lilies *James Potter*

Chapter 38

Liliena sat at a picnic table with Hope as Draco was tugged away from the table with both hands in hand with Harry and Luna. As resistant as Draco was being trying to protest against the two other kids, Hope was no help as she easily plucked his current read out of his hands with the words and shoo of 'go play'.

"It's nice to see that everyone trusts you with their kids, including James." Hope lightly compliments, though Liliena knew there was more to behind the one sentence that she was waiting on. "Good practice for the future. Especially since there are three and they're all almost the same age together."

And there it was.

"So what did you and Uncle Lyall come down to the city? Certainly, a 3-hour drive wouldn't be sufficient enough for Uncle Lyall to budge away from desk duty work."

Lyall was currently out and about with Remus doing who knew what as they simply put it as 'guys time'. Not that Hope cared as she instantly offered to take everyone to the park, which everyone agreed to be Luna and Harry who just happened to be when James was on speaker phone with Liliena.

She didn't blame the boy.

She blamed James.

It was entirely James and Hope's fault on this as she and Regulus were on babysitting duty for the day with Luna and Draco already.

Scratch that, she's adding Regulus to the blame list since he's not here.

"Pandora called." Hope answers Liliena which makes her instantly suspicious. "Why?"

"She wanted to plan out the baby shower and thought I would enjoy being involved in the planning and stuff which I was. I brought Lyall with me by ear so he could spend time with Remus."

"That sounds a bit more like Uncle Lyall... though I think you're leaving something out on this storyline, spit it out while you still can."

Hope sighs long and exaggeratedly. "I told him to take Remus out to buy something decent for the babies as a gift because we all know Remus did not get his sense of style from me or him."

"I think Remus picked it up from Grandpa Joe." Liliena jokes though she is almost positive it was true with their close relationship until his passing when Remus was only 13 and Liliena at 6. But Remus always had a sense of style for as long as he could dress and as long as Liliena could remember.

"That man," Hope scolds lightly but with a smile. "Always getting into Remus's mind with the littlest bit of things. Remus still smokes, doesn't he? Caught him once when Remus was eight with a cigar in his hand while Grandpa Joe handed it off to him like we're back in the 50s."

"Cigars and pipes mostly, but not as often if I can recall. He mentioned something before the whole pregnancy occurred about quitting but I haven't asked as of lately. Although I haven't actually seen him smoking, I wouldn't be surprised if he was still doing so at home."

Hope only rolls her eyes. "Grandpa Joe always had a bloody pipe or cigar in his mouth or hand. Got burnt ashes on Remus's head when he was a little ole thing."

"So should I be worried about Remus burning my children's heads?" Liliena asks teasingly which earns a glare from Hope and she backs off giggling with her hands held up in defence.

"Remus wasn't the only victim of those ashes, so I would watch yourself." She lightly scolds which only makes Liliena crackle out in laughter. Of course, she was to expect if Remus was burnt then she would have at some point of being an infant. "You should be worried about any of your friends burning your children's heads my child. Have you met them?"