"You're pregnant?" Marlene grinned widely at Lily.

"Yes Marls, I'm pregnant," Lily laughed slightly at the bewildered expression on her friend's face.

"That's wonderful!" Marlene hugged Lily tightly, quickly letting her ago when she realised that she might be crushing the baby, "how long have you known?" She demanded.

"A few months."

"Does James know?"

"Of course James knows," Lily rolled her eyes.

"James knows what?" Marlene glanced over her shoulder and saw Sirius making his way into the flat, pulling off his travelling cloak.

"Lily is pregnant," said Marlene.

Sirius sat down with the two women and smiled, "congratulations."

********

"Have you thought about kids?" Marlene's head was rested on Sirius's chest as the young couple lay in bed one night, trying their hardest to forget about the situation, which was growing ever worse by the day.

"No," said Sirius eventually, "I mean, I'd probably like them. But with everything going on..."

Marlene let out a breath that she hadn't realised she was holding. She had always wanted children, but she couldn't bear the thought of bringing a child into the world. The environment was toxic, and there was almost no chance that the child would be bought up without experiencing suffering and war.

"...it's not the right time," Marlene finished Sirius's sentence.

********

The couple's resolve did not last long though. Despite the fact that Lily was only a few months pregnant, both she and James were already fawning over their unborn child.

By the new year, Lily had read almost every pregnancy book there was, and James had already been looking at children's Quidditch gear that he was planning to buy his son or daughter.

"This child is going to be the most spoilt little baby in the entire world!" Marlene exclaimed as Lily threw some catalogues into her friend's arms.

"Just get reading Marls, I want to have the crib sorted as soon as possible," Lily waggled her wand threateningly.

"Lil, you're only three months pregnant, you can afford to wait to choose a crib!"

Lily sat down, seemingly defeated, "we can't," she said, "Dumbledore says that James and I are in danger, Voldemort is hunting us. Something to do with..." Lily's eyes filled with tears and she glanced down at her stomach.

Marlene couldn't quite comprehend what Lily was telling her, because who in their right minds would want to hurt an unborn child. She took Lily's hands into her's and tried to comfort her friend.

"Everything is going to be okay Lily," said Marlene, completely unsure of what she could tell Lily to make her feel better, "it has to be okay." Lily continued to sob, but now she sobbed into Marlene's shoulder. Marlene searched her mind for something-anything-that she could tell Lily. To reassure her, to let her know that it would be okay, "things might get worse, but one day, I promise, everything will be fine Lily. And we will both be there to see it."

She said it with such conviction, that, just for a moment, she almost convinced herself-almost.