War is Over

3.

Marlene and Evan walked through our front door with a bottle of wine cheering that Saturday. Mum and dad had Harry so Lily and James were already two glasses deep. Sirius and Remus poked fun at them while Reggie and I finished making snacks. I laughed as Marlene pulled me into a hug.

"Hi, love. How're you doing?" I asked. She kissed my head. The anniversary of Dorcas' death was coming up, I knew she wasn't well.

"I'm good, you?" She asked as I watched Evan hug Reg. I nodded.

"Alright." She narrowed her eyes. I just shook my head. She nodded.

"Oi! Mckinnon!" Evan yelled from the living room. She turned her head. They'd decided they were better off as best friends. They still lived together, and had a pact to get married at thirty-five if neither of them found someone.

"What?" She hollered. He snickered at her tone of voice.

"Stop hogging Potter!" We giggled as we walked out holding hands. Reg and Evan sat on the floor in front of Moony and Siri.

"You know she was my friend first, right?" Marlene teased him. He rolled his eyes as he pulled me into a hug that resulted in me toppling onto him and Regulus. He grabbed my legs and laid them across him.

"You know she likes me more, right?" I grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl on Sirius' lap and threw it at Evan while he tried to catch it in his mouth. "See? Best friends." Marlene gave his head a shove before she sat down beside him, putting my feet in her lap.

Nights like this were the only ones I didn't have nightmares. The only time I didn't think about last Halloween. The only time I didn't worry I might get locked away for life. Only when I was surrounded by all my friends did I feel at peace. It was like being back at school. I knew Lily and James would pass out on the couch before the movie was over, Sirius and Moony would take their room. It was technically the guest room but they were the only guests who ever slept in it. Marlene would set up in the love seat while Evan slept on the floor. I liked the repetition. I liked when things stayed the same.

I watched Sirius and Regulus set up the muggle projector while James drunkenly tried to pick out a movie.

"Lost your touch, Prongs. Used to hold your liquor well." Moony joked from his spot behind me on the couch. I swatted his leg while James glared at him.

"You become a parent, be sleep deprived, work all day every day and almost get murdered and tell me you hold your drinks the same." James slurred while pointing a finger at him. I laughed.

"He does know I haven't slept since I was a child right? And we all almost died? And I can't have a kid?" Moony whispered in my ear. I chuckled lowly as I watched James flip through the films.

"Let him have this one, Rem." He sat back and pulled my hair into his lap to play with. I sipped my wine.

"Jamie, will you just let me do it?" Lily pleaded as she stole the crate of movies. He pouted like his son. "Right then, scary or comedy?"

"Scary." We all chorused together. She flipped through for a moment before grabbing one and handing it to Reg. He popped it in and sat back down beside me. Sirius curled up on the couch and into Remus' side. I felt Remus placing little braids in my hair. Reg leaned his head on me while we watched the intro to the movie.

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I covered Lily and James each with a blanket while Reggie placed a cup of water on the table beside them. Sirius reached his hand out for me to take to help him up, which I took and pulled him to his feet. He stumbled and we both had to stifle laughter to keep from waking James and Lily. Reg threw a pillow off the loveseat at Evan who was making his bed on the floor.

"I love you guys." Marlene said through a yawn as she opened her arms to pull us into a hug. We all gathered with her and hugged each other.

"Right, off to bed we go." Sirius said grabbing Moony's hand. Remus kissed me on the cheek before following Sirius to their room. I gave Marls a quick peck on the cheek before doing the same to Evan's head and made my way to my room.

"Is she doing alright?" Reg asked while he dug through his drawers. I shrugged from my own dresser.

"She doesn't want to talk about it." I pulled out one of his old quidditch jumpers and slid it on with a pair of shorts. I watched him change into a pair of green plaid pajama bottoms from bed before he joined me. "How are you doing?"

"It still doesn't feel real. It feels like one day Cas is just going to come back and everything will be okay." He mumbled. I nodded.

"I feel like that with Peter." He grabbed my hand.

"We're too young to be grieving our friends." I sighed in defeat.

"At least they died for something they cared about."

Either way you spun it it was true. Cas died protecting Marlene, she died for the one cause she knew was right in this world. Dorcas Meadows died a hero. Peter died for the one cause he found worthy in this life, he died for power and recognition. I bet he never thought it would be at my hand. Peter Pettigrew, the quiet and awkward little boy from the train in first year that I convinced James to take a chance on, died knowing he would always be a villian in our story.

"Have you heard anything about Barty?" I shook my head.

"I'm sorry love, last I asked dad about him they still hadn't found any trace of him. They're starting to believe he wont ever come back." He just nodded.

"I love you, Nova."

"I love you, Reggie." And with that I laid on his chest and we both fell asleep.

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potential daily updates for a little while??? we'll see how committed to that i stay with school and just life in general but y'all are being so sweet on this one, i'm so glad to have nova & reg back.