"Zander!" I hissed between my teeth as I moved to try and sit more comfortably, stealing my husbands pillows in the process, he could have the stupid blanket, it was too hot anyway.

He didn't wake but stirred slightly.

"Zander Ellias Darken." I shook him with my hand and groaning, he mumbled something incoherent, but didn't move other than that.

Annoyed as I took in a deep breath, I leaned over to his ear and shouted so loud that my throat hurt. Moving away from him instantly, I would've laughed when he screamed and sat up fast, if I hadn't been in so much pain

Now sitting up and looking at me with wide eyes, my husband seemed to be trying to figure out for a moment what in the world was going on and once he figured it out, he went into action. Grabbing his wand off the nightstand, he sent a quick message via his eagle patronus to Sirius and Xayla. It didn't take long for them to come running into the room, together and both in their nightclothes.

"Are you sure it's time?"

Zander decided that giving them instructions while he propped me was a good enough answer, because that was all he gave them. They didn't seem to mind though and were both doing well as helpers as Sirius went to fill the bathtub and Xayla went to get many of the things I would need to give birth.

Getting from my bed into the magically expanded bathtub, having my water break and going through contractions until it was time to push; everything seemed to be going perfectly, until at some point, Sirius seemed to become faint and made an excuse to leave, while Xayla cackled at him and I cursed all their names.

No one had ever in my entire life decided to inform me that childbirth would feel like I was splitting in half at the seams and I did not appreciate that. It was bloody, it was painful and it was also very exciting, because despite everything, I was very precise, wanting everything to be perfect, I breathed like the books I'd read had said to, all the towels and stuff I would need were prepared for both baby and I, and all the blankets were pulled off of the bed and replaced for when we returned as Zander helped me throughout the entire process.

I, Rose-Isabell Elizabeth Darken throughout my entire life had thought that pushing the child out would be the worst part but oh how wrong I had been. Labour was so bad, by the time I was pushing, I was screaming every profanity in the English language and mentally planning Zander's slow and painful murder. I was so exhausted by the time it was all over and after seeing my baby briefly and hearing its cries, I passed out as I was taken up by my husband and moved into the room and placed on the bed.

Everything had happened so fast but I was so tired that nothing I could've done would have helped though holding my baby for the first time had made me feel so powerful.

I woke up maybe an hour later to complete silence. Looking beside me, I saw Zander holding a small pink bundle in one arm and only after I took my time to watch my husband closely, and allow my gaze to then shift onto my perfect baby, did I realize that I was clutching Zander's other hand for practically dear life. "Zander," I whispered, my voice dry from all the screaming and cursing I had done earlier.

As he looked at me with so much love in his eyes, I couldn't help but let my eyes water as he said, "She has your strawberry blonde hair and your sisters' bright green eyes."

My eyes filled now completely with tears as I asked "What time was she born and have you named her yet?" We had agreed that if she was a girl, he could name her and if she would've been a boy, I could've named her.

Zander looked at our sleeping daughter and his smile widened, "She was born August 1, 1:29am and I wanted you to name her."

"Oh? Couldn't decide on one, eh?" I leaned on him as I thought for a long moment about what I wanted to name her. I hadn't picked out any girl names, so I wasn't sure until finally it came to me and smiling, I announced it in a gentle tone. "I think we should name her after a few things." This moment felt more special to me then I could comprehend and I had so many ideas zipping about my mind. "First, I want to name her what Lily would have named Harry had he been a girl."

"And What's that?"

"Amber."

"Beautiful choice." His eyes twinkled as I continued.

"Next, I want to name her Eleyna for your sister." My husband sucked in a breath and looked down at me, his own emotions building with that name. Zander had lost his sister when he'd been young and it had affected the rest of his life. It had traumatized him to his core and had been a big reason he'd done many things that now, he deeply regretted. Xayla didn't seem to remember her at all and I assumed it was because she'd been very small when her sister had died, but Zander didn't talk about it, I didn't really know.

"Lastly," I whispered, looking up at him with twinkling Greenish blue eyes. "I want to name her Lavia for herself."

"Amber Eleyna Lavia Darken." He said softly, his smile insurmountably bright and full of so much love.

"Wow, that's a long name." came Sirius' voice suddenly from the door.

Zander and I rolled our eyes as little Amber began to cry. "She's most likely Hungry." I said so Zander handed her to me.

"By the way, you have a mouth on you young lady." Zander said as he and

I helped little Amber latch on to feed. I just smiled and asked for a drink as I fed my baby.


As the next few days passed I began to get used to staying up about 19 hours a day. I had Zander put silencing charms over Harry, Henry and Sam's rooms so Ambers crying wouldn't wake them and it was a very good thing I had Xayla, Zander and Sirius, because taking care of two two year old toddlers, an eleven month old and a new born baby was no pieces of cake.

If there wasn't a tantrum, it was a hungry baby, or a diaper that needed changing. The boys had started potty training not long before now, but both seemed to try and team up against up and creat La Potty resistance. It only started to get better when Sirius brought in a sticker chart and if the boys went, they got surprises.

Sam was increasingly becoming a picky eater and when he started to eat dinner with the rest of us, tantrums over not getting what he wanted were becoming a problem. One night, I sat with him for an hour after supper was finished, trying to coax the little one to just try it, until finally, I gave up and he got what he wanted.

There were good times and bad times, laughter and tantrums and every single moment of it all, I felt increasingly proud of the decisions we'd made together as a family. Our kids would have each other no matter what, even if things ever got hard or scary, I knew that I could at least count on that. We were stronger in numbers and we were slowly becoming the family we deserved to be.

In the first weeks that my little girl lived and breathed, I was honestly obsessed with her. She was always on my mind and in my heart, I always wanted her near me and to know she was alright. I would wake with a start in the middle of the night and rush to touch her, and sigh a tear sigh when I felt she was okay. I don't know why I was so worried all the time, but I was and all I seemed to be able to do about it was go and touch her little head and sing to her. I loved her so much it made my chest hurt when I really got in my feelings and started thinking about it.

Zander felt similarly I know, but for him, it seemed to be that he was scared he would somehow break her. Every second he held her, he did so with the most gentle touch and whenever he spoke to her, it was with the kindest and sweetest words, his voice always soft, always calm and once, I woke up in the middle of the night, found his side of our bed empty and when I looked over at the bassinet we had in our room, I saw Zander, sitting in the chair beside it and holding out baby, he cried as he whispered to her, telling her how much he loved her in every way he could.

I sat in my bed and watched him, my heart swelling at the sight. I was so incredibly lucky to have this man in my life.

As the weeks turned into the first month since Amber's birth, we celebrated Sam's first birthday and it was a blast, he got so many new toys and gadgets, but I found it so funny how his two favorite things out of it all was a little baby photo album we'd got him and his new pants. He loved clothes and dressing himself, but even more than that, he seemed obsessed with books and loved pointing at the pictures.

He kept opening the book throughout the day, pointing at.Zander and I and screaming "DADA!" Or "MAMA!" And squealing with delight when we responded. By the end of the day, he'd come up to us and show us the book, wanting to sit in our laps and look at it. "Mamamadadadamanama!" He sang from his high chair that night as I made dinner with Xayla and hearing his little voice and how beautiful it sounded, I couldn't take it anymore and bursting into happy tears, I left the room, while Xayla finished the meal.

More weeks passed after baby Sam's birthday and Amber seemed to grow incredibly fast. Indeed, by the end of November, she was two inches taller than was average and her wavy, pale, strawberry blond hair reached right below her little ears and I smiled remembering how Lily's hair did that at times growing up. It still hurt so much not having her here and it pained me to think that Petunia would hate me if she knew I was alive, what Zander was and now what our child is, for she, despite looking like my side of our family, she was just like her father in every other way.

Amber was mischievous in how she played, yet seemed to have such a gentle spirit that it made my heart flutter with love and pride everyday that I looked at her and thought about who her father was. Then that got me thinking of my husband and that was an entire other mix of emotions that just made me so very happy with my life.

Harry, Henry and Sam all also seemed to become rather overprotective of little Amber in the time that passed and it was so adorable. In mid December Zander, Sirius, Xayla and I decided to take the children to a muggle park. (After, Zander changed Sirius, Harry and my looks of course.) Every time an older child or another parent would walk over and start to coo at Amber, Harry, Henry and Sam would glare at them as if to say "get away from her." Xayla, who had the most overprotective brother in the galaxy kept saying how sorry she felt for poor Amber while the rest of us just laughed.

On Christmas morning, there were so many presents under the tree that the piles were at least 3ft tall each. The two older boys got a new play dough set each, a whole new wardrobe, 7 picture books, 15 movies to share, A combined present of a hot wheels track that came with 50 different colored hot wheels Zander had picked up while on a trip to America and a set of 20, fist sized boumcy balls that glowed neon every time you bounced them.

Sam got some new clothes, a pack of 5 plush quaffles, a red, gold, blue and green glow in the dark carpet for his bedroom floor, a set of glow in the dark stars for his ceiling, 12 new bath toys and a lullaby box. Amber pretty much got the same things, except instead of 5 plush quaffles, she got 5 plush dollies that came with different outfits, and the colors on her carpet were red, pink, purple and blue.

After presents we all sat by the fire, with cups of hot chocolate and told the kids Christmas stories. Harrys' favorite was easily Frosty the Snowman. Then we sat down and said grace before we ate dinner. I had cooked a lot of food throughout the day so by the time dinner and dessert were over,

After sitting down and watching two Christmas movies, we all decided it was time for bed. Zander, Sirius, Xayla and I each carried an already sleeping child to their bed, before heading to sleep ourselves. It was my task to put Amber down and as I did, I stood for a moment, just... staring at her. I couldn't take my eyes off of her, my heart beating so quickly in my chest, I thought it might explode. I loved her so much, I didn't know how else I could say it, what more I could do other than stare.

I must've been standing there for more than five minutes, just staring teary eyed at my baby, when Zander walked in, hlding two small back boxes. Setting the boxes on the nightstand, he came over to me and wrapped his arms around me, setting his chin on my shoulder as he turned his attention to Amber. "Isn't she the most perfect little girl in all time and eternity?" His voice was low in my ear and I nodded before turning in his arms.

"I-" I choked on my words as I buried my face in his chest, taking in his scent as I breathed deeply. "Zander, I love her so much, it hurts. I never knew I could love so much and the boys- Sam, ohmygosh-" I was crying now as I gripped his shirt in my fists, just thinking of all the little ones and how much I loved them.

My husband held me, allowing me to have my moment until I finally pulled away only lo look up at him and reach for his face, my eyes still watery. "-and then there's you." I said, my voice quiet as I now held his face in my hand just touching and memorizing every little detail. "How in the world did I get so lucky?

"I ask myself that every singly day." He lead me to our bed, where we sat down and for a moment, just held one another, love thick in the air. "I got you something." Moving over to the nightstand, he grabbed the little boxes he'd brought in and held them out to me. "Merry Christmas," he said, smiling as I took them into my shaking hands, my eyes wide with surprise. Not being able to leave on my own, I was not always able to buy things on my own, so surprises were usually out of the question and so I never really expected anything in return.

"Oh, Zander!" I began but he cut me off with a kiss, using one hand to wipe away any lingering tears.

"I know I didn't have to... But.. I wanted to." he whispered, his lips still close to mine.

I smiled as I set one of the boxes down and opened the other, inside was a gold, jewel encrusted necklace. "Oh Zander, it's beautiful!" I couldn't believe this, my mind was reeling as my eyes began to water again. I honestly thought I'd run out of tears by now, guess not.

He beamed, taking the necklace from the box, he crawled on the bed, behind me, put the necklace on me and then kissed my neck and whispered, "Open the next." Picking up the second box, I noticed that it was slightly heavier than the first. Opening the box, I gasped as tears now came pouring out of my eyes.

"Oh Zander, how did you get Lily's necklace?" I asked as I put on the necklace I, myself, had given Lily when she was seventeen years old, just before I'd "died".

Zander looked at me, his honey colored eyes shining as he smiled. "Well, I went to Dumbledore and begged for him to give it to me. Seeing as he thinks your dead, I pretended to be all upset because I have nothing left of you and since Lily is dead and Harry had been a male so-" as he spoke of my devastating "death", he made a quote, unquote motion with his hands as I rolled my eyes.

"And he believed this sob story of yours?" I wiped at my own tears now as I watched him curiously.

He grinned, "I am fully trained in occlumency." he said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. Taking off the necklaces, I put them back into their boxes and into the dresser.

"You manipulative man." I whispered with a loving smile and he shrugged.

"I was a Ravenclaw with a Slytherin sister." He replied and I rolled my eyes, I never could quite wrap my head around Hogwarts and all it's houses and my dark haired husband knew it as he held me then in his arms and chuckled.

Turning now to face Zander, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately on the lips. "I love you."

"And I love you, my Rose." he whispered as he kissed me back.