A/N: Rather short, but there's another part which finishes it.

JULY 31, 1980, 3:15 AM – Harry James Potter

Lily Potter had never felt such pain. The contractions were coming fairly close together, roughly three minutes apart, and usually just as she relaxed, another came. Sometimes they were sharp and stabbing; other times a strong pushing sensation in her lower body accompanied them. Was this labour? James had just gotten to sleep an hour before; she dreaded having to wake him, but might have to. She recalled the old saying, "Time waits for no one," but couldn't help thinking that it might apply to babies as well. When they came, they came; there was no way to stop them.

She slowly, carefully eased herself up, grasping the nightstand on her side in order to pull herself to a standing position. Once on her feet, she waddled to the door, opened it and then headed for the kitchen counter, grabbing some parchment and scribbling several notes: one to the Healer at the Godric's Hollow branch of St. Mungo's in charge of delivering babies, telling them to expect her and James shortly, then another to their close friends Arthur and Molly Weasley—not to mention Sirius.

Then she slowly, carefully made her way back to the bedroom, magically prepared her suitcase, then donned her robe and slippers before leaning on the nightstand on James's side and gently shaking his nearest shoulder.

"James. James, wake up!"

James moaned sleepily, mumbling incoherently when she shook his shoulder again.

"James! James, get up, luv! The baby's coming!"

The urgency in his wife's voice finally reached James and he reluctantly pushed himself up to a sitting position, yawning deeply and scratching his head. "Lil, did you say … the baby's coming?"

"Yes." That one word seemed to bring him to life, not to mention full wakefulness—and James Robert Potter, pureblood wizard, began to act like virtually every expectant father before him, babbling endless questions—was she all right, did she need anything, etc. "Everything's fine, luv. We just have to get to St. Mungo's right away—and you need to get dressed. I'll call a cab for us, since I can't Apparate in my condition."

"Do they know we're coming?"

"I owled them; they're expecting us. Also Molly, Arthur and Sirius. In fact, they'll probably be there before we are."

James yawned again, stretched, then got out of bed and dressed while Lily called a cab. Fortunately the hospital wasn't too far away, so they should make it all right.