Dwelling on Dreams (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Christmas at Godric's Hollow

A burst of red light shot from James’ wand as they began to battle for survival, Voldemort retaliating almost instantaneously with numerous Killing Curses which flashed green as they raced towards the young couple, illuminating the trees with their unnatural glow.

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“I can’t believe it,” Sirius said numbly the night after they visited Lily and James in their house in Godric’s Hollow.

“Sirius, do you think that we ought to be doing what they are?” Cassie asked quietly.

“What do you mean?”

“Well Lily and James have got married, bought a house together and now Lily’s pregnant. I mean, they even have a cat! Don’t you feel like they’re sort of… I don’t know, leaving us behind? They seem so mature now…”

“Do you want to get married?” Sirius asked as he pulled Cassie close to him, lying her head on his chest and wrapping his arms around her, feeling, not for the first time, that marrying Cassie would make him truly happy for the rest of his life.

“I don’t know, I mean I love you and I do want to get married but I’m happy the way we are at the moment.”

“Well I certainly don’t plan on leaving you any time soon,” Sirius said with a grin, “once we’re out of this mess we can start our own family. Plus, Lily already had that cat, so I don’t think it counts my love. You have an owl anyway.”

“I suppose so!” Cassie laughed, before pausing for a second. “I know,” she eventually agreed sleepily, yawning as she did so, “it’s not exactly the best time to begin a family.”

“Anyway, I swear Cassiopeia Jones, as soon as this is all over I am going to buy the biggest ring you’ve ever seen and you’re going to be mine forever,” he said as he kissed her, feeling her smile against his lips. “We’ll have so many children you won’t know what to do with them and you’ll be bankrupt every time the Hogwarts term starts!” Sirius said, smiling down at her happily and wondering how he’d ended up with her.

“Good, I’m looking forward to it,” she said, her breathing slowing as she slipped into sleep, unconsciously snuggling even closer to Sirius as she snored.

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“Merry Christmas!” James beamed at them as Cassie and Sirius hung their coats up, stamping the snow off their shoes before following Lily through to the sitting room, Daia trying to trip them all up as she wound between their feet, both of them seeming to be completely recovered from their lucky escape a couple of months before.

“It’s so lovely to see you!” she smiled, hugging Cassie and Sirius happily, the bump of her stomach beginning to get in the way.

“You’ve put a bit of weight on Lil, you might want to watch what you eat,” Sirius teased, receiving a light slap on his head in return.

“You’re one to talk Padfoot,” Lily said dryly, poking Sirius’ perfectly flat stomach. “You’re so fat I can barely get my arms around you.”

“I think that I’d actually say that I’m wasting away,” he said, collapsing on the sofa dramatically. “I’m looking forward to stuffing myself with food today.”

“So no different from normal then,” Lily said as James sat beside her, laughing at the expression on Sirius’ face.

“I’ve been thinking,” he announced, “maybe you ought to take up your job again instead of living here off James’ parents’ money and lounging around all day doing nothing while people out there are dying and whatnot,” he said with a smirk.