Two Months Later

Lily had reached the point in which nothing in her closet fit anymore. She struggled with jeans that could no longer button up and t-shirts that clung to her in all the wrong places, giving up halfway through the whole disaster. She settled on black overalls over a navy blue and white striped t-shirt.

Downstairs she found her husband joined by the rest of the Marauders, gathered around the kitchen table chatting away. They'd come over for breakfast – plates of half-finished eggs and bacon before them as proof.

Lily looked fondly upon the scene. It reminded her so much of their days at Hogwarts, the Marauders all gathered in the Gryffindor Common Room, plotting their next big prank. Things had been rather simple back then. Now, when Lily entered the kitchen, she found her husband and his friends darkly discussing the "traitor" hidden within the Order.

"I'm certain of it, whoever is giving information to the Death Eaters, they had something to do with Leila's death."

It had been two months since Leila McAllister had been tragically killed but Remus' on the matter had not swayed. Lily could see the guilt eating away at him and she was forced to watch her friend be eaten away by a guilt that was not his to carry.

"You don't know that Remus," Sirius sighed, appearing exhausted by the topic. It was fair, considering Remus had spent the weeks since Leila's passing speaking only of ways to avenge her death. It was difficult for any person to listen to on repeat.

"I do," Remus snapped, his tone chilling. "They knew it would get to me. They had to."

Lily, who'd remained unnoticed watching the scene unfold from just outside the kitchen, was made the centre of attention upon entering the room.

"Morning, love," James greeted his wife, breaking the tension in the room. She was glad to hear their topic of conversation put to a halt, if only for a minute.

"Morning," Lily smiled, giving her husband a quick peck.

"PDA! PDA!" Sirius cried out. He sounded like a teenager who was being forced to watch his parents kiss. He guarded his eyes, Peter chuckling beside him.

"I think the time for convincing ourselves James and Lily do no more than cuddle is long gone," Peter quipped, motioning towards the bump hidden beneath Lily's baggy clothing.

"Any guesses on the gender?" Remus asked, putting aside the previous discussion for now.

"Well…James thinks it's a boy," Lily said, one hand pressed to her bump. "I think it's a girl."

"So, basically, you're just hoping for another member of your team in the house?" Sirius teased them.

"Oh no, James knows we could have six boys and I'd still be wearing the pants." Lily ruffled her husband's hair with affection before turning to prepare her own breakfast.

"These modern women," James muttered to his friends, making Lily smile as she had her back to them at the counter.

It had been difficult at first, getting used to the idea of a baby, but the fear and excitement of it all had drawn them closer together. They had begun to accept the increased responsibility that lay before them. Gone were their days of wild parties, drinking and drugs. These days Lily was in bed before ten – a fate she'd thought to avoid until she was at least middle-aged. It seemed that motherhood had forced her into adulthood in ways she had hardly expected.

"How is it being out of the fighting scene now?" Sirius asked Lily.

"Boring," she admitted. "I feel guilty not carrying my weight."

"Everyone understands," Peter promised her.

"Although I'm sure the others girls wouldn't mind a few more players on their team."

"Well, if we're lucky, perhaps there won't be any fighting left to do soon," Lily shrugged, placing her own breakfast down at the table as she squeezed in beside Remus and James.

"Wishful thinking," Remus remarked dejectedly. His tone made Lily's heart heavy and the long expression he wore only made her feel worse. He took a deep breath and pushed back his chair – rising from the table.

"I should go," he told the others. "Duty calls."

"More top secret work for Dumbledore then, I suppose?" Sirius interjected – the bitterness in his voice poorly masked. It seemed that as things within the Order grew tenser so did the relationship between Remus and Sirius, both of whom seemed to grow more wary of the other by the day.

"I'm not likely to tell you if it's top secret, am I?"

"Just be safe," James interrupted the pair, Peter watching the squabble anxiously.

"Let us know when you're home," Lily added, Remus smiling warmly at the couple before he took his leave. The table remained quiet, nothing but the sound of Lily's chewing until the front door was slammed shut.

"Always rushing off on secret business…" Sirius mumbled furiously.

"Oh, please don't go down this road again," Lily begged, tired of hearing her friends accuse one another of betrayal. It was painful to watch and only caused their already stressful situation to grow worse. If there was one thing war did, it tore those closest to you apart. Friends became enemies, lines became blurred.

"Even Peter agreed the other day! He - is - suspicious!"

All eyes turned to Peter, who squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. "Don't drag me into this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Remus is not a spy," James told his friend certainly. "And we're not going to start pointing fingers at one another."

"Thanks, Alec Potter" Sirius teased his friend – James' face showing no signs of amusement.

"You'd be getting one if he were here to hear this, Padfoot," he told his friend with much conviction. "Cut it out."

"I'm only saying-"

"Don't you dare," James warned. Even Lily took an anxious gulp as her green eyes moved between the pair, waiting for someone to make the next move. Sirius was glaring heavily at James - not pleased with the earful he was receiving - and the latter stared back harshly, unbending in his opinion. The tension in the room could be sliced with a knife.

"Well," Lily announced, clearing the air. "I think I'm going to get a start on the baby's room today."

"I'll help you," James offered, looking delighted to get away from the conversation they'd ended up in.

"That's okay," Lily assured him, giving his thigh a delicate squeeze. "Marlene is coming over to help and I think you could use a little boy time."

"I'm happy helping—"

"Well how about we keep that attitude for the months to come?" Lily suggested, leaning in for a quick peck.

She hoped her husband's positivity would remain for the next few months when they'd need it most.


Emmeline woke up slowly, a pair of lips leaving a trail of kisses around her face. It was a serene way to be woken from a deep slumber. She smiled, her eyes still closed, the bed shifting as a body moved to lean over the top of her.

"I must be dreaming," Emmeline smirked as hands travelled up the t-shirt she'd been sleeping in – tossing it over the side of the bed.

She opened her eyes, watching as a head of black hair travelled downwards, between her legs, pulling Emmeline's pyjama pants off as they went. What happened next was the best ten minutes of Emmeline's life – ending with an audible cry of joy from her between her lips.

"Good morning," Hestia grinned as she emerged. Emmeline scoffed as Hestia dropped back down into her place on the pillow beside her.

"Last night was…"

"Surprising," Emmeline agreed, still a little breathless.

Last night had been a Friday. Emmeline, Marlene, Mary, and Hestia had decided that they'd have a ladies night on the town. They'd gotten all dolled up and headed out to one of London's hot spots, drinking till the room spun and their dancing felt natural. Of course, the night had finished with just Hestia and Emmeline left on the dance floor…later ending up in Emmeline's bed.

The whole thing had been a drunken decision; totally spur of the moment. Emmeline had never much-considered girls, much less hooking up with one that she worked with on a regular basis. Of course, she thought Hestia was a beautiful woman. She was petite, with long black hair and rosy cheeks. She knew how to have a good time and, best of all, she made Emmeline smile. It was a gift she had been deprived of for much too long.

"You and Prewett," Hestia began cautiously, dark eyes facing down, "are you still…?"

"No," Emmeline shook her head. "That ended a while ago."

Now, all that remained between Emmeline and Gideon was awkward small talk and quick glances. While they tried hard to stay cordial, neither of them much fancied being in the same room for too long and they'd barely remained as close as they had hoped to.

"Had you…" Hestia paused, looking embarrassed by her question. Emmeline was flattered that someone she thought seemed so confident could be nervous in her presence.

"Hooked up with a girl before?" Emmeline clarified. "No," she smiled guiltily. "You'd be the first."

"You could've fooled me," Hestia told her, leaning in close so the words came out a whisper. Emmeline could feel the blush rising in her cheeks – and the butterflies coming to life in her stomach – as Hestia leant in, their lips meeting.

Suddenly, Emmeline was on top of her, the pair going in for round two. When they'd finished – both now wide awake – they got dressed and, as though they were two old friends that had just enjoyed a sleepover, headed out for brunch.

"The Order has become a bit incestuous if you ask me," Hestia joked once the two girls had settled in a nearby diner.

"That's what happen when you force a group of young people to spend every waking minute together."

"How many people on the team have you slept with?" Hestia asked curiously, her eyes shining with interest. "Your year seems particularly guilty."

"Gideon," Emmeline answered honestly. "Now you." She cringed at the memory of her third conquest, one she'd rather forget. "And Black."

"Sirius Black?" Hestia gasped.

"Say it a little louder why don't you!"

Hestia laughed, turning a few heads around them, as Emmeline pouted embarrassedly.

"I thought he and McKinnon…"

"They are," Emmeline confirmed. "They just…were not…when it all happened."

"I didn't think I'd like him," Hestia admitted. "With his whole family history, but he has a way of surprising people."

"That he does." Emmeline had begun to concentrate on her menu, the topic of Sirius Black no matter of great interest.

"You heard about his brother then?"

Her eyes rose suddenly, the amused expression upon Hestia's face vanished.

"His brother?"

"Regulus Black has been missing, since Christmas, I heard."

Emmeline's stomach sank. It made sense. Christmas had been the last time she'd heard Regulus' name mentioned – when he'd showed up on Sirius' doorstep unexpectedly and sparked a fight between his brother and Marlene. At the time, it had seemed like a melodramatic act, possibly to get Sirius riled up, but his true intentions were suddenly clear.

"Do they think he's run away?" Emmeline asked, hopeful. She was now on the edge of her seat, waiting desperately for positive news about a boy she'd never much cared for.

"No, they think he's dead."

Emmeline had known Regulus. Not well, but she'd seen him often. At first, he'd been Sirius Black's little brother, a boy who seemed lost in the confines of Hogwarts. She'd watched him grow up, fall into the wrong crowd; lose the sense of light he'd once seemed to possess. The thought of him dead left a bitter taste in her mouth no matter how well she'd known him or what she'd thought of his character.

"But why…" Emmeline shook her head, unable to comprehend what she was being told. "Why would they think that?"

"From what I've heard, he was getting in too deep. He freaked out. And…" Hestia lowered her voice. "You-know-who decided it was better to knock him out then let him go free."

Emmeline flinched at the thought. He was just a boy, no older than eighteen. Emmeline could only imagine the guilt that Marlene, and Sirius even more, would feel when they heard the news. Marlene had tried so hard to save him and Sirius had never given him the chance that might have saved his brother...

"When did you find out?" Emmeline asked, her voice grown hoarse.

"A few days ago. I passed it along to Moody…" Hestia bowed her head. "Figured he'd let Sirius know when he felt it was right."

When was it right to learn that your little brother – one you'd spent your life distancing yourself from – had been killed trying to escape the very evilness that had torn you apart? Emmeline knew there laid no love between the Black brothers.

Perhaps there could have been.


Work had grown increasingly boring for Alice Longbottom since becoming pregnant. With missions no longer in the picture, she was confined to her desk – paperwork piling up with no end in sight. Moody kept her occupied with his most interesting material – warrants and Death Eater files – but it didn't kerb Alice's passion for hands-on work.

Of course, at five months pregnant, it was easiest to stick to office work. Alice assisted the new Aurors and spent more time than usual with her co-workers – all of whom were sympathetic to her condition.

"One o'clock tea?"

Alice looked up from her work to see Kingsley with a mug in his hands. He placed the cup of peppermint tea in front of her, sliding into a nearby chair and pushing it up to her desk. Luckily, Kingsley seemed to be in the office more often than not. He was Moody's right-hand man and when the head Auror wasn't around, he made sure things were kept on track.

"How's it going?"

"I think I'm more exhausted now than I was when I was on my feet all day."

Kingsley laughed. "I suppose that might have something to do with the baby too?"

Subconsciously, Alice ran a hand over her expanding middle, smiling. "Yeah, this one is sucking my energy right up."

"Frank out of the office today?"

Alice nodded, exhaling deeply. She wasn't a big fan of her husband being on fieldwork when she was stuck inside feeling useless. For all, she knew Frank was currently in danger and she wasn't there to have his back.

"Yup. Gone until later this evening."

"This work is important too, you know?" Kingsley insisted. He pointed towards the pile of paperwork Alice had yet to get through. "It means you're the brains behind the operation now."

"It feels more like I'm a useless extra body at the moment."

"Please," Kingsley rolled his eyes. "We'd be hopeless without you here. You better come back to work the minute you've had that baby."

"I'm sure everyone in the office will love that! A screaming, crying baby to keep them on their toes."

Kingsley smirked. "Well, that's what you've got grandmothers for."

Alice felt a shiver go down her spine at the thought of Augusta spending each day with the baby. Teaching them how to be "prim little proper" and dressing them in a ridiculous frilly outfit.

"I'll find a good babysitter," Alice assured him.

"Longbottom!" A voice called from the back of the office. Alice and Kingsley spun around at the same time, Alastor Moody standing in the doorway of his office. He motioned her over, Alice turning to Kingsley with a look of curiosity.

"Am I in trouble?"

"It's all the biscuits you've been stealing from the lounge. He's noticed."

Alice smacked her friend on the arm, making the short trip across the room to Alastor Moody's office. He was already sitting behind his desk, waiting when she stepped inside. His chair was turned to the left, his gaze wandering out the large window in his office, which looked down upon the Ministry's lobby.

"You feeling okay?" he asked her, not bothering to look over.

"As good as I can be cooped up in here every day."

He laughed gruffly, although Alice was certain it was more due to pity than amusement.

"Sit," he instructed her, pulling his chair back to the centre of his desk.

Alice gulped anxiously as she dropped – rather awkwardly – into the chair opposite him. Her mind jumped to the worst conclusions. Something terrible had happened; Frank was injured…or worse…dead. Alice curled her hands into fists at her sides, digging her nails into her palms, and prayed for happy news.

"I've had some…news passed along to me," Moody informed her, hands clasped on top of his desk. "Regulus Black disappeared a few months ago, just before Christmas."

"Regulus?" Alice gasped.

"Yes, Sirius' younger brother."

She sunk into her chair, recalling a recent fight between Sirius and Marlene over his little brother…

"It's assumed that he was killed."

Alice's brown eyes widened, the shock upon her face growing. "W-why would we assume that?"

"His family is worried. His mother has suggested to those around her that he wasn't eating the last few weeks he was home; he spent much of his time locked in his bedroom. It seems the only person Regulus was communicating with in those last few days was the family house elf." Moody shrugged.

"That sounds more like a boy who might've run away? Or…" Alice choked on the words, "hurt himself."

"We have good reason to believe that he was killed on Voldemort's orders. It appears that Regulus was attempting to flee."

"You mean he wanted to switch sides?" The news made Alice queasy. He had tried to change, to do the right thing; perhaps he'd even wanted to get his brother's help. He'd been failed on all accounts.

"Yes," Moody nodded grimly. "It seems to have caused quite the upset within the family. His father, Orion, passed away not long after. Were you aware?"

"N-no?" Alice found the news shocking, to say the least, but she couldn't quite understand why Moody had decided to relay it to her.

"We haven't informed Sirius yet." Moody's eyes rose to meet her, Alice's expression changing from one of concern to dread.

"Sir," Alice began apprehensively, " do you really think I'm the best person to dump this on him? You know the details—"

"You're his friend," Moody reasoned. "You're kind as well. People prefer to hear bad news from you."

"Thank you?" Alice scoffed.

"His relationship with his family is complicated but no one is happy to hear about the passing of blood."

"You don't know Sirius very well, then," she told him.


Lily and Marlene had opted for a day spent in Diagon Alley – picking out bits and pieces for the baby. As Lily's pregnancy progressed, so did her excitement about the upcoming arrival of her baby. A human being that she had grown inside of her, a person that she would love unconditionally until her final breath.

Not to mention, Marlene had grown rather excited about soon to be "Auntie" status. Already she had spent more money than necessary on any baby trinket she could find and was prepared to spoil the baby shamelessly from the moment it was born.

"Seriously Marlene," Lily insisted, rushing after her long legged friend as they moved through the aisles of a store for "tiny witches and wizards". "Sirius was hell bent on accusing Remus of being the spy."

"He can't mean it," Marlene assured her friend, only half paying attention as she admired all the items the store had to offer. "He can't actually be that daft?"

"So he hasn't mentioned anything to you?"

Marlene shook her head. "Nothing. Probably because he knows I'd smack him over the head if he did."

Lily sighed heavily, her arms rested around her bump, as though she could protect her baby from all of the darkness that surrounded them. "I'm so excited for this all to be over," she confessed. "So we can get back to normal…"

"Oh, Lil," Marlene pulled a baby's blanket – white and covered in golden snitches – off a shelf.

"I think James might divorce me if we didn't buy that," Lily said, adding it to their overflowing basket of items.

"So, what colour are we thinking for the walls? Blue? Pink?" Marlene pressed her friend, still convinced that Lily had some "insight" into the baby's gender.

"Neutral!" she exclaimed for the hundredth time. "Cream coloured walls."

Marlene pouted – always disappointed when she didn't get her way – leading the way towards the front counter so that Lily could hand the shopkeeper a galleon and a few sickles from her change purse.

"What about names?" Marlene asked as they waited in line. "Have you two discussed it? I know Alice and Frank are going to name the baby after family names either way—"

"Alice has settled on Augusta for a girl then?" Lily teased, both girls laughing. They knew how much frustration Alice's mother-in-law caused, although she always meant well. Lily was often tempted to shake some sense into her friend, to remind her how lucky she and Frank were to have his mother's support. Lily would do anything to have Caroline, or her own mum, back to help guide her through all these changes she couldn't understand…

"We haven't talked much about it," Lily admitted to her friend. "I wouldn't mind a fresh start though, something new."

"New is nice," Marlene agreed. With all the war and the chaos, Lily thought it nice that the baby not be tied to someone who had been drawn from them too soon. She didn't know if she wanted to keep that pain as a reminder for the rest of her days.

The two girls paid for their goods and wandered back into the streets of Diagon Alley. It was warm, a fresh spring afternoon. Lily's stomach was rumbling – despite having eaten an hour or two prior – and so they went on a search for food (specifically sweets, which had recently come to be Lily's weakness).

"What about Florean's?" Marlene suggested. They'd exhausted all their usual spots already – Lily too picky for her own good. More accurately, the baby was too picky. Lily had decided if she was forced to face swollen feet and mood swings she could at least spend nine months blaming all of her annoying habits on the child growing inside of her.

"Mm...yes," Lily finally agreed. "Banana split."

"Who are you and what have you done with my friend?"

The two girls continued on down the street, pushing past other shoppers, chatting lightly as they went. Lily was nearly knocked off her feet as they passed an alley, a man in a black cloak – an unusual choice on such a warm day – aggressively pushing past her.

"Hey!" Marlene shouted furiously, stabilising Lily. "How about some manners?"

The man turned around, a seething look on his face, but Lily recognised him immediately. He didn't manage to remain angry for long, his expression softening as their eyes met.

"Lily," he breathed. Severus stepped forward – as though wanting to embrace her – but then paused, thinking better of it. His face, bright for a moment, fell as he took in her fuller form. "You're…"

"Pregnant," she finished for him, her voice cold. Lily had prepared for the disappointed reactions she might receive from friends – those who counted on her as a fellow fighter and who needed her strength. She cared little for the judgment she was certain Severus was just waiting to project.

Marlene stepped forward and placed herself between the pair, her protective streak coming to light. "If you don't mind," she growled, "we're in a bit of a rush." Marlene and Severus stared one another down like two wolves ready to spare.

In the past, Lily might have scolded her for the behaviour. The claws that seemed to come out when Severus was around had always bothered Lily but not today. Perhaps it was James' DNA, which now bustled inside of her, that prevented any sympathy from flooding to her surface at the sight of an old friend, or simply his dangerous alliance.

"I was just saying hello," Severus barked back.

"Hello," Lily said flatly, her eyes narrowing on him. "There, we've said it have we?"

"Lily, I—"

"Let's go, Marlene," Lily directed her friend. She had to practically drag her away, Marlene ready to take him down right there. "Goodbye Severus."

Lily hoped to God she never had to see him again.


Sirius had just landed his bike on the street in front of his flat. James was in the side-car, both men laughing boisterously about their near death experience in the sky. They'd decided that it was a smart idea to "smoke and fly," Sirius not very in control of his facilities on the best of days.

It wasn't until they'd clambered to their feet, wiping their sweaty hands on their jeans, that they saw Alice waiting in his doorway. She was sitting on the doorstep, and struggled to her feet with the extra weight of her belly, looking towards Sirius with a grim expression.

He panicked, his head still hazy from the joint he and James had shared. It was Marlene. Something terrible had happened to Marlene. He knew she wasn't out on a mission today, as she was shopping with Lily, but it seemed the only probable reason for Alice's solemn expression.

"What happened?" he asked, his stomach dropping. "How bad is it?"

"She's okay," Alice assured him, understanding what Sirius hadn't said. "It isn't her."

"Then who?"

Alice took a deep breath, bracing herself for whatever came next. "It's your brother," she admitted. Sirius remained very still. James came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder bracingly.

"Padfoot?" he prompted his friend. "Are you alright, mate?"

"He's dead?" Sirius confirmed.

"We should go inside—"

Sirius didn't much care where he learnt the news. "What'd he do, then?"

"She's right, we should go inside," James tried to encourage his friend. Sirius continued to resist, standing frozen as a statue, staring Alice down with his hard gaze.

"We don't know for certain," she told him, arms crossed. "He's been gone for months, your family assumes him dead."

"He probably ran away," Sirius suggested.

"Sirius, we…we think that he was trying to get out. It seems like he was pulling away from Voldemort's scene but…there's no quitting being a Death Eater."

Sirius was certain he was supposed to cry. The news was supposed to bring him shaking to his knees, begging for one more chance to see his little brother. Sadly, he found it didn't quite manage that for him. Instead, it left a sort of numbness within him, a hollow pit. A space meant to be filled with grief for the brother he'd lost but didn't quite manage.

"Your father, he didn't make it into the New Year either."

Sirius gulped heavily. His father. A man meant to teach him how to be good, how to put something worth meaning into the world. The one man whose love he was supposed to be guaranteed unconditionally. He let Alice's words sink in, the reality that his father had been dead for months without his knowing it, and nodded.

"Okay," he said formally. "Thank you."

Alice seemed slightly rattled by the reaction, yet not surprised. Perhaps she knew – more than the rest of them could – what losing an absentee parent felt like; a weight off your shoulders.

"I'm sorry," she said kindly, "that you had to find out this way."

"How else was I ever going to find out?" he admitted darkly. It was not as though his father would have bothered to mourn if he'd been the one that had died. In fact, he doubted his parents would be affected by the news at all. He wouldn't waste any tears on them.

"So Regulus, he was trying to get out?" James clarified. He cleared his throat from behind Sirius, reminding his friend that he was still there.

"It's what we assume, yes. It seems he was in the process of running away."

"A coward's death," Sirius shrugged. "Seems fitting."

"Padfoot…"

"I don't feel bad for him," Sirius told them both. "Why should I? He took part in the pain of so many and then he got scared. He didn't even try to do the honourable thing, to fight against them."

"Well, he's gone now." Alice sighed. "It's just your mother now, living in Grimmauld."

"Good riddance to her." Sirius cared little for his mother, for the woman who had berated and hurt him throughout his childhood. His parents were no comforting force – they had abused him. They had filled his childhood with terror and misery. Their loss was his gain.

"Thanks for dropping by, Alice. I'd offer you come in for a drink, but…." Sirius motioned towards her growing belly, Alice rubbing a hand over it self-consciously.

"Might not be the smartest idea." She smirked.


James returned home in the evening expecting to find Lily rushing around in the kitchen trying to whip up some dinner or lounging across the couch with a book. Instead, she was nowhere to be found. He wandered upstairs towards their bedroom, pausing before the guest room with its door ajar. He could smell fresh paint from the hallway and creaked the door open to get a better look.

Marlene and Lily had wasted no time getting the room prepared. A bassinet was in the centre, a teddy bear rested inside, along with a folded blanket of golden snitches. James smiled at the sight. They had hung up picture frames of family and friends. One of Lily's mum and dad, one of James with his parents, and another of their wedding day, gathered with all their loved ones.

Sweetest of all was Lily, asleep in the corner. She'd sat down in the rocking chair, James assumed to admire their bedroom that would soon belong to their child. Her head was rested back, her lips slightly parted as she breathed deeply, hands clasped over her bump.

"Hey," James whispered kneeling in front of her with a smile. "Sleeping beauty." He gave her shoulder a little squeeze, Lily rousing slowly from her snooze.

"I fell asleep," she realised, looking around drowsily.

"You did."

"I wanted to see your reaction to the room!"

"I love it," he promised, leaning in for a quick kiss. Lily continued to pout despite it.

"Did you see the blanket?"

"I did."

"I thought you might want to start them young."

He watched her for a few moments, simply admiring. The softness of her skin, her rosy lips, the almond shaped green eyes he'd so long adored.

"I love you," he told her, his voice soft and affectionate.

"Love you too," Lily answered him, hand cupping his cheek.

James was still in awe of her – despite now being married for over a year. They'd been together since they were seventeen but she still managed to take his breath away, even more so now that she was carrying their child. He was amazed by the way her body changed and morphed as their baby grew stronger, and the grace with which Lily carried it all. It seemed unreal that inside her belly was their son or daughter…just a few months from entering the world.

"Come on," James said, offering his hand to his wife. "Let's go to bed."

Once the pair of them had changed into their pyjamas and brushed their teeth they settled beneath the covers, James' arms wrapped around Lily and his hand pressed to her belly. He could feel the tiny movements as they baby kicked, a smile coming upon his face.

"They always do that when you're around," Lily told him. "Something about your voice, I suppose."

He kissed her cheek, nuzzling his face into her neck. James felt happy – whole – with his family wrapped up in his arms. For the first time since his parents had died, he didn't feel alone. He had a child on the way and a stunning wife who filled him with joy. James was complete.


Marlene was up in bed, reading when she heard the front door unlock. She stayed still, still halfway through flipping the page of her novel, when the bedroom door creaked and in stepped Sirius. She couldn't miss how worn out he appeared, as though he hadn't slept in days. She patted the empty space beside her, not saying a word, and watched as Sirius kicked off his shoes and crawled on the bed to join her. He curled up, laying his head in her lap like a child in desperate need of comfort. Marlene placed her book aside, running her fingers through his tousled hair.

"What's going on?" she asked, having let a few minutes of silence pass.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled from below her.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"I should've listened to you, about Regulus." Marlene's stomach dropped but she tried to keep her exterior calm, continuing to run her fingers through Sirius' hair in a comforting gesture. "He's dead," he told her. "Alice came by to tell me today."

"Oh, Sirius…"

"It's fine," he lied. "They were never my family anyway. Why should I mourn for them?"

"You don't have to," she told him, "but it isn't wrong if you do." She didn't get a reply and she knew why when she felt the drip of tears onto her leg - although she pretended she didn't. "Having feelings is not a weakness," she promised him, leaning down so that she could speak softly. "You only prove how much stronger you are than them."

"Is it my fault?" he asked her, his voice shaking. "That he turned out the way he did?"

"You did your best," she said, not sure of the answer herself. She couldn't imagine the difficulties Sirius had been forced to endure during his sixteen years in the Black Manor. His parents had been cruel and unloving and he had spent his childhood being abused. "You had to save yourself first, and Regulus, he...he wasn't strong enough for that."

"Is it okay if I stay?" Sirius asked her.

"Always," she said, kissing the top of his head.

Sirius reached out, taking Marlene's hand and holding it close to his chest. He exhaled deeply, pressing his lips to it. "You're the best thing in my life right now." Marlene wasn't sure what the proper reaction that was so she stayed quiet, waiting for more. They'd never been a very expressive couple and so the confession caught her off guard.

"I can't lose you," he told her, drifting off not long after. She stayed awake for a while until she rolled Sirius off her lap and lay down herself. She realised, with a sense of fear, that she couldn't lose him either.