The first time Sirius opened the door to the McKinnon’s kitchen and was doused in ice water, he laughed as uproariously as Gideon and Fabian, who had balanced the bucket above the door in the first place. The second time he laughed again, this time with a little bow in their direction. –Fool me once, eh boys?†The fourth time it happened, he began to get a little irritated. The seventh time, he lost his temper.
–SERIOUSLY?†he bellowed, his hair dripping into his eyes and his drenched clothes sending streams of water to the floor. –Do you seriously have NOTHING BETTER TO DO than wait for me to walk through this door so you can play the SAME MUGGLE TRICK on me for the THOUSANDTH TIME?â€
The occupants of the kitchen blinked at him. Gideon and Fabian, leaning against the table, were clearly trying not to snigger, while Dorcas Meadowes rolled her eyes in the corner. Benjy Fenwick exchanged an alarmed glance with Peter, and Marlene, who was standing at the sink with a mug between her hands, merely grinned.
–It just never gets boring, old chap,†Gideon explained. –Seriously, you never see it coming.â€
–It never occurs to you to, I don’t know, change it up a little?†Sirius snarled, wringing out his sleeve.
Fabian smiled toothily. –It’s foolproof,†he said. –The more we do it, the more you think, ‘Oh, they couldn’t possibly pull that one again’ and you walk right into it, don’t you?â€
Sirius narrowed his eyes at them suspiciously, then backed slowly out of the room.
–So,†Marlene said after a moment, setting her mug in the sink and crossing her arms, –didn’t you just blow it then, by telling him?â€
But Gideon and Fabian just looked at her, twin sparkles of mischief in their eyes.
The next day, Sirius Apparated directly into the kitchen instead of bothering with the door, and Gideon and Fabian tossed their bucket of ice water right in his face.
–If only you’d used the door,†Fabian said mournfully as a livid Sirius shook the water from his eyes. –You would have seen that one coming.â€
But this time, Sirius was planning revenge as he stalked from the room.
---
–But…I don’t understand,†Peter said, looking at him with wide eyes. –Why can’t you use magic? How many good Muggle tricks can there be, anyway?â€
–We have to do a Muggle prank,†Sirius explained patiently, for what he privately thought felt like the twentieth time, –because Gideon and Fabian didn’t use any magic, and I have to beat them.†He paused, and then clarified, "At their own game.â€
Peter yawned. –Why, though?†he asked. –Why not just laugh it off and wait for them to get bred?â€
Because taking the moral high ground always felt a lot like losing, Sirius thought, though he didn’t say it. Instead, he eyeballed Peter, who had now slumped forward onto the table and was wondering loudly about dinner.
Sighing, Sirius set his quill down on the depressingly blank piece of parchment in front of him and leaned back in his chair. –Oh, go on then,†he told Peter. –We’re not making progress anyway.â€
Peter was out of his seat and down the hall before Sirius could blink. –I’ll save you something!†he called as he disappeared.
Sirius shook his head, gazing around the second floor study he had commandeered. The trouble was, he mused, Peter just wasn’t cut out for pranking. Admittedly, he’d tried Moony first, but Moony’d been antsy and nervous the whole time, worried about someone getting annoyed or upset, until finally Sirius had had to let him of the hook as well.
–You,†he had said, –are way too concerned about everyone liking you.†And Remus had shrugged sheepishly, but hadn’t denied it.
Sirius drummed his fingers on the desktop, running his other hand through his hair. He supposed he should be doing work for the Order, but if Gideon and Fabian could get away with this, he was determined to as well.
Of course, he knew who he really needed by his side for this, but James still just seemed so, well fragile--there was no other word for it. It had been several weeks since he’d let Sirius and Lily into his parents’ house, and he’d improved dramatically since then--sometimes at Order meetings he seemed almost like his old self--but sometimes he still looked lost, a strange weariness in his eyes, years older. Sometimes Sirius looked at him and he could barely his best friend, and he was loath to do anything that might scare James back into his shell.
So, really, he was left with only one option.
---
She wasn’t anywhere in the McKinnon’s house, and Sirius was temporarily concerned that she wasn’t at Headquarters at all until, on a whim, he stepped out onto the porch and there she was, sitting on a rocking chair, wrapped in blankets, a fluffy white hat on her head and a book in her lap.
–Are you crazy?†Sirius asked. –It’s freezing out here! It’s November.â€
Lily made a face at him, as was her custom, and tossed him one of her blankets. It was surprisingly warm, and he immediately burrowed his hands into it.
–Duh,†she said, –I’m a witch.â€
In response, Sirius snagged another blanket off her lap and tucked himself into the rocking chair beside her.
–What are you reading?â€
She angled it towards him: The Art of War. –It’s a Muggle book,†she explained. –Marlene leant it to me--she has quite a collection, did you know that? Anyway, I just figured…since we’re on the edge of one…â€
–Mmf,†Sirius said noncommittally, and then, brighter, –Hey! How about a distraction?â€
–There is no way,†Lily said primly, –that I am helping you with your stupid vendetta against Gideon and Fabian.â€
Sirius was momentarily crestfallen. –Whyyy?†he whined.
–Lily rolled her eyes good-naturedly at him. –Because you should be asking James,†she said. –But you know that.â€
Sirius squirmed slightly. –I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t my first choice,†he admitted. –But it’s just been so…I mean, he’s…â€
–I know,†Lily said. –It’s weird. But I’ve been thinking, and maybe we need to stop treating him like he’s going to…fall apart any second, you know? He’s tougher than that. I know that, and you certainly know that.â€
Sirius shrugged mutely, and Lily nudged him with her foot. –Hey, since when do you ask me for advice on how to handle James, anyway?â€
–I’m not!†Sirius said indignantly. –I know how to handle James! I just--â€
–You what?†Lily prompted.
He looked at her then, and sighed. –I never lost my family,†he explained. –I left them. It never--never seemed like it would be that big of a distinction, really, but somehow it matters now. I can’t be there for him in the way you are.â€
Lily looked at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. –That,†she said finally, –is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.â€
Sirius blinked at her.
–You may have been dealt a rough hand when it comes to your own family,†Lily told him sternly, –but that just means you were that much closer to James’s family! Which means you can be there for him in a way no one else can be.â€
–Yeah?†Sirius asked, looking heartened.
–You are the closest thing to a brother he has,†Lily said. –So quit moping around and act like it. Besides, weren’t you the one who was all mad at him weeks ago for behaving like he doesn’t have family anymore? If you want that to stop, go be his family. â€
–Whoah,†Sirius said. –Listen to you.â€
Lily looked up at him, and her face softened. –You lived with them for years,†she said. –I know it doesn’t mean the same thing, but you lost them too, you know.â€
Sirius closed his eyes for a long moment, unusually quiet, before grinning and stretching his hands over his head. –Knew we kept you around for a reason, Evans,†he said.
–Don’t make me hurt you, Padfoot,†Lily said calmly, going back to her book.
Sirius touched her shoulder as he stood, and went to find James.
---
–The bucket of water trick, huh?†James said skeptically a few hours later.
–I’m afraid so,†Sirius nodded.
The two of them were sitting at the kitchen table in their flat. James had slowly been moving things out of his parents’ house, preparing to sell it, and had been spending most nights there; it was the first time in a while that the two of them had in their own apartment together. Sirius had been delighted to find James there in the first place, and even more delighted at the way James’s face had lit up when Sirius had mentioned pranking Gideon and Fabian.
Maybe Lily was right, Sirius thought. Maybe leaving him alone for so long was a mistake and he just needed something to do. Merlin knows I would.
–Okay,†James was saying now, cupping his chin in his hands. –Here’s how I see it. We either need to do a series of small things, like they did to you with the water bucket, or one really huge, obnoxious thing.â€
Sirius quirked an eyebrow. –Well, Prongs,†he said, –when has our style ever been small?â€
James grinned. –I was hoping you’d say that,†he said.
Sirius sat up. –Why?†he asked. –Do you have an idea?â€
–Of course I do,†James said, looking rather affronted. –We haven’t been out of the game that long.â€
–Well, no,†Sirius said. –But, well…â€
It wasn’t often that he felt awkward around James, but he did now; he trailed off, unsure of what to say.
–You thought I’d be off my game because I’ve been doing nothing for the past month but hiding out in my parents’ house going over old scrapbooks?†James finished for him wryly.
–Is that what you’ve been doing up there?†Sirius heard himself ask, unable to restrain himself.
To his everlasting relief, James burst out laughing. –Of course not!†he said. –I’ve been going over all their legal documents--you know, their wills and everything--and trust me, it’s been a right headache! I can hardly be blamed if my mind drifted every once in a while.â€
–And it drifted straight to pranking Gideon and Fabian Prewett with me, did it?†Sirius asked skeptically.
–Well,†James said, and his grin was a bit too lascivious for even Sirius’s taste. –Sometimes.â€
–Ack, okay,†Sirius said, holding up his hands. –Stop, or I’ll never be able to look at Lily the same way again.â€
He relaxed back into his chair as James laughed easily, shaking his head. Then Sirius said, –You are looking at scrapbooks and everything too, right?â€
James looked up at him. –‘Course I am,†he said gruffly. –Little by little, anyway.â€
Sirius nodded. –Good,†he said. –At least, I think that’s good.â€
James rolled his eyes. –Yeah, probably healthy,†he said, then paused. –You’re in a lot of them, you know.â€
–Your mum’s scrapbooks?†Sirius asked, surprised, and James nodded. –Yeah, your dad was always taking pictures, wasn’t he?â€
A corner of James’s mouth quirked up. –He was at that,†he said. –But, well, if you ever wanted to, you know, look at any of them…â€
Sirius nodded quickly, his jaw locked. –I’d like that,†he said abruptly.
–I’ll bring them home, then, next time I go over there,†James said.
Sirius nodded again, not quite trusting himself to speak. After a moment, James cleared his throat and said, –So, about those Prewett brothers…â€
Sirius groaned. –Ugh, they’re thorns in my side, Prongs, I’ve needed you around desperately.â€
–People are staying at Headquarters quite a lot now, aren’t they?†James asked.
–Yeah,†Sirius said. –Sometimes they’re there so late that they don’t want to bother going home and just coming back. Or they’re on call for something. The McKinnon’s added a whole floor onto their house to accommodate all of us, did you know that? Went up fast, even for magic…â€
–How often do Gideon and Fabian stay at Headquarters?†James mused.
–Often enough that they have their own room there,†Sirius said, and James smiled devilishly.
–I was hoping you’d say that,†he said.
---
Unlike Gideon and Fabian, Remus did not have his own room at Order Headquarters, although he was starting to be there often enough. There was a guest room on the second floor with two beds that he stayed in sometimes, often some combination of himself, Sirius, James, and Peter. Tonight, though, Peter and Benjy had claimed it, and Remus was sitting by himself at the kitchen table, watching a candle burn lower in the dark and trying to work up the motivation to go home.
He was still in his parents’ house; he took James’s offer of support seriously, but he at least wanted to find a job before he moved out on his own, wanted to feel like he was contributing in some way. But nothing was panning out. It was like he wore his werewolf blood on his sleeve; most of the Order still didn’t know, but potential employers could sense it right off--whether they had psychics employed or it was the full moon’s off giveaway he didn’t know, but either way, his luck was against him.
–You’re here late,†came a voice from behind him, and he nearly jumped through the roof.
Remus groaned, dropping his forehead to the table. –Merlin, Marlene,†he said into his lap. –You scared me.â€
She laughed lightly, slipping into a chair beside him. –Lily and I decided we’re going to head back to our place,†she said. –You can have my room, if you need a place to stay tonight.â€
Remus shivered slightly at the thought, but he ignored it. –That’s okay,†he said. –I’ve been meaning to go home anyway, I just…†he sighed. –Don’t want to?â€
Marlene nodded. –It’s weird coming home as much as I do,†she said, –what with my parents’ house being Headquarters and all. But it’s nice to have my own place, and a job and all, so I’m gone enough.â€
Remus laughed humorlessly, unable to think of anything to say. Marlene watched him closely.
–Still no luck on the job front, huh?†she asked.
Remus shook his head wryly. She, like most of the Order, didn’t know about his wolf. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her. It was just, well…she was a pureblood. She had been raised a certain way, a way that Lily hadn’t been, that Sirius had rebelled against, and that James and Peter had overcome. He didn’t expect her to drive him out or anything, not really, but he knew if he told her, she’d treat him differently--she could be anywhere from uncomfortable to appalled and horrified. And so, as usual, he kept his mouth shut.
But Marlene was looking thoughtful. –You know,†she said, –The Leaky Cauldron’s looking for a busboy. I mean it’s dishes and occasional bartending, and the pay is terrible, of course, but it might be something to do, until you find something better? I could put in a good word for you.â€
Remus sat up, looking at her raptly. –Would you?†he asked. –Would you really?â€
–Of course!†Marlene laughed, shaking her head at him. –Just come by during my shift tomorrow evening and you can talk to Tom. I’m sure he can work something out.â€
Remus didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before. The Leaky Cauldron catered to all sorts--surely Tom wouldn’t have as many reservations about hiring a werewolf?
–I will,†he said. –Thanks, Marlene.â€
–No problem,†she said lightly.
Behind her, Lily had suddenly appeared in the doorway, yawning. –Okay, I found some Floo Powder, I really don’t feel like Apparating, and you know that sometimes wakes our downstairs neighbors and they’re Muggles and they think we’re doing something illegal up there and I just don’t want to--oh, hi Remus, what’re you still doing here?â€
He smiled at her and got to his feet. –Just leaving,†he said. –Got any Floo Powder to spare? I don’t want to wake my parents.â€
Lily exchanged a look with Marlene. –You know,†she said, –you’re always welcome to crash on our couch, if you don’t want to go home.â€
–It’s okay,†Remus said. –Thanks. But I don’t think I’ll be there much longer.â€
Lily opened her mouth to reply when they heard the front door swing open; the three of them looked round to see James and Sirius, wearing all black and carrying a variety of objects, among them a tape measure and a hammer, sneak past the kitchen doorway.
Catching sight of them, James stopped, backed up a few steps, winked at Lily, and then ran quietly past the kitchen door again.
–I’m not even going to ask,†Marlene said as Lily gave a long-suffering sigh and tried not to smile.
–I expect we’ll find out soon enough,†Remus said, and helped himself to a pinch of Floo Powder.
---
Remus Apparated back to the McKinnon’s house the next morning, shortly after he woke up. It was early; the house was quiet as he stepped up onto the porch. He wasn’t surprised. It usually went this way; he was almost always the last to leave, and almost always came back before anyone was awake. He preferred it this way, as though no time had passed between his leavings.
But this morning, however, he was surprised--although not unpleasantly so--when he walked into the kitchen and found Sirius and James sitting expectantly at the table, their hands folded before them, and twin expressions of innocence on their faces.
Remus looked at them suspiciously. –What did you do?†he asked.
James shook his head and sighed deeply. –Oh, Moony,†he said. –So untrusting.â€
Remus snorted. –You can’t blame me. It’s highly unusual to see Sirius up and alert at this hour.â€
He said nothing about James’s reappearance, nor his suddenly buoyant attitude. The time for talking had passed; simply, he was happy to see James waking up from the stupor his parents’ death had sunk him in, and felt no need to force him to return to it.
Instead, he sat down at the table across from his two friends. It had been a long time since the three of them had sat like this, normal and together, and for a moment, he felt a sort of completeness. All they were missing, he thought, was Peter.
Sirius glanced over his shoulder to sneak a peak at the clock on the wall, then sighed impatiently. James grinned, elbowing him. Remus looked back and forth between them.
–So?†he asked. –Are you going to tell me?â€
–And ruin the surprise?†said Sirius, sounding shocked. –Of course not!â€
–Don’t worry,†James assured him. –Not much longer til--â€
He was interrupted as the flames in the fireplace flared suddenly green, and Marlene McKinnon clambered out, Lily close at her heels.
Sirius eyed them both. –You used Floo power?†he said scornfully.
–Didn’t feel like Apparating on an empty stomach,†Marlene said, waving her wand so a loaf of bread zoomed towards the table.
–You make an excellent point,†Sirius said, reaching for it.
Remus watched them banter, feeling strangely and suddenly sad; sometimes everything about Sirius, from the sweep of his hair to the way he spoke, just seemed so easy. Normally, Remus was glad of this--it allowed him to follow along in his bolder friend’s wake--but others, like now, it made him feel clumsy. He shuffled his feet, feeling too big for his body, and turned his attention to James, who was grinning rather foolishly at Lily.
–Goodness,†she said, eyeing him critically, –have you been here all night?â€
–We were busy,†he said, grabbing her by the hand and tugging her a few steps forward until she stood beside his chair.
–It’s even messier than usual,†Lily said as she petted his hair.
–It does look a little like you stuck your finger in an electrical socket,†Marlene commented. When they all looked at her, she shrugged. –What? I took Muggle Studies.â€
–Not all of us did,†grumbled Sirius.
Marlene ignored him, her attention on James. –It’s good to see you though, static aside,†she said. –It’s been too long. You had us worried.â€
Remus winced delicately as James grew somewhat stiller, but Marlene didn’t press the topic. Instead she turned to Sirius and said, –You, however, I could stand to see less of.â€
Sirius looked out her in mock-outrage. –How dare you!†he exclaimed. –I’m a delight.â€
They all laughed, breaking any residual tension. Sirius folded his arms haughtily, while James allowed Marlene and Lily to go back to tsking over his hair. Remus caught Marlene’s eye for a moment, then looked away.
The rest of the house was waking up. Peter, who often stayed at the house so as not to wake his aging mother with his comings and goings, wandered in looking bleary eyed while Benjy Fenwick bounded in energetically behind him. Dorcas Meadowes spun smartly out of the fireplace, brushing ash from her cloak, while Will McKinnon elbowed his way in between James and Lily, reaching for the toast. Dumbledore eased himself in so quietly through the front door that Remus wasn’t sure anyone else had noticed him. He thought that in some ways Dumbleore must prefer this--to spend his mornings observing the ragtag group who had pledged to fight for him.
To his relief, no one said much about James’s sudden reappearance; he received several pats on the back, and a curt nod from Moody, but aside from a –Look who it is!†or two, most seemed to take it in stride.
It wasn’t until Frank and Alice appeared at the entrance to the kitchen holding hands that someone thought to ask, –Where are Gideon and Fabian?â€
–I did think it seemed relatively quiet in here, considering,†Alice said, peering curiously through the kitchen, which only a deaf person would describe as quiet. –I mean, I’m not used to showing up for breakfast without getting catcalled at least a little.â€
–I’d be happy to fill in,†Will McKinnon offered with a grin, but Alice waved him off.
–Oh, no, Gideon’s got it down to a science, really,†she said, and everyone laughed.
There was a pause, and then Frank put in, –No, but really. It’s not like them not to turn up.â€
Remus cut his eyes to James and Sirius, who had exchanged smug glances. Then Sirius looked up, meeting Remus’s narrowed gaze, and held up a hand, ticking slowly back with his fingers: 5…4…3…2…1…
–OI!â€
The loud shout caused Dorcas to spill hot coffee down her front as she jumped in alarm; she hissed in displeasure.
–WE’D LIKE VERY MUCH TO COME DOWN NOW, PLEASE!†came another loud, familiar bellow from the yard.
–Ah,†Frank said. –There they are.â€
The shouting continued, and curiously, everyone in the kitchen filed out into the yard, following the sounds of the voices. Remus was startled, though not altogether surprised, to find Gideon and Fabian on the flat outcropping of roof that sat above the McKinnon’s porch at the back of the house. What was slightly more alarming was that their beds seemed to be out there with them.
Fabian sat at the end of the roof, his legs dangling over the edge, and the comforter from his bed wrapped around has shoulders. Gideon stood with his feet planted and his arms folded, his severe expression lessened somewhat by the fact that he was wearing daisy-printed pajamas and his hair was even more tousled than James’s. In fact, both of the brothers’ hair, normally a more muted strawberry, looked shockingly red in the rising sun.
Sirius had pushed his way to the front of the group of people and was grinning up at Gideon and Fabian, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. –Having a bit of trouble, boys?†he asked easily.
–I refuse to believe that you pulled this off without magic,†Gideon said, pointing at him.
–He had help,†James chimed in from where he was leaning against an apple tree, turning a couple of wands over in his hands.
–Ah,†said Fabian. –That’s where those went.â€
–Even with help,†Gideon persisted, –there is no way the two of you managed to move us and our beds out here without waking us up.†He looked down at himself for the first time. –And someone seems to have changed my pajamas.â€
–Oh, that part was easy,†Sirius said. –We just conked you both over the head with A History of Magic.â€
–That does explain the headache,†Fabian mused.
–I’m joking,†Sirius rolled his eyes. –What, you really think I kept my copy of A History of Magic after graduating? Please.â€
–Then how…Potions count as magic, you know!†Gideon said severely.
–Muggle sleeping pills!†James said happily. –Lily got them for us.â€
Remus looked over at Lily, who shrugged lightly.
–Guaranteed to last eight hours,†Sirius put in.
Most people were grinning, and Remus saw Benjy Fenwick chuckle, while beside him, Marlene laughed gaily. Dorcas Meadowes though, he noticed, was scowling darkly at Sirius.
–Well,†James was now admitting, –we did use a Silencing Charm around the room, but it was strictly to keep from waking up the rest of the house. Everything else, we did by hand. Lucky for us you have that big bay window."
–And then we took your wands and nailed the window shut so you couldn’t get back in,†Sirius added.
Up on the roof, Gideon and Fabian conferred for a moment in low voices. Then they shifted, staring down James and Sirius, who looked up at them with identical expressions.
–All right,†Gideon said finally. –We’ve determined…that this counts.â€
–But watch your backs,†Fabian said. –You’ve got yourselves in deep now. Because this,†he paused dramatically, –means war.â€
–Oh really?†Sirius said, puffing out his chest proudly. –And how, exactly, do you expect to retaliate from up there? And wandless, might I add?â€
–Oh, for Merlin’s sake,†Dorcas snapped, striding suddenly forward to rip Gideon and Fabian’s wands out of James’s hand. She flung them upwards, where they clattered in the gutter; Fabian scrambled after them.
–Aw, come on, Dorcas,†Benjy put in, looking rather crestfallen that his source of entertainment had dried up. –There’s nothing wrong with a bit of fun.â€
–Are you all idiots?†Dorcas hissed, turning on him. –We don’t have time for this kind of nonsense. In case you’ve forgotten, there’s a real war going on here.†Benjy backed away from her, his face unreadable, and she turned her back, stalking back into the house.
–Well, on that note,†Will McKinnon muttered under his breath, and then said brightly, –coffee, anyone?â€
They dispersed, many of them shivering in the morning air, realizing quite suddenly how chilly it was. Dumbledore, Remus noticed, had vanished without a word; he couldn’t help but wonder what the Headmaster had thought of the morning’s events.
Remus gravitated naturally towards Sirius and James, who were still standing in the lawn, apparently in deep conversation. Peter sidled up next to them as well, James and Sirius moving slightly apart to make room for them without a second thought. For a moment the four of them stood there, shoulder-to-shoulder, looking at each other, and Remus felt strangely calm.
Then Gideon, who had apparently retrieved his wand, leapt lightly down on one side of them. A moment later, Fabian followed suit. James and Sirius turned to face them. Behind them, Remus and Peter exchanged a glance--Remus’s amused, Peter’s wary. Remus became suddenly aware of Lily, who had appeared at his elbow, and Marlene, who was laughing in his ear.
–Just so you know,†Gideon said, squaring off against Sirius, –doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. You two did good today, I’ll admit it, but let’s see if you’ve got it in you for the long haul.â€
Gideon had several inches on Sirius, but Sirius wasn’t cowed. Instead, he stared calmly up at Gideon and said, –Oh, what, you think we’re amateurs or something? Don’t worry about us, Prewett. This isn’t our first tussle.â€
–Oh you’ve had some schoolboy successes I’m sure,†Gideon said, brushing an imaginary piece of lint from his shoulder, –but this is a man’s world.â€
Peter looked enthralled by this entire exchange. Remus would have, perhaps, gone along with it as well, tempted as he was to be swept away by the drama--but he could hear Lily and Marlene sniggering behind him, and it was taking him out of the moment.
But the moment seemed to be passing anyway. Sirius gave Gideon the sort of scathing look that seemed to be ingrained in members of the Black family since birth, and then sidestepped him.
–Well then, by all means,†he said as he turned his back, –give us your best shot.â€
World Enough by Willow Rosenberg
Chapter Notes:–All warfare is based on deceptionâ€
Sun Tzu, The Art of War--------------------------------------------