"Lily, something arrived for you!"

I looked up from the paper I was writing to Emma's enthusiastic face.

"What?" I asked, curiously. "A letter?"

"I reckon it brings a letter as well," she said, smiling as a guy entered with a bouquet of blue petunias, which were my favourite flowers.

"Sign here, miss, please," the guy said, giving me something to sign. After I did so, he gave me a letter, turned his back on me and left.

"An admirer, Lily?" Emma asked as she sat back behind her desk.

"Finally! She has been single for quite some time!" Ben, a guy who worked with us too, said as she looked at me from his place.

"Oh, shut up," I told him as I stared at my flowers, and then at the letter.

Smiling—and knowing exactly whom it was from—I opened it and took the parchment that was inside.

Just to tell you you're more beautiful than all the petunias in the world.

I'm at that little new coffee house around the corner.

J. P.

"So, who are the flowers from?" Emma asked curiously.

I grinned. "It doesn't have a name, only initials."

"A secret admirer?" Ben asked, chuckling, "That's more than you asked for."

I laughed. "You bet," I said. "Anyway, anyone want to go grab something to eat?"

"Sure! Where do you want to go?" Emma asked, grabbing her purse as she stood up. I stood up as well.

"How about that little muggle place that opened around the corner?"

She shrugged, "Sounds good to me. You coming, Ben?"

He shook his head. "No. I promised Joan I'd go home for lunch. You know, the kids leave tomorrow for Hogwarts and she wants me there."

We smiled. "Sure. Say hello to her and good luck to Annie. She's entering this year, isn't she?"

"Yes. Joan wants her to be a Ravenclaw, but I hope she gets into Hufflepuff. Have a nice lunch ladies!"

"Thanks!" we said as we exited the room where we were.

Talking about anything that came to our heads like the young women we were, we walked down the street to the little place I had mentioned. Once we entered, we looked around, but there was no free table.

"Let's just go somewhere else," she said, but I was too concentrated on looking at James, who was looking at me as well and smirking.

"We can sit there," I told her, pointing with my eyes to the table where James, Sirius Remus and Peter were sitting.

Her eyes widened a little. "Isn't that James Potter?" she asked. "And Sirius Black? And Remus Lupin? And Peter Pettigrew?"

I laughed, remembering she was only two years older than me and had been to Hogwarts at the same time the Marauders had. She probably remembered then vividly.

"Yes, it's them," I told her, "Want to go sit there?"

"Heavens, I haven't seen them since I left Hogwarts!" she said, as we walked to them, "Potter's even cuter now."

I sent her a glare she thankfully didn't see. "Hi boys! Do you mind if we sit?" I asked.

"'Course not!" Sirius said happily. "And who is this girl? Don't I know you?"

"Emma Young," she said. "I was at Hogwarts while you were too."

"Oh, of course," Remus said. "I remember you. You were the girl whom Sirius once caught only in a towel in the prefect's bathroom."

She blushed. "Yes, that'd be me."

I smiled as we sat down, and I ended up next to James. "You needn't bring her," he said. "Although I bet Sirius is happy you did."

I looked at him confusedly. "Why is that?"

"Back in our fifth year Sirius had a crush on her," he explained.

"I bet he started having that crush on her after seeing her in a towel," I said.

James chuckled. "Something like that."

(…)

"Lily, wait up."

"Go to hell."

"Please, let's talk."

"I don't want to talk you."

"But Lily—"

"Don't you freaking listen?" I yelled, madder than I had been in a while, stopping and turning back to glare at him. "I don't want to talk to you!" He sighed. Groaning, I turned back again and resumed walking.

We were walking through the grounds of Hogwarts, heading to Hogsmeade, where we'd be able to call the Knight bus. Other options were apparating and Floo Powder, and I'd end up leaving half my body somewhere or ending up in the wrong fireplace, such a nervous wreck I was.

Moody had stayed in Dumbledore's office, talking to him about the night events, and Sirius and James were walking with me.

Sirius was walking a little faster than both of us, trying to put some distance so that he wasn't forced to hear our screams. I was trying to catch up to him, so I could pretend not to hear James'. Now that all that was over—or as over as it'd ever be—I couldn't help but feel so angry at him. In all the time we'd been together, he hadn't once mentioned he was trying to fight You-Know-Who. Not once.

And there I stood, the silly reporter, who thought her boyfriend's only occupation was antiques.

Urgh.

Back in Dumbledore's office, and after I had accepted to join the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore had said he'd warn me when the next meeting was to occur, and that, until then, I should worry about my health. After that, without further explanation, I was dismissed from his office.

Since we had left the place, James had been nagging me to talk to him, and to tell him what Dumbledore was talking about back in his office—I had never told him I had actually started Auror training and quit it when the weight of a death fell on my shoulders. And I didn't exactly feel like explaining it either.

"Just listen to me Lily, please!" he said, begging as he walked behind me and grabbed my arm to stop me.

"Listen to what? The fact that you almost got killed, the fact that you didn't tell me where exactly you were off to, or the fact that you forgot to mention you were in this bloody thing?" I asked furiously, gesturing to the castle where Dumbledore was. "If you knew what's good for you, you'd stay away from me, at least until I'm able to grasp the fact that you almost died!"

"What would you have done if I had told you?" he asked, still calm. "You wouldn't have let me go! I had to go, Lily!"

"Why?" I yelled, driven out of my mind by his so calm attitude. "Why would you just go and leave me here alone? What if something had happened to you? You're so stupid, James Potter!"

"Nothing happened! And I'd never leave you on your own! Sirius was keeping an eye on you f—"

"Oh yes, because that makes me so much happier!" I said, sarcastically. "Why won't I go and just marry Sirius and pretend this kid is his?"

"You can drop the sarcasm," he said. "These are serious matters. What were you expecting I'd do? Stay home and watch everyone else fight and die, simply waiting for the day Voldemort—"

"Don't say the freaking name!" I yelled

"—would come and get me and my family?" he ended, and now he was yelling, so his voice was heard over my fearful shudders. "It's just a name, Lily!"

"Not just a name, James! Don't you know what this—this—this man can do?" I told him, and now my voice was low, scared. How come I was much braver when I was facing the beast then when I was talking about it?

James sighed and took a step closer. "I couldn't tell you, I know you understand that."

He was now much closer to me than I really wanted him to be. I missed the heat of his skin so badly, than even one finger brushing my hand reminded me of what we used to be, before—a lot before—a storm of bad luck had come over us.

"I don't really want to fight him," I said, looking away and distancing my hand from his. "I'm scared."

"I'm scared too, hun. But someone has to fight, or this will never end," he said, taking back my hand and this time really grabbing it. "Especially now that we have one more Potter on the way."

Any other time, I'd have argued that, but that single time I didn't. I was looking at the high windows of the Great Hall, through where light was visible. A tornado of emotions hit me, memories of so long ago.

"I miss Hogwarts." I told him, still gazing at the school. "I miss how everything was so simple and easy. All I had to do was learn a few things to get me through my exams, and my biggest worry was when you'd harass me again."

I looked round to find James staring at me, his expression sober. I gulped, and last thing I knew I was crying on his shoulders, sobbing loudly, again, again. For the second time that night.

"I don't want to lose you, I don't want to lose my baby, I don't want to stay home watching everyone I know get hurt and I don't want to die," I said. "But, at the same time, I can't face any of that. I'm not strong enough, I've never been."

"Now, that's bullshit. The Lily Evans I knew at school was strong enough to tell me exactly were I should stick my pride and my oversized head. And to do that, you have to have some boldness."

That didn't cheer me up at all. He must have notice that, because he pushed me away from him slightly, so he could look at me directly.

"You don't have to fight if you don't want to. No one will force you. And, in any case, I'll be there protecting you; I wouldn't let any harm come your way," he said, and I smiled. "Or our son."

"James, I hate you so much when you do that," I told him, and I looked away again to clean my tears. "And, of course, you had to bring little James into the talk."

"Little James?" he asked, confused.

I grinned. "It's what Mary calls the baby," I told him. "It pisses me off so much when she does that."

He gave me an amused stare.

"Don't look at me like that; why would I call my baby James?" I told him. "Who says I'm keeping him at all?"

James shook his head, amused. Then, he said, "You're calling him little James, and not 'thing' anymore. You've had plenty of time to take the baby, and you haven't. And you've just said you wanted the baby. The conclusion that leads me to, is that you want to have this child as much as I do."

I looked at my feet, and didn't answer him for a while.

"I wished I could go back some three months. I hate how complicated my life is now," I told him.

He smiled. "I know what you mean," he said, then turning serious. "Speaking about that, I still didn't understand that story about quitting Auror training. You never told me anything about that."

I wrinkled my nose. "Do we have to talk about this now?" I asked him. "I'm tired James, physically and mentally. Can we please leave this to another time?"

He sighed. "Alright; we should get going anyway," he said, indicating the school gates' direction with his eyes. Then he turned back to me with an accusing expression. "But don't you think I'll forget this."

I nodded. "Don't worry, I'm quite conscious of what I have to tell you, sooner or later."

"Good. Want me to go with you on the bus and take you home?"

"No, it's okay, I can do it," I told him and we walked faster to Hogsmeade. "I believe Mary will want some questions answered. We'll talk tomorrow, alright?"

We had finally left the school grounds and I was ready to call the Knight Bus. Before I had time to it, however, I noticed Sirius had already done it, for he was standing a few feet away, talking to some old guy in purple robes whom I knew to be the driver of the bus.

I turned to James. "Bye," I said, not really sure of what to do.

He seemed to be having this same struggle, for he smiled and leaned over, then backed away, and finally decided to simply kiss my cheek. "I'll apparate over tomorrow morning," he said.

"I have to work," I told him.

"Just ask the day off," James said.

"I can't. I asked the day off today," I told him. "How about you go there overnight?"

He nodded. "Alright. See you, Lily."

"See you," I said, before turning away from him and walking to where the bus was, saying goodbye to Sirius and entering the purple thing.

(…)

"Lily, thank God!" Mary said as soon as I entered our apartment. "You look awful! What happened? I apparate here and after some minutes when you didn't come back I thought about going to Alice's and see if you were there, but then I remembered maybe Alice had decided to tell you something, and I decided not to go. And some minutes ago, Remus and Peter dropped by to say you were going to be late, but they didn't tell me why or where you were, or what was happening."

I let her talk as I walked to the couch and lay down, dead tried. I let my purse and wand fall on the centre table and closed my eyes as Mary droned on.

"Lily? Lily!" she said, and I opened my eyes quickly again. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Sorry, Mary. You were saying?"

She sighed and sat down in the closest armchair. "I was saying that I was so worried about you, that I didn't want to be alone, so I asked Adam to drop by. And he did. And, when we were talking—I'm not sure how it happened—we were talking about you, then we were talking about us and I told him you were having James' baby and then—then, he proposed!"

My head, hitherto turned to the floor, immediately turned to her. "He asked you to marry him?" I asked, incredulous.

Mary nodded. "Yes, he did!" she said. "I was so flabbergasted that I—I just stared at him for some five minutes before he asked me what was wrong and then—then I just jumped on him and said yes!"

I blinked and had the urge to sit straight. "You're getting married?"

She nodded, grinning. "I am!" she said.

"Mary, that's—that's something big! Are you sure that's what you want? I mean, marriage!"

She nodded quite enthusiastically. "Yes, that's what I want. And that's not all."

I looked at her confusedly. "Don't tell me you're pregnant too?"

She laughed nervously. "No, it's not that. He asked me to move in with him," she said, biting her lip in anticipation. "I still haven't told him my answer because—you know—you and the baby."

I stared at her without saying anything for a while, actually not knowing what to say.

In that second, I understood why Alice never told me that she was on the Order. I also understood why James kept that away from me. They probably had felt like I was feeling in that moment: seeing someone you love so much the happiest you've ever seen her, and knowing that what you should tell her will only bring her down, and ruin the happiness she has conquered.

I didn't want to take Mary away from her chimera; she was about to get married, moving in with the guy she loved. Mary, the girl who never actually loved anyone. And it was all so sudden, I bet not even she was expecting it to happen.

No, I couldn't ruin that for her. With that thought, I promised myself not to tell her about the Order, but to do anything I could to make sure she was safe.

She, the other hundreds of muggle-borns out there, every muggle I could safe and, of course, my baby. I would do anything I could to make sure nothing happened to him.

"Mary, I couldn't possibly ask you not to go," I told her, smiling. "I don't want you to stay here just because I'm pregnant. I can handle myself, don't worry."

"I know you can, Lily, but with James gone and all—"

"James's back," I told her, interrupting her. "That was why I was late. I was with him."

She gasped. "Really?" she asked. "God, that's great!"

I nodded, smiling. "I know," I said. "We haven't exactly figured things out, I mean, we basically fought all night, but I'm sure things will be fine. Especially because we have to take care of this little fellow here," I told her, putting my hand over my belly.

"So you're really keeping little James?"

I nodded. "Or little Lily, who knows?"

She laughed and we both stood up and hugged. A hug that was the strongest I had received that night, a hug that showed all we cared for each other: a sisters' hug.

"Just… take care of yourself," I told her. "And come over now and then."

Mary nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Of course I will," she said, "especially because I'll have to keep an eye on this new Potter fellow."

"William Potter," I said, considering. "Allegra Potter. Doesn't it sound nice?"

Mary laughed. "Love, you're one month pregnant, you have a lot of time to get to the names."

"You're right."

She smiled. We stayed the rest of the night like that, talking about babies, weddings and so on; simply talking like two teenagers—like two normal nineteen-year-old teenagers

"Do you know what really sounds nice?" she said later, when we decided it was time to call it a night—more like a morning—as she walked to the door of the living room, ready to go to her room. "About names ending with Potter we talked about earlier?"

"What?" I asked, curious.

"Lily Potter," she said, smirking, before waving goodnight and leaving me to my thoughts.

Interesting how I hadn't thought about that ever since I had rejected James' proposition. I mean, I was pregnant, James was back and we were more united than ever in our life. Just like the idea crossed Mary's mind, what if it crossed James'? Was I ready to say yes if he asked me to marry him again?

Shaking my head of those thoughts, I decided to leave that for after some good hours of sleep. Standing up, I followed Mary's example and walked to my room, ready to fall into the deepest dream.

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Author's note: hello my dears! Hope you had a good week!!

Anyway, here's one more chapter, with loads of James and Lily. xD

I answered everyone; just check your e-mail boxes.

Thanks!

Hannah