his pencil case, hair flying out behind her. Sirius had sat up and was watching her come over. Remus could see Stewie back in the quad, leaning against the wall and looking down at a folded-over news paper, his face turned away from them, absorbed in the news.

"You forgot your pencils," Lula huffed as she arrived at Remus's side. "Here you are." She held out the case.

"Oh blimey, thanks," Remus said as he tucked the case into his book bag, Newt's suitcase by his knee. 

Sirius was giving Lula a once over and appeared to be approving her punky style. Today she had on torn up tights under a short leather skirt and Doc Martens that matched the pair on Sirius's own feet - save for the pink ribbon she'd laced hers with, that is. He stared at this and looked up to her heavily lined eyes.

"Hullo?" he said, looking at Remus, then back to Lula, and launching himself over the back of the bench in a funny little jump of a move. He plowed himself against Remus's side quickly, slipping an arm around his waist. "And who is this, Moony?"

"Sirius, this is Lula, the girl I was telling you about from my class. Lula, this is my ---"

"Au chante," Sirius declared, and suddenly his formal manners, ingrained so young in the Noble House of Black, came bubbling to the surface. He half bowed and shook Lula's hand with a kiss to her knuckles, and Lula giggled in amusement. He stood upright and lowered her hand. "I'm Remus's husband. It is a pleasure to meet you, his classmate."

Remus rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Where is Stewie?" He asked, then added pointedly, raising an eyebrow at Sirius, "Stewie is Lula's boyfriend."

"My very serious boyfriend," she added reassuringly.

Sirius nodded, "Ah. Yes. I was once Remus's very Sirius boyfriend."

Lula snort-laughed, a sound that reminded Sirius of Lily. She turned and looked around for Stewie, but he'd disappeared from the corner of the quad where he had been before and he wasn't anywhere in sight now. "Well, honestly I'm not sure where he went. He's around." Lula paused. "I love your jacket by the way."

"It has extendable pockets," Sirius replied.

Lula looked confused, but before she could ask any questions about the pockets, Remus offered, "He wears it nearly everyday. It's a part of his skin by this point."

Sirius grinned. "It's true. I wouldn't dream of parting with it, ever." He dusted off one arm and put the other back around Remus again. "And I like your boots."

Lula laughed, "I should say you do as you've the same ones."

"Yes but you've customized yours a wee bit, with that ribbon."

"Favorite band?"

"Queen. I once met Freddy Mercury," Sirius added quickly. "He told me to give Remus's bum a good spank for him." He grinned at Remus as Lula laughed. "Yours?"

"The Sex Pistols."

"There's no future for you," Sirius quoted, "God save the queen."

Lula grinned, "You know music."

"I know music. Intimately."

Remus supplied, "Our flat looks like a record shop."

"You ever been to Spiller's? Out in Cardiff? Oldest record store in the country. Might even be in the world. They opened in the 1800s."

"Get out," Sirius shot back, an eager expression on his face. "Were records even --"

"They started with phonographs," Lula said. "They have a brilliant collection. And the way it smells like music when you walk in the door will give you actual goosebumps."

Sirius looked at Remus. "We must go."

Remus laughed, "Alright."

Lula smiled. "Well," she glanced at the clock tower in the quad. "I better go find Stewie. We have another class to get to. It was brilliant meeting you, Sirius, we must go out on a couples date sometime soon. Stewie will be fuming he didn't get to meet you."

"His loss," Sirius said.

Lula laughed, "See you Thursday, Remus."

"Bye Lula," Remus answered, waving as she turned and ran back across the quad.

Sirius turned to Remus. "She is cool."

"I told you she was, I knew you'd like her."

"She knows music."

"Yep."

"She's female me."

"Basically."

"Bloody hell. Is Stewie another you? Are they our mirror straight couple?"

"Nah, Stewie's cool, too," Remus answered, picking up Newt Scamander's suitcase. "Let's go home. I'm starving and Bradley's got to be hungry, too."

"Let's go to Cardiff," Sirius countered. "We'll get lunch out."

Remus laughed, "Alright." He looked around, "Let's find somewhere to disapparate, then."

"So what did you draw?" Sirius asked as they turned and walked down the road away from the college.

Remus laughed, "Pineapples."

"Pineapples! The fuck did you draw pineapples for?"

Remus smiled, "It's fun to draw pineapples. Lots of ridiculous details and shadows to practice with."

"Sounds fussy."

"Nearly as much as my husband, whom the pineapple reminded me of."

Sirius grinned. "Yeah?"

Remus nodded, "Yeah."

Sirius stuck his hands in his pockets and walked with a bit of a prance to his step. Remus shook his head and smirked at Sirius's shoulder discreetly, thinking how ridiculous and wonderful Sirius was.