Love, Everybody ~ Marauder's Era AU II

Prologue | now, maeve collects acid pops and drinks chamomile tea

Maeve shrugged her shoulders. "I was, at first. But I've been regularly visiting a Mind Healer for the past six months. At some point, I realised it doesn't matter whether I was right or wrong. At some point, being angry was just another bad habit, like smoking, and I kept poisoning myself without thinking about it. I'm rectifying it now."

"Thank you," he blurted out again. "And I'm so, so very sorry Maeve. I know that doesn't mean much given what I put you through—"

"It does," Maeve interrupted him. "It matters to me. I'm glad you recognised the error of your ways, even though it was rather late. I hope we—all of us," Maeve, for some reason, glanced at Headmaster Dumbledore as well as she spoke, "will be able to move on and come together to achieve something better."

"I—yes, of course," said James, on behalf of Sirius, Lily, Peter and Remus as well. "I'm sorry," he said again despite himself.

Maeve smiled at him. "Apology accepted. Now come on."

Halley had yet to let go of Maeve as she gave them a small tour of the townhouse, which apparently belonged to James' mentor on the Auror Force, Alastor Moody. Other than them, there weren't many people around. When he expressed that observation aloud, Headmaster Dumbledore informed him that most people only arrived when summoned, which they tended to do only occasionally at night.

He led them to the dining room. In the middle, stood a rickety, wooden table for twelve, which they filled into. At the midpoint of the table was a bowl of sweets, momentarily transporting him back to being a boy at Hogwarts, sitting in Headmaster Dumbledore's office as the old Professor asked him if he'd like sherbet lemons.

"Hey girl!" Moody called out gruffly, startling them as he barged into the dining room and seated himself.

Maeve sighed like James' mum did when she was exasperated with him. "I thought we established this, Mr Moody. My name is Maeve. It's one syllable and nearly impossible to pronounce incorrectly. Go on, try saying it."

Moody glared at her but when she remained unmoving, he begrudgingly bit out: "Maeve,"

Maeve grinned, prompting him with a wave of her hand to continue.

Moody narrowed his eyes on her as he said, "I heard you have a bounty on your head."

"Do I now?" Maeve leaned forward in anticipation, her hands placed on the table. "How much?"

"One thousand gallons," responded Moody and James' eyes widened, fear wrapping around his heart for his oldest friend.

Maeve frowned. "That's horrible," she stated. "I'm worth at least two thousand." She returned her focus on Moody. "How much is yours?"

Moody smiled smugly. "Two thousand five hundred."

Maeve looked outraged. "What! How come?"

"Guess I'm a bigger threat to Death Eaters than you are."

"That was rhetorical," she told Moody before turning to Dumbledore. "What's your bounty, sir?"

"Twenty thousand gallons," replied Dumbledore and Maeve's mouth dropped. "But I honestly don't think that our bounties are something to be compared—"

"Not fair." Maeve slumped to her seat, pouting as she looked at Moody.  It was in these instances that her young age showed. "Just you wait. My bounty's going to grow higher than yours."

Moody snorted. "When I'm dead, sure, yes."

"That can be arranged."

Albus Dumbledore turned to the newcomers, smiling pleasantly. "It might not seem like it, but they actually like each other very much."