Object Permanence

ko81-2026-02-06_09_21_03-object-permanence-nyx-21-harry-potter-j-k-rowling-archive-of-our-own.pdf

Sirius Black James Potter Remus Lupin Peter Pettigrew Regulus Black

Euphemia Potter

Fleamont Potter Marlene McKinnon

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody

Minerva McGonagall

Orion Black Walburga Black Bellatrix Black Lestrange Andromeda Black Tonks Pandora Lovegood

Background Sirius Black/OMC Gay Sirius Black Bisexual James Potter Friends to Lovers

Protective James Potter

Mutual Pining Pining James Potter Pining Sirius Black Sharing a Bed Domestic Fluff First Kiss Love Confessions Slow Burn Sirius Black is So Whipped James Potter is So Whipped Near Death Experiences

Past Child Abuse Abusive Orion Black Abusive Walburga Black Sirius Black Needs a Hug Sirius Black Gets a Hug Morally Grey Regulus Black Not Actually Unrequited Love Marauders Era Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence NO Lily Evans bashing Supportive Remus Lupin Remus Lupin is So Done Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon Friendship

Good Parent Euphemia Potter Good Parent Fleamont Potter prongsfoot - Freeform Starbucks Fluff and Angst Eventual Smut Fluff

Potions as Substance Abuse

James Potter Loves Sirius Black

Sirius Black Loves James Potter

Angst and Fluff and Smut

Marauders Friendship

Auror James Potter Auror Sirius Black

First Wizarding War with Voldemort

Angst and Hurt/Comfort

Fluff and Hurt/Comfort

Minor James Potter/Lily Evans

Possessive James Potter Jealous James Potter

Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Emotional Sex

Feelings Realization

Blood and Violence

English

Object Permanence

"Promise me something, Siri."

"Anything," Sirius said quickly. There was nothing he would be unwilling to do for Euphemia Potter. He owed the Potters everything.

"Don't let James run off and marry her without telling him how you feel."

Sirius froze, shock rendering him momentarily speechless. Effie just stared at him, eyes brimming with soft understanding.

"I - I don't know what you're talking about," Sirius stammered.

She raised an eyebrow. "I think you do."

After Hogwarts, everything is perfect for James Potter and Sirius Black - best friends, roommates, and now partners in the Ministry's Auror training program. But with the spectre of war looming, Sirius seems determined to put himself in danger and James finds himself wrestling with increasingly intense feelings for his best friend.

Or, James and Sirius realise they are far more than platonic soulmates.

A slow-burn, post-Hogwarts, Marauder Era story filled with angst, fluff, unhinged pining, unprofessional workplace behaviour, and shameless meddling from Effie and Monty Potter.

Notes:

Welcome to my little Marauder AU fic where I indulge in my sudden obsessive adoration for Prongsfoot.

I hope you enjoy the story. Please make sure that you keep an eye on the trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter as some dark themes will be covered. However, a happy ending is guaranteed.

Chapter One: A new world is born

Summary:

Sirius glanced up to discover several of the glowing bubbles hovering over his head, taking a shine to him.

"It's the blatant favouritism that gets to me," James said playfully, reaching out to nudge one of the floating orbs with his fingers. It drew slightly closer to Sirius; he could feel the warm glow on his face.

"Can't help it Prongsie. It's my raw charisma."

"You already have an unfair advantage," James groused half-heartedly. "You shouldn't get the extra good lighting as well."

"I assume you're referring to my outrageous bone structure?"

James rolled his eyes but did not deny it.

Notes:

Welcome to my little love letter to Prongsfoot. I hope you enjoy this first instalment.

Soundtrack:

Each chapter I'll try to share the one song I listened to on loop while I wrote. For this chapter it's "Youth" by Daughter.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Anaïs Nin, The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Volume One

James Potter shifted uncomfortably on his seat. His supervisor - Auror Akeem Adl - leafed through his hastily drafted situation report with a thoroughly unimpressed expression on his face.

James could not pin down the precise sequence of events that had led him into this claustrophobic basement office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. However, he was certain that Sirius Black was mostly to blame. As usual. Not that James would ever admit that to anyone outside of the Marauders. Not even an Imperious Curse cast by Voldemort himself would compel him to betray his best friend.

Nonetheless, James firmly believed Sirius could at least pretend to be contrite. Sprawled elegantly in the chair next to James, Sirius was a picture of relaxed unconcern. How did he even stay in the chair while sitting at that angle?

James settled his gaze on his friend, raising his eyebrows pointedly. Sirius simply smirked in response, sinking even further into his artful slouch. James rolled his eyes. No one worked harder than Sirius to look utterly unbothered.

Auror Adl pressed his hands to his forehead and let out a deep, steadying breath.

"So let me get this straight," he ground out. "You were sent on a simple reconnaissance mission at a Muggle farm. But instead of recording the suspects' movements, you took it upon yourselves to launch an unauthorised raid and apprehend them after a fire fight in broad daylight."

James winced. "When you put it like that it doesn't sound great," he conceded.

Collecting his thoughts, Adl scanned the report again. "After which you attempted to convince passing Muggles that you were performing a pantomime to promote a travelling circus?"

James kicked Sirius in the shin when he snorted. Although Sirius straightened in his chair, James suspected he was focused on repelling any future attacks rather than taking the conversation more seriously. Clearly, James would have to slip into his usual role as their spokesperson. No longer at Hogwarts, James could not rely on the soft spot Minerva McGonagall had for the two best players on her beloved Gryffindor Quidditch team to get out of trouble.

"We also apprehended two of the most wanted smugglers of dark artefacts in Europe," James reasoned. Although their approach was unconventional, James and Sirius always achieved results, which was more than most of the fledging Aurors in their training cohort could claim.

"We obliviated most of the Muggles," Sirius added. "And no one believes kids when they talk about magic anyway."

This was the weakest point in their case. Protocol required they wipe the memory of the seven-year-old son of the German tourists who had witnessed their raid. James had been ready to comply with the handbook, lifting his wand to perform the memory charm. But then Sirius had grabbed his wand arm. James had not resisted him when he saw the haunted look on his friend's face. Protocol be damned.

During an unhappy childhood with Orion and Walburga Black, Sirius had often felt powerless to defend himself and remained unwilling to put other children in the same position. Although unorthodox, Sirius was firm on the point that he did not perform spells on kids. It was one of the many things James liked about him.

At the time, James had not cared about the consequences, far more focused on reassuring Sirius. He still believed that Sirius was correct in his assessment that no one would believe a seven-year-old talking about magic wands and squawking chickens.

Auror Adl leaned back in his chair, appraising them. "How long have you both been in the Auror training program?"

"We started right out of Hogwarts," James responded. "A year of basic training at the Academy and twelve months of workplace training at the Ministry."

"So less than a year out from completing the program," Adl observed. "Seeing you graduated from the Academy at the top of your class - "

"Well," Sirius said smugly. "Technically James was second in his class."

This time, Sirius dodged the kick James aimed in his direction.

"First in Duelling," James retorted. "And Concealment and Disguise."

"I was having an off day," Sirius shrugged.

"More like an off twelve-month period of consistent testing in two core subjects."

"In light of your considerable training," Adl interrupted. "Perhaps you can name, Potter, the single most important piece of legislation passed by the Wizengamot."

James frowned, casting his mind back over their cadet syllabus and Lily's frequent soliloquies about the unjust legislation she wanted to overturn as a law clerk. "The Unforgivable Act?"

Adl clenched his fist, visibly struggling to avoid slamming it down on the table. A familiar response from any authority figure who interacted with James and Sirius. Honestly, James admired his restraint in not surrendering to the urge.

"I am referring to the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy," he said through gritted teeth.

"It is an inherently subjective question, though," Sirius mused, his brow furrowing in thought. "If you were a werewolf, then the most important law would be the Werewolf Code of Conduct."

"If you were a Muggle, it would probably be Muggle Protection Act," James added.

"Good point, Jamie. Are we werewolves or Muggles in your hypothetical?"

"We should also check if we are magical artefacts," James said. "That would completely change the game."

With a sudden bang, Adl struck the tabletop, making them both jump.

"How about we talk about whether you're still going to be Aurors?" Adl retorted sharply.

A silencing charm would not have been more effective. Perhaps the department would hesitate to dismiss them after investing so much in their gruelling training program, but there could be other consequences. Worst of all? Separating them.

It had felt like a stroke of unbelievable luck when they were paired together for the remainder of their training program. The Marauders could hardly believe their fortune.

Peter had struggled to wrap his head around the idea. "But, have they met you and Sirius?"

Moony had gaped - horrified. "Merlin's beard, it's the end of the justice system in the wizarding world."

"I feel like I should be offended by this reaction," Sirius had said, slinging an arm around James. "But I'm honestly flattered."

At the time, Lily had asked James if he worried that he and Sirius might grow tired of each other, given they already worked and lived together. But for Sirius Black and James Potter, there was no such thing as too much. There were moments in their friendship when they even resented sleep for interrupting their time together.

It was irrelevant anyway. Their jobs were far too dangerous for such petty issues to stand in the way. James loathed the idea of Sirius going on a dangerous mission without him. Though naturally brilliant, Sirius had absolutely no common sense. James felt it was his duty to keep an eye on him-or at least charge into the fray right alongside him.

"That seems to have gotten your attention," Adl said grimly. "You can both relax; you won't be dismissed this time. But you're on desk duty for three months, and probation for six."

Sirius groaned loudly at the mention of "desk duty." Paperwork was not his strong suit.

"Thank you, sir," James interjected quickly, before Sirius could say anything to get them fired. "We are big fans of paperwork. Huge fans."

"That passion is definitely not coming through in this report," Adl replied drily, gesturing to the document James had thrown together about five minutes before the meeting.

"That's what makes this a great development opportunity," James said cheerfully. "We'll go get right onto it."

Adl rolled his eyes. "Get out of here. Both of you."

James hauled Sirius to his feet and dragged him out into the hallway. Although it was completely windowless and rather dank, to James it felt like breaking out of prison. He sighed in relief, leaning against the wall as Sirius slumped dramatically next to him. Another close call - it really was just like Hogwarts.

"Desk duty," Sirius moaned, as if he had been sentenced to death. "I would genuinely prefer that they put me in stocks at the entrance to the Ministry."

James shrugged half-heartedly. "Well, you're an exhibitionist."

Sirius tilted his head toward James, flashing one of his signature grins. "A face this beautiful deserves to be seen by an adoring public."

James poked the dimple on Sirius' left cheek. The asymmetry of it had always irritated Sirius - the vain git. James secretly adored it; it was a tiny piece of punctuation on an otherwise flawless face. It suited him perfectly.

"Very charitable of you," James replied, rolling his eyes. "You know, you could have been slightly more helpful in there."

Sirius leaned his head onto James' shoulder. Despite his claims to the contrary, James knew Sirius was only a couple of inches shorter than him. Years of physical conditioning as a Beater, followed by their intense Auror training, had given him broad shoulders. But like everyone in his family, Sirius was naturally lithe and slim. He sprawled against James as if he was a piece of oversized furniture.

James did not mind - nor did he take the trust Sirius showed in him lightly. During the early years of their friendship, Sirius had been guarded, stiffening when James wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulder or ruffled his hair affectionately. The fact Sirius accepted the affection James was eager to show him was a rare gift - one he valued fiercely.

"I thought I made some very cogent points about subjectivity," Sirius said.

"And yet, shockingly, Adl did not seem grateful for your insights."

It was only when Sirius started fiddling with a loose thread on his Auror robes that James realised they needed mending. His family house elf, Melly, would be able to mend the uniform when he and Sirius visited his parents tomorrow. James took great pride in his Auror uniform and the opportunity to do his part to protect the wizarding world, particularly with the growing forces of darkness gathering power around them.

Although Sirius was equally committed to their career path, he had little interest in the uniform code, always wearing an assortment of rings and at least three earrings. His only concession was to pull back his gleaming curls during their shifts. After gauging his natural talent for defensive spells, their instructors no longer punished Sirius for his uniform transgressions.

"Sorry for getting you in trouble, Prongs," Sirius said. "I just ... saw an opening and wanted to go for it, you know? It was stupid."

Despite his confidence, Sirius was far too hard on himself. James had always believed their jobs required at least a bit of improvisation.

"Come on, Pads," James said, nudging Sirius until he earned a shove in response. "We caught the bad guys. And you got to pull a rabbit out of a top hat for a small German child. It was exactly the sort of ridiculous day that made me want to get this job in the first place."

Sirius turned to regard James more closely, huffing a laugh. Something vulnerable appeared in his expression. "So, you're not wishing that you never met me and planning on cutting me from your life?"

"Never," James said, pressing a hand to his chest as if wounded by the mere suggestion. "Come on. It's Friday, let's get out of here. I sent word to Lily, Moony, and Wormtail that we were probably getting fired to guilt them into coming to drinks."

Sirius followed James back to their shared office, groaning again. "Lily definitely wishes you had never met me and would cut me from your life."

"Rubbish," James grinned. "She knew what she was getting into when she agreed to date me."

Still completing the training program, it was unusual for them to have such a large office, filled with four desks although only Sirius and James used the space. To cheer up their shared office, they had stolen two training dummies usually used for duelling practice, drawn cheerful smiley faces on their blank faces, and christened them Dummy Moony and Dummy Wormtail. Merlin knew what they would do when two other trainees were allocated to their space and found their seats taken by inanimate objects.

Piles of paper were multiplying on their desks, their inboxes already overflowing with forms and reports for their review. Ministry memos flew through the door like little birds - though mercifully none were marked urgent.

Sirius stared wide-eyed at the growing pile of admin as if it were his personal vision of hell. James made a note to keep an eye on his friend; boredom did him no favours. In truth, James would also miss the adrenaline of field work for the next few months.

"Do you think they'd reconsider not firing us?" James asked glumly.

Sirius sighed before pulling off his Auror robes to expose torn jeans and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt. Both Sirius and James preferred wearing Muggle clothes - for Sirius this was driven by his burning passion for their music and culture, while James just enjoyed annoying his snootier Pureblood colleagues.

With no particular interest in fashion, James was naturally conservative with his clothing. With his glasses and unruly mop of hair, James felt he already looked sufficiently chaotic without the band t-shirts. In contrast, Sirius always looked ridiculously cool. It certainly did not hurt that his preternatural good looks made him look like he had just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine.

"Don't worry, Prongsie," Sirius consoled, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll fuck up royally and be thrown out on our arses any day now."

"Well," James sighed. "We can only hope."

Sirius had never planned to become an Auror. In Seventh Year, when pressed about his career ambitions, he had decided to become David Bowie, raving on and on about it until Marlene Mckinnon explained to him that Bowie was not a title but a person. Swallowing his disappointment, Sirius decided to follow James' lead, as usual.

James always knew the right thing to - when it counted at least. He was thrillingly open to doing the wrong thing when it came to trivialities like curfew and pranks. James had a lot of good qualities. He was funny, intelligent, and talented. Everyone always wanted to be his friend - not just because he cut such a striking figure in his Quidditch kit. There was an inherent goodness to James, probably because he was raised by Euphemia and Fleamont Potter. It had always confounded Sirius, even as he was drawn to it.

Sirius was disappointed - but unsurprised - to discover they would not be joining a professional Quidditch league. Brave James Potter would never pursue something as frivolous as Quidditch with a war going on - albeit one playing out in shadows and out of sight from polite society. James was drawn to the Auror corps like a moth to flame. Sirius went wherever James led him.

James insisted that Sirius be there to inform his parents about their plans.

"This really feels like a private family moment, Prongsie," Sirius had said, desperate to avoid Effie's ire.

"That's exactly why you're coming," James retorted. "Also, I'm going to use you as a human shield when my mum starts losing her mind about it."

Although not thrilled by their decision to pursue such a dangerous career, Effie channelled her concerns into a gruelling first aid course, sharing everything she had learned as a brilliant nurse at St Mungo's in her day. The improvised training program rivalled the sadistic drills of dictatorial Quidditch Captain James Potter.

For his part, Monty was proud. After embracing his son, he had turned to Sirius and hugged him too. It was one of Sirius' most treasured memories, matched only by the bear hug James had given him when they escaped back upstairs to debrief.

Then came the fear. Fear of letting everyone down. Sirius had never done well with rules or boundaries and the glossy brochure they received from the Auror Academy made clear that their training program had an abundance of both. Luckily, his fear of failure drove him to study for the first time in his life, no longer relying on his innate test taking ability to ace his exams. For a year, he rivalled even James in terms of discipline and commitment.

Nonetheless, Sirius was shocked when he topped their year. Although he had briefly worried that his competitive friend would resent him for stealing first place, James was endearingly elated for him. Sirius suffered through an embarrassing family dinner in their honour with Effie and Monty. James had also gone on and on about it to Peter and Remus at one of their weekly pub visits, unfazed by their bemused looks.

"See Pads," Remus had said sardonically. "Tests are even easier when you actually study for them." With his cheeks burning under James' praise, it had taken genuine effort to summon his usual smirk. "Well, when you're as naturally brilliant as me and James, you don't really need to study."

"Must be nice," Remus said good-naturedly.

Sirius was annoyed at himself for his thoughtlessness. They all knew Remus would have made an incredible Auror, but since signing the Werewolf Register at seventeen, he had been disqualified from most roles at the Ministry. Lily was determined to use her position as a law clerk in the Wizengamot to reform werewolf rights. James always went starry eyed during her righteous rants on this issue. Lily and James shared lofty ideals of justice.

Despite the success Sirius had attained at the Auror Academy, their workplace training was far more challenging. At the Ministry of Magic, the Black surname did him no favors with his peers, given the rumors of dark wizards infiltrating the organs of government. Sirius had no doubt the rumors were true when it came to his relatives.

It would have been wise to keep his head down. But Sirius never excelled at keeping a low profile, and after months of abiding by all the rules and sub-clauses that restricted their behavior, Sirius was itching for some chaos. During their stake out, he had rushed into things - even though he had known that James would be right behind him.

The sight of James hurling curses with feathers in his hair while chickens squawked in outrage had been the perfect way to release some stress. At the time, Sirius had not considered that their actions might damage James' career. Their punishment could have been a lot worse than a month of administrative work. More evidence that James would be better off without him.

"Cheer up," James ordered, throwing open the door of their favorite bar near the Ministry. Sirius could not help but smile in response; it was impossible to resist the James Potter positive attitude this close to a licensed bar.

"Firewhiskey makes me cheerful."

"Actually, it makes you morose and sleepy, but I suppose you do make a brief pitstop at cheerful on the way."

The ceiling of the bar had been charmed to resemble a perfect sunset. A cloud of glowing gold orbs, slightly transparent like bubbles, floated around the room, casting a warm and inviting light. Nonetheless, all the patrons spoke in hushed whispers and stared at James and Sirius as they passed. Everyone could feel the growing tension in their community, fears coalescing around the shadowy figure of You-Know-

Who.

James led them to their usual booth. He gestured to the house elf bartender, holding up two fingers and receiving a nod in response. Their drinks appeared on the table. A perk of being regulars.

James lifted his glass towards Sirius before taking a long sip, scrunching his nose so that he had to push his glasses back up. As Sirius mirrored his movements by lifting his drink, James seemed to catch sight of something just above him. Sirius glanced up to discover several of the glowing bubbles hovering over his head, taking a shine to him.

"It's the blatant favoritism that gets to me," James said playfully, reaching out to nudge one of the floating orbs with his fingers. It drew slightly closer to Sirius; he could feel the warm glow on his face.

"Can't help it Prongsie. It's my raw charisma."

"You already have an unfair advantage," James groused half-heartedly. "You shouldn't get the extra good lighting as well."

False modesty was an unconvincing look on James Potter. Back at Hogwarts he had scarcely been able to finish a meal without one of his admirers attempting to slip him a love potion.

"I assume you're referring to my outrageous bone structure?" Sirius asked with over-stated smugness.

James rolled his eyes but did not deny it. Although he knew James was free with his praise, his stomach flooded with warmth at the implicit compliment. Sirius moved the conversation along quickly, not wanting to dwell on his inappropriate reactions to his best friend.

Soon enough, they were lost in their own world. Even though they spent almost every waking moment together, Sirius and James never tired of each other. The conversation careened around on wild tangents. James always understood his thought processes and vice versa.

"Evening lads."

Sirius was startled to discover Peter Pettigrew smiling down at them in an ill-fitted suit with his hair slicked back with Sleekeazy's. It was a source of endless delight to Sirius that the hair smoothing potion that had made Fleamont Potter even wealthier was powerless to tame that unruly Potter hair.

Sirius was under strict instructions not to mock Peter for his new look. Old Wormy fancied a witch he worked with in the Department of Magical Transportation, who shared his bewildering interest in the mind-numbing bureaucracy governing Portkeys and the Floo Network. For some reason Pete thought his attempt at courting her would be assisted by dressing like a Muggle accountant. Sirius deserved a medal for holding his tongue.

"Fired before you even complete the training program," Peter tutted, placing his monogrammed briefcase onto the floor. "Surely that is a record."

"I may have embellished slightly," James admitted. "But we're on admin for the next few months, so emergency drinks were required."

"Admin," Sirius groaned, burying his face in his crossed arms. The warmth abandoned him as the orbs floated away to find greener pastures. Sirius felt oddly put out by their rejection.

"He's been doing that a lot," James said fondly, fiddling with Sirius' hair, which he had taken out of its half-bun on the way to the pub. It felt ridiculously good to have James stroking his fingers through his hair; Sirius had to bite back an inappropriate moan.

"Poor Padfoot," Peter said good naturedly. "Can I get you a drink, mate?"

"You're a marvel, Pete," Sirius mumbled, not lifting his head. "I hope that witch from work shags you."

James laughed loudly. Unable to resist, Sirius turned his head to scrutinize James through one eye. An orb had settled on his shoulder, casting a golden glow on his smooth skin and strong jaw. His warm hazel eyes kindled in the soft lighting. It was a grave injustice that he had inherited those long dark eyelashes from his mother. Talk about unfair advantages.

Of course, it was not just that James was handsome; Sirius could have dealt with his feelings if it was just about looks. But it was that face combined with that warm heart that made the situation impossible. Nor did it help that James made Sirius laugh until his stomach hurt. No one could ever compete.

"Really, Sirius," Peter sputtered. "You're so childish sometimes."

"I'm truly incorrigible."

"A bad seed," James added, tugging gently on a curl for the pleasure of watching it spring back into place. "Mother warned me about boys like you."

"There are no boys like me," Sirius retorted regretfully. "Trust me - I've looked."

Peter cleared his throat, before mumbling something about ordering more drinks. Sirius lifted his head slightly to watch him scurry to the bar, side-stepping a goblin who was having a very somber conversation with an elderly wizard in a long green cloak.

"I knew that would work," Sirius said, a satisfied grin spreading on his face as he settled his head back on his arms. "He always bolts when I mention fancying blokes."

James paused, frowning as he contemplated this statement. "Are you serious?"

Sirius went to speak - usually his friends were careful to avoid saying things like that and risking the overuse of the tired pun. James quickly caught himself.

"Don't say it or I'll pull your hair," he warned, a playful glint in his eyes.

Sounds good to me, Sirius thought but refrained from saying. Even with James, it was safer not to flirt so directly. His friends had been surprisingly accepting when he had come out, but there was no need to push the boundaries - even just as a joke.

Focused on glaring after Peter, James had tragically forgotten all about Sirius' hair. Maybe he should just turn into Padfoot and whine until James noticed him. But it was clear that James was too comfortably perched on his high horse to be easily distracted.

"Relax, Prongs," he soothed. "I like making him uncomfortable."

"He shouldn't be uncomfortable," James said sternly. "I'll have a word with him."

Before Sirius could respond, the pressure in the room shifted as bar door swung open. Lily Evans strode in and James immediately sprang to his feet, rushing over to greet her. Every inch the gentleman Euphemia Potter had raised.

Like Peter, Lily always dressed smartly for her job at the Ministry. Her conservative clothes couldn't hide her striking features; that vivid red hair and those bright green eyes. Sirius had to grudgingly admit she was a beautiful young woman. He watched glumly as James leaned in to kiss her briefly before leading her back to their table.

"Sirius," she said with a nod of acknowledgement.

She had stopped referring to him by his surname as soon as she learned about his experiences with his horrible family. She was a thoughtful type of person, even though she clearly considered Sirius a miscreant and all-round terrible influence on her boyfriend. Sirius was magnanimous enough to concede that it was an accurate assessment overall.

Lily and Sirius shared an unspoken understanding to tolerate each other, sparing James a potentially uncomfortable position. It was not that they disliked each other; they were just too different to find common ground. Lily was a rule-abider who staunchly believed in quaint ideas like justice - a foreign concept in the Noble House of Black. Sirius hated to be constrained and was most comfortable operating in shades of grey. James was the bridge between them - a perfect balance of impulsiveness and order.

"Lily," Sirius responded, forcing a half-hearted smile.

James sat back down next to Sirius, gesturing for him to move further around the booth to make room for Lily. Sirius was pleased to have him back, although James continued to glare at Peter as he progressed in the bar queue.

Lily peered at James curiously. "Why do you look like you're planning on murdering Peter?"

"He's being homophobic."

Lily frowned, narrowing her eyes. "That's very disappointing to hear."

James had never quite mastered this type of severe look during his time as Head Boy. In contrast, it came incredibly naturally to Lily. Together, they turned their disapproving looks on Wormtail.

"James is going to teach him about tolerance," Sirius said sarcastically.

"Good," Lily said with an approving smile at her boyfriend, prompting James to puff out his chest.

"And while he does that, Sirius is going to get smashed," Sirius added in the same tone of voice.

"A very mature response," she sniffed. "Now I promised James that I wouldn't have a go at you, Sirius. But honestly what were you thinking launching an unauthorised raid?"

"Wasn't thinking, really," he shrugged.

"That's not true," James interjected, tearing his eyes away from Peter to defend Sirius. "You saw an opportunity to break up a smuggling ring. Who cares about bureaucracy? Our jobs are about keeping people safe."

"Your job is about enforcing the law, not taking it into your own hands," Lily frowned, a line forming in the centre of her forehead.

Sirius let their debate to wash over him, not in the mood to discuss politics and the philosophy of law enforcement. James was a master at explaining his actions for him - Sirius usually only made matters worse when he attempted to contribute.

Fortunately, Peter arrived with a round of drinks, presenting an extra shot to Sirius as an apology for scolding him. As far as Sirius was concerned, Peter could scold him all night if he kept the drinks flowing.

James, Lily and Peter chattered merrily, trading updates on their jobs and stories about encounters with their old classmates. It was a relief when Moony finally arrived. They always avoided talking about the Ministry when he was around. Since graduating, Remus had bounced between different jobs, both wizarding and Muggle. No matter how hard he worked, his mysterious monthly illnesses always complicated matters.

Remus' experience reinforced Sirius' belief that justice was not the natural state of the world. Remus was one of the most intelligent and diligent people Sirius knew. In a just world, he would be soaring to the top of a demanding profession instead of just surviving.

"Save me, Moony," Sirius said, reaching out with both hands as Remus shrugged off his threadbare coat. "They want me to talk about work on a Friday night."

"How inhumane," Remus said, shaking his head with a wry smile.

Remus remained softly spoken and bookish, just as he had been at Hogwarts, but over the past couple of years he had grown more comfortable in his skin. He no longer stooped to speak to them, nor did he hide the scratches the wolf left on his face. They made him look striking. Danger wrapped in a fuzzy cardigan.

James and Sirius eagerly tripped over one another to recount their raid and the ensuing probation, and even Lily could not help but laugh at their antics. Sirius felt his mood lifting; there was nothing he enjoyed more than being surrounded by his friends. He leaned heavily against James, feeling pleasantly drunk.

When his gaze dipped, he noticed that James and Lily were holding hands under the table. Although it was sweet, his stomach twisted at the sight. A reminder that nothing ever stayed the same. Sirius was under no illusions. James and Lily had a future together. Soon enough, James would step forward into that future, leaving Sirius behind.