Cancer – Lily's PoV

November 1997

I watched Sam carefully as he wiggled a finger at Phoebe. I was quite fond of the boy but sometimes I couldn't help but be wary. He reminded me of Orion when he was younger. Andrea was sitting in the corner reading a book while playing with some rings on a necklace that she wore. No matter how much I questioned her about it she'd keep tight lipped.

"Sam!" I snapped as Sam nearly dropped Phoebe. My heart pounded for a few moments as I ran to Phoebe's side. Phoebe giggled and clapped her hands as I picked her up. She was just under two months now. She could only just maintain a sitting position if she was leaning against something. Phoebe started playing with my hair as I scowled at Sam.

"Sorry Gra-"

"Lily, call me Lily," I said. Andrea was quick to adapt but Sam was a little slower.

"Ok G…I mean Lily." He said with a frown. I saw Andrea smile slightly.

"How's Dumbledore coming along with the time turners?" She asked.

"Unfortunately the entire stock was destroyed a few years ago, when Harry and his friends got into the ministry, so it's going to take a little longer then we expected." I said. I had begrudgingly accepted that my future grandchildren would be staying for Christmas, which meant that they'd probably have to come to the Holyhead Christmas ball with us, something that Rhia was singing in again. Well, Andrea would be coming with us at Rhia's request. Rhia and Andrea kept quite a good contact, which had brightened Andrea's spirit considerably after Rhia and Harry had gotten over the initial shock of their appearance.

"Do you want to see what Phoebe looks like when she's older?" Andrea asked me. Oh, why did she ask me these things? I was so tempted but I knew I couldn't.

"No, it's ok." I muttered. Andrea smiled.

"Well, she's the prettiest of your children, that's what I can say." Sam said.

"Thanks." I grumbled. I hated wanting to know about the future but knowing that I couldn't know about it. "I'm going out, if you need me then you know how to get in contact with me." I said.

"Pull a cows ear, squawk like a parrot and eat a pile of rubbish." Sam said. I looked at him rather confused.

"What?" I asked.

"Ignore him, you'll get used to it." Andrea said. "Don't worry, I'll make sure everything is ok. Where are you going?" She asked.

"To Grimmauld place." I said, "I'm taking Phoebe with me as well." Andrea nodded.

Within minutes I was in the kitchen of Grimmauld place. Phoebe was perched on my leg as I looked at Jenny. I was incredibly worried about her.

"So what's happening?" I asked her. She looked more pale and drawn with every visit.

"I'll tell you when April gets here." She muttered. I looked at her sympathetically. Bo came in for a while to get a drink before wondering out again.

"I thought he had his own house?" I said.

"He refuses to leave my side. It's a little annoying because it means he can't establish himself. He can't get a job."

"But he loves you, that's what's important. He doesn't want to lose you." I said.

"Neither do we." Came April's voice from behind me. I turned to see April. She came over with her arms held out. "Phoebe!" She said. Phoebe just ignored her and banged her rattle against my knee. It didn't hurt but it still sent a small twinge of pain through my reflex nerves. Phoebe laughed and did it again. April and Jenny both laughed at the expression on my face.

"How does it feel to have another child?" Jenny asked.

"Especially at your age!" April said.

"I'm only thirty seven!" I protested. "Anyway, away from this, what about you, Jenny, April's here now." April sat next to me and looked at Jenny.

"Yeah, I'm worried Jenny. You haven't told us anything since the tests. What happened? What's going on?" April asked. Jenny took a few short breaths. I was preparing myself for the worst.

"Well, tests came back a while ago. I've been going to St. Mungos for treatment. It turns out I have breast cancer. It's quite serious apparently. They're going to call a Muggle hospital, I don't know why they don't do it themselves-" I interrupted Jenny there.

"It's because there is no magical cure for cancer, the only way to get rid of it is the Muggle way." I said sombrely. I'd encountered hundreds of witches and wizards who'd come into St. Mungos expecting cancers to just disappear.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because it's not exclusive to the magical world. Diseases such as dragon pox and curses, they're exclusive to us. Anything that infects Muggles and wizards can't be cured simply by magic. Magic can help, like speed up the healing processes after or to completely numb the pain but it won't go away." I said. I hated saying it but it was true.

"Why not! I don't want to die, I'm still young!" Jenny snapped. "It's a really serious problem. If the muggles can't do anything about it then I'm screwed! I'm going to die and I can't do that to Bo."

"I know what you're saying-" I started but I wasn't allowed to finish.

"No you don't Lily. You've never got a cancer! You can't possibly know what it's like." Jenny snapped. "I don't want to die, find a magical way of curing it! If it's too serious then there's nothing that the Muggle doctors can do! If magical people can't do anything then what's the point of being magical?"

"Jenny don't you're thinking you're being a little harsh on Lily." April asked.

"No, I don't. What is the point in being magical if you can't cure things like this?" Jenny snapped. I held Phoebe a little closer as I saw her looking at us scared. "We're supposed to be more advanced then the muggles but as far as I know they've had better lives then us. I've lost a husband, my family, almost everyone because I'm magical!"

"You think I haven't lost anyone!" I said to her. "You know exactly who I've lost because of the stupid war. Jenny don't lose your head over this, it's a cancer, not a war. It's got nothing to do with whether you're magical or not." I said.

"Everyone has an equal chance of getting a cancer." April put in, "Being magic doesn't make you immune to something."

"It should." Jenny said calming down. "I don't want to go through this."

"Just tell us you're scared." April said, "We won't think less of you, stop trying to be brave Jenny." The words seemed to sink into Jenny and I almost wished that April hadn't said it but it needed to be said. I saw tears falling down Jenny's cheeks.

"I don't want Bo to go through anymore suffering. I'm all he really has in terms of family. My father stops mother from seeing him. Lee and Zhao have their own families."

"Jenny, you and Bo aren't alone in this." I said, "You still have us. We've been with you since we were eleven."

"Six actually." April said.

"I know but-"

"No buts." I said, "We're with you until the end, whether it results in you being alive or, dare I say it, dead and even if the worst happens we won't let anything happen to Bo, Emma won't let anything happen to him."

"She's right, Jenny. We're with you, don't try and pretend that that's all you care about, it's ok to fear death but it's not the end for anyone, life goes on, your spirit goes on. I trust Muggle doctors, provided you get it seen to quickly then there's nothing to stop you from making a full recovery!" April said.

"When are you going to the hospital?" I asked.

"James has helped St. Mungos arrange for me to go to Guy's hospital tomorrow. I'm supposed to have private treatment." I grinned.

"Fantastic!" I said. They both looked at me, it was clear that they didn't understand the difference between Private treatment and the Primary Care trust, also known as the NHS. "It means that Jenny gets seen to quicker. If she was going through the NHS then she'd be on a waiting list and even though it's free it could be too late. The Private system will look after her straight away but it is more expensive."

"James told me not to worry about the cost of it." Jenny said. I looked at Jenny suspiciously.

"He's not paying for it is he?" I asked. If he did it meant that our funds would drop considerably!

"I don't know, he just told me not to worry."

"So you're going to go to the doctor's then?" April asked. Jenny nodded.

"Even if I don't Bo will drag me there." I smirked at her.

"Do you want me to come with?" I asked. Jenny shook her head and looked at Phoebe, who was now nestled against my body sucking her thumb.

"No, you have someone else to look after." She said with a smile. "She is beautiful Lily." I couldn't help smiling. Sometimes having a baby was worth it, even if it meant no sleep and irritable moods.

"What did Jenny tell you then?" James asked as he watched me putting Phoebe into her cot. He sat on the corner of his bed wearing part of a Muggle suit. He'd been doing a few odd things for Muggle relations today, mainly stuff to do with healthcare.

"Oh, just that you told her not to worry about the costs of Private treatment, how are you going to pay for it?" I asked him.

"Oh, Sirius and I are sorting that out." I put a blanket over Phoebe as she slept before turning on James.

"How are you going to pay for it?"

"Well, I know that even though we have plenty of money that Jenny won't accept it, the same goes with Sirius' money, so we've arranged for an anonymous donor." James said with a smile, he looked rather smug with himself.

"And that would be?" I asked him, I crossed my arms.

"Dumbledore!" He answered, "We didn't want him to but Dumbledore told us that if we tried to stop him then he'd hex us and turn us into Inferi. Even though we didn't believe him we thought it was a worthy threat so we let him. So Dumbledore is now looking after Jenny."

"Jenny isn't a pet that you can pass from one person to another." I said. James undid his tie and pulled it off.

"I know." He said. He got up and walked over to me, put the tie around me and pulled me closer by pulling the tie around my waist.

"What are you doing?" I asked him as he gave me a suggestive smile.

"Don't you want to-"

"I'm not in the mood James." I told him. James gave me a soft kiss on my lips.

"Not even a little bit?" Ok, maybe a little bit.

"No." I said, pulling away. "We can't. Not with Phoebe in here and Andrea and Sam in the other rooms."

"We managed it with Harry and Emma in those rooms, what makes them different?" James said.

"You waited over a year and a half before, you can wait longer now." I said with a smirk. James' mouth dropped open.

"I was eighteen!" He protested, "I was waiting to get married to you, this is different, you're my wife now!" I turned to look at him viciously.

"Meaning what James!" I asked him.

"Nothing." He said quickly. He undid his shirt and threw it over the dressing table chair. I sighed.

"Sorry James it's just with the news about Jenny."

"Don't worry, I get it." He said. "Plus, I haven't been able to get much sleep either because of Phoebe. I think you're right, we need more sleep now that she actually sleeps all night." He said in a soft voice.

"Almost." I corrected. James smiled and came over to kiss me on the lips.

"Ok, almost all night." He said with a smirk. I smiled and let him kiss me even more.

"Andrea, do you think you could look after Phoebe?" James said. I looked at him curiously.

"What?" Andrea asked, looking up from her book. She read a lot! I think since she'd gotten here she'd been through every single book in the house. Neither Harry nor Rhia read much and even the rest of her family didn't read much.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" I asked James.

"We have to go and see Jenny. I don't think a hospital is a good place for Phoebe." James said, holding our daughter. Phoebe had just taken off James' glasses and was sucking on one of the arms. I took it from her and wiped them clean. Pheoebe's attention then turned to the thin stick of wood that was poking out of James' pocket.

"James." I said as Phoebe reached for his wand. James looked at me curiously. I rolled my eyes and took his wand out of his pocket. James grinned and gave me a kiss.

"EW!" Sam said hiding his face in his arms.

"What?" James asked cheekily.

"Nothing." Sam said. Andrea chuckled.

"So can you look after Phoebe?" James asked.

"Yeah, I'll look after her. It's strange though because she's my best friend in the future but here she's just…a baby!" Andrea said. I smiled at Andrea.

"Oh, do you two have wands?" I asked.

"In the future." Andrea said.

"I got mine here!" Sam said producing his wand. I nodded.

"Right so we're going to have to take you to Ollivianders." I said to Andrea.

"I know, I was given my wand by mum when I was seven. She told me that it had been in the family for a while." Andrea said with a scowl. I looked at her curiously. If that meant she had been given her wand and not bought it, which could have implied that even if she had travelled back and tried to change things her future was our future with her here! I tried to think it through in my head but it just confused me. I shook my head and took a deep breath.

"Ok, you stay here, Sam, no chocolate!" I ordered.

"Yes Gran-Lily." He said, correcting himself quickly.

"So what's happening then?" Bo asked me.

"About what?" I asked him.

"Mum? Do you know what's going to happen?" He asked. He looked a little pale…but then there had been a full moon three days ago. I saw James put an arm around his shoulder.

"Don't worry about a thing, ok." He said. Bo looked at him sceptically.

"She's my mum, how can I not worry?" He asked. I got up and went to the door that led through to the operating theatres. I peered at the door for a while before I began to pace. I had this horrible twisted knot in my stomach. James and I had promised Jenny that we'd be here, for Bo, in her words. April was going to come soon with Sirius but not for a while. I stared at the painted walls of the hospital. This was a public hospital but the operation was a private one, the result of lots of money and pulling the strings of power. The waiting room was a dreary and ugly place. The plain white walls with some patterns along the bottom half just to add variety. There was a TV on in the corner where children were watching a program about how to read or something. There were some children's toys scattered here and there, magazines piled up on small and low coffee tables. There were a few other people around looking anxious and worried. I felt some arms wrapping around me. I didn't have to hear him to know it was James.

"Sit down, I'll go and get you some coffee or something." He said.

"Get me some tea." I said to him.

"Any particular kind?" He asked.

"Camomile if they have any." I said.

"But you hate that flavour."

"It's calming, I need to calm. My nerves are everywhere" I said.

"Can you even imagine what Bo must be feeling?" James asked me. I gave him a quick kiss before I went over to sit next to Bo.

"What if this goes wrong?" He asked, "What if they don't get the cancer?"

"Don't worry about it." I told him, "Everything will be fine." Bo turned to look at me

"Do you promise me it'll be fine?" He asked.

"I can't promise you anything." I said to him. "But I know it will." Bo nodded and stared at a door that went to the main entrance of the hospital. I watched his face. He had that expression of someone who knew their loved one was going to die but suddenly he brightened up. I looked towards the door to see April walking in with her hand on Emma's shoulder.

"Why do I have to leave school?" Emma was muttering.

"Look there." April said pointing to Bo. Emma looked at him with surprise and ran over to him. I got up and let them have some time to themselves. I went to April, who was watching Emma and Bo.

"What is my daughter doing here?" I asked her.

"Dumbledore told me to take her with me. He said that Bo would need her." She told me. "How long has Jenny been in there now?"

"I don't know, I lost track of time." I admitted.

"Oh, How's Bo coping?"

"He's a bit of a wreck though he doesn't want to show it." I told her. "Thanks for bringing Emma along." April smiled at me. She gave me a sisterly embrace. I could feel her shaking as she did so. "I'm worried." She said

"I am too but there's nothing we can do, it's all up to fate isn't it?" I said to her. We went to sit in some chairs a little way down from Bo and Emma. Actually there was a way of finding out if Jenny survived or not. We had two informants from the future who'd be able to tell us anything we wanted to know. I stood up and touched April's shoulder.

"I'm just going to the loo." I said. she nodded and glanced down at Bo and Emma. I looked as well. I smiled as I looked at the two, about time that they got together, in my opinion. Bo treasured Emma. You could see that in the way that he held her close to him. At least Harry and Emma had found good partners, next challenge…Phoebe. I walked down the corridor to the toilets. Once I'd locked myself into a cubicle I apparated to the house. Andrea jumped in surprise, causing Phoebe to laugh. Phoebe was placed across her stomach and was leaning against her legs. Andrea put the magazine down and looked at me.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Answer me truthfully. Does Jenny survive?" I asked her. Andrea's eyes widened.

"I can't tell you." She said. I couldn't tell what she was feeling, she'd practiced masking her feelings well.

"Tell me!" I said to Andrea. "She's like my sister, I can't let her die." Andrea's eyes seemed to flare with anger.

"Well I've lost a sister as well or she was like my sister. She was one of my best friends." Andrea said. I raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I asked.

"I wouldn't worry if I were you." Andrea said as she returned to her magazine. "Jenny helped me through some tough times when I was twelve. That should be enough for you to know." I frowned slightly.

"I'm sorry." I said to her.

"It's ok, there's no way that you'd know that my best friend dies." Andrea said. I went to pick up Phoebe.

"I'll take Phoebe, get some sleep." I said to her. Andrea shrugged and continued to read. I apparated back to the hospital. I left the cubicle with Phoebe staring wide eyed in my arms. When I got back to where the others were James had returned with my drink. Emma came right over to fuss over her baby sister by stealing her away from me and sitting next to Bo and playing with her.

"That took a while" April said. I gave her a smile.

"Everything will be alright." I said confidently.

"What will be alright?" James asked curiously.

"Nothing." I said.

I felt considerably better by the time Jenny woke up from the anaesthetic she'd been given for the operation. She first smiled when she saw Bo.

"She should make a swift recovery from now." The doctor told me because I was the only one who understood everything he was talking about. "As long as she takes the drugs that I've prescribed and she comes for a few sessions of radiotherapy then a few extra check ups to make sure that she's completely clear of the cancer." I gave him a smile as I shifted Phoebe in my arms.

"Thanks." I said, "Is there anything else we can do for her?"

"Don't get her stressed." He said with a smile. He looked at Phoebe and grinned at her. "She's a beautiful baby." He said nodding to my youngest daughter.

"Thank you." I said with a smile. He gave me a nod and said he'd be back later. He left the ward as his beeper went off. I turned to look at Jenny.

"You'll be ok" I said to her. She smiled.

"How do you know?" She asked.

"I just do." I said.

"You asked Andrea?" April asked.

"Do you always have to read me?" I asked.

"I didn't. It's just something that you'd do…well, I'd do, you actually asked her?" I nodded guiltily.

"Yes!" Bo said jumping in the air. He got up and gave me a rather tight hug. "Thank you, thank you thank you!" He said.

"It's ok. Really." I said as he let go of me.

"She'll be ok!" Emma said with a grin.

"Yep." I said with a smile, "According to Andrea." James put his arm around me.

"You shouldn't have done that." He said to me quietly.

"I know but I needed to know." I told him just as quietly.

"I know you meant well but you really shouldn't have done it. We can't know about the future."

"What if it was Sirius who had cancer?" I asked him.

"That's different." James said.

"How?" James went silent for a while.

"I think we should be heading home." He said, "We'll send Emma back to Hogwarts tomorrow." I nodded in agreement.

"Emma, we're going home." I said.

"Can I stay?" She asked. At my look she got up reluctantly. Bo got up as well and pulled her slightly to the side. I felt slightly awkward as they spoke quietly to themselves. I looked at James to see that he looked awkward as well. When I turned around Bo and Emma were in the middle of a kiss. I was glad that she'd found someone but it always made me feel weird when I saw Emma kissing Bo or Harry kissing Rhia. My children were growing up! When they broke apart Emma gave Bo a smile and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll see you at Christmas." She said. Bo nodded and let go of her. James put a hand on Emma's shoulder as he led her out. I followed after a smile to April and Jenny.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I said to them.

"Ok, bring Phoebe, she seems to make me forget that I have this pain." Jenny said.

"All babies do that to you." April said with a smirk. Jenny shrugged and closed her eyes tiredly. I followed James out of the hospital to the car parked in the car park.

"Do we have to go by car?" Emma complained.

"Yes." James said.

"Why? It takes ages to get home in a car." Emma said.

"In a normal car." I said. I put Phoebe into her car seat next to the seat that Emma sat in. Emma sat directly behind the driver's seat. James got into the front passenger seat. He hated the idea of driving but he was perfectly content with being the passenger. I got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Emma." James said. She looked up from tickling Phoebe.

"Yeah." She said.

"Um…have you and Bo you know…slept with each other?" James asked, he was looking out of the window. I turned to look at him surprised. He looked slightly red, I turned to look at Emma who's mouth had dropped open. More out of shock I reckon.

"No!" She replied. "No, Bo wouldn't ever without me wanting to…and even then…"

"How about Harry and Rhia?" He asked.

"Is that really any of our business?" I asked him.

"I want to know." He said. "So?" He turned to look at Emma. I watched her through the mirror. She bit her lip slightly.

"You'd have to ask Harry." She muttered. I knew then that Harry and Rhia had slept with each other. I can't deny that I was shocked. I turned to look at James. He seemed to be expecting this. He sat back and prepared himself for a longish journey.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked him as I pulled out of the car park.

"I had my reasons to ask. I don't want our children being…irresponsible."

"Like you weren't." I said glancing at him.

"Not after I decided to grow up." He said closing his eyes. I rolled my eyes and started the long journey to Wales.

A/N:- Where has everyone gone? Not only did i get about half as many reviews but ALL my friends here at home seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth! well, on the bright side, i'm getting lots of money from work and I'm FINALLY gonna be able to get some sleep! YAY! Anyway, a bit of the adults here. Next chapter is Harry and a little confrontation with Malfoy, also i have a plan with Emma! hahahahaaaaaa. MWAHAHAHAHAA. Anyway, gonna get some sleep now. Oh, i got het titanic soundtrack...so beautiful! -sings- NEAR FAR WHERE EVER YOU ARE! I BELEIVE THAT MY WILL GO OOONNNNNN