Dumbledore forbade Lily to leave Godric Hollow under any condition in future. The Order gave up Orme Square as their Headquarters. All through November, the members scouted the city to find a suitable building.
After searching for a long time one day in November, James and Sirius decided to take a break. They sat beside Chilka Lake in India, having Apparated there.
"Who d'you think the spy is, Padfoot?" asked James.
"One of the newer recruits. It can't be anyone like Frank or Hestia, or any of us..."
"It has to be. No one except our closest friends knew that Lily would go to the Halloween meeting."
"You mean it is one of us?"
James looked troubled. "Of course it's not one of us. Maybe someone overheard—or guessed..."
There was a grim silence.
"Say, Padfoot, d'you love Marlene?" asked James.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"I don't know," admitted Sirius.
"And did you really reject her to get back at Lily?"
Sirius turned at him sharply. "How do you know that?"
"I overheard you and Remus speaking one day."
"Oh."
There was another brief silence.
"You're an awfully good friend, you know, Sirius."
Sirius, who had been expecting something in the lines of 'you're an idiot', was pleasantly surprised. He glanced at James for a moment—those crooked glasses, messy hair, impish eyes and ready smile.
Impulsively he said, "Whatever I have ever done for you, James—you are really worth it."
The waves broke on the shore and the two old friends watched them in silence.
"I've got something important to tell you," said James.
"What?"
"Lily and I—we want you to be Harry's godfather."
"Godfather? Isn't that a holy thing?" asked Sirius, grinning. "I've never been to a church, mate."
"We don't want a holy godfather," scoffed James. "We just want someone to look after Harry if Lily and I—"
"James, shut up."
The mood had swiftly turned again.
"Don't shut out the reality, Sirius. I've noticed that you always do that. We're in a war! We could just as well d—"
"PRONGS!" Sirius would not let James finish that sentence. "Harry will never need a godfather—nothing will ever happen to you—"
"But something might! And then what'll happen to Harry? He'll need someone to look after him, right? Who'll love him like we'd have—"
James stopped abruptly as he saw the haunted look on Sirius' face.
"Don't take it like that, mate, I just—"
Sirius looked like he was speaking with difficulty. "I—I love Harry already. You've got nothing to worry about, Prongs."
They looked at each other for a moment.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me." Sirius pulled James in a sudden hug, and James could have sworn he felt something wet fall on his shoulder.
YOU ARE READING
The Ghosts of the Past (The Marauders' Story)
Fanfiction"We're friends. We're the Marauders. We stick together, remember?" "Yes, Moony. I remember." One of them was mischievous and brave and had the perfect life. Another of them was reckless and loyal and desperate to leave behind his family name. The th...
