DC: on chapter 1
Thanks to my reviewers!
Yay chapter 16! Woot!
This is either the last or the second to last chapter of Pieces of a Dream. I actually began making a SIM movie to this story that I was going to post on but that project has been collecting dust. I kind of realized how hard it would be to make the SIMS do some of the stuff in this fic. But also I didn't want to make it WHILE the fic was still in progress. Cause then it would spoil the ending. So yeah.
Do feel free to visit my youtube account. My name on there is SayaCraig, which is a name that everyone will be familiar with when I become a published author (starry eyes) at least I have a dream right? Anyway moving on.
Chapter 16,
Lily stood up nervously and paced a bit. She and James had had sex recently. In fact they celebrated the opening of Quidditch season with a very pleasing night. So Lily didn't know why she was worrying so much. She and James coupled about five or six times that month. She had only been with Voldemort once. So the odds of it being his baby were significantly lessened.
But then again, the voice was back in the back of her mind, Voldemort's little guys managed to get you pregnant even with protection.
Lily hated that voice. But whether it was because it was annoying or it was right she didn't know. She sighed heavily. James knocked on the door.
"Lily," he whined, "Harry's crying and he hates me!"
"He doesn't hate you." Lily said back. She opened the door and walked down the hall to the nursery. "Baby." She said back. James stuck his tongue out at her. "Real mature Potter."
James grinned and followed her into Harry's room.
Sure enough the boy was fussy and rolling around in his crib. Lily went to pick him up but he squirmed out of her hands. "Come now Harry, don't be difficult."
Harry looked at her and hit his cubby little arm against her hand. When she pulled away he began to whine.
"Well if you want me to hold you then you're going to have to sit still." Harry gave her a look that Lily could swear was meant to challenge her but he sat still nonetheless. Lily lifted him and smiled. "See, that's not so bad is it baby?"
"See he likes you."
"Babies can sense high levels of maturity." Lily said. James pouted.
"But Lily…" he whined.
"See what I mean?"
"Good day Potters!"
"Hi Sirius."
"Lily do you mind if I steal James for a moment?"
"Go for it." Lily said walking to the rocking chair and sitting in it. She kissed Harry's forehead and rocked him. James left with Sirius and shortly after he came back in to tell her that they were going to a game.
Lily carried Harry to the kitchen where she readied his bottle and gave it to him. Harry was indeed her pride and joy but she wasn't sure if she could handle another. Another baby that could very well be Voldemort's.
The pregnancy and the knowledge that she unknowingly had sex with her ex boyfriend threw Lily into a world of confusion. Why would he come to her if he ordered her to be killed by the death eaters? Why would he come to have sex with her if he wanted her dead? Was it just one last joyride?
Lily was so lost in thought that she hadn't realized Harry was finished with his bottle and his diaper until she smelled the horrid stench.
"I can't wait until you're potty trained…and don't start crying." Harry's big green eyes were filled with tears and he cried anyway. Lily pulled off his diaper and replaced it with a fresh one.
Back in the living room, Lily set out a soft blanket and put Harry on it. The baby boy rolled around a bit and giggled as he dragged his fingers over one of the patterns. Lily laid next to him and kept a protective hand on him.
Finally, after about thirty minutes of lying on the floor and playing with his fingers and toes, Harry reached for Lily who moved closer. Harry cooed and snuggled against his mother's warmth with his feet brushing against his unborn baby brother or sister.
James was in a very good mood when he came home. He was about to yell and cheer when he noticed his wife and son sleeping peacefully on the floor. His heart melted as he stared at the picture before him. James knelt down beside Lily and kissed her cheek softly, and then he kissed Harry's. The baby woke up and looked at him.
"Hey Sport." James whispered. He lifted the baby and cuddled him. "It's almost time for your dinner, but we're not going to wake your mommy up." James told him in a whisper as he walked to the kitchen. He prepared Harry's bottle and gave it to him.
Then he gave the boy a bath. James washed Harry's thick black hair and rinsed it out with a flick of his wand. Then he washed his little hands and tummy. Harry laughed as James washed his belly.
"Ticklish?" James asked. He tickled the baby gently and the boy laughed.
Lily had woken up to the sounds of James playing in the bath with Harry. She stood up and walked over to see what was going on. What she saw was a big kid playing with his son. Harry was laughing and clapping while James made faces, tickled him and occasionally kissed his forehead.
Lily smiled. She put her hand to her abdomen. Another baby huh?
"James,"
"Oh, sorry did we wake you?" Lily shook her head no.
"When you finish can we talk?"
"Sure baby." Harry looked at his mother with wide eyes and a cute little smile. He waved his hands at her and Lily walked up to him. James washed Harry's back gently while the boy played with his mother's fingers.
"Isn't he sweet?" James asked. Lily nodded. She hugged James's arm with her free one and sighed against his sweater.
"I'm pregnant." She said. James dropped the washcloth into the water with a plop. He looked at Lily.
"Seriously?" Lily nodded. James threw his arms around her and hugged her tight. Harry didn't know what was going on but he did know that he was starting to get a little cold so he squealed. Lily lifted her son out of the water and James wrapped a towel around him. They walked into the nursery and after Harry was wrapped in his warm wool pajamas and tucked into his crib, James congratulated his wife.
He carried her into their bedroom and laid her down. He laid down next to her and smiled warmly.
"A baby." he said finally.
"Yeah." Lily took his hand and brought it down to her belly. James smiled and kissed her. "Do you think we can manage?"
"Yeah, besides Harry's a full year older then the baby would be. He'll be off exploring while she's still cranky about being born." Lily laughed. "Besides, once Harry's a toddler and less…fragile, I know that Padfoot will want to baby-sit more often." Lily laughed again. Sirius didn't really like baby-sitting Harry because he said that the baby was boring. As a toddler, Harry would definitely be more interesting.
"What do you think it'll be? A boy or a girl?" Lily asked lazily as James rubbed her belly.
"I hope it's a girl. Then I can be the over protective father and threaten all the boys that try to ask her out."
"What if it's a boy?"
"What dad wouldn't want two sons? We'll play quidditch every night and they'll join Little League. It'll be great!" Lily laughed. She wrapped her arms around James's waist and rested her head on his chest.
"We're going to be great." She whispered. James nodded and kissed the top of her head.
Lily found herself sitting in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. The question of paternity was plaguing her into insanity. She had to know for sure. But she could only trust Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey with the information.
"So what happened?" Dumbledore asked as the nurse was in the back room.
"I thought he was James, after all he had the same scent and…"
"Do you still love him?" Dumbledore asked. Lily shook her head no. She couldn't say it, because then Dumbledore would know for sure that she was lying. "There aren't many people who can manage to keep things from me."
"What am I supposed to say, professor? Yes, yes I still love him but I love James. When I think of myself as an old woman I think of James as an old man right next to me!" Dumbledore sat down next to Lily.
"You know Lily, nobody ever chooses who they fall in love with. It's random and most of the time it leads you right to where you need to be. But sometimes, it can lead you to places that you never wanted to go."
"What if James isn't the father?" Lily asked.
"Will James love the child any less?"
"But how can I face him?" Lily asked. Dumbledore gave her a thoughtful look.
"You didn't choose to have an encounter with Tom. You've been able to face him up until now. Nothing will change, Lily."
Madame Pomfrey walked out with a piece of parchment and handed it to Lily before going off to help a student with smoke coming out of his ears.
Lily unfolded it. She skimmed down to the bottom.
Father:
Unknown
Madame Pomfrey had a sample of James's DNA. He wasn't unknown. The parchment fell from Lily's limp fingers. Without a word she left Hogwarts and found herself walking though the woods where she had once met with Voldemort.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!" She screamed suddenly towards the snow white sky. She cried and stomped her feet. She wondered if maybe she could get rid of the child and tell James it was a miscarriage.
Lily had already begun planning the abortion when the events from the night before popped into her mind.
It had been a regular evening. James was celebrating Lily's fourth month of pregnancy. The family was on the living room floor. Harry was squealing in delight as he played with a toy that Sirius got him that day. Lily was smiling as her son batted at the plush animal dangling above his head.
James tilted her chin towards him and kissed her softly. "Pregnant suits you." He said. "You look so happy."
"I am happy." Lily said. James rubbed her belly softly. "You make me happy." James moved and kissed the bump that was his child.
"Daddy loves you sweetheart." James reached over and ruffled Harry's hair. "I love you two so much."
Lily found herself crying. She hated herself for even considering going to a clinic. What if she had done the same to Harry? Lily apparated home and found James in the nursery with Harry. They were playing with blocks. Or rather James was and Harry was lying in his lap, turning a block over in his hands and sucking on the corners.
"Hey baby!" James said brightly. He saw the tears in Lily's eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I'm just so happy." Lily said. She eased herself to the floor and kissed her husband and son. "I love you three so much." James smiled.
"How'd the appointment go?" he asked.
"She's healthy and well."
"She?" Lily nodded. James smiled and kissed her again. "What should we name her?"
"Emma."
"As you wish beautiful." James said. James pulled out his wand and made the block hover over Harry's head. Harry reached for the block but he couldn't.
"Don't tease him!" Lily scolded. James chuckled. Harry's eyes were narrowed in extreme frustration as he kept reaching for the block. "And you wonder why he doesn't like you most of the time."
James laughed and lowered the block into his son's eager hands. Baby Harry took the block and starting gnawing on it again.
"I SWEAR TO GOD JAMES POTTER I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T DRIVE FASTER!" Lily screamed from the back seat of the car.
"I'M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN!" James cried hysterically. "GOD YOU WERE NORMAL LAST TIME!" They saw a black motorbike next to them with three riders, a long black haired man, a sandy haired man, and a one-year-old toddler.
"ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW!" Lily ordered. "SIRIUS ORIAN BLACK WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT TAKING HARRY ON THAT BLASTED BIKE!"
"WE'RE TAKING HIM TO THE HOSPITAL!" Sirius called back. The light turned green. Remus clutched Harry and Sirius as the long black haired man punched the gas.
"DRIVE DAMN YOU!" Lily screamed at James.
"YOU'RE NOT HELPING DARLING!" Lily panted hard through yet another painful contraction. James skidded to a halt in front of the hospital and ran hysterically to help Lily out. Sirius and Remus arrived as James was helping Lily into the hospital. Harry was looking quite entertained.
James was near passed out in a chair in the hospital room and Sirius was fanning him. Remus was sitting on Lily's bedside with Harry.
"Only a few more centimeters!" Remus said brightly. "Are you excited."
Lily, who was back to normal, nodded and smiled. She looked at James and held her arm out to him.
"James, baby I'm sorry come over here." James stood up tiredly and slumped over to her. Remus stood and moved to Sirius and let Harry sit on his lap. "I'm sorry I was so hysterical."
"No problem baby." James leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You look beautiful."
"Do not." Lily grumbled. She had been about to take a shower when her water broke. Harry was fussing about something so Remus brought him over to Lily. "Hi baby boy."
"Ba!" Harry declared. Lily smiled and kissed Harry's forehead. James turned Harry towards him.
"Can you say daddy?" he asked. Harry stared blankly at him. "Dada."
"Mnman." Harry mumbled.
"Dada."
"BA!" Harry screamed. He giggled and clapped.
"We'll work on that later." James turned Harry towards Lily. "Mommy's gonna have a baby." James told him. "You're gonna be a big brother."
"Ba!"
"Ba indeed." James said. "You're gonna have a little sister. Aren't you excited?"
"Badama!" Harry said. James hugged his son tight and smiled.
"I love you bud."
Lily grabbed James's hand and squeezed hard as another contraction hit her. James kissed her hand and talked her through it.
The doctor walked in an announced that Lily was fully dilated and she was to be moved to delivery.
One painful birth and four broken fingers later the marauders and Harry gathered around the new mother and the newborn baby girl named Emma. After everybody gushed over the baby, the small family was left alone.
"Harry, this is your sister, Emma." Lily felt tears in her eyes as her son reached to his sister and touched her little arm.
"Ba!" Harry said approvingly. Emma squirmed a bit and yawned. "Bada."
"Dada." James whispered. "Close but not quite." Lily laughed. When it was time for Lily to get some rest, James left with Harry. As she drifted to sleep Lily smiled, life was great.
Their happiness was short lived. In late October, a month after baby Emma was born, James and Lily learned the prophecy.
It was a crisp autumn afternoon. James was playing with Harry on the swings. Lily was sitting in the kitchen feeding Emma. After all, the cool air was too strong for the infant. James rushed in with a very rosy cheeked Harry.
"Lily!" he panted. He turned to Harry. "Say dada!"
"Bada." Harry mumbled.
"James, he said bada." Lily said. James sighed. "You really want to hear him say dada don't you?" James nodded. Lily patted his shoulder. James ruffled Emma's thin dusting of black hair and Emma looked at him with olive green eyes. James put Harry in a high chair and got a jar of food.
"Dada." James dropped the jar of food in surprise.
"Lily did you…"
"Uh huh, his first word!" James scooped up in son and hugged him tight.
"Dada!" Harry cheered, obviously pleased with the reaction he got.
"Hey Potters."
"He said dada!" James told Sirius, Remus and Peter as they walked in. "My son called me dada!"
"Dada!" Harry cheered. "Dada! Dada!" Lily smiled and laughed at James's excitement.
"His first word, so soon?" Remus asked. James nodded. "He's certainly going to be a smart one."
"Just like his dad…wait." James hit Sirius upside the head. Lily smiled but inwardly she was frowning. Voldemort was terribly brilliant. According to what Dumbledore found out, he was a smart and quiet child. Harry wasn't exactly quiet, but he was smart. He seemed to understand things that Lily knew a baby shouldn't understand.
"Mama." Harry said warmly to Lily. James's smile brightened as Harry said this. He came over to Lily and Lily gave her son a kiss.
"I love you so much darling."
The doorbell rang and Sirius called answering it. Shortly after Dumbledore arrived in the kitchen.
"James, Lily, I'm afraid I have some bad news. A prophecy was made; you're welcome to hear it. But Voldemort wants to kill your son." Dumbledore showed them the prophecy and everyone was silent. Peter fidgeted and Sirius hugged a faint looking Remus. James was holding a sleeping Emma staring blankly at the pensive that only a few seconds ago showed an image of Trelawney.
Harry was blissfully unaware of what was going on and was playing with Lily's hair. Lily stood up, with Harry in her arms, and left the room. James handed Emma to Dumbledore (the only one that wasn't shaking) and swiftly followed Lily.
He met a closed door to the nursery. He heard Lily crying inside.
"Alohamora." He muttered. He walked in and closed the door behind him.
Lily was sitting on the floor with Harry in her lap. Harry looked bored with Lily's hair and looked like he wanted to get away. James came over and, with some difficulty, he took Harry from Lily and put him in his crib. Then he knelt down and gathered his wife into his arms.
They didn't say anything to each other for a long time. The sun was setting by the time Lily spoke.
"We have to move and then get a secret keeper." Lily said.
"Alright." James said. "There's that nice place in…" Lily put a hand over his mouth.
"He could be watching, don't say anything about where we'll go."
"Lily…"
"Please, James." Lily pleaded. James nodded. He kissed her gently and helped her stand.
"We'll talk to Dumbledore, no doubt he has a plan." Lily took Harry from his crib and held him securely.
They found the gang still sitting at the kitchen table. Remus was making tea for everyone. Peter was sitting at the table fidgeting with a napkin, Dumbledore was sitting in deep thought and Sirius was sitting on the back porch. James walked out and sat next to him.
"Remember in fifth year when we threw a red paint bomb into the Slytherin common room and it exploded on Snivelly?"
"How can you be so calm about this?" Sirius asked.
"I'm not calm about this!"
"Throw a damn tantrum then!"
"Why! What would that achieve?" James cried. Sirius punched his arm. James punched him back.
Remus looked out the window and saw James and Sirius rolling around on the ground hitting each other and screaming endless streams of profanities.
"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM MAN?" James yelled spiting some blood onto the ground.
"YOU'RE MY PROBLEM!" Sirius yelled back. "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IF YOU DIE?" James ran at Sirius (who braced himself for attack) and hugged him viciously. Both men sank to the ground, each throwing a punch into the other's stomach.
"What on earth are they doing?" Lily asked in surprise. "This is no time to be killing each other!"
"It's how they grieve. They did this when their best friend was killed in an attack."
"When was this?" Lily asked.
"Fifth year. They didn't know how to handle it so Sirius accused James of being too calm and not caring and they punched each other until, like now, they finally cried to each other."
Sirius hugged James tight around the neck. "Don't die you stupid bastard." Sirius sobbed.
"I'm scared Sirius, I'm scared for Lily and for Harry and for Emma…I don't know what to do." The men cried for a few more minutes before finally they stood up and brushed each other off.
Finally when everyone was seated and set with very poorly made tea (which Remus apologized over and over again for) Dumbledore told them that they should get a secret keeper.
"I would be more then happy to be your Secret Keeper should you choose." Dumbledore said. James pushed Lily's hand away from his bloody lip for the hundredth time and looked at Sirius.
"I want Padfoot to be the Secret Keeper."
"Are you sure?" Sirius asked. James nodded.
"Who better then my brother?" Sirius lowered his gaze, he was getting teary eyed again. However he did swat Remus' hand away as he tried to nurse his cuts.
"It's settled then. James you know how the spell is performed, correct?" James nodded. "Good, let me know if anything goes wrong, I must excuse myself." Dumbledore stood and bowed his head before leaving.
James and Sirius were in deep thought. However they were jerked out of it when they each felt the sting of rubbing alcohol on their cuts.
"Ow!" James whined.
"Well it wouldn't hurt if you boys didn't insist of killing each other!" Lily said shrilly. James broke under her tone and let her nurse him. Sirius let Remus nurse him as well. After all there was nothing scarier then a near hysterical Lily.
TBC
Yeah that was long. I couldn't really find a good place to stop it. I would have used the name of the charm but my books are at home, which is way out on the east cost. Enjoy!