AN/ Hey guys. Sorry it's taken so long. I got caught up in the Christmas spirit. I hope that everyone had a good Christmas and that you got everything that you wanted. I also want to wish you a happy new year. I also hope that you keep with me and that you are enjoying the story. :)

A New Year, a New Beginning

"Okay," Sirius looked down at his friends. "What would you say if I wanted to do something that would change my life?"

"Like what?" James asked, flicking through the paper.

"Something life changing," Sirius started to pace. "I'm not going to say anything because I don't know whether I will actually do this."

"Do what?" Remus asked.

"It's a secret!" Sirius threw himself down on the sofa. "I'm not telling anyone except Lily-Petal."

"Whoa!" James sat up. "Why does my wife get to know about this and I don't? Since when have you been best friends with Lily?"

"None of your business," Sirius sniffed. "Anyway, what would you say about doing some that would change my life."

"Padfoot, mate," James sighed. "You have to tell us what it is otherwise we can't help you."

Sirius chewed his lip, "Maybe I'll just ask Lily-Petal then."

"Or you could ask Marigold," Remus pointed out. "She'd want to help you with this life changing event."

"No, I can't ask Goldie," Sirius groaned and rolled off the sofa, landing with a bump on the floor. "Ow," he muttered as he stood up. "I'm going to see Lily-Petal. See you later."

Neither James nor Remus answered. Both of them had been out all night for the Order and the only reason why James was at Sirius' flat rather than his house with Lily, was because she was at work.

"Why do you think he trusts Lily with this secret more than us?" James mused after a while. "I mean, we are his best friends."

"Maybe Lily won't laugh at his secret," Remus glanced up at James. "She will listen to him and won't laugh if it's something stupid, like wanting Marigold to marry him."

James laughed, "That I cannot imagine. Padfoot would make a terrible husband."

"I don't know about that," Remus smiled. "We didn't think you would make a good husband and look at you and Lily."

"Maybe so, but can you see him as a dad? Imagine a mini Sirius. He would be a terror."

The boys looked at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing.

Sirius slipped into the Auror office. He hoped that Marigold wasn't in the cubical when he got there. He needed Lily on her own. Luck seemed to be with him though, as not only was Marigold not in the cubical, Frank and Alice were nowhere to be seen. Lily was flicking through a pile of papers.

"Lily-Petal!" Sirius grabbed hold of her shoulders, making the girl jump.

"Sirius! What are doing here? You're not going working today."
"I know," Sirius grinned and sat down. "I decided to come and visit."

"Marigold's out with Kingsley at the moment. You've just missed her. She won't be back for a while."

"That's okay," Sirius lowered his voice slightly. "I need to ask you something."

"What could you possibly need to ask me that you can't ask Marigold?"

"Please, Lily," Sirius begged. "I have to ask you before Goldie comes back."

Lily sighed and looked at her watch, "I've got another ten minutes before my lunch break. If you can wait that long then I will talk to you. Can you manage that?"

"I suppose so," Sirius sighed. He threw himself down on the floor and made bubbles fly out of the tip of his wand. Lily hid a smile as she returned to her paperwork. Ten minutes later, Frank and Alice returned and Lily was free to go on her break. Sirius jumped up happily and grabbed Lily's hand.

"Can we go to a posh place to eat?"

"If you want to pay for it," Lily smiled as she picked up her bag. "I was actually thinking of going to a café."

"Err," Sirius felt his pockets. "I don't have any money. I'll pay you back if we go to a posh place. Please! Someone might see us if we eat in the café near here."

Lily shook her head, "Okay then. Where shall we go?"

"I know where!" Sirius grinned. They reached the Apparition Area and Sirius turned on the spot. Lily found herself in a small village just outside a little restaurant. "What do you think of this place?" Sirius asked as they entered.

"It's quite nice."

"Do you think Goldie will like it?"

"I think she would. Why? What are you planning to do?"

They sat down at a table and Sirius pretended to be absorbed by his menu so that he didn't have to answer the question. Lily didn't pester him and waited until they had ordered their food before she spoke again.

"Padfoot, what are you planning to do with Marigold? You said you wanted to ask me something but you also have to answer some of my questions."

Sirius sighed, "Okay. I was thinking of doing something which would change our lives, both mine and Goldie's but I don't know if she'd like the change."

"Does she have a say in whether it happens or not?"

Sirius nodded slowly, "Yes."

"Then you should do it. See what she says. She can only say no to your idea."

"But if she says no, I don't know if we could stay together!" Sirius burst out, causing a few people to stare.

"Shh!" Lily glanced around and then looked back at him. "What do you mean, Sirius? Why wouldn't you stay together if she-" Lily broke off and her eyes widened. "No!" she whispered. "No way, Sirius. Are you really?"

Sirius shrugged, "I was thinking about it. But I wasn't sure. If she says no wh-"

"She won't say no," Lily interrupted. "She loves you, Sirius. Ask her."

Sirius nodded slowly, "Then there is one more thing that I need your help for."

Lily smiled, "Of course I'll help you, Sirius. You only have to ask."

Two days later Sirius brought Marigold back to the little restaurant that he and Lily had been to. The boy was a bundle of nerves. Lily had managed to persuade him to go through with his idea and even now she was watching the couple round the corner. Sirius had wanted her help to make the evening special and Lily had agreed despite the amount of work she had. Lily had spent half an hour in a small room that Sirius had hired out for the evening decorating it. Now the room looked completely different and Lily was certain Marigold would like it. The couple entered the restaurant and Lily hurried to the window of the small room so that she could keep an eye on what was happening inside. She watched for only a few minutes before she slipped away, to Godric's Hollow.

James, Remus, Peter, Frank and Alice were all waiting for her at the cottage. They were sitting in the living room talking but as soon as Lily entered they stopped.

"And?" Alice asked. "How did it go? Did she say yes?"

"I don't know," Lily shrugged, dropping her bag and hanging up her coat. "I left before he asked. They were still having dinner. We'll find out soon enough. Sirius will either come back crying or ecstatic. If it's the first one, it's up to you boys to sort him out and Alice and I will deal with Marigold."

"But what if it's the second one?" James asked innocently. "Are we allowed to make fun of him?"

"Why would you want to do that? Just because you can't imagine him having a serious relationship."

"Well he might prove us wrong," Remus mused. "He is Sirius after all."

The friends talked for a bit longer and then they left. Lily carried the mugs that they had used for coffee into the kitchen and started washing them up. James leant against the doorframe to watch her.

"Are you okay?" James asked once Lily had finished.

"Yeah," Lily grabbed a cloth. "just thinking."

"About what?" James moved forwards and took the cloth from her. He picked up one of the mugs and started drying.

"Stuff," Lily sighed and pulled herself up onto the counter. "It's just, I never thought that we would be here."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean I never thought that we would be here, expecting our first child without any of our parents. Doesn't this scare you, James? We're having a baby and neither of us has any idea how to look after it and we can't ask our parents because they're dead!"

Lily stared at James before she burst into tears. James wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey, shh, Lils," James kissed her head. "We'll be fine."

"How can you say that? Have you ever looked after a baby?"

"No but-"

"Then how do you know we're going to be okay?" Lily looked up at him. "I wanted my mum to be around to help me, but she's now not going to be here."

"I know, Lils," James closed his eyes. He needed to summon up strength so that he could comfort Lily, but instead he was trying to hold back his own tears. Finally he managed to continue. "But there are books on this stuff and I'm sure Bathilda knows something."

"But Bathilda isn't mum or dad and she isn't Jane or Adam."

"I know," James sighed. "but we can cope without them. You are going to be a wonderful mother, Lils. Trust me."

"I do, James," Lily whispered leaning her head against his chest. "I just miss them so much. I concentrated so much on Amy I hardly thought about missing them, but without her here-"

"You feel it more," James finished. "It's the same for me, Lily. But we've just got to believe that we can do this. Remember, Alice and Frank are in almost exactly the same position."

"How? They still have their parents."

"Yeah but Alice's parents are moving to Spain and can you honestly imagine Frank's mother wanting to help out?"

"But they have their parents, James and we don't."

"I know," James sighed. "and I don't know what else I can say, Lils. I know they have their parents and we don't but there is nothing we can do about that. We have each other and at the moment that is all that matters."

Lily wrapped her arms tightly around James' waist.

"We have each other," she whispered. "and soon we'll have a baby."

"Exactly," James murmured. "Tomorrow I'll go to a Muggle bookshop and get every book that I can find on babies and then when I get back we'll go visit them."

"All four of them?" Lily asked and James nodded.

"Yes, all four of them. I'll buy flowers on the way home as well and I'll even make dinner."

Despite herself Lily managed to smile.

"You're going to cook?"

"Well," James smiled as well. "I'll try and cook. Can't make any promises though."