Saturday 7th June 1980

Tonks' Home, 14:30

"Oh, come on, Sev," Lily said impatiently, dragging him in behind her.

"I don't see why I have to come." He grumbled.

"Because they're our friends. Basically family."

Severus mumbled something under his breath but didn't disagree with her. It still might feel a bit weird to him sometimes, but he did consider this rather oddball and ragtag group of people his family. Who would have thought that he would have ever considered James Potter family? But he kind of came with Lily so there was that. Okay, he liked him more than that but he wasn't going to get all mushy gushy about it. He wasn't e3ven that mushy with Chryssie and she was his girlfriend!

It wasn't that he didn't want to see Remus and Dora. Of course, he did. Especially since he hadn't been able to be present at the hospital at first because his Potions Master hadn't let him be disturbed from the extremely sensitive potion he had been brewing. It could be quite explosive if not done right. But he had been beyond that point when the message had been intercepted for him and Severus had not been happy at not being told immediately. But he had got to see them both, briefly, and Merlin had he been received that Dora and her baby - Teddy - were both okay. Fragile. Healing. But okay. So, yes, he, like everyone else, wanted to continuously check in on mother and son to ensure that they were still okay. But he also didn't.

Because of Teddy. The tiny, little, premature baby. Who was fragile and delicate. And a baby. He didn't know how to act around babies! What was he supposed to do? Look at him? He certainly didn't want to hold him! He didn't hold babies! He stored potions, he wrote research papers. None of that had anything to do with babies.

"Surely Dora should be resting?" He tried. "We shouldn't disturb them."

"They were the ones who invited us over. Me, you, Chryssie and James."

"Then why aren't James and Chryssie here as well?" Severus complained.

How come they got out of it and he was the one being dragged around?

"They're working, you know that. Chryssie has a shift at the hospital and James and Sirius are on patrol.

Well, that wasn't fair. Just because he didn't have set hours for his work didn't mean that he could be dragged everywhere. Well, try telling Lily that.

He did and she just rolled her eyes at him and forcibly apparated him to the Tonks' house. Which Severus did not appreciate, by the way. Mr and Mrs Tonks were both at work themselves, leaving Remus to welcome them in.

"Teddy is just getting changed," Remus informed them, leading them upstairs as Lily had taken him up on the offer to see the nursery actually with all the baby stuff in it.

"How is he doing?" Lilt asked.

"See for yourself," Remus said happily, pushing the door open.

Dora was holding Teddy, bouncing him up and down.

"Hey," she greeted.

Lily made a beeline for her and started cooing over Teddy who just looked bemused. Severus said some approving words about Teddy, commenting on his size and things like that. He felt thoroughly awkward while doing it but Remus and Dora seemed to appreciate it.

"How is Teddy doing?" Lily was asking.

"He's on his own regime of potions," Remus said nodding to a collection of vials on a shelf.

There were very obviously two groups of potions. One at each end of the shelf. Severus couldn't help but be drawn to them as Dora and Remus explained what they were for. Teddy, it appeared, had to have more potions that Dora did - who just needed some for her blood loss, muscles aches from straining and tearing (something Severus really didn't want to dwell too much on) and one for her iron levels, which were still quite low. Teddy, on the other road, needed a few more than that due to being premature. There were two different potions to help him absorb nutrients better, a tailor-made one for his iron levels, a vitamin one and one for his underdeveloped lungs. Oh, Severus popped a cork of a blue vial and sniffed it, and one to help with liver function as well if he was correct about that smell. Poor Teddy, he couldn't help but think. Not even a month old and needing so much help just to get started.

"It's a lot but they're really helping," Remus said quietly. "The Medi-Witch was pleased either the progress he was making on her visit yesterday. He's going slowly but he's getting there."

That was good news. It was a pity that he wasn't getting stronger faster but Severus knew the reason behind that.

He sniffed imperiously at the hospital provided potions.

"I'll make you some far better ones," he informed them.

Ones that would do their job one hu died percent, unlike these ones. Honestly, they should have never been let out of the Lab in his opinion.

"Don't be silly, Severus," Remus said shaking his head. "That's completely unnecessary."

"I'm pretty sure you have enough brewing to do with your apprenticeship," Dora added. "Weren't you just saying before," she waved vaguely at her son who was currently trying to stare at everyone, "all this happened, that you were finally being allowed to brew more complicated potions."

"These," Severus picked up the vials with a sneer. "Are hardly complicated."

"So, we can trust that they were brewed properly," Remus said with a roll of his eyes, knowing Severus' complaints about the "dunderheads in hospitals who just looked to getting things done".

Which was the truth! The Brewers in the hospital just cared about having mass quantities of their potions, not about the quality. Well, they didn't have the same standard of quality that Severus held himself too. Which they should!

"I can brew them better."

"Severus..."

"I'll get them to you at the end of the week."

Monday 9th June 1980

St Mungo's, 10:30

"I hate this," Lily muttered, eyeing the midwife who was approaching her with the all too familiar tub in hand.

James could only give her a sympathetic look. It was the paste that they used for the ultrasound, Lily hated it with a passion. Said it was too cold, it felt weird and it smelled weird. James could confirm that last one, it definitely did smell weird but he wasn't sure about the rest. He had stuck his finger in it once and hadn't thought it was cold but maybe it felt different on your stomach.

Lily hissed as it was put on her and James gave her what he hoped was a sympathetic look.

"It's so we can see the baby," she said to herself. "It's all for the baby."

Exactly. She was doing this for their baby. Their precious little baby who they were going to meet in less than two months now!

"Huh," the midwife said, moving her wand across Lily's stomach.

Lily tried to straighten up, a worried look on her face.

"Is something wrong?" James asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.

It was probably nothing to worry about, right? Midwives said "huh" for all sorts of reasons. Maybe the little bean was in a weird position or something. It had been moving about an awful lot the past few days. Lily had been complaining that her ribs were getting battered. Which definitely didn't sound pleasant. Marlene said her baby was constantly pressing down on her bladder and Alice complained about heartburn. The things their women had to go through for a baby. James couldn't help but be in awe and be a little scared. He didn't think he'd be able to do it. It was scary enough from the outside!

The midwife hadn't answered him and was instead moving her wand over Lily's stomach again and comparing her results. What was going on? Why wasn't she saying anything? Lily gripped his hand tighter.

James opened his mouth to try and demand for answers but no sound came out. Thankfully, the midwife had put down her wand

"Your baby is measuring a bit bigger than expected," the midwife said absently, reading the bit of parchment that her spell produced.

"What do you mean?" James asked, worry etched into every part of his face. "Is that bad?"

She smiled at him. "Not necessarily but before I can give you any reassurances, I need to check something with a Healer."

Lily and James exchanged worried looks as the midwife left.

"Healer?" Lily asked hoarsely. "That's not good."

James bit his lip. It definitely wasn't good. He wasn't sure about anywhere else but he knew that having to call a Healer wasn't a good thing for a pregnancy. It wasn't good in the muggle world either - Lily said that they used midwives and nurses there throughout a pregnancy, their doppers, no, doctors, only called in for complications in issues.

Thankfully the midwife returned before their worries could go any further. There was a smile on her face that made them both relax.

"Good news," she said warmly. "Your due date was calculated incorrectly. You're actually a bit further on in your pregnancy than we all thought."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked with a frown.

"Your due date is the last week of July, not the tenth of August."

He and Lily just stared at her uncomprehendingly. What had just happened? Nothing was wrong? There was nothing wrong with their baby? The midwife smiled at him.

"Hey, we get to meet the little guy earlier than we thought," James said, smiling at Lily.

She smiled back at him. "Or girl."

"Yeah! Doesn't matter. We get to see them sooner!"

"I'm not going to be pregnant for as long," Lily giggled, rubbing her stomach.

James knew she loved feeling their baby kick and knowing that it was safe and growing but she also disliked the fact that it restricted what she could do. She was strong and independent and downright stubborn. All of which were curtailed when you were carrying another life and could only waddle short distances.

They were soon putting their robes on or, in Lily's case, wiping the goo off her stomach and pulling her dress back down before putting on her robe. Dresses were more comfortable for her these days.

And home they went. James was relieved. He didn't like hospitals at the best of times and that feeling had got worse in the past year. Mainly because the only reason he came was because of injuries to either himself or his fellow Aurors. And not everyone left the hospital. But they were home now. Well, at Potter Manor. Which didn't feel much like home anymore but it was better than St Mungo's.

No. Today was not the day for such thoughts. Today was a day to be happy. Happy about them. Happy about their baby. He looked down at Lily with a smile only for it to turn into a frown when he realised that she was crying.

"What if something happens to our baby?" Lily sobbed.

Her whole chest was heaving and her face was bright red. This wasn't good, this wasn't good at all. James could feel himself starting to panic but that wouldn't do anyone any good.

"Nothing is going to happen to our baby " he soothed, wrapping her in a hug. "It's fine, he's just due a bit earlier than what we thought."

"That's not what I meant."

He knew that wasn't what she really meant but he thought it would be good to reassure her that their baby really was doing okay. The only thing g they were sure of in this world of uncertainties.

"I know."

Lily sniffed and wiped her eyes but the tears kept coming.

"What if I go into labour early? What if we are attacked? What if-?"

"What if everything goes okay?" James returned, trying to bring back a little bit of optimism.

Though, he would be the first to admit that that was hard to come by these days.

Thursday 12 June 1980

Kingsley's Flat, 07:00

'RIIIING, RIIIING'

"Urghh."

'RIIIING, RIIIING'

Kingsley groaned and batted at his alarm clock, wishing again that digital alarm clocks worked in the magical world. It was far more pleasant to be woken up by beeping than a loud, shrill ringing which literally made his ears ring.

Of course, pushing it away from him didn't turn it off, he had to actually sit up and do that. After that was resolved, he burrowed under his covers again, really not ready to face the day.

Not ready to face a day of fighting against people he couldn't win against. A day of being outwitted at every turn. Of losing people he cared about. Of losing people who shouldn't have died. Of having to choose who to save because there weren't enough Aurors.

Kingsley shuddered at that last thought. He'd had to make that decision more and more recently. Which wasn't fair. On anyone. It wasn't fair to ask people to make that decision. It wasn't fair to the people who were putting their lives in his hands. And those hands weren't even safe!

And people weren't happy about it. And they had a right to feel that way. Not that it made dealing Kingsley with that displeasure any easier.

Speaking of people who weren't happy, he hadn't seen Elsie since that day weeks and weeks ago. The day she blamed Frank and him and basically all of the Aurors for her sister's death. Which he understood but that didn't make it hurt any less. The blame and the apparent loss of a friend.

And he felt like he had lost her. She definitely wouldn't want to be friends with someone who she blamed for the death of her sister, right? Of something ever happened to Hayden... Kingsley shuddered. He didn't even want to think about that. He would have to send his little brother a letter, checking up on him. When was the last time he had done that?

Monday 16th June 1980

Tonks' Home, 17:00

They still weren't sure what caused Dora to go into labour so prematurely. Stress? Something to do with her uterus? The Healers and midwives didn't know and they were still looking into it for them, in case it would affect any other pregnancies Dora might have in the future. Remus didn't know about her but if he was her, he would not want to go through all that again.

But she was fine now. Teddy was going to be fine. He was healthy and getting stronger by the day. Things, well, things were looking good.

Dora smiled at him as he rocked Teddy. He was quiet for one and both of them were just enjoying it. When he cried, he could really cry. Which wasn't fun. But Remus wasn't complaining. Crying meant that Teddy was alive. Something he was never quite sure of when he was sleeping. Teddy was just so quiet and Remus just had to check in on him multiple times when he was sleeping.

He also checked on Dora multiple times when she was sleeping too. They were sleeping next to each other again. Not that there was much choice in the Tonks house; the spare room being Teddy's nursery to Ted and Andromeda's insistence. So, if he stayed over, which had been constantly since Dora was discharged, they had to share a bed. Which was nice. Even if Remus woke up in a cold sweat from nightmares of Dora very much not being fine, of even worse complications from labour.

So, yes, Remus was glad to be sleeping next to her so he could make sure that she was safe.

He knew one thing, he looked down at his son who was staring up with those big, blue eyes of his, he was never going to take either one of them for granted ever again.

Wednesday 18th June 1980

Godric's Hollow, 19:30

"What's going on, James?" Lily asked her husband as he offered her, her cloak.

She automatically let him help her put it on, she didn't really have the best range of motion these days, but that didn't mean she was going to be going anywhere.

"I want to show you something," was all he said. "Come on."

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

He held out his arm for her and she nodded and grabbed it, giving him permission to side-apparate her. A gut flipping journey later and a very familiar place popped into view.

"Godric's Hollow?" She asked in confusion.

"Yeah," he replied. "I just... I just wanted one more look."

"Is it okay for us to be here?" She asked, following James into the house.

She wouldn't put it past him to casually break in. Sure, they had said that they might buy it but that didn't make it theirs yet!

"I cleared it with the real estate agent."

"Okay."

Lily absentmindedly followed James as he checked every room. She knew what the house looked like and she liked it. Loved it even. And James knew this.

They finished their loop and ended up back in the living room. Which was oddly dark since there wasn't a fire in the fireplace. What was this all about?

"Let's move in," James said decisively, extending his arms out wide and sweeping them around. "Let's make this house ours."

"Don't you want to go over things one more time?" Lily asked.

Sure, they had pretty much decided that this was the house they wanted but they hadn't put an offer in yet- James had wanted to be sure that certain wards could be added to it, it was in a mixed magical and muggle area, and there had been one other house. What was with this sudden change?

"No, I want to move in as soon as possible." James said stubbornly. "I want to be here with you and our baby being a family. As soon as we can."

That sounded so good to Lily. It had been what she had been longing for, some sense of stability in this confusing world. Not that a simple house could really give them that but it could give them the feeling of it, couldn't it?

"Do you want it?" James asked, suddenly looking very nervous and biting his lip.

"Yes," Lily said firmly. "Yes," she repeated a bit louder. "I want this. I so, so want this."

She was almost in tears as she said that, stupid pregnancy hormones.

"Then we're going to get it," James said with determination. "This is going to be ours before the day is over."

Lily beamed at him. They were going to have a house of their own!