Lion Heart³ | James Potter

seven

27th of August, Sunday, 1978

(Our Last Summer//ABBA)

"Peter, you're on fire," Mary chuckled, noticing Peter's burning marshmallow in the flames.

Peter quickly pulled his stick back and blew out his flaming marshmallow, pouting sadly at the coal-like sweet at the end of it.

Andrea nudged him in the side from her seat between James' legs and quickly traded sticks with him, tossing the burnt marshmallow into the firepit and sticking a fresh one onto the end.

Everyone stayed in comfortable silence, listening to Kingsley strum the guitar as Lucretia hummed along to her favourite ABBA song.

As the music ended, everyone clapped for the two, joking along as if they hadn't a care in the world.

"I can't believe summer's almost over already," Dorcas moaned, leaning into Marlene's side. The blonde wrapped an arm around her whiny girlfriend's shoulders, pouting jokingly at her.

"Oh, come on. We've all used the summer to the fullest. Sirius and Remus finally found a flat in London that met all of Sirius' ridiculous demands. Kingsley got fitter - if that was even possible." Dorcas smacked her in the arm for that as all eyes went to the uncomfortable Kingsley.

"Oh, hush. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I can't appreciate a beautiful-looking guy," Marlene shushed her. "Let's see, what else... Oh, yeah, my parents gave us their freaking house! Not to brag or anything. Anyone else got good news to share?" she asked looking around the group.

Her parents had indeed given Dorcas and Marlene their vacation home in the south of Scotland, which was currently the backyard they were all gathered in together, for one last bonfire of the summer.

"I'm finally seeing Marshall again," Lucretia announced. "I'm joining him and his family in Argentina tomorrow, at least until this whole war thing is over. They're staying there with his grandparents, making sure they're safe."

"Weren't they in New Zealand?" Andrea interjected. Lucretia nodded. "Yeah, but then his gran told them to come to join them over there so they could all be together."

Andrea smiled warmly at her. She knew she'd be leaving them soon, she just hadn't realized she'd be leaving so soon. "Send us lots of letters. And you better come see us as soon as you're back or I'll never forgive you." Lucretia chuckled gently. "I promise."

Kingsley let out a pathetic sigh, hugging Lucretia's legs awkwardly from where he was leaning against the log she was sitting on. "We're gonna miss you, LuLu," he sighed heavily.

"I know," she grinned. She looked around at her friends. "Anyone else abandoning the group so I don't have to feel so bad?" Everyone laughed lightheartedly at her joke, but it quickly died down as Mary raised her hand.

"Seriously, Macdonald?" Sirius groaned, not ready for more friends to disappear. Mary shrugged bashfully. "I'm not abandoning you, perse. I'm just moving in with my boyfriend... In Ireland?"

"Ireland is miles away!" Andrea moaned, getting out of her seat and dropping into Mary's lap, hugging her tightly. "At least we know there's an end date to Lucretia's absence, but when are we ever going to see you again? " she grumbled.

Mary patted Andrea's head, giggling at her childishness. "I'm sorry guys. But he's a Muggle, remember? I'm already a half-blood, so I'm not entirely safe. Bringing my Muggle boyfriend down to England where the centre of the war is going on? Yeah, I don't think so."

"But Ireland?" Marlene shuddered. Mary gave her a pointed look. "I'm Irish," she warned her. Marlene merely grinned back. "Oh, yeah. Huh, that explains a lot."