Marauders - Always - Part One

The Lavender Vial

Beyond the vial was the vanity mirror, reflecting them back to Sirius as he held her. Sirius stared at Lily. "I suppose this means everything is going to change, doesn't it?" he asked.

Lily smiled, "Yes," she said, "I suppose it does... but in the best way."

Sirius smiled, too. "Yeah?"

"Oh yes," she whispered. "Oh can't you just imagine it? What a grand adventure we're all about to have! We get to hold him and teach him how to walk and you can tell all your clean jokes to him now and your dirty jokes to him when he's old enough - oh Sirius, you're going to be the funnest uncle. He'll love you so much." She drew back out of the hug and stared into Sirius's face, her eyes wide with excitement. "His Uncle Padfoot."

Sirius grinned, "Uncle Padfoot, ey?"

"Yes." Lily nodded. "And Uncle Moony and Uncle Wormtail... And he's going to learn how to laugh and smile from you lot."

"And how to get into mischief."

"Merlin help me," Lily laughed, but she nodded.

"One thing's for sure..." 

"What's that?"

"He'll be loved more than any other little lad on the planet," Sirius said, eyes sparkling. "And have the best parents that have ever lived. The best Mum." He stared right into her eyes.

Lily reached up and lay a gentle hand on his face, her eyes searching his. "What if I'm not?"

"Of course you will be."

Lily bit her lip. "You truly think so?"

"You already are."

Lily's eyes welled up. "He isn't even here yet..."

"He might be." Sirius's hand hovered near her stomach and then dropped away, not daring to touch her. He bit his lip and said, "You already love him more than Mother ever loved me in my life. I mean my Mother, not Mum. Not Mrs. P." 

"I know." Lily paused, then, "I'm glad that you met James and that you got to have Dora in your life. She's such a good mum."

"Your mum was a good mum, too."

"She loved you."

Sirius smiled.

"All the mums love you, sweet heart. Yours is the anomaly. Remember that. Remember that you're lovable and loved and it's your parents who were wrong."

Sirius hung his head, bit his lip, then smiled a sad little smile. He nodded, looked her in the eyes, and said, "See? You're already doing brilliantly, Lilith."

"I hope so," Lily said.

There was a quiet knock on the door. "Lily? Sirius?"

"You can come in," Lily called.

The door opened and Dora Potter looked 'round the frame. She was holding a tray with two bowls of her soup on it. She looked at them. "What are you lot doing in here? Were you sick again, duckie?" she asked gently.

Lily shook her head, pointed to the vial on the vanity, and said, "We're... waiting."

Dora looked, saw the vial, and gasped, stepping into the room. Her fingers tightened on the tray and she looked from the vial to Lily and Sirius, then back again. 

"Ohhh..." Dora's voice was quiet and shivered with nervous excitement.

Sirius got up and took the tray, waving for Dora to have a seat next to Lily. She sank slowly onto the trunk, and Sirius put the tray down on the vanity, grabbed the chair that went to it and turned it so he sat on it backwards, chin on the metal seat back. Dora and Lily were clutching one another's hands and they all just stared at the vial for several moments. Then Sirius took up one of the bowls of the chicken soup and started eating it. He pointed at it with the spoon. "This is really good mum."