Because
cristix asked so nicely and because I haven't had much else to post these days writing wise. (Only 6 more days until
reversathon reveal! ARGH!
And since I know she's a fan of the happier stuff...
Peter and Lily had brought back fish and chips. Remus wanted to be hungry, but the smell of the grease turned his stomach. But he didn't mind.
They sat at the table, white paper and food spread out in front of them, Sirius and Remus both in pajama bottoms and t-shirts and the others in borrowed clothing (although Lily required an enlarging charm on the shirt she borrowed from Sirius), and bottles of beer around. The windows were open and a gentle breeze tickled the curtains, and they could hear the sound of Muggle automobiles from the streets below.
It was like a storm had passed over them, leaving the air rain-washed and fresh. The situation had been redefined, and no one had to pretend that they had any control over the situation. Dumbledore was in charge, and although no one put the words to it, they were soldiers acting on his commands. And when Sirius smiled at him across the table, Remus felt a bit more at peace with the world. Although he still wished he could remember what had happened last night.
"So," Sirius was saying to James and Lily, "I hope you to have picked out a name for this sprog."
"Maybe," James said, and Lily smiled enigmatically. "We're not telling though."
"Why not?" Sirius said. "We won't laugh!"
Lily fixed him with an evil eye of doom. "You will."
"We're your friends!" Sirius protested.
"Exactly."
"So what are the bets on?" Remus asked. "Boy or girl?"
"Boy," James and Sirius said simultaneously.
"I'm hoping for a girl," Peter said, and Lily kissed him on the cheek.
"Really, Wormtail?" James asked. "I would have thought you'd be on our side."
"Not really. I have sisters. I know what to do with a girl. Boys confuse me."
"Um, Wormtail?"
"Shut up. That's not what I mean. Besides, girls are fun."
"No way," Sirius argued. "Boys are much more fun." James spurted beer out his nose, and Sirius backhanded him. "We are talking about your offspring, James. Get your mind out of the gutter."
"How are boys more fun?" Lily challenged.
"You can teach them to play Quidditch and play with trains and play with-"
"Anything boys can do, girls can do better," Lily interrupted in a sing-song.
"Except write their names in the snow," Remus contributed helpfully.
"You haven't… no, wait. I don't want to know."
"Sirius can even dot the is," Peter said.
"And James has the neatest writing, which makes sense. He writes well with his hands so why not his-"
"I SAID I didn't want to know!" Lily laughed, and then put a hand over her stomach. "Sorry, sprog, if I disturbed your slumber."
Sirius was watching with a half-disgusted, half-fascinated look on his face. "You could see it move!" he exclaimed.
They all laughed, and when Remus put his hand over Lily's belly to feel the life moving inside, he couldn't help but think there might be hope for the Wizarding World after all.
And since I know she's a fan of the happier stuff...
Peter and Lily had brought back fish and chips. Remus wanted to be hungry, but the smell of the grease turned his stomach. But he didn't mind.
They sat at the table, white paper and food spread out in front of them, Sirius and Remus both in pajama bottoms and t-shirts and the others in borrowed clothing (although Lily required an enlarging charm on the shirt she borrowed from Sirius), and bottles of beer around. The windows were open and a gentle breeze tickled the curtains, and they could hear the sound of Muggle automobiles from the streets below.
It was like a storm had passed over them, leaving the air rain-washed and fresh. The situation had been redefined, and no one had to pretend that they had any control over the situation. Dumbledore was in charge, and although no one put the words to it, they were soldiers acting on his commands. And when Sirius smiled at him across the table, Remus felt a bit more at peace with the world. Although he still wished he could remember what had happened last night.
"So," Sirius was saying to James and Lily, "I hope you to have picked out a name for this sprog."
"Maybe," James said, and Lily smiled enigmatically. "We're not telling though."
"Why not?" Sirius said. "We won't laugh!"
Lily fixed him with an evil eye of doom. "You will."
"We're your friends!" Sirius protested.
"Exactly."
"So what are the bets on?" Remus asked. "Boy or girl?"
"Boy," James and Sirius said simultaneously.
"I'm hoping for a girl," Peter said, and Lily kissed him on the cheek.
"Really, Wormtail?" James asked. "I would have thought you'd be on our side."
"Not really. I have sisters. I know what to do with a girl. Boys confuse me."
"Um, Wormtail?"
"Shut up. That's not what I mean. Besides, girls are fun."
"No way," Sirius argued. "Boys are much more fun." James spurted beer out his nose, and Sirius backhanded him. "We are talking about your offspring, James. Get your mind out of the gutter."
"How are boys more fun?" Lily challenged.
"You can teach them to play Quidditch and play with trains and play with-"
"Anything boys can do, girls can do better," Lily interrupted in a sing-song.
"Except write their names in the snow," Remus contributed helpfully.
"You haven't… no, wait. I don't want to know."
"Sirius can even dot the is," Peter said.
"And James has the neatest writing, which makes sense. He writes well with his hands so why not his-"
"I SAID I didn't want to know!" Lily laughed, and then put a hand over her stomach. "Sorry, sprog, if I disturbed your slumber."
Sirius was watching with a half-disgusted, half-fascinated look on his face. "You could see it move!" he exclaimed.
They all laughed, and when Remus put his hand over Lily's belly to feel the life moving inside, he couldn't help but think there might be hope for the Wizarding World after all.