"Maybe I should go to a muggle college or something," Remus said a few months later as they lay in bed together, his head on Sirius' chest.

"What about your book?" Sirius asked.

"I'd still be able to work on it. But I could take classes or – wait. No, I can't go now. Never mind."

Sirius lifted his head and looked at Remus whose eyes were closed, a frown across both of their faces. "Why can't you go?"

"Money."

"Shut up. I'll pay for it."

Remus opened an eye and looked at him reproachfully. "No you aren't," he said simply. "You've already bought the flat and food and everything. Besides," he added, turning to lay his head next to Sirius', "I thought you were cut off."

"Oi! Anyone home?"

"Shit," Remus breathed, and Sirius jumped up, reaching for his trousers.

"Hello?" James called, his voice closer.

"Wait! I'll be out in a minute, Prongs," Sirius shouted, eyeing Remus' frantic shushing movements confusedly.

"Why are you in Mooney's room?"

Sirius' eyes grew wide as Remus threw him a nasty look and a wrinkled shirt as James opened the door.

"I mean, is his bed more –" he began comically, but stopped quickly as he eyes fell on the scene in front of him.

Sirius stood, speechless, his boxers pulled on sloppily and hanging out of his hastily pulled on jeans, which were undone, holding his t-shirt. Remus still sat in the bed, reaching for his own trousers when he saw James.

"Hullo, James," he said lamely, pulling the covers around him more securely.

"Er –"

"I, uh, we –" Sirius attempted.

"Wait," James said slowly. "Is this what it looks like?"

"Well, it isn't as simple as –"

"Oh my god," he said quickly, turning his back to them as he realized what he was looking at.

"We're not doing anything," Sirius scoffed.

"Now," Remus added softly.

"That's disgusting," James said. "I mean," he continued uncomfortably, "it's okay if you two are – well – but –"

Sirius and Remus looked at each other, both lost for words.

"Can I look?"

"We haven't moved," Sirius said, but James turned anyway.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Within reason," Remus responded.

James took a breath. "How long?"

"What?"

"Have you two –?"

"We just finished, so about –"

"No!" James shouted, cutting Sirius off. "How long have you two been together?"

"A year," Remus said softly, avoiding James' eyes. "Maybe more. Almost two."

"And a half," Sirius added.

"Oh my god."

"We were going to tell you," Remus continued. "We didn't want you to find out like this."

"Right. Good."

Silence filled the small room and none of the men moved or looked at each other.

"Right. Good," James said again.

"Good," Sirius repeated.

"I'm the last to know, aren't I?"

"Sorry, mate."

"The other two found out by accident," Remus added.

"Right. Good. Sorry I interrupted, mates," James said, turning to leave. Sirius jerked into life and finished dressing himself as Remus spoke.

"What brought you here anyhow?"

"Oh, right." James turned back to them all, the light gone from his features. He suddenly seemed much older than nineteen. "There's been another attack, this time in Kent. A couple Order members were targeted and Dumbledore is calling a meeting tonight at Hogwarts."

"There's more, isn't there?" Sirius asked quietly.

James stepped into the room, closing the door behind him and leaning on it.

"There's a prophesy."

"Concerning –?" Remus prompted.

"Lily. Me." He swallowed thickly, closing his eyes. "Our child."

"And?"

"And him."

"Him?"

"No."

James nodded at Sirius as comprehension dawned on Remus' face.

"Who told you?" Remus breathed.

"Dumbledore, or course," James answered softly. "He wouldn't tell me anymore, though, just that I was to tell Lily and no one else."

"I'm glad you did just that," Sirius remarked, and James grinned.

"I wouldn't be able to keep anything like this from you two," he laughed. "Oh, and Lily's pregnant."

---

Remus left that day to surprise Lily at her job at St Mungo's to congratulate her. She was beaming, and she kept beaming for weeks. Remus applied at one of the nearby universities, and Sirius and James jumped headlong into work. They figured that the more money they could make while Lily was pregnant the more money they would have to spend on the tyke and the more they would have to spend with him or her. Rumours began spreading about Lily's pregnancy and the fact that she and James were holding off on their wedding date until the little one entered the world, but it didn't bother Lily. Those who knew her well knew that all she wanted was the baby to be healthy, and if she got that wish she would be happy and it wouldn't matter if she was married or not. She felt the baby kick for the first time at six months. James took the day off and they went to the doctor to find out the sex of the baby. After that, James insisted he paint the nursery pink.

But at the beginning of December, her eighth month, Lily called Remus while James was at work.

"She hasn't kicked today," she said, and hung up, tears streaming down her face. Remus flooed over immediately and tried to reassure her, but Lily would not have any of it. He took her to the hospital, and she had an ultrasound. She would not tell Remus the results. She stayed in the doctor's room until James arrived looking panicked and pale. Remus went home.

Sirius made Remus dinner as he was home early for the first time in a month, but neither really enjoyed it. They were too anxious to hear of the news about Lily and her baby.

James knocked weakly on the door late that night, and waited until someone answered it. When Remus pulled it open, he had to look down to find James crouched on the step.

"We lost her," he whispered, and Remus pulled him up. It was evident James had been crying for hours, and he still was. Sirius tried to help Remus drag James to the couch, but James resisted.

"No, I have to go back to Lily."

"You lost the baby?" Sirius whispered, and James nodded.

"I'm going home now. Don't come till morning."

Both men nodded, and James apparated away. Remus closed the door, and Sirius went into the kitchen and started pulling out cookbooks.

"I'm going to bake," he announced, throwing around bowls and ingredients. "I'm going to bake cookies and muffins for Lily so that she feels better. And you can help me if you want, but I don't want to. Maybe you can –"

"I'm going for a walk," Remus interrupted, and left before Sirius could say anything more. Remus walked down to the corner store and picked up five bars of the nicest chocolate the muggles had to offer. Then he went to the park, sat on a swing, and ate two of them before walking down to the nearest pub and taking some shots: one for the baby, one for James, and one for Lily. He toasted the three of them, gave the bartender a hefty tip, and walked home. Sirius had given up his baking and was lying awake in their bed, staring at the ceiling. As Remus lay down next to him, Sirius spoke.

"I'm glad you don't have a uterus."

Remus couldn't bring himself to smile.

Lily was in turmoil the next morning, even after Sirius had told her he tried to bake to cheer her up and Remus had handed her the chocolate bars. She only looked at them sadly, and barely shared two words. But Remus sat with her all day as Sirius sat with James. The men made sandwiches silently, and Lily cried silently, her hand on her abdomen. She took a lot of time off work. They skipped Remus' birthday. They skipped James'. They didn't exchange presents at Christmas, but Remus still decorated both their places and made Christmas dinner.

Lily apologized New Year's Eve.

"I'm sorry we skipped Christmas, guys," she said quietly. "I didn't mean for this to happen or anything. Skipping Christmas. And the baby." Her eyes filled up with tears again, but she pushed them back. "I'm going to stop crying. It's my New Year's resolution. I've mourned for a month. I've done my share of crying. I'm going to stop, and I'm going to go back to work, and avoid the maternity wards, and work and not cry and move on." She looked at James. "We're going to move on."

"Let's get married."

"Not that fast."

"November."

"Okay. November. We'll get married in November, we'll have moved on, and we'll be happy. We'll all be happy again."

"Cheers, Lily," Remus smiled, and she smiled back. They clinked wine glasses as the clock chimed midnight.