Thank you for bearing with me. It seems I do have a Christmas present for you after all!

Thank you to all the comments you posted and hello to the newest readers-

Welcome Anna

Kris

And Christy

Have a lovely Christmas, I will update again ASAP!

Luv ya

Jessie xxx

Chapter 4- One month or Two?

Lily had to spend allot of Christmas in the hospital, the healers didn't want to let her go because they were scared for her own and her child's health. James agreed with the doctors. It seemed the curse, which had been cast on her, had made her lose the use of her legs and she was learning to walk again.

Lily herself didn't want to stay cooped up in the hospital, for heavens sake, it was where she worked. Apart from having to use crutches to keep herself upright and an occasional rush of blood to the head, due to sitting up to quickly, she felt fine and didn't know what all the fuss was about. She forgot how close to death she had actually been.

James however hadn't.

James was being over cautious about everything she did.

He insisted on walking her anywhere she felt the need to go, even the toilets. He would wait outside till she had finished.

He would taste her food before she ate it to check it hadn't been poisoned, if it was off date, or if it was too hot or even too cold for her.

He made her eat double her usual helping of food, because now she was "Eating for two" Both he and the baby needed to be healthy.

After about a week of his irrational behaviour, Lily confronted him.

"James I'm fine." She said sternly.
"Just one more spoonful darling." He cooed scooping up another spoon of peas.


"No James really I'm full." She argued.
"Open wide." He grinned moving the spoon towards her mouth.
"NO!" She shouted hitting his arm so the peas went flying.
"Someone's moody." He smiled.


"James stop treating me like I'm five, I can take care of myself." She stated harshly.


"Well obviously you can't as your in hospital." He argued back.
"And what, it that supposed to mean?" She demanded.


"It means you shouldn't have risked your life in jumping in front of me." Lily pursed her lips glaring at him. She stayed silent. "That didn't come out right." James backtracked quickly.


"What was it supposed to come out like then?" Lily asked quietly.
"I meant, you scared me Lil's. I almost lost you. I just, I need to make sure your ok. I don't want to lose you, and I don't want to lose our little princess." He put his hand to Lily's stomach, which was getting bigger by the day.


"I was scared to James. When you told me I'd been out for 2 weeks, I mean it's not normal, is it? A mother to practically die and then her unborn child still lives after the ordeal. I have this feeling James, she's going to be special. She's going to be a survivor." James smiled at his wife.


"Of course she will be special, like her mother." He paused thoughtfully. "Lily... do you remember ages ago, when we were going out in seventh year, and we discussed our future. I think I recall asking you if we could call our first daughter Harriet, after my mother?" Lily smiled at him.


"Yeah I remember. I love that name. It will suit her." James took her hand.
"Thank you." He choked.

After plenty of rest and a good deal of magical medicine, Lily was aloud to leave the hospital. James and Sirius had been told be Alice that they were to escort her home (Not that they wouldn't have done so anyway). Sirius had also been told off for attempting to get Lily onto the back of his motor cycle.


James had ordered a magic carpet to pick Lily up from the hospital as a treat. He had always wondered what it would be like to ride one, and took this as an opportunity to do so, as they were being banned in the near future.

Lily loved it, she got to see views all around England. They were up in the air the whole day. Lily and James cuddling and pointing out various sites and Sirius sulking in the corner, upset he wasn't on his motor bike.

When they arrived home, they were suprised to find quite a few people in their home yelling;
"Suprise!" Alice and Sirius had arranged for Lily to have a welcome home party.


Sirius was up for any party and Alice wanted an excuse to beable to settle Lily in her house with out seeming too fussy. But then Lily was her best friend, she just wanted her safe.
Lily and Alice talked about being pregnant, all the highs and lows they had begun to feel.


James and Frank talked about their wives being pregnant, comparing stories and trying to figure out who had it worse.
Sirius and Peter were talking to 'Dung' who had managed to wangle himself an invitation.

They were dangerously hyper drinking clear drinks, which smelt rather odd. When Sirius began to edge towards the other drinks with the bottle of whatever her had, Remus had to remind him that there were two pregnant women who couldn't drink anything alcoholic. This made him back away, a guilty expression his face.
Remus was talking to Claire with the occasional kiss. They seemed to be doing well.


The night went well, everyone left early as it was a Sunday and most of them had work the following day.

The months were going quickly, January only had 2 weeks left by the time Lily had left the hospital- then she had to return for work. February brought on food cravings.

They changed regularly. As soon as James got used to making one thing perfectly for her it changed. She went from liking marshmallows on toast, to gherkins and cheese, chocolate and pumpkin pie. This period of her pregnancy lasted all the way through to April.

James was trying to be patient with Lily, he would get her food, massage her back, plump her pillows, get her breakfast in bed and all those sorts of things. Sometimes he had just had enough and had to go out to the pub with his mates. Frank often joined him and they would leave Lily and Alice in one of their houses together to complain about them.

Once April had gone by, May came, Lily celebrated being 22 years old with just a small gathering more of friends who they called family, then real family- as they didn't have much between them.

Then came June, Lily was so big now that she was finding it hard to do as she pleased, she had been put on maternity leave, not by her own free will but by James and her fellow healers at St Mungos. Alice had the same treatment as she was even further gone then Lily.

They now hung out on a regular basis, helping each other do what ever they needed to do. Frank and James had both cut down their hours with the ministry, just in case what was due to happen in the next 2 months or so would happen. Their wives giving birth.

Finally we arrive at July, the present, the month of extremity. Unbearable standards and the climax of uncomfortable conditions for Lily and Alice. Both as big as balloons, neither able to see their feet. Hormones flying all over the show. But then what can you expect when you are dealing with 2 pregnant women of nine months.

Lily and James had decided that they didn't want to buy any baby clothes or do up the nursery until the baby was born due to Lily's mother telling her of all the superstitions. Apparently it was very unlucky to buy things before the baby was born.

Frank and Alice were not sticking to these rules. They had done up a lovely blue nursery, bought a selection of little blue baby grows. They had asked Lily and James to go out shopping for bits and bobs which they still needed. They wanted to beable to ask the couple questions, as they were in the same situation.

Sirius had asked if Lily and James had wanted to go round his and Peter's place that day, but they chose to go shopping, they wanted and idea as of what they would soon need for baby Harriet.

However, the dark lord had not forgotten his quest to destroy the heirs. Time was running out before they were due to reproduce. They were powerful together; any offspring they would create would surely be as strong as both of them and maybe also have a strength of it's own.

He needed to destroy all three of them before they became more of a threat to them. He had his spy and he would use his spy.

There are 3 strikes, 2 have been done, and it was time for third strike and out!

Lily, James, Frank and Alice had spent a busy morning shopping. They had been to all sorts of shops. Frank and James had been trusted to go off on their own for a while, they had been forbidden to enter the joke store. Which ended up with them coming back with a small chudley cannons baby grow for their son. It had N.LONGBOTTOM written on the back, Neville was the name they had decided on for their son.

Now they were heading towards Florean Fortscue's ice cream parlour, the designated meeting point with the girls.

Once they had met the girls sat down whilst the boys went and ordered. They arrived at the table with James' chocolate Ice cream, Frank's vanilla and Lily and Alice each had 3 scoops vanilla fudge, two scoops banana and one Cherry syrup Ice cream.

They were talking quietly about their plans for the week when there was suddenly a big bang from outside. Seeing black capes, James quickly grabbed Lily and Alice and shoved them behind The Fortscue's counter. Frank stood on his table.

"EVERYONE GET DOWN!" he bellowed. The door opened with a bang and a flash of black robes. About 12 death eaters came in wands raised, pointing at various people. A tall man who was also dressed in a black robe strode forward. His was the only face, which was UN masked. His was most probably the most ugly and most twisted of them all. His red slits which most would think were eyes glared menacingly at all around him. He smiled his malicious smile. Finally his eyes landed on James.

"Potter." He said as if her was greeting an old friend. "Where's your beautiful wife?"

"Never you mind!" James spat back.

"Temper temper potter. I was merely asking. I had been informed that she would be here also. I would've liked to have seen you both."

"Argh!" A screech of agony came from behind Fortscue's counter.

"Alice what's wrong?" Lily asked her friend frantically. Alice had curled up in agony clutching her stomach.

"It's… the… baby… I… think… he's… on… his… way." She gasped after more breaths of agony.

"Ok, Shhh, it's ok. I know how to deliver a baby, just try your best to keep quiet." Lily tried desperately to comfort.

Unfortunately however, it was too late. Voldemort had heard.

"Ah," He started with a smile. "So the little lady is hiding behind the counter. How sweet. Scared no doubt that she will end up back in the hospital, and this time she won't come out again? After all she doesn't have much going for her does she? The weaker sex, and of course a mudblood." James saw red and started fighting fuelled with anger. He flung a hex at the dark lord, which a death eater blocked by jumping in front of him. One down. James looked around and saw that he and frank were vastly outnumbered.

"If were the scared ones then why did you feel the need to bring so many of your thugs with you?" Voldemorts smile grew bigger, more snake like and more malicious.

"Very right you are Mr Potter. I will make it a fair fight, in fact I shall make it more then fair. One on two it shall be. I will have great fun killing you and your friend. The great Frank Long bottom, isn't it? Then I shall go on to kill your wives." He turned to his deatheaters. "You heard me, AWAY WITH YOU!" he shouted. He turned and smiled at James. "Shall we begin then?" He bowed then quickly stood and flung a curse at him. James quickly jumped out of the way, his reaction fast from his Aurour experiences. James and Frank looked at each other and nodded. At the same time the flung a stunning spell at the dark lord. He quickly made a penetrating shield and it defected.

"You're going to need a more powerful curse then that." He shot a stunning hex at Frank who got knocked out cold. James was on his own. He suddenly had an idea. He jumped behind the counter where Alice's contractions were getting stronger and quicker. The stress of the attack had made her go into a premature labour.

"Lily I need you." James said.

"James, I'm kinda busy right now." She said stressfully.

"I know, but all our lives depend on this. Alice will be ok for a second." He grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her up. He whispered his plan quickly into her ear. They went back out into the shop, wands poised on one thing. The dark lords heart. He was pointing his own wand at Frank's body.

"Avada ked…"

"NOW!" James shouted, the dark lord spun round and Lily and James shouted;

"Shunifud golberius!" The hex was shot from both wands, Lily's sent a blue and silver ray, James a red and gold, as they reached his body they combined turning green and silver, finally the dark lords body turned yellow as it hit him and he got a shock sent through his body. It was a powerful one, which made him feel as if he had just been electrocuted. It wasn't this, which frightened him. It was the fact that he had not been seriously hit with a curse by anyone but Dumbledore. It seemed that the heirs had finally realised that together they were stronger, together they could defeat him.

He did the only thing, which he could at that moment, before he could come up with a better plan. He fled.

But once the dark lord had fled the scene, leaving lily and James to have escaped him a third time, all was not over. Lily rushed back to the screaming Alice and James to revive Frank.

"Oh merlin! He's coming." Lily screeched. She quickly cast a medical spell on Alice to relieve some of the pain. By now shocked people came from underneath tables and chairs. They were all shocked from what they had just seen. All had been too frightened to help. James and Frank had jobs where they constantly had to deal with deatheaters and lily and James knew the dark lord was after them anyhow.

"Will some body help me!" Lily yelled. A couple of people rushed forward, including Florean Fortscue himself. They knew not to mess with Lily especially now since she was in a dire situation and herself heavily pregnant.

"You go get some healers." She said pointing to someone. "You I need some tails, and you I need a bowl of boiling water." A few minutes later Frank had been revived and came to hold Alice's hand. Lily was acting very professionally.

And was doing a very good job of delivering the baby considering the circumstances. 30 minutes, a group of healers turned up and relived Lily of the job at hand. They had brought with them all the equipment they needed, and after another 4 hours of pushing and screaming. Alice and Frank had a healthy baby boy.

One it was safe to move Alice they put her into a stretcher and got her to St Mungo's. There she was checked over. She also was in a good healthy condition (Well as healthy as she could be). They were amazed at how well Lily had handled the situation.

"Well I AM a trained healer." Was all she replied with.