Epilogue

Family Matters

Her eyes fluttered open but the darkness let her know it was not yet morning. She forced her eyes shut but the urge that had awakened her would not allow her to fall back asleep. She pulled the covers away and rolled away from the human heater lying next to her. The floorboard creaked underfoot. Did it creak louder than before? Sure sounded like it.

If so, it was the only honest comment about her weight gain that she would receive — Harry had enough of a self-preservation instinct to know not to ever answer any questions on the topic.

She knew she'd indulged on their celebratory trip. Harry had been a big part of that, insisting that he pamper her. She had tried to refuse, but he'd held his ground. "Let me get it out of my system," was his excuse. With many eye-rolls, she had let him, and now she was paying the price.

She left the bed, threw a robe over herself, and made her way to the kitchen. She had something on her mind, something very specific.

She froze when she entered the kitchen.

'Mum?'

Raquel's head snapped towards the door in surprise, Daphne had been quite stealthy in her approach. 'Daphne. . . Hungry?'

'That's why I came to the kitchen at this ghastly hour,' she said sarcastically. 'What are you eating?'

'Peaches and cream.'

'Mmmmm, that's exactly what I was coming for. With cinnamon?'

Raquel looked at her daughter with disgust. 'What do you take me for? A savage?'

'Hey, I was just making sure,' Daphne replied playfully. She grabbed a bowl and dished herself a serving and garnished it with a dash of cinnamon. 'Since when do you come down for nighttime snacks?'

'This is the second time this week. I actually had fresh peaches this time though; it's just not the same from the can.'

'Mmm,' Daphne agreed with a nod and a moan of satisfaction that accompanied her first bite. 'I don't know why you don't make this more. It is so good.'

'You aren't usually that complimentary. In fact, I haven't craved this since—' Her spoon dropped, clinking loudly off her bowl and then onto the table.

'What is it, Mum? You look like you've seen a Boggart,' Daphne teased.

'This is not possible, Daphne! At least, I didn't think it was!' Raquel was obviously in shock, but the underlying feeling seemed to be more along the lines of excitement instead of fear or disappointment.

'Mum, are you going to tell me what is going on with you, or not?'

'Daphne, did you use protection on your honeymoon?'

'Mum!'

'Daphne, listen to me. The last time I craved peaches and cream was when I was pregnant with you! I can't believe I didn't think about that but it wasn't even on my radar. So, again, is there a chance you are pregnant? Are you late too?'

Daphne's jaw flopped open and she set her spoon down on the table.

'I'll take that as a yes. Can't say I blame you,' Raquel said with a scandalous smile.

'Stop! How are we going to find out? Isn't there a Charm for this sort of thing?'

'No. No Charm. There is a potion we can take but we have to wait for it to pass through to get the results. The muggle tests actually give faster results. But since we don't have either of those on hand, I want to test out another rumor I've heard.'

'What's that?'

'Come with me,' Raquel said as she led Daphne out of the kitchen and to the front of Walburga's portrait. 'You go first.' She hid behind the corner so Daphne could talk to her grandmother alone.

There was no shriek when Daphne pulled the covering. Walburga had ceased with that impulse when Daphne'd become her most frequent visitor and she smiled when she took sight of her granddaughter.

'Well, you certainly didn't waste any time did you?' Walburga stated.

'I don't know what you are talking about,' Daphne replied in feigned innocence and a demure smile.

'Oh, my dear, you don't have to hide it from me. You can't hide it from me. I can already see your glow.' She topped it off with a complimentary smile.

'So it is true!?' Raquel declared as she emerged from around the corner.

'That some portraits are imbued with special skills like detecting pregnancy?' Walburge said before answering her own question. 'Yes.'

'But it's not perfect,' Raquel said casually.

'No, it's not. But it's good enough to know that you are just as far along as your daughter. Though it wouldn't take any magic to know that. Your chipmunk cheeks and enlarged bosom are a dead giveaway to anyone that would pay attention.'

Raquel gasped and Daphne burst out in laughter. Walburga shot her a subtle wink, only causing her laughter to intensify.

'Aren't you a little old to be having a baby, Mum?'

'Excuse me! I am not that old,' Raquel replied in mock offense. 'At least not for a witch.'

'Another reason why we are better than muggles,' Walburga interjected. As much as Daphne enjoyed having a type of relationship with her grandmother, there were some aspects she still had to roll her eyes at.

'Well, should we go to the store and pick up a couple of tests so we can give our husbands a surprise in the morning?' Raquel suggested.

Daphne agreed with a conspiratorial smile and a nod.

After some rest, the two women were sitting at the kitchen table awaiting their husbands for breakfast, having already eaten one serving themselves. Each bore an anticipatory look that caused the other to snigger if their eyes met for too long. At the end of the table, closest the hallway, rested two pregnancy tests, each with two pink lines indicating a positive test. Whether the men would comprehend the meaning of those two lines was anybody's guess.

Harry was the first through the door and though he noticed the pieces of plastic, their meaning did not register with him. He picked up one test and scrunched his eyebrows as he flipped it over to see if there was anything of import on the backside. He handed it over to Sirius when he entered the kitchen.

'Any idea what this is?' Harry asked.

Sirius blinked rapidly when he took the object from Harry. 'Oh, I absolutely know what this is.' He slapped Harry hard on his back and answered Harry's confused look, 'Congratulations, Harry! You're going to be a father!'

'What!?' Harry breathed towards Daphne as an ever-growing smile began to appear on his face.

She reciprocated with a bright smile of her own and a confirming nod.

Harry rushed over, picked Daphne up in a bear hug, and twirled her around.

'Easy, Harry. You don't want me to lose my breakfast all over you,' she teased.

'Oh, yeah, sorry,' Harry said worriedly as he quickly set her down.

'Couldn't believe it so you had to do a second one to be sure, huh?' Sirius said to Daphne adding a wink as he picked up the second test off the table.

Daphne shared a knowing look with her mum before turning to Sirius, 'That one's not mine,' she said with a calculated smirk.

Sirius' eyeballs flashed between Daphne and Raquel in rapid succession, his wife sporting the same smirk as his daughter. Raquel added a couple small nods in case he needed help comprehending the implication. He froze, statuesque. His skin went as pale as alabaster, and he collapsed to the floor. No one was quick enough with their wand to prevent him from hitting the ground with a thud.

All three of them rushed over and hovered above the unconscious man. After a moment, Harry sent a small stream of water over his face, startling him back to their realm.

'Hey, Grandpa,' Harry said with a smile.

'Is it true? Are you really pregnant?' he asked Raquel while bringing himself to a sitting position and rubbing the back of his head.

'I am,' she said as she took his hand and helped him up. She placed a kiss on his cheek. 'You can be a proper father this time. Don't have to hide it from everyone.'

'That's wonderful,' Sirius exclaimed. 'And you two can move out now, right? The last few years have been great and all, but. . .'

'No way!' Harry and Daphne cut through, smiling at their simultaneous outburst.

'Why would we walk away from free housing?' Daphne scoffed.

'And deprive our child of growing up around an Aunt or an Uncle,' Harry continued.

'Not to mention, free babysitters so we can make more grandchildren,' Daphne added.

'Ok!' Sirius groaned. 'That's exactly why you need to find your own place.'

'Don't you dare kick my granddaughter and future great-grandchild out of this house!' Walburga commanded from the hallway.

'You shut up! Ok?' Sirius cried.

'Good luck with that. You've been trying that for years and your mediocre magic has continued to render your attempts fruitless! You are fortunate your loins haven't suffered the same fate.'

'Wench,' he muttered under his breath.

'I heard that!' she screeched. 'You need to be grateful you are still viable. Perhaps Harry's luck is rubbing off on you. You should try keeping him closer instead of pushing him and his wonderful wife away.'

They all sniggered at Walburga's comments. . . except Sirius, of course.

'Looks like you're stuck with us,' Harry said with satisfaction.

Daphne grabbed Sirius' hand and gave it a small squeeze. 'Love you, Daddy.' She let go and then took one of Harry's hands. 'Let's go, I've got another craving.'

'Yes, dear,' he replied with a pleasantly surprised grin as she tugged on him to leave the room and head up the stairs. 'I haven't told you how much I hate you lately, have I?' he said loud enough for his voice to carry back to the kitchen.

'I don't want words, Harry. I want you to show me,' Daphne responded in a sultry tone.

'Ahh,' Sirius growled. 'Can a guy get a Muffliato around here?'

Walburga cackled a laugh worthy of a wicked witch. 'This was worth the wait in gold,' she said with satisfaction while Raquel sniggered with mirth as she wrapped her husband in a comforting hug.

'Try to have some fun, dear. Heaven knows I will.'

'You'll have to have enough for the two of us. That pair might be the death of me,' he said in faux defeat.