The Next Great Adventure (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Chapter Seventy One

Chapter Seventy One

James and Lily had asked Dumbledore to wait for a while before casting the spell so that they could say goodbye to their friends for the foreseeable future, but it was a while before they managed to organise anything with them.

The first people they spoke to were Frank and Alice, who looked grave and shook their heads worriedly when they told them. "It's the only option that makes sense," Alice said, "but I wish this wasn't happening now."

"It is rather unlucky that we're alive during the 'reign' of one of the most powerful Dark wizards ever, isn't it?" James smirked. "Although I suppose everyone thinks the same way whenever anything bad happens."

"It is rather macabre to want to live through something like this," Lily chuckled.

"It will all be fine," Alice said as they hugged goodbye. "I can feel it. We're all going to come out on the other side and meet up and this will fade, eventually, until it feels like a bad dream. Everything will be well in the end."

Next on their list was Remus, who dropped by unexpectedly one afternoon. James, bored out of his mind, had decided that he wanted to make a cake, and so had been experimenting with a new recipe he had found in one of Dorea's books. "It's almost as if," he said as he squeezed Remus so tightly he couldn't breathe, "you have a special, werewolfy sense for when food is around."

"If I did do you think I would look so skinny?" Remus joked.

"You're not skinny Moony you moron; you look absolutely stacked. I've never seen anyone in better shape, not even Sirius." Remus laughed and Lily, coming downstairs with Harry shrieked, practically throwing him at James as she grabbed Remus in a hug. "Oh Remus!" she mumbled into his bony shoulder. "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too Lily," he said. "Life has been tough without you all in my life."

"Are you back for good?"

"Yes I think so," he smiled. "It'll be nice to have a proper bed and some hot food for once." Lily and James frowned and James, putting about half the cake on Remus' plate, said, "But you've been gone for ages."

"I know." Remus looked haggard and his clothes, already a bit worn, now consisted more of the patches than the actual material.

"Stay for dinner Moony," Lily offered. "Harry hasn't seen you in months and I think he's been missing you."

"Not to mention James, I'm sure," he said with a lopsided smile.

"Well Moony, I won't lie: it was tough. But, after a while I overcame it; now that you're back I'm beginning to wonder how I managed to cope without your glorious sarcastic running commentary."

"Just the same as ever, I see," Remus snorted. "But I don't know about dinner Lil; all I really want to do is go home and sleep."

"You can stay here! I'll lend you some pyjamas; in fact, I'll give you some pyjamas - I have a perfectly ugly pair that Sirius got me for Christmas. You can keep those."

"Oh god, not those ones!" he said. "I will take any attempt at bribery except those."

"I'm sure we could find a stash of chocolate somewhere..." James tried again.

"Tempting..."

"Well Moony," interrupted Lily, "the main problem is that Dumbledore is going to cast a Fidelius Charm on the cottage soon. So we need to see you before we... well can't. But if there is anything we can use to bribe you, I'm sure James will try."

"Lily, guilt-trips are just as bad as bribery," he chuckled. "Sirius is the Secret-Keeper isn't he?"

"You're not upset about it, are you?" James asked. "You know you're one of my closest friends, don't you?"