Author's Note: Here's another chapter. I don't have a publishing schedule for this story, just whenever I can get something written. I really appreciate anyone who is reading and those who take time to review. I will be answering reviews soon. I hope you enjoy. MNF

Chapter 2:

We're all what?

1 January 1980

12:01 a.m.

"Oye, stop s-s-snogging my s-s-ister!" James slurred, having had a few too many shots while he and the guys were playing Exploding Snap. He had just finished kissing Lily and he didn't find it the least bit strange to reprimand a friend for doing what he'd just done.

"She's my wife, Prongs," Sirius said, far less drunk than his mate. "I'll snog her whenever I want!" Sirius kissed Anwen again, just to show he could. Anwen was laughing while he tried to engage in the smooch, making it poorly executed.

Remus and Eva had shared a chaste kiss, and while he'd drank as much as James, his metabolism burned it off quickly, which made his countenance more like Sirius's. That's when Remus noticed Pete staring at them and whistled a low note. It was an agreed upon sound they'd make whenever Peter was too interested in any of the couples' mild public displays. It was becoming a big problem for all of them.

While Peter and his mother had been offered a cottage on the Potter property, they'd declined. Mrs Pettigrew had gone so far as to call the manor house a 'den of iniquity' which the other six found rather odd, since four of them were married. The only ones who were not were Remus and Eva, and her mother lived steps from the rear garden. That's not to say that Peter didn't come over, he did, usually three or four times a week at about eight-thirty—after he'd gotten his mother into bed-he'd stay until someone, most of the time Remus, threw him out. You'd think someone who needed to be at the Ministry at eight would go to bed earlier. Since the other five needed to be at work by eight, and Remus didn't have class until ten, he was the lucky one to shuffle Pete to the wards and watch him go. James and Anwen agreed not to key him in, nor did he have unfettered Floo access.

Emme had come over tonight, but it was a rarity that anyone saw her besides Maggie and Lily. Even then it was only because Emme's family was one of the larger suppliers of potions ingredients for the Potter Potions Proprieties. Most of the business done between Emme's family and the Potters was wholesale, but Lily would go to the shop on Diagon Alley when she needed to stock the manor's stores. She could only go if two of the guys went with, and even then, they preferred if an elf went for her. The Alley was different now. People went there, did what they needed to do and left. You didn't linger to chat or sit down for a nosh. Owl order had become very popular for most shops.

Maggie had come with Emme, as they were sharing the flat over the shop. Maggie had realized her dream and was now a reserve Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. It was the only team she'd consider and if they hadn't wanted her, she was going to move to the United States and try-out there. The two single girls were laughing at the antics of the married couples, but also felt a pang of loneliness that they had no one to kiss at midnight to usher in the new year. They both looked at Peter, then each other and shook their heads. Neither were that desperate.

The group had started out with sixteen Gryffindors in nineteen-seventy-one, now there were just ten. Their friend, Burt Pinswick, and his family were missing and presumed dead. The Royale family had pulled Cullen's two younger sisters out of Hogwarts and had moved into a family property somewhere on the continent. Another friend, Stan, had joined Curt Walker and Artie Lindersmith and disappeared into the Muggle world, forsaking magic completely. None of the friends knew how to contact them, and they decided it was for the better. The honest truth was no one knew who they could trust or not anymore.

The gents went out to have a swim, a yearly tradition dating back to when they were thirteen, breaking through the ice on the pool surface so they could do so. When they rushed back into the rear sitting room, the most informal living space in the house, they were dripping wet. The girls wisely erected Shield Charms to prevent them from splashing them with the cold droplets.

"You're all idiots," Anwen said as she waved her hands like a conductor and dried them off.

"Anwen, our clothes are still wet!" James complained.

"We just didn't want you to shake your heads like dogs and get us wet, I could care less if your pants are damp. You can do your own drying charms." The guys looked around, and then Sirius looked at his wife.

"I know I left my wand here," he said pointing at the coffee table that was littered with Butterbeer bottles, glasses from Firewhisky, water and wine glasses.

"You shouldn't just leave important things lying about," Lily said, holding back her smile. "You just never know where they might walk off to."

"You put our wands somewhere?" James asked indignantly.

"Perhaps." Eva answered before all five broke out in peals of laughter.

"Shite," James said, and the quartet took off. The girls didn't often prank the gents anymore, but when a perfect opportunity presented itself, they didn't say no to it. The four rushed out of the room and began clamouring up the stairs.

"So, how long do you think it will take them to find their wands?" Emme asked.

"James will take forever, as he never thinks to look for it on the wand stand his Great-Uncle Charlus gave him," Lily said, smiling. Charlus and Dorea had joined them for dinner, as had Eva's mother, Aurora; but then allowed the young adults their fun for the night.

"Sirius might find his quickly, if he thinks about what my favourite thing to do when I want to relax is play music. I put it in my guitar case," Anwen said, looking toward the entrance to the music room.

"I wasn't that creative," Eva said. "It's just in his pants drawer."

"Lame, Eva," Maggie said. "Peter's is in the refrigerator. Of course, I think Elba is standing guard over the food for the feast later today."

"Oh, she is," Anwen said. "After Peter's eating the entire Easter ham two years ago, she doesn't trust him at all."

"So, while we're waiting for these gents to find their wands, dry off and re-join us, what shall we talk about?" Emme asked.

"I have a question," Maggie said. "Are you going to Muggle Uni, Anwen? I know you were planning to after you finished your Healer training."

"I was, and I will at some point go to get my degree in psychology, but the war has made it so difficult and there are so many children who are being hurt, I just felt I couldn't leave. I'll tell you though, I dread when my name comes up on the rota for A and E. It's usually a bloodbath down there and I'm rarely working on kids."

"You could always take yourself off the rota," Eva reminded her. "Healer Weston said she'd put you on the paediatric floor exclusively. That's what I did."

"You're strictly a Mind Healer, Eva, I'm a Paediatric Healer, and I go where I'm needed. So many older Healers won't work in A and E anymore, there's only like ten of us on the rota. Sirius would appreciate it if I took myself off, but he knows I won't. He calls it the Potter guilt – we need to save all those we can."

"Yup, and Mum and Dad were exactly the same," Sirius said as he entered the lounge first. "Thanks for hiding mine in the second place I looked." He twirled the wand between his fingers.

"Where did you look first?" she asked.

"Your knicker drawer. I like the new ones," he said while wagging his eyebrows.

"If you like them so much, perhaps you can let me wear them more than once! Really, the extra second or two it takes to remove them rather than rip them would be appreciated!" The rest laughed at the pair, who only grinned happily at each other.

Remus was back next, sitting down next to Eva. While waiting for James, the Floo roared to life and Alice and Frank came in and greeted their cousins – Anwen, Sirius and Lily.

"Where's James?" Frank asked of his cousin and friend.

"Looking for his wand," Lily answered. "The gents went for their yearly freezing dip in the pool, so we hid their wands. These two found theirs quickly; sometimes James is not so perceptive."

"Where is it?" Alice asked.

"The wand stand he got from Dorea and Charlus."

"He's an idiot," Frank agreed.

"We aren't sure Peter will ever find his." Maggie said as she and Emme came over and said they were heading home. The girls knew it was 'family' time. They'd be back with their parents tomorrow for the New Year's Day At-Home the Potters threw every year. It was unfortunate they couldn't take Peter with them. The Floo blazed as they left and Anwen immediately closed it, as no one else would be with them.

"You're later than we expected," Lily said. "Your parents didn't want you to leave?"

"More like my parents," Frank answered with a goofy grin.

"Frank, go help James, I need to talk with Lily. Anwen, you might want to come too," Alice said, pulling them toward the music room and shutting the door.

"What?" Lily asked.

"I'm pregnant," Alice said with her eyebrows raised.

"Did you stop your potion?" Anwen asked, terror on her face.

"I've been taking my potion, from the stuff you made in September, and I still became pregnant. I'm due in July." Lily sat down hard on the settee in the room and stared at James's cousin.

"I'm pregnant, too. We were going to tell everyone at the party tomorrow." Lily had told James on Christmas and he was itching to tell his friends.

Anwen looked pale and stumbled toward the piano bench. "It's all from the same batch, isn't it, Lily?"

"Always. I've brewed for you and I since fourth year and when Alice approached me after our wedding, it was no big deal. It's just as easy to brew for all of us as it is to brew for myself," she answered, muttering as if she was lost in her thoughts. I don't know how I made it wrong. "Anwen when was your last cycle?"

"Middle of November," she answered, the pieces fitting into place in her mind. "I figured I was just late because of my crazy work schedule and the holiday hoopla and getting the baskets ready for the town and…oh goddess, I might be pregnant. Sirius is going to be so upset. We aren't ready! There's a war and he's fighting on the front lines and…" she broke down crying. Alice went and hugged the girl.

"We need to find out for sure. You'd only be a few weeks, but I knew the day after my cycle didn't show up. I'm as regular as an international Portkey to France." Everyone knew they showed up at nine o'clock in the UK and nine-oh-two in Calais, a.m. and p.m.

"I have some pregnancy testing potion left from when I needed to take my test. Head up to your room, I'll retrieve it from my lab," Lily said, and Anwen wiped her tears and headed up to her room. Alice motioned to Eva to join them upstairs.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked, standing. "Why is Anwen upset?"

"It's a girl thing, Sirius," Alice said, and Sirius nodded and reluctantly sat back down. He was aware Anwen's monthly hadn't showed up. Unfortunately, the dog left him with exceptional smelling abilities, and he'd not smelt the change in his wife's chemistry.

Upstairs, once the four were gathered in Anwen and Sirius's suite. Alice was on the window seat, Lily at the desk and Eva sat next to the room's owner. Lily pricked Anwen's finger and added the three drops of blood that were required. It took only a few seconds for the potion to change from blue to green, indicating that a baby is on the way. "Oh goddess," Anwen said before she started to bawl. Eva immediately wrapped her arm around her friend.

"Anwen, it's going to be okay," Lily said to her friend, taking her hand. "We will all do this together, and if you're worried about what Sirius will say, he loves you and you've talked about having a family."

"Not yet! Just a few months ago he was terrified I was 'up the duff' as he put it!"

"Anwen, let's think about it all rationally, okay?" Eva suggested.

"Well, I don't think any of us would have picked just yet," Alice piped up, honestly. "I know it will mean desk duty for me and Lily, you'll need to limit some of your brewing, but think of it this way – all our children will grow up like siblings."

"I suppose, but," Anwen hesitated. "What if he wants me to … well, I can't get rid of … our love made this baby," she said, her hand going to cradle the still flat area of her belly.

"It did, and Sirius will be over the moon." Eva said. "I think we all need to go have a talk with the guys," Eva said.

"I suppose you're right," Anwen said wiping at her face. "Sirius won't throw a fit in front of his friends."

"He's not going to, Win," Lily said. "Sirius is going to be thrilled and then become an overprotective git. Remember how he treated you with kid gloves when you had that abdominal wound last year?"

Anwen sniffed deeply before Alice conjured a delicate, lacy hankie for her. "He carried me everywhere. I am NOT letting him do that for nearly nine more months."

"There's our friend," Eva said. "It's going to be easier for you all to be pregnant while together. Can I help with the deliveries?"

"No one better to have in the delivery suite than your calming influence," Lily said. "And Anwen, you can be our Healer!"

"You're going to want an Obstetrics Healer, but I can monitor all three of us. Sure you don't want to join in the fun, Eva?"

"I don't know that I can get pregnant by Remus. Something about werewolf physiology and Siren magic and … Mum was going to investigate it. With all of you pregnant, she'll go into overdrive!" The four laughed.

"All for one," Alice said.

"One for all," Lily said.

"And all that jazz," Anwen sarcastically finished, and the trio laughed.

"Where did that come from?" Eva asked.

"It became rather dull while we were in mourning for Mum and Dad," Lily explained. "So, we all read the same Muggle book. We picked The Three Musketeers hoping it would entertain the guys, which it did. We sort of adopted their motto.

"You three are so strange," Eva said.

"You try spending six weeks at home, with only the immediate family and no work allowed. James and Sirius were climbing the walls. Reading books together saved our sanity." It was the pureblood method of paying respects, but Anwen hoped that when she died her family would skip that nonsense and just celebrate her life and have a party. She enjoyed a good Irish wake much more.

The quartet came downstairs and immediately Sirius rose to go to his wife. He filled his lungs with her scent, and while it was off it wasn't her regular 'off' odour. "Luv, tell me what's going on, please."

Anwen looked at bit green when she stared into his face and then looked at her cousin and sister through marriage. "Together?" The other two nodded.

"Three," said Alice.

"Two," said Lily.

"One," said Anwen, who took a deep breath before they announced: "I'm pregnant."

While James and Frank had already known, and were congratulating each other and their respective wives, Remus was surprised and was happy for his friends. Sirius and Anwen, however, were continuing to gaze at each other. Finally, Anwen broke the gaze and looked at the floor. She didn't want to see the emotions covering his face.

Sirius, for his part, finally broke out of his stupor and slid his hand across his wife's abdomen where their child was growing. "Our baby is in there?" Relieved, Anwen looked up suddenly until their eyes met.

"Yes," she quietly said, tears forming again; this time they were joyous. "The only thing we can figure is the potion failed."

"We're going to have a child?"

"Looks that way," she said with a hint of a smile playing at her lips.

"When?"

"We're all due late in July, early August. I think I'm the latest, but only by a few weeks. Honestly, we could all have the baby on the same day."

"That's – I'm going to be a daddy, and an uncle, and an honorary uncle all at once!" Sirius pronounced before picking his wife up, kissing her resoundingly and swinging her around. "Nineteen eighty is going to be the best year of my life!"