Headquarter’s tiny kitchen was very quiet, given the number of people jammed in there. Dorcas Meadows sat on the counter in a corner, nervously twirling a stray strand of her curly dark hair around the tip of her wand. Sturgis Podmore leaned against one wall next to Elphias Doge, who periodically attempted to relieve the tension by regaling Sturgis with tales of his Hogwarts days, none of which seemed to relate to anything in particular and all of which ended rather quickly, as no one else was talking. Dedalus Diggle wandered aimlessly, dropping his top hat with irritating regularity and making Minerva McGonagall purse her lips. Hagrid was crammed into a corner between Caradoc Dearborn and the Prewett brothers, trying not to move for fear of inadvertently squashing anyone. In fact, considering that there was hardly a square foot of space left unoccupied, it was remarkable that the little room felt as empty as it did.
James Potter was only too aware of the fact. He drummed his fingers against the scrubbed wooden surface of Alastor Moody’s crowded kitchen table. From time to time he glanced over at Benjy Fenwick and Marlene McKinnon, who sat opposite him. Both of them looked exhausted, having just returned from a two-day stakeout in Surrey. From the looks of things, they had been unsuccessful. Benjy had started to comment when they first arrived, but Marlene had silenced him with a look. Both of them respected Moody’s insistence on waiting until everyone was present to make reports.
Truthfully, James could not be less curious at the moment. He and Lily had arrived for the meeting to the alarming news that Remus was late returning from his mission, and on top of that, that Sirius had gone to join him. Nearly everyone else who was supposed to be here tonight was, and the nervous energy was driving James crazy. He twisted reflexively to look for his wife.
Lily Potter was leaning against the sink, her long, dark red hair hanging loose down her back. One hand brushed absently across her belly. James felt a twist of anxiety. It had been barely a week since they had discovered she was pregnant, and James was only just starting to realize what that meant. He focused on her other hand, which was wiping a dishcloth over the already spotless counter. In fact, Headquarters had begun to look more and more livable since Lily came along. A tiny old house tucked discreetly away in the outskirts of Bath, it had been in Moody’s possession for years, unused and charmed into virtual nonexistence as far as Muggles were concerned. An ace in the hole, Moody had explained, saved for a rainy day. He had been unbearably smug when he had handed it over to the Order of the Phoenix for headquarters. Naturally, he had neglected to keep it up, but Lily had seen to that, scrubbing and dusting away in the hours she was forced to wait here. James had long since observed her tendency to clean when worried. Since the times when they were not worried were dwindling with depressing rapidity these days, both Headquarters and their home flat were positively immaculate.
She smiled at him now, in that way that always made his heart do a little flip. He knew she was trying to reassure him, sensing, as she always did, when he needed it.
–Don’t worry,†she murmured, coming to stand behind him. –I’m sure they’re fine. You know Remus likes to be especially thorough.â€
–Mmm, and I know Sirius likes to be especially impulsive,†James fretted.
–Maybe they’ll balance each other out,†suggested Benjy.
A sharp huff came from the corner near the fireplace, and Alastor Moody glared out at them. –Maybe if certain people had thought to check in at Headquarters before haring off on unassigned missions, we’d know a little more.†He fixed a beady gaze on Fabian Prewett. –Or if certain other people had stuck with their original partners—â€
–Oi, it’s not my fault!†Fabian yelped indignantly. –I’d like to see you stop Sirius when he has a mind to do something!â€
–It’s a good thing he did,†James overrode Moody before the Auror could protest. –Obviously Remus ran into more than he bargained for, or he’d be back by now.â€
For the first time Moody looked worried. –Yeah,†he muttered, rubbing his grizzled chin, –I suppose you’re right at that. I thought about going over myself, but I don’t want to give them away if they’re hidden. Best wait a bit longer.â€
–Dumbledore will be here any minute,†Marlene spoke up. –Maybe he knows something more.â€
At the mention of their leader, the atmosphere in the kitchen eased a little.
–Hey, Moody, what did Dumbledore want us all here for anyway? Bit grim-sounding, he was.â€
–You mind your own business, Gideon Prewett. Dumbledore will tell you when he’s good and ready.â€
As though on cue, green flames bloomed in the fireplace, and the tall, thin form of Albus Dumbledore himself spun into view and stepped gracefully out of the hearth.
–Dumbledore!†several people cried. James and Marlene both bolted to their feet, and Dorcas jumped down from the counter, almost flattening Dedalus Diggle in the process. James, Fabian and Benjy all started talking at once.
Dumbledore held up his hands, motioning for quiet. His light blue eyes looked solemn behind his half-moon spectacles. –One at a time, please.â€
–It’s Remus and Sirius,†James began at once. –they’re four hours la—â€
But at that moment there was a fantastic shower of green sparks from the recently vacated fireplace. Dumbledore and Moody hastily stepped aside as a large, ungainly figure was forcibly disgorged, along with a colossal amount of ash, onto the flagstone floor. For a moment everything was very confusing as the figure flailed about like a beached porpoise. Then—
–Ouch!†the thing shouted. –Remus, you great git, that was my face!â€
–Perhaps if you would remove your knee from my neck—â€
–Gerroff my arm!â€
James felt weak with relief. The soot settled, revealing the hopelessly entangled forms of Remus Lupin and Sirius Black.
At once a great cheer went up from the rest of the Order, and there was a unanimous movement to converge on the two. James bounded around the table, stumbling over Moody’s foot and elbowing aside Edgar Bones in his haste. Sirius had managed to yank his arm out from under Remus and roll to one side, leaving Remus free to rise unsteadily to his feet. James reached out to give Sirius a hand but jerked it back almost immediately.
–Sirius!â€
–S’all right mate,†Sirius blinked up at him. –Almost half this blood isn’t mine. I am a mite dizzy, though. Remind me how to get up, will you?â€
There seemed to be blood everywhere. A huge swath of it bloomed down the front of Sirius’s robes; more drenched his sleeve from a vicious slash across his shoulder, and he was sporting a nasty head wound that had the left side of his face streaked in crimson, mingling with black soot. Remus had hardly fared better. A spectacular bruise was forming around his right eye and half his forehead, he was moving with a decided limp, and his left hand seemed to have shriveled into something resembling a burnt prune.
–A Confundus Curse grazed him right at the end there,†Remus muttered to James as James and Edgar each took an arm and hauled Sirius to his feet. –It should be nearly worn off by now, though. That’s part of the reason we’re late—didn’t want to travel while he was still seeing double.â€
–I was not seeing double,†Sirius protested in dignified tones. –I was merely under the unfortunate impression that your head was a tea kettle.†He grinned at Marlene McKinnon, who looked as though she was fighting tears. –Miss me, Marlie? I tried to bring home a Death Eater for you but I didn’t know what kind you liked—â€
–That’s enough,†barked Moody. –If you two aren’t seriously hurt, get yourselves cleaned up and meet the rest of us in the living room. It’s risky enough having this many of us here at one time, let’s get this meeting going. I’ll deal with you later,†he growled privately to Sirius, who raised one bloodied eyebrow.
–Thank you, Alastor,†smiled Dumbledore, wiping the soot from his spectacles. –Perhaps Alice would be so kind as to tend to Remus and Sirius; I should like to send a quick message to Aberforth before the meeting commences. Is everyone else here?â€
–Peter isn’t,†James suddenly remembered. –But I talked to him earlier today. He’s visiting his sick grandmother in Liverpool—I expect that’s held him up.â€
Moody sighed. –Anyone not on assignment has no excuse for being late,†he grumbled.
Sirius snorted. –He probably just botched the Apparition and got lost again.â€
–I’ll send him a Patronus,†James said quickly.
–Very well,†Dumbledore said, forestalling further discussion. –Now, if we can get down to business, as they say.†With a wave of his wand, the layer of soot and ash was quickly siphoned from the floor, the hearth, and everyone standing within a six-foot radius. –There.†He nodded at Alice Longbottom, who was working her way over to the fireplace. –That should make your work a bit easier.â€
Led by Dumbledore, the rest of them trailed out of the kitchen, casting many a curious glance behind them. Lily stayed to help Alice. Always good friends, the two had been utterly inseparable since they had both realized they were pregnant within a day of each other.
James lingered too, wanting to stay and make sure his friends were all right. He wasn’t unduly concerned about Peter—Wormtail had enough of a record for absentmindedness that a late arrival wasn’t uncommon. He watched as Alice, who had a gift for basic healing, quickly mended the worst of the wounds. Her husband Frank stayed too, under the pretext of relaying trivial Order happenings, but James knew he just wanted to stay near Alice. James completely understood the feeling. Lately he hated letting Lily out of his sight for even a moment. Knowing he was to be a father had re-colored everything James knew. He was thrilled, certainly, but there was no denying the dominant emotion at the moment was anxiety. It was bad enough living in the thick of the Wizarding war—knowing Lily would be an easy target for Death Eaters and that they would soon have a child to protect increased his fears tenfold.
He sent Peter a message via Patronus, feeling a little annoyed with his friend for being late. He’d had enough people to worry about tonight.
–Prongs, you’re brooding. Everything all right?â€
James turned to see that Sirius, clear-eyed and patched up, had appeared silently at his shoulder. Alice and Lily were still debating how best to restore Remus’s hand to its natural state, with Frank chipping in.
–It’s the baby isn’t it?†Sirius pressed shrewdly.
James shrugged. –Guess it’s been on my mind a lot lately.â€
–It’ll all be fine,†Sirius said with unexpected gentleness. –No one can lay better protective charms than Dumbledore; Godric’s Hollow is going to be a fortress. Then you won’t have to worry when you have to leave her at home.â€
James forced a smile. –Lily will hate that, being cooped up with nothing to do.â€
–Well, she’ll be busy again soon enough.â€
–That’s what’s really got me scared.â€
–Talking about the baby?†said a low voice behind them.
James turned to see Remus, both hands intact, watching him closely. Frank was escorting Alice to the living room, Lily trailing behind. –Hey Moony. Yeah. Seems like we just keep getting more to lose.â€
A wistful smile crossed Remus’s mild features. –Thank goodness we do.â€
Sirius clapped James on the shoulder. –Don’t worry, mate. The whole Order’s going to be looking out for those two. I was talking to Andromeda the other day, and she knows some really excellent spells you can use to track your baby at all times. I reckon we could even modify them to—â€
But how Sirius intended to modify them James never knew. For the third time in the past half hour, green flames burst to life in the fireplace, and Peter Pettigrew lurched into the kitchen.
–Sorry I’m late,†he gasped, brushing the ash hurriedly off his robes. –Got lost.â€
Sirius grinned. –Well, look at this. It’s a Marauders’ reunion.â€
And James smiled too, genuinely this time, happy to have his best friends together again.