Halloween '78
Tuesday the 31st of October 1978
“...and came over and said this is what’s happening and James said yes like Sirius doesn’t have his own place to do this in!”
Hermione sighed as she leaned against the doorway to James and Lily’s room, watching her friend as she dug through her wardrobe and threw clothes on the bed. It was a nice room with cream walls and soft carpet that matched the rest of the house, a big bed and long wardrobe filled with too many things, plus a small bookcase in the corner. It had also been spotless before Lily got in there.
“Remus tried to say that to him but Sirius said no.” Hermione responded, wincing as Lily turned her emerald green glare onto her. “I don’t even – I would offer my own place but it’s still a mess.” Hermione tried to explain softly as Lily rolled her eyes.
“Don’t worry, I don’t really mind – I just wanted James to talk me first, which if he wants to get married he is going to have to do.” Lily pointed out with a small pout, going back to her wardrobe. “Speaking of, would you mind getting him to come up here – I need to discuss costumes.”
“At least this way you won’t miss the trick or treaters.” Hermione smiled as she pushed herself off the door.
“There is that, though not like I can trick or treat myself any more.”
“You could or you can get drunk and have a party.” Hermione called over her shoulder as she made her way down the hall, past the spare bedroom that overlooked the front of the house and the bathroom before descending down the stairs.
There was commotion in the living room where Sirius, James, Remus and Marlene were all decorating, throwing streamers everywhere and conjuring pumpkins and bats.
“Hermione! Good, you can help -”
“James, Lily wants you upstairs.” Hermione cut off Sirius and instead looked to her brother whose eyes grew even larger behind his glasses, feet thumping softly against the carpet as he shoved decorations into her hands and ran up the stairs, the bedroom door shutting behind him.
“What did he do?” Marlene asked from where she was pinning things around the fireplace, icy eyes narrowed in concentration.
“It was just about costumes – which -”
“You’re all wearing.” Sirius retorted as he directed her to put her decorations on the back wall.
“Do you not think this is a bit much? This isn’t your house after all.” Hermione muttered, even as she did what she was told to do.
“It’s Halloween slash my early birthday party so I think it’s fine – plus James wasn’t complaining.” Sirius responded.
“That’s because you bullied him into thinking it needs to be the best post-Hogwarts party ever.” Marlene commented, a fake grin on her face as she stood beside Hermione, looking down at the decorations Hermione had dropped on the floor and then back to Sirius.
Remus gave a small laugh, dropping his own decorations onto the sofa and collapsing beside them as Sirius looked round with a glare. “Thanks for the help.”
---
Sirius POV
Sirius grinned at his handy work as he surveyed the room that people were already entering. Music played loudly in the background as people drank and ate snacks, dressed up as varying different characters, monsters and other things that Sirius didn’t even know.
Lily passed by him with a quick smile and a playful glare, playing the hostess, her purple dress bright against her pink skin, but the green scarf making her eyes look brighter as she tried to fix the purple headband in her auburn hair, and tried to walk normally in her mary jane shoes. Sirius had no idea who she was dressed up as, even when she had tried to explain but it suited her.
The doorbell rung and Lily was scampering back across, like she had been all night, a bowl of sweets in her hands and an eager smile on her face even as she shouted in annoyance. “James!”
“Relax!” James shouted across the party, a laugh following. Sirius would know that laugh anywhere, and it seemed Lily did too, as she placed the bowl back down and walked slower.
James was muttering, annoyed and the laughs were still going on. Sirius couldn’t blame them, James did look ridiculous, but that was what happened when your fiance wanted you to be her other half, and you were forced to wear an orange Ascot, a tight white shirt and a blond wig.
A woman strolled in, much like Lily with a purple dress though it was more flowly, a long green cape and heels, and a mask covering the top half of her face. For a second her thought it was Hermione, with shorter black hair, but icy eyes and golden skin gave her away – even more so as she gave him a large smirk and reached behind her to pull someone else in.
For as long as he had known Hermione, she had toed the line between proper and a hint of sexiness. Tight turtlenecks and shortish skirts, sometimes knee high boots but this girl before him was nothing but...hot.
An exaggerated version of Cleopatra, with her usual curls straightened and falling to the middle of her waist (cut since this morning then), loud makeup around her eyes, a sultry white dress and a golden headdress, bangles on her forearms and simple sandals on her feet. And he couldn’t take his eyes away from her as she shifted nervously, hissing to Marlene.
“Close your mouth, you’ll catch bats.” Remus’ voice muttered beside him as Sirius snapped his mouth shut and took a look at his friend.
Dressed like he belonged in the decade before, with a suit and bowl haircut that he had carefully styled his shaggy hair into, and a pair of glasses that he looked like he had stolen them from James.
“John, really?” Sirius asked, looking his friend up and down as Remus blushed. “I thought, we always agreed that you were Ringo or George?” He added with a frown as Remus rolled his eyes.
Back when they had been a group of four, before Peter ran away and choose the wrong side, they had always compared themselves to a certain popular four membered band. They still did sometimes, long after the band had broken up, but they had all had their roles.
“Edith likes John.” Remus said as though it explained everything, and it did in a way. Sirius nodded his head in understanding just as a figure appeared on the other side of Remus.
“That I do.” Like she had heard her name, she was there, rubbing Remus’ arm as he smirked down at her, dressed like she was in the last decade too, with big eyes, a checkered black and white dress and poofy yet straight hair that almost made her look doll like.
“And I don’t need to hear this again.” Sirius mumbled, more to himself than the two as he slipped away before they could start snogging beside him.
He passed Frank and Alice, both dressed like the 1920’s, and a few other people he knew, patting their backs and offering greetings before he got to where James and Hermione seemed to be bickering with each other.
“...in orange!” James snapped, a pout on his face.
“I never agreed to that.” Hermione answered back. “Plus, how awkward would that be if I third wheeled yours and Lils’ couple outfit.” She continued, raising a drink to her lips and offering her brother a teasing smile.
“I would have gotten the rest in too, Moony could have been that tall bloke, and Sirius could change into his more accurate form.” James whined back, but not before giving Sirius a knowing smirk.
“And Marlene?”
“She could have been that old man or woman that gets discovered at the end and says ‘I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you bastards kids’ or whatever they say.” Hermione’s eyebrows raised, mouth twitching in amusement and a silent question between them that had James shrugging. “Mrs Evans showed me how to use the TV Saturday morning.”
“Great, maybe next time you can pay attention to what is actually said.” Hermione chuckled out as James rolled his eyes at her before he finally noticed Sirius had joined them, Hermione giving him a quick glance that showed no emotion. It felt like a punch to the gut, one he had caused, but it hurt nonetheless.
He had thought they were moving past things after Gringotts and the small amount of time they had spent together, he had even apologised and granted he had to do much more than that, but the cold distant look had never left her face for even a second. He missed the days when she would look at him with warm eyes and a crooked smile.
“You look great.” It left his mouth in a stutter as James smirked slightly and Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. “Want me to get you a drink?” Hermione didn’t answer but instead raised a cup to her lips and gave him a distant smirk as James looked between them.
“I’d like a drink.”
“Go get it then, this is your house.” Sirius muttered out as James gave him a glare. “I want to speak to Hermione.” He best friend snorted but left for a drink as Hermione narrowed her eyes.
“Actually, I have other people I want to speak to.” She sassed back, moving further into the house, trying it seemed to follow behind her brother and clenching her jaw as Sirius moved rapidly to stand in front of her.
“I thought we were going to try and be friends?” He asked. Maybe it was slightly pathetic of him, standing before his ex who he had hurt time and time again, only apologised to a couple of weeks ago after sitting on things for months and expecting something back.
She raised her eyebrows at him and he knew she was going to say something that would hurt, but he braced himself for it and not for the first time wished his moment of realisation and idiocy had happened months ago so they would be passed this point by now.
“I never said that.” She muttered, sipping her drink and not looking at all like she had crushed him slightly, barely even batting an eye at his flinch.
“Well then, maybe we should try considering the whole Gringotts thing.” He kept in mind to lower his voice, all but whispering in her ear as she gave him an unimpressed look. He missed the impressed on she so rarely gave him.
“Sirius, this is going to sound rude but honestly I don’t give a fuck right now.” Hermione began, and for the first time he noticed the slightly glassy look in her eyes and the slight sway in her steps. “It’s going to take a lot more than a single apology and some civil talk for us to be anything more than what we are right now.”
Sirius knew that, of course he did. It didn’t stop him from hoping, or from missing the girl who had always settled in the space between best friend and partner – even when she wasn’t. Even when he was being a dick.
He sighed, looking away from her and hearing her suck in a deep breath as her hand settled on his arm, warm and comforting even when he didn’t deserve it. “Listen, I know you’re trying and I’m not saying never but…”
“But it’s going to take more time.” He finished for her, finally looking back up as those beautiful brown eyes softened slightly and her lips curled into a tired smile.
“Exactly.” She finished, patting his arm and taking a step back before seeming to remember something and leaning in much closer than before, her voice low and her perfume filling the air around him dangerously. “And about the Gringotts thing...don’t worry about it for now.” A dismissive arm and then she was winding through the crowd and away from him. “Nice party and costume, by the way.” She threw over her shoulder like she hadn’t just crushed him even further.
Don’t worry about it? How could he not worry about it when it was literally the only chance he was ever going to have alone with her and to prove his worth – that he could keep this whole thing a secret and help out?
He looked down at his costume, ‘sexy’ Jack the Ripper and the party he had helped plan, even if it wasn’t in his house. Filled with people who could be trusted, he hoped and his ex weaving her way through the crowd with a grin and a drink.
“Well, don’t you look pathetic.”
“And you look half way to pissed already – where’s batboy?” Sirius scoffed out as he looked to Marlene, who raised an eyebrow, mask now dangling around her neck.
“Not here obviously.” Marlene snarked back, pouting slightly and brushing off her dress. “Shame really, I told him he could come in a mask but apparently school is too important.” She sighed out, brushing her hair out of her face. Or what he hoped was a wig.
“Yeah, it is a shame, because with that hair you could pass as some distant Black cousin.” He mumbled slightly, picking up a strand with disgust as she slapped his hand away but not before he could feel the fakeness of it.
“Unlike some people, he’s not into the whole keep it in the family kink.” She snapped back as he flushed slightly as she smirked. “Speaking of -” He rolled his eyes, knowing where this was going. “You’re going to need to do a lot more to get into her good books.” Marlene added as she gestured to Hermione.
“I thought I was doing enough.”
“Please, if ‘batboy’ did half the shit you had done then I would make him beg on his knees for years or curse him into next week, you’re lucky Hermione only gives you glares and mild insults.” Marlene scoffed out, shaking her head even as Sirius tried not smile at his brother’s knew alias.
“Then why did you forgive me?” Sirius asked, needing to know as Marlene sighed, any humour gone. “You have forgiven me, right?” He added, worried. He couldn’t take having two of his closet friends still so pissed at him, no matter how well deserved it was.
“Debatable – just because we can have a conversation doesn’t mean everything is dandy between us.” Marlene spoke back, her voice oddly soft and her icy eyes meeting his grey ones. “You fucked up, Sirius, with me and Hermione, and it’s going to take time before everything is back to normal again.”
“I know.” He muttered.
“Your talk with ‘batboy’ helped though, for me, and despite everything you’re my friend, one I often think about maiming, but a friend, but just give it more time.” Marlene muttered, patting his shoulder and offering a smile that didn’t match her words.
But he greedily took it. He needed it. Needed his friends and their approval like he needed air.
---
Sirius couldn’t remember going to bed, or at what moment he fell asleep on the sofa with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He could roughly guess that it wasn’t long after Marlene had taken off her wig, blond hair spilling to her shoulders, and placed on Remus’ head – or when James finally had enough of his ascot and his own wig and threw them into the fire.
It also probably wasn’t long after Hermione had laughed at something, necklace that he had given her so long ago, that she claimed had saved her life and started his whole redemption, be a better friend arc, which in turn had prompted him to grab said whiskey bottle and drink.
People didn’t bat an eye, it wasn’t like this was a school day and he was pissed instead of going to class. A party where everyone was drinking – there was no need to watch him, and he regretted it now.
His head throbbed something ugly and his friends stomping down the stairs did not help in the slightest.
“Shut up.” Sirius hissed through a rather dry throat that felt like he hadn’t drank water in days. Someone chuckled, he didn’t have the ability to open his eyes to see.
“Morning Pads, fancy some breakfast?” James’ voice mumbled near him, sounding much better than him.
“Whose making it?” Sirius slurred back, cracking open on eye to see his best friend stood before him, tired and slightly dishevelled but otherwise fine. Someone scoffed behind him, a flash of auburn hair.
“I’ve been getting better.” Lily spoke as Sirius huffed out a laugh. “James is – his mum’s been teaching him.” She relented as James grinned before him seeming proud of himself.
“Then sure.” Sirius spoke as he held out a hand for James to help him up, which he did with a roll of his eyes and a smirk as Sirius all but tipped to the other side, struggling to sit himself up straight and let go of his bottle.
He blinked as he looked around. Remus passed out in the armchair, dead to the world with Marlene’s wig still on his head, jacket and shoes a pile on the floor, which Lily was straightening out without trying to wake him up. Special treatment it seemed.
Shaky legs moved to stand and the room spun slightly, but he managed it, smoothing down his costume from last night and following behind Lily and James to the kitchen. He blinked at the bright morning light that flooded through, unable to be hid by curtains like it was in the living room, and then blinked again at the girl making teas and coffee’s.
Gone was last nights costume, long hair twisted into a messy bun on the back of her head, loose strands falling out, and dressed in pyjamas that clearly belonged to Lily, if the floral print and slightly too long legs were anything to go by. She turned, coffee in hand and placing it before him as he heavily sat down at the table.
“Where’s Marlene?” Hermione asked as she looked to her brother, who let out a slight groan as he headed to the cooker, pulling out pots and pans.
“Still asleep.” He grumbled as Hermione raised an eyebrow, moving to the fridge and passing things to James like it was some unspoken habit they had, Lily didn’t even bat at eye, just sat at the table with her tea and smiled at Sirius. “Not that I should have allowed that with what she did last night.”
“James.” Lily scolded softly, her eyes twinkling in amusement, even as she shook her head. “Though for future reference maybe we should get an extra bed for the spare room.” She added as Sirius frowned at her and Hermione laughed slightly.
“What happened?” Sirius grumbled out, eyes watching the siblings as Hermione aided James in his cooking. It was more surprising than anything, Sirius wasn’t sure he’d ever seen either of them cook.
James scoffed, looking at Sirius over his shoulder and shaking his head. “Came crashing into our room not an hour after we went to bed, got into bed and ended up cuddling Lily all night.”
“James, she was drunk.”
“Between her and Parsley, I might as well have slept on the floor, I only signed up for one cat – not two.” James groaned dramatically as he turned back to his pans, flipping the bacon and shaking his head as Hermione silently chuckled beside him.
“James -”
“I mean, what if we had been doing something, Lil’?” James whined as he turned back to face his fiancee who blushed slightly.
“Nothing Marlene hasn’t seen before.” Sirius commented dryly as Lily gave him a deadpanned look and James frowned. “Just be lucky she kept her clothes on, and maybe invest in a lock on your door, and you should be golden.” He continued, sipping his coffee as Lily rolled her eyes and James blushed slightly, a slightly distant look on his face. “Prongs…”
“What?” James blinked, turning back to look at the food.
Lily’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the back of her future husband, while Sirius chuckled over his coffee. “Why are you blushing, James?” Lily asked as she sipped her tea while James kept his head forward. “Whatever you’re thinking – it’s not going to happen.” She added with a knowing smile.
James turned around, eyes wide and mouth open as he stuttered out a reply. “What – I wasn’t – I wasn’t thinking anything!”
“Sure you weren’t, Sweetie.” Lily said, smirk on her face and eyebrows raised.
Before James could say anything else to defend himself there was a loud thump in the living room, the four of them turning their heads to look as Remus pulled himself off of the floor with a groan and bleary eyes.
“Food?” He mumbled as he looked around, the wig hanging precariously off his head and long limbs struggling to pull himself from the floor, managing some half staggering towards the kitchen before he plopped himself beside Sirius.
“Food will be ready soon – this should tide you over until then.” Hermione muttered softly as she placed a tea before Remus, soft smile on her face as he smiled back. He sipped it and hummed, eyes closing and smile still in place.
“Where’s your girlfriend?” Sirius asked, rubbing his temple as he looked at Remus who frowned and looked around before guilt settled into the lines of his face.
“I don’t know.” He muttered back, eyes going wide and mouth hanging open in panic though he didn’t move from his chair as Sirius frowned at him.
“Are you still drunk?” He asked as Remus shrugged his shoulders, eyes still wide as he looked around once more, checking under the table like Edith might be under there. “Don’t think she’s hiding under there, Moony.”
“She isn’t, she went home around 11 last night because she had work today.” Lily confirmed as Remus placed a hand to his chest and let out a dramatic sigh. Yeah, he was still drunk, and now Sirius was going to have to be the one to look after him despite the fact that his head was pounding and he didn’t want to move.
James and Hermione set down plates of food, a grin on his best friends plate at the full English he had just made. “Breakfast is served! And this is the only meal you lot are getting here today so don’t even think about sticking around and mooching.” He added with a teasing grin before he sighed. “Can someone tell Marlene breakfast is ready?”
Sirius nodded his head, stuffing his mouth full of food and leaning back onto the back two legs of his chair. “Marlene! Food!” He shouted, before groaning, chair falling back onto four legs and hands gripping his head. “That hurt.”
A hand whipped out to smack his arm, burning green eyes glaring at him. “Yeah, and not just you – next time just go tell her.”
There was stumbling upstairs and the distant sound of a door opening, Parsley running through the living room and into the kitchen with a loud meow as Lily cooed at him, followed by Marlene as she stumbled into the room, tripping over her feet – clad in Lily’s pyjamas, much like Hermione, though comically short this time.
She said nothing as she sat down in the free chair, grabbing her plate and a glass of water, downing it all in one gulp and shoving food into her mouth.
“Good morning to you too.” Hermione muttered, much more delicate with her food, or perhaps she had developed the ability to eat without actually putting it in her mouth and moving it around her plate.
“Sorry, I’m parched and hungry.” Marlene groaned out, voice weak before she narrowed her eyes at Remus. “Is that my wig?” She asked with a rasp as Remus patted the top of his head, pulling off the wig and giving a toothy smile.
“It’s mine now.” He said back as Marlene raised her eyebrows before shrugging her shoulders and going back to her food.
Hermione sighed, pushing herself away from the table, half eaten plate before her, ignoring the worried look James was sending her though Sirius saw it, she downed the rest of her tea and scratched Parsley behind his ears with a fond smile as she stood up.
“I better get going, my boss wanted to discuss some things.” She said, Lily nodded her head as though she understood, Marlene continued eating, Remus was blinking away his drunkenness and Sirius and James were the only ones who seemed concerned.
“What about?” Sirius asked before he could stop himself.
“Not allowed to say.”
“Would you say it is unspeakable?” James joked suddenly, lips curling into a small amused smile as Hermione looked down at him with amusement.
“Exactly.” She said, a smirk on her lips as she stepped into the living room with a wave. “I’ll come back for my stuff later.” She called as she stepped into the hall and out of the front door.
Sirius frowned before he turned back to the table. “Is everything alright with her?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” James asked but there was a bit of an edge to his voice and apprehension in his hazel eyes. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was worried.
The problem with the Potter siblings though, was that their defences piled high when people tried to take a peak or ask questions, they protected each other, kept up the idea that they were fine all while silently communicating or sharing whispered conversations that only they could hear.
Sirius had let him bother him more than he ever should have. His own experiences with his brother had tainted him into what siblings should be, distant and worried but never coming forth with it. It wasn’t like he spoke to his brother much, though he had tried to make amends. It honestly seemed like Hermione and Marlene saw and spoke to his brother more often.
It filled him with guilt, made him shift in his seat before he tried to focus on the conversation at hand. “She barely ate, she’s disappearing during the day and last night her eyes were all glassy when I spoke to her.”
“Maybe you’re just boring.” Marlene muttered, pushing her plate away as Sirius sent her a half hearted glare and James rubbed tired eyes behind his glasses.
“You know how she is, probably just stressed with a new demanding job, the Order, moving and whatever else is going on in her life.” They all knew how she was and they all knew James knew more than all of them, but he wasn’t going to say anything more.
“But the -”
“The glassy eyes was more my fault, we had a few drinks before we came here last night.” Marlene cut him off, waving her hand. A solid explanation.
“Oh.” Sirius sighed out before turning back to James. “But I -”
“I think I’m gonna throw up.” Remus had the worst timing.
“What?” James questioned, eyebrows pulling together as Remus staggered out of his chair and into the hall. “Oh shit – downstairs toilet Moony!” James cried, following after their friend, door slamming behind them. “Fuck!”
“And that put me off my food, I’m going to go lay down.” Marlene said, as she pushed herself away from the table, shaking her head and making her way back upstairs.
Sirius watched them before he turned to Lily with pleading eyes, the grimace on her face and the worry that no doubt Remus had thrown up somewhere he shouldn’t have giving way to a sigh. “Sirius, I know you’re worried, it’s sweet but we are keeping an eye on her.”
“I know, it’s just after the whole Gringotts thing and her deciding that it’s done, I just – what?” Sirius began to explain before he frowned as Lily glared at him.
“What do you mean the Gringotts thing?” She snapped. “Like the Malfoy Manor thing?”
“Erm…”
“Sirius, did Hermione take you to Gringotts to try and get into one of the Vaults?” Lily asked as he winced, trying to think of the best way to explain.
“She did, but we only went to my vault but it was...I don’t think I supposed to tell you this.” He relented, running hands through his hair and wincing. He needed a shower and clean clothes, he felt disgusting and smelt like a pub at the end of the night.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure I know what happened.” Her tone was slightly cold, like a winters frost, melting with rolling eyes and a scoff. “Her and her stupid plans, it’s like she can’t think straight at the moment.”
“That’s what I’m saying!”
“It’s understandable.”
“What? How is it understandable?” Sirius asked in disagreement.
“Considering she has Dumbledore breathing down her neck. Zach thinking she’s some Deatheater and whatever else she isn’t telling everyone – it’s not helping in matters of using her intelligence.” Lily explained, rolling her eyes again.
“Then why are we sat here letting her do stupid things instead of helping her?” Sirius asked, all but slamming his hand down on the table.
Lily laughed, shrugging slightly before she spoke. “Because anyone who thinks they can stop Hermione from doing what she wants is an idiot.” She explained before sighing. “She’ll come to us when she’s ready, no doubt she’s already spoken to James about things – you know how they both are.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?” Sirius asked. He wished that Lily felt the same way he did. That their partner wouldn’t put them first, that there was always someone else to run to.
“No.” Lily answered honestly as Sirius silently begged her to explain. “James is the first person she could ever really rely on, makes sense she would go to him – and Hermione was the first person James ever had to look after...I don’t think there will ever be a moment I’m not grateful that they have each other.” It was so honest, there wasn’t a doubt for Lily.
“You’re a better person than I am.” Sirius mumbled as he sipped his coffee while Lily offered him a small smile.
“We just see things differently.” Lily explained as though that was it.
She, like Sirius, had grown up with a sibling who didn’t like her that much, difference was that Sirius and Regulus had started to pull together – but Petunia was all but out of Lily’s life. She wasn’t envious like Sirius was, wasn’t greedy and wishing she had what the Potter siblings had. She was grateful and understanding.
She was kind and loving. And Sirius was bitter and hurt.