He breathed in. The air was cool for a summer's evening. It reached into his lungs and refreshed him, filling him with the scent of pine and cold water. He turned away from the lake slightly, looking back up at the sheer cliff face and there, high above him, the rough walls of the castle.

It looked almost intimidating from this angle, even with the soft glow of the setting sun, but his love for it tempered the brief excitement he had felt. He wondered how he could he leave this place of safety and friendship, the one place that had been a continuous sanctuary for so many years. Would the excitement he felt for the future that lay before him come to anything at all?

'Cheer up, Moony!' A bright, teasing voice came from behind, a firm hand clapping onto his shoulder. 'You look like you're on the way to the gallows!'

He grinned at James, and allowed him to roughly pull him closer to the shore, where tiny boats bobbed and rocked in the shallows. 'I'm just sad to leave! Aren't you sad to leave?'

'Pfft, I'll only be sad once the memories of those horrible exams have gone. Until then, I'm top notch. And excited about going in these diddy boats again.'

'They've shrunk 'em,' said Peter, hands in his pockets and frowning in mock annoyance. 'They were definitely bigger before.'

'And here I was, hoping I could share with you, Wormtail,' said Sirius.

'You said you would share with me!' exclaimed James, appalled.

'What, you're not sharing with Evans?'

'Now, now,' said Remus placating them with an arm over each of their shoulders. 'We could all try and squeeze into one. Except you, Padfoot, none of us want your fleas.'

Sirius's witty retort was lost to Hagrid's booming call for them to board the boats. 'One each!' he called. 'I'm lookin' at yeh lot!' He added hastily, pointing a giant finger at James and Sirius, who were grinning cockily.

They had all grown so considerably since their first year that Remus was rather unsure that the boat would take his weight. It certainly wobbled a lot as he tentatively stepped into it, and Peter laughed so much at his lack of grace that Sirius kindly reached into the icy water to splash him in chastisement. This triggered a battle of sorts between them, one that Remus was thankful to not be included in. James was on the other side of him, but he was twisted away as he chatted enthusiastically to Lily.

In the moment of peace from his friends, he looked out across the lake. The water was still, but the low light that hit it still shimmered and danced across the surface. Despite his nervousness about leaving, he couldn't help the small smile that came to his face, the pride as he thought of his exam results, the friends he had made, and his parents awaiting him on the other side.

The boats gave an odd shudder and a lurch forward; he heard Peter yelp as he was thrown backwards slightly, but he was hardly the only one. There was a roar of laughter far off from the Hufflepuffs, and Remus thought he could see a large splash and a pair of legs wriggling over the back of a boat.

Now James turned back to grin at his friends, and Remus grinned back at him. The boats, after their sudden start, glided easily over the water. The excitable buzzing from the graduating students slipped into a quiet, appreciative awe; even James managed to stop talking to Lily. Many looked over their shoulders back at the castle. Remus kept staring forward, worried that he might not be able to hold it together if he looked again, and surely the others would tease him, but he could see the castle spires and battlements reflected in the glassy water anyway. A thousand memories were storming through his mind, overloading him with every emotion possible, spiralling into disconnected glimpses of scenes, barely there before they were gone to the next one.

The musty smell of the Shrieking Shack, the roar of the crowd at the Quidditch pitch. The mouth-watering taste of rice pudding after dinner, the snap of twigs under his paw. Lily and James's ridiculous kiss in the middle of the Great Hall, the time Sirius accidentally turned Peter's hair snowy white. Running his fingers along the spines of old books in the library, the scratch of quills on parchment. The way his friends had accepted him, completely and without question, and the month they had spent in silence, mandrake leaves in their mouths, just to give him comfort during long and painful nights.

He noticed his cheek was wet, and he brushed it away quickly, hoping no one had noticed, but his friends all seemed lost in thought too. The slight spray of the water from lake hit the back of his hand, which gripped hold of the wooden side of the boat tightly. He released it, and trailed his fingers into the cold water, enjoying the way it felt like something luxurious. He heard gasps, and his head snapped up.

The water ahead was rippling; the Giant Squid had come to say goodbye. The students waved and shouted cheerfully at it, and it raised a monstrous tentacle into the air, bringing it back down with an almighty, slapping crash. The power of the ripple it produced made their boats bob over the wave, Remus stretched out both arms to brace himself against the sides as he laughed.

'Bye bye, Siddy!' he heard Lily call, delighted.

'You named the squid?' James said, laughing incredulously. Lily merely giggled in response, her nose scrunching.

Sooner than Remus had expected, the shore of the lake came into a view. They were still too far away to see clearly, but he could hear the cheering and clapping crowd of families that awaited their arrival. Now the students shouted and waved too, some even stood up shakily in their boats. Only Sirius neglected to share in the celebrations, instead sitting sullenly in his boat. James leaned forward to look past Remus at him.

'You come with me, Padfoot, yeah? Mum'll kill me if she can't give you a hug.'

Sirius gave a rueful smile in response.

Remus spotted his parents, their proud faces, and they hurried along the shoreline to line up with his incoming boat. He laughed as he waved back to his father, his mother bouncing between grinning at him and gazing up in wonder at the castle behind him, her mouth open in a delighted smile.

'Here we go, Moony!' shouted Sirius as they came close to the shore.

There was a crunching scrape of pebbles against the base of his boat as it heaved itself onto the shore. He began to climb out, as undignified as everyone else, but his father rushed forward, grasping his hand to pull him up.

'Congratulations, son,' he said, his moustache bristling above his smile as he clapped Remus on the back. 'Very well done.'

'Thanks, Dad, I-'

But his mother had flung herself at him, hugging him tightly, squealing with delight. He laughed as he hugged her back, permitting her to reach up and cup his face as she kissed his cheeks. 'My special boy, I can't believe it, I'm so proud!'

'Thanks,' Remus replied, beaming happily. 'What d'you think of the castle, Mum?'

'Oh, it's beautiful,' she said dreamily looking back at it. 'You're such a lucky boy, look at it, I've never seen anything so stunning!'

He turned back, for yet another 'one last look'. The stone walls looked almost pink in the low, yellowish light.

He looked at his fellow students, all of them embracing their parents or having photos taken. But they were not students anymore, he thought, as he watched Mrs Potter hug Sirius. They were now adults, finished with school, finished with all of this.

'Didn't Tuney come?' he heard Lily ask her parents, and he looked in time to see her crestfallen face.

'Mum,' he said suddenly. 'Come and meet my friend Lily. Her parents are Muggles too.'

He introduced them, and soon Sirius and the Potter family had joined them too, and the Pettigrews, and before long he was being cajoled into a group photo, all the Marauder boys arm in arm, laughing at the camera.

'Get a copy of that for me, won't you Mrs Potter?' he heard Sirius ask brightly.

'Of course I will. You'll all get a copy.'

'And what now, eh?' Mr Pettigrew was asking them all. 'Any jobs lined up? No more summer holidays for you, chaps. Into the real world now.'

'I might go into Healing, if I can get onto the training programme,' said Lily brightly. 'James thinks I'd be good at it, don't you, James?'

'Of course, you'd be good at anything,' said James, and Sirius rolled his eyes haughtily behind him.

'I hear you've applied to Flourish and Blotts, Remus,' said Mrs Potter. 'What a lovely job that would be.'

'I have my interview next week,' he replied.

'We've saved up for some new robes for him,' said his mother, beaming up at him. 'You'll look so smart, Remus, they'd be fools not to hire you.'

'I probably won't get anything,' said Peter miserably. 'I haven't had any responses to my owls yet, I won't get a job at all.'

'Course you will, Pete,' said Sirius swiftly. 'There's always Magical Maintenance!'

'But I don't want to work with you,' retorted Peter, and everyone entertained themselves by watching their friendly squabble, until Remus's father place a firm, warm hand on his shoulder.

'Come take a walk with your old man,' he said quietly.

Remus followed him, away from the cheerful crowd, a slight lurch in his stomach. They walked in silence for a little while, along the edge of the mirror-like lake.

'Congratulations on your interview,' said Lyall mildly.

'Right… Yeah, thanks.'

'I think it would suit you very well.'

Remus nodded, but said nothing. An unspoken truth danced tauntingly around the edge of his father's words. It would suit him. If things had been different.

'And I suppose it will give you great experience… For future jobs…' Remus knew what was coming before Lyall said it. His father always went slightly red when the topic came up. 'I don't know if you have given any consideration as to where you will… Where you will ibe/i next week… As the Hogsmeade house won't be accessible,' he added when Remus said nothing.

'Do you mean the Shrieking Shack, Dad?' asked Remus, staring pointedly at the ground.

'Well, if you must call it that, yes.'

'That's what everyone calls it.'

Lyall gave a heavy sigh, his hands deep in his pockets. 'Do you have somewhere to go?'

'Yes.'

'Where?'

'Oh, I thought I'd just hang around outside a Muggle primary school.'

'Remus, please take this seriously,' Lyall said sharply, stopping. He grabbed Remus's arm and tried to turn him to face him, but Remus stubbornly rolled his head away, gazing moodily over the lake. 'We could ask Professor Dumbledore if you could continue using the house for the summer, but it simply cannot continue when you are no longer a student here.'

'I know that,' Remus said.

'Well where will you go then? Your mother and I have been doing some research-'

'It's fine, Dad,' he said dully. 'I told you, I have somewhere.'

'Where?'

'It's… It's really remote, there won't be anyone around-'

'How do you know you won't stumble across some Muggle campers? Hmm?'

'That won't happen,' Remus muttered. He avoided his father's gaze. 'I'll take precautions.'

'You learnt the Muggle-repelling charms I sent you, then?' When Remus simply gave a short, irritated nod, Lyall sighed again. He didn't seem to be able to look Remus in the eye anymore, staring down at the muddy ground instead. 'I know you think I'm… Well, I know you don't like discussing this. But I do it because I care.'

'Right,' said Remus. 'That's why it couldn't wait til I got home.'

Lyall at least had the decency to look ashamed. 'It's not that I don't trust you.' He paused, but Remus said nothing. 'It's that I'm growing concerned that you're forgetting the seriousness of your condition.'

'How could I? With you reminding me at every opportunity?'

'Don't think I didn't notice your friend calling you "Moony",' Lyall said quietly.

Remus simply stared at him, and swallowed slightly. 'That… That's a nickname for something else-'

'Remus, don't insult my intelligence. That's not the only thing. Your mother noticed in your last letter you said that you were too tired to see the Quidditch final, but that "of course the others all understood"-'

'They did, they just thought I'd had a late night…' He faltered as his father raised a doubtful eyebrow. 'All right. Fine. Yes, they know. They figured it out years ago. But it wasn't as horrible as you said it would be.'

'Remus-'

'They didn't shun me, or tell anyone else. They weren't afraid. They- They supported me, Dad. They helped me. As… As best they could.' He wanted to tell him. He wanted to tell him what it was like to see the silhouette of a rat riding a stag, to see a great black dog running alongside him in the mountains around Hogsmeade.

'Well, that's very admirable, but-'

'So maybe you've been wrong this whole time,' said Remus coldly. 'Maybe it won't matter. Maybe I'll get this job and be able to keep it, and live like a normal person. Maybe they wouldn't even mind.'

Lyall gripped Remus's shoulder. 'I understand you're angry. I understand what you want. But Remus, I don't do this to punish you. I want you to be happy. I don't want to see you miserable.'

'This makes me miserable,' said Remus shortly. He turned on his heel and stormed off, back to where his friends were continuing to celebrate leaving Hogwarts.

…

They had shaken off their embarrassing parents, assured them that they would return home after one swift drink, and were now settled in for a long night of getting pissed in the Three Broomsticks.

'Should I be worried he's flirting?' Lily asked, nodding over to the bar. James and Sirius were leaning against it, with Madam Rosmerta practically bent double in shrieks of laughter.

'Nah,' Remus assured her. 'It's been their tactic to get free drinks since we were thirteen.'

'I suppose so,' said Lily. 'I think I'm safe if he's telling that terrible pun about the goblin-'

'Yeah, he's telling it,' said Peter, shaking his head. 'I suppose we should be grateful he's running out of people to tell.'

'He tried to tell Mary the other day. She just didn't get it at all. He doesn't even seem to notice. At least Rosmerta seems to find it funny,' she added dryly as another shrieking cackle was heard from the bar.

'Where is Mary, anyway?' asked Remus. 'Did she not want to join us? What about Emmeline?'

'Mary's going out with Reg and his family, and Emmeline's parents wanted to take her out for dinner- Oh, here they come!'

Sirius and James were cockily returning with the next round, levitating their drinks ahead of them, Sirius proudly announcing the sickle he'd managed to have knocked off the price. 'For being a cheeky boy, she said,' he told them smugly.

'Typical,' said Remus. 'You can't resist, can you?'

Sirius held his hands up like an accused man. 'I can't help my natural charisma.'

James snorted. 'You can help being an insatiable flirt, though. My dad reckons you'd successfully flirt with a dragon given half the chance.'

'Well of course I would. What an achievement that would be.'

'How do you flirt?' asked Peter. He ignored their laughter, and continued. 'Every time I try and flirt with a female, they just give me a weird look and back away.'

'Well, calling them women might be a start, Wormy,' said Lily.

'And perhaps talk to them about something other than your collection of chocolate frog cards,' added James. 'It wasn't interesting in second year, it's not interesting now.'

'Hey now,' said Sirius defensively. 'Leave poor Wormtail alone. I have a very deep appreciation for chocolate frog cards. It's my greatest ambition to be on one.'

'Why?'

'I dunno, marrying someone impressive or being a great wizard or something.'

'He meant why do you want to be on a chocolate frog card, you plonker,' said Remus, rolling his eyes.

'Well, you've really made it if you're on one of them, haven't you?' said Sirius as Peter nodded fervently. 'No higher honour. Any old prat can get an Order of Merlin with enough gold, look at half my family.'

'Fair point, well made,' said James. 'I still think the pair of you are ridiculously lame though. Now, Moony,' he said grandly, pointing at him with his pint. 'We've all got plans to make.'

'Plans?'

'For next week. The full moon.'

'Merlin's bollocks, James, we're in a pub, will you-'

'No one's listening, and no one cares about your furry little problem. But I thought we should make a thing of it.'

'Excuse me?'

'First one after we graduate,' said Sirius cheerfully. 'A whole new place and all that. Thought of anywhere?'

'Er…' He felt a blush rise, and found himself looking over his shoulder fervently, worried that someone might be listening. 'Yeah, I thought I'd just apparate to the Highlands.'

So in sync that he was sure it must have been planned, James, Sirius and Peter all groaned and slumped in their seats; James's throwing himself back and rolling his head onto Lily's shoulder, Peter falling sideways to lie across the empty space on the bench next to him, Sirius's forehead hitting the table with a loud thunk.

'What? What's wrong with the Highlands?'

'It's boring as fuck, that's what,' said Sirius.

'We've been running round Hogsmead for years,' added James. 'Think outside the box a bit.'

'Well what do you suggest?' asked Remus, torn between feeling amused and completely flummoxed. 'I assume you've all thought of something?'

'Of course,' said Peter promptly.

'Picture this,' said James, leaning forward and holding his hands out. 'Camping party.' Remus began to laugh, but James continued. 'Your furry little problem won't be a problem until Sunday night. We should make a weekend of it. I've got a big tent, I know a remote place, we can build a bonfire, have some beers-'

'And sausages,' interrupted Sirius.

'Yeah, loads of food, bring a wireless along, try and find Peter a pretty Muggle girl to try and flirt with, that sort of thing. We'll have a fun night on the Saturday, and then we'll help you through Sunday night. Lily's coming too, she'll go home on Sunday evening.'

Remus felt very warm inside. His face ached with his smile. 'I have my interview on the Monday,' he said cautiously.

'Pfft,' said Sirius, waving a hand. 'You'll be tired anyway, may as well have had a good weekend first.'

'Say yes,' said Peter imploringly. 'One last hurrah before we all have to become adults.'

'Bollocks,' said Sirius. 'Prongs will never grow up and I'll do my best to avoid it. But yes, listen to Wormtail, Moony.'

'Go on, Moony,' added Lily warmly. 'I've been so jealous of you all having these adventures, I might have to get round to trying to become… Well, you know, to join you all myself at some point.'

Remus let the silence hang in the air a little, enjoying their eager faces waiting in mock suspense. They knew his answer. 'All right,' he said with a smile, and they all cheered, nearly spilling their drinks as they leaned forward to hug him, clap him on the shoulder, teasingly rub his head.

'Knew you'd see sense,' James was saying gleefully.

Remus felt vindicated, more tempted than ever to reveal his friend's illegal talents to his father and see the look on his face. He was sue his face was flushed pink, but he could only laugh into his pint as his friends leapt into planning. 'Whose idea was this?' he asked them.

'Joint effort,' said James smoothly. Behind him, Sirius poked himself repeatedly in the chest and winked.

'I'm sorry to interrupt,' came a familiar, amused voice.

They all looked up, shocked silence falling immediately. Except for Peter, who had unfortunately just taken a gulp of beer and was now coughing and spluttering, foam coating his upper lip.

Albus Dumbledore, in robes of purple and green patchwork, stood at the end of their table, his eyes twinkling merrily at them. 'May I?'

They nodded slowly, still mildly stunned, and he sat. It was very odd seeing him outside of school. Though Remus had sat in his office many times to discuss his condition, there had always been a desk between them. It was quite another experience to have the Headmaster join you at the pub with a large glass of brandy.

'All celebrating, I presume?'

'Yes, Professor,' said James, who looked particularly bemused, yet far more relaxed than everyone else. Remus was suddenly aware that he was sitting bolt upright, Lily had swiftly put down her glass, as though worried she would be told off, and Peter was still trying to get his choking fit under control. Only Sirius seemed to stay lounging in his seat, though Remus noticed a certain stillness in him that betrayed the fact that he was not as confident as James.

'And so you should, you all did exceptionally well,' Dumbledore said pleasantly. 'I did partake in rather jovial celebrations myself when I finished school; it's a long running tradition for young wizards… And witches, of course,' he said, nodding to Lily.

She smiled at him, and after a nervous glance to James, seemed to draw enough confidence to speak to the Headmaster directly. 'We were just planning a weekend camping together, Professor,' she said.

'Marvellous! I daresay you'll all have tremendous fun.' He nodded at them all one more, and raised his wand. 'I'm sure Madam Rosmerta won't mind if I give us a tad more privacy.'

It was though they had been encapsulated in an invisible bubble; suddenly Remus could hear only slight, muffled sound from the rest of the pub, though Peter's attempts to suppress his coughs were as clear as anything.

'I did order us all some more drinks too,' said Dumbledore conversationally. 'I noticed you were all running a little low.' He tapped the table with his wand, and a pitcher of beer and a bottle of wine appeared suddenly in the candlelight.

'We really appreciate this, Professor,' said Sirius slowly…

'But you do not have any particular desire to drink with an old teacher,' said Dumbledore cheerfully. 'I quite understand.'

'That's not it!' said Lily hurriedly.

'My dear Miss Evans, don't be troubled. I am made of sterner stuff. As much as I would like to sit here and simply celebrate your exam results – excellent potions grade, by the way, Professor Slughorn was very impressed – I do have a reason to speak to you all, and it just so happens that the most convenient place where you will all be together is in the pub. My guess was right, and here you are.'

He smiled as though this explained everything, and took a sip of his brandy.

'Yes, here we are,' prompted James cautiously.

'Yes, here you are Mr Potter. I am sure, self-assured and confident as you are, that you are aware that the five of you were very much in the top of your year, and, though I am terribly rude to admit it, my favourites at that… Help yourselves to drinks, don't be shy. Go on, Mr Pettigrew.'

Remus got the impression that Professor Dumbledore was rather enjoying their confusion. Beneath the fluffy white beard, a small smile played on his lips, and he gave a quick wink when James was the first to reach for the beer.

'As it happens, such clever students such as yourselves will no doubt be aware of the tremendous challenges our society faces. You may also be aware that I have taken it upon myself to do what I can to help, and that I have gathered others who wish to help fight against those who seek to harm us. I am extending the invitation to you, should you wish to accept it.'

'Do you mean the Order of the Phoenix, Professor?'

'Indeed I do, Mr Potter. I suspect your father has mentioned it, has he? I did approach him, several times, in fact.'

James nodded hesitantly. 'Yes… Only dad says he promised his own father that he would never get involved in a war if he could help it.'

Dumbledore nodded. 'Quite understandable, as I have said to your father. Can I take it you share his pacifist beliefs?'

James hesitated. 'Well… I never made any promises to Grandad Harry…' Remus saw him glance at Sirius out of the corner of his eye, and they both had that look, the same one that had appeared when they made the Marauders Map, or when they planned to become animagi. This could be their next big adventure; the prospect of it trembled in the air.

'Sorry, Sir,' said Lily tentatively. 'I'm afraid I'm a little confused… The Order of the Phoenix? Are… Are you saying you want us to be involved? Isn't it for Aurors and, you know…'

'Experienced wizards,' finished Peter.

'Indeed, I do have some Aurors and highly accomplished individuals under my wing. I see no reason that should prevent talented young graduates such as yourselves from joining too. Many old students have joined me straight out of Hogwarts, and you all seem well suited.'

'All of us?' said Peter, his eyes wide. 'Even me?'

'Of course, Mr Pettigrew. Your exam results were highly satisfactory too. Some self-belief is all you need.'

'Professor… What exactly would be involved?' asked Remus, who had warily spotted Sirius and James's ever increasing excitement. 'I'm still not clear on what exactly it is you want us to do.'

'What you can, my dear boy. Whatever time you can spare, whatever services you may offer. I may ask for too much at times. You may be asked to risk life and limb. You may witness and experience horrors.'

They waited for the 'but'. It didn't come.

'I… I was thinking of going into Healing,' said Lily, her voice small.

Dumbledore smiled widely. 'A fantastic and exciting career choice. And skills that are often needed in the Order. I will admit that the training programme at St Mungos may not offer you the time to be active in the Order itself… If this is the path you choose, I wish you the best of luck, and every happiness. You will make a fine Healer. But if you do join the Order, I believe you would gain very valuable experience shadowing one of our members, a very fine Healer herself.'

She looked torn. Tempted but hesitant. They were all silent, Remus supposed that, like he, the others were hearing their parent's warnings and fears, all the logic and nervousness that should make the choice an easy 'no'. But the excitement bubbled under the surface. They were Gryffindors, after all. Had they not spent the last few years angry at the horrors they read in the newspaper? Did they not all fear for their loved ones? Would it not be satisfying, a tremendous adventure, to be revolutionaries in this fight against dark forces?

'We've heard about it,' said Sirius. 'Even talked about it. But we've noticed a lot of the members end up dead.'

'They do,' said Dumbledore heavily. 'It requires a remarkable level of bravery and belief in the cause. But what finer cause is there? Fighting against the tyranny that suffocates us. Defending against the hatred of Muggles and Muggleborns.'

Remarkably, it was Lily whose face now captured the blazing determination Remus would have suspected from James.

Dumbledore surveyed them all over his spectacles as he drank the last of his brandy. 'I suspect all of you have exciting careers ahead. I urge you to consider them all carefully, and consider whether you wish to be a part of the Order. Though I appreciate full time members, any time you can spare is time well spent. If you decline, I understand completely, though I cannot promise to not return and plead for your help in the future. You are, after all, very talented.'

He rose, and swept a tall wizard's hat onto his head. 'If you wish to join, please do send me an owl. Goodnight to you all.' With a smile, he touched the brim of his hat and left, the sounds of the chattering pub returning abruptly in his wake.