The next chapter is pretty much done, it just needs some fine tuning. If I don't have it out tonight, it definitely will be out tomorrow. :)
Thanks for the reviews, CharlotteBlackwood, xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx (that will be answered later…), and thewrittenword87!
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DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THIS, EXCEPT FOR ANY CHARACTERS YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE. JK ROWLING IS JESUS!
CHAPTER 84
That year was one of rapid changes, some for the better and some questionable. It was a year of sadness for the most part, but there were small moments of light.
Just after the Gala, James and Lily came to our flat on cold morning with the most serious of faces.
"What's going on?" Sirius asked, looking between them. There was concern in his voice; there had been so much terrible news recently that he knew those faces well.
James and Lily exchanged a look, and then broke out into large grins.
"Just pullin' your leg, mate. It's good news."
Audrey crossed her arms and leaned to one side, Sirius rested his arm on her shoulder.
"Where's Anastasia?" Lily asked.
"Don't you try to change the subject, Lily Potter." Sirius wagged a finger at her.
"She's with Remus and Marly." Audrey said, Sirius nodded and then said.
"Well?"
"I'm pregnant." Lily smiled.
There weren't any words between the four; Audrey and Sirius had tackled their friends into hugs.
"You think Remus and Marly are going to have the same reaction?" James asked from the floor, Sirius was sitting on top of him.
Knock, knock.
James threw Sirius off of him and bolted to the door, he pressed his ear against it.
"Who is it?" He said, trying to imitate Sirius' voice.
"James Potter, what are you doing in Audrey's flat?" said an annoyed voice.
"Yep, that's definitely Marly and her bossy voice." said Sirius, Audrey and Lily both hit him. He laughed.
"I am not James Potter, love." James said, imitating Sirius.
"I am not a moron, James Potter." Marly called, impatient. "Let us in you…you…"
"What's the matter, Marlene? Can't think of a good insult for me?"
"No, James. We have Asia, remember? Trying to be good influences over here." said Remus from behind the door.
"Alright, alright!" James threw his hands up in the air, stopping his Sirius charade. "But I have one question for you lot, a question only you would know."
Audrey gave her husband a look, Sirius was wearing his signature Black grin. The Marauders would never grow up.
"What is it, you twit?" Marly asked, incredibly impatient.
"What is one of my favorite words?" James asked.
"Snollygoster." said Remus.
"Nope."
"Namby-pamby." said Marlene in a triumphant voice.
"That's two words!"
The couple behind the door groaned.
"Pettifoger?" Remus guessed.
"No." said James, grinning. Lily smacked him on the arm, he snickered.
"Lickspittle?" asked Marly.
"No!" said James, doubling over with silent laughter. Audrey could feel Sirius shaking with laughter next to her.
"Oocephalus?" said a little voice that belonged to Anastasia.
"That's my favorite niece!" James grinned, opening the door.
"Oocephalus?" Marly said, giving him a funny look as they entered, James shut the door behind them and locked it.
"It's a word for someone who's an egghead." James smirked.
Anastasia jumped down from Remus arms and hugged her father's leg.
"Where did you learn that word from?" Sirius asked, with a large grin. He crouched down to his daughter's height.
"Uncle James taught it to me last week when he was reading." said Asia, looking up at her father.
"Uncle James was reading?" Audrey asked, picking up the toddler. The child nodded.
"Uncle James never reads, you know." said Marly, poking Asia's nose.
"It's true." Lily said, joining in. "James barely reads."
"Why?" The child asked.
"Did she just…?" Marlene was perplexed.
"Did she just what?" asked James.
"She just spoke banshee." Remus smiled. "Audrey, you haven't done that in a while."
"I haven't." Audrey admitted. "I haven't spoken it for just over three years."
As she grew, and as I spent more and more time with her, I learned strange things about her everyday. When she spoke my mother's tongue, it haunted me slightly. The only time she could have heard it was when she was just conceived…it did not make sense. She had heard me speak small Russian words every now and then, but she picked up the language quickly.
"She must have a knack for languages or something." said James thoughtfully. "When we were with her last week, she spoke to me in Russian, I'm sure of it."
"That's intriguing," said Remus. "You should ask Albus about that."
Audrey nodded, and decided to change the subject. "James, Lily…" She gave them a look.
"I'm pregnant." Lily blurted out, excited.
"WHAT?" Marlene grinned, grabbing Lily and spinning her around.
Lily nodded; Marlene jumped up and down and did a small jig, Audrey grinned and joined.
"Still can't get the dance out of these two." Sirius snorted, nodding his head at the women.
"Well, I still teach, Sirius." Marlene rolled her eyes, kicking her leg up and trying to hit his head. Sirius ducked.
"And I perform." Audrey said, elbowing her husband.
"Fine, fine." Sirius rolled his eyes, muttering about women. He walked over to the kitchen cabinets and took out a bottle of fire whiskey. "I think this calls for a celebration."
We were grateful for the exciting news of new life, it was a small beacon of hope in the dark times that were surrounding us. Lily and James weren't the only one's who were expecting. At the Order meeting that week, we found out that Sirius' cousin Molly was expecting another child, Alice and Frank too.
But that wasn't the only thing we had found out…Albus had kept us behind after the meeting to tell us something.
"From what one of my sources has told me, a young Death Eater defected and passed away earlier this week." said Albus.
"Why did he defect?" asked Marlene.
"It is unknown."
"Albus, not to be rude, but why is this relevant?" asked Remus, who seemed a little confused.
The Headmaster turned to Sirius Black.
"It was your brother, Sirius."
Sirius wore a blank expression; he wasn't quite sure how to react. He had never had the best relationship with his brother. They were polar opposites in every way. Ideology especially was where they clashed, Regulus never thought for himself, he always followed the family.
Audrey bit her lip and blinked back some tears.
I knew very well how Sirius felt about his brother, but Regulus had been nothing but nice to me…even when we were in school.
"That's…unfortunate." Sirius said in an indecipherable tone.
"You're saying that Regulus defected?" asked Remus.
"Yes." Replied the Headmaster. "It is unknown how long ago he defected-"
Audrey cut him off, coming out of her daze. "He defected over two years ago…"
"How would you know that, Miss Dalio?" Albus asked.
"The night that the ECO concert was attacked…" She replied.
"Right." Albus nodded, remembering.
"He saved my life." Audrey said quietly.
"Don't say that." Sirius shot at her, his voice shook with anger. Audrey looked at him, shocked.
"Sirius, you saw…I showed you…" She said, hurt.
"All I saw was Regulus doing what he always does, flashing his innocent eyes and making up bullshit." Sirius said in a know-it-all tone.
Audrey wasn't sure if Sirius was daft, imperiused, or just thick. Most likely the latter…
"He was good at what he did, just like Snivellus! Cunning and deceiving."
Lily paled at the mention of Severus; no one seemed to notice but Audrey and Remus.
"Do not speak of your brother that way. He died for an admirable cause." Audrey scolded him.
"Audrey, you hardly knew the little prat, don't try to tell me different about my brother." Sirius shot back, trying to keep his cool.
"You may not like him, or what he did in the past, but if it weren't for him I wouldn't be sitting with you right now. As for Severus, leave him out of this he…"
"He was always a deceiving snot, Audrey. What you ever saw in him is beyond me." Sirius shot at her.
"You didn't even know him." Audrey raised her voice, getting pissed. "You never took the time…but that's so typical of you, Sirius. Judging by the outside!"
"His attitude wasn't necessarily normal or friendly, Audrey. He always came off as a future serial killer." Sirius seethed.
"You never take the time to question or even analyze why someone acts the way they do, Sirius!" Audrey was exasperated.
"And what is he doing now, Audrey? What is Severus' job now?" He said with spiteful glee, taunting her. "Oh, right! HE'S A BLOODY DEATH EATER! AND YOU WANTED TO MAKE HIM THE GODFATHER OF OUR CHILD." He roared.
"I KNOW WHAT HE CHOSE." Audrey shrieked, her eyes turned black. Her skin had a blue-ish tinge. "I LOST MY FRIEND, I KNOW. YOU DON'T NEED TO REMIND ME, SIRIUS BLACK."
With that, Audrey rose from the table, turned on the spot and dissapparated.
Marlene and Remus exchanged looks, Lily looked sad and uncomfortable, and James put a hand on Sirius' shoulder.
Sirius rested his head in his hands, taking deep breaths.