Prologue
Lily put back the phone handset and for a second, she prayed. “Please, don’t let those idiots embarrass me too much”
Then she took a long breath, and entered the living room.
- So, you three, I got something important to say.
- Please, you’re not pregnant again, aren’t you? - James asked, making Remus explode in a laugh.
Lily gave both of them a death stare, then took another deep breath. - I’m not. But listen, it’s important.
- Come on, don’t make us anxious. - Sirius said with a grin.
- I need you all to be serious - Sirius tried to answer, but Lily was quicker - I know, you’re always Sirius but let me speak now.
- So? - James asked.
- My sister is visiting, with her husband, and her kid. They’ll stay for the weekend. And I need you all to behave as decent human beings cause I don’t want her to tell our mother I live with
three beasts.
- Technically - Remus said - I’m a werewolf and they’re animagi so we’re actual beasts.
- Remus please - Lily begged - I was hoping you’d be the helpful one.
James seemed disappointed - Well, he wasn’t that good as a prefect. Am I right Remus I-was-checking-this-empty-class-during-checks-and-padfoot-was-accidentally-there Lupin?
Remus rolled his eyes.
Lily left the room and checked whether Harry was still sleeping, which he was, and then she
sat down on her favorite chair on the porch.
Summer had started for a long time, and she had decided to stay at the Potters’ country house for a few. It was nice, their first summer since Voldemort had been defeated, since
Peter had tried to betray them. It was still an untalked topic.
But it was nice, just her and James and Harry and Sirius and Remus. All of her favorite people together.
-Lily- she heard James call her -Pads’ finished with cooking.
Lily licked her own lips thinking about the food she was going to eat. Sirius was surprisingly an amazing cook.
The kitchen was a huge mess, full of unwashed cooking items, music at full volume and a delicious smell of food.
Sirius was singing while giving a stir to what looked like spaghetti. Remus was also singing and setting the table, James appeared from the door and made Harry sit on a chair.
- Turn it off - Lily said, getting closer to the record player. - I have something to say.
Remus looked disappointed, but lowered the volume.
- Again? - James asked - Not that I’m Bowie’s biggest fan but I don’t want news anymore.
- It’s not news - Lily reassured him, smiling at the dish Sirius placed in front of her - It’s I’ve been thinking about ehm… setting some rules for when they’re coming.
- Oh I love rules - Sirius shouted dramatically, making Harry giggle.
- First. No dirty jokes, no humor and no pranks. You have to pretend you’re normal adults. And no, you can’t tell “that funny story of when good old Lils was in high school”.
Remus looked at her. - Which one are you referring to? When you and Mary sang “Waterloo” by Abba on top of a table in the Great Hall for Marlene’s birthday?
- When you punched Snape in the middle of Charms? - Sirius questioned.
- Or when a first year caught us two in the Astronomy tower and called McGonagall? - James asked.
Lily smiled thinking about those days, but still reminded her friends, and her husband, she was referring to all three and to all of the other ones that existed.
- Ok - James nodded - What about rule number two?
- There’s no rule number two. I want to trust you, cause you know I really love you guys, it's just I want everything to go well. Just help me make a good impression.
- Don’t worry Love, it’s just relatives. Trust me, I know what it means to have some relatives you don’t really enjoy. - Sirius said.
- Oh I know that too - Remus agreed.
- And I don’t. But your relatives, well they’re my relatives. - James pointed at his wedding ring.
Lily nodded. - Thanks. And this pasta is so good, Sirius.
Lily didn’t know, but she was going to regret believing in their smiles. They were the marauders after all, they were mischief makers.