They had known it had been coming for the longest time now. Sirius and Remus had been sitting tight during all dinner while Lily lulled Harry to sleep.
“Are you all right?” James asked, glancing at Lily with a worried eye.
The Slytherin girl had been too silent for it to be normal. For it to be okay.
Lily took in a breath and looked at Remus as if asking for either permission or simply support.
He nodded. There was no way that was going south, and if it had, he and Sirius would have been there for Lily anyway.
“I’m pregnant” she said, as quickly as she could, perhaps already wishing she could take it back.
James blinked once. Twice.
And no one was breathing anymore, because, well, why wasn’t he jumping up and down with excitement? A second child was a blessing, no matter how hard things were with Voldemort and his followers.
“James…” Lily tried.
“Oh my God” he stopped her, long lost hope filling his eyes. “Oh my God. Really?”
Lily let out a sigh and nodded, with a smile that was just as hopeful. Perhaps the new baby was going to be the sign of a new beginning, of a new chance for all of them. Perhaps in nine months – well, a bit less, more about eight – Voldemort would be gone and they would all be able to live normally. As they had wished for so long and hadn’t been able to do for even longer.
“Lily!” James moved towards her, ready to kiss her senseless despite the presence of his friends. “I mean, I noticed you’ve gained some weight, lately, but…”
Lily’s eyes widened, and Remus’s too.
“Oh, no” he said. James was a dead man already.
“I was lying, you jerk” Lily spit.
Remus was now confused, and even more so was Sirius, who whispered in Remus’s ear “Is that true? Has she been lying the whole time?”
“I have no clue” Remus whispered. “What a mess.”
“Oh, go ahead and try that stupid Quidditch trick” Lily roared, showing James the door. “I hope you die.”
Sirius grinned. “You’re really in it now, mate.”
Remus shook his head. “…all of this for Quidditch.”