The Rise And Fall Of The Stag And The Doe

Static waves

"Come on Lily!" Marlene called, "I need to pop by a few shops to get a birthday present for my brother! Like ...you know, this year."

Lily snorted and yelled, "I'll be down in a tick!"

"Well hurry up! I want to actually get there before my fortieth birthday!"

"I thought you said James's neighbors were coming with us." Lily questioned, slipping her scandals on.

"Casilda and Esmee are meeting us there." Marlene informed her.

Lily furrowed her eyebrows together thoughtfully. "Okay so are they twins?"

"No. They have a brother Everett that is the same age, but they are all seperately adopted actually. Casilda was adopted from Texas, Esmee was adopted from South Korea and Everett I think is from Morocco."

"Interesting. I wonder why get three kids the same age. That sounds like a lot at once."

Marlene shrugged, playing with the end of her braid. "My twin sisters are a year older than me and my parents had three kids before that. You work with what you get."

"What brings them to Hogwarts?"

"Mr. Cooper, their dad, got the new Defense job."

Lily scoffed, tossing her bag over her shoulder. "Well he'll need some good luck with that. I reckon the job is cursed. Every position in the school is always filled, but that one."

"Maybe the Dark Lord had something to do with it." Marlene mocked dryly.

"You shouldn't joke about him. He's been going on a killing spree across half of the U.K."

"I think we should take it seriously, but come on. If we let ourselves become afraid of him then he will use that fear to control us. It's basic bullying mentality."

Lily smirked at her, "You sound like Dorcas."

"Well when you spend seven years with someone some things tend to stick."

"Well then, let's go. What are you going to get your sister?"

Marlene groaned, pouting as she linked her arm around Lily's. "Oh I dunno. Hopefully we can find something; cheap enough to be thoughtful."

"ALRIGHT LADS...and Commander and Prewett," James added nodding at Dorcas and Alice, "What we have here is an old fashioned BATTLE!" He smirked, pacing in front of Remus, Sirius, Dorcas, Alice Prewett and Everett Cooper. "Now we will pick team captains, split up into three teams and fight for this majestic cup-"

"Am I mad," Everett started with a thick French accent, "Or is he holding up an actual cup?"

"You aren't, he's mad." Alice reassured him casually, before turning back to look at James.

"Anyway," James glared at them. "It should come to no surprise that I will volunteer myself as a captain-"

"Napoleon complex," Remus muttered to Dorcas, making her snort with laughter.

James scowled and threw up his hands. "No respect. Absolutely no respect."

"Oh go on with your big speech, you big git." Sirius told him.

"No...No it's fine," James said bitterly. "I'm just standing here."

"Christ," Dorcas laughed, stepping forward. "Potter, Black and I are captains-"

"Hold it, why are you a captain?" Sirius questioned gesturing to her.

She gave him a dirty look. "I'm going to need you to dial your misogyny back a bit there Black...What are you scared I'm going to kick your arse?"