Time passed and spring came, as it always does. The little girl was
forgotten, and life with the Marauders began to get a little out of order.
"James, lets go! We're going to be late to Annie's party!"
"So will everyone else, the wind is blowing a mile a minute out there, and I know at least three people will be arriving by broom."
"James, that's not funny! It's her birthday party! Annie's finally of age to marry, in her parents' eyes at least. We can't be late; we can't chance missing anything!"
"We won't be late."
"The only way we aren't late is if we Apparate, and you won't let me do that!"
James dragged Lily over to the couch and sat her down. "You're almost seven months pregnant! There is no way I'm letting you do anything even remotely dangerous. You aren't invincible, you know."
"Speaking of being invincible, James..." Lily's face grew somber. "Haven't you noticed anything strange about me lately? Something different?"
James looked his wife over. He had to be careful; when women asked that kind of question, they wanted a specific answer. Well, she looked beautiful, as always. She was a little, eh...round about the middle, but she was pregnant, it was completely natural. Unless she asked him; then she was as stunning and shapely as the young witches on the cover of Witch Weekly. Even more stunning. Stunningly stunning. Amazingly, stunningly-
"James!"
"Wha'?" He snapped out of it. Other than his less-than-favorite "impatient" look, there was nothing new about her. What was she on about?
"What are you on about, Lil? You look beautiful."
"Not looks, James. I think... well, do you remember how I was always so clumsy?" Well, of course he remembered. She knocked half the brooms off their walls in their shed one day, just by trying to shut the door. Lately though, she had seemed more... graceful.
"You haven't been... um... breaking as many things..."
"Well, that... but James, I haven't been sick. Women get sick, especially during their pregnancies; but I haven't. I haven't gotten sick, or scraped, or hurt in any way in a long time. In just about-"
"Eight months," he breathed, realization dawning. "Do you think this has something to do with the baby?"
"I think maybe..." Lily chewed on her lip slightly. "I don't know...it's not as if it's in danger, the baby's kicking and moving, but...it's nothing. I'm probably just fretting too much."
"No, you never fret too much." James said, knowing this was something quite out-of-the-ordinary.
"Never mind it, James, we'll worry about it after the party." She ordered. "Now how are we going to get to Rhia and Remus's?" Their friends had volunteered to host Annie's birthday/welcome-home bash.
"Lily, are you sure that-"
"James, please." Lily narrowed her eyes into slits, a sure sign that the pregnant lady was getting tense. "Just get us to the party, and we'll call up Dumbledore later."
"All right, then." James nodded. "I'm getting the Jeffersons to call you one of those Muggle wheeled box things."
"Oh, James, not a taxicab!"
~*~
"Remus, I can't move the couch." Rhia cried as she struggled to lift the heavy sofa with her wand.
"What do we need to move it for?" Remus asked, walking out of the bedroom wearing a pair of worn slacks and a towel about his bare shoulders.
"It's taking up too much room, lying there in the middle of the floor." She explained. "I want to put it against the wall, and it's too heavy to push and I can't lift it alone."
"Alright, on three." He threw his towel on the floor and raised his wand as she did the same. "One, two, three!" They raised the couch together and put it in its new spot against the far wall, setting it down with a loud thump.
"Great, that looks great." Rhia said with a smile. "Now, go put on some decent clothes, we've got guests arriving in less than a half hour."
"Can't we just spend a nice, quiet evening here by ourselves?" he asked, slipping his arms around her waist and leaning down to kiss her neck.
"I've gathered everyone up, and you know that's a rarity. Your parents will likely be the first to arrive." She replied. "Go put on a shirt."
"Aw, you know you like me without it." he teased.
"Of course I do, love." She kissed him quickly.
"So we could just take the trousers off as well." He added with a wink.
Rhia tutted softly and rolled her eyes. "Remus, honestly..."
"Rhia, honestly..."
"Fine, fine...you go wait in the kitchen, I have to go fetch something from the closet." She gave in, hurrying off towards the bedroom. Remus sat down at the kitchen table, twiddling his thumbs and wondering hesitantly what she was doing.
"Are you finished?" he called three minutes later.
"Yes, yes." She shouted back, walking out into the kitchen, making Remus's breath catch in his throat. "Well?"
"Oh, my." He murmured, staring her over. Rhia, the sweet, shy, timid Rhia who had been in a purple party dress just a few minutes earlier, was clad in a miniscule French maid outfit, complete with black fishnets and garters that were just visible under her tiny skirt.
"I was going to save this for tonight." She whispered with a smirk, giving her wand a twirl and turning it into a black and white feather duster. "But I thought I'd give you a special preview so you'll be a good boy and suffer through the party."
"Oh, I'll suffer." Remus replied as he slipped one hand up her leg. "As long as you promise you'll wear this tonight." Rhia grinned and began to lay feather-soft kisses on his neck, her hands playing deftly with the top of his trousers.
"Sorry, we're early, the door was unlocked so we-"
Remus and Rhia jumped apart as James and Lily came walking into the kitchen, carrying a large cake between them.
"Oh, my!" Lily cried, dropping the cake. James jumped forward and, with a quick flick of his wand, saved it from utter disaster.
"Lily!" Rhia exclaimed, taking a large step away from Remus.
"Remus, old chap, nice work!" James chuckled, winking at Remus. Remus blushed in return.
"Lily, we weren't - I mean, you're early - we were just-" Rhia stuttered. She snapped her fingers, and instantly she was back in the purple party dress from moments earlier. "I mean, I was just showing Remus a new outfit I got."
"Right," James muttered.
"Rhia, its okay. I mean, sometimes James likes it when I dress up as a Quidditch player-"
"Lily!" James cried, cutting her off, but not soon enough.
"Quidditch player, eh James? Take your obsessions to the bedroom, do you?" Remus laughed.
"Oh, shut up..." he mumbled, slumping into a kitchen chair next to Remus.
"So, Rhia, do you need any help before the other guests arrive?" Lily asked, floating the cake to the safety of the kitchen counter.
"No, no, no." Rhia shook her head, gently forcing Lily onto the couch. "You needn't be on your feet."
"But I-"
"She's right, Lil." James leaned down to kiss his wife's forehead.
"When's he due again?" Remus asked as he set out bowls of crisps and Bertie Bott's Beans.
"Early August." James replied with a grin.
"We don't know if it's a he, James!" Lily cried. "We'll love it all the same, boy or girl."
"It'll be a boy." James whispered.
At that moment, Mr. and Mrs. Lupin Apparated into the room.
"Mum, Dad." Remus leaned over to kiss his mother's cheek.
"Hello, Remus, dear." Mrs. Lupin said in reply. "Has your sister arrived yet?"
"No, we thought she was coming with you." Rhia answered, looking around for the blonde-haired girl that was Annie.
"No, she said she'd meet us here, she had other plans before then." Mr. Lupin said. "Something about a job."
"She never said anything to us." Lily called from her place on the couch.
"Oh, Lillian!" Mrs. Lupin cried, seizing Lily's hands in her own as she saw the engorged state of her stomach. All pandemonium broke loose, what with Mrs. Lupin making such a fuss, James nearly upsetting the table of food, and Mrs. Black and Sirius's small sister Aurelia arriving at the fireplace.
"Mrs. Black, you'll have to excuse the excitement around here." Rhia apologized, leading them away from the hearth. "It's a bit hectic."
"Quite all right, love." Mrs. Black answered in her delightful accent: a mixture of high-class British with a hint of lower-class Irish.
"And how is Miss Aurelia doing today?" Rhia leaned down to the four-year- old's height.
"Very well, thank you." Aurelia smiled through her raven hair shyly.
"Has Sirius arrived yet?" asked Mrs. Black.
"You mean you haven't seen him?" asked Rhia.
"Didn't he tell you he was going on some sort of job interview?" asked Mrs. Black.
"Oh, my..." Rhia rolled her eyes. And, of course, pandemonium broke out once again as Mrs. Black sighted both Lily and Mrs. Lupin, and as James almost upset the table once again, and as the roar of Sirius's bike was heard outside.
"That'll be Padfoot, I suppose." Remus whispered in Rhia's ear.
"Indeed." Rhia couldn't help but grin when both Sirius and Annie came into the room, both looking quite disheveled. Whether that was from the ride through the air or something else, Rhia could not say.
"Sirius, there you are!" Ms. Black called. Sirius smiled and walked over to his mum, picking up Aurelia and tossing her into the air as he did. She giggled delightedly.
"Sorry everyone, we were a bit behind in the air currents... but we're here now, so let's party!" Sirius exclaimed, Annie blushing behind him.
And so they partied, celebrating Annie's move into adulthood and freedom.
"Not too free!" her mum called out when Sirius added that phrase into his toast later that night. Annie laughed along with the rest of the guests, but Sirius just smiled.
When he was don with his toast, Rhia and Lily began to serve the food. The Mauraders, of course at the head of the line, began to whisper quietly to Sirius. "What's up, boys?" Rhia asked suspiciously as they made their way towards her, their heads bent together.
"Nothing!" the four chimed, Sirius smirking slightly.
When they walked away to the nearest table to begin inhaling their food, Rhia turned to Lily. "You know, I've never trusted them. For as long as I can remember, whenever I heard the words Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, I've gotten nervous."
"Try being married to one!" Lily laughed. Rhia smiled politely, but looked down at the food. Lily gasped.
"Oh, Rhia I'm sorry. I didn't realize - oh, darn. No luck with Remus, I take it?"
Rhia shook her head. "I don't get it. We live together; he certainly loves me; even his mum is pushing for it. Why won't he marry me?" Rhia looked over to where Sirius sat in deep conversation with Remus and his father. She bit back a tear. Why was she getting so emotional?
"Rhia, honey, don't worry. Only fools get married young. Why, look at James and I -Â the two biggest fools you could find. Enjoy what you have while it lasts." Rhia smiled, nodded, and tried to convince herself that Lily was right. And she did, too, until the night was almost over.
There were only family and a few close friends left now. Rhia was sitting between Lily and Remus, chatting happily, when Sirius stood up from his corner with Mr. Lupin and cleared his throat.
"Everyone, can I have your attention? I have an announcement to make." James and Remus perked up. Everyone turned towards where Sirius stood, his face a-shining in comparison to Mr. Lupin's; his was rather pale and sweaty. "First off, I guess I'd like to say how incredibly excited I am that we're all together." Sirius said with a grin, looking at everyone. "Moony, Wormtail, and Prongs, the best friends I've ever had."
All three smiled widely.
"Rhia, who's been there for me since we were kids."
Rhia blushed rosily into her cup.
"Lily and her soon-to-be-born baby, whom we all can't wait to see."
James gave a forced cough that sounded awfully like the word boy.
"My family...and Annie."
Rhia suddenly seemed to pick up on something. Perhaps it was the fact that she had known Sirius all her life, or maybe it was animal instincts. Whatever it was, only she seemed to notice his hands slightly shaking or the strange look in his eyes. Rhia turned to Remus. She saw the delighted look plastered all over his face, and when she turned to James and Peter, saw identical grins. Suddenly not smiling anymore, she turned to Annie. Sweet Annie, sitting so innocently, totally oblivious to what was about to happen.
Sirius started to move then. He walked right up to Annie's chair... and got down. On one knee. Annie gasped, Mrs. Lupin squealed, and Rhia looked down again.
"Annie, we've known each other for a long time now. You knew me back at Hogwarts, the way I used to be. Anyone who's known me all throughout my school years has seen the change I've gone through since I've been with you. You have made me want to be a better person. You showed me that there's more to life than lots of women and lots of practical jokes - although those will always be close to my heart," he added, chancing a grin at James. "Most of all Annie, you've taught me love can happen to anyone. Annabelle Harriet Lupin, will you marry me?"
Annie seemed to be at a loss for words as her mouth opened and closed rapidly.
"Well...?" Sirius cracked a nervous smile.
"Oh, Sirius!" she murmured, her eyes very wide.
"Go on, Annie, say something." Peter encouraged from his seat across the room.
"I..." Annie's face broadened into a wide smile as she nodded.
"Yes?" Sirius mumbled as if he hadn't been expecting that answer and it had been the furthest thing from his mind.
"Yes, a thousand times, yes!" Annie laughed and threw her arms about his neck as everyone in the room burst into tumultuous applause.
All but one. Rhia stepped out of the flat into the hallway, leaning onto the wall for support. She cursed herself for feeling this way, but she couldn't help it. She and Remus were together...intimate...but Lily and James had something more special. And now Annie and Sirius were to have it too. Why was she always the one to be left behind? Rhia had believed Lily's words this evening, but now that everyone was excited over something she didn't...couldn't...have, she felt terrible. Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes, threatening to spill with the slightest blink. A noise behind her made Rhia turn around quickly.
"Oh, sorry."
It was Peter, leaving the party along with a dark-haired couple Rhia didn't know. The couple walked off, whispering, leaving Peter with Rhia.
"It's nothing." Rhia braved a smile, hoping her eyes weren't turning red and giving her away.
Too late. The next words out of Peter's mouth were, "What's the matter with your eyes?"
"Nothing, I...it's dust. Allergies." She stumbled over his words.
"Are you sure?" he asked, and she nodded. "Okay, then. I'm leaving, but Remus is wondering where you are."
"Thanks. Goodnight, Peter." She gave him a quick hug.
"Night." Peter smiled and walked off. Rhia, sighing softly to herself, walked back inside the flat.
Everyone was lazing about the room, taking up as much time as they could before going home. Mr. Lupin, Remus, and James were seated at the table, James apparently showing them the layout they had planned for the new baby's room. Sirius and Annie sat on the couch, whispering softly to each other as Aurelia slept soundly in her brother's lap, Annie's hand now holding a sparkling ring. Mrs. Lupin, Mrs. Black, and Lily were chatting by the fire, and Rhia headed towards them first.
"Poor thing, she wants him so badly, but...I don't know what's wrong with him." Mrs. Lupin was murmuring.
"Neither do I, he hasn't said a thing to me." Lily said in reply. "I felt so very bad when I saw her face."
"Who's face?" Rhia asked, knowing very well who they were talking about.
"Oh, Rhia!" Lily exclaimed, jumping a little. "I didn't see you there!"
Mrs. Lupin cleared her throat. "Oh dear, come sit down and chat. A little gossip never hurt anyone."
Rhia sat down, but her face held its slight scowl. "Who's face?" she repeated. Lily's smile faltered a little.
"Oh, just a friend of mine that Mrs. Lupin happens to know," she replied nonchalantly. Technically, she wasn't lying...
"I see." Rhia really did see. And suddenly she couldn't take this any more. "Excuse me," she asked, and got up. Running out to the porch for some air, she had a sudden, irrational thought and climbed the fire escape to the roof of the apartment building. The fresh air felt good on her rapidly warming face. It was bad enough that she had to watch her best friend become engaged - not that it was bad, for them it was wonderful - but to have everyone talking about her own troubled love life behind her back? It was almost more than Rhia could take.
"Excuse me for interrupting, but you look rather distressed. Are you okay, madam?" asked a voice behind her. Rhia gave a startled cry and whirled around. Standing close to her, gazing down, was a man about her age, with soft golden eyes and an endearing smile. His blonde hair and sharp, clear facial features were highlighted in the setting sun to make him look like an angel. Her hurried breath slowed instantly. She actually chanced a smile at the friendly stranger.
"I'm fine, sir, I just needed some fresh air."
"Well, is something the matter?"
Rhia sighed. "Well, actually..." And so they sat, and the stranger listened to all of Rhia's problems and doubts. She had never felt so relieved, so comforted... so loved.
* * *
"Sirius, have you seen Rhia?" Annie asked a few hours later. Sirius shook her head.
"No, I actually haven't, not since she ran off a while ago. Why, what's wrong?"
Annie sighed, plopping down next to her fiance and glancing at Remus across the room. "I just saw her. She was on the roof, with another man... she was kissing him..." Sirius' mouth dropped open.
"Oh, no..."
"I told Remus something like this would happen!" Annie burst, and bit her lip to quiet down. "I told him if he didn't do something soon, he would lose Rhia forever! But he just kept saying he won't lose her, he can't lose her... I just hope-"
But what Annie hoped, no one found out, because she was cut off by Lily's cry. "Oh no!" she called, and beckoned everyone around the Wizard Wireless. "Another attack, listen!"
"... I repeat, there has been another attack on a Muggle family in the immediate vicinity of Yorkshire. Appears to be the work of You-Know-Who, possibly on of his Death Eaters. The attacker is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, please notify the Ministry at once. His appearance is that of a young to middle twenties man, blonde hair, hazel eyes, around 6 feet. If you see a man resembling this picture," and a picture of the Death Eater appeared slowly rotating above the Wireless, "contact your Ministry at once. And now, back to the music. Here's a popular new group called the Weird Sisters, sounds like they could be big, folks!" Remus snapped the Wireless off. Everyone was talking and glancing out the windows, but Annie was staring at the picture.
"Sirius!" she whispered frantically. "Sirius, that's the guy!"
"What guy?" Sirius asked halfheartedly.
"Sirius!" Annie cried, stepping on his foot, the lowered her voice. "That's the man Rhia's on the roof with right now!"
"It couldn't be, Annie...maybe you're just fretting." He murmured, patting her cheek. "It was dark, wasn't it?"
"I know what I saw!" She insisted. "The fellow from the radio was out there! They were snogging!"
"But Rhia wouldn't do that." Sirius retorted. "She's much too sensible."
"Come on, I'll show you." Annie stood and took his hand. "They're bound to still be there."
"Annie, I won't have you going up there if this man really is some dangerous killer." Sirius said forcefully.
"Please, Siri," she pleaded, sticking out her lower lip pathetically, "Remus is my big brother and I don't want to see him hurt."
Sirius sighed.
"Fine, but have your wand at the ready." He ordered, leading her out of the apartment and up the stairs to the roof, where Rhia sat.
Alone.
"Rhia?" Annie called out, slipping her wand back inside her robes. Rhia turned around, smiling at her friends.
"Hello!" she said brightly, her mood obviously improved for some reason. "What are you two doing up here? I thought you'd be leaving soon."
"Rhia, have you seen anyone around here lately?" Sirius asked casually.
"Anyone here?" Rhia repeated, and only Annie seemed to notice the quick and nervous shift of her eyes. "No, I've been alone."
"All right, then, we'll see you later." Sirius waved and led Annie back downstairs, saying to her, "See? You must've been imagining things, she was completely alone."
"Sirius, she was lying!" She cried, stopping him in front of the apartment door. "I would have thought that because you're her closest friend, you'd notice!"
"Annie, you must've imagined it." he insisted. "Rhia would never do anything of the sort."
"But she did!" She exclaimed.
"You've had a big day, love." Sirius murmured gently. "We both have. Let's just go home and get some sleep."
"Like you're going to sleep." She said skeptically.
"Like you want me to." He retorted with a grin.
"James, lets go! We're going to be late to Annie's party!"
"So will everyone else, the wind is blowing a mile a minute out there, and I know at least three people will be arriving by broom."
"James, that's not funny! It's her birthday party! Annie's finally of age to marry, in her parents' eyes at least. We can't be late; we can't chance missing anything!"
"We won't be late."
"The only way we aren't late is if we Apparate, and you won't let me do that!"
James dragged Lily over to the couch and sat her down. "You're almost seven months pregnant! There is no way I'm letting you do anything even remotely dangerous. You aren't invincible, you know."
"Speaking of being invincible, James..." Lily's face grew somber. "Haven't you noticed anything strange about me lately? Something different?"
James looked his wife over. He had to be careful; when women asked that kind of question, they wanted a specific answer. Well, she looked beautiful, as always. She was a little, eh...round about the middle, but she was pregnant, it was completely natural. Unless she asked him; then she was as stunning and shapely as the young witches on the cover of Witch Weekly. Even more stunning. Stunningly stunning. Amazingly, stunningly-
"James!"
"Wha'?" He snapped out of it. Other than his less-than-favorite "impatient" look, there was nothing new about her. What was she on about?
"What are you on about, Lil? You look beautiful."
"Not looks, James. I think... well, do you remember how I was always so clumsy?" Well, of course he remembered. She knocked half the brooms off their walls in their shed one day, just by trying to shut the door. Lately though, she had seemed more... graceful.
"You haven't been... um... breaking as many things..."
"Well, that... but James, I haven't been sick. Women get sick, especially during their pregnancies; but I haven't. I haven't gotten sick, or scraped, or hurt in any way in a long time. In just about-"
"Eight months," he breathed, realization dawning. "Do you think this has something to do with the baby?"
"I think maybe..." Lily chewed on her lip slightly. "I don't know...it's not as if it's in danger, the baby's kicking and moving, but...it's nothing. I'm probably just fretting too much."
"No, you never fret too much." James said, knowing this was something quite out-of-the-ordinary.
"Never mind it, James, we'll worry about it after the party." She ordered. "Now how are we going to get to Rhia and Remus's?" Their friends had volunteered to host Annie's birthday/welcome-home bash.
"Lily, are you sure that-"
"James, please." Lily narrowed her eyes into slits, a sure sign that the pregnant lady was getting tense. "Just get us to the party, and we'll call up Dumbledore later."
"All right, then." James nodded. "I'm getting the Jeffersons to call you one of those Muggle wheeled box things."
"Oh, James, not a taxicab!"
~*~
"Remus, I can't move the couch." Rhia cried as she struggled to lift the heavy sofa with her wand.
"What do we need to move it for?" Remus asked, walking out of the bedroom wearing a pair of worn slacks and a towel about his bare shoulders.
"It's taking up too much room, lying there in the middle of the floor." She explained. "I want to put it against the wall, and it's too heavy to push and I can't lift it alone."
"Alright, on three." He threw his towel on the floor and raised his wand as she did the same. "One, two, three!" They raised the couch together and put it in its new spot against the far wall, setting it down with a loud thump.
"Great, that looks great." Rhia said with a smile. "Now, go put on some decent clothes, we've got guests arriving in less than a half hour."
"Can't we just spend a nice, quiet evening here by ourselves?" he asked, slipping his arms around her waist and leaning down to kiss her neck.
"I've gathered everyone up, and you know that's a rarity. Your parents will likely be the first to arrive." She replied. "Go put on a shirt."
"Aw, you know you like me without it." he teased.
"Of course I do, love." She kissed him quickly.
"So we could just take the trousers off as well." He added with a wink.
Rhia tutted softly and rolled her eyes. "Remus, honestly..."
"Rhia, honestly..."
"Fine, fine...you go wait in the kitchen, I have to go fetch something from the closet." She gave in, hurrying off towards the bedroom. Remus sat down at the kitchen table, twiddling his thumbs and wondering hesitantly what she was doing.
"Are you finished?" he called three minutes later.
"Yes, yes." She shouted back, walking out into the kitchen, making Remus's breath catch in his throat. "Well?"
"Oh, my." He murmured, staring her over. Rhia, the sweet, shy, timid Rhia who had been in a purple party dress just a few minutes earlier, was clad in a miniscule French maid outfit, complete with black fishnets and garters that were just visible under her tiny skirt.
"I was going to save this for tonight." She whispered with a smirk, giving her wand a twirl and turning it into a black and white feather duster. "But I thought I'd give you a special preview so you'll be a good boy and suffer through the party."
"Oh, I'll suffer." Remus replied as he slipped one hand up her leg. "As long as you promise you'll wear this tonight." Rhia grinned and began to lay feather-soft kisses on his neck, her hands playing deftly with the top of his trousers.
"Sorry, we're early, the door was unlocked so we-"
Remus and Rhia jumped apart as James and Lily came walking into the kitchen, carrying a large cake between them.
"Oh, my!" Lily cried, dropping the cake. James jumped forward and, with a quick flick of his wand, saved it from utter disaster.
"Lily!" Rhia exclaimed, taking a large step away from Remus.
"Remus, old chap, nice work!" James chuckled, winking at Remus. Remus blushed in return.
"Lily, we weren't - I mean, you're early - we were just-" Rhia stuttered. She snapped her fingers, and instantly she was back in the purple party dress from moments earlier. "I mean, I was just showing Remus a new outfit I got."
"Right," James muttered.
"Rhia, its okay. I mean, sometimes James likes it when I dress up as a Quidditch player-"
"Lily!" James cried, cutting her off, but not soon enough.
"Quidditch player, eh James? Take your obsessions to the bedroom, do you?" Remus laughed.
"Oh, shut up..." he mumbled, slumping into a kitchen chair next to Remus.
"So, Rhia, do you need any help before the other guests arrive?" Lily asked, floating the cake to the safety of the kitchen counter.
"No, no, no." Rhia shook her head, gently forcing Lily onto the couch. "You needn't be on your feet."
"But I-"
"She's right, Lil." James leaned down to kiss his wife's forehead.
"When's he due again?" Remus asked as he set out bowls of crisps and Bertie Bott's Beans.
"Early August." James replied with a grin.
"We don't know if it's a he, James!" Lily cried. "We'll love it all the same, boy or girl."
"It'll be a boy." James whispered.
At that moment, Mr. and Mrs. Lupin Apparated into the room.
"Mum, Dad." Remus leaned over to kiss his mother's cheek.
"Hello, Remus, dear." Mrs. Lupin said in reply. "Has your sister arrived yet?"
"No, we thought she was coming with you." Rhia answered, looking around for the blonde-haired girl that was Annie.
"No, she said she'd meet us here, she had other plans before then." Mr. Lupin said. "Something about a job."
"She never said anything to us." Lily called from her place on the couch.
"Oh, Lillian!" Mrs. Lupin cried, seizing Lily's hands in her own as she saw the engorged state of her stomach. All pandemonium broke loose, what with Mrs. Lupin making such a fuss, James nearly upsetting the table of food, and Mrs. Black and Sirius's small sister Aurelia arriving at the fireplace.
"Mrs. Black, you'll have to excuse the excitement around here." Rhia apologized, leading them away from the hearth. "It's a bit hectic."
"Quite all right, love." Mrs. Black answered in her delightful accent: a mixture of high-class British with a hint of lower-class Irish.
"And how is Miss Aurelia doing today?" Rhia leaned down to the four-year- old's height.
"Very well, thank you." Aurelia smiled through her raven hair shyly.
"Has Sirius arrived yet?" asked Mrs. Black.
"You mean you haven't seen him?" asked Rhia.
"Didn't he tell you he was going on some sort of job interview?" asked Mrs. Black.
"Oh, my..." Rhia rolled her eyes. And, of course, pandemonium broke out once again as Mrs. Black sighted both Lily and Mrs. Lupin, and as James almost upset the table once again, and as the roar of Sirius's bike was heard outside.
"That'll be Padfoot, I suppose." Remus whispered in Rhia's ear.
"Indeed." Rhia couldn't help but grin when both Sirius and Annie came into the room, both looking quite disheveled. Whether that was from the ride through the air or something else, Rhia could not say.
"Sirius, there you are!" Ms. Black called. Sirius smiled and walked over to his mum, picking up Aurelia and tossing her into the air as he did. She giggled delightedly.
"Sorry everyone, we were a bit behind in the air currents... but we're here now, so let's party!" Sirius exclaimed, Annie blushing behind him.
And so they partied, celebrating Annie's move into adulthood and freedom.
"Not too free!" her mum called out when Sirius added that phrase into his toast later that night. Annie laughed along with the rest of the guests, but Sirius just smiled.
When he was don with his toast, Rhia and Lily began to serve the food. The Mauraders, of course at the head of the line, began to whisper quietly to Sirius. "What's up, boys?" Rhia asked suspiciously as they made their way towards her, their heads bent together.
"Nothing!" the four chimed, Sirius smirking slightly.
When they walked away to the nearest table to begin inhaling their food, Rhia turned to Lily. "You know, I've never trusted them. For as long as I can remember, whenever I heard the words Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, I've gotten nervous."
"Try being married to one!" Lily laughed. Rhia smiled politely, but looked down at the food. Lily gasped.
"Oh, Rhia I'm sorry. I didn't realize - oh, darn. No luck with Remus, I take it?"
Rhia shook her head. "I don't get it. We live together; he certainly loves me; even his mum is pushing for it. Why won't he marry me?" Rhia looked over to where Sirius sat in deep conversation with Remus and his father. She bit back a tear. Why was she getting so emotional?
"Rhia, honey, don't worry. Only fools get married young. Why, look at James and I -Â the two biggest fools you could find. Enjoy what you have while it lasts." Rhia smiled, nodded, and tried to convince herself that Lily was right. And she did, too, until the night was almost over.
There were only family and a few close friends left now. Rhia was sitting between Lily and Remus, chatting happily, when Sirius stood up from his corner with Mr. Lupin and cleared his throat.
"Everyone, can I have your attention? I have an announcement to make." James and Remus perked up. Everyone turned towards where Sirius stood, his face a-shining in comparison to Mr. Lupin's; his was rather pale and sweaty. "First off, I guess I'd like to say how incredibly excited I am that we're all together." Sirius said with a grin, looking at everyone. "Moony, Wormtail, and Prongs, the best friends I've ever had."
All three smiled widely.
"Rhia, who's been there for me since we were kids."
Rhia blushed rosily into her cup.
"Lily and her soon-to-be-born baby, whom we all can't wait to see."
James gave a forced cough that sounded awfully like the word boy.
"My family...and Annie."
Rhia suddenly seemed to pick up on something. Perhaps it was the fact that she had known Sirius all her life, or maybe it was animal instincts. Whatever it was, only she seemed to notice his hands slightly shaking or the strange look in his eyes. Rhia turned to Remus. She saw the delighted look plastered all over his face, and when she turned to James and Peter, saw identical grins. Suddenly not smiling anymore, she turned to Annie. Sweet Annie, sitting so innocently, totally oblivious to what was about to happen.
Sirius started to move then. He walked right up to Annie's chair... and got down. On one knee. Annie gasped, Mrs. Lupin squealed, and Rhia looked down again.
"Annie, we've known each other for a long time now. You knew me back at Hogwarts, the way I used to be. Anyone who's known me all throughout my school years has seen the change I've gone through since I've been with you. You have made me want to be a better person. You showed me that there's more to life than lots of women and lots of practical jokes - although those will always be close to my heart," he added, chancing a grin at James. "Most of all Annie, you've taught me love can happen to anyone. Annabelle Harriet Lupin, will you marry me?"
Annie seemed to be at a loss for words as her mouth opened and closed rapidly.
"Well...?" Sirius cracked a nervous smile.
"Oh, Sirius!" she murmured, her eyes very wide.
"Go on, Annie, say something." Peter encouraged from his seat across the room.
"I..." Annie's face broadened into a wide smile as she nodded.
"Yes?" Sirius mumbled as if he hadn't been expecting that answer and it had been the furthest thing from his mind.
"Yes, a thousand times, yes!" Annie laughed and threw her arms about his neck as everyone in the room burst into tumultuous applause.
All but one. Rhia stepped out of the flat into the hallway, leaning onto the wall for support. She cursed herself for feeling this way, but she couldn't help it. She and Remus were together...intimate...but Lily and James had something more special. And now Annie and Sirius were to have it too. Why was she always the one to be left behind? Rhia had believed Lily's words this evening, but now that everyone was excited over something she didn't...couldn't...have, she felt terrible. Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes, threatening to spill with the slightest blink. A noise behind her made Rhia turn around quickly.
"Oh, sorry."
It was Peter, leaving the party along with a dark-haired couple Rhia didn't know. The couple walked off, whispering, leaving Peter with Rhia.
"It's nothing." Rhia braved a smile, hoping her eyes weren't turning red and giving her away.
Too late. The next words out of Peter's mouth were, "What's the matter with your eyes?"
"Nothing, I...it's dust. Allergies." She stumbled over his words.
"Are you sure?" he asked, and she nodded. "Okay, then. I'm leaving, but Remus is wondering where you are."
"Thanks. Goodnight, Peter." She gave him a quick hug.
"Night." Peter smiled and walked off. Rhia, sighing softly to herself, walked back inside the flat.
Everyone was lazing about the room, taking up as much time as they could before going home. Mr. Lupin, Remus, and James were seated at the table, James apparently showing them the layout they had planned for the new baby's room. Sirius and Annie sat on the couch, whispering softly to each other as Aurelia slept soundly in her brother's lap, Annie's hand now holding a sparkling ring. Mrs. Lupin, Mrs. Black, and Lily were chatting by the fire, and Rhia headed towards them first.
"Poor thing, she wants him so badly, but...I don't know what's wrong with him." Mrs. Lupin was murmuring.
"Neither do I, he hasn't said a thing to me." Lily said in reply. "I felt so very bad when I saw her face."
"Who's face?" Rhia asked, knowing very well who they were talking about.
"Oh, Rhia!" Lily exclaimed, jumping a little. "I didn't see you there!"
Mrs. Lupin cleared her throat. "Oh dear, come sit down and chat. A little gossip never hurt anyone."
Rhia sat down, but her face held its slight scowl. "Who's face?" she repeated. Lily's smile faltered a little.
"Oh, just a friend of mine that Mrs. Lupin happens to know," she replied nonchalantly. Technically, she wasn't lying...
"I see." Rhia really did see. And suddenly she couldn't take this any more. "Excuse me," she asked, and got up. Running out to the porch for some air, she had a sudden, irrational thought and climbed the fire escape to the roof of the apartment building. The fresh air felt good on her rapidly warming face. It was bad enough that she had to watch her best friend become engaged - not that it was bad, for them it was wonderful - but to have everyone talking about her own troubled love life behind her back? It was almost more than Rhia could take.
"Excuse me for interrupting, but you look rather distressed. Are you okay, madam?" asked a voice behind her. Rhia gave a startled cry and whirled around. Standing close to her, gazing down, was a man about her age, with soft golden eyes and an endearing smile. His blonde hair and sharp, clear facial features were highlighted in the setting sun to make him look like an angel. Her hurried breath slowed instantly. She actually chanced a smile at the friendly stranger.
"I'm fine, sir, I just needed some fresh air."
"Well, is something the matter?"
Rhia sighed. "Well, actually..." And so they sat, and the stranger listened to all of Rhia's problems and doubts. She had never felt so relieved, so comforted... so loved.
* * *
"Sirius, have you seen Rhia?" Annie asked a few hours later. Sirius shook her head.
"No, I actually haven't, not since she ran off a while ago. Why, what's wrong?"
Annie sighed, plopping down next to her fiance and glancing at Remus across the room. "I just saw her. She was on the roof, with another man... she was kissing him..." Sirius' mouth dropped open.
"Oh, no..."
"I told Remus something like this would happen!" Annie burst, and bit her lip to quiet down. "I told him if he didn't do something soon, he would lose Rhia forever! But he just kept saying he won't lose her, he can't lose her... I just hope-"
But what Annie hoped, no one found out, because she was cut off by Lily's cry. "Oh no!" she called, and beckoned everyone around the Wizard Wireless. "Another attack, listen!"
"... I repeat, there has been another attack on a Muggle family in the immediate vicinity of Yorkshire. Appears to be the work of You-Know-Who, possibly on of his Death Eaters. The attacker is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, please notify the Ministry at once. His appearance is that of a young to middle twenties man, blonde hair, hazel eyes, around 6 feet. If you see a man resembling this picture," and a picture of the Death Eater appeared slowly rotating above the Wireless, "contact your Ministry at once. And now, back to the music. Here's a popular new group called the Weird Sisters, sounds like they could be big, folks!" Remus snapped the Wireless off. Everyone was talking and glancing out the windows, but Annie was staring at the picture.
"Sirius!" she whispered frantically. "Sirius, that's the guy!"
"What guy?" Sirius asked halfheartedly.
"Sirius!" Annie cried, stepping on his foot, the lowered her voice. "That's the man Rhia's on the roof with right now!"
"It couldn't be, Annie...maybe you're just fretting." He murmured, patting her cheek. "It was dark, wasn't it?"
"I know what I saw!" She insisted. "The fellow from the radio was out there! They were snogging!"
"But Rhia wouldn't do that." Sirius retorted. "She's much too sensible."
"Come on, I'll show you." Annie stood and took his hand. "They're bound to still be there."
"Annie, I won't have you going up there if this man really is some dangerous killer." Sirius said forcefully.
"Please, Siri," she pleaded, sticking out her lower lip pathetically, "Remus is my big brother and I don't want to see him hurt."
Sirius sighed.
"Fine, but have your wand at the ready." He ordered, leading her out of the apartment and up the stairs to the roof, where Rhia sat.
Alone.
"Rhia?" Annie called out, slipping her wand back inside her robes. Rhia turned around, smiling at her friends.
"Hello!" she said brightly, her mood obviously improved for some reason. "What are you two doing up here? I thought you'd be leaving soon."
"Rhia, have you seen anyone around here lately?" Sirius asked casually.
"Anyone here?" Rhia repeated, and only Annie seemed to notice the quick and nervous shift of her eyes. "No, I've been alone."
"All right, then, we'll see you later." Sirius waved and led Annie back downstairs, saying to her, "See? You must've been imagining things, she was completely alone."
"Sirius, she was lying!" She cried, stopping him in front of the apartment door. "I would have thought that because you're her closest friend, you'd notice!"
"Annie, you must've imagined it." he insisted. "Rhia would never do anything of the sort."
"But she did!" She exclaimed.
"You've had a big day, love." Sirius murmured gently. "We both have. Let's just go home and get some sleep."
"Like you're going to sleep." She said skeptically.
"Like you want me to." He retorted with a grin.