A/N: It's been way too long. I'm sorry. School has been time consuming and my computer is selective about when it works and when it doesn't… The pregnancy book bit that Lily says? Yeah, stole that from Juno. I have no original ideas in my head. And, of course, this chapter has the obligatory Sirius pun that must be present in any Marauders fic. No matter how many times I hear it, I'm still amused. Yes, I realize it's all rather jumpy and confusing. I can't help it. Read, review (I do so love reviews) do all the fun stuff you always do!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of this. If I did, do you really think I'd be using this computer that barely works? No, I wouldn't. I would have a spiffy, new one that's not so fricken SLOW

"Wait, so we're baby shopping?" Regulus gave Severus an odd look. He found himself standing in a remote section of St. Mungo's Maternity Ward. "Why would we do that?"

"I want a child," Sevreus said like it was something he did everyday. Regulus shook his head.

"Why now? We're not in the most stable of situations," the youngest Black pointed out.

"I want a child," Severus replied. "That's all."

"You know, it could take years for them to give you a child, if at all. Especially considering what you do for a living." Regulus was starting to think the whole world was going crazy on him.

"You're not being the most helpful," Severus scowled. "If I'd wanted criticism, I would had dragged your brother along with me."

"Hey, Sirius isn't that bad," Regulus defended. "Sure he's arrogant and self-centered and an attention hog but at least he admits to it."

"Sometimes I wonder how sane you are, living in a flat with them," Severus muttered.

"Remus is a pretty okay guy. He's quiet and always reading. My brother's the loud one." Regulus shrugged. "And he's usually out at work all day."

"You do realize that could be taken two ways, don't you," Severus pointed out.

"They ward their room, thank Merlin," Regulus replied. "If they didn't, do you really think I would have stayed?"

"Likely you'd say it's better than your mother screeching at you at all hours," Severus responded dryly.

"Let's go to an orphanage, yeah?" Regulus looked hopeful. "Mungo's gives me the creeps."

The month of June had settled happily upon the Potters. Lily had a nephew, whose name was Dudley. Everyday, Lily was getting closer to having her own child to take care of. She was excited. Of course, Alice Longbottom, Lily's friend from the Order, was due the same week as she was. It was all very exciting.

Remus had been spending the days with Lily while James went off to work. He wasn't paid, but he did a lot of work for the Order, which was a payment in itself (though he often grumbled it wasn't). Sirius had moved on to his favorite of all his muggle jobs thus far: working in a candy shop. Peter and Annabel had broken up, though Annabel and Lily had remained friends. Regulus spent his days off 'information gathering' as he liked to call it. Many people assumed that Severus holed himself up in his lab to make potions.

"Good afternoon, Regulus dear," Lily greeted as the boy stepped out of her fireplace. She was slightly resentful as she wasn't allowed to use the normal methods of travel because of her pregnancy.

"Afternoon, Lily," he greeted warmly. "Where's Remus?"

"In the kitchen," she replied. "He's fixing me a snack."

"Thanks," Regulus shot her a smile and then headed into the kitchen. "I've got a problem," he told the werewolf.

"What is it?" Remus was, above all, the levelheaded one of the bunch.

"Severus has been looking to adopt a child," Regulus explained. "And he's found one. She was born a few weeks ago. And he plans to adopt her." Regulus looked fearful.

"Why is this bad?" Remus asked, not quite getting it.

"First of all, Severus isn't exactly the best candidate for fatherhood; the man can hardly take care of himself! Second, I think he's doing it for all the wrong reasons. Third, I don't think he's thought this through enough."

"Severus over-thinks everything," Remus assured the younger man. "I'm sure he put a great deal of thought into this decision. And how could he be doing this for the wrong reasons?"

"I think he's jealous of Lily. He wants to have children with James but he wants James to be happy, and it's all so confusing!" The nineteen-year-old threw his hands up in confusion. He couldn't possibly comprehend why on Earth anyone would want to settle down and have children.

"I think he'd be hard pressed to get the Ministry to allow him to adopt a child," Remus offered the young Black consolation.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Regulus accepted. "But it still worries me. What if he does get that kid and what if, because it's for the wrong reasons, he doesn't love her enough?" It was hard for Remus to hear such rational thoughts come out of someone who looked so similar to the irrational Sirius.

"Something tells me that spending time with us-- Lily, James, Sirius, you and I-- will make certain that the child is loved," Remus said softly. "Although Severus doesn't seem like he'd make a good father, doesn't mean he isn't one."

"I read a pregnancy book that said the man doesn't become a father until they hold the baby. The woman becomes a mother when she gets pregnant," Lily explained. "Now Moony, darling, where's my tea?"

"Lily, darling," Remus said, matching her calm, honey-filled tones, "You've gone off the deep end. You've started calling me by my ridiculous Marauder name." She giggled, realizing what had happened.

"I've been spending far too much time around James," she complained.

"As have we all, Lily, as have we all." Remus smiled a little.

James Potter stood in front of Severus Snape's house thinking about how it hadn't changed a bit since he'd last seen it-- at least on the outside. He knocked quietly, unsure of himself. What had he been thinking, volunteering to tell Snape what had happened at the last Order meeting? Something about that damned twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have made him go slightly mad.

"James?" Severus looked shocked, not having been expecting any company at all. "Come in." James followed Severus to the sitting room and they both sat on opposite ends of a couch James knew well. The two had spent plenty of pleasurable hours on that couch together.

"There was an Order meeting last night," James started. It was awkward, and he didn't quite know how to handle himself. Sirius would manage to make this more awkward, for entirely different reasons of course, and still be charming, James thought to himself resentfully.

"I know," Snape replied. He was also feeling quite awkward, though it didn't show on his face quite as much as it did on James'.

James explained, rather quickly, what had gone on the previous night. Snape listened intently to the whole thing. "Oh, and Sirius said that while I was here, I should pick up that salve you made for his burns from the last duel," James added.

Severus nodded and beckoned James to follow him to the potions lab in the basement. He'd never been one for Potions class himself but Severus and Lily seemed to enjoy it. There was every manner of thing bubbling and boiling around him and James just stood astonished for a second; Snape had expanded his practice since James had last seen the lab.

"Here," Severus said, brusquely handing James a jar of what he was sure was salve. "Instructions are written in the usual way. It should respond only to Lupin and Black's wands. I don't trust Regulus around potions anymore."

"Any reason why?" James asked as they headed back up the stairs.

"He used them… recreationally in our youth." Severus chose his words carefully.

"Like muggles with drugs?" James asked, trying to put it in perspective.

"Yes."

James found himself at the door, staring at Severus. "I should go. Lily's driving even Moony up the wall lately," he said, shuffling his feet. He didn't want to leave. He'd always liked Severus' house, Severus' lab, and anything private that Severus had shared with him.

And somehow, though neither did know exactly how it happened, their lips met. This caused them to both grab onto any part of each other they could. They continued the kiss until, at the same moment, both realized what they were doing.

They jumped back, both looking guilty and sheepish, and Severus mumbled an apology.

"I'd better go now," James said, half wishing they hadn't jumped apart. He turned quickly and left, afraid that if he stayed any longer, he'd kiss Severus again.

As James walked through Muggle London (he'd apparated to the Leaky Couldron straight from Snape's house), he told himself that if Lily weren't so very pregnant with their soon to be born child, he'd tell her what had happened. As it was, he couldn't bear the thought of telling her right now, when she was in such a volatile emotional state.

That is how he ended up at Sirius' workplace that afternoon. He stood around, looking at the assorted items that lined the shelves. After getting fired from the candy shop after only a few short weeks there, Sirius had found employment at a muggle junk shop. James wondered if his best friend was intentionally failing at any and every job he worked.

"Yeah, Mr. Connors, I've got this customer," he heard Sirius' voice from the direction of the register. Before he knew it, James heard the canine whisper in his ear, "Don't touch anything you're not willing to buy. This store has a 'You break it, you buy it' policy."

"Padfoot, you smell like kibble," James wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"Anything I can help you with, sir," Sirius said this loud and, James could tell, mostly for effect. The sir was said almost mockingly, however.

"Sirius, I need to talk to you," James said seriously.

"Shit, it must be bad for you to use my first name," Sirius looked concerned. "What is it?"

"So today, I went to Severus' place to tell him about last night's meeting, right?" James explained quickly.

"Yeah, where's my salve? These burns are a pain in the arse?" Sirius asked, holding out his hand expectantly. James quickly gave him the jar which Sirius pocketed.

"As I was about to leave, I'm standing by the door, and out of nowhere, I'm kissing Severus." James looked concerned.

"Who initiated the kiss?" Sirius asked practically.

"Both of us? I don't know. That's the problem." James was starting to go from concerned to worried faster than he could take off on a broom.

"Tongue or no?" Sirius continued his practical streak. If there was one thing Sirius Black was an expert on, it was kissing.

"No. We sprung apart before that could happen," James replied.

"Did you like it?" Sirius seemed amused by all this.

"It was kissing, Padfoot. Of course I liked it!" James cried in a whisper. He didn't want Sirius' boss to hear the conversation.

"But, I mean, was it like 'Oh, kissing, this is nice' or 'Man, I love kissing Snivelly'?" Practical Sirius was back again (A rare occurance, to say the least).

"The second, I think," James said, taking his head in his hands.

"You're royally fucked, mate," Sirius said, rather amused. "You going to tell Lily?"

"I probably would if she weren't so enormously pregnant," James said.

"I wouldn't use that wording around her if I were you," Sirius smirked. "Well, Snape should probably leave you alone about it, considering." Sirius shrugged.

"Sirius, why'd he have to go and be good again?" James asked sadly. "When he was evil, I could just go on saying that he made the decision but now… now I'm not so sure what I want."

"We've had conversations like this before," Sirius scowled seriously at his friend. "You never know which one to pick."

"Sirius!" his boss called from the back. "Are you making a sale?"

"Yeah Mr. Connors!" Sirius called back as cheerfully as he could. "Now you have to buy something." Sirius fixed him with a glare.

"I don't have any muggle money," James said with a scowl.

"Find what you want. I'll convert it for you," Sirius rolled his eyes. "Now, you needn't pick this time, James. You and Lily are married. You're having a kid. There's no choice, when you look at it that way." James just nodded dumbly before grabbing a vase and heading to the register.

Sirius looked at the tag while they were walking towards the back of the shop and muttered, "Five galleons, twelve sickles." James passed over the coins and was handed some muggle money in return.

"Lovely purchase," Mr. Connors remarked as Sirius rang James' vase up. "Is it for anyone special?"

"Figured I'd give it to my mother-in-law full of flowers or something like that," James shrugged.

"You look a little young to be married," the man pointed out. "You can't be older than Sirius here."

"He's younger by a couple months," Sirius replied smirking. "We went to school together," he added as explanation.

"I'm twenty," James huffed. "That's old enough to be married."

"Legally," Mr. Connors added. "Most young marriages don't last." Sirius let out a snort. "Something funny, Sirius?"

"James knew when he was eleven that he was going to marry his wife. I'm pretty sure his relationship has staying power." Sirius just smiled and wrapped up James' purchase.

"Now you just need to find your mate a girl," Mr. Connors remarked good-naturedly.

"Sirius is seeing someone right now," James informed.

"That's funny. He told me he wasn't really looking for anybody lately." Mr. Connors scowled.

"That's because he's been seeing the same person for, what is it now, four years?"

"Shut it, Potter, and get out," Sirius glowered at his friend.

"Lily wants you, Remus and Regulus over for dinner tonight. No exceptions," James said as he left.

"Will Snivellus be there?" Sirius called as James was at the door.

"Can't make any promises," James answered, the bell tinkling as he left.

"Do you lot ever eat at home?" Petunia scowled as she bounced her son Dudley on her hip, trying to get him to stop wailing. Sirius stood before her grinning. Remus and Regulus were rolling their eyes at him. "And who is the bloke that looks like Black?"

"That would be Padfoot's little brother, Regulus," James introduced. "They recently made up after a rather nasty spat. You know how little Sirius cares for his blood relatives."

"Hey, Andie and Nymphie are awesome," Sirius defended.

"Andromeda and who?" Regulus asked, looking perplexed.

"Nymphadora, her daughter. I call the kid Nymphie though. She hates it. Hates her full name too. Ted and Andie call her Dora." Sirius smirked, obviously pleased that he could annoy little girls just as well as anybody else.

"How have you not met Regulus yet?" Lily asked, leaning back lazily in her chair, resting her hands on her swollen stomach.

"I'm not sure," Petunia replied. "Though it could be because of this little bugger." She gestured toward her son. "The way it's going, Vernon and I are going to spoil him rotten."

"Well, he can come play with his little cousin whenever he wants," Lily stated decisively. "Merlin knows James and Sirius will not only spoil the kid but infect it's brain with bad ideas." She shot her husband and his best friend, who were huddled in a corner whispering enthusiastically, a glare.

"What could be so important that they need to keep it secret from the rest of us?" Petunia, who was at her wit's end taking care of little baby Dudley, was short-tempered that night, to say the least.

"Probably plotting mayhem, as always," Regulus muttered.

"They never stop," Remus added.

"It's as if they're addicted to pranking," Lily said distastefully.

"They do this often then?" Vernon looked surprised.

"As long as we've known them," Remus and Lily said together.

"Even before he started Hogwarts, Sirius had an affinity for getting in trouble," Regulus added. "His accidental magic was almost all to mess with Mum."

"Why am I not surprised," Lily muttered darkly.

"Because it's Sirius," Remus replied. Moments later, the werewolf sprouted rabbit ears. Petunia chuckled, Lily shook her head, Regulus muttered 'lame' and Vernon roared with laughter. "What did they do?"

"You've got bunny ears," Lily replied, only slightly amused.

"It's a time-release, isn't it?" Remus asked without turning around. He could sense that Sirius was right behind him.

"Well, if you know the counter-jinx then it's a pointless prank," Sirius informed with a shrug. "And we had to hit someone who wouldn't go berserk on us-- no offence Lily, but mini-Potter has made you difficult to deal with at the best of times." The dog animagus wore a smirk.

"Petunia and Vernon are muggles, so obviously they'd flip," James added. "And we're still not sure where we stand with Mr. Toujours Pur."

"Gee, thanks for the nickname, James," Regulus muttered sarcastically.

"No problem, kid," James just smiled.

"Why do you always call me kid? I'm not that much younger than any of you," Regulus scowled.

"Raise your hand if you've made any monumentally stupid decisions since we graduated," James challenged the room. Regulus raised his hand impatiently and Sirius slowly raised his hand.

"What did you do now?" Remus asked him, shaking his head.

"Well it was a really pretty bike," Sirius said, looking ashamed.

"You bought a motorbike!?" Remus cried. "I told you they're dangerous when someone responsible is riding!"

"Charmed it to fly, too," Sirius looked smug.

"That's illegal!" Lily and Remus cried together.

"Good one, Padfoot." James was fighting to control his laughter.

"Oh yeah?! Well Prongs is letting me keep it in his shed!" Sirius pointed an accusing finger.

"James? You're encouraging this?" Lily scowled at her husband.

"He hasn't ridden it yet," James mumbled. "And besides! It doesn't even work!" James shot Sirius a look that clearly said 'Don't drag me into this argument'.

"I think we should go see this bike," Vernon announced. Lily and Remus glowered at him but he seemed immune. "I know a bit about cars."

"It's a bike, Vernon," Petunia pointed out.

"Maybe my knowledge can be of use," Vernon countered calmly. "I know a little about motors." James and Sirius shrugged before leading Vernon out to the shed. Regulus followed curiously and Remus decided he'd follow to maybe yell at Sirius some more.

"Sirius, I get the feeling you're not getting laid tonight," Regulus informed his brother with a smirk.

"You think Moony's that mad?" Sirius looked back at the fuming werewolf.

"Yeah mate, I'd say he is," James informed, looking back as well. "This is almost as bad as the time we stole his last bar of chocolate."

"Are you serious?" Sirius looked scared.

"No, you are," James joked.

"What about that time you almost killed Severus?" Regulus asked. "Where's that on the scale of how angry Remus is?"

"That event doesn't strictly exist," Sirius said delicately. "It exists in the fact that I nearly got Snape killed but it doesn't exist in the fact that we don't talk about the fight."

"The way I heard it, you were all responsible for that incident. Why does Sirius take all the blame?" Regulus scowled.

"Because it's all Sirius' fault," James replied easily. "We all know that. He knows that. In fact, he told us not to let anybody but him take the blame. It might have something to do with Remus' never ending spiral of self-pity."

"It has everything to do with Remus' self-pity problems!" Sirius cried angrily.

"What are we talking about?" Vernon asked interestedly.

"Stuff that happened at school," Remus snapped. They all stood in front of the shed by this point. Sirius and James hesitantly opened the doors.

"That… is a pile of junk," Vernon declared ceremoniously.

"Don't say that about Suzette!" Sirius cried and cradled a part he wasn't sure the function of. "She's beautiful!"

"In a destroyed sort of way," Remus looked a little less worried.

"Well I'm putting her back together. There was a mishap with the charms I tried to put on her. She was formerly beautiful in every sense of the word."

"The only woman Sirius ever loved," James shook his head sadly.

"That's probably a good thing for womankind," Regulus looked shocked.

"Well, womankind loves Sirius. Sirius just doesn't love back," Remus explained.

"We Blacks are pretty boys!" Sirius cried, slinging an arm around his brother's neck. "Does ickle Reggie love womankind? Or is it unrequited as it is in my book… for the most part."

"I like girls," Regulus replied, looking slightly afraid of his brother.

"As I feared," Sirius shook his head sadly. "Well, no matter. With looks like ours, you shouldn't have trouble finding a woman to have and to hold you like Prongsie and Vernon have. They're not nearly as handsome as us."

"Vernon could probably kill you without blinking an eye, Padfoot." James wouldn't admit it (out loud) that he was afraid of his brother-in-law. He was though. The man could crush him without a thought.

"Yeah, but I bet he'd feel remorse," Regulus muttered.

"Aww! Reggie!" Sirius then hugged his little brother.

"Sirius, I can't breathe." Regulus tried to shove the dog animagus away. "How the hell are you that strong?" he asked, once free.

"Well, I was Gryffindor's star beater for four years," Sirius smirked proudly. "And I have to contend with Moony's awesome strength." He just shrugged.

"What he's neglecting to tell you is that he also works odd muggle jobs that usually involve heavy lifting," James added. "Like big boxes on shelves. He loaded trucks for a couple weeks, even."

"Can't hold down a job?" Vernon looked shocked.

"My employers don't seem to like my sunny disposition and youthful spirit," Sirius shrugged. "It's my award-winning charm that gets me the job in the first place. When I get bored, my charm goes away."

"Award-winning? Since when have you won awards with your charm?" Regulus looked amused.

"I was Hogwarts' Most Charming Bachelor three years running." Sirius shrugged again. "It would've been four if I hadn't been caught kissing Moony in about every place possible our seventh year."

"Didn't little Reggie win that year?" James asked. Regulus nodded.

"Apparently I'm just people's replacement for my big brother."

"Nah, you're charming in your own right," Sirius assured. "For no one can achieve my particular brand of charm besides me."

"Black, do you have any idea what you're doing, reassembling this thing?" Vernon asked, looking at a part that no one could have named.

"Well… not really, no," Sirius admitted. "But that's never stopped me before. I even bought a book!"

"Gasp! Sirius bought a book!" Remus exclaimed in mock horror. The three Marauders present then burst into a fit of giggles.

"I'm going to assume this is a momentous occasion and we shouldn't stop their celebrating," Regulus remarked to Vernon. Neither could rip their eyes from the three men giggling before them. Vernon just nodded soundlessly.

"Now really. Pull yourself together, men," Remus said, trying to bring himself under control. This just made them laugh more, however.

"Don't worry, boys. This can't be that bad," James said around laughter. "I'm sure the book has pictures."

"It does!" Sirius cried proudly. "Oh, that was an insult…" he noticed when Remus and James laughed harder at that. "I've read books without pictures!"

"Over Moony's shoulder," James agreed. "But not because you wanted to. You just wanted Moony's attention and, since you read faster than him, you'd ruin bits for him."

"Well yeah," Sirius replied, rolling his eyes. "Books are boring."

"No they're not!" Remus cried angrily.

"BOYS!" they heard Petunia screech. "YOU NEED TO GET IN HERE NOW!"

They all ran back into the house and into the living room where Lily and Petunia were. "I'm having the baby." Lily looked pained.

"Sirius, call Mungo's," James ordered. "Are you going to be okay, darling?" James asked concernedly, grabbing her hand which she immediately took in a death grip.

"I will be fine when your child kindly gets out of my uterus," Lily stated through gritted teeth.

"When the Mungo's team gets here, Remus, Petunia, Sirius and I will go with Lily. Vernon, you'll take Dudley home. Regulus, you call Severus and I'll send someone along to get the two of you, if either of you want to come that is, when I can," James ordered. Everyone nodded and Lily even managed a small smile for her husband, thinking she really had picked him well.

After everyone left, Regulus called Severus who said he'd be along in a few minutes; he had potions to stabilize. The house was oddly quiet. Having never been alone in the Potter's house, Regulus was used to it being full of noise, whether that noise was Lily's muggle record player, James' clunking around the place, Remus flipping pages, Sirius turning the house upside-down, half for his own amusement and half to piss Lily off, Petunia fixing a meal in the kitchen, Vernon looking for his wife or Dudley wailing. Regulus found it difficult to sit and listen to the clock on the wall ticking.

When Severus finally arrived, Regulus was trying (and failing) to get the record player working. "Regulus," Snape greeted somewhat coldly.

"Oh get over yourself, Severus," Regulus replied, trying to figure out why someone would record monkeys… or misspell monkeys, even. "James is happy with Lily. You should have seen his face when he found out Lily was in labor."

"You wouldn't like the Monkees," Severus deftly ignored the accurate reading of his feelings. "Does she have any Pink Floyd?"

"She was complaining about Sirius leaving something pink in her record collection, now that you mention it," Regulus muttered. "Honestly though, who wants to listen to a recording of monkeys?"

"It's a pop band," Severus muttered dryly. "And Pink Floyd is a rock band; your brother would like them." He stood next to Regulus and flicked through the records before pulling one out and putting it on the player. Somehow, Regulus wasn't quite sure how, Severus got the record playing. All of a sudden, the room was filled with haunting music.

"Reg, Sniv," Sirius' voice came from the fireplace. "Prongs says to call Wormy and let him know about mini-Potter's escape from the red-headed she-devil. Oh, and, for your own personal enjoyment, Lily's curses would make sailors blush." With a smirk, Sirius' head vanished.

"Curses? She's spelling the staff to blush?" Regulus looked confused.

"It's a muggle phrase," Severus explained calmly. "It means that she's swearing badly. Although, it also implies she's being original. Your brother must have learned it to distance himself from the family."

"Maybe initially," Regulus conceded. "But I think now he's so far distanced from that that he uses it because he's used to it."

"I don't know how to reach Pettigrew," Severus got them back on track. Regulus grimaced. The few times he'd been around Peter since his reunion with his brother hadn't been pleasant. Peter knew Regulus was, for all appearances, still a loyal Death Eater and Regulus knew that Peter was a Death Eater as well. Despite his evil acquaintances, though, Peter was protective of the only friends he'd known in school.

Regulus went into the kitchen and picked up the telephone. It was the only way he knew how to reach Pettigrew. It rang for a while before he heard, "Hello, you've reached Peter Pettigrew. I'm out right now but leave a message and I'll get back to you when I can." There was a pause and Regulus hung up before it could beep and he would need to leave a message.

Next, Regulus dialed Annabel's house, wondering if she'd know where Peter was. She answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Annabel, it's Regulus. Is Peter there?" He had met the woman as many times as Peter but liked her infinitely better.

"Yes. Let me get him. It'll be but a moment," she said cheerily before there was a clunk and her calling for Peter at a distance.

"Hello?"

"Lily's in labor," Regulus stated, cutting straight to the chase. "Severus and I are at her and James' place waiting for someone to come get us to see mini-Potter. You can come and wait with us if you like. I'm sure Annabel is welcome as well."

"We'll be over right away," Peter stated tersely and hung up.

Moments later, an exuberant Annabel and a pale-looking Peter stepped out of the Potter's fireplace. "Did Sirius leave the record player playing again?" Peter scowled. He'd never much cared for Sirius' taste in music.

"No. The house was too quiet when Severus and I were the only ones here," Regulus explained. "Don't you like it?"

"No."

"Is this muggle music?" Annabel asked. "I've never really listened to the stuff."

"Nor have I. Severus picked the album out for me." Regulus shrugged. Sirius then stumbled out of the fireplace.

"How very rude," he scowled, brushing himself off. "All I was doing was encouraging the Lilster."

"Hello Sirius," Annabel greeted.

"Hello Annabel." Sirius was immediately calm and collected. He was acting as if he hadn't just tumbled out of the fireplace shouting at the medi-witches who had kicked him out.

"How much longer?" Peter asked. He wasn't exactly very knowledgeable about childbirth.

"The medi-witches and healers were saying it'd be a few hours and that I should just go out in the waiting room with Moony while Prongs and Petunia helped Lily out." Sirius shrugged. "I just wanted to see Prongsie's face when he saw his kid for the first time."

A few hours later (Severus continued to play records that he said Regulus would like-- Regulus suspected Severus had selfish motives) Remus stepped neatly out of the fireplace. "James just popped out and said he would have a child within a few minutes," he said calmly. They all jumped up and went to the fireplace, Flooing to St. Mungo's one at a time.

They stood in the waiting room a few more minutes when James came bounding out, a large grin on his face. "I have a son!" he cried triumphantly.

"Mini-Potter is born!" Sirius ran over to James and initiated a hug. Both were blissfully unaware of the odd looks they were getting in the waiting room. "Can I meet him?" Sirius asked once they broke the hug. James ushered them all to follow him.

Once in the room, they saw an exhausted looking Lily holding a baby wrapped in blue blankets. He was quietly waving his little arms around. "His name is Harry James Potter," Lily said softly. Then, in a more stern voice, she said, "There will be no more calling him mini-Potter, Sirius."

"But Lily," Sirius whined.

"Let it be, Sirius," Remus put a hand on his boyfriend's arm. "It's nice to meet you, Harry," he said, leaning over the cute little thing.

"I'm going to go call our parents," James told his wife, who nodded quietly. He then swiftly left the hospital room.

"He's so tiny," Peter muttered in astonishment.

"The maternity ward is the only place in a hospital I can stand," Annabel murmured softly as she took one of Baby Harry's hands. "It's the only place where life prevails over death."

"Can I hold him, Lily? Please?" Sirius was bouncing up and down.

"Be careful with my baby, Sirius," Lily scowled as she handed her bundle of joy to him. He cradled the child lovingly.

"Ah, little Harry," he spoke softly to the child. "You're going to drive your mother up the wall with all the things I teach you."

"Hopefully Baby Harry won't listen to Sirius," Remus muttered.

"The rest of us don't," Regulus joked. Everyone laughed except Sirius, who was busy telling Harry about the fun of getting in trouble, and Harry, who didn't understand.

Severus stared at the child being passed around. Lily watched Severus with concern. He was watching Harry sadly, longingly. "Severus," Lily called softly. Her child had made her more nuturing in the few minutes he'd been alive.

Severus sat down next to Lily with a questioning look. "What's wrong?" She asked. "You don't look happy like everyone else. Even Regulus, who doesn't know most of us very well, is overjoyed to see Baby Harry."

"It's nothing," Severus replied. He was saved from further scrutiny by James' parents showing up.

"Alice! Rudolph!" Lily cried happily.

"I hear I have a grandson," Mrs. Potter stated, getting straight down to business. "Where is he?"

"Regulus is holding him right now," Sirius informed her, bouncing over. "Did Prongsie tell you I'm going to be the godfather?"

"Regulus? Isn't that your brother?" Mrs. Potter was a bit behind the times. With James and Lily married, the boys didn't stop by very often anymore.

"Yeah. We made up." Sirius wore a broad grin. "Kid! Bring mini-Potter over to meet his Grandmum," Sirius called to his brother. Regulus rolled his eyes but brought Harry over anyways.

"His name is Harry James Potter," Sirius told her. "I think he takes after me."

"If my grandson takes after you, there'll be hell to pay," Mrs. Potter shot Sirius a slight glare as she rocked Harry in her arms.

"Looks just like James when he was a baby," Mr. Potter said quietly.

"Lily!" Mrs. Evans cried. Mr. Evans followed his wife into the room. "Where is my grandbaby?" James made his way in after his father-in-law.

"Mum has him," James replied, noticing that his mother did, in fact, have his son in her hands. Mrs. Evans rushed over to Mrs. Potter and the two chattered happily about their grandson. The grandfathers just stood by the door conversing quietly. James went to the bed and sat alongside his wife, holding her close.

And then, it all went to hell. At the same time, Regulus swore loudly, Severus grasped his left forearm tightly with his right hand and Peter paled and was shaking a little. Regulus and Severus left quickly, hugging Lily but giving no explanation. Everyone knew why they were leaving. Peter waited a few moments before muttering that he really should get home as he had work in the morning. He kissed Annabel, hugged Lily as well, and then left with great haste.