WARNING: SPOILERS!!! ~A Watty's 2019 Submission!

Saved for Karina Potter, Mini Marauder

Life was going great in James Potter's world. He had the girl of his dreams at his side, a future filled with playing on a professional Quidditch team, great friends. Nothing bad seemed to ever happen again.

Until his whole world came crashing down around his ears one Halloween night.

"The Holyhead Harpies!" He cheered as he came running into his and Lily's living where all of his friends sat around waiting for him, his cheeks crimson from the cold October air. "I can't believe it! I'm going to be Seeker for the Holyhead Harpies!" Karina was the first one to stand up.

"James, that's wonderful!" She told him, running over and hugging him, Sirius doing the same slightly more enthusiastically than desired. Remus clapped James on the back and Peter shook his hand.

"Well done, mate!" Remus told him.

"How much money do you think you'll be making?" Peter asked.

"Forty five Galleons an hour!" James told him. "For as long as the game lasts! I take my sweet time getting the Snitch, and I could be richer than my dad in one game!"

"That's brilliant, mate!" Sirius told him proudly. "How about we go out for a drink to celebrate, eh? We'll run up and get our coats and meet back down here!"

"Hurry, mates! Before eleven so we can get Rina in there for free!" James called back as they thumped upstairs to the "guest room", as Lily referred it to, though everyone knew it was for them. He was already wearing his coat.

"Shut up, James!" Karina called back, before a door shut.

"James?" Came a small voice, and James turned around to see Lily emerging from the washroom. Her face was red, and streaked with tears, her hands over her stomach.

"Lils? What's wrong?" He asked, going over to her at once.

"I have... Some news." She told him. "I don't know if its good news at the current time, but its news."

"Lily, you know you can tell me anything, right?" She nodded.

"I know. Its just... I-I'm pregnant." James's face drained of blood. His brain shut down and his heart stopped. He couldn't form any words, and his eyes stared at Lily, but at nothing at the same time. "James?"

"Alright, mate! Let's go!" Sirius called, grabbing James's shoulder and bringing him back. "Haven't you seen enough of Evans?"

"James?" Lily said again, and James only fixed his coat.

"Right! Let's get going shall we?" And he hurried out the door, followed by the guys and Karina, leaving Lily feeling abandoned.

MARAUDERS

Getting drinks wasn't quite as fun as the Marauders thought it would be. James couldn't take his eyes from his glass, though he was quickly getting drunk, and he kept mumbling to himself.

Sirius was trying to help Remus and Peter pick up some girls. "How bout them, eh?" Sirius asked, pointing at two girls in the corner. "They're a bit your speed!" Peter looked to Remus.

"You want the one with the wart on her neck or the one who hasn't stopped blinking in the past few minutes?" Remus shrugged.

"Blinky's cute." Meanwhile, Karina was trying to figure out what was wrong with James, while the barkeeper kept hitting on her.

"Come on." He said. "One night, drinks on me." He reached out and took her hand that sat on the counter, and she pulled it away.

"Keep your filthy hands off of me!" She told him furiously, smacking him across the face. His face went red, and his eyes went dark with anger.

"How dare you!" She scoffed.

"Don't you have some skanky twat of a girl to hit on elsewhere?" And he was gone, but James hadn't moved. "James? Are you alright, mate?" She asked finally. Sirius, Remus, and Peter abandoned the two girls after they rejected Remus and Peter, and came over to try and see what was up with their leader.

"Come on, mate. What's wrong?"

"How am I supposed to protect him?" James asked, barely realising his friends were there. "He'll be so small!"

"Mate?" Remus shook him gently by the shoulder, getting his attention at last. "Are you alright?"

"I've never been better!" James snapped, though tears ran down his red face, and he stared back into his drink, and they all realised what was happening.

"Do you think you'll be alright?" Peter asked softly, and James gave him a red eyed, snot nosed, drunken look that made him jump back.

"THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I'VE EVER BEEN!" The others looked to each other, and nodded in a silent agreement.

"Come on, mate." Sirius said, pulling James to his feet, him and Remus draping his arms over their shoulders so that he could lean on them. "Let's get out of here."

MARAUDERS

They went back to Lily and James's house, where Lily stood in the doorway at hearing the crack of someone apparating, a little more angry than she had been before. Until she saw James leaning drunkenly against Remus and Sirius, Peter right behind him in case they lost their balance and he had to catch them.

"Sorry we're late, Lily." Karina told her. "He's a bit of a mess, but at least he's home now." That was when James lurched forward, and fell to his knees in front of Lily.

"I'm sorry I ran off." He said, and Lily couldn't help but smile. "I got scared. I'm still scared. But I'm happy too."

"Don't worry, James, we'll figure this out." But James reached up and put his finger to Lily's lips, loudly shushing her and pointing at her stomach.

"Wait. I'm talking to my son." Lily's smile turned into a glare.

"James it could be a daughter." He wasn't listening. His ear was pressed against her pregnant belly, as if listening to the baby inside.

"Or twins." Sirius added, grinning. "Or triplets! Or quintuplets!" Karina nudged Sirius playfully while Lily tried very hard not to grin as James murmured into her belly.

"'M going to ask your mum to marry me. But don't tell her yet, cause I have to buy her a ring first. And a broom. Not for the wedding. For you." He murmured, barely audible for even Lily. "Do you like Quidditch? You probably don't know what that is, yet. Don't worry, I'll teach you. I'll teach you everything."