(Note from the author: These are not my characters, my world, or my situations. They all belong to J. K. Rowling, and are protected by copyrights.)

James looked at Lily in amazement, his mouth open and his eyes wide. The room had spun. The stars had fallen from the sky. And he wa in a mixture of emotions.
Half of him was in pure joy. And the other half was in pure horror.
"How long have you known?" he asked, still awed at this creature before him.
Lily shrugged. She was sitting on the bed. They were in James's old room, and she had her arms and legs crossed, looking very small and white on the large bed. Her eyes were still scanning the floor.
"A month? I went to the Healer's in November, and he told me that I was a month in," she admitted, "I was afraid to tell you. I . . . I didn't think you'd be too thrilled."
"And now you've decided to tell me . . . why?" James asked, starting to pace, "It's my problem, too. We could have worked it out together."
"James, I didn't think that you'd understand," Lily said, a tear coming to her eye, "I thought that maybe . . ."
"Maybe what?" James said, throwing his hands up, "That I'd leave you?" Lily flinched, "God, Lily, I thought you knew me better than that?"
She swallowed hard, and then said, "James, I know that you'd never leave me. But . . . but I don't know if I'm ready to do this. I'm nineteen. I just turned nineteen. I'm a child myself! How am I supposed to be able to take care of a totally separate person? How am I supposed to have that responsibility?" her eyes bulged, "What are my parents going to say?"
James's face fell. Mr. Evans's face came back to him, and he gulped.
"We don't need to tell him . . . I mean, them," James said, "Just us."
"Well, I think that people are going to figure it out after a while," Lily said, pointing to her stomach, "Unless you want to say that I've magically grown a beer gut, I don't think that we can exactly hide the fact."
James took a chair, and sat opposite of her. He took her hands in his, and she lifted her head to look at him. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with tears not yet fallen.
"Lily," James said, "We've gotten this far. And we're not giving up now. It's going to be all right. I swear. I'm going to be there for you. And for . . . for it," he said, looking at her stomach, "For both of you. I promise. Remember when I promised you that I wouldn't run away? I'm not. I'm here. And we're going to get through this together."
"It's too early," she said, the tears now falling, "God, I didn't want it to happen now. Not in the middle of this War and . . . and James, we're too young."
"They said that about marriage, too, Lily," James said, "You and I can do anything, remember? No rules and regulations? That's us, remember?"
Lily, nodding and slowly letting the tears drop to her cheeks, rested her head upon his shoulder, and he embraced her, "Now look. I've always wanted a family. We can see this in a good light."
"Well, I've always wanted a family, too, James, but . . ." Lily sat up, and dried her eyes, "Let's be practical about this. There's really no way that two people of our age and of our position can take care of a baby."
"Don't analyze everything, Lily," James said, "We're going to be perfectly fine. It's an adventure. We'll do it together. The three of us."
The door slowly creaked open, and they quickly shot their heads to look at the entrance. There stood Remus and Sirius, looking around the room, and then to them. Sirius blinked, seeing that James was looking at him, and then nudged Remus. Remus then looked at James, and then to Lily, and then to his own body. He then hit Sirius on the arm, and glared.
"You dolt!" he said, under his breath.
"What?" Sirius whispered, still not sure if James and Lily were looking directly at them or through them.
"You didn't do the spell right," Remus hissed, and then gave a wry smile to James and Lily, "Excuse us two. Just passing through."
"They can see us?" Sirius said, looking in horror to James, "Ah, and so they can," he added louder as James nodded.
"We'll be going now," Remus said, and pushed Sirius out the door, "Sorry to interrupt you. Continue."
"No, wait," James said, and stood. Lily looked horrified. She took his hand, and he turned to look at her.
"They need to know, Lily," he said sternly, and she, retreating, nodded reluctantly. Remus looked from her to James, and then furrowed his brow.
"What exactly is going on?" he asked quietly.
James looked to Sirius, and mussed his hair, "Well, Lily sort of had news for me today. You see . . . well . . ." James's lip curled into a wry smile, "She's . . . sort of pregnant."
Sirius let out a barking laugh, stepping into the room, and he held his sides as he guffawed. Remus's face was completely stone. His eyes were set on Lily, and she shifted on the bed. He was staring at her. Judging her.
"Oh, that was a good one, James," Sirius said, slapping James on the back, "I thought you said that Lily was pregnant."
"I did," James said, and then took Lily's hand again, "It's due in July."

Remus didn't say anything, but just stood motionless behind Sirius, his eyes hazy and his mouth forming a firm line. He remembered Moody's speech. He had agreed with him. This child that was to be born would be born into the hell that all of them had entered. They were guilty. But the child was not. Why should it have the same fate as its parents?
"James?" Sirius said, and then giving a quick look to Lily, his smile widened, "Ah, Ja-ames," he said, putting an arm around his shoulder, "Good going, mate."

Lily looked in disgust to Sirius, and then back to Remus, briskly saying, "If you're going to say something, say it."
Remus blinked, and then shook his head, "Nothing. I'm not going to say anything."
"Yes, you were," Lily said, standing up to face him, "You want to judge me? Go ahead. What were you thinking?"
Sirius and James looked back at Remus, as Remus tried to face Lily without angering her. The left eye was already twitching. God, why did she do that?
"Well, I believe that it was very irresponsible of you two," Remus said truthfully, reaching into his robes for his wand, just in case Lily did anything, "We are in a war time. It isn't exactly the ideal period to be raising a family. And . . . and you are very young."

"God, Moony," Sirius coughed, "You sound just like Mad-Eye."
"Because Mad-Eye was right," Remus said, and Sirius's smile faded, "Moody knows what's best," Remus continued on, James looking at Lily out of the corner of his eye, "You are only nineteen."
"And we were eighteen when we were married," Lily argued.
"My point exactly," Remus said.
"You point?" James said, "What do you mean your point? Moony, our marriage has gone perfectly fine."
"A baby is not a marriage," Remus argued, "It's another life."
Lily, Sirius, and James stood there, staring at their solemn friend who stood alone. If only Peter had been there. Peter would have stood beside him against this. They had been stupid. They had been completely irresponsible . . .
"Remus," Lily started, "We won't be alone. We'll have the three of you. You and Sirius and Peter. My child will have three wonderful uncles that will help out. Or at least, I hope they will."
"Of course," Sirius said, beaming, "Oh, James, we're going to show him all of the secret passageways. All about the school. And the Shrieking Shack. He'll be just like us. Right, Moony? Another Marauder?"

Remus gave Lily's warmer face one more stare, and then cautiously looked to Sirius. His mouth still formed a firm line, but his right eye was narrowed in an expression that could be either contempt or deep thought. James looked hopefully to him, pleading with his eyes. He needed support now. He didn't need Remus's lectures. He needed him to be supportive.
And Remus was a Bowler. Whatever the victim needed him to be, he became.
"Yeah," Remus said reluctantly, "The sixth Marauder."

They told Moody that night, and swept him aside out of the party. They decided that it was best to get it over and done with as soon as they could. He wasn't pleased.
"I thought that you two, especially you two, could have been a little more grounded," Moody growled as he took out his hip flask, "I am very disappointed. You two will also move into Headquarters after the child is born . . ."
"No," James said, taking Lily's shoulders from behind, "We aren't hiding. We fight. Lily continues to fight. And after July, we stay in our house. I'm not running, and neither is my family."

"Pride is dangerous, Potter," Moody said offhandedly as he took a swig of his flask.
"Pride is all I have left," James said, determined, and Moody gave a half smile to the boy that stood before him. He shook his head sadly, and then looked away from the couple.
"What?" James asked, and Moody sighed a tired sigh. His swiveling eye turned to stare him right on.
"The past is a circle, Potter," he said, in a tired and worn voice, "The past is our future. Fates have a way of repeating themselves."
And then he left, stalking into the entrance hall and out of sight. Lily and James looked to where he had disappeared, as the front door opened, and the cold wind blew in. Soon, Peter's chilled figure could be seen from the doorway, and the two of them strode over to him to tell him the news. Peter looked spooked and cold as James took his arm and led him over to the kitchen.
"Peter, we need to talk," James said quietly, and Peter blinked.
"Why? What's going on? Why are you grabbing me?" he demanded. He looked terrified as James shut the door behind him and Lily. It was just the three of them now, and Peter looked cornered. He also looked very ridiculous in his parka and long scarf. His cheeks were chapped from the winter cold from outside, and his skin was white. Lily didn't know if it was from the weather or James grabbing him.
"We don't want to tell everyone right now," James said, "Moody's having a fit, and Remus went all mother hen on us," he sighed, and took Lily's hand, "We want you to know, though. We're pregnant?"
Peter blinked, and looked from one of them to the other, and his face relaxed, "Oh. So this is what this is about."
"Did you not hear me? We're pregnant," James said, and Peter's chapped face contorted into a smile.
"Both of you?"
"No, you dolt," he said, smacking the top of Peter's head, "Lily is."
"So you're going to have a baby?" Peter said, suddenly letting it all sink in. His face was pale again.
"Yes," Lily said, her hoarse voice speaking for the first time, "We're going to have a baby."
"Oh," Peter said, forcing another smile on his face, "Oh. Well, that's nice. That's very nice."
"That's all you've got to say?" James said, taking him by the shoulders, "You aren't going to wring us out? Come on, Wormtail. Be useful for once. Tell us it's a bad idea. That's what everyone else has been doing."

"I believe you two can make it," Peter said, "You've made it this far, haven't you? I knew it, that you would be a father, James. I knew you would."
It was in that moment that James could have hugged Peter. His two best friends had failed him. Remus had hated the idea. Sirius had laughed. He knew what that meant. He could read his friend.
He had laughed again.
It had been a while since he had done that. But bad habits were hard to break.
But here stood Peter, giving them the reassurance that they needed. Here stood Peter, completely loyal, completely truthful. He knew that they could do it. And that's what James needed to hear at that moment. It's what James wanted to hear.
For he himself was not so sure that it was the absolute truth.
"Ah! Albus!" someone sounded from behind the closed door. The wind gushed in, and they could tell that the storm was picking up. Three pairs of footsteps entered, and Lily opened the door to see who had arrived.
"It's Dumbledore, with Hagrid," she informed the two boys, "And some old man is with them. Never seen him before."
The three of them made their way back into the entrance hall, and saw Moody, still steaming from the ears, charging towards the old Headmaster. They were done for.
Moody would tell his version of the story, and both them and the Longbottoms would be done for.
"What should we do?" James asked, turning to Lily, "We have to get to him before . . ."
But Lily wasn't there.
"Lily?" James said, confused. She was no where in sight. Where had she gone?
Peter tugged on his sleeve, and then pointed to the spiraling staircase. Lily was making her way up the case to where Alice and Frank had stood. She had a glass of wine in her hand, and she was clearing her throat.
"Why," James groaned, and sprinted through the crowd of Aurors to meet his wife on the stairs. His face was now a red, and he could feel the eyes of Sirius on him. The two of them were talking by the cauldron cakes. Remus turned around, and his smile faded. He looked so much older now. Like this unborn child was not only James and Lily's, but his as well.
"We have to tell them all now," Lily said as James turned to face the crowd, "We have to tell them now."
"Mrs. Potter," Moody barked from the floor as Dumbledore removed his large hat and gave it to Diggle.
"May I have everyone's attention, please," Lily shouted, and James darted his eyes to her, "No more fear, James," she muttered under her breath, and grabbing his hand in her free one, "I have an announcement to make," she added to the party guests.
Frank and Alice, who were quietly sitting off in the dining room, came out of the doorway, Alice with streaks of tears on her face. Frank looked very solemn as he spotted James, and his mouth hung open.
"James and I have an announcement to make," Lily continued on, not letting anyone stop her, including herself, "I am going to have a child . . ."
The room went quiet. These two, children themselves, stood in front of them, telling them the impossible. They were nineteen. They were in the midst of a war. Who could have asked for worse circumstances.

Moody's eyes narrowed, as if it was now official.
"And no one is going to stop us," Lily said, "I don't care what any of you think. I don't know anything about being a mother . . ."
"That's right, you don't!" Elphias snorted.
"But I know how to love," Lily said, ignoring his comment, "And that's what I'm going to do. That's what both of us are going to do."
She looked to Alice, and smiled a sad smile, "It's due in July. Our children are going to be the best of friends. And they'll grow up together. And hopefully, my baby can have as good as friends as my husband has," she raised her glass to Sirius and Remus and Peter, now all standing together, "And I hope that my baby will have the pleasure of knowing all of them for what wonderful people they are."
Alice and Frank now edged back into the crowd, holding their own glasses. Marlene took Alice by the shoulders, and smiled her freckled smile.
"And no one," she said, looking back to Moody with eyes like a hawk, "No one is going to take that away from my child. No one will teach my child fear. No one."
Moody's face was blank. Not out of shock, or awe. But of something else that James couldn't exactly make out.
Dumbledore was standing behind his colleague, his eyes twinkling. He had a small smile on his face, and it seemed that he was slowly nodding from behind that large beard. James looked at him, and into his old worn eyes.
Your father would be proud, a voice came running through his head.
James blinked, and turned away. Legilimency.
"I believe," Dumbledore said, now turning to the crowd, "That this is cause for celebration."
They all looked to him as if he was mad, but he only spread his arms wide, and said, "Come, two children are on their way. The new generation that we are fighting for, am I wrong?"
"Albus . . ." Moody started.
"At any other time, we would celebrate such an event, would we not?" Dumbledore said, taking out his wand, "Let us smile, and thank our good fortunes that such an occurrence has taken place."
And with a flick of his wand, the refreshments replenished themselves, and the Christmas tree grew twice the size of what it was minutes ago. The Christmas music changed into beautiful sounds that could only be matched by perfection. And a wine glass found its way into everyone's hand.
"Now let us celebrate," Dumbledore said, and they somehow magically obeyed him.
Years after that night, Remus believed that Dumbledore set some sort of charm onto the house. For all thoughts of war and fate left the house, and the inhabitants were only left with joy. Pure joy.
But Remus didn't laugh that night. He had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.
And so when the picture was taken, all of them huddled together in the living room, laughing and raising their glasses . . . there was no fear.
There was only happiness.
Marlene could be found, standing beside Frank and Alice, laughing wholeheartedly, her Irish joy spreading to the couple whom she loved so much. Sirius stood behind James towards the back, who was seated in a chair, next to Peter. Lily was on the other side of Wormtail, and the four of them were laughing. Forgetting all of their problems. They were young again. And it was only Remus that was still troubled.
He watched them quietly from his spot next to Emmeline, and didn't have the heart to wake them from their spell. He would have to feel their pain for the night. That's who he was, wasn't it? The sensible one? The one who thought too much? The one that worried too much?
Well, he had tried not to worry. He had tried to laugh. But any chance of him laughing had been demolished in Lily's announcement. For some reason, something didn't seem right.
It draws nearer, the wolf inside murmured from inside his heart.
You don't control me, Remus replied, You never did.
You know that it draws nearer, the wolf hissed in his ear, Look at them. So happy. So naïve. But you aren't. You know what the world holds. You've seen it first hand. You can't expect to come out of this unscathed.
And Lupin looked to Moody. He remembered the words that he had said to Frank. And his throat grew dry.
Twenty five doomed souls of the Order of the Phoenix. They were the soldiers that would never be remembered, except for a group of letters engraved into the stone of a cold and forgotten memorial.
Isn't that what happened to real heroes?