A/N: Sooo, you guys are pretty awesome... we were incredibly touched by the overwhelming support. We really hope you like this, and we will try to post again soon! We struggle to find the time needed to write together lately, but if you guys would be okay with solo posts let us know, and we will try alternating chaps and see how it goes. :) Enjoy...

Some Secrets are Meant to be Shared

Harry couldn't wipe the smile from his face as he looked out from the jutting rock he shared with James. Water rushed around them on either side, a waterfall splashing cheerfully as it fell several yards and into the swimming hole below. The sun was warm on the back of his neck, and there was a slight breeze that smelled of fresh grass and flowering trees. The two dark-haired wizards wore shorts and t-shirts, no shoes.

"You like it?"

Harry's smile grew. "Yeah, this is fantastic." He watched as Lily and Sirius and Remus worked together below, setting up a protective barrier quite a ways out to include the treeless grounds bordering the swimming area. He and James had just finished setting one up above. "How did you find it?"

"My parents have a vacation home a couple hours south, Sirius and I found it in fourth over summer hols when we were out flying brooms. It's a bit of a Marauders' secret."

Harry nodded at that, his smile softening but still lingering. He and the four wizards had snuck out of Hogwarts through the tunnel that led to Honeydukes cellar, and then he and Lily'd travelled via side along with James and Sirius, Remus by himself. Harry still didn't know the full details of their trip, but he was content to go along with whatever they'd planned.

"Black, don't you dare—ahhh!" was shouted below.

"Holy Merlin, he's brave..." James said, his posture relaxed, expression warring between curious and mischievous as he watched the scene below unfold. Sirius had ran up behind Lily, the then very dry witch'd been talking to Remus about something, and he'd scooped her up around the waist rather surreptitiously and tossed her into the cool waters, fully dressed.

The tall, raven-haired beater strolled lazily to the edge, and dark brows furrowed quizzically as he leaned down to get a better look at the glaring witch. "Oh no, Lils, what happened? You're sopping we—" He cut off as he was seemingly thrown forward and into the waters by no one.

"Moony!" Sirius shouted as soon as he burst through the surface, Lily laughing a few feet away, and Remus grinning unapologetically, his wand in hand. "Why would you do that to me? You've got my top all wet!"

"Yeah..." the sandy blond wizard said with a flippant shrug, "I never liked that shirt anyhow."

Sirius squawked indignantly, wading towards the edge where Remus had crouched down, resting casually on the balls of his feet, the lean blond the only one already in his swim clothes. "You love this shirt," he said accusingly when he reached where Remus stood.

Remus lifted blond brows. "Hate it."

Lily started laughing again when Sirius's expression grew steadily more offended, then the soaked, dark-haired wizard noticed a smile tugging at his friend's lips. "Why you little..." And he grabbed hold of the wizard and tugged as hard as he could, falling backwards in the process and bringing a surprised werewolf with him underwater.

"You bloody bastard!" Remus half laughed and half shouted as he was pulled back up, Sirius's arms wrapped securely around him.

"Tell me you like my top!" Sirius demanded, and when Remus laughed and started to refuse the taller wizard lifted them both up more, threatening to dunk them again.

"All right, all right!" Remus shouted in exasperation. "I like your bloody shirt, Padfoot. Now stop it."

Sirius broke into a wide grin, breathing somewhat heavily, as he continued to hold the wizard against his heaving chest. "I knew you liked it, well... on the ground at any rate," he said flippantly, and then he pressed his lips to Remus's.

Harry stood completely frozen, not sure what he was seeing. If it was a joke, or if... if it was a joke.

Remus's hands settled lightly on Sirius's shoulders like he was going to push him away, but then they slowly slid forward instead, clasping behind the taller wizard's neck, an impish grin playing at the corners of his suddenly busy lips. He pulled back a few seconds later to say in an all too casual manner, "True, but I like all your shirts better on the floor."

Green eyes widened like saucers, Harry in disbelief that his old DADA professor would ever say such a thing.

"Oi! Come on guys, keep it kid appropriate here!"

Remus looked up, seeming to only then realize they had an audience, his face turning red as he pulled away from a laughing Sirius.

"Remus Jonathon Lupin," Lily said, cutting through Harry's shocked mind, "what else have you been hiding from me?!"

"Sorry there, Harry! Didn't mean to spring that on you, thought you knew already!"

Harry blinked a few times, focusing to find Sirius grinning apologetically up at him and James. "Oh, uh," he said, and he cleared his throat when he couldn't seem to form any words. Why hadn't Sirius told him? He and Remus had never even hinted, at least, he didn't think. Had they thought he wouldn't be okay with it? Though he supposed... they had bought him several joint gifts, and they lived together, and—He spoke up quickly when he realized he'd gone silent at a rather poor time. "No, that—it's fine, no worries. I'm, I'm happy for you two... really. That's great."

Sirius let his chin fall back, a barking laugh shaking his chest, and Harry felt James throw an arm around his shoulders and pull him towards him.

"Like father like son," Remus said with a wry grin pointed at James, Lily beside him looking calmed but not overly amused. "I seem to remember a rather similar sentiment from Prongs, don't you, Padfoot?"

"MmHmm," Sirius said as he smoothed wet black hair, "Harry didn't take as long to get there though, must be his mum's genes helping him out there."

"Oi," James called, lifting the hand resting on Harry's shoulder to flip off his best friend.

"James!" Lily admonished, and James's hand fell immediately.

"Harry, you with us here?"

"Huh?" Harry looked over to see James studying him with a quiet curiosity. "Oh, yeah, I am. Just... surprised, I suppose," he said, and then more quickly, "not that I care, I just, I've known Sirius and Remus, but I never..." Dark brows furrowed as Harry trailed off.

"I know, they're hard to sort out, aren't they," James said, and he grinned, pulling Harry closer to talk in a private tone, "I thought they were wrestling one day in the dorm when I got back from detention, took me a few awkward seconds to realize they weren't dressed properly for said activity... if you get my drift."

Harry's eyes widened, and then a disbelieving laugh began to roll from his lips, and James joined in with a shake of his head. "I think Remus was more uncomfortable with the whole situation than I was to be honest. I was just happy, after the shock wore off, they had each other."

Harry found himself smiling. "Yeah, why's that?"

James hummed in thought. "Well, they've both been through a lot, and they seem to understand that about the other really well, they lean on each other when they need to, make each other stronger, they work"—James stopped to grin impishly then, not seeming to notice the look of surprise his thoughtful words had elicited—"and also there's that Sirius is a needy bugger, and I thought for a while it was going to be he and I, and whatever poor witch I could talk into it, all living together. Which would've been a disaster really, because Pads is a witch magnet. It's just not right."

Harry laughed at that, glancing down with James to see that Sirius had somehow talked Lily into climbing onto his shoulders.

"Fantastic, Bambi, now to the waterfall," Sirius said with a laugh.

"Sirius! Sirius, no!" Lily protested with obvious amusement as the tall wizard ignored her steadfastly.

James watched as Sirius took her under the falling water, and they began to giggle together to everyone's surprise. "Fortunately for me though, Sirius never really took to birds," he quipped as he glanced back to Harry.

Harry suppressed a smile as he watched Remus join them, and he heard squeals of protest when Sirius tried to lean over to kiss Remus under the falling water.

"I'm going to fall, stop that," Lily chastised, and she placed her toes on Remus's shoulders to hold him out of kissing distance from Sirius. The three wizards began to laugh together.

Harry looked over to find James wearing a very content smile, something ruffling inside his own chest as he said, "Thanks for taking me out here with you guys, Prongs, it really means a lot to me."

James looked to him, the wizard appearing surprised. "Of course, we wanted you to come, Harry," he said easily, "wouldn't have been the same without you."

Harry felt his chest fill with warmth so much he thought it might burst, and he nodded tightly. "Either way, thanks. I thought... when you first came in this morning, I was worried, that you were leaving."

James nodded quietly at that. "Well, I'm glad that wasn't the case today."

Harry looked out at the clear, blue sky, a thick line of evergreens in the distance, the people he considered family all around him, laughing and happy, safe. "I know you have to go back soon," he said, forcing the unwieldy words out, and dark brows pinched together as he added, "Just please, let me know before you do, I mean, if you can. So I, so I can say goodbye."

"Of course." Then James took a step back, so he was out of view of the other wizards, his voice dropping to a private level. "Harry, we're going to do everything we can to fix this, it'll be okay, all right? Try not to worry about us."

Harry ran a hand up into his hair, his eyes suddenly burning, and he held back welling emotions as he nodded. He knew the wizards were barely older than him, that even if they could somehow stay they'd be far more like peers than parents to him, but somehow that didn't make him feel any better. He'd begun to care for them, a lot, and he enjoyed how free and happy and sometimes completely irreverent they were. He struggled to respond when Lily was suddenly hovering in front of them, mid-air.

"I was sent to retrieve you," she said dryly with crossed arms, looking only slightly miffed as muffled laughter sounded below. "Also, Remus is incorrigible when Sirius encourages him, and, James, why did you not tell me about them?"

Jamed laughed softly as he met vivid green eyes. "Honestly? I thought you knew. I mean, I'll admit, Remus isn't known for public displays, but they flirt all the time, Sirius's favorite pillow is Moony's lap, and Remus is constantly keeping him in line."

Lily blinked a few times seriously. "I thought you three were just that close." James smiled at her with narrowed eyes, and Lily began to laugh. "Fine, yes, maybe I should have known, take my hand please, I can't stand this any longer."

James reached out, taking Lily's hand in his, and he carefully guided her forward until she could step onto the rock.

She stood between James and Harry and smiled up at them both. "You two look so much alike," she said, before reaching up and brushing her thumb against Harry's cheek gently, causing the wizard to dip his chin and smile sofly at the affectionate gesture, "but I'm sorry, James, he's far too sweet to be your son."

James let out a laugh and pulled the witch into a hug. "Just what are you trying to say to me, Lily Evans?" he demanded playfully.

Lily's lips tried to quirk up. "Just that you are a pompous, selfish, immature prat," she said matter-of-factly.

James blinked slowly at that, and his voice dropped. "Oh, those are fightin' words, Evans," he said, then he scooped the witch up and took a leaping step forward in the blink of an eye.

"Potter!" was shouted as they fell. A loud splash followed, and Harry leaned forward to peer over.

"You complete and total prat!" Lily shouted as she splashed at the wizard, James's warm laughter drowning her out.

"Come on down, Prongslet, join us!" Sirius shouted excitedly.

Harry took a step forward, drew in a deep breath, and then he leapt.