Authors Note: I do not own any of the characters apart from Lizzy. All the rest belong to JK Rowling. Hope you enjoy it.

Hermione: Surely she's not back?

Author: Oh come on don't tell me you weren't wondering what's gonna happen.

Hermione: (scoffs) course not I KNOW what happens. I'm in the story remember.

Author: Not yet your not. smart arse.

Chapter 9

Attack

Lizzy

I rested my head gently on his warm chest. Feeling the rise and fall as he slept, the downy hair smattered on it tickling my cheek. I opened my eyes slightly and raised myself on my elbow. Looking down at his face I couldn't see the deep colour of his eyes but I could imagine them. So dark, you felt as though you could jump inside them and get lost forever. I ran my fingers over his cheek and his nose. It twitched slightly under my touch.

"Enjoying the view miss Trelawney?" He half opened his eyes and I stared down at him, my customary smile whenever he was around firmly in place.

"Oh, no not really. I much preferred Severus." I said with a slytherin-worthy smirk. He gasped in mock shock. Grasping a pillow between his hands he smashed me over the head with it. I giggled loudly and picked up my own pillow.

"Oh, no you didn't Potty!!" I screeched. Several minutes and several feathers later we sat panting and out of breath covered in the silk sheets of the bed.

"You know what?" he asked his voice barely a whisper.

"What?" I replied in the same low tones.

"I wish--" I never did get to find out what he wished. Because at that moment a very disgruntled Sirius decided to flu by for a visit.

"Where the bloody hell have you been James?" He said walking directly in through the fire place not sparing a glance at the bed.

"Lil's been worried out of her head. She went into labour and you weren't there. How do you think that made her feel?"

He continued to rant at a supposedly alone James until he came to a complete halt. His face alone was enough for us to know that he had finally twigged. There was someone else in the room. He turned to us, naked and barely covered by some well placed pillows.

"Now Sirius--"

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL HAVE YOU DONE!" he screeched like a banshee.

"NOTHING SHE DIDN'T DO FIRST!" I screeched back. Silence answered my revelation and James looked at me strangely. I turned to him mouthing 'I'm sorry'.

"You knew?" Sirius' voice was barely above a whisper, the same low tone James and I had been using only moments before except laced with guilt instead of love.

"YOU knew?" James repeated incredulous that his friend would betray him like that. Sirius hung his head in shame and I watched the exchange with interest.

"Only this morning. One of the babies was the spitting image of Snivell-- sorry Liz, "Severus". I couldn't believe at first but then Lily told me not to say anything until she had the chance to speak to you first." Sirius sighed in resignation. I was shocked to the core. Only this morning, I'd joked about sleeping with Sev and then I realise Lily had beaten me to it. And then it hit me. He'd said "One of" the babies.

"How many babies were there Sirius?" I asked, sure James had not recovered enough for coherent speech.

"Two, a girl and a boy. Good news is, we checked it out and its totally possible and it's also true. The boy is yours." I gaped at James' frozen expression.

It took an hour for James to become mobile. It also took me walking around in nothing but the skin on my bones for about half an hour trying to find my clothes that had somehow been discarded in the heat of the moment. All the while James continued to utter undistinguishable words that sounded suspiciously like "I'm a father". Afterwards Sirius, James and I sat in silence. The room still In the setting James and I had been using. What were we going to do?

James

I sat in between the woman I loved the most in the world and my best friend sipping tea in the room of requirement after the birth of my son. Sounds like I should be the happiest man on the planet right? Wrong. The woman I loved I could never be with and my son's sister was someone else's child. I closed my eyes and tipped my head back. Lizzy placed a warm hand on my thigh and traced reassuring circles. She leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek.

"Remember, no matter what, I love you." she whispered discreetly in my ear. I turned to face her and moved the kiss to her back. We kept it chaste for the benefit of Sirius but we both knew it could be the last time. I had a son now. Even if my wife had cheated on me and lied to me. I had done the same to her and I didn't want Lizzy to lose Lily as a friend because of me. Sirius coughed to turn our attention back to him.

"Well, if you two don't mind, I have some questions." He said abruptly. Lizzy grabbed my hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"Of course not. Ask away" I answered adjusting my glasses nervously.

"How long you two been shagging?" Lizzy chuckled slightly at the vulgar expression and I smiled at his comfort at asking.

"It only happened twice. Once about seven months ago and just now when you found us" Lizzy explained for me. I smiled at her. She was great at this kind of thing.

"If I ask what happened do I want to know the answer?" he asked gently.

"Depends. Do you want the x-rated version or the family friendly version?" I asked with a legendary marauder smirk.

Sirius visibly shuddered.

"You know what, you two keep that little chestnut between the two of you." We all giggled then. The mood considerably lighter Sirius continued with his questioning.

"Are you just shagging or do you care for each other? If this was a pity fuck Lily has nothing to worry about right?" Lizzy hand tightened around mine her agitation very clear.

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare Sirius Black. I love this man right here and as much as I love Lily like a sister, if she loved him half as much as I do we wouldn't be having this conversation. So don't you fucking DARE treat me like the whore here." Lizzy's voice shook and I, overwhelmed with love for her defence of me, wrapped my arms around her. I kissed her forehead gently before glaring pointedly at Sirius.

"I'm sorry. I just don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Yeah well tough mate. It ain't gonna happen."

"I guessed"

The Next Day

I sat on the sofa in my living room. My face was tender as I stared down at my son in my arms, while his sister slept peacefully in her Moses basket. I could hear the kettle being boiled by my wife. But I didn't want a cup of tea. I wanted Lizzy. The one lady who could make me feel better about this whole sorry mess.

"Two sugars?" Lily's voice broke into my reverie.

"No thanks," I replied, that dead quality that I had gained the day before, returning to my voice. When she returned to the room, I stared at her. She was beautiful, she was kind and she was one of the greatest friends I'd ever had. But the two of us had made a mistake thinking that we could ever be more than that. We were fools, and now we had Harry as a result. I inhaled the baby scent of my son and built up my courage. I instantly loved him but now was time for me to break the ice.

"I think we should talk about unbinding." I said it abruptly. I had thought about letting her down gently and telling her softly but the moment had passed.

Lily

I looked at my husband his arms gently around our son. Selene, my baby daughter, stayed oblivious. Sleeping. I wished I could sleep, I wished I could go back and prevent myself from marrying James. I could have been with Severus. I could have been happy. But I wasn't and now I was going to have to let him go.

"OK" was all I said. I couldn't bring myself to open my mouth anymore than that. I didn't trust myself to say anything more.

"Ill be back tomorrow to see Harry." His jaw was set in that way it was whenever he wanted to leave. He left his cold tea cup on the table and stood to leave. He kissed the baby gently on the head and placed him next to Selene.

"Goodbye" And with that brief farewell, he left.

??????

I stared at the man that I despised as he walked out of the mudblood's home. He'd hurt Lizzy. She had been crying when I had seen her, saying over and over that it wasn't his fault. But it was. If he had stayed away she could have been with me. Bastard. I hated him with a passion and if I had my way, he would die before the day was out. I followed him in the shadows as he walked to his broom. Mounting my own I followed him close enough to see where he was going but not too close that he could see me. The sky was dark and the clouds provided the perfect cover for me. A Bellatrix like cackle almost escaped my lips as I saw him turn into the most secluded area of London, but I swallowed it down and continued to the ground. I landed softly behind him my feet barely touching the ground. He sat on a rock, his head resting in his hands. His shoulders were shaking and I could tell he was crying. Well, he deserved to cry. He deserved to die.

I swept forward from the shadows, my cold mask of indifference shielding me from the anger I felt.

"I think Mr Potter, you shall be coming with me."

Lizzy

Watching from the shadows my wand arm itched to join the battle that was sure to follow. But Lucius was a slippery creature and my timing had to be perfect. Just then, he stepped out of his hiding place and stepped in front of the tearful James.

"I think Mr Potter, you shall be coming with me" This was my cue.

"I think not Mr Malfoy" I said imperiously. I drew my wand and pointed it to his back.

"Lizzy, please don't do this. I love you, you cant let him hurt you." Lucius pleaded with me, his mask of indifference slipping long enough for me to see the truth in his eyes.

"I thought you did Lucius, but if your willing to take away my only chance of happiness I think that it is of no concern of yours who hurts me" I had not planned on a conversation and neither had the rest of the order. Behind me Remus and Sirius moved through to the clearing. Peter, who I had convinced to change sides, stood near us pretending to be a follower of Lucius but inching ever so slightly towards us.

"Oh Lizzy, you thought you were going to outnumber me eh?" Lucius was chuckling, "Not going to happen little girl." Behind Lucius hordes of Death eaters came out of the shadows. My mind whirred with ideas. And then I did something I've never thought I would have to do. I pointed my wand at Lucius.

"Avada Kedavra" I was just about to whisper the words that would end his life when a jet of green light flew out of Lucius' own wand straight at James. Bellatrix cackled wickedly as he fell to the ground. The other order members were duelling skilfully but the whole fight stopped when I let out a mournful cry that filled my heart with its force.

"NOOOOOOOOOO! JAMES!" I began to run toward his lifeless body but Remus wordlessly wrapped his arms around my waist and held me back. I wriggled, helpless in his arms. His amazing werewolf strength held me back eventually I stopped and rested my face into his chest to cry. The tears flowed freely down my face. The love of my life was dead. I turned to face the remaining people, somewhere during my sobs the death eaters had disappeared. Taking the body of James with them. Remus leaned over and whispered in my ear gently,

"It would have happened even if you hadn't come back and fallen in love with him. At least you spared Harry." I nodded, seeing the logic but not feeling anything. I felt numb. I felt dead. Then it went black.

3 hours later I awoke to a surrounding of men and women leaning over me. The bed was stiff and uncomfortable I recognised it as a St Mungos bed. I tried to sit up but was immediately pushed down by a hand I recognised as Sirius'.

"Don't try to move sweetie you'll hurt the baby"

"B-b-baby?"

Well? What did you guys think? Longest chapter yet.