ALWAYS

Spider webs and cakes

It had been a week since everyone found out that Lily and Alice were pregnant. Everyone was happy and the news of the impending arrival of two new babies was enough to cloud over the devastating news of Marlene's death. Though Sirius's wound hadn't entirely healed, he was still very happy for James and was more than excited for the arrival of the baby.

"Lets go home?" Lily asked James, who looked very enthusiastic. "Sure" he said as he grabbed her hand. They were about to apparate when they spotted Alice and Frank walk in to the hospital. They were here for their appointment at St. Mungos just like Lily and James were. The pair of couples looked at each other as Lily and James nodded and apparated back to Potter Manor. 

They walked in to the house and Lily went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. James followed. They found the rest of the Marauders were already holed up in the kitchen, each having firewhiskey in their hands and chatting away. James joined them while Lily greeted Blinky. A few minutes later a howler flew in and delivered a message from McGonagall asking them to come to the Malfoy Manor and that their presence was needed immediately. McGonagall had also slightly hinted that a classic Marauder prank was exactly what those death eaters needed. The Marauders shared an evil smirk and huddled closer. Lily could hear hushed whispers, she smiled to herself despite the growing fear inside her. 

"Lets do it!" shouted the Marauders together and ran out to the front door. Lily followed and just as James was about to leave, she grabbed his wrist. James turned around and came closer, leaning his forehead against hers. "I'll come back Lils. I always do" he said as he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Okay?" he asked, wanting to know whether she was fine.Lily thought for a minute. "No" she said."What?" asked James, refusing to believe what he heard and now slightly irritated. "I said no James." she said again, slowly and clearly. James felt the anger build up inside him. Why was she acting like this, at such a crucial time when James had to go. And that's when it hit him. She was pregnant and she was worried that James wouldn't come back. She was worried about the possibility of their child growing up without a father. His thoughts were interrupted when Lily spoke again. 

"I'll come too" she said firmly. James sighed before he pulled Lily into a hug. Lily refused to hug back for a second, but hesitantly wrapped her arms around him, and felt comfort and safety seep into her bones.  "Lils, we talked about this. It's not safe for you, or the baby to go out there. And what you are talking about is too dangerous. I can't let that happen on my watch. Besides mum would kill me if she knew, which she obviously will" he said as he chuckled. Lily let out a faint laugh before breaking away and looking him in the eye. "I love you James. Just-", "Come back home safe. I know and I will" he finished as he ran out. "Don't come back alone. Bring the guys with you" she hollered back smiling to herself. She turned around to walk back inside when she heard a faint "I will" from James. 

 Not a few minutes later Lily heard a pop and she turned around, wand in hand. She lowered it when she saw Alice. 

"Alice! You scared me" she said. Alice gave her a faint smile before sitting down on the bed beside her. "What's wrong?" Lily asked her, almost sure of the answer that Alice would give her. Jut like James and the Marauders, Frank too would've been called to Malfoy Manor and Alice too would've reflected the same concern Lily did. "Frank. He wants to go fight. That's his job and that's his passion. That's who I fell in love with. But now that I'm pregnant, I'm always worried. Every time he heads out on to the field I imagine my child growing without a father. I don't want that for my baby Lils. I want to raise my child with my husband. " she finished. She looked at Lily. 

"I had the exact same thought when James was headed out. But you know what, our husbands are fighters and they always come back, no matter what. Besides there are so many people who've got their backs. I worry too Alice, but that's just it. We worry because we're inside, safe and sound while they are out there fighting, for the children growing inside us. So that they have a beautiful world to grow up in" she said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Alice was comforted by these words. She nodded and gave her a huge smile before she got up. "Wanna bake a cake" she asked. Lily looked amused but nevertheless nodded. And chuckling they walked back down and brought out the ingredients and began whisking away as they chatted.

Meanwhile, the Marauders had reached Malfoy Manor and were seeking refuge behind a huge pillar as they watched the fight drag on. Sirius then looked at James and nodded. James nodded back and putting on his invisibility cloak ran towards the back yard. Then Peter too ducked his head running in the opposite direction. Remus then ran to the far end of the gate as he hid behind another pillar. James and Peter had reached their spots, each in one corner of the backyard. He nodded at Peter who was gasping for air. Peter nodded back and they held up their wand in unison as they chanted faintly. Streaks of silver came from their wands as they were met by two other silver streaks in the air. Sirius and Remus. They were still chanting when one of the silver streaks had vanished. Peter's streak was gone. James turned towards where he was standing but he wasn't there. He frowned before moving to the centre of the backyard. Remus and Sirius too looked at each other with the where the hell is Peter look but were distracted when they realised it was time. Within seconds all the people who were branded with the dark mark where covered in spider webs. 

The Marauders laughed as they looked at the perplexed and helpless Death eaters. The more they tried to get out of it the more tangled it became. There was no chance of them coming out of that any time soon. McGonagall, Charlus, Dorea and Frank smiled to each other as they levitated the Death eaters and piled them up on one another. The Marauders too helped them while the rest of them scourged the Manor for any more death eaters. "How'd you guys do that without entangling our guys in it too" asked Frank. "It was all Sirius and Remus" grinned James. Frank chuckled as he nodded and piled the last of the death eaters. Dorea and Charlus thanked the Marauders and Frank for their help, applauded them on their skill and sent them on their way. "Where's Peter?" asked James as he looked around. "Probably inside with the rest of the aurors" said Remus. But Sirius wasn't convinced. "No. Something's wrong.He wasn't there when we were doing the spell too." he said as he turned around. The rest followed as they went inside the Manor. They walked in when they met Peter heading out. 

"There you are" said Sirius relieved that he was fine. "Here I am" he replied. "Where'd you run off to?" asked James. "Death eaters. Rudolphus actually. He sneaked up on me and dragged me in here. They almost killed me. If it wasn't for you guys finishing the spell" he explained sounding grateful. "Thank god you're safe Wormtail. Stay alert next time" barked Sirius and with that they all apparated back to Potter Manor. 

The guys barged in making a huge racket, all of them talking about the spider web miracle. They walked in to the kitchen to find a chocolate cake sitting on the table waiting to be eaten. James and Frank looked at each other when they noticed that a portion of the cake was missing. They smiled at each other both realising that their wives had made the cake and had already finished eating a part of it. They walked towards the staircase as they saw the rest of the guys devouring the cake. "Save some for us" hollered James as they walked. "Alice told me she was coming here. But I didn't expect her to bake" chuckled Frank. "Well......." James said as he searched for the right explanation."Girls" said James and they burst out laughing. They walked in laughing but grew silent immediately. Alice and Lily were asleep. They were lying on the bed. James and Frank figured they were probably talking and had fallen asleep. 

They both walked to their respective wives. Frank walked to Alice as he grabbed a blanket from the chair near the window and spread the blanket over her. He tucked away a few strands of hair that were covering her face behind her ear. He kissed her goodnight. James too walked up to Lily. He smiled to himself as he saw flour on her forehead. Probably from baking. She was married, pregnant and yet didn't clean up after herself thought James. He wiped off the flour off her forehead as he pulled the blanket over her and kissed her forehead before getting up and joining Frank near the foot of the bed. "They look so innocent. So-", Frank searched for the right word. "peaceful" completed James. "Yeah" agreed Frank. James smiled to himself before he grabbed a camera from the desk in their room and clicked a picture of both of them asleep before heading out. 

They walked outside and headed down to join the guys. "Where's the cake?" asked Frank unable to spot the rest of the cake. "We ate it. You guys were taking too long" said Sirius trying to justify himself. "Prongs you keep doing this. You eat all my stuff and you never save any for me" whined James as the rest of them laughed at their childlike antiques. "And I'm not stopping anytime soon mate. I'll always steal your stuff. Always".