Enjoy and review please! I was going to post this earlier today but FF doc manager was down!

Lia sat in the sunny east facing parlor she had set up as her personal study. Smiling, she reread the letter that had arrived by owl just minutes before. In the past week, she had come to expect an owl from Ellie almost every day. Ellie had come by for tea every day she wasn't working at St. Mungo's and stopped by for her lunch break the other four.

Lia,
So excited Torie got home last night. She needed to go in to work to officially sign some papers saying she's taking time off for her maternity leave starting now, but when she gets back, she's flooing to my place and we'll come right over for tea if that's alright with you. Just a hint, she absolutely loves sugar in her tea, so be prepared, and anything chocolate. She's got quite the sweet tooth. I can't wait for you two to meet! Be there soon!
Ellie

"Is Dridel coming over?" asked Orion from the doorway, startling her. She gave him a glare for good measure.

"It's Potter now," she replied, knowing he sometimes referred Ellie by her maiden name. "Unfortunately, no one goes around calling me La'Blanc anymore."

"Black suits you," he shot back.

"As it suits you!" she spat back, getting irritated he hadn't left her alone for more than an hour in the past week. "You're a black hearted buffoon that won't leave me alone when you clearly aren't wanted!"

"Message received." She glared at the spot he had stood and felt a vague feeling of disappointment he was gone.

She didn't have much time to ponder though, as she needed to call a house elf and ensure that tea would be ready to her specifications as soon as her friends arrived.

"Lainey!" she said excitedly hugging her new friend who was emerging from the fireplace.

"Lia! This is Toire," said Elaine with a big smile, pushing the tall, very pregnant, incredibly beautiful blonde toward Lia.

"Ellie has only good things to say about you," said Victoire a bit shyly, holding out her hand.

"I'm French, darling," laughed Lia, pulling Victoire into a hug and kissing her on both cheeks in greeting. "And I feel as if I already know you!"

"I have a feeling we are going to get along superbly," laughed Victoire in perfect French she had learned from her mother, while Ellie shook her head.

"Come, come, sit," she said, playing the hostess and leading the two witches to the tea table that was already ready with everything, kept fresh with a warming charm. "Ellie said you've been on a trip with your husband, how was it?"

"Oh, well, since we're going to have the babies underfoot soon, we thought to have a little get away just the two of us," said Victoire with a smile. "It was wonderful! We went to Egypt, where he's spent much of the past year."

"What was your husband doing in Egypt?" Lia asked, hiding her smile as Victoire poured sugar into her tea. Elaine gave her a knowing look.

"He's been working as a curse breaker while doing some undercover work for the ministry. But he's done with that now. He just started his own business, and he decided a desk job might be better for a family man."

"Oh, that's good, you won't have to be separated so much," said Lia. "Probably a lot less dangerous, you can sleep at night."

"Well with Theodore, goodness, that man's middle name should have been trouble. I'm sure he'll find enough trouble at a desk job, especially with James and Orion as friends."

"Wait, I thought your husband's name was Mo… no that's ridiculous… Oh my MERLIN!" exclaimed Lia, setting her cup down. "You're Victoire Lupin as in Theodore Lupin who made the single most important medical breakthrough of the century and who's new business happens to be Remus Remedies, the global supplier of the only potion known to cure lycanthropy?"

"Erm… yes," said Victoire nervously. Lia squeeked.

"He's really not that big of a deal when you get to know him. Kind of like my father in law," said Ellie when Lia looked like she was going to pass out.

"Yeah, he truly is a mortal. Believe me, I would know," said Vic with a slight look of disgust. "But then, I do love him for that," she added brightening. "Just last night he did the most adorable thing…"

And so Lia made her second friend since arriving in England.

"Is the violent veela really coming over again today?" asked Orion with a somewhat sulky tone, interrupting Lia's breakfast.

"Yes," answered Lia, the fifth word she'd said to him all week.

"Every day for a week! Doesn't she have better things to do than eat all my food?"

"Orion! Victoire and I happen to be friends. She happens to be on maternity leave while her husband has work. Unlike some worthless wizard I could mention. I happen to be a nice person who enjoys spending time with her and helping her get ready for the babies. However, I do not enjoy spending time with you. Get out."

"I liked you better when you were giving me the silent treatment," huffed Orion stalking away.

An hour later, the very pregnant Victoire arrived via the floo with a big smile. "Lia," she said with a smile.

"How are you feeling this morning?" asked Lia with a smile.

"Like I could get a job walking around at quidditch stadiums with advertisements for my Uncle's store on my sides," laughed Victorie somewhat miserably. Lia frowned hearing a muffled bark of laughter from somewhere, but quickly hid the emotion with a smile to her friend.

"Well, you are having twins."

"Which is why I have twice as much baby shopping!" exclaimed Victoire. "We simply have to go today. I read up even more on polyjuice and apparently it is alright to take if you're pregnant as long as you polyjuice yourself as someone else who is also pregnant and therefore your baby will polyjuice to theirs," said Victoire pulling out a potion vial. "Now we can go shopping without worrying about your crazy family."

"And who do you propose I disguise myself as?"

"Elaine Potter of course!" laughed Victoire. "I even brought over some of her clothes since you're a good bit taller than her and she's a good bit fatter at this point."

"I'm dying to get out of this house! You've convinced me," said Lia grabbing the robes and heading to a bathroom to change while Victoire waddled behind her. However, no sooner had Lia downed the potion and the girls picked up their bags to leave than Orion entered the room.

"So, where am I escorting you lovely ladies to today?" he asked with a grin.

"Black, we don't need an escort," snapped ElLia.

"Lia, you can't fool me, I know it's you in there and I'm not letting you go out without me. I am going to protect you and the baby whether you like it or not," he said as Victoire raised her eyebrows.

"What are you talking about, Black? Lia is upstairs taking a nap, locked in her room," said ElLia.

"Alright then, I'll play this little game. What did you and James name your sixth year project?" asked Orion with a smirk.

"Er, Sixth Year Project by Elaine Dridel and James Potter," guessed ElLia.

"I can't believe you forgot darling little Charles David's name!" exclaimed Orion sarcastically. "Cut the shit Lia, I'm smarter than I look. And you're obviously slower than I thought. I'm coming whether you like it or not!"

"Fine!" exclaimed Victoire deferring both a fight and a delay in their departure.

Lia shot her a betrayed look before looking back at Orion who was grinning gleefully. "But, you'll come on my terms," she stated. "You can only come as the dog you truly are. Only can you transform back if we are in real danger," Lia demanded. Victoire agreed while Orion pouted, but the decision was made and thus two pregnant woman and a black dog stepped out of the floo at the Leaky Cauldron, the dog looking quite mean while the women quite amused. The dark haired one tugged on the bright pink sparkly leash a bit roughly.

"COME, ALFALFA," she said with a snort as she waved at the aging landlady. "Where to first, Vic?"

Four hours later, the girls were done shopping, having had bought things for the nursery and tons of darling baby clothes and toys and diapers and necessities at about twenty different stores, dragging the reluctant black dog with them, as it was not unusual in the wizarding world to bring pets place. They had also managed a lunch at a small café across from WWW and a delicious dessert of ice cream at Fortescue's. They were just headed back to the Leaky to floo home, levitating their many bags behind them when a loud shout was heard.

"ELLES!" came a loud voice before a blurr of dark robes rushed to ElLia, and a pair of strange lips were over hers, however briefly. "Thought you were working today, love," said James Potter, not too discreetly embracing his wife while covertly running a hand over her bum. She turned bright red, and stumbled out of his embrace with a flinch. Alfalfa growled loudly, baring his teeth at the man. "Why didn't you tell me you… Orion…." The dog snapped at him, nearly biting his leg as James reached for his wife again and caressed her stomach fondly. He jumped away from the woman he was embracing with a red flush of his own.

"Hello, James," Victoire said, covering the awkward silence. "We were just planning to floo to my house, we've been shopping all day."

"I'll go with you," James said loudly with a slight edge to his voice, obviously upset and uncomfortable. "A warning would have been nice," he hissed as the trio and dog walked to the Leaky.

"Oh, I thought Ellie told you," snapped Victoire, obviously annoyed with her cousin for making the uncomfortable situation.

"She might have," James replied, running his hand through his hair. "Honestly, she… er.. you distracted me this morning," he said.

"Sorry," squeaked ElLia, blushing furiously again. "I… er… James… yes… let's go."

"Oh I love it! We have such lovely taste!" squealed Victoire. They had just put the finishing touches on the baby room they had spent the last two weeks preparing. After their initial shopping trip, they had continued going out with Lia polyjuiced as Elaine, and luckily with no more mishaps with James or anyone else for that matter.

The nursery was indeed beautiful. Two pretty light wood cradles were along one wall, a changing table in a corner with two pretty dressers on either side in an alcove off to one side of the room. A large bay window with built in bookshelves consisted of another alcove where a comfortable rocker and a large comfy chair sat. The main part of the room was a sky blue, while the reading, rocking alcove was a calming green color, and the changing alcove was painted yellow. Everything for a smooth first six months of life was in the room from the toys in the toy chests to the clothes in the drawers that were sorted by size all the way to twenty four months in the bottom drawers of the dressers. Stuffed animals and books lined the shelves along with pretty little noisemaking toys that are excellent occupiers of young minds.

Victoire sank into the large armchair with a sigh, propping her feet up on the ottoman. "I love it," she said contentedly. "I can't wait for your artist friend to come charm the walls! You truly think she'll be able to get a moving under the sea picture, a dessert and a meadow in here?"

"Of course!" laughed Lia. "You'll love Patty! I'm so sorry she can't come until this mess is over with my family! She's part veela too by the way."

"Really… really… wait! You're! OH!" Victoire lept to her feet and started dancing around the room. "I remember you now!" she laughed. "You were my cousin's maid of honor! Her best friend, AntLIA!"

"Patrice is your cousin!" said Lia in shock. "Of course, but… wow… I mean… not that… I just… You were not pregnant when I met you… and… oh that sounds… I'm sorry… I just didn't recognize you… And why didn't you mention you were a Weasley!"

"We're a right pair! But you know what this means though!"

"Trice can come over tomorrow and paint, because you can ask her!" exclaimed an excited Lia. "It will be totally done before the baby even gets here!" The girls squealed while a room over, Orion put his hands over his ears.

"It's so weird not going to King's Cross," laughed Elaine. "Even years later, I always feel like I'm forgetting something or in the wrong place on September first."

"I know," agreed Victoire, sipping tea. "Mum asked me if I wanted to see Louis and the cousins off, but to be honest, I'm just so tired this past week."

"I'm surprised you held out this long," said Lia. "Carrying twins to full term is a feat in and of itself!"

"Well, veelas are notorious for their good pregnancies, and I was on maternity leave, did plenty of bedrest, and had you to help me every step of the way, barely letting me do a thing in my nursery!"

"And it looks SOOO good!" exclaimed Elaine. "Patrice did an amazing job! And Antlia, now that I'm on maternity leave until this sucker comes out, you have to help me! My turn to shamelessly use our new friend to help me nest!" The three laughed.

"You truly were invaluable… oooh," said Victoire before frowning and putting a hand on her stomach.

"Yeah, Potter Junior is using my bladder as a trampoline too," said Elaine. "I swear, I can't drink more than two sips, and I'm off to the loo anymore! I can't imagine with twins! But maybe it's just taking after James." Lia nodded in agreement and gave a little laugh, while Victoire put on a puzzled look.

"No… I think… I think… Yes…" Victoire frowned again. "That was a contraction, and I just had another!" The two friends were on their feet at once.

"I'll floo Teddy, and your mum!" exclaimed Elaine.

"I'll get your hospital bag!"

"I'm here as your personal floo buddy to St. Mungo's," said Orion rushing in, transforming from a dog to a man again, obviously having been just outside the room eavesdropping. He offered a strong arm to support the easily off balanced part-Veela through the floo.

"That shouldn't be necessary!" said Teddy, arriving with a flare of green and looking mildly manic, but also blissful at the same time.

"TED!" exclaimed Victoire with a joyful expression. "We're going to be parents!"

As I said before, I've been writing Lia in for forever. I hope you liked this chapter. To see her appearance in MHFLIL, check out chapter 16, Victoire's Cousin Trice's wedding! Please review, and know the next chapter I put out should be the epilogue for MHFLIL with the birth of the twins! I'm sooo excited! It's going to be good and any reviews will inspire me to get it done and up faster! Hope you liked this chapter and once again, please review! Elaine