A few months passed by and life was beginning to get back on track. Everyone being able to include each other in all jokes and conversations without having to pick up the pieces.

Each day was getting easier to deal with grief, sadness slowly being replaced by the excitement that life continued regardless. The acceptance that Regulus forever lived on in my memories and that I was still entitled to go on and create more with happiness taking the forefront.

Sirius was beginning to smile more, was beginning to joke along with his friends again. He was still living with James and Lily, but there were talks of him becoming healthy enough to start living alone once more; though they both were going to miss his help with the baby.

Remus was still planning on how to ask Sirius to be his best man. Waiting for the perfect moment, where Remus felt that Sirius was ready to feel the full amount of joy in the request, or at least rationally enough to decline and not eventually regret it.

I was so thrilled that Remus wanted to ask Sirius, I couldn't think of a better person to be the best man at our wedding. It was nice to know a family member would actually be attending, let alone acting as an important role.

Although I was secretly hoping, prior to finding out, that Remus was going to ask James. Though I'd never admit it.

I wanted Sirius to walk me down the isle.

Now I wasn't so sure who I wanted to do that job. I suppose no one had to, nothing about me craved an overly traditional day. If anything, I almost craved to run off and get married secretly. No fuss or too much attention. Just simplicity. Just us. On our terms.

Remus and I were planning to get married in a year. Giving us enough time to save and plan, and allow the people around us time to heal and plan childcare for the event. We both loved baby Harry and Neville, but wanted a childfree wedding. An excuse for us all to get a bit tipsy with each other again, with little to no responsibility.

Before I got completely lost in thought, a knock sounded at my front door.

I rushed to it, ready to great my expected visitor.

"Fuck me, it's getting cold outside." Marlene shivered as she pushed her way through and into the house.

I laughed as she pushed the door closed behind her.

"So I talked to him," she began.

"And?" I asked curiously.

I had asked Marlene to check up on Peter, as his behaviour had been shifting to another kind of weird recently. Less bitchy but more secretive. I had wondered if his attitude was actually just anxiety for his future, after seeing his reaction to the conversation a few months back at the engagement reveal get together.

"Didn't tell me much but he did say he's glad not all of his mates want to go off and have kids. So," Marlene revealed with a shrug.

"Not a kid person?" I asked.

"Have you ever seen him hold Neville or Harry? No. Of course he's not a kid person." Marlene laughed loudly.

"I don't see how any of us actually growing up affects him though." I said in an almost sulky voice.

"Peter hasn't got anyone else, but those boys. Us girls haven't always been part of their little gang." Marlene said.

"Yeah, but you all aren't fourteen anymore." I reminded her.

"I know that, I think he forgets." She rolled her eyes.
"I'm happy for you all and I'm not getting married or having babies. Remember." She added.

Peter hadn't said or done a vicious thing to me in quite some time. A long while, long enough for me to struggle to remember when his last harsh word was spat towards me. Though his energy still remained cold and tough, and I could tell after all these years he still hadn't warmed up to me...simply found a way to ignore me enough that his blood didn't boil in my presence. He put up with me for Remus, I assumed.

It's been a mystery since I rejoined all their lives. A mystery reaction I could only hazard a guess was born out of insecurity.

"Anyway," I sighed.
"Thanks for checking in with him. As much as he's an arsehole, I don't want to encourage any instability within the group." I said.

"I get that." Marlene said, beginning to fluff up the pillows to the sofa that she didn't think were fluffed enough.
"I have noticed a change in his behaviour." She admitted.

I couldn't help but think Peters change in behaviour began when Sirius went off the rails. He became quieter, more subtle in his disinterest and antisocial behaviour. Though I felt crazy for trying to pair both together, as if they were connected. Perhaps searching and overthinking his behaviour so that I could focus on my grief onto someone, when the anger hit.

"I just don't understand how it's only us that notice it." I mumbled.

"Sirius has." Marlene blurted out as if it were nothing.

Though this was a big development and news to me.

Remus, James and Sirius thought Peter could do no wrong. That his snide comments were simply delivered in the wrong tone, accidentally, that he was naive and was to be treated with extra patience. A large part of them still saw him as the shy, chubby kid who couldn't hurt a fly. In denial about his drastic change over the last number of years.

It meant something if Sirius had noticed a change, finally.

Marlene caught onto how I was attempting to hide my shocked and intrigued face.

"Oh yeah, he mentioned it to me the other day." She said, getting comfy and revealing it to me in a gossipy tone.

"What did he say?" I asked, getting comfy too.

Marlene looked off into the distance, and I could tell she was reliving the moment. Marlene was a storyteller. She thrives off of details and recounting specific moments. A lot more observant than many of the group have her credit for.

"So I popped round Sirius' as Peter was just leaving, right and after he left Sirius gave me this look. As if to say 'that was so weird' and so naturally I was ready to chat shit," she began and I giggled lightly at the way she delivered the story.

"Peter had asked Sirius if he was seeing anyone, romantically and he said no and apparently Peter made a comment about how they were only going to have each other left soon and that they should stick together." Marlene continued.

I gave her an odd look and she nodded.

"Obviously I wanted to add 'um I'm single too, what about me?' But I clocked on that Peter was specifically talking about," she began and I interrupted her.

"The marauders." I said.

"Exactly! Which although we're both honorary members. We're not what Peter views as the core group. Misogynistic little brat rat." She said, angrily rolling her eyes.

"So what did Sirius say?" I asked, stifling a laugh at her genuinely said insult.

"So, Sirius said to me that Peters vibe was just plain weird...almost like he was planning something and asking Sirius if he wanted to join, though not specifying what the plan was. Sirius said that he told him that just because everyone had moved out and moving on, doesn't mean they'll be on their own- which side note, good for him. I'm glad he can still recognise that." Marlene added.

"I don't understand though, Remus still sees Peter every week. So does James, I'm pretty sure?" I said.

Marlene shrugged.

"By all accounts the tantrum Peter had when Rem told him he was moving out without him, was obviously deep enough to still carry. I don't think he lives alone very peacefully." She said.

"So he was asking Sirius to ... move in with him?" I wondered.

"Could be. But he went about it in a weird way," Marlene then sighed deeply and pulled an uncomfortable face.
"Said to Sirius that he could be his new brother."

Something twisted inside of me.

"Like...a replacement for Reg?" I struggled to say out loud.

"That's how Sirius interpreted it. Deeply uncomfortable to hear even second hand. He seemed really shocked and confused by their interaction." Marlene said grimly.

A deep discomfort sat strangely in my stomach at the thought of Sirius having to endure that kind of conversation, especially from someone who should know that even hinting towards Regulus was to be handled with extreme care. Peter could never be a replacement for the brother that Sirius had lost. Sirius was still grieving, how dare Peter feel that was an appropriate proposal to suggest?

"I wish Remus would just open his eyes to him and stop being his friend." I admitted.

"That won't happen unless something drastic does. They've all been friends since they were eleven." Marlene said matter of factly.

"It's not even like we have any proof that he's weird. He hides it so well unless you're looking for it." I sighed.
"I'm just worried one day his weirdness will turn into violence. I've already experienced how angry he can get, for that to be so well hidden it's...scary. He scares me and I can't tell Remus because I can't be responsible for the ending of their relationship, yanno?" I admitted.

Marlene suddenly developed a mischievous glint in her eye.

"There must be proof..." she said elongating her words.
"We just haven't tried to expose him." She said with a smirk.

"Oh Marl, we can't. It's not fair on the other boys." I said realistically.

"I don't admit this often Arty, I'm not one to be easily spooked but Peter has nothing behind his eyes anymore. He scares me too and he can't go around maybe trying to manipulate Sirius, knowing he's vulnerable at the moment." Marlene said fiercely.

"I know but..." I trailed off, never wanting to really speak up to Remus about the gut feeling. Letting him believe that it was simply miscommunications and misunderstandings between us both. I felt guilty over the possibility of ending a long friendship, because I knew Remus would ultimately pick me and I didn't want to ever take advantage of that.

"You don't have to, but frankly I'm sick and tired of babysitting a man child who lashes out when he doesn't get what he wants." Marlene commented.

"Let's just get Sirius' opinion first before doing any damage, alright?" I asked, feeling the guilt begin to wriggle around my body uncomfortably. A fear of confrontation setting in.