PEACE OF MIND!

JUNE 1978

7th Year

• • • •

On a warm June afternoon in 1978, Regulus Black's groans of annoyance echoed through the halls of Grimmauld Place.

Holland chuckled, "You're such a sore loser."

"I am not," Regulus scoffed, paying the girl after he landed on Mayfair, "I just don't think it's fair to play a game that I can barely understand."

Holland rolled her eyes, "Reg, we've been playing this for months now. Just admit that you're bad at the game."

"Never." The boy said, causing the both of them to laugh.

"Thank you, Reg." Holland told him.

"For what?"

"For being there for me these past six months. And for always doing your best to cheer me up."

"Of course," Regulus smiled at her, "You're my best friend, Holly. I care about you. And you know, we're going to be married next month. I don't want my blushing bride-to-be sad now, do I?"

Holland laughed, "Of course not, my handsome groom."

Regulus rolled the dice and asked, "Have you chosen your Maid of Honour?"

Holland nodded, "Max. Although, under different circumstances I probably would've asked someone else."

"Evans?"

"Maybe," Holland shrugged, "Or Maggie. But that doesn't matter."

"Well, Nott's my best man," Regulus told the older girl, "But under different circumstances, I would've probably asked you."

"I would bloody well hope so." Holland chuckled.

"Have you spoken to any of them?" Regulus asked, "Potter, Sullivan, Bronwyn?"

Holland shook her head sadly, "No."

"Do you miss them?"

"Everyday."

Seeing the tears in her eyes, Regulus patted the space next to him on the sofa.

"Come here."

Complying, Holland stood up from her place on the floor, moved around the coffee table that the Monopoly board had been placed on and sat next to her fiancé, the both of them immediately bringing each other into a hug.

"He was a good guy, Lupin." He told her, lying down on the sofa so that she was lying on his chest.

"An incredible guy."

"An incredible guy," Regulus nodded in agreement, "And you made some equally as incredible friends. And I am so sorry that things have turned out to be like this. I mean, you know I love you and all but never once when we were playing in the mud as kids did I think of marrying you."

Holland laughed into his knitted jumper, "That makes two of us."

"It was him, wasn't it? He was the guy you thought you would marry."

Holland nodded, "I-I always imagined that we'd get married in this barn, and there would be lights and white tulips everywhere. You, Max, Bron, Lily, Maggie and Sirius would all fight to be my Maid of Honour. Sirius would begrudgingly end up as Remus' best man, and the rest of you all picked out straws to see who would be my Maid of Honour. Maggie would win because she has amazing luck. James would officiate and Peter would be the ring bearer. And then after the ceremony, we would all go outside to a big field where there would be loads of fireworks. And then we'd dance to Queen all night long."

"I'm sorry you won't get that." Regulus frowned, gently running his hand up and down his best friend's arm, as she cuddled into him.

"It's okay."

"I, uh, I do think that maybe you should reach out to one of them before the wedding," Regulus told the Irish girl, making her look up at him in shock, "As a peace of mind, if you will."

Holland nodded, resting her head back on his chest, "You're right."

They stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company, before two pairs of footsteps entered the living room and a voice interrupted them.

"There you two are," Walburga grinned, as she and Larissa looked at the pair, who sat, "Oh, aren't you just such an attractive couple."

"Thanks, Mum."

"Thank you, Walburga."

"What's this?" Larissa asked, gesturing to the coffee table with a small grin.

"A game." Holland told her mother with a small, pointed look between the board and Walburga, making the Irish woman give her a small nod in understanding.

"We need to talk to you about plans for the wedding," Walburga said, the mothers sitting on the sofa across form the pair, "Now, Holland you said something about a barn?"

"Yes, um, and-"

"And we decided that we'd rather have in in the woods by Lux Manor." Regulus cut in, making his mother smile.

"What a wonderful idea," Walburga nodded, "We can definitely make that work."

She and Larissa turned to each other to further discuss the wedding, as Regulus leaned towards Holland.

"It's not your dream wedding unless it's him." He whispered to her, making Holland smile gratefully at the younger boy, gently taking his hand in her own as a sign of thanks.

***

Letting out a shaky, nervous breath, Holland played with her fingers as she sat at a table in a Muggle pub called The Swan and Hedgehog.

"I got us both a lager, if that's alright." Margaret told the older girl as she joined her at the table.

"I've never had it before, so I really don't mind." Holland shrugged with an awkward smile.

"It's not that bad." Margaret told her.

They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes, looking at each other for the first time in seven months.

"It's good to see you." Holland spoke up.

Margaret smiled, "It's good to see you, too. I'm glad you owled me."

"Me too."

"I'm just wondering why it took so long."

Holland sighed, "I've been wanting to reach out to you for months. I was just too scared. It was Reggie who prompted me to get in touch once he saw how much I was missing you."

The blonde girl gave her a smile, "Well I'm glad he did."

Holland nodded with a small chuckle, "Yeah," She agreed, taking a sip of her lager, "Oh wow, this really isn't that bad."

"Told you."

"So, how are you and Sirius?" The Slytherin asked.

"Oh, you don't know?"

Holland raised an eyebrow, "Know what?"

"Sirius and I broke up back in March."

"Really?" Holland exclaimed, "Why? What happened."

"He and I are just a little too different," Margaret shrugged, "It caused disagreements and we just drifted apart. I mean, you brought us together and that was really the most we had in common, to be honest."

"Oh." Holland frowned.

"It's fine," Margaret reassured her, "We're still friends. We hang out with everyone practically everyday."

"That's good."

"Actually. I met someone."

"Oh?" The Irish girl raised her eyebrow with a teasing smile.

The Hufflepuff blushed, "His name's Hugo. We met last week and he took me on a date. We have another one planned for next week."

"That's brilliant." Holland told her with a smile.

"Yeah," Margaret nodded, "He's a writer."

"Oh, a writer?" Holland mused.

"He's a bloody good one, too."

"You sure know how to pick them, Maggie," Holland sighed, "How's Bron?"

"She's doing great. Her and Marlene are still together," Margaret nodded, "Oh! And she's been drafted as a Beater for the Chudley Cannons."

"No!" Holland gasped, "That's been her dream since she was four. I mean, they're no Ballycastle Bats, but they're still bloody good."

"I know," Margaret nodded with a smile, "Oh! And you'll never believe this! James and Lily are engaged."

Holland stared at her, "What?"

"Yeah, he asked her on the day after graduation and she said yes!"

"Wow," Holland muttered, feeling a pang of pain in her chest, "That's great."

"Don't feel bad about yourself because you've missed it." Margaret told the girl, knowing her like the back of her hand.

"Yeah," Holland nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat, before asking, "And Remus?"

Margaret hesitated, "He's doing the best he can. The full moons are the worst. Ever since the two of you broke up they get harder for him each month and he really takes it out on himself."

"I know," Holland said sadly, earning a confused month, "I'd visit him every month in the Hospital Wing. He doesn't know. He was always asleep.

"Lily Bronwyn and Marlene know now, which gives him more people to talk to," Margaret added in an attempt to console the girl in front of her. The younger girl let out a quiet sigh, "And now you're getting married."

Holland nodded with a sigh, "Yeah. It's not that bad, though. At least it's to Reggie and not Rosier or someone."

Margaret nodded in agreement, "You really dodged a bullet there."

The pair laughed.

"Can I see the ring?"

Holland smiled, holding her hand out for Margaret to see.

"Merlin!" Margaret gasped, taking the girl's hand, examining the piece of jewellery, "That's an expensive ring if I've ever seen one."

Holland chuckled.

"And of course it's blue."

"Of course it is. I chose it."

The pair giggled, continuing their conversation.

Just like the old days.

***

Margaret let out a deep breath as she entered James and Lily's living room, where her group of friends were.

Once they saw her, all conversations came to a halt and everyone looked at her expectantly.

But she was only looking atr one of them.

"They've set a date, "She told Remus, making his heart drop, "It's happening."