lilies *James Potter*

Chapter 20

Hope pats her belly dramatically as she finishes her lunch on a lunch date with Liliena. Liliena smiled at her aunt picking around in her bowl which was a fruit salad than a proper lunch just to have something set in front of her to eat when she was in the mood. The restaurant, or more of a small hidden-away cafe of Hope's choice was relevantly cheap despite Liliena's offer to cover the bill for the older woman.

It was the only day that Hope would be there in London for the full day. With Remus having her for the evening Liliena manages to drag Regulus and James halfway across town for Chinese food to give them time to talk.

Remus had talked to Hope about the gay closet crisis and Hopy only listened with a smile. But she had warned Remus as well as Liliena after she got back to the flat that Lyall was clueless on the subject. So it only meant Remus had to come out of the closet to him. The last one and most clueless on the family that everyone could agree on, even Lyall himself.

"What's the situation between you and James?" Hope asks resting her elbows on the table and propping her chin in hand waiting for gossip like a teenager. Liliena raises an eyebrow at her aunt.

"Nothing."

"Nothing but somehow being the father?"

"It was supposed to be a one-night stand. Which honestly doesn't make sense on how it's happened to begin with with me on the shots and a condom being used."

Hope hums sliding her drink over to herself and sipping on the straw. "I could've sworn I saw something more than that last night."

Liliena's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

Hope smirks. "The way he looks at you. And the way you look at him."

"You know I'm not looking for a relationship."

"Or love." Hope chimes. "You never give yourself that chance. Remus told me last night about the reason behind it."

"It wasn't his place to tell you that."

"Like it was yours to pressure him to tell me?"

"That's different. You already knew. I was just passing on the information."

"But I wanted my son to tell me on his own terms."

"By the time your own terms would come, you'd be six feet under. No offence, but look at what happened when he was in the hospital."

Hope rolls her eyes. "Yes, well, thank you, I suppose. At least I can ask him about boys now."

Liliena rolls her eyes but smiles. "It's always been one boy for Remus. And I don't like him."

"Yes, yes. Sirius, is it? Regulus's older brother? Such a small world this all comes down to in the span of years."

Liliena nods but doesn't speak as Hope continues.

"You know," Hope takes Liliena's hand that rested on her table. "You don't have to follow Remus's experiences to not have your own. Find someone, fall in love. It's what your mother and father would have wanted for you."

"To continue the bloodline?" Liliena asks sarcastically with a raised eyebrow only for Hope to roll her eyes.

"No. To be happy. All you've been doing is working these days. I hardly hear from you and when you're travelling for work, even less then. You know I love to hear from you, not just under these circumstances, Ana."

Liliena bites her bottom lip. "I still don't get why you're not mad. You and Uncle Lyall."

"Oh, I am." Liliena looks at Hope surprised to meet her honey eyes. "But given it's been almost 30 years waiting on Remus to give me a grandchild, I think I'm going to wavier you on this."