Magic is a strange and powerful thing. As the wind twirled around the two happy couples standing at the waterfront they all felt it tingle through them. Remus smiled, the scent of happiness and power stronger to him them the others. Lily giggled, the feeling tickling her nose.

"What's that?" James turned to Sirius, who had his arm thrown around his best friend's shoulder.

Remus replied for his lover, shaking his head slightly against the wind ruffling his hair. "Magic Prongsy"

"This place is full of it itsn't it?" Sirius said, pulling Remus closer by his hand and pressing a sudden kiss to his lovers knuckles. "Come one! I didn't come here to stand around!" He took off, running for the rippling lake with a shout, half pulling Remus and James with him, and Lily holding James' hand by extension. They all felt it for a second as laughter overtook them, a ripple as Remus splashed into the water, that shocked through him to Sirius, sirius to James, and James to Lily in a sudden burst, love, power, friendship, magic, rippling between these four. Lily's eyes flashed bright green in the sun.

That night Lily and James moved together, their banded hands wrapped together as their bodies moved in a dance as old as time, and in the lake not far away, Remus' toes just dipping into the water he took Sirius, the paler man cupping his lovers face as Remus drove into him. Magic is a powerful thing. It whispered over their skin, into their hearts, love and life. Sirius collapsed back, Remus brushing hair from the man's face. Lily rolled to the side, that tickle in her nose again as her fingertips tingled pleasantly, James smiling and mumbling sweet nothings to his wife. And deep inside her something sparked to life.

"It's dark magic"

"What?" Neither spouse was quite sure which of them had said it. "What do you mean our baby is evil?" Lily was trembling, her hand cupped protectively over the rise of her belly. Nestled inside was her first baby... a dark child?

The doctor sighed, pushing glasses up his nose as he looked at the chart, trying to hide his own confusion. "I didn't say he was evil. I don't know how to say this, but tthe child your carrying isn't entirely human. His magical signature is already dark, becuase he's part werewolf."

James' fingers tangled with Lily's were nearly brutally tense. "How..." His eyes snapped to Lily, her eyes wide and uncomprehending. "There must be same mistake? Neither of us is infected?" His voice was was nearly meek.

"No, and neither of you is a carrier. At first i thought" At this the doctor coughed "I thought that the baby might have a different father" As lily and James both gasped sharply, spluttering angrily, the doctor continued breathlessly "But the magical signatures show that you are both his parents. It however appears that his magic... There's no simple way to say this... I don't even understand, although there do appear to be other cases... it's still quite unusual"

"Get on with it!" James yelled, clearly furious.

"The baby has more than two parents. His magic shows the distinct signature of four different magical beings, one of which is the cause of the dark aura. A werewolf. Blood tests confirm, the baby you're carrying..."

"He has my hair!"

"That's definitely my hair, Pads, look how it's standing up."

"I guess you're right. My hair would never be so uncouth"

"There's no mistaking the yes though. They're definitely Lily's"

"Or the... " they coughed, laughing.

"That's definitely my moony's"

"What's Moony's?"

"Nothing Lils!"

"He doesn't take after me at all"

"Ah, pads, i'm sure he does. He's just too tiny to tell"

"... even moony's blasted..."

"Now now, don't curse it love, you know you'll want it back later"

"Moony!"

At the nearness of the werewolf, the baby who had been gently sleeping in James' arms began stirring, cooing and hiccupping.

"What..." The green eyes flew open, staring at the man who was both his father and the leader of his "Pack" instinctively. He held out chubby arms, cooing, and James passed him solemnly to his friend, looking around at the small group.

"Welcome to parenthood"