A/N This chapter appeared to fight me tooth and nail while writing it, every sentence was a struggle. I have no explanation for this as I don't know where the story is going.
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A child's cries alerted Emma and Dan that their guests had returned, both quickly headed toward the hall to greet them. Lily was barely able to keep standing yet held onto the child for dear life. James had to take a stand. "Lily, let Emma take Dudley for the moment. You need your rest."
Emma took the offered child and held him close to provide comfort, she led the group back into the living room. They all took seats and awaited news of what had happened.
James and Lily were sitting together on a sofa, he had both arms lovingly placed around his wife as he spoke to the Grangers. "I hope we can count on your help, not only now but in the years to come. I have no idea how to raise a muggle boy and I think we'll be seriously looking at the house next door when Lily recovers her strength."
Pleased as she was to hear that news, Lily had more important matters preying on her mind. "Sirius, I need to know. Please tell me and be honest."
James had hoped to have a conversation with his friend and break the news to Lily as gently as possible, he should have known better.
Sirius moved so Lily could look into his eyes and see he was telling the truth. "They used the cruciatus on her husband before killing him, obviously attempting to discover where you were. The only other thing cast on Petunia, apart from the killing curse, would appear to be a partial body bind. She was found in front of Dudley's cot, dead but otherwise untouched. Your sister must have flung herself there."
Lily was sobbing at her sister's passing but there was more than a hint of relief that Petunia wasn't tortured or sexually assaulted. She was well aware the fate females could suffer at the hands of death eaters, Lily was thankful that Petunia had at least been spared that.
Dan watched as James comforted Lily but it was to his wife holding the boy that his eyes kept returning. This probably wasn't the correct time but Dan just had to ask. "Is it really over, and are you serious about moving and needing help?"
James couldn't miss the signs of hope in the man's eyes and it convinced him even more this was the correct decision to make. "Dan, it would be unfair to raise a child without magic in a magical home. I also want Harry to be comfortable in the world that produced his mother. There is so much I need to learn and I'm hoping you can help teach me?"
Dan's eyes were now shining with unshed tears, "I think I would like that James." That was probably the understatement of his life, being asked to help raise two boys was a dream come true for both Grangers.
Lily was now quietly crying into her husband's chest as James tried to give Dan some idea of the task they faced. "Lily and Petunia were very close when they were younger, that one was magical and the other wasn't drove them apart and destroyed their relationship. I'm already determined that won't be allowed to happen with our children and we'll take all the help we can get with that task."
Emma answered for both Grangers. "You can count us in, we have a magical child and no idea of the trials we'll be facing. Knowing that we'll have your help with understanding Hermione is a fair exchange. I think we should look after Dudley tonight though, Lily looks ready to drop and probably should be in bed."
James had to agree as his wife was almost asleep as she snuggled in. "Lily's magic, along with Petunia's sacrifice, powered the ritual that saved Dudley's life. She'll be pretty weak for a day or two."
"He can sleep in our room tonight, we can dig Hermione's cot back out tomorrow."
Sirius smiled at Emma, "Could you point Remus and me in its direction? We'll have it up and ready in no time. You'll soon get used to being around people who can perform magic."
Dan watched on in amazement as the cot was floated from the garage into their bedroom before becoming spotlessly clean and assembling itself. He thought Sirius was wrong, how the hell could you ever get used to this?
Emma had the baby blankets ready before Lily practically stumbled into the room. The witch looked more dead than alive as she handed Emma a pair of magical pants before kissing Dudley goodnight on the forehead. "Thanks for this Emma, I think I do really need to lie down."
Sirius was leading Lily out the room by the arm when James appeared at the door. "I leave you for two minutes and find you on the arm of another man?"
Sirius couldn't help but continue the joke, "It's that old Black charm, what can I say?"
Lily was too tired and emotionally drained to even raise a smile, she wasn't about to let them away with anything though. "James honey, remind me when I'm feeling better that I owe Sirius a slap to the back of his head."
This raised a smile from James, whatever transpired tonight hadn't broke his wife's spirit. He led her back to their bedroom as Emma prepared to put Dudley down for what was left of the night.
Dan knew he was far too wound up to sleep so glanced toward the two remaining marauders, "You both look like you could use a drink, how about a glass or two of whiskey?"
Sirius had his arm around Dan's shoulders, "That's the best idea I've heard all night. Lead on Dan, you can be sure we will be right behind you."
As the single malt flowed, the three men chatted and laid the foundation of a bond that would only strengthen over the years. Dan finally asked the question that was at the forefront of all their minds, what happens now?
Remus tried to answer but also had to be honest, "I have no idea Dan. Our society was heading down the toilet and we've just been handed a reprieve, what we do with it is anyone's guess. One thing is sure, hell will freeze over before the purebloods will acknowledge a muggle baby saved their arses. There will still be a few factions fighting for control of our government, all pulling in different directions. What happens next will depend on who wins."
Sirius agreed, "We were getting creamed out there while these factions sat and discussed the merits of allowing aurors to match the lethal force we were being faced with. James and I were trying to stun murderers who were doing their best to kill us because the ministry feared we could end up killing family members who might also be death eaters."
Remus was nodding, "Barty Crouch was the only one with the balls to stand up and fight for what was right, he put Dumbledore in his place again this morning. James threw his full support behind him and his word carries a lot of weight. When Lord Potter speaks, people in our world sit back and listen."
Only the smoothness of the beautiful amber nectar saved Dan from choking on his single malt. "James is a lord?" He was trying not to imagine how embarrassed Emma would be at offering the Lady Potter a loan of money.
Sirius was chuckling at his discomfort. "Yeah, he rarely uses his title, or the power it gives him but it's there when he needs it. The fact he married a muggleborn witch was a proper slap in the face to the pureblood movement. You've seen them together though, James would have married her irrespective of her blood status or magical ability."
Remus was also chuckling but not at Dan. "That Lily is not only a very powerful witch but a near genius as well, you can't imagine how upset the bigots were. They were headboy and headgirl at school, Hogwarts golden couple. Lily was studying under one of the castles best professors to become a charms mistress and a full professor herself."
Sirius was also caught up in their reminiscing, "Another professor was so disappointed as he was trying to coax Lily to study potions, James could easily have studied transfiguration to the same level. We're part of a group of friends that are all either powerful, talented or influential wizards and witches that Dumbledore has been leading as part of his group. Since it appeared Lily broke his nose tonight, I'm guessing we're no longer part of that group."
Remus had no doubts or regrets, "We already have a new leader, James, with Lily by his side will do for me. Voldemort is gone, no thanks to the ministry or Dumbledore. Our world needs to change and while we still have people like the Potters, we have a chance. About the only thing Dumbledore has said that I agree with was that the Potters leaving the country would take a lot of the hope with them."
Sirius agreed but was looking at those events with different eyes. "He appealed to James's sense of duty and emotionally blackmailed Lily into agreeing. Harry's life was on the line and the old man didn't give a shit, or perhaps that was his plan from the start. All I know is I'll never be able to trust the old man again."
Dan was beginning to see there was a lot more to learn about this magical world than he first thought. He couldn't think of better teachers than the ones he had now.
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