The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

It's Going to Be Alright Mummy

James woke during the feeling of Roger, the cat, jumping onto his chest with a wholloping thump. He grunted, the breath leaving him - Roger was, after all, a very large cat - and winced as Roger's legs speared into his chest. "Gods, Roger, how bloody much have we been feeding you?"

The house was quiet, the starlight from the street pale lavender-blue. Lily was next to him, the sheets wrapped about her. The way the moon highlighted her skin, it made her freckles stand out and James smiled at the little dots that sprayed over her nose and even on her shoulders and arms. He thought about reaching out and touching one, about connecting them with his fingers, running his hands all over her... Gods, he'd been foolish worrying about what that stupid doctor had said, he thought. He hadn't realized how much he was craving the taste and touch of her skin until they'd been in the midst of everything. They'd had a bit of a laughed when he'd paused and told her so, and she'd said, "Oh okay that's great, but please don't stop just to tell me that, Potter!"

He looked up at Roger. "We're lucky men to have her in our lives, you know," he said. He stared up at the cat, whose glowing, incandescent eyes stared down at him, loads of knowledge emanating from them. Roger was pushing against James with his paws, claws tacking into James's skin. "Hey, you little bastard, stop at that..." he swatted at Roger.

Roger let out a meowl of disapproval, low and disgruntled.

"Look, I'm not getting up to feed you. I know for a fact that replenishing charm Lily put on your bowl hasn't worn off yet, and you've eaten plenty. Probably enough for three cats, even. Which, might I note, you're about the size of these days... Pretty soon, you aren't going to fit through the cat door - and then what? Then you'll be so fat, the birds and mice won't even bother running away from you. You'll have mice tap dancing 'round you in fun. Mocking you, like, on account that they'll know you're too damned fat to get up and catch them. You'll be sorry you ate all the replenishing food then, won't you be?"

Roger was relentless.

"Knock it off, or it'll be off to the hallway with you, you ruddy pickle," James threatened.

He was just about to get up and chuck the cat into the hallway and bid it good riddance when he heard his Mother's voice.

"James!"

His sat up, knocking Roger off him. The cat flumped onto the mattress and James leaped up from where he'd been. He tugged on his discarded pyjama pants - the ones with the snitches on them that he loved so much - and he rushed for the door.

"What's going on?" Lily's voice was muffled by the pillow. James didn't answer, he was already in the hallway.

"James!"

The light under the door of Dora's room glowed and he pushed the door open to find her standing, leaning against the bed, bent forward and grasping onto the bed frame with all her strength. Her wand lay on the floor several feet away, and what he'd thought was her bedroom light was actually fire burning up the curtains in her window.

James reached for his wand - realized he didn't have it and nearly bowled into Lily in his effort to rush back to fetch it. Lily ran into the room, raised her wand, and was putting out the fire. Seeing she had that much under control, James turned to his mother, gathering her into his chest. She fell against him, weak, nearly slipping out of his grasp. He hoisted her up into him, lifting her completely up so that she was draped across his arms.

Dora was coughing heartily, her face flushed with shame as she cried. Smoke was rising up from her with every cough, which rattled dangerously in her lungs, her eyes pouring tears. She clutched onto James. He held her close and he sank onto a chair as he cradled her in his arms, his heart absolutely banging in his chest.