Marauders - Always - Part One

An Owl From Underhill

Lily shoved her way out from underneath James in the morning in such desperation to make it to the loo on time without having her morning sickness all over the hall that James rolled right off the bed with a thump and a shout.

Sirius was already in the bathroom, lying in the bath tub, a wet wash cloth over his eyes, unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth. "Lilith?" he groaned as she fell to her knees and started retching.

The bathroom door opened a moment later and Sirius moved the cloth from his eyes to see James pulling Lily's hair away from her face gently. "YOU," Sirius groaned. "You are the reason. You and your gods damed penis!" He threw the wet cloth at James.

"You are not my fault," James said. "You brought yours on yourself, rather." He pushed Sirius's arm out of the way and sat on the edge of the tub. Sirius raised an eyebrow at James's bum, smirking, as James leaned forward, the fabric of his pyjamas pulling tight over his rather nicely shaped back end. James bent so his mouth was close to Lily's ear, "I'm here, Love." His palm ran down her back on soft circles as she continued throwing up.

Suddenly Remus was in the door way with a box of soda crackers. "I think you've cleaner Lily and James out of digestives, Sirius, so we'll have to pop by market to get -- Oh you're up."

"Yes, we're up," James said as Sirius held out grabby fingers for the box of soda crackers.

Remus handed Sirius the box, and patted Lily on the back gently.

When Lily had finished, and Sirius had shared his soda crackers with her, James went to change for work while Remus and the other two went downstairs. Spencer wasn't up yet, and Remus say heavily in the chair in the living room while Lily lay on the couch and Sirius, in dog form, climbed up to lay on her legs.

"Thanks again for letting us stay here last night," Remus said, motioning at Sirius and the ceiling.

"Of course. Mum said she was alright staying with Minnie until it's all sorted," Lily replied.

"I wish we had a third room in the flat," Remus lamented. "I'd feel a lot better if I could keep him close, keep an eye on him, and if what Sirius and James said his grandfather's is like - I don't much fancy him being sent off alone. He needs guidance through all this."

"Oh absolutely," Lily nodded. "He doesn't want to be alone, either, he's very afraid of the idea of it. He needs time to settle."

Remus frowned.

"He can stay here until we have to put together the baby's room..."

"Yeah, but I wish he was staying with us."

"Perhaps Peter could come live with us," Lily suggested.

Remus nodded, "That may be an option... But I have no idea how we would approach him with the idea without him thinking Sirius and I don't want him anymore. You know how sensitive he can be."

James came trotting down the stairs then, dressed in his smart grey and purple suit, still finishing his twenty-eight buttons, hair sleekeazied nicely. He nearly tripped on the uneven step, catching himself and cursing, before continuing down the steps to the foyer. He braced himself against the wall with one hand as he pulled and kicked his boots on with the other.

"Come here honey and I'll do your tie before you go," Lily called, motioning for James. He hurried over and flung himself down onto the coffee table and leaned over so she could reach the tie. Lily swept the tie into the windsor knot and tucked it into his vest, smoothing it with her palm. "There you go, my handsome husband."

James grinned, "Thanks, Love." He leaned forward and kissed her.

The dog sighed from Lily's lap and James laughed and mussed the dog's hairy head as he got up. "See you later, Moony," he said as he passed Remus. He was grabbing the floo powder from the mantel when a tapping sounded on the kitchen window.