Lost Without Each Other - Part B

"You say it like it's a chore. It's going to be fucking fantastic," Dorcas said with a grin, smile turning soft as she looked down at her daughter, smoothing her hair affectionately. "She's ours. We get to raise her. She is our little bundle of twenty-four hours a day seven days a week responsibility. We're going to do a good job, though. Aren't we, Rocket?"

Realizing she was damn near cooing at her daughter in public, Dorcas looked up at the others sheepishly and wrinkled her nose.

"Babies, you know. I'm still bad ass. Just... not all the time," Dorcas explained jokingly.

"Ugh, what's it like to still be a badass?" Hestia asked, grinning. "I trailed off somewhere after fifteen. This girl," she explained, pointing at herself, "got James Potter to pose in her thong one New Years Eve. And now here I am getting married and planning to buy a house. Is it just me or is everyone growing up too fast?"

"Love and babies and not going to school anymore'll do that to you," Edgar replied. "I don't know that I even think about how old I'm going to be next. I figure I've got at least fifteen years before my hair starts to recede and I'll have something worth panicking over."

Dorcas looked shocked by the talk of aging, and ran her fingers through Ed's hair contemplatively before saying, "Don't worry, you'll still make me hot, sexy man." The doorbell rang, then, and Dorcas got up to go answer it. "Are your parents expecting anyone?"

"Not that I know of," Edgar answered, leaning back in his chair and trying to peer out the window. He'd been so paranoid since Halloween. "Be careful, Dor."

Dor smiled at him in what she hoped was a reassuring way, but she did check to make sure the baseball club was still next to the door. She peered through the peep hole and then grinned and threw the door open. "Wow. Hookers canvass door to door now? Thanks, but everyone here is sexually satisfied. Anna and Joe even still get it on."

"You know, I like you," Rita said, smirking. "You're spicy. My name is Rita Skeeter. I want to ask you and Mr. Bones a few questions."

"Do you now," Dorcas said, not moving to let her in, instead leaning casually against the doorframe and getting a good eyeful of her outfit. Her long sleeved, tight, bright blue off the shoulder dress hung to thigh high, and her tall, cuffed, above the knee brown leather boots came nearly high enough to meet its hemline.

"Let a girl in. It's freezing, and I left my jacket in my car," Rita said, pushing messily curled hair back behind her ear.

"Fine," Dorcas said, and then opened the door. "Guys, we have company, and she's slutty."

"Rita Skeeter? Ooh, what a pleasure!" Hestia said in surprise. She'd seen Rita around Salcombe (the woman wasn't exactly easy to miss), and when she'd first come to Salcombe, Hesia’d had to endure Gideon and Fabian's complaining about her rag, and her bad taste in clothing. "I've heard a lot about you. Is it true you castrate professionally?"

"I've got my doubts you're selling cookies," Edgar said, turning to look at Rita. As much as she made him uncomfortable, however, he still couldn't forget his manners and asked, "Tea or something?"

"Sure, I'd love a cuppa. Cute kid," Rita replied, sitting down next to Hestia and turning to face her, whispering loudly, "And every rumour starts in truth. Pleasure to meet you. What's your name?"

"She's Hestia. I'm Dorcas, that's Aidan, and Ed just went to get you a mug for tea," Dorcas said. "Seriously, what'd you come for? As much as Hestia seems excited for your company, I'm a little confused."

"I'm writing a book about, you know," Rita said, waiving her hand generally. "The whole mess. And I want to interview you and Ed. It's pretty much a miracle you didn't drown. And your parents are the only parents I'd really worry about suing me, so I need you on my side."

Dorcas laughed. "My parents won't sue you. I don't even talk to my parents. They don't give a shit."

"Sirius told me you'd been to see him," Edgar said, coming back into the kitchen and handing Rita her cup before sitting back down. "And we're not going to be around, sorry. We're moving next month."

"Oh. Where to?" Rita asked, disappointed but still determined. She could get it in before the end of the month, she was sure.

"London," Dorcas said, sitting back down once more on Ed's lap.

Rita grinned. "Oh really."

"You look like the cat that caught the canary," Aidan quipped.

"I've arranged for a flat in London. Closer to my publisher, and a better writing environment. I'm too old to live with my father anyway," Rita said with a grin. "Looks like we're going to be nice and close."

"Well," Edgar said with a considering breath. "I suppose we can't turn you down until we've heard you out. I don't think that'd be very 'working class sex machine' of me."

"Oh, you read that little gem, did you?" Rita said with a grin. "Well, you are tasty. Isn't he?"

"Of course he is. And he's mine," Dorcas said with a smirk.

"You're cute too. Aidan, was it?" Rita said, giving him a casually contemplative sort of look.

"My fiancée," Hestia said with a smug smile, crossing her arms and quirking an eyebrow.

"While we're all getting possessive..." Edgar said as Michele woke up in her chair and started sniffling. Dorcas moved so he could reach for her and take her in his arms, soothing her.

"Down girls," Rita said with a smile. "So what do you say? Sit down and talk to me about the Order for my book? A bunch of people have already agreed. The Prewett brothers for starters, and Sirius and Remus too. Bless them, they answered the door wet and towel clad. The Potters and the Malfoys have signed on, and the rockstar and his girl, Leroy and Emmeline. But of all the murder attempts, I think yours was most dramatic. And I think I'll get some really great quotes. What do you say?"

Dorcas sat in the chair next to Ed, watching him with Chele for a moment. They were all okay, but after what they went through, Dorcas kind of wanted to spread the story. Not for fame, though she wouldn't mind a bit of that either, but because what they'd all endured felt like an accomplishment now that it was done. They'd lived through it.

"I'm in," Dorcas said firmly, and then looked over at Ed. "What do you think, Bonesie?"

"Okay," Edgar said with a nod. "I think it's important for people to really understand what happened though, not the dramatics and bullshit the papers cooked up. They manipulated a lot of what we said to make it work for themselves. I trust you're looking to tell it like it is?"

"I won't manipulate anything. I'll only use what I'm given. That's the thing about writing for real. Just because it's going to be creative non-fiction rather than journalism doesn't mean I can take any more liberties with the facts. It's nothing like Detail Oriented. Why do you think I want to talk to everyone? In all honesty, I just want to show the human element. The real human element. That's what makes it interesting," Rita rambled, pausing to sip her tea. "Besides. You guys are all icons. This is an internationally known story. There's never been a villain like Riddle before. So far as I can tell, I'm going to be producing the only official literature on the event."

"Holy fuck you talk a lot," Dorcas said. "That was pretty much a yes or no question, Rita."

Rita smiled at Dorcas and said, "That's the brilliant thing about the world, isn't it? Nothing's just yes or no or black and white."

"Are we international icons?" Edgar asked, amused. "That explains why Carter and Co. refused my application three times because they thought it was fake. I had to drive up to London and give it to them in person before they believed it was actually me. I'm not sure I could handle being famous. That's why Aidan's going to be a television star and not me."

"Not to mention you're severely lacking in the 'cowboy charm' department," Hestia teased. "What was it she said exactly, Aidan?"

"Home grown salt of the earth with cowboy charm oozing through his pores and muscles to match or some bollocks like that," Aidan said with a grin. "I stuck my hands in my pockets and she just about wet herself over what she called my 'aw shucks' face."

"Too fucking cute," Dorcas snickered. "Let's see it then. Do the aw shucks face, cowboy."

"If he moonlighted as a serial killer, all he'd have to do is that 'aw shucks' face and everyone would forget what they were mad at," Edgar said. "Like that time he used it on Ma after he put a baseball through the kitchen window."

"You played baseball?" Hestia asked, surprised.

"No," Edgar answered, bouncing Michele slightly. "But we threw them at one another."

"How utterly boyish," Rita commented, smiling.

"Aidan! Do the 'aw shucks' face!" Dorcas demanded again, laughing.

"I can't just do it on command!" Aidan said, blushing just a little even as he laughed.

"Hey now, leave my big, strong farm boy alone," Hestia said, biting her bottom lip before leaning in and kissing Aidan softly on the cheek.

Aidan's blush deepened a little and he looked over at Hestia, looking pleased and a little sheepish.

"Aw, shucks!" Dorcas crowed. "There it is. Though it's a little more lovesick than the one he gave to the producer, I'm willing to bet."

"Shut up," Aidan said good-naturedly and kissed Hestia square on the mouth.

Edgar laughed. "There's not a man I know who's not completely whipped by his girlfriend. Or boyfriend, in Sirius' case."

"They're whipped by one another," Hestia commented, pulling out of her and Aidan's kiss, but still looking at him. "Or perhaps whip one another literally. You can never tell with Remus."

"Remus Lupin? Into BDSM?" Rita snorted. "I highly doubt it."

"How many times have you met him?" Dorcas challenged. "There is more than meets the eye to that bloke. You should hear some of the stories."

"You should've been at their wedding party," Edgar said. "The only good thing about being the only two sober people at that particular event is that we got the best pictures. Have you ever wondered what Sirius and Remus might look like in women's knickers?"

Rita grinned. "Can I see these photos? You know. Just for research purposes."

"I think that's probably a very bad idea, considering you're publishing a book about the people involved, and 'people' happens to include both of them," Aidan said practically. "Wouldn't want you to get tempted to put them in the book."

"Fucking do it," Dorcas cackled. "You have to."

"Love to, but I'd have to get them to sign release forms," Rita said.

"I'm sure you could do it. You've convinced nearly everyone to be in your book, haven't you?" Hestia asked.

"I dunno," Edgar said, shaking his head. "I mean, some of those pictures are far, far beyond Remus' normal 'I'm embarrassed' standards."

"I can try, at the very least," Rita said with a smile. "If they're worth it."

"Oh, they are," Dorcas snickered. Chele started to fuss in Ed's arms, and Dorcas reached for her. "She's probably hungry. Avert your eyes, Aidan. I've got to preserve my modesty."

"I keep telling him that it's a perfectly natural thing, but unless they're mine he doesn't want to see nipples," Hestia said. "I guess I should be glad for that, shouldn't I?"

Dorcas rolled her eyes and lifted her shirt, smirking as Aidan blushed. "Isn't it fantastic? I got all sorts of dirty looks for not dressing properly, but now that I'm a mom, I can practically take my top off in public and it's okay because it's 'perfectly natural' or what the fuck ever. I fucking love it."

"Dorcas Meadows, exhibitionist. Noted," Rita quipped. "Aidan, scared of breasts."

"I'm not scared of breasts," Aidan protested. "I love boobs. Just... Hestia's in particular."

"Well I do have rather nice boobs," Hestia said. "The Jones women are all very well endowed in that department."

"I can't speak for all of them, but for this Jones in particular, I can definitely agree," Aidan said, grinning, and draping an arm around her shoulder, and gesturing at her chest. "Not scared of these boobs."


***

"Seriously, Skeeter, fuck off!" Marlene said as she stepped out of the swimming pool and headed for the bus stop.

She'd been avoiding Rita Skeeter for damn near a week now.  The woman wouldn't leave her alone, and Marlene had no interest in indulging the woman who'd publicised all of their names and complicated life so much for Gideon and Fabian and the rest of the core.  She knew most of them had agreed to help with the book Skeeter was writing, but Marlene didn't want to, and she was annoyed that Rita wouldn't take no for an answer.

"You're not letting me explain, good lord," Rita called after her, exasperated, clacking after Marlene in snakeskin boots that were doing little to keep her toes warm against the December air.  "You're worse than Narcissa Malfoy. At least I got a drink out of her before it was all said and done."

"I'm not interested, okay?" Marlene said.  "You have enough people involved.  You don't need me.  Gideon can tell you all about what happened to me," Marlene said, walking briskly to the bus stop, and then waiting.  It was too cold to walk home and her hair was still damp.  She was already chilled.

"It's not just about what happened to you," Rita said, her own patience wearing thin.  "It's about everyone, you know, a collective sort of thing?  And I need your perspective on Stubby.  I have Leroy on board to help, and you know he wants the same thing for Stubby that you do."

"So you have him to explain about Stubby.  You don't need me," Marlene repeated, sticking her hands into her coat pockets and wishing she'd brought her scarf today, or else dried her hair all the way.

"I can't immortalize a man with one perspective.  Leroy can't tell me everything that made him who he was, Marlene," Rita pressed.  "He wanted everyone to know who he was, right?  I don't want to give people the wrong impression with this book.  This is not self-serving bullshit, I swear to my knickers."

Marlene looked at her, for the first time actually considering the woman beyond what she already knew of her.  She seemed sincere, but Marlene wasn't quite convinced.  "And I'm the only one who can share the gory details of his death first hand, right?  You don't want insight into who Stubby was.  You want to know what he said to me before he died, or what his favourite sexual position was.  I've had enough reporters trying to get shit out of me just because they want the details on the late great Stubby Boardman.  That's not immortalizing him.  That's just selling him out, and I won't do that."

"Look.  I'm going to be frank here," Rita said, looking straight at Marlene and refusing to break eye contact.  "This is not me trying to pry as many 'gory details' out of you as I possibly can.  I want to flesh him out.  I want to make him tick for the rest of the world.  Sure it's about details, I'm not going to lie.  But it's what you know about him, and what you experienced through him that'll help me do him justice.  I want to do him, and the rest of you, justice.  Please, help me do that."

"Oh, quit begging, you annoying woman," Marlene said.  "Just give me a ride home.  I'll think about it, okay?"

"Fabulous!  Come on then, I'm over here," Rita said, unable to mask her glee at Marlene at least considering being interviewed.

Marlene saw the car and couldn't help but smile a little, however grudgingly.  "Nice.  Killer on gas though, I bet."

Rita shrugged.  "It gets me from point A to point B," she said.  "Albeit loudly."

Marlene climbed in and looked in the back seat.  It was a mess, and contained what seemed to be more pairs of shoes than Marlene even had in her closet at home.  Smirking, Marlene asked, "Shoe fetish much?"

"I like to have options," Rita answered cheerfully, turning her key in the ignition.  "One never knows when one might needs boots over flats, or when pumps might be more appropriate than stilettos."

Marlene shook her head and then turned up the heat as Rita pulled out of the parking lot.  There was no point giving her directions; she already knew Marlene was staying with Gideon as Rita had showed up an annoying amount of times the past few days to try and get Marlene to talk to her.  Maybe it was the cold or maybe it was just out of annoyance that gave in this time, but now that Marlene had broken down and heard a little of what Rita had to say, she couldn't help but think Rita was just a woman.  She was nothing sinister.  Maybe there'd be no harm in doing an interview with her.  So far as Marlene had heard, no one had turned her down.  And it really would be a good chance to get the truth out about Stubby.  The bare facts weren't all that encouraging, and Marlene wanted to 'flesh him out' too, as Rita had said.  He certainly needed fleshing out.

"I'll do the interview on one condition," Marlene said suddenly.  "I get to veto any questions I like, and you don't get to push."

"Done," Rita agreed without a second thought.  Somehow she figured that before it was all over, there'd be no reasons to push between them, and hopefully no reasons to hold back.  "You won't regret this.  I intend to be honest, not a self-indulgent farce."

"So you keep saying.  I'll believe it when I see it," Marlene said, and noticed Rita was chewing gum.  "Hey, can I have some gum?"

"Sure, just pop open the glove compartment," Rita instructed.  "Another of my many addictions."

Marlene did as instructed, and was pleased to see Juicyfruit.  That was her favourite gum too.  "I don't get why everyone likes the mint gum.  This stuff is so much tastier.  I see you also have the essentials of handcuffs and condoms.  Well stocked glove compartment."

"Best to be prepared for anything," Rita said with a grin.  "You never know when you're going to have to fuck an answer out of someone."


***


Leroy furrowed his eyebrows.  "So.  Elphias treated you all like shit because of his dad?" he asked, a little confused.  "What else did Fabian say, babe?"

"Honestly, I think it was more a falling out between Fabian and Elphias that translated to the rest of the Order.  In any case, whatever was going on was no excuse, but we're going to just treat it like it's a new beginning," Emmeline said.  "I just wanted to explain because I'm sure there's going to be a bit of tension."

"I thought we were supposed to be, like the high maintenance guests.  You know, being that we're the bloody musicians," Benjy said, grinning.  "He sounds like a ruddy diva."

"He never was," Sirius said with a shrug.  "Bit rude, but I think that used to be one of the requirements to join the Order."

It was James and Lily's (now dubbed) annual Christmas party, and the difference between the scene the previous year, and the calm conversation taking place now was quite noticeable.  By this time last year, people were shagging in the bathroom, drunk, and the Hobbled Gordons were previewing their first then yet-to-be-released single for everyone to hear.  The group that had already arrived (James and Lily, obviously, Sirius and Remus, Edgar and Dorcas, Leroy and Emmeline, Dale and Ben, Aidan and Hestia, and James' work friend Sturgis) were seated in the living room with snacks on the coffee table, and wine and beer, but they were chatting more then they were drinking and eating while Christmas music played softly in the background.

"Then why'd they let Remus in?" Edgar asked teasingly.

"Something about sandwiches," Sirius answered, grinning, slinging an arm around Remus' shoulder.  "Or it might've had something to do with Evans and I pestering the shit out of Gid and Fay until they agreed to meet him."

Remus rolled his eyes.  "I like trees, actually.  I mean, that's the reason.  That's also one of the first things I ever said to Sirius and James."

"Oh yeah!  I remember that!  We bowled him over in the stairwell, suitcases and all, and I was possibly dying on the floor while the two of them carried out a casual conversation about trees," James laughed.  "Pricks."

"Maybe it was love at first sight and they just didn't know it yet.  You can't hold that against them," Emmeline teased.

"Oh, I can!  Can't you tell I still hate them both?" James said, rolling his eyes.  "Seriously though.  It's going to be really weird to see Elphias again.  What stage of healing is he at?  I mean, he was crushed by a rockslide.  Think he's well enough for Pads and me to re-initiate him?"

"He still has a cast," Lily said.  "I ran into his mother in the supermarket this afternoon.  She said he's quite irritated about still having to use crutches."

"Oh, I meant to ask," Hestia interjected suddenly.  "How's Frank doing with the sign language?  Every time we go over to pay them a visit they're not at home."

"He's picking it up really fast, actually," James said.  "They even started teaching Neville a few bits already.  I swear, they're the most well-adjusted people I've ever met."

"Agreed.  It almost makes me wonder if they pretend to be okay more than they actually are okay, but they just seem so genuine," Remus mused.

Coming back into the room, Dorcas sat down next to Edgar and smiled.  "You'll all be happy to hear I'm just worry too fucking much and Rocket is sound asleep and happy.  God, that's it.  I'm supposed to be having fun.  No one let me anywhere near a phone for the rest of the fucking night."

"Susan hasn't tried to decorate her with tinsel again, has she?" Edgar asked.  He was just as paranoid about leaving Michele for the first time, and quite frankly wanted every reassurance that could be offered to him.

"No.  Everything's fine.  She didn't cry too much after we left, she went to sleep okay once she got her bottle, there were no mishaps of any sort, she's perfectly safe, and yes, Anna double checked the baby monitor.  It's working.  I asked.  Twice," Dorcas said sheepishly.  "Fuck me, children are exhausting."

"You'll get used to it.  I promise," James said.  "You'll never stop worrying, but it'll stop tiring you out so much in a year or so."

"I can't believe you all have kids," Sturgis piped up suddenly.  "I couldn't imagine it.  And I'm older than you lot, too."

"Older in years, Sturge my man, but I'm so way more mature than you," James said, reaching over to muss his boss' hair.  He and Sturgis had become great friends over the year. Sturgis had even sent a baker's basket as a get well gift, with all sorts of fresh pastries and cheese bread and other goodies.  Much better than flowers.

"James, if you're mature, then I'll eat my left foot," Sirius said.  "A husband, yes.  A good dad, yes.  Mature?  I'm afraid that doesn't explain you tackling me during our snowball fight yesterday and trying to haul off my trousers.  That's Remus' job."

"That's ridiculous, is what that is," Lily said, rolling her eyes.  "Sometimes I worry if we're traumatizing Harry.  He overheard James and Sirius talking about sex, and yesterday while he was eating supper he looked at us and said 'Mama and Dada have sex?'  We can't figure out what he thinks it means, but I'm a little worried who he might ask next."

"Watch him ask James' parents," Leroy said.  "That'll be an interesting phone call for you."

"Leroy, you're forgetting that my mother raised me and Sirius.  I don't think she gets shocked that easily," James said, putting an arm around Lily.  "She caught us necking in the kitchen on one Salcombe weekend, and she just told us not to leave marks because Grandma was coming and could we please move so she could get at the oven mitts to check the lasagne."

"Your mother is amazing.  I've met her a couple times, and I've always been blown away," Emmeline said with a smile.

"Yeah, she's that sort," Sirius said, smiling.  "You know she was the first person to catch Remus and I.  We were in the downstairs linen closet and all she did was grin and ask for sheets."

"I think we all owe her big thank yous for what she's done over the years," Remus tagged on.

"Cor, I've never wanted to meet someone's mum before.  You lot are ruddy saps," Benjy piped up.

"Oh, Ben, was your drumstick still there?" Emmeline asked.  "Sorry for the abrupt subject change.  He went back to the Three Drumstics today to see if they'd kept the one he'd stuck in the ceiling."

"Yeah!  They've plastered around it to keep it in the ceiling, and brought out a ladder so I could write my autograph next to it," Ben said with a laugh.  "They want Dale and Leroy to go in and sign too."

"Good to know some things'll always stay the same," Leroy said, smiling.  "I broached the last demo to The Ministry and they agreed to release it for us," he added.  "So The Hobbled Gordons'll have one more single, and that'll be that."

"I have some in studio footage and photos from the last few sessions.  You can put it on as bonus material, if you'd like," Emmeline said.  "I have this clip from when Stubby and Ben had that twinky eating contest, and then they started laughing and sprayed half chewed mush all over Dale's keyboard, and then Stubby ate if off again just so he could win the contest.  That'd be cute to include."

"Fucking hilarious," Dorcas said with a grin.  "I wish I could've done a tattoo for him."

"Dude, we should get fuckin' tribute tattoos!" Ben said excitedly.  "Not just to Stubby.  Just... for everything that the Hobbled Gordons represented, man.  Like, a severed foot!"

"A severed foot?" Lily asked, confused.  "Why on Earth... Oh!  Hobbling!  Good lord, you couldn't come up with something a little less grotesque?"

"I still have my upper back left," Leroy said.  "I'm thinking of finishing the piece with a good picture of the band.  If I didn't get inked for Stubby he'd come back just to kick my arse."

"Yeah, dude, a tattoo'd really do it.  Hey, Em, would you want to arrange a sleeve for me?" Dale asked, looking at his left arm with consideration.  "A little something from each leg of the year, maybe."

"I'm but a lowly photographer.  Dorcas is the artist," Emmeline said with a smile.  "She's going to be apprenticing under Mad Eye Moody."

"No!" Ben gasped.  "The Mad Eye?"

"Yeah.  The fucking Mad Eye.  He's coming tonight, him and Figgy, his bookkeeper slash tattoo parlour manager," Dorcas said.

"No fucking way!" Dale said in shock.  "Dorcas.  Babe.  Hook me up?"

There was a slight knock on the door before it opened and Frank, Alice and Aidan trailed in, dusting the snow off of their shoulders.  "Hello, everyone!" Frank said, he and Alice both moving their hands in the same way to indicate "Hello" in sign language.  "It's really starting to come down out there."

"Hey guys!" James said brightly, and attempted an awkward 'hello, how are you?' in sign language.

Alice smiled and gave an enthusiastic thumbs up and pulled out her notepad and wrote, 'Not deaf, James!' followed by a smiley face.

Remus laughed.  "We're all trying to learn, nonetheless.  So you don't have to write all the time."

"They carried whole silent conversations on the way here in the car," Aidan said.  "I was impressed how much they knew already.  I had no clue what they were saying, and I wouldn't have even if I'd been watching them the whole time instead of the road."

Sirius signed 'Sex' and grinned widely at Alice as he waggled his eyebrows.

Lily rolled her eyes.  "Honestly, that's all you think about, isn't it?" she tutted, and then, with some difficulty, signed 'Happy Christmas' to Alice.

Alice's smile widened even further at the efforts of her friends and she couldn't help but get a little watery at the eyes as she signed 'thank you' in return.

"You lot are bloody amazing," Ben said, sounding awed.  "Wish I had friends like you.  This lot are all wankers.  Except Em and Gnarly Marly.  But Leroy and Dale?  Cor, bloody cunt rags, they are."

"Hello Pot, I'm Kettle," Leroy said with a smile, and then signed, 'You look lovely' to Alice before adding, "My cousin Aubrey is deaf."

"Well, I don't know any sign language except the universal ones, but I'd never say something so rude to a lady, so please forgive my lack of helpful hand moements!" Sturgis said with a smile.  "We met last year, I think.  I'm Sturgis Podmore."

"Sorry Sturge.  Forgot it's been a year since you'd have seen them, seeing as how I see you every day," James said.  "Sturgis, that's Frank and Alice and Aidan."

"'Lo," Aidan said with a smile and made his way to Hestia's side.  "I was drunk as a skunk last year.  Don't remember meeting you at all."

"Ha, yeah, and Gideon had to drag your sorry arse home," Sirius said, amused.  "Your mum tried to force him in for a bit of pie as a thank you.  By the way?  You are the funniest drunk, cowboy."

"You're the funniest cross dresser," Edgar said, earning a roar of laughter from everyone who'd either been at the wedding party, or who'd seen the pictures.  "You just couldn't pull off the garter belt like Remus could."

Remus turned pink and hid an embarrassed smile in his wine glass as he took a sip.

"Oh, what, no comment, Remus?  You seemed pretty keen on the lace that night," Dorcas snickered.  "What was it he said again?  About the garters?"

"Fashinating thins, aren' they, garters?" James said, slurring his words exaggeratedly in imitation.  "I'm gon take them off 'im with my teeth later."

Remus made a humiliated sound in the back of his throat and brought a hand up to cover his eyes.  He didn't even have an excuse he could give.  He had taken it off with his teeth later.  While at the party, in front of everyone.

"Leave him alone," Aidan said, good-natured.  "How come his 'aw shucks' face doesn't work on you lot when mine does?"

"Because his has kinky secrets behind it," James said practically.  "You're straight laced innocence, cowboy."

"Well Aidan's taken things off with his teeth before, haven't you lovely?" Hestia asked, giving her fiancée an amused look.

Aidan blushed a little and looked oddly innocent as he answered, "Well.  Least never while standing on a table with people snapping photos and both hands firmly on your arse."

"Please, stop!" Remus pleaded.

"I wonder if we could all get together once in our lives without the conversation turning to sex at least twenty times," Lily said shaking her head, but she was smiling, and leaned into James as she took a sip of her wine.

"Come on.  Even Harry asks about sex," James joked.  "It's unavoidable."

"It's okay, we all like sex," Ben said, and waggled his eyebrows at the room in general.  "Depressingly, you're all married and engaged and committed.  Freaks."

Em laughed.  "Actually, Rita Skeeter is coming.  She's single.  I'll introduce you."

Hestia giggled.  "There is something about that woman I find completely fascinating," she said.  "She is strange and absurd and yet oddly wonderful, and I kind of want to hug her and then take her shopping."

Sirius blinked at her.  "Er.  Okay.  I guess I'm the only person in the room who was sexually abused by her for three months before finding out her name."

"She's fucking awesome.  Such a slut," Dorcas said with a laugh.  "I want her to take me shopping.  I don't know where she finds her clothes.  They're fucking brilliant."

"Just out of curiosity, how come you decided not to dye your hair back to red now that you're not pregnant anymore?  Or have you just not had the time?" Em asked.

Dorcas shrugged.  "I don't know.  The blonde kind of suits me, don't you think?  And I match Bonesie and Rocket this way."

"You aren't really going to call her Rocket, are you?" James asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

"There's nothing wrong with giving her a nickname, James," Lily admonished quietly.  "And it's definitely no worse than Sirius calling Harry 'Twerp'."

"He likes it," Sirius said with a shrug.

"He doesn't know what it means, Sirius," Lily replied, amused.

"Besides, Rocket likes being called Rocket.  It's her middle name and her favourite plushie," Dorcas said, not feeling at all defensive.  She was Michele's mother, and she could call her whatever she pleased.  She didn't think James was really having a go at her anyway.

There was a knock at the door, then, and a voice hollered, "Happy holidays!  Shit, this place is so bloody picket fence..."

Dorcas jumped to her feet and all but ran to get the door.  "Mad Eye!  Figgy!  Come the fuck in!  Everyone, this is Mad Eye.  He's going to tattoo my rocket for me, speaking of."

"Evening, everyone!" Arabella said cheerfully, pulling off her mittens.  "Good to see some of you again.  Happy Christmas!"

Dale hopped to his feet and moved toward Moody like some starstruck fangirl, reaching to shake his hand before the older man had realized what was happening, all the while grinning like a lunatic.  "Sir.  Sir.  You're work.  It's like, legendary, dude.  I know you're real into inking the famous people, and I play in this band maybe you've heard of us, the Hobbled Gordons?  Yes, no?  I would be honoured to have you tattoo me man.  Totally.  Like.  Wow."  He'd been talking so fast he'd rendered himself breathless, and he was still shaking Moody's hand furiously.  "You are my biggest fan."

"Er, Dale?" Leroy said quietly.  "I think he thinks you're batshit insane now."

"Seriously, dude," Ben snickered and elbowed Dale before turning his attention to Mad Eye.  "What's up, man?  So I want, like, this severed foot, right..."

"Guys, guys, guys," Mad Eye said, voice perpetually slurred and hips perpetually swaying from years of drug use.  "You think that I care.  And I don't.  Talk to Figgy or Dorcas.  They're my ladies."

Dorcas grinned as Mad Eye draped an arm around her and Figgy's shoulders before planting sloppy wet kisses on both of their cheeks.

Ducking away from them, he moved into the room and motioned for Figgy to follow.  "We brought alcohol.  Come on, Figgy, let's get fucked up."

"Fucking worship me," Dorcas said, arranging both hands into the rock symbol and making a face at Dale and Ben.

"Dorcas," Dale practically begged.

"This is getting painful to watch," Leroy said laughing.  "Where'd your bollocks go, Dale?"

"His pussy ate them," Sirius answered, sounding bored.  "Seriously though, last year this time I'm pretty sure I was macking up on Remus' neck with little regard to propriety..." he trailed off, seeming to consider his own words for a moment before turning his head to grin at Remus before ducking to his husbands' neck and proceeding to recreate the previous party.

Remus made a strangled sort of sound, and James quickly reached out and took his wine glass from him.  Remus turned an interesting mixture of surprised, uncomfortable, and turned on, but even as the first one faded and the second became prevalent, Remus couldn't quite bring himself to push Sirius away.

"I'm really not drunk enough for this, Sirius," Remus said instead, resting a hand on Sirius' shoulder just in case Remus did after all decide to separate Sirius from his position latched onto Remus neck.

"Dorcas, hello.  Pay attention to us.  We love you, baby.  We need you.  We worship you madly.  Get us in," Ben pleaded.  "Giant severed foot.  Sweet, right?  Get us in!  Dale will get on his knees and beg."

"Bonesie, your fiancée is being offered sexual favours.  Aren't you going to do anything?" Dorcas called teasingly to Ed.

"I could give you some advice, I suppose," Edgar grinned gamely.  "Don't let anyone go sucking on your nipples.  You've a two month old daughter to feed."

"Great.  Fat lot of fucking help you are," Dorcas replied, but she was smiling.  "I'll talk to him, okay boys?  You owe me."

Dale and Benjy both whooped and punched each other in celebration.

Lily sighed in defeat, and looking at James said, "Want to shag?  We might as well join in on this Festive Eve of Being Sexually Distracted."

James grinned and rolled his eyes.  "We're the hosts, Lily.  We can't disappear.  My parents have Harry all morning tomorrow, though.  We can probably stay in bed until noon!"

"Speaking of sex.  When's that Rita bird arriving?  The hot, slutty, crazy one?" Ben asked with a grin.

"I haven't the foggiest," Lily said.  "She runs on her own schedule, that one."

"She seemed interested in including your wedding party pictures in her book, Remus, Sirius," Edgar said.  "Me, Dor, Hes and Aidan encouraged her to badger you until you let her, of course."

"Too right," Hestia grinned.

"What?" Remus asked, a little distracted thanks to Sirius.  "Our... definitely not.  No wedding party photos."

"Aw, come on.  I think that's a great idea.  Don't be a spoil sport now, Moony," James pushed.

"Sirius could snog him into agreeing," Edgar suggested.  "Providing he agrees himself."

"Don't care," Sirius murmured against Remus' neck, and then, following Edgar's train of thought, moved his lips to Remus' mouth and took it from there.

Remus made a muffled sound into Sirius' mouth, and then pulled away.  "You do realize I'm never going to agree, don't you?"

"My, my, this is saucy," Mad Eye said, stepping back into the room and taking in Remus and Sirius.  "Mm, I do so like boys."

James' eyes widened a little and he shot a little, amused smile at Lily behind Mad Eye's back.

As though he'd seen it, Mad Eye shot a lecherous sort of look at James, winking extravagantly.

"Hello!" Marlene called then as she pushed the door open.  "So sorry we're late.  Did we miss anything memorable?"

"Just some snogging and suggestive conversation, nothing out of the ordinary," Hestia said.

"Dale has lost his bollocks," Leroy added.

"Well that's quite a feat considering he didn't have any to begin with," Gideon said, standing back as he held the door open for Fabian, Elphias and Caradoc.

"My bollocks are hardly a decent topic of conversation," Dale grumbled.

"Hey guys.  Look who's back," Fabian said brightly, and winced at the annoyingly overly cheery tone of his own voice.

Elphias rolled his eyes as he manoeuvred himself to a chair and leaned his crutches against the arm.  "Hey everyone."

There was a tiny beat of awkward silence and then James said, "Hey Elphias.  Glad to see you're on the road to okay.  It's been ages, what've you been up to?"

"Being a prick to other people for a while instead of to you lot, I expect," he said with a sigh.  "I owe you all apologies.  I assume Fabian ran damage control for me?"

Fabian smiled sheepishly.  "Well, someone had to explain why'd you'd been more of an idiot than usual, seeing as you hadn't bothered to tell anyone what was going on."

"Over and done now," Gideon said, shutting the door.  "There are more important things to get annoyed over in life than shit that happened nearly a year ago."

"Mary insisted I bring fruit cake for the lot of you," Caradoc said, walking around and setting the tin on the coffee table..  "Since I've told her I'm leaving next month she's been sending me baked goods up the wazoo.  So if you're craving carrot cake over the holidays particularly, I'm the bloke to see."

"Can I get annoyed over the fact he brought fruit cake instead of carrot cake?" Sirius asked Gideon, settling back on the couch again and leaning into Remus.  "Or anything else for that matter?"

"Go for it," Gideon laughed, and Caradoc rolled his eyes.

"I should've been more specific," he said.  "If you're craving stale carrot cake, I'm the bloke to see.  The fruit cake, surprisingly, does not taste like a horse's arse."

"Fruit cake is never a big treat though, however non-horse-arse-y it tastes," James said.

Alice scribbled 'I'm sure it's lovely', and underlined lovely a bunch of times before adding, 'Thanks, Caradoc.'

Fabian laughed a little at Alice's obvious attempt to teach them all manners.  "We're beyond hope, Alice.  Besides, you love our unruliness."

"You're welcome," Caradoc said to Alice, taking off his jacket and seating himself.

"So how's the house hunting in LA going?" Edgar asked.  "Any luck with the realtors yet, Gid?"

"Yeah, fucking finally," Gideon answered, blowing his hair out of his eyes as he sat in an armchair and pulled Marlene into his lap.  "She's sent us pictures of a few places we could afford.  And a few we couldn't unless we wanted to put down all of our savings, and the settlement on top of it.  Kin likes this one that's right on the water.  Huge balcony."

"But, it's ridiculously expensive still, and it'll be way more practical for us to be a little closer to downtown for all of the casting calls and things Gid is going to be doing," Marlene added.  "I can commute to beaches.  Or wherever.  I'm supposed to be starting my PDT course in early spring, so."

"That's so exciting.  You guys are going to have such a wonderful time in LA," Remus said with a smile, his arm now comfortably around Sirius and cheeks still flushed.  "And we're all going to have to come visit you."

"Yeah, between this settlement and the one from that dead uncle of yours, you two are fucking set," Dorcas said, and then smirked.  "Well.  We're all fucking set.  That settlement is nothing compared to the ones we got this time around.  I mean, fuck.  We're all damn near millionaires now."

"It's sort of mind boggling," Aidan said with a smile.  "Don't get me wrong.  I wouldn't want to switch places with you considering all the shit you went through, but Christ.  That's quite a cushion.  You could live off that, probably almost your whole lives if you wanted to."

"It definitely makes things easier," Edgar agreed.  "I mean, I had quite a chunk of change saved up aside from that, even after I bought the truck from Gid's mate, but it only would've gotten Dor and I some shabby flat, and we wouldn't be able to afford a sitter, or anything like that, so--"

"I can't believe so many of you are leaving," Sirius interrupted suddenly, almost looking surprised at himself.  "Seriously though.  There's going to be a handful of us left hanging around Salcombe while everyone else is off doing big things in big places.  Strange, innit?"

Hestia shrugged.  "You go where you feel you need to go, I think.  Aidan and I were talking about moving to London before his offer came in, because we wanted to be closer to Ed, Dor and Michele.  You and James and Lily have jobs here, and Remus has school... it's just what makes sense, isn't it?"

"You were planning on moving to London anyway?" Edgar asked Aidan.

"Well, the bigger the city, the more opportunities I have to elbow my way into the biz.  Besides," Aidan said, shrugging a little.  "Not to be a sap, but yeah, I wanted to be closer to you."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of.  Children change things, even if they aren't yours," Remus said.  "I'm happy staying in Salcombe.  Sirius and I both want to be here to be a part of Harry's life."

"Someone needs to entertain me," Mad Eye said suddenly and turned to face the boy that'd been babbling about a band, and the people closest him.  "Those your instruments?"

"Yes sir," Ben said with a smile.  "I heard Ozzy himself used to let you jam with him.  Do you... want to jam with us?"

"Oh God.  Please sir?" Dale asked, the look on his face suggested he'd practically creamed his trousers at the mere thought.  "It'd be an honour, sir."

"Stop calling me sir," Mad Eye drawled.  "And get behind your instruments.  Ozzy taught me to sing, and I'll take the mic.  Do you know I Wanna Rock 'n Roll by Kiss?"

"Well enough, right Dale?" Benjy said quickly.  "We can do it."

"Yes.  Yes!" Dale said, jumping up and pracitcally tripping over his own feet to get to his keyboard.  "Leroy.  Dude."

"Yeah, yeah," Leroy said, grabbing his bass and setting up.

"This is hardly Christmas-y," Lily complained half-heartedly.

"Mad-Eye could probably substitute some festive lyrics, if you'd like," Figgy suggested.  "Though I can't guarantee he won't rhyme holly with bollocks."

Ben counted them in and the foursome started in on playing, Mad-Eye doing the vocals with Leroy chorusing, everyone with big stupid smiles on their face.  Halfway through everyone else started singing along, and it was only when the slight knock on the door had reached a banging level that Lily realized anyone was doing it at all.  Getting quickly to her feet she rushed over to open, wondering who it was (since normally everyone knew to just come on in).

"For fuck's sake, take long enough," Rita said and stepped into the house.

She took off her long red jacket and hung it on the coat stand by the door, pausing for a moment as usual to give the others a moment to notice (and admire) her presence.  She was wearing a deep green wrap around dress with hot red stilettos and lipstick, plus her hair was all done up with mistletoe in it.  She almost looked classy, save for the raither high hemline and the rather low neckline.  In truth, Rita felt the others would probably think she was lacking a little of her usual pizzazz, but she could still do bombshell even while doing sophisticated, and that was exactly what she'd been going for tonight.

"Hello, Rita," James called over the music.  "Come on in!"

"Figured out it's not exactly bikini weather, have we?" Fabian called laughingly.  "You left your space heaters on our lawn, I'll have you know."

"I don't need them anymore.  They've served their purpose," Rita said, making her way over to Fabian and kissing the air on either side of his face in greeting.  "You must be Caradoc.  Pleasure.  And goodness, is that Elphias Doge?  You look a wreck."

Elf looked quite shocked indeed to see her, and more than a little guilty.  "Yes, well, getting crushed by rocks will do that to you.  What are you... they invited you to their Christmas party?"

"Of course we did," Lily said.  "She's writing a book about the lot of us, isn't she?  Only seemed fair, really, after she spent the better part of two weeks hunting us all down."

"Why Rita!" Sirius said. "You look almost normal in that dress!"

"She's writing a book," Elphias said slowly, giving Rita an amused look.  Rita, however, was ignoring him and paying attention to Sirius.  Elphias made a face at Fabian.  "I'd better be in this book.  I'm why she's involved in any of this, after all."

"Sirius!" Rita said with a bright smile and dropped herself onto his lap, smiling as she draped her legs over Remus as well.  "Happy Christmas."

Remus looked awkwardly over at Sirius and carefully kept his hands away from Rita's bare legs.  "Uh.  To you too, Rita."

Sirius couldn't help but laugh.  "You and Narcissa should have a contest sometime over who can stage the grandest entrance," he said, and then nudging Remus slightly said in a playful tone, "and it's nice to see that my hetero sex appeal is still intact."

"More than intact.  Why, it's practically un-endurable," Rita quipped, and then laughed as she noticed Remus' frown.  She swung her feet off of him, shifted into an upright position, and then squeezed herself in next to Sirius instead of on top of him.  "It's the remaining Hobbled Gordons up there.  Who's that singing?"

"That's Mad Eye fucking Moody, legendary tattooist," Dorcas answered.  "He's apprenticing me while I take the course, and then I get to work in his shop."

"He's put ink in Sid Vicious and Ozzy Osbourne," Figgy beamed proudly, joining the conversation loudly as Mad Eye and the Gordons segued into slightly quicker version of Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl".  "He's got no real marbles left of course, but he's lovely drunk and his hand's still steady.  D'you know he and I got high with Nikki Sixx last month?  That was a hell of a night, I'll tell you."

"Huh.  That's impressive," Aidan said, awed.

"Motley Crue, no way," James said, leaning forward.

Sturgis' eyes widened.  "What's he like?"

"Oh, you've got all the boys' attention now," Dorcas said, amused.

Rita looked over at Mad Eye contemplatively, wondering if she could bed him.  That'd be quite the name to add to her considerably long list.  Then her eyes slid past him and she noticed the kid banging away on the drums.  "Ooh, nice arms."

"He's a raging dick, actually," Figgy said airily.  "He and Mad Eye got along fabulously, of course."

"Hey Em, weren't you planning on introducing Rita to Ben there?" Edgar asked, following Rita's line of sight and trying not to laugh.

Emmeline smiled and got up.  "Rita, follow me," Em instructed, heading towards Ben.

"Don't stop playing," Em said to Ben, bending down to kneel at his side.

Ben was already playing softly because they were in James and Lily's living room, but now he simplified the beat and gave his attention to Em.  "What's up, gorgeous?"

"Ben, this is..." Em started, but Rita leaned over her and held out one hand, interrupting with, "Rita Skeeter.  Pleasure."

Ben grinned, twirled a drumstick before holding it between his teeth for a second to shake her hand, then quickly going back to playing with both hands.  "Benjamin Fenwick, at your service.  But you can call me Ben."

"I said I'd introduce you, and I have.  Have fun, kids," Emmeline said, and headed over to give Leroy a kiss as he played, interrupting him as he sang harmony for Sweet Child of Mine.

A cold, snowy breeze blurred into the room then as the front door opened and several cheerful voices entered the house.  "Happy Christmas, everyone!" Albus Dumbledore called brightly and waved his hand at them all, causes the bells attached to the cuff of his coat to jingle merrily.  "The Albus Posse has arrived!"

"Hey fuckers," Dung said, but seemed to be in rather good spirits.  He looked just as rough around the edges as he'd looked last time, from the dirty, ripped to shit jeans to the cigarette tucked behind his ear.  This time, however, he was smiling.

Minerva, oddly, wasn't bothered by Mundungus' swearing.  The way he treated Aberforth (while not overtly obedient but still obviously respectful) had her thinking he was probably just a good kid who'd been brought up wrong, and far be it from her to lecture him for that.  Besides, it was the holidays and it wasn't as though she'd never heard a foul word before.  Goodness, she was a teacher after all.

"Good evening, good evening," she said from her spot next to Albus.  "Oh, my, it's so good to see you all safe and happy.  You have no idea how worried I was..."

"McGoogles!" Sirius exclaimed grandly.  "James!  Jamie, Prongsy, be still my heart, it's the love of our lives!"

Lily rolled her eyes.  "Oh honestly," she said with a sigh and a smile, standing to welcome everyone in.  Come in, then, come in.  For everyone who doesn't know this is Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Aberforth, is it?  Yes, Aberforth Dumbledore, Ruebus Hagrid, and... er, well dear, I'm afraid I'm not sure who you are."

"I'm Mundungus, but you can call me Dung, everyone does 'cept old Abe," Mundungus replied, his thick Cockney accent seeming to drop sounds and syllables all over the place.  "I've met those two.  They wouldn't let me in their fuckin' little group."

Fabian smiled as Dung nodded at he and Gideon.  "Hello, Dung.  Pleasure to see you again."

"Fuck off," Dung replied, but again, wore a smile.  "Has anyone got any booze?  Tis the season for sharin', after all."

"You don't need to drink, Mung," Aberforth said, quirking an eyebrow.  "You can have a little wine, if you like.  And Happy Christmas, everyone.  Good to see you all in form!  I brought an assortment of pastries to share 'round.  Mung here made them, apt little baker that he is."

"Better than fruitcake at any rate," Caradoc said.

"Caradoc!" Hagrid exclaimed cheerfully.  "Didn't see you there!  How are you, old boy?"

"I'm all right, Hagrid, yourself?" Caradoc asked.

"Not bad, not bad," Hagrid replied.  "I got a fellow in first this year, and I think you'd like his stuff.  Does real good landscapes."

"Girls, how are the little ones?" Minerva asked Lily and Alice warmly.  "Goodness, Harry and Neville must be getting so big now."

Alice scribbled, 'He's so smart and handsome, just like his daddy.'

"And his mum too, now," Frank said, unable to hide a deep blush.  "He loves lions something fierce, and Ed, you know, he's forever asking where Susan is."

"Is he now?" Ed asked.  "Sherry'll be pleased to hear that.  She thinks Nev's the cutest thing since Bambi."

"Harry's starting to talk full sentences.  And he's insisting his stuffed dinosaur be called 'Sir's' and he gets to sit at the table during dinner," Lily said.

"Can we not talk about babies?  Fuck," Dorcas said.  "Honestly."

"It's her first time leaving the little one at home," James told Minerva.  "She's a new mommy."

"Try having several hundred under your belt at once," Albus suggested, idly, glancing around at the pictures on the walls.  "It is very trying to keep track of them at all times, particularly when they aren't even in the school.  Though I don't suppose Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, or Mr. Lupin would know anything about that."

"It always worked out.  We always made it back in one piece," James said with a smile.

"Had a couple very, very close calls, however," Remus said, and squeezed Sirius' thigh with one hand.  "You'd be disappointed to hear about them, I'm sure, and I wouldn't want to worry you retroactively."

"Sirius nearly fell onto cement floor from a metal beam suspended by damn near fifty feet up by chains from the ceiling in an abandoned factory one night.  Remus only barely caught him," James said dramatically.

"Oh.  Oh my," Minerva said, pressing a hand to her mouth.  "You silly, silly children."

"That sounds fucking awesome," Dung said brightly.

Emmeline returned then, having left Leroy to his playing--though she hoped he wouldn't be playing all night, she wanted him to get the chance to visit as well--and sat on the floor, facing them all.  "Minerva seems slightly traumatized.  What have you said?"

"About a time I nearly killed myself being a dumb ass," Sirius said.  "I suppose to prevent further former professor traumatisation, Remus and I should refrain from recounting all the lovely places we've shagged at East Portlemouth... Oh, and Harry was conceived in the third floor janitor's closet."

"Sirius!" Lily hissed, shocked.

"What?  I figure they've pieced together that there was an indecent amount of fornication going on," Sirius said.  "And besides, that's just too romantic a conception not to relive."

"Don't feel bad," Edgar said, laughing.  "Dor and I are pretty sure Michele came to be on top of a washing machine."

"Well now, really," Minerva said primly, giving them all reproachful looks.  Then she smiled and admitted, "Oh, we all knew about the janitor's closet, dears.  I certainly did.  And about the storage room around the corner from the banquet hall, even before that mess with Mr. Black here in third year.  I suppose you think you've learned far more about the school in your four years than we have in our decades, come now."

"Sounds like quite the boarding school experience," Elphias said with a smile.  "Though I must say, the public school experience wasn't exactly lacking for me, either.  I did go to school with Fabian, after all.  He kept things interesting."

Fay smiled a little, but wasn't sure how reminiscing about their schoolyard adventures would go over, considering most of them were quite sexual indeed, and Caradoc might get a mite uncomfortable.  "I must say, after all the stories I hear from this lot, I sort of wish I'd gone to East Portlemouth.  Especially considering the professors are all so cool."

"Nothing beats public school," Gideon interjected, glancing sidelong at his wife.  "Marlene and I got a round of applause from the swim team after going at it in the girls' change room."

"Yes, well I got disowned in front of the entire school for sucking off a violinist," Sirius countered.

"My, my," Albus commented.  "You all must have such boring sex lives now that you're all married and void of half as many nooks and crannies to make use of.  But, you see, that's the great thing about living in the school.  And the real challenge is making sure that the students don't catch you."

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"I'm not sure I want to know who or what was implied by that," Caradoc said, finally.

Minerva smoothed her hair back and raised her eyebrows at Albus.

"No!" James guffawed, eyes lighting up with a childlike glee.  "Ohhh!  McGoogles and Dumbles, all over the school?  Really?  But you're old!"

"'Old' does not equate 'incapable', Mr. Potter," Albus said.

"This is the weirdest conversation I've ever taken part in," Sirius grinned.  "McGoogles, you absolute minx.  However, Remus, when we have children, and you are a full fledged teacher and doing teaching related things, don't tell them of our sexual conquests.  Because I think I might be in a certain amount of shock and doomed to having confusing dreams for many months to come."

"I promise," Remus said, awkward enough with this conversation that he couldn't imagine ever having a similar one no matter how many years he had to get used to the idea.

"I think it's wonderful," Lily said.  "Weird to hear, yes, but I had no idea that you two were involved with one another.  How long?"

"Oh, so long I've lost count," Minerva said, cheeks only slightly pink.  They were all adults here.  "Since before we were old, at any rate."

The doorbell rang then, but the door began to open before anyone had to get up and let them in.

"Good evening!" Narcissa called, stepping in and unwrapping a warm, thick, artfully patterned shawl from around her shoulders to reveal a couture cocktail dress in a deep purple colour and shoes that probably cost more than most of Lily and James' living room furniture put together.  "How is everyone!"

"Narcissa!  Lucius!  You're even later than usual," Emmeline said with a smile.  "And you're both looking beautifully elegant."

"We've brought champagne," Lucius said, unbuttoning his trenchcoat.  Noticing the East Portlemouth teachers, he added, "Albus!  Minerva! Reubus!  What a pleasant surprise."

"Indeed.  You remember my brother, Aberforth?" Albus asked.  "It's good to see you Lucius.  How's Draco?"

"Oh, he's a brilliant, beautiful enigma," Narcissa said brightly.

Hearing her own words, Rita looked up from her position next to Ben and laughed.  "Narcissa!  Lucius!  Hello, lovelies, how are you?"

"Rita Skeeter.  What a surprise," Narcissa said with a smile.  "I didn't think I'd have to deal with you again for a very, very long time."

"Or until I need a follow up interview or fact checking," Rita quipped.  "You look gorgeous.  Those shoes are practically fuckable.  Sexy.  Can I have them?"

Narcissa looked at her and then laughed.  "You could not fill these shoes."

"You could probably buy a house with those shoes," Lily said idly.

The evening wore on comfortably, everyone bouncing between conversations as Mad Eye finally gave in to the holiday spirit and he and the boys started playing a few Christmas tunes.  Eventually they stopped to join everyone else, however, and the lot of them gradually got tipsier as Bing Crosby crooned in the background, and Lily handed out the eggnog.  They relieved stories of their years in school, the early days of the Order, and everything to come now that it was all said and done; now that they were all parting ways, and moving on.

"Well there's a simple solution to that," Sirius said to the fear that they might lose touch with one another entirely beyond Christmas cards and news from relatives passed in the supermarket.  "We just get together every few years, and we do this.  We reconnect."

"We've all been through way too much together to just drift apart like that," Frank added.

"Hey Em, you have a camera with you?" Leroy asked suddenly.

"I always have a camera with me," Emmeline said and reached for her purse.  She pulled out a small black case, zipped it open, and pulled out a small, flat digital camera.  "I assume you want a group photo.  And I think it's a great idea."

"But you have to be in it, Em," James said brightly.  "You're always taking all the photos.  This one you have to be in.  Any volunteers?"

"I can take it," Remus offered with a smile as Emmeline started snapping candids of various people.

"If we're doing a group photo, Remus, you've got to be in it," Fabian said.  "I want the whole Order in."

"I'm sure Mung wouldn't mind, would you son?" Aberforth asked.

"Why can't I be in the fucking picture?" Dung mumbled, but pulled his hands out of his pockets and took the camera.  "All right.  All of you cunts line up then."

"I can take it!  If you want to be in it," Sturgis said brightly.  "James is the only fellow that knows me here anyway, so it's okay."

"Get on with it then," Sirius said, rolling his eyes as Mundungus excitedly traded placed with Sturgis.  With a cliche chorus of "CHEESE!" and a toasting of whatever they were holding, Sturgis pressed down and the flash of Emmeline's camera captured a moment in time not to be rivaled.  On the couch sat Rita in Ben's lap, the two of them snogging like there was no tomorrow and seemingly unaware that there was even a picture being taken.  Next to them was a laughing Emmeline with her arms around Leroy's neck, kissing him happily on the cheek as he beamed at her instead of the camera.  Remus and Sirius were to the right of them, grinning together happily as Sirius had an arm casually looped around Remus' shoulders, their legs crossed toward one another.

On the floor in front of them sat Mad Eye with his hand forming the 'rock out' sign, Figgy next to him forming a peace sign, and Dale next to her flipping Sturgis off and grinning.  Gideon and Marlene sat on the loveseat with Caradoc, Fabian seated between his legs on the floor holding on to a hand of cards.  Elphias was toward the centre with a hand of his own, the two playing Go Fish.  Aidan was beside Elphias with Hestia sitting happily in his lap, wearing his cowboy hat and kissing his neck.

James and Lily were in the recliner, snuggled together, Lily leaning back against James whose head was half-buried in her hair.  Edgar and Dorcas were in the other chair, Ed with his feet propped up on the footstool, the both of them wrapped around one another, half-asleep and smiling tiredly.  Narcissa was perched on the second footstool, posing herself haughtily as Lucius (who was more than a little tipsy) sat crosslegged on the floor laughing and looking up at his wife with his sleeves rolled up and his tie loosened.

And then there was Hagrid, Albus, Aberforth, Minerva and Mundungus off to the side closest to the dining table, having been seated around it and playing a rousing game of Clue (James having made commentary in the process, suggesting Minerva take Remus' place as Miss Scarlett).

They all looked happy, because they were all happy.  Or at the very least, they were on their way.

Chapter Thirty-Nine <-- Chapter Forty --> Ten Plus Two