Marlene wasn't surprised when she heard the news, but she did find it humorous that both of her friends told her they were pregnant on the same day. Alice, though, was by a mistake. She was one of the best aurors in the whole department, so it was peculiar to find her relegated to desk duty. However, when he friend got up to greet her she saw the tell-tale sign of a swollen belly, the button's on her shirt straining ever so slightly. This was an odd sign, because as long as she knew her Alice had probably gained 4 kilos from their first year to their seventh. That afternoon she made a special trip to the Potter's, wanting to know if Lily had heard and she was surprised to find her making potions in the kitchen. This was something she had done when she got pregnant the first time. It had been nearly three months, almost four, and her belly barely showed even in her fitted shirt. She was taller than Alice and quite frankly the extra weight looked good on her.

"Mar?" Athena called.

Marlene gripped the counter, steadying the hand that held the tube of lipstick. She had been sharing an apartment with Athena ever since she entered the University. Turned out that her cousin wasn't too interested in sharing an apartment with someone who had "thrown away their life".

"What?" she finally asked after smacking her lips together to rub in the red color that now tinged her skin.

"I just wanted to know if I could borrow that black sweater."

Marlene turned and smirked. "The V-neck?" she questioned and crossed her arms over her chest with a smug smirk. "Hot date?"

She lifted her head as a haughty look crossed her face. "You're going out with Black, why can't I go out with someone?"

"Who is this delectable mystery man?" Marlene reached out to grab her friend's hand. "You've been seeing him for ages, at least you know Sirius." As soon as she said the words Marlene dropped her hand like she had been burned by it. "Sorry."

"Don't be, I'm not the right person for Sirius and he's not the right person for me. I'm glad you're happy together." The words seem forced practice, it's like Marlene rubbed salt in an open wound. It was a huge leap to defy her parents and when she stayed in England, Sirius shut her out.

"You seem happy with the guy you've been seeing, is he a muggle?"

"No." She laughed and shook her head. "Can we not play this game? I just want-"

"How about I tell you some news? I think it's supposed to be a secret still, but they won't care because it's you and you can probably tell by looking at them…"

"Marlene…"

"Both Alice and Lily are pregnant."

"What?" Her eyes widened as she looked at her friend. "How far along?"

"Around four months, I don't really know for sure." Marlene sighed and took a step back to lean against the bathroom counter. She crossed her arms over her chest. At any other time being at the very least unmarried, was normal at their age.

"You and Sirius are going to have to play catch up," Athena teased. "Even your brother is married."

"And a father," she muttered. "Didn't you hear about Charlotte?" Marlene looked over her friend, then reached for her hand, gripping it tightly.

She had a resigned look on her face before she spoke. "Can you promise to keep it to yourself for now?"

"Yes."

"Gideon, Gideon Prewett." A blush came to the girl's face. "I met him when I first made my decision, he came for a potion when I was talking with Lily at her flat." She bit her lip. "Things have been hard since...Fabian is apparently insufferable."

" He's Fabian." Marlene rolled her eyes as if the name was an explanation. What everyone tended to forget is that Gideon and he used to be nearly impossible to tell apart. Now, he was much more stoic.

"Well, I better get changed. We're going to dinner and then a concert in muggle London."

"Concert? I never took Gideon for the-"

"It's not the Weird Sisters, it some sort of symphonic band." She shrugged, it was then the fireplace began to rumble. "That's my cue, have a good night."

Moments after Athena retreated their was a puff of smoke before none other than Sirius Black stepped out, dusing soot off of his jacket. "Marlie, are you ready?" he inquired, holding out his arms.

Marlene bit back a smile as she walked into them, embracing him tightly before planting a kiss on his lips.

"Ack, you could have warned me," he said when they pulled away, lipstick smeared on his mouth.

"The color suits, red is befitting for a Gryffindor." She licked her thumb, then wiped at it as Sirius pretended to be disgusted.

"Enough of that, do you need anything else?"

She acciod her bag with the her wand tucked into the high waistband of her skirt and then turned to Sirius, he interlocked their fingers before he grabbed a handful of floo powder with hand and tugged her into a fireplace. The quick action caused her to tumble forward, landing with hands flat on his chest, his back against the wall as their hands came apart. They looked at each other and laughter filled the room before they were whisked away.

Lily's baby bump could still be concealed by the loose scrubs. It was nearing the end of February and she was almost four months pregnant, Molly had told her that she could probably make it five full months if she wore the right type of clothes. A hand rested on her stomach as she smiled at Adrian and Edith before putting on her coat and heading out the door.

She had barely made it five steps out the building when she heard her name being shouted. As she turned around she saw Athena standing just down the street. She should be in class right now, but here she is in a coat with the buttons haphazardly fastened and a scarf that clashes with the floral print dress she's currently wearing. It's her face, though, that causes fear to creep into Lily's mind and panic to well inside her chest. Makeup runs down her face and her usually glossed lips look bright red from being bitten. "Athena, what's wrong?" Lily rushes over to her friend and envelopes her.

"They won't let me see them…" she sobbed, wrapping her arms around friend. "I know you're at work, but Marlene is on assignment and the Remus…" She buried her head in his shoulder.

"What happened?"

"There was an attack, Alice was with Frank, but she made it out…"

Lily racked her brain trying to think of the rotation for today. James, Remus, Peter, the Prewett twins, Emmeline… "Who got injured?"

"I think everyone's okay…" her voice is strangled with tears. "But Fabian and Gideon..." She squeezed Lily tighter. "I loved him Lily…"

"Athena…" she said softly, running her hands through her dark hair. "It was Gideon all along, that man Marlene has been inquiring about for ages."

She just nodded. Eventually, she composed herself enough for them to make it to an apparition point. It was there that Lily took her back to her flat and inside she brought her to the couch. There she handed her a blanket that was thrown across the armchair from when James slept in the living room when he came home much too late.

"I'll make tea." Lily bit her lip and retreated to the kitchen. She waited until she was there to fall apart, gripping the counter after she put the tea kettle on the stove. Making tea the muggle way would give her opportunity to compose herself, one of them had to stay strong. Once James was here she could embrace him tightly, sobbing enough for the both of them. James wouldn't cry, but would find his own comfort in helping her grieve.

The whistle of the kettle pulled her out of her thoughts as she floated the pot, cups, and milk onto the kitchen table. It wasn't long before the full tea service was on her coffee table. After she splashed her face with cold water, Lily reentered the living room and sat beside her friend. "Do you want to talk?"

"Not particularly," she answered.

Instead of speaking, Lily poured her a cup of tea with a few dribbles of milk. As she placed a cup on a saucer, she handed it to her friend. "He seemed happier lately, I thought it was because Fabian decided to stop overcompensating for him."

"I knew it was a mistake. I should have just focused on my studies, that's why I stayed in England." She held the teacup and saucer so tightly her hand began to quiver. "Merlin…" She shook her head.

The pair stayed like that for quite some time, until it grew dark outside. The tea had long since gone cold when the front door swung open. "Lily?" a voice called. She jumped toward her feet and wrapped her arms tightly around her husband. "You heard didn't you?"

"Athena," was all she said. "Is it true?"

"Both of the Prewett twins," he whispered. "We were lucky that those two were our only losses." She nuzzled her head in her neck. "Why don't I call Remus? He's been resting for sometime and can take her home."

"I can do it."

"You should sleep." He placed a kiss on her cheek. "The Healer said that stress-"

"She's my friend."

"Think about the-"

"The baby does not render me incapable of simple task. If it did, the doctors wouldn't allow me to work at the clinic."

"Lily?" Athena called. In a few moments she padded towards them, the blanket still around her shoulders like a shawl. "Does one of the apartments have a floo? It's too far to walk and I don't think I should be apparating."

"Let me take you to Remus'," James said.

"Nonsense, I'm a grown woman and I know the location of his flat." She shrugged off the blanket and handed it to Lily. "Thank you for everything." The couple pulled apart and then Lily hugged her as James watched, leaning against the wall. "Also, congratulations on the baby, Marlene told me a week ago."

It seemed so ironic that as a baby grew inside her, death happened all around. The obituary section was steadily grew in the Prophet. Marlene said they had to add two other people for the section just to handle the demand.

At work, everyone seemed to comment on her ever growing stomach, but not on her sad eyes framed by dark circles. They continuously asked her questions and when they did it made her seem unprepared. James and her hadn't bought anything for the baby or made a list for what they needed. Charles, though, was delighted with the fact they would have a child. He sent two trunks full of James' baby things that he and Agatha had saved along with lengthy letters. She and James didn't even know if they were having a boy or a girl.

"Why don't you go home early?"

"Excuse me?" Lily questioned, as she sat up quickly.

"You're practically falling asleep." Adrian pulled a chair as he came behind the reception desk. "Are you holding up?"

"Yes…" Lily yawned. She had stayed up late with James last night, savoring every last moment she could with him. In two weeks time him, Peter and another order member named Edgar were going on an extended mission. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well, I estimate you're about six months pregnant and that you haven't slept in about a week at least."

"It's not the baby, he's rather well-behaved."

"He? You finally found out the sex?"

"No, I just have a feeling." She smiled and laid a hand on her stomach. Beneath her fingertips she felt a slight flutter that could only be the result of life growing inside of her. "He's a little miracle and I desperately need one now."