HAVING A COCK IS A RED FLAG.

"SO, ARE YOU REALLY THAT GREAT OF A SEEKER?" James asked Ilona. They, along with Sirius and Remus, were watching as Harry and Ron tried to convince Hermione to at least hover on the Firebolt.

"I've caught the Snitch every game since first year," she explained with a shy smile. "But it's the whole team that wins a game, especially the Chasers."

James and Sirius looked at Ilona in awe at her confession, and even Remus, who wasn't quite as Quidditch mad, was impressed. And they couldn't believe she was being so humble about it.

"That must be some kind of record," Remus commented. "You're fantastic."

"Oh, it is. They awarded me a plaque and have one up at the school as well," she told him, her cheeks flushing from his praise. "It's right next to the ones James and Sirius have, actually, in the trophy case. For you winning the Inter-House Cup all those times."

James was a Chaser while Sirius had been a Beater. Their specific team had won the Hogwarts Inter-House Cup three years in a row, each of those plaques on display with the team members' names. Harry was always marveling at it, wanting to be just like his dad and win the Cup. Unfortunaly, Hufflepuff was on a seven-year winning streak — maybe that would change now that Ilona was gone.

"We did make a fantastic team," Sirius boasted while James just smiled bashfully. Then he threw an arm around the bespectacled man's shoulder. "We still do."

"Way to make me feel left out," Remus said with a laugh.

"Oh, but Mooney was the best Quidditch commentator," James said, nodding to Remus. "He was so foul-mouthed. Always pissed Minnie off to no end the way he played favorites with teams."

"You call Professor McGonagall 'Minnie'?" she asked, giggling at the mere thought. "And Mooney? Is that Remus?"

"Oh, it's a nickname of ours," Sirius told her. "Rem is Mooney, James is Prongs, and I'm Padfoot. Been that way since we were mates in school."

"That's terribly adorable," she cooed a bit teasingly. But then she frowned to herself, thinking they sounded awful familiar. She recalled reading those very names and one more on a map that two mischevious twins showed her once while trying to impress her. "Wait. You're the Marauders?"

All three of them looked at her in alarm. "How'd you know that we call ourselves that?" Remus asked her.

"Well, I've seen your map," she admitted.

Sirius' eyes went wide as he bounded forward, grasping her hands. "You've found it? Where is it? It got confiscated our last year."

For half a second, she glanced down at his larger hands enveloping her own and swallowed thickly before looking at him, shaking her head with a smirk. "Sorry. Hufflepuffs are very loyal, remember. I'd never give up the person that has it."

"And here I thought we were friends, love," Sirius said with a pout. "How can I convince you?"

Very suddenly, before Ilona could teasingly respond, a new voice joined them. "I don't know who the bloody hell you are, but those are my hands to hold."

In an instant, Sirius was shoved away from Ilona, who now had her best friend in her line of sight. Millie Rookwood reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers tightly, staking her claim on the girl before facing the other men.

Millie's short, dark hair was pulled back with clips, and she wore a silky blouse tucked into nice jeans — she hadn't dressed to unpack a house, Ilona noted. Her dark eyes instantly settled on the three men, not aware of who any of them were.

"Who are these tools, Illy?" Millie asked.

"Be nice," Ilona pleaded before looking at the curious men. "Meet Millie Rookwood. This is Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. They're friends of James Potter — Harry's dad. He and Harry live in that house there, as it turns out."

Millie glanced back at the Potter house before looking at Ilona's, raising an eyebrow. "His place makes yours look like a dump. I used the floo — I've never seen such horrendous floorboards."

"Well, we can't all have mansions and House Elves," Ilona said, rolling her eyes playfully, knowing Millie didn't mean anything by it. Millie was just blunt, always saying what was on her mind — she didn't see a reason to lie, and Ilona appreciated her candor personality.

It was then that the distracted children noticed that they had a new visitor. So, Harry and Ron came over with Hermione, who hadn't gotten on the Firebolt.

"Thanks loads for letting us ride it," Ron said while handing it back.

"Hi, Ron, Hermione," Millie greeted, nodding to the kids. Then her eyes slid to Harry, who matched her unimpressed look. "Potter."

"Rookwood," he muttered, crossing his arms.

The silence was deafening, and finally, James broke it, wondering what had his son in such a foul mood. "What's going on?"

Ilona sighed and looked over at him. "Millie was a Beater for Slytherin. It's safe to say that the fued between you two can die now that Millie has graduated and is an adult that has no business glaring at a child."

After a moment, Millie sucked on her teeth before breaking eye contact with a smug-looking Harry. Then Millie looked at her best friend. "Ready to get unpacking?"

"Yeah, and hey, we've got a head start. They were kind enough to help me set up the living room," she explained. Then she smiled at them all. "I really appreciate you. I'd still be unloading the truck if not for you."

"It was no trouble," Remus insisted. "And we can keep helping if you'd like."

"No, that's far too much," she said, shaking her head. "I've taken up your whole Friday, and it's getting late. But thank you, and it was wonderful getting to meet you all."

"Trust us," Sirius said with a smile that was nearly a smirk, "the pleasure was all ours."

Millie narrowed her eyes and pulled Ilona back a bit. "Yeah, well, we'll be seeing you lot, I guess."

Ilona smiled once more and waved goodbye with her free hand as Millie dragged her away with the one she was still holding. Then, when they were across the street and back on Ilona's property, she just shook her head.

"You were rude," she pointed out.

"I see three grown men surrounding my best friend. Of course, I'm rude. They could be dangerous."

"I don't think Harry Potter's dad and his mates are dangerous," she said, clearly amused.

"All men are dangerous," Millie said flatly. "That's why I refuse to date them."

"I thought you refused to date them because they aren't women."

"Well, that too. Having a cock is a red flag in my book."

☽︎

Harry had long since gone to bed after Hermione and Ron went home for the night to have dinner with their own families. Remus had cooked for those remaining in the Potter house.

He was the only one that could cook. Well, to James' credit, he'd learned a few basic recipes in order to keep Harry fed growing up. But Sirius was an absolute nightmare in the kitchen and wasn't allowed to help.

Now, it was dark, and James was sitting on the couch by the window, Sirius and Remus on ether side of him, their limbs intertwined as they passed a cigarette back and forth lazily, just chatting. And of course, they were chatting about all they could think about.

"She is a sweet girl," Remus commented, staring at his hands. He was trying his hardest to keep his thoughts on that — her sweetness. He certainly didn't want to think about how those tight, white shorts had hugged her ass perfectly. "I'm glad she's moved in."

"Me too," James mumbled with a barely-there smile. "We'll have to get tickets to one of her matches. I bet she's just perfect when she flies."

"Yeah, I'm already picturing her all sweaty," Sirius said with a smirk, making the other two groan.

"Pads," Remus sighed. "She's eighteen. Don't think about her like that."

"Don't act better than me, Moon," he shot back, a smirk on his face. "When you tripped while hanging up that mirror in the living room? She rushed up behind you and touched your back? You ate that shit up. And James too when she untangled him from the TV wires."

Remus huffed and avoided eye contact, knowing he was right. But Ilona's hands had been so warm even through the fabric of his sweater.

"It's fine to think like that, Rem," James said. "It's harmless. Not like anything is happening there."

At that, Sirius scoffed. "Oh, something is happening if I have any say." Both men cut their unimpressed eyes toward him, so Sirius sat a little straighter. "Mates, when was the last time someone caught all our eyes? Literally, never. I say we go for it."

"She's eighteen," Remus said flatly once again.

"Yeah, heard you the first time," he said, rolling his eyes. "I don't mind it if she doesn't mind our age."

"Age isn't the only problem there," Remus grumbled, looking off at the ceiling. "She'd be in danger around me. Maybe you two can entertain the idea, but not me. Not ever."

Both Sirius' and James' faces fell, and Sirius crawled over James lap to get closer to Remus, holding him and resting his head on his stomach.

"You're not a danger," Sirius said in a firm tone.

Slowly, Remus slid his hand underneath the back of Sirius's shirt, instantly seeking out a long scar on his back — a gift from one full moon six years ago. They couldn't always gain access to the wolfsbane potion every single full moon, meaning some nights were spent with them relying on old tricks from school, distracting his werewolf form with their animal counterparts.

Without needing to say anything, James reached for Remus' hand, pulling his touch away from the scar. Then he kissed the back of his hand.

"These hands could never hurt us, Remus," James said softly. "Or anyone else for that matter."

With a mixture of pain and love swimming in his eyes, Remus nodded while swallowing thickly. Then he passed the cigarette to James and used his free hand to run it through Sirius' shaggy hair, relaxing a bit.

"She had a lot of disco music," Remus noted, not wanting to talk about his affliction any more. He'd much rather talk about Ilona. "Actually, an alarming amount of disco music."

Sirius snickered before smiling sadly. "You know who loved disco music..."

A sad silence fell over them all, none of them needing to say the name of the one that was missing. The one that had betrayed them all and nearly ruined their lives, nearly getting James and Lily killed.

"Did you guys see she had Styx?" Sirius then asked, laughing.

In sync, James and Remus groaned, rolling their eyes. They thought Styx was overrated, and next time they were with Ilona, they'd have to make sure she knew that.

"Of fucking course, she has Styx," James said, rolling his eyes. "We'll have to educate her on what actual music..."

James had trailed off, catching a sight through his window when he rolled his eyes. The others watched him curiously as he smiled slowly to himself and then chuckled.

"What?" Sirius asked, not wanting to get up from his comfortable position on Remus' stomach.

"Ilona hasn't put curtains up in her bedroom," he said, now beaming as he nodded across the street. "Look."

Both men clamored to look out the window, spotting what had James so amused.

Through the huge window leading into the brightly-lit bedroom, they spotted Ilona. She'd changed, wearing only a baggy t-shirt, a pair of pink underwear, and fuzzy socks. She was dancing on her bed and singing to a song that they couldn't hear, looking so delighted as Millie appeared and spun her around before they toppled over on the mattress.

Though they didn't voice it, each man's heart meted just the slightest bit at seeing her so happy and carefree.

Remus was the first to break out of the trance that Ilona had them unknowingly in from so far away, glancing instead at James and Sirius, who were starstruck. And he knew the looks on their faces quite well. He was convinced that look meant they were about to ruin Ilona Doherty's life.

And in some ways, they were.