The fire had gone out, nothing but ash and amber in the ring of stones they'd set up. The door of the tent Remus ad Sirius had shared was ripped, shredded really, and it hung in long strips that wavered in the wind. The second tent was destroyed, too, the cross beam snapped, folded in on itself and tipped to the side, the canvas torn. The trees were shivering with a passing wind.

Somewhere in the trees, far in the distance, a dog let out a yelping cry.

James woke up with his fist balled around the Headboy badge under his pillow. The alarm clock stood, ready to go off on his nightstand, but he'd beaten it by nearly fifteen minutes. He with drew his fist and opened it up, staring at the badge for several long minutes, smiling at it and then polishing it, breathing hot and heavy to fog it, then using the cuff of his pyjama sleeve to buff it to its most shiny state. 

When the alarm clock went off, James got up and got dressed, humming to himself tunelessly as he went. Charlus ducked his head in the door, smiling. "Somebody's in a good mood this morning, eh?" he asked, smirking.

James said, "Yeah, I reckon I am."

Charlus came in, seeing James getting ready, and sat down on the side of the bed, watching as James moved about, tucking in his shirt to his trouser waist and searching through his drawer for a tie. James held up two options for Charlus to see - one was his Gryffindor tie, the other a plain blue.

"Always Gryffindor," Charlus said, smiling.

James laughed and pulled his collar up, stringing the tie about it. He was about to do it himself when Charlus motioned for him to come over. James did, and Charlus started working on tying the tie. "So. Where are you off to, so well polished?"

"Going to breakfast," James said, smirking.

"Breakfast!" Charlus said, chuckling as he slipped the knot of the tie up to rest at James's throat. "All this for breakfast?"

James grinned, "It's sort of a special breakfast."

Charlus folded down James's collar. "Is it?"

James nodded, and when Charlus's hands fell away from the tie and collar, James adjusted it slightly to be more comfortable, and he smiled. "Thanks da," he said, running his fingers over the silkiness of the tie. Then, "Something happened the other day."

"Yes?" Charlus asked.

James drew a deep breath, "Well, the lot of us were in Godric's Hollow - going off to our old camping grounds, you know, in the woods behind the old Dumbledore house? Well, Lily Evans came along, and she and I were in charge of food, so we went to that market mum used to shop at in town all the time? And she was asking about Godric Gryffindor's fountain, so I was telling her about how it used to know all my deepest wishes and granted them... especially when I said them outloud." He looked at Charlus meaningfully.

Charlus smiled at the memory. "Oh, you caught on to that did you?"

"Yeah," James laughed. "A bit sooner than you thought I would."

Charlus chuckled. "I don't think we would have withheld anything you asked for anyway. Directly or not."

James said, "Yeah, well, I reckon the old thing has a bit of magic in it after all anyway."

"Yeah?" Charlus asked.

James nodded. He said, "I gave Evans a sickle and I showed her how to cast a wish on old Godric. I wished mine silent, though da, and you won't believe it, but my wish came true."

Charlus's eyes twinkled, "Yeah? What did you wish for, son?"

James paused, and said, "Dad, Lily Evans and I... we kissed."

Charlus's eyes went wide.

"She says she likes me, and --"

Charlus's face was dawning excitement.

"-- and we're a -- a thing now, she and I," James said.

"DORA!!!!!" Charlus yelled, leaping to his feet and running to the door. "DOOORAAAAAA! GET IN HERE! HURRY!!!"

James flushed.

CRACK!

"What is it? What's the matter?" Dora was wearing an apron and holding a plate she'd been inspecting to see if her spell was working properly to clean them. Her hair was tied up in a knotted cloth at her head, and she had flour on her apron.

"James, tell your mother what you've just told me!" Charlus said eagerly, taking Dora by the shoulders to spin her about to face James.

James said, "Lily Evans and I have gotten together."

Dora stood for a second, the words sinking in, and then - instead of responding the way Charlus and James had both sort of expected of her - she announced, "You'll have her by for dinner. Tonight."

James blinked in surprise, "I will?"

"Yes you will. I need to meet her properly."

"Mum, you've met her."

"PROPERLY," Dora said emphatically. 

"Alright," James said, "But if she can't make it tonight, don't blame me, it is short notice after all."

Dora nodded, "Send an owl, right now."

"He doesn't need to," Charlus said, practically squealing like a teenage girl, "He's on his way to a breakfast date with her!" His voice rose and fell in a sing-song sort of way.

Dora quickly reached up and adjusted James's collar again. "I suppose you're meeting her mum this morning?"

James replied, "I've met her mum, mum."

Dora repeated, "Prop-per-ly!" broken out into three distinct syllables. 

"Yes, I suppose I am meeting her prop-per-ly," James echoed.

Dora undid the Gryffindor tie and summonsed the blue one, she made a face, then turned to Charlus, "Go get that gold one of yours. And the brown sweater. The one with the --" and she tapped her elbows.

Charlus ducked out of the room, and Dora turned to him, then waved her wand and the little pot of Sleekeazy flew over.

"Oh no, not that stuff," James said, catching it before she could and tossing it onto the bed. "My hair can stay just as it is, thank you. I've already learned that lesson once. Evans thinks it looks stupid all flat anyway." He took a deep breath, then, "Ah mum, I'm nervous."

"You've nothing to be nervous about," Dora answered, "Just be yourself and you'll be fine." She smiled up at him, "You're a bloody gem."

James smiled, "Yeah but, I've never really properly been in a couple before," he explained. "Well, other than Maryrose, perhaps, but it wasn't the same as this. It felt different. This feels... it feels important, mum."

"Because you're more grown up," Dora explained, "And it means a lot to you. I know it does."

James nodded. "A lot."

She searched his eyes with hers, "You're going to do brilliantly, James. Just pay her respect, and be kind, and generous, all of the things I know that you are, and you will amaze this girl every time, alright?"

"Yes mum."

Charlus returned, carrying the jumper and the tie, and Dora quickly redid the tie, tucking his collar over, and then handed him the jumper to pull on. When James had done, she did the buttons, and fixed the collar over the neck. She ran her fingers through the front of his hair once, just neatening it slightly, and she sighed, taking a step back. "There," she said. "There."

Charlus smiled, nodding, too. "You look spiffing, son."

"Bang on!" Dora exclaimed, mimicking a phrase she'd heard Sirius say before.

James laughed, "Thanks you lot." He reached over to the bed and took up his Headboy badge, turning it over in his palm, smiling at it. He looked up at them, "I still can't believe I got this."

"You deserve it," Charlus said, "And more."

Dora nodded, tears in her eyes, "We are so proud of you."

James smiled and he slid the badge into the chest pocket of his shirt under the jumper, where it would be safe until he showed Lily. He patted his chest, feeling the heaviness of the badge against him and relishing it. He stuck his chin out proudly, puffing up and straightening his shoulders. "It's time to go to breakfast," he announced, smiling.

Charlus and Dora followed him downstairs, Dora fussing and fixing the back hem of the jumper even as he got out a handful of the floo powder.

"Have a good breakfast, son," Charlus said, and he hugged Dora close as they watched.

James smiled, "Thanks." And he threw the powder into the fire, the flames flashed green, and he stepped inside and declared, "Lily Evans's house!" and he disappeared.

Charlus and Dora stood, staring at the fire for a moment, then he spun her about to face him, looking down at her. "It's about bloody time, huh?" he asked.

"He's been after her forever," she said, shaking her head.

"He has," Charlus agreed. "Bloody hell, I remember him mentioning her years ago."

Dora sighed nervously, "She better not break his heart or I'll --" and her hand went to her wand.

Charlus laughed, "Relax, killer." He took her hand up and laced his fingers through hers. "I reckon our son can fend for himself now."

Dora looked up at him, "It's just so hard to remember that!" she exclaimed. 

"I know," Charlus nodded, "But it's time that we did." Dora nodded, and their foreheads came together as they leaned into one another.

Remus woke with a great pain in his hip, gasping for breath. "Sirius?" he called into the forest, the pain consuming his side. He tried to move and there was a horrible zing of it that wrecked through his body. "Oww, ow, oh gods," tears filled his eyes and the dark trees looming overhead blurred. "Sirius? Help!"

There was silence in the woods.

"Sirius?" Remus cried. He struggled to sit up, the pain blinding, but his will to see what was going on even deeper than any pain could go. He was startled to find blood on his hands. "Oh no," he whispered. He looked around. He couldn't move his left leg. He had a feeling his hip might be disconnected, and he gasped, choking on the breath he was intaking. "Sirius?" he called into the trees.

Everything was still.

"What've I done?" Remus cried, "Oh what have I done? SIRIUS?? WHERE ARE YOU?"