A/N: Ok, so by popular vote we will continue right here, right where we left off (well, not really). Some time has passed between the partings of the lovers. Alice and Frank have already married and currently they are off doing what married people do *giggles*. James, Sirius, and Remus are together. Lily's visiting her sister. These chapters will include titles (whether they are relevant has yet to be seen) and the scenes that didn't quite make it into the story are going to grow ever longer, I fear. Also, Lily has a diary now (to keep up with her since not everything is really relevant or fits nicely in the story). There are hints towards what is going to happen, teasers, and such. You needn't read it or follow it, but I have to say that it is a great accompaniment to this part of the story and on: Lily's Diary. Read and review.
Disclaimer: I own my mind, the rest the bank owns, and what they don't own belongs to others…
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C34: A Ring
Sirius was snuggled deep in his thick blankets, thankful for at least a little bit of sleep before James burst into his room well before dawn. He had been doing that for a week, usually in a hysterical panic. Had they packed enough clothes? Where was the itinerary? Would she still like him after the time apart? Sirius laughed a James a lot over the past month. They had attended Alice's wedding, beautiful if he did say so. Almost made him want to start to think about settling down, almost, but he was still embracing his summer filled with temptation and no strings attached.
"Sirius…" James started as he climbed into bed with Sirius. Sirius buried deeper in his blanket with a quiet growl. James prodded Sirius with his wand. "Sirius… what if she says no to me?"
"Grr…" Sirius growled a little louder. James poked him harder. "That better be your wand."
"No, I'm just happy to see you," James said laughing and throwing his arm across Sirius. "Cuddle with me."
"Oh, God," Remus murmured as he entered the room. "Should I come back?"
"No, join," Sirius yawned. "Just don't invite Peter. I think he thought we were serious last time and went for a feelsie."
"Who was joking last time?" James taunted with an evil grin.
"You're going to give your mom a stroke," warned Remus as he jumped on the end of the bed.
"What time is it?" Sirius asked.
"Nearly six in the morning," Remus yawned.
"Sheesh, James, couldn't you at least wait until closer to the time the stores open?" Sirius groaned loudly.
"No," James said shaking his head. "I want to be first in line at Gringott's. Mum said that I could have Great Granny Sophie's ring."
"Then you're serious, then?" Sirius yawned again brushing his hair out of his face. James nodded eagerly.
"I know it seems so sudden," James started.
"No, not really," Remus interjected.
"I just love her to bits," James said.
"And her bits are nice, too," Sirius laughed. James rolled his eyes.
"You've been watching the pensieve again, haven't you?" James asked glancing around the still dark room.
"I haven't had any action in like almost a year," Sirius defended. "At least polyjuice me is getting some action."
"God, have you been molesting yourself to it?" Remus asked distastefully.
"Well, you wouldn't lend me a hand," Sirius taunted the other boy.
"I don't know if I like the idea of you watching yourself have sex with my girlfriend," James said a little darkly.
"Even if it is a polyjuiced Alice as Lily, and a polyjuiced Frank as Sirius?" Remus asked. Sirius grabbed his head.
"You're making my head spin, stop," Sirius begged. "My jaw still smarts were you punched me."
"Baby, that was nearly three months ago!" James said.
"Look, mate, I know you're excited," Sirius yawned as he pulled the cover back over his head. "But I'd like to catch a few more hours of sleep."
"Not going to happen," James said. "We've got a lot to do before we catch our flight to the United States."
"Why'd she pick there as our first stop?" Sirius grumbled. "Customs is always trying to probe me."
"Don't play like you don't like it," Remus laughed. Sirius shot him a look.
"Not cool, Remus," Sirius said pouncing on him. "I'm going to give you fleas."
"I know you can't," Remus laughed and rolled away from Sirius. "Mrs. Potter gave you a flea dip the minute you came home."
"Bugger," Sirius said pouting.
"Anyways, Lily chose it for their Independence Day celebrations," Remus said.
"Washington, here we come," James said. He looked at his watch. "Ok, maybe a few more hours of sleep."
"That's my Marauder," Sirius yawned climbing back under his covers.
"You two are so going to turn me gay," Remus sighed displeased as James patted the bed next to him. "We would we be if we don't create the next generation of Marauders."
"Irritating the Auror-in-training instructors at ATA," James yawned.
"Go over the flight plan again?" Sirius yawned again.
"We catch the flight from London to the United States. I wanted the changeover to happen in New York, but Dad said that we'd enjoy some southern hospitality so we're changing planes in Atlanta," James said sleepily. "Some long ass named airport… Hartsfield-Jackson-Smith-and-Wesson-International-Airport-of-the-South-will-rise-again-General-Lee-Harvey-Oswald."
"Really? That long?" Sirius asked pushing himself up off the bed. James and Remus laughed, shaking their heads.
"No, but it is practically that long," James said.
"Couldn't they just have said Atlanta Airport?" Sirius asked.
"I donno," James said shrugging. "Anyways, we'll hop a flight from Atlanta to Washington."
"Ok," Sirius said. "Sounds like it's going to go off without a hitch."
"No! I can't believe you said that," Remus groaned as he shook his head. "That's a jinx, it is! This trip is DOOMED! Doomed I tell you!"
"You sound like a raving lunatic," Sirius warned.
"You never say crap like that. It's like telling an actor or actress `Good luck' before his or her performance," Remus practically wept.
"Ok, sorry," Sirius grumbled. "I take it back."
"You can't take back words that you have already said," Remus cried.
"Oh, shut it you two ninnies," James yawned. "It'll be alright. I thought that we were going back to sleep."
"Yeah, sorry," Sirius said. He and Remus quieted down for a second. Without warning, a foul stench permeated through the air.
"Oh, come on!" James coughed and gagged.
"Sorry," a little voice came from the other bed.
"Peter! That's just foul," Sirius retched as he began to fan the air and cover his mouth.
"I told you not to eat the chili," Remus groaned as he held his stomach.
"But it was so good," Peter whined from the other bed. "And anyways, I did not go for a feelsie."
"Did so," Sirius challenged.
"Crack the damn window," the mirror begged. Peter jumped up and threw the windows open wide, the other three boys stood at the window gulping the fresh air.
"Ok, so I'm more than wide awake now," James said leaning weakly against the window frame. "Nothing like Peter to completely wake a person up."
"You'd better not try something like that with Alice and Lily about," Sirius warned as he shook his head. "They'll kick you out quicker than you can say `Your momma is a Quidditch Whore'."
"Right, got it," Peter said nodding. Remus wiped the tears from his eyes, still gagging a bit.
"Thank god I don't have to share a room with him," James muttered as he and Remus left Sirius' room to get ready for the day.
At seven that morning, promptly, the four boys headed into Gringott's to the Potter family vault. The goblin that attended with them eyed the boys suspiciously but made no remark as they headed to the large vault deep within the hidden bowels of the wizarding bank. James gasped at the sight of the money and treasures piled up in the Potter vault.
"Look… wee James' baby shoes, cast in Gold," Sirius taunted. James laughed.
"My son's shoes will join mine one day," James said proudly as he and the others headed into the large vault.
"Already of thinking about starting a family then?" Remus asked curiously. "Isn't that a bit premature?"
"Shouldn't you at least ask Lily if she'll marry you first? I mean I doubt she'll want to have a child out of wedlock with you," Sirius said. James shrugged.
"I think she'll say yes," James said.
"And a son? Maybe you'll have one of those girl kinds first," Sirius said.
"A daughter?" Remus asked.
"Yeah, one of the girly girls with lace and bows," Sirius said as he did a little twirl, as if her were a ballerina. "She'd want to do your hair and play dolls."
"Harry will be a boy," James said simply as he dug through a bunch of velvet lined boxes. Opening and closing them, discarding each one quickly to the side.
"Whoa, unborn, un-conceived baby Potter has a name?" Sirius taunted.
"Yeah, well," James blushed as he scratched the back of his head. "I thought we'd name him after Lily's dad. I mean unless she wants not to, you know?"
"You're worse than a girl," Sirius teased as he smiled. James knew he was getting a head of himself. He needed to find this ring, first, to get the ball rolling. He opened a box.
"A-hah!" James cheered holding the box in his hand. Inside was a Goblin made ring with a large stone in the center of smaller stones.
"Wow, that is some spectacular ring," Remus and Sirius both admitted.
"My Great Granny Sophie told me that it belonged to Annabelle Gryffindor herself, the engagement ring Godric Gryffindor gave her," James said as he snapped the box close. "At least, that's the story."
"Wow," Peter said in quiet awe. "It must be worth a fortune."
"Probably," James said shrugging. A stupid grin was smeared across his face. "Lily's worth it, though. I love her."
"That's terribly sweet," Sirius said grinning at James.
"Shouldn't you have written her at some point over the last month?" Peter asked casually as he picked up a thick red garnet set in a gaudy yellow gold setting.
"She knows how I feel about her," James said as he made a face, frowning. "You really think I should have owled her a few times since we've been apart?"
"What does Peter know?" Sirius said shooting a look at Peter and getting rude hand gesture in return. "You haven't even kissed a girl before aside from your mother, and I wouldn't even kiss her."
"That'd be a first," Peter said smartly as he crossed his arms. "From what I understand, you've kissed more than just girls in our sixth year."
"What are you implying?" Sirius asked crossly.
"I'm just saying you should be careful who you walk under the mistletoe," Peter said backing down. He turned and walked away from them.
"No, you were implying something," Sirius said threateningly, acting as if he was going to follow Peter out of the Potter's vault.
"Easy, Sirius," Remus said. "This is Peter, after all. You know how he runs his mouth off like that. There's nothing to what he said."
"I thought that no one saw that," hissed James angrily.
"Wait, what? There's truth to it?" Remus said as his hands dropped from where he was restraining Sirius. James and Sirius both looked away, ashamed.
"If you have collected what you have come for, it is time to leave," the Goblin said with a look of cruel malice on his face.
James and Sirius sulked out of the vault, followed by a very curious and disgusted looking Remus. They all climbed silently into the coal cart and were whisked away to the surface and released from the uncomfortably rollercoaster ride. Shaky legged; they headed out of Gringott's and through Diagon Alley.
"Let's grab a pint," Remus suggested softly as Sirius and James couldn't quite meet each other's eyes, or his.
"Look, it was one kiss," James blurted out. "It was Christmas, sixth year. You were holed up in Hospital with the Werewolfian Flu. It was an accident."
"Yeah," Sirius said quickly.
"It wasn't like we enjoyed it, that much," James laughed. Sirius made a face.
"It was a quick peck on the lips, and anyways, it was that damn tricky mistletoe. Someone pervert cast a sticking charm on it," Sirius said. Peter snickered. "It was you, you vile little rodent!"
"Sirius, don't kill him," James yelled chasing after Sirius and Peter, only after forcing the box into Remus' hand for safe keeping. "I want to get a bit out of him too."
"Guys! Don't kill him!" Remus shouted half heartedly. "Not in public."
"I'll smite you!" Sirius shouted throwing hexes at Peter. The rodent-like boy was swift and nimble, swerving back and forth, missing the jelly-legs curse.
"Smite? Smite? You couldn't smite me if I were already smitten," Peter called back laughing. Sirius growled and finally hit Peter with a curse, sending the boy face first into the asphalt.
"I swear to God I'm going to cure you of what ails you," Sirius yelled as he rolled the boy over to his back and punched him a few time in the stomach. Satisfied, he stood. "Anything you want to add?"
"Nope," James said shaking his head. Remus counter cursed Peter and the little boy stood up sniffling. Blood poured from his nose and his lip, both injured during his kiss with the cobble stone ground.
"I…I'm sorry," Peter sniffed. Remus handed him a handkerchief to start mopping up the blood off his face. "I thought it would be funny."
"Do you know how painfully embarrassing it was to kiss James? He's like my hot younger brother," Sirius said. He laughed at James' expression, which was a mix of twisted amusement and horror. "Only trying to lightening things up a bit."
"I'll never betray you again," Peter said. "I promise. On my honor."
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