TW AND CW: light mentions of abuse/torture

The months of studying passed by in a flash.

They were just finishing up their final NEWT, Herbology. 

As soon as Lily, Alice, and Marlene left the greenhouses, Lily started crying softly.

Alice frowned. "What's wrong, Lily?"

Marlene placed a hand on Lily's shoulder consolingly. "Is it 'cuz of the exams? That was our last one, so no more stress! You're all good. And," she added. "I'm SURE you did great. You're top in our class!"

Lily shook her head. "It's just- it's all going by too fast- and here we are, finishing school. What's next? Getting jobs at the Ministry? Settling down as a family?"

Marlene blinked. Now that she thought about it, it was happening all too quickly. "Even if we don't know where to go next, we can always come visit each other at our homes- or our friend's homes."

By now, Marlene had decided to tell all her friends about her family's incident.

James, Remus, Peter, and Alice now knew about her situation at home and knew she didn't have anywhere to go to at home.

Nor did Sirius. His parents had passed too, but he was pretty chill about it, considering the literal fact that they had tortured him. He really didn't care about his parents.

James had been very kind and invited both of them over to stay for as long as they wanted.

The two had agreed, but had also decided to buy their own home for themselves.

Alice nodded meekly. "All of you are ALWAYS welcome to stay over at my place."

Lily shook her head again. "But it's not about that! It's about- being adults- and- and somehow surviving this war- and- and starting a family, even! How are we gonna do all of this after so little life experience? How are we expected to do this?"

Marlene smiled slightly. "No one expects us to do it. It's our choices what we feel the best doing. For example, Sirius and I have already started saving up a little to get a place of our own someday. For the time being, we're just gonna enjoy this. Then we're gonna start taking things into our own hands."

Lily nodded, looking much happier.

She was slightly annoyed, however, when the tree they were standing below suddenly rustled and made a certain James and Sirius fall out of it.

"THAT DIDN'T WORK!" James shrieked.

Lily shook her head exasperatedly. "Oi, Head Boy!"

James turned around to face her and grinned. "Oh, hi Lily."

"Don't 'hi, Lily' me!" exclaimed Lily indignantly. "You fell 5 feet from an oak tree, and you're this casual?!"

Sirius cleared his throat. "I'm here too."

Marlene went up to him and ruffled his hair. "No one cares about your annoying butt that much, Sirius."

"You calling me annoying?" retorted Sirius.

"As a matter of fact, I am," said Marlene with a smirk.

"Shut up."

"Make me."

Sirius suddenly leaned down and kissed her.

"Did that make you shut up?" he asked with a cocky grin.

"I wish something would make YOU shut up," Marlene replied, just as cockily.

"PUT A CORK IN IT, FOR GODRIC'S SAKE!" Lily and James shrieked at them in unison.

Marlene and Sirius exchanged a glance. "Nah," they said simply.

And everyone made sure to enjoy these fleeting moments that went by just too fast.

And we loved these moments.

We loved them a lot.