{.90. Miracle}
The weeks and months since Dorcas had been killed by you-know-who had been tough on everyone. Despite seeing the murder, Alcyone had been on distract tactics for Luke. The funeral was a lovely service, the whole Meadows family were buried together but it had been difficult, Luke didn't stop crying. Ally and Toby knew they had to be there for him, he was grieving hard.
Ally's birthday had been and gone, she couldn't bring herself to celebrate, so she turned 20 in her house surrounded by her family and the ones she loved the most. Remus had gotten her a beautiful photo frame of Arcturus and Ally when she was a baby. She was so taken back and appreciated the sentiment.
It was now mid-December. The weather was getting darker and so was the mood, Ally would wake up every morning praying to the Muggle God asking for better days. She was also praying to Merlin. They hadn't been on order missions for a little while, however it was because Dumbledore had decided to give the younger ones a break. He had realised they were aging too quick and he needed time to slow down.
Ally had been noticing weird things about herself too, her hands had began to glow and turn gold. She knew it was odd but she never questioned it and she didn't dare tell anyone. She didn't want anyone to be at risk if they had a run in with the you-know-who.
She had briefly seen Regulus when he was with Caspian, he looked gaunt, he looked unwell. Caspian had said that there was no getting through to him, that he was too scared of Walburga and Orion. This broke Ally's heart, she couldn't imagine being petrified of people that were supposed to love you unconditionally.
"Come on my darlings, we told Alice and Frank we'd head over there," Toby told Luke and Ally who had been cuddled into each other on the sofa watching a Muggle film.
Remus was still out in the Wolf colonies so Luke would often stay and keep her company. He had something called bereavement leave. It was for as long as he had needed it. His university were extremely understanding and told him that he would be able to return to the course whenever he was ready. Luke thought it best to go back in January 1981. He didn't want to fall too far behind, he had worked so hard getting to the stage he had, he wanted to make sure that he was able to complete it. He knew it's what Dorcas would have wanted.
The trio each floo'd to Aice and Frank's and arrived out of the fire place with a thud. When Ally arrived both Toby and Luke were already exchanging hugs with the couple.
"Ally, how are you my lovely?" Frank asked as he moved to give her a squeeze
"I'm so tired Frank," she mumbled
Frank couldn't help but give her a sad smile of acknowledgement. He knew she wasn't physically tired, the mental toll was baring too much for Alcyone and everyone could see. She hadn't been right since what she saw, everyone knew that she had been hit with the cruciatus curse. She wasn't aware of it but she had told the group that she had been struck with a curse that made her feel as if her skin was on fire and all her bones were breaking.
"I know love, only a few more weeks then you've got Christmas holidays," he told her and she gave a small smile
"The food smells beautiful," Luke acknowledged
"That's all Alice's doing. She's decided on a roast." Frank grinned as he reached to get butter beers for the group.
The group eased into conversation, it was nice for them to just feel normal. Ally had loved not doing order missions. She hated the fact that every time one of her brothers left the house she panicked thinking it was the last time she'd see them but she loved not having to do them. She felt like she could be a normal 20 year old. She didn't really know what that entailed but she imagined it wasn't preparing for a war.
"It's ready lovelies," Alice called
They each took their place on the table and offered each other drinks. Ally smiled when she saw that there was beef, she loved eating beef. Toby frowned at his nut roast, he was trying this new thing called being vegetarian. Ally didn't understand but Toby had said it was a new thing in the Muggle world and if she loved magical creatures as much as she said she did then she ought to try reduce her meat intake.
Ally didn't understand but she knew she didn't like many vegetables and loved beef, so sadly she couldn't commit to cutting that out. However, the look on Toby's face suggested he was absolutely devastated to not be having any beef.
They all tucked into their dinner and gave groans of pleasure. Aloce was an amazing chef, ally loved coming for food at theirs as they always cooked something lovely. Alice was truly fantastic, she literally was small but mighty.
"Frank and I asked you three here as we had some news to tell you," Alice announced quietly
The trio looked at the two, Luke smirked as he was confident he knew what was coming. Ally's eyebrows furrowed, we're they leaving the country? Was something wrong? She wondered what they could have been telling them but Frank reached into his pocket and placed a picture in the middle of the table.
Ally was confused as it had looked like an alien. Toby gasped and Luke grinned widely.
"Congratulations!" Toby squealed leaping to hug Alice
Frank noticed ally's eyebrows and chuckled knowing that as a pureblood this was a very odd thing to be seeing.
"It's not an Alien 'cyone. It's a baby, Ali is having a baby. If you look, here is it's little body and there is their head." Frank showed her.
Ally smiled widely and felt tears sting her eyes before she wrapped her arms tightly around Frank who hugged her back just as tight.
"Congratulations, this is honestly beautiful news," she told them both.
"Thanks Ally. We wanted you three to be the first to know." Alice told them
"How far along are you?" Toby asked
"Coming up to 12 weeks, we were lucky to get a scan that quickly the Muggle healer said." Frank told them
"This is amazing, are you both happy?" Luke asked
Alice and Frank both explained how over the moon they were and that there was a spell where they thought they couldn't have babies as they had been trying for over two years. Ally thought it couldn't have happened to a lovelier couple. She was elated for them.
"Having babies is the most beautiful blessing, you guys are going to be amazing parents." Ally grinned
She was so happy, for a while she felt the weight of everything was too much, that she was struggling to find a good part about what was going on. She couldn't find one positive about her day some days, she had to result in saying one win of the day was brushing her hair or her teeth. This news just gave a slither of hope.
A slither of hope that there could be a light at the end of the tunnel. That there was light in all of the bad things that were going on outside in the wizarding world. That actually, love does conquer all and when two people are meant to be together they defeat Al the odds and reap beautiful rewards.
Ally was elated for them, she was elated that this meant Frank and Alice would no longer be a part of the order and they'd go somewhere far away and be as safe as they possibly could. She loved Frank but she always wanted him to be safe and the increasing intensity of order missions meant that she now worried for him a lot more.
Alcyone Montague loved Frank and Alice Longbottom and she didn't think anything could ever change that. She was elated that they were going to be having a baby.
The rest of their food went by extremely quick, each member of the group just being elated that there was a chance of new life. To ally's sadness, she found out Frank and Alice would still be a part of the order but they would not be out on missions as much. That made her happy.
Ally was washing up the dishes when Alice came up behind her to help her dry them.
"Have you heard anything from Remus?" She asked
"Dim byd," ally mumbled
"That means nothing right?" Alice asked to which Ally nodded — ally had been using welsh a lot more as she would often venture down to the village near her cottage and they only spoke welsh there.
"Does that not frustrate you? That he can't even spend two minutes writing a letter going I'm safe?" Alice probed "I'd kill Frank if I didn't hear from him,"
"It winds me up, of course it does. I don't have a choice though. He think this is the best thing to do, I argued about it when it was suggested, I argued about it back then and I still argue about it now. Nobody listens to me because they think I don't know any better." She responded to Alice
"People don't listen to you because you are the one with the most logic, people don't listen to the one's who stand up for what's right Al. You know best for you and I guarantee you can think clearly than Remus can when he's making these silly courageous decisions. Trust yourself."
"It's hard to do that sometimes. Especially when people think I'm useless," she admitted
"Alcyone Estella-Nova." She gasped as she took Ally's hand on hers "if I thought you were useless, do you think I would let my husband go out time and time again with you as his partner?" She asked with a raised eyebrow
"No?"
"Of course I bloody wouldn't! But I have every faith in you that you'll always bring Frank home to me and that's because we see you Ally. I know you think there's only a few that truly see you but we do. Frank speaks so highly of you and your capabilities because we trust you. You're more capable and talented than you give yourself credit for." Alice told her.
Ally wrapped her arms tightly around Alice and mumbled a Thankyou. Those were things she really needed to hear.
After a few hours, the trio headed back to Ally's cottage. To their surprise they were met with James and Sirius. Ally smiled and greeted each boy with a hug before she sat down on her sofa.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked
"I have some news," James told the group
"Oh not you aswell," Toby groaned warning a quick elbow to the ribs from Luke
"What?" James asked before he shook his head "never mind, Lily and I are getting married two weeks from now." He said
Ally's jaw dropped. She had no words. She hadn't known James was wanting to propose let alone actually do it. He knew he had thought of it when his parents were unwel but when did he actually propose?
"When did you ask her?" Luke asked sceptically
"Yesterday." Sirius clarified
"And you decided three weeks because?" Toby questioned
James muttered a small 'oh' before reaching into his pocket and showing a picture to the group. The picture was similar to the one Alice and Frank had shown them earlier in the day, except this was just a blob.
Ally wrapped her arms tightly around james as he picked her up to give her a squeeze. She felt her heart ready to combust, she remembers constantly having to defend James to Lily and now they were having a little baby. Ally held onto James tightly for what felt like forever before Toby pulled her off him and have him a hug.
"Congratulations mate," Luke grinned once Toby was done with his hug.
Ally couldn't believe it. So much so that she was glowing, quite literally. She didn't notice but Sirius did and Sirius wanted to know what that was about.
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