Chapter One // War
Stand by me,
Nobody knows,
The way it’s gonna be.
Stand by me,
Nobody knows,
Yeah, God only knows,
The way it’s gonna be.
Thursday 21st August 1978
Sirius had been up for a while, sat up in bed, daydreaming.
Warm morning sunlight filtered through a gap in the cream coloured curtains, and he padded over to the window, shirtless, opening the window - the air was all too heavy and humid in August.
Remus was dozing by his side, curled up in a ball and snoring softly. Sirius smiled.
He knew there was a war out there; somewhere, but it didn’t feel like that just now.
It all felt so faraway in this short yet sweet moment of peace.
The room next door wasn’t so peaceful.
“PISS OFF, LILY! Marlene yelled.
“No need to be so fucking angry!” Lily bellowed back. Sirius was surprised; she had a louder voice than he had first thought.
He stumbled out of the room and into the living room, where James and Regulus were still asleep, sprawled out on the sofa bed, hands intertwined. Sirius grinned.
Sometimes, he didn’t know what to think of James and Regulus’ relationship. Because at the same time, he was pleased for James to have found a partner, but didn’t think his moody brother deserving of his best friend James.
He stopped in his tracks and zoned out - the past year or two had been such a blur - from messing about at Hogwarts, and pranking their rivals, the Marauders were now Order members. Mad-Eye Moody had claimed they were “crucial” to the war.
Sirius didn’t believe any of the shit Moody came out with; he and the others were pretty much still kids, a bunch of grinning nineteen-year-olds, having left school only a few weeks prior.
But he took it in his stride nonetheless, he wanted to be in the Order, he wanted to fight, and he certainly wanted to win the war. Especially against his family. It made him shudder, remembering that they had tried to take Reg too.
He came back to the apartment. He needed to try and sort out this feud while James was still sleeping, except Sirius is most certainly not peaceful. He was stubborn, and defiant, and he loved to win an argument.
With the clumsiness of a toddler, he burst into the slightly bigger room next door, which Dorcas, Marlene, Lily and Mary shared.
The situation was more serious than he’d previously imagined; Lily and Marlene were really having an aggressive shouting match, Mary and Dorcas huddled nearby, Mary’s face streaked with tears. The room was a tip, used dishes on every surface, clothes strewn, the carpet stained and beds unmade.
The argument ntensified, before Marlene launched a book across the room, almost hitting Mary in the face.
“The fuck?” Sirius gaped, feeling his own anger rise.
“You almost just fucking hit her with a book?” Lily demanded, her cheeks rosy with rage.
James had now appeared in the doorway.
“How about you all fucking piss off?” Marlene
shouted. “You all clearly don’t know shit about me and Dorcas, so just get the fuck out.”
They all obeyed, for they didn’t want to be concussed by Marlene. Lily looked beyond furious, huffing as she sat on the sofa and pulled a disc from under the sofa cushion.
“Bowie.” she muttered.
Reg, noticing the huddle of people entering, excused himself to go and make coffee.
Sirius didn’t really enjoy his brother living in the same apartment as him and his friends, but as long as it would please James, he tolerated it.
He began humming a Beatles tune in his head, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La Da. It was his and Moony’s favourite.
With the silence of the room, he walked off to the bedroom, and began to tidy up a little.
Sirius was never organised, but he felt a newfound motivation to look after the apartment, and his mind felt cleared when he had a clear space. As he stuffed clothes away in drawers, took dishes into the kitchen, Remus stirred, his scarred arms poking out over the duvet.
“Morning, lovely.” Remus murmured, rolling onto his side.
“Morning, Moony.” Sirius replied. “How was your sleep?”
“S’alright…” Remus answered, appearing to be deep in thought. “Any letters from the Order yet?”
While waiting for Sirius’s reply, he sat up, untangling himself from the heat of the duvet and stretching, gazing at Sirius lovingly.
“Nah. I hope not; at least not today. We all need a break.” Sirius grabbed a plain black t-shirt and slipped it over his shoulders.
“That’s good.” Remus said softly. “I’m tired of being put on missions just because I’m a fucking werewolf. I’m tired of being Moody’s messenger and almost being killed or kidnapped because of it.” His tone grew louder and snappier.
“Yeah, it pisses me off too. After all, none of it gives us much information anyway! Controlling bastards.” Sirius sighed, pulling on a pair of ripped denim jeans.
Silence filled the bedroom, as Remus made the bed and Sirius organised his drawers.
“Come here.” Remus began, pulling Sirius closer.
Their lips met, and Sirius felt his whole body buzz with that electrifying feeling. His heart raced, temples pounded, veins fizzed. How he loved his Moony.
They didn’t stop for a few minutes. Just pulled apart, admired each other and then they just kissed and kissed.
“I love you.” Sirius grinned.
“I love you too,” Remus replied. “Now, go and find out what happened, you know, the shouting, and then report back to me.” They both laughed.
“Yes, sir!” Sirius did a mock salute, before departing the room. Lily was in the middle of her explanation.
“- and, I don’t know whet fucking happened, but she was really angry at me for telling her to tidy up, which somehow made her think I didn’t “know shit about her” or something, but it was so fucking unreasonable!” she rambled, scowling.
“Yeah, I get it,” James nodded, being the peacemaker he is.
Remus finally emerged from the bedroom, cigarette poked between teeth, his usual angry expression that could break into a grin at any moment.
“Alright, Moony!” James called out.
“Morning.” he mumbled. “What’d I miss?”
“Nothing much,” Sirius rolled his eyes. “Right, who’s up for hot drinks?”
As if they were waiters, James and Sirius collected everyone’s requests and the kettle was soon whistling. Remus put a record on and everyone busied about, Marlene and Dorcas eventually returning but still ignoring everyone.
Suit themselves, Sirius thought, tapping his foot to Starman.
The curtains were drawn, allowing in more of that delicious, delightful sunlight. August was just beautiful.
“We doing anything today?” Mary asked, biting into a buttery, golden slice of toast.
“Up to you,” Sirius shrugged, returning back to his seat on the sofa.
“I wanted to get some posters for in here; the walls are a bit plain.” James suggested, peeling a banana.
“Sounds good.” Lily nodded, although she knew she wouldn’t really have a say on the decor; it would mainly be Sirius and James’s choice.