Harry slammed the back door as he ran back inside. He had to think…and fast! Death Eaters were on their way to attack them.
Upon seeing Harry's frantic face, Rose asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Five Death Eaters are outside."
"Death Eaters!?" Ginny and Rose exclaimed. There was another crash.
"Ginny, Rose, you stay here with Eve," Harry ordered quickly. Time wasn't on their side now.
"No way!" Ginny exclaimed. Lily and Tonks rushed outside to get started. Harry grabbed Ginny's shoulders.
"Stay here," he said through clenched teeth. Without giving Ginny a chance to reply, Harry ran outside.
Outside, Lily and Tonks were doing their best to ward off the attacking Death Eaters. Harry joined right in. He was so wrapped up in fighting that he didn't see Ginny come out and join right in. A curse hit Tonks square in the chest. She flew backwards and didn't get up. Right then, Sirius, James and Remus Apparated right in the middle of the fighting.
As soon as Remus saw Tonks, he exclaimed, "Dora!" and ran to her side.
With the extra help from Sirius and James (and occasionally Remus), the Death Eaters were apprehended fairly quickly. James notified the Ministry of the intruders while Lily joined everyone else around Tonks.
"Is she breathing?" she asked Remus as she knelt down next to him.
"Yes, she's unconscious though. I don't know about the baby," Remus replied sadly. Lily gently put her hand on Tonks' stomach and felt around.
"There you go, put your hand right here, Remus," she said. Remus obliged. "That's the heartbeat. The baby's fine." Remus let out a breath of relief.
"Umm, guys, Rose is gone," Ginny said. Everyone looked up. None of them had realized that she had gone inside.
"Gone?" Lily repeated, heartbroken. Ginny held Eve in her arms. "Gone where?"
"I don't know." Remus was gently stroking Tonks' spiky pink hair.
"Moony, its almost dark; your furry little problem," James pointed out. Remus looked frantically from person to person.
"Go, we'll take care of her," Lily urged. Remus looked reluctant to leave.
"Moony, go! You're running out of time!" Remus kissed Tonks' cheek softly before Disapparating.
Sirius carefully levitated Tonks and maneuvered her into the house. James wrapped his arm around Lily's waist and kissed her softly.
"You go, I'll stay out here with our new friends," he said as he glanced at the stunned Death Eaters. Lily patted his chest.
"Behave yourself, James Potter."
"Me, behave? Of course!" Lily rolled her eyes and went inside to help Ginny tend to Tonks.
Inside, Ginny was gently wiping off Tonks' dirt smudged face. A bowl of water floated next to her.
"I'll be outside with James," Sirius told Lily quietly before going out back.
"How is she?" Lily asked.
"I gave her something to keep her out all night. She should be up by the time Remus comes by tomorrow," Ginny replied.
"Okay, good." Lily turned to Harry who was holding Eve in his arms. "Oh, Harry, let me go feed Eve for you."
"I've got it, Mum."
"Nonsense, I've got it." Before Harry could protest, Lily took Eve and headed off to the kitchen.
Harry put his hand on Ginny's shoulder from behind. She was sitting on a wooden chair next to Tonks.
"I thought I told you to stay here with Rose and Eve," he said. Ginny stood up and glared at her husband.
"Like hell I was! I've fought with you in the past, and I'm not starting now!"
"Well, maybe if you had stayed in the house and listened to me, Rose would still be here!" Ginny slapped Harry, her fury had finally boiled over.
"Don't you dare blame me for Rose leaving! She probably got scared off; most people would be."
"Whatever, I'm going to bed." Ginny plopped down in a more comfortable chair. Sometimes Harry could be the most frustrating person.
Lily wiped off Eve's messy face. She had heard Harry stomp upstairs over half an hour ago. Finally, James and Sirius came back inside.
"Nice of you to join us," lily said. James leaned against the counter, and Sirius spun a chair around and sat down in it backwards.
"After we talked to the Ministry, we set up some security around the place," Sirius replied with a satisfied grin.
"Should I be worried?"
"Of course not!" James assured. Lily waved her wand, and a bottle for Eve appeared. Eve grabbed the bottle and drank it happily.
"What did the Ministry say?"
"They figured that these were Death Eater wannabes," Sirius replied.
"I could have told you that. They seemed to panic as soon as you three showed up."
"That's because we strike fear in anyone we come across," James said. Lily snorted. Sirius looked around.
"Where's Harry and Ginny?" he asked. Lily sighed.
"They had a fight, and Harry went to bed. Ginny should still be with Tonks in the next room." Sirius got to his feet and picked Eve up.
"Come on, Eve, let's go see your Mother," he said. With a wave of her wand, Lily cleaned up Eve's food as she stood up. James wrapped his arms around her waist form behind and kissed her shoulder softly.
"Are you okay?" he asked. Lily leaned back against her husband.
"I guess." James tightened his grip around Lily.
"You sure?"
"Let's talk about it later."
"Yes, let's." Lily and James looked up. Sirius was standing in the doorway holding Eve.
"What happened to playing with Ginny?" James asked, clearly mad at his best friend for interrupting.
"She's asleep on the chair." Eve grabbed Sirius' hair and pulled. "Ow, ow, ow!" Eve giggled. She unwound her fingers from Sirius' hair and clapped her chubby little hands happily.
"Since Eve is so attached to you, Sirius, you get to put her to bed," Lily said. Sirius face fell.
"Me?" James snickered. Lily broke free of his grip and shoved him towards Sirius.
"Are you're going to help him." Swearing under his breath, James trudged up the stairs behind Sirius.
Lily wandered into the family room. Tonks was still fast asleep on the couch with a faded blue blanket spread across her. Lily conjured up a second blanket and covered Ginny up. It felt good to be motherly and useful again.
Meanwhile, James and Sirius were busy arguing quietly upstairs in Eve's bedroom.
"I have no clue what the hell to do, you're the one with a kid," Sirius hissed.
"No way! Lily told you to do it."
"She told you to help me. Since I've never taken care of a kid before; start helping." James took Eve and laid her down on the changing table. Sirius noticed a light on in Harry's room at the end of the hall. "I'll be right back." James' head whipped around in time to see Sirius leave the room.
"Don't you dare, Padfoot! Sirius!"
Sirius carefully opened the door to the master bedroom. Harry was sprawled out across hi bed on his stomach. On the bed next to him was an empty bottle of Firewhiskey. Sighing, Sirius waved his wand. A blanket covered Harry up, his glasses were laid on the nightstand, the lights went out, and the Firewhiskey bottle flew into Sirius' hand. Harry remained fast asleep through the entire thing.
James and Lily were already downstairs by the time Sirius got there. As soon as they saw him, they stopped talking.
"Whose is that?" James asked, nodding towards the empty glass bottle.
"Your son's. He'll be out for a while." Lily looked extremely stressed. "What's wrong, Evans?"
"Nothing, just a long day."
"Let's go then." James turned to Sirius. "See 'ya later, Padfoot."
"By Prongs, Evans." The three adults Disapparated from the quiet kitchen each with a separate pop.