Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter and the characters. Yeah right. I'm glad that I own this laptop. And the plot line of course.

A/N: I have to admit, I'm a bit mad at you. I got 70 hits on the last chapter and only 3 reviews :-( But a lot of thanks to my reviewers: AnneRG, amrawo and ctc . I have enabled anonymous reviews now. So, please review.

Flashback

A seventeen-year old Dorcas Meadowes sighed in exasperation and tossed her quill away. She stretched her arms and looked around. Other students were writing their essays or chatting quietly sitting at the other tables.

As Dorcas picked up her quill again, grumbling, Sirius Black flopped down on the chair across from her.

"I thought you wanted to work on that Potions essay with Lily?", he asked, sprawling lazily on the chair.

"We were.", Dorcas answered throwing her quill away again. "Until that bloody friend of yours showed up and now they are snogging each other senseless in a broom cupboard."

"I can't help it, if she finally gave into his charm", Sirius grinned.

"Have you done yours yet?", she asked him hopefully.

"Au contraire, mademoiselle. I'll copy from Moony tonight.", he winked at a fifth year Hufflepuff girl who was sitting at the table next to them.

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "Why did I even ask".

She looked as if she wanted to start writing again, but let out a frustrated groan.

"It just doesn't make any sense without Lily.", Dorcas started packing her things together. "I don't think, they'll return soon."

"Probably not.", Sirius laughed and stood up, holding his arm out for Dorcas to take. "Shall I escort Mademoiselle to dinner?"

"Of course, Monsieur. That would be a pleasure.", she giggled and gave Sirius her books and parchment.

"That's not what I meant.", he said pouting.

"My, and I thought you were a gentleman, Sirius.", Dorcas replied clutching her heart.

"But only, because it's you.", Sirius sighed while Dorcas linked her arm into his.

Together they made their way to dinner, joking around. They only stopped to see Lily and James coming out of a broom cupboard, panting heavily. Sirius and Dorcas looked at each other and bursted out laughing.

Dinner passed by uneventfully. Lily and Dorcas decided to head up to the common room, because Dorcas had begged Lily into helping her with the Potions essay. The Marauders stayed behind talking about their next prank. When both girls were on the fifth floor a third year Gryffindor came running to them.

"Professor McGonagall wants to see you, Dorcas.", she said. Dorcas knew the girl, Eva, because she had tutored her in Charms.

Dorcas and Lily exchanged a confused look.

"Well, I'll just go quick and you can go and start on that essay for Slughorn.", Dorcas shrugged.

She made her way to the office of her Head of House, wondering what that was about. Dorcas rarely got into trouble, and she knew for a fact, she didn't do anything tonight. When she entered the office, Professor McGonagall was sitting behind her desk and next to her standing was Professor Dumbledore.

"Sit down, Miss Meadowes.", the Transfiguration teacher told her.

Dorcas sat down on the chair in front of the desk, looking very confused.

McGonagall looked at her with sad eyes.

"I have some bad news for you. Your father has been killed today."

Dorcas froze.

"What?"

"I am very sorry, Dorcas.", Professor Dumbledore addressed her. "A couple of Death Eaters were responsible. They haven't been caught though. Your mum wasn't harmed."

Dorcas sat a moment in silence trying to digest what she had been told and then fled the room. She ran through the corridors not knowing or caring where she went. Then she collapsed on the ground not longer able to breathe. Tears were pouring down her face.

That just couldn't be happening. Her dad couldn't be dead. Not her dad. Dorcas clutched the stone wall sobbing so hard that her chest hurt. She didn't hear the footsteps approaching.

"Dorcas? What are you doing here?", a concerned voice asked her.

When she looked up, she saw Sirius kneeling beside her. She threw herself at him, crying into his shoulder.

"What happened?", he asked hugging her.

"M-my d-dad –", Dorcas sobbed. "- was k-killed – "

"Oh, Merlin.", Sirius closed his eyes. "Come on, let's get you back to the common room."

Dorcas shook her head. She didn't want to be crying in front of the entire Gryffindor tower. Sirius took a piece of parchment out of his cloak and looked at it.

"Only the guys and Lily are still up.", he whispered.

Dorcas didn't think that she could walk. She felt so weak and empty.

Sirius sighed and scooped her up, one arm behind her back and one under her knees and carried her all the way to the common room. When he entered, Lily and James who were entangled, jumped up.

"What happened to her?", Lily asked her eyes full of concern.

Sirius put her down on of the couches and made way for Lily. Dorcas was still sobbing, while the redhead was trying to calm her down.

"Her dad was killed.", he said quietly.

Lily and James looked at him in shock. They knew how close Dorcas was to her father. Lily was stroking Dorcas' hair and held her tightly.

Dorcas' eyes snapped open. She looked around. It was still dark outside and one glance on the clock told her it was three in the morning. She groaned and layed back down. It's been three years now that her dad died, but she still remembered that day.

Dorcas tried to get back to sleep, but it was hopeless. She thought about how carefree they were back then. The war was a surreal thing, it happened outside the safe walls of Hogwarts. That day everyone realized how close it was. She wouldn't have been able to go through the weeks after that without her friends.

Her hand stroked her little belly. It was quite visible now and last week she had tried out the charm for the first time. It was really weird to see her stomach flatten again, when she had gotten used to the little bump. The spell wore off after one week and then it had to be renewed.

Suddenly, Dorcas felt a little kick. It was the first time she felt her baby move and she felt estatic. This made the baby real to her, feeling the movement.

Today, she had an appointment at St. Mungo's for the monthly check-up. Dorcas had decided not to use the spell until after the appointment. The healer probably wouldn't be very happy about it.

After another glance on her clock, she got up. The earlier she got to St. Mungo's, the earlier she could place the charm again.


Healer Riley looked closely at the clipboard.

"It looks like your baby is doing excellent.", he said with a small smile. "But I hope, you cut down on your coffee consumption?!"

"I only drink half as much as before.", Dorcas said, which was kind of true. She just couldn't survive a day without at least four cups, on a stressful day, she drank five.

"I was wondering if you could tell me the gender of the baby?", Dorcas asked cautiously.

"You are 18 weeks along now?", Healer Riley asked.

Dorcas nodded. She had been told before that it wasn't safe for the baby until 16 weeks into the pregnancy. Apparently it had something to do with the spell, that was used.

The Healer murmured an incantation and at the end of the wand a small pink light appeared.

"Well, congratulations, Miss Meadowes. You are expecting a baby girl."

Dorcas beamed. A little girl. She couldn't believe it.

She got ready to leave, relishing the news, she had just received. She was already in the entrance hall, when –

"Dorcas!"

She froze. It wasn't even seven yet. Who in Merlin's pants was visiting the hospital this early? Then she realized she hadn't put the concealment charm back up. Dorcas wrapped her cloak around her and spun around.

"Remus! What are you doing here. So early.", she asked nervously.

"Well, I could ask you the same thing.", Remus chuckled. "I have to pick up a potion for my 'furry little problem'. What were you doing here, anyway?"

"I – I was just having a check-up.", Dorcas stuttered. That wasn't even a lie. "I haven't been feeling too well. And now, I've got to get to work."

Remus looked at her closely.

"Well, I don't want to hold you up. Bye.", he said and turned around to get his potion.

Dorcas sighed in relief. That was close. Very close.


I have an exam coming up on friday, so it could take a bit. And remember, Review!!!!!!!