The Truth Behind the Veil ✔️

Dog Days

7th Year

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  Seagulls squaked overhead, waves crashed and bubbled on the sandy shore, kids squealed as their castles were destroyed and small crabs scuttled away. The Marauders and Co were spending the early August day on a small beach near Sussex. It was Peter's birthday, the sixth, and it had been his choice to spend the day here.

Sirius, James, Peter and Marlene were waist deep in the cerulean sea, splashing one another in some sort of water fight. Lily, Remus and Regulus were building a shockingly architecturally accurate castle that held a strong resemblance to Hogwarts that caused wonder for what exactly those two were learning in Arithmancy. Alice and Frank were sharing an Ice Cream, laughing and shooing whenever a gull got too close for comfort. Meanwhile, Fawn was laying on a towel right in the middle of everyone, admiring the sun on her skin.

"One," James whispered over a sleeping Fawn.

  "Two," Sirius lifted the bucket filled with water.

  "Three!" shouted Peter, flipping the bucket over, drenching the girl in a muck of water, sand and seaweed.

Fawn shot up, spluttering as the wetness hit her skin. "Bloody hell you wankers!" she screamed loudly, wiping the green, slimy, water plant from her face. The boys just laughed and high-fived each other for their combined genius.

The others looked over, laughing and shaking their heads in response as Lily muttered the correct cleaning and drying spells through her poorly contained snickers.

Fawn glared playfully at the girl. "Lily, I know you're not laughing at me too."

  Lily bit her lip, glancing briefly over to James. "Sorry," she giggled, "I don't mean to."

  "Yeah sure you don't," huffed Fawn.

"That was cruel lads," laughed Remus.

  "You're laughing too you traitor!"

   This only granted louder guffaws leading Fawn too to crack a smile. She loved them truly, though she refused to admit so at this moment.

The next day, James was rushing around the house like a headless chicken. Lily had asked him to be her plus one to Petunia and Vernon's wedding—as friends, always as friends.

Anyway, he was trying desperately to figure out the Muggle suit Lily had insisted he wore whilst attempting to slick down his hair by finally giving in and using his father's Sleakeasy hair potion.

He came down stairs a moment later, his hair, for once in its life, tame and his suit, wrinkle free.

"How do I look?" he asked breathlessly. Fawn stepped forward, fixing his poorly done tie. Honestly, you'd think after six years of school the boy would know how to do it by now.

"You look great, James. Lily's going to love it."

  "You think?"

  "Yes," drawled Sirius who was sprawled out on the sofa watching his friend panic in amusement. "Now shut up and get your girl!"

  James grinned nervously but nodded and apparated away.

"Reckon they'll be together by the end of the night?"

  "Nah, Lily's stubborn," Fawn said knowingly, "Give it a couple more months."

*****

The wedding had gone swimmingly. Other than the bride and groom insulting the Potter boy, James spent many hours dancing, singing and laughing with the love of his life and no amount of insults could dampen that.

Lily seemed to be falling for him faster than she was willing to admit. She found herself thinking of the messy-haired bespectacled boy often, wondering what exactly it would be like to date James Fleamont Potter.

She decided to wait a while longer to give into these secret desires. After all, it had only been a year since she had last said she hated the boy, it was hard to know if so much really had changed in the span of a year.

Today was August thirty-first. The summer had flown by and tomorrow would be their last time, save for Regulus, of boarding the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross Station. The letters had just arrived, in time for the kids to receive their book lists before they went to Diagon Alley later in the day.

A thunk sounded against the wooden kitchen table, eliciting an excited gasp from Mia. "James, is that what I think it is?" his mother asked, calling quickly for Monty to come and join them.

James was staring at the metal badge, not believing for a second that what he was seeing wasn't a dream.

Sirius was laughing. "Prongs is Head Boy!" he shouted in glee. "When did you become a square?"

   Monty stumbled into the kitchen. "Did I hear my son's Head-Boy?"

  "Yes you did Monty," Sirius tossed the elderly man the badge, "Take a look."

   "Blimey," Monty grinned, looking over at James, "I'm so disappointed."

Fawn and Sirius laughed loudly while Regulus frowned in confusion. The Potter's were wonderful, so why was Monty upset with James being Head-Boy? His parents would've praised him to the moon for such an achievement and that was saying a lot.

James groaned, knowing he'd never hear the end of this. "Oh shove off."

"Oh Jamesie, I'm so proud of you!" Euphemia cooed, pulling the boy into a bone-crushing hug.

   "Well I guess you can't have anymore 'meetings' with Minnie,'" Fleamont quoted James' terms for detention.

   "Yeah, yeah," James waved his hand offhandedly in annoyance.

"I bet Lily got Head-Girl," Fawn teased, watching as her friend's face reddened.

  "Probably," James replied, rubbing his face in embarrassment.

"Ignore your father," Mia murmured, "This is simply wonderful, I'll have to write Charlus and Dorea, they'll be delighted."

Charlus and Dorea Potter were James' aunt and uncle on Fleamont's side. Dorea had previously been a Black, a distant cousin of Sirius, but had been burned off of the family tapestry for marrying a Blood-Traitor.

"Mum, stop, you're embarrassing me," whined James.

Mia rolled her eyes. "Potter boys," she tutted, "Never proud of themselves unless they're getting in trouble or throwing a Quaffle."