Lily didn't even have a chance to slide into the post-Christmas blues, because she spent Christmas night enjoying the brisk breeze on the canal. Each successive night for the next week was spent in the same manner. She and James could prop their feet up on the railing of the balcony outside of their room and observe the marine traffic of the wide ribbon of water that snaked along just in front of their hotel. During the days, they visited locations in both the magical and Muggle parts of the city. They went through museums, parks, and gelato stands and a slow pace, and the best part of it all was that they did it together. There was nobody to interrupt, nobody to break that dream in the first six days. Great things were built in six days, and the two of them should have followed in the tradition of resting on the seventh if they wanted a normal vacation, because that was when their wedding trip took a very unexpected turn. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it definitely wasn't a conductor of high passion or tender romance.

In fact, when Lily was being held at knifepoint on the last full day of her wedding trip, she probably would have described it as a real wet blanket on the whole affair. Standing in a nasty alley with a knife to her throat was not her idea of a good time. The situation had started out innocently enough. She and James had split up when he went to pick up some sandwiches to stave off their imminent starvation, and they planned on meeting at a particular bench in a local park they had marked as their favorite. Lily had wandered in the general direction, and about five minutes into the trip, she thought she spotted James sitting in an alley. Entirely confused, she called out to him and started in the dank place. In retrospect, James Potter would almost never be sitting in a dirty alley, but hindsight is twenty twenty.

The man stood up, and Lily immediately recognized it wasn't actually her husband, but the similarity was remarkable, so she didn't retreat. The next thing she knew, a knife was to her throat, and she was actually pretty curious as to how she was going to get out of this little mess.

"You can take my purse," she offered. The key here would to be staying calm until she could reach her wand.

"Of course I can. I have a knife; I can do anything I want."

Lily paused at the sound of his voice. It was so familiar. Especially with that sarcasm. It took a second for her mind to process it, but then everything clicked into place so suddenly she gasped.

"Don't scream!"

"I won't. Have you ever been to England? Do you know a woman named Emmeline Potter?"

The man tightened the knife against her skin slightly. "How do you know?"

"I'm your daughter-in-law," Lily said, taking a big chance and knowing it. She was immediately shoved from the man and thrown against the stucco wall opposite them. Breathing rapidly, she stared at man across from her, and observed James's father. Of all the weird coincidences, what were the chances of her encountering him here? The resemblance was unmistakable. Their hair was the exact same shade of nearly black and their features were nearly identical.

The man cursed in Italian before turning to her and speaking in accented English, "That is impossible."

"Did you sleep with Emmeline Potter?"

The man's eyes narrowed, so Lily quickly continued, "She had a baby and he looks just like you. Look, I have a picture." She fumbled in her purse for a picture of James, and at the same time drew out her wand. "Now. Drop your knife."

He did so without hesitation and stared warily at her.

"What is your name? Who are you? Why are you here?"

"I am Vincenzo Albertini. I visited England as market researcher for a company, and I met Emmeline at a dinner party. We had an affair."

"Are you a wizard then?"

Vincenzo withdrew his wand from the dirty folds of his coat and pointed it at Lily. "Yes. Are you a witch, then?"

"Yes. Why are you a beggar?"

"I'm not. This is part of my job."

"What kind of job do you have that requires you to lurk in an alley?"

"One that puts you in danger for seeing me, Lily. I suggest you run back to James as fast as you can."

"How do you know our names? Are you a Death Eater?" Lily asked, and tightened her grip on her wand. She felt much safer being accosted by a homeless Muggle.

"Run, Lily, run, before it's too late." Vincenzo flicked his wand and the walls began crumbling and cracking. She took his warning very seriously and sidled out of the alley, not knowing which way her back would be safe. She looked one last time, and he gave her a mocking wave before he disappeared.

Trying to pretend nothing out of the ordinary had just happened, Lily walked toward the bench in the park as fast as she could without drawing attention. Her mind was racing so quickly she thought her head might explode by the time she got to the park. James was already waiting for her, sandwiches in hand.

"Did you get lost or some – What in the hell happened to you?" He dropped the food to touch the red mark on her throat. "Are you okay? What happened? Lily!"

"I think you should sit down, James. I'm fine. Stop worrying about me." By the time Lily finished relating the whole story to James, his face was slack with disbelief.

"Do you think this means he is in with something dodgy?"

"I assume so, but I don't know for sure. I suppose there's an equally good chance that he's one of the good guys doing something undercover. When I get back to work, I'll search databases to see if he's listed. We can always ask Dumbledore, too. I don't know, though. Maybe we should ask your mother. Now that we know who he is, she might give us some fill in information."

"No. I don't want to tell them I know, not yet, anyway. I don't want to tell anyone. Well, Sirius, we can tell."

"What about Remus and Peter?"

"No, not even them. The less that know the better."

"Alright, it's your father we're talking about. Maybe madness runs in the family."

"You aren't so great at the whole joke thing, are you?"

"Who said I was trying to be funny?"

Lily and James both had to pick up their respective career training the next day, putting a stopper on their honeymoon.

After extensive cajolery, Albus Dumbledore revealed that Vincenzo Albertini was part of Italy's defense team, and consequently, one of the good guys.

In August, both Lily and James were able to begin plying their skills as career professionals instead of trainees. James began working at St. Mungo's in the emergency center while Lily began her work as a Hit Witch.

Neither came home satisfied with their jobs. James was disgusted with the corruption and double standards of the hospital and Lily was frustrated that she performed at the same level as the Aurors but was denied the title.

Amos and Millie and Lily drifted apart over the months while Lily became more and more entangled with the Marauders. It was something she couldn't help. It started as declining an invitation in order to help Remus and Sirius work on a potion and evolved into owling each other only in moments of extreme boredom.

In fact, by November, a month that ended up being fraught with high drama, Lily considered her closest friend to be Remus Lupin. He was, in her opinion, the perfect best friend. He wasn't as moody as James but more serious than Sirius. They had similar interests and they got along well. It was helpful that he wasn't a girl, because when they fought, it was much milder than any argument she had ever been in with Millie. Perhaps most importantly in cementing their friendship, Remus needed her. It was the middle of the month that Lily found him in his shabby flat that she realized how much he needed her. He was lying on the couch surrounded by piles of garbage, books, and food. He appeared not to have bathed for several days. His hair had needed a trim two weeks ago, and now it was sadly mangy and stringy. When she saw gnats swarming a bowl of pudding, she knew it was her job to step in. She pulled out her wand and got to work, opening curtains, disposing of rubbish, removing stains, repairing broken items, and washing clothes for Remus. Lily did all of this without saying a word until she approached him with a pair of scissors. Then, she only said, "Sit up so I can cut your hair," and charmed the scissors to snap around his head for an even cut. When he was cleaned up, she sat a tray with sandwiches in front of him. "Spill it, Lupin."

"I told her. She hates me now."

Lily flopped onto the couch beside him and put her arm around his shoulder. "When did you tell her? Maybe she needs some time to adjust. Aubrey's a great witch."

"Three days ago, and I haven't heard a word from her."

Lily wasn't entirely certain what she should do. She had one relationship success, making her percentage twenty five percent. She wasn't exactly a romance guru. Remus and Aubrey had been dating for nearly two years, so this was a rather large failure for him. As far as Lily knew, it was his only serious relationship. "You threw a big stick at her, Remus; it may take her a while to get it between her teeth."

"That is the worst analogy I have ever heard. How long could it take her, really, Lily? When James told you about the blokes being animagis, you took it right in stride, after you called him a fat liar. You had been dating for ages, plus you were engaged."

"I possess an unflappable demeanor, not to mention you become a while animal with little control over yourself."

"Are you trying to make me feel worse? It is working."

"I'm trying to put this in perspective. She probably felt shocked and scared and hurt and betrayed all at once. It could take her a long time before she comes to term with you being a werewolf, and you have to wait awhile. Give her a couple days, and try talking to her again and take it from there. In the mean time, you've got to scrape yourself up off the floor. Remus, nobody will want to kiss you the way you smell right now."

Remus couldn't help it when the corner of his mouth twitched upward slightly.

"It'll probably rub off on me and James'll make me sleep in the street, or at his parents'."

"Or he'll hop in the shower with you."

"How about you hop in the shower and then eat dinner with us tonight. It's Indian night at the hospital cafeteria, and he's bringing home takeout."

"You are the only people I know who actually bring cafeteria food home."

"It's much better than the alternative."

They both fell silent and stared out the window, observing the dreary view of an overgrown yard. After a moment, Lily became aware of Remus staring at her. "What now?"

"James told me how his parents called you The Remarkable Miss Evans for a long time. I'm inclined to say you're The Remarkable Mrs. Potter now."

"That's sweet, Remus. Just wait and see; everything will work out in time. Almost every story ends in happily ever after, and you deserve it as much as the next person. Give it a little time."

"Do you believe that? That everything will work out alright in the end?"

"I have to. What would be the point in getting up in the morning and expecting a life that will never get any better?"

"That would be okay for you. You have a perfect life with James. Well, at least you're happy together."

"It will happen for you too, Remus. Here's my philosophy. You shouldn't expect to spend your life with the perfect person. You should expect to spend it with someone whom you like and trust and respect. Somewhere along the way, you'll realize that they are perfect for you. If you can't find that person, you have to make your own situation a good one. Find something you love, and most importantly, make sure you love yourself. That's what's most important."

"Easy for you to say."

"Remember, there was a time when I was alone and unhappy, and I started digging myself out. I just happened to encounter James along the way. Maybe you'll run across somebody too."

"Maybe I will."

"That's the spirit. James will be home at eight, but I need some help rearranging furniture if you need something to do."

"I'll be there."

"Good."

A week and a half later, the experimental laboratory Aubrey worked as was demolished by a band of Voldemort's supporters. When The Daily Prophet ran the article, Remus found out The Death Eaters chose that lab in particular because it was doing preliminary research on potions to lessen the effects of the full moon on werewolves. Remus would never know how Aubrey felt actually felt about him.

Just a few days after Remus's personal disaster, Lily and James met with a moving staircase of their own. It began with Lily feeling a little off one morning, taking a pepper-up potion, and going into work. The next day, when she felt under the weather again, James decided to ply his magical medical abilities.

Lily sat on the dining room table, waiting for him to finish brewing some potions. "Are you going to tap my knees to check my reflexes?"

"Why would I do that? Is that some little Muggle trick?"

"No, I made it up."

"Ha. Alright, I'm done. Let me just swab your mouth for the first three options before we get down to business."

After scraping the inside of her mouth, he sat a cotton swab in each of the three mini cauldrons that were procedurally checked first before further treatment. They sat for a few minutes, waiting, and eating bowls of cereal. "What's your prediction?"

James shrugged, "Probably spattergroit. Oh wait, those are freckles, aren't they?"

"Do people automatically turn wonderful and caring and dashing when they don those breathtaking lime green robes?"

"Obviously. I really think it is just scrofungulus. You have all the symptoms if we could just find a discolored ring on your skin." James suddenly smiled mischievously, "When we see that these are negative for sure, we can do a thorough check."

"Are you not planning on going to work today?"

"I said I would be a couple hours late."

Lily raised her eyebrows and glanced at the pots of potion. "Well, it looks like that won't be necessary; one of them changed colors. What does that mean? I have chronic nosebleeds?"

James rose to poke at it, frowning. "I must have messed something up, let me brew a new one."

While he was doing that, Sirius came barging out of their fireplace. "You kids home?" he bellowed.

"In the kitchen," James answered.

"We're playing Healer," Lily yelled, getting chuckles from both men.

"Why aren't you at work?" Sirius asked, straddling a chair backwards.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Our offices are being fumigated. Somebody owled us a load of dung bombs. It's wretched."

"I'm sick, and James is trying to find out what's wrong with me. So far, he just screwed up a potion."

"Let's try this one. I did everything exactly right." They all began waiting again.

"I bet it's spattergroit," Sirius said.

"I have freckles, Sirius, not a disgusting fungus."

James slid off the table to go check the potion, and froze in disbelief at its color change. "Lily? What color would you call this?"

"Pink."

"Not green?"

"Not at all. What does it mean?" she asked, peering over his shoulder.

"You're pregnant."

"No, really. Stop kidding, and don't say spattergroit."

"You're pregnant."

"What?"

"You're pregnant."

"Oh, my God." Lily backed into the nearest chair and sat down heavily. She glanced blankly up at James. "How can I? We-I-How?"

"I guess we're the point oh one percent."

"Oh, my God."

"So, was this not planned?"

"No," they said simultaneously in equally weak voices.

Lily placed a hand on her stomach. "We're going to have a baby."

"James is going to be somebody's father?" Sirius asked blankly.

"Would you get out of here?" James asked.

"I would, except I don't think I can stand."

"I feel the same way," Lily said.

"What are you two going to do?"

"Give it to you," James said sarcastically. "Really, you're my best mate, but Sirius, this is a little personal for you to be here.

"I just meant, are you two going to keep it?"

"We can't just get rid of it. You don't want to get rid of it, do you, James?"

"Well," he said slowly. "I don't really know that I particularly want a baby, but I don't think I can get rid of it and live with myself afterward. No matter how badly this may mess us up, it'll really mess us up if we don't keep it."

"Exactly," Lily nodded. Then she hit her forehead on the table. "Anybody got a good curse for right now?"

"Bloody hell in a baby bonnet?" Sirius asked.

"Would you leave? You are not helping us at all."

"Merlin's beard! I can see when I'm not wanted." Sirius disapparated loudly, obviously in a display of his temper.

James and Lily stared at each other over the table. "Well," Lily said, "we are going to have a baby."

"Yep. Are you scared?"

"Yep. You?"

"Bloody terrified."

"I don't suppose there's a chance your potion was wrong."

"Very little. You should probably go get checked out, and they will verify it."

"My quarterly physical at the department is next week. I'll do it then."

They were both quiet for a few minutes before Lily stood up and rounded the table to sit in his lap. She tucked her face against his neck and whispered, "We're not ready for this."

"No, but we'll get ready. Everything will turn out alright, Lily. You'll see."

She smiled, "Aren't you the optimist?"

"One of us has to be. I love you."

"I love you, too, but I'm scared. Of everything."

"We'll get everything worked out, and you'll be fine. Come on, you have a brilliant Healer at your command at all times. Let's go to Florean's and get some ice cream. Everything looks better when you're eating ice cream."

"The only problem is you eventually reach the end of the bowl."

"Then we'll get another one."

A/N: This is almost an updating record for me. I think this is actually only going to have one more chapter. Maybe not, though. I guess I'll find out. I'm excited to be almost finished, and shocked it'll actually be done before July 16.