Grow

Epilogue:

Gryffindor has pretty much won the house cup (partly due to James's quidditch catch).

With Remus and James still in the hospital for a few days, pieces of the story were put together by the group while they recovered in their beds. Though animagi, the invisibility cloak and the map weren't mentioned.

Remus was not happy with Sirius, and had a long talk with him which included Sirius being told off, James being used as a guilt trap and Sirius very loudly begging for Remus's mercy on his hands and knees until one, Remus made him be more, well, serious and two Madam Pomfrey forced him out.

Remus even half considered leaving hogwarts due to how close he got to hurting someone, but the Marauders said that they would all leave if he did so that idea was immediately shut down.

He eventually moved on and let the argument drop even though he wasn't happy about it. (It mysteriously happened after a lot of chocolate frogs were left on his bedside with a paw printed note).

The girls still want to know what 'that bit of parchment' is.

The boys are refusing to tell them.

And Sirius never really finished that essay, even with his best mates help. Mind you, James may not have helped his focus. Sirius escaped from McGonagall's detention, of course. You can't expect him to stay in detention when there is only a week or two left to prank Hogwarts?

It's the last day before school breaks up for the summer.

James has been released from hospital, and though he does have a few scars, he makes a full recovery, and he can still catch a snitch which was of vital importance.

And, the four boys sit under the same beech tree this story started with. The tree hasn't changed, it's another sunny, summer's afternoon, but the boys are maybe a bit quieter than they were four weeks ago. Sirius leans against the trunk, playing with yet another beetle. James asleep on his shoulder, Remus reading another book and Peter looking over on to the page.

Lily, Marlene and Alice sit on the edge of the lake and Lily turns around.

She sees the four, not the loud, annoying, bullying twits she saw previously, but a different side she doesn't think she has seen before.

A group of friends that can actually be quite quiet and relaxed when they want to.

Ok, yes, they aren't perfect, but no one is completely infallible.

Then they catch Lily looking at them. Remus smirks slightly from behind his book, Peter waves a bit and Sirius flashes a wink at her. James snores slightly.

She rolls her eyes, but doesn't go over.

The girls lean back on the grass, the sun shining unimpeded down on their faces.

And in that moment, in that warm glowing moment, it seemed that maybe, all was well.