Sweet Memories

"Morning, honey."

Lily straightened, rubbing her back, and smiled at the door. "Morning, dear."

James came into the room and kissed her, then put a hand to her swollen belly. "And how's our little Zeph this morning?"

"James. For the last time. We are not naming our son Zephaniah. Besides, what if it's a girl?"

James chuckled. "Hey, a man can dream, can't he? I wouldn't mind a little girl, but what would we call her?"

Lily glanced at the book she'd been reading, sitting on the counter. "I like Ruthie."

"Ruthie Potter. Has a nice ring to it. Ruthie Elizabeth Potter."

"My mother's middle name is Elizabeth. I think Ruth Elaine would be nice."

James smiled. "How about Jemima Ruth Potter?"

Lily smiled back. "That's nice too."

"So that's settled."

"But since you got to pick her first name, I get to pick the first name if it's a boy," Lily added.

James suppressed a sigh. "Okay. What do you want it to be?"

Lily tapped her jaw thoughtfully. "Harry. That's it. We'll call him Harry."

"Harry? Who's Harry?" James asked, looking at her sharply.

"Nobody. I just like the name."

James, who knew her favourite play was Henry V, nevertheless couldn't resist teasing her. "Now which one of your suitors was Harry? Was he the one Morrie told me about who stuttered? Or the one you had a picture of with the blue eyes?"

Lily whirled on him. "The boy I dated--briefly--who stuttered was Remus. And that picture was my little brother, who died when I was ten."

If James had been more astute--and more awake--he would have realised that she was not in the mood to be teased and shut up. However, he plunged recklessly ahead. "Ah, Harry, how I do long for the touch of thy lips...the scent of thy hair..."

"Then go find yourself a Harry and be done with it!" Lily barked. "I have dated five--count 'em, five--boys in my life, and you know all of them! You, Remus, Severus, Andy..."

"Andrew Wentzel?" James said, surprised. "That tall, skinny Ravenclaw three years up? That Andy?"

"Yes, that Andy," Lily said tartly. "What about it?"

"Why are you bringing him up now?" James asked suspiciously.

Lily threw up her hands. "Because you asked!"

"You still in touch with him?" James snapped. A niggling little voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Remus was telling him to shut up, shut up, shut up already, but he ignored it. "Is this his child or mine?"

"James Adonijah Potter, what kind of question is that?" Lily shouted. "Of course this is your child! What would make you think--"

"You're here alone all day, how am I supposed to know--"

"My God, what do I look like, a scarlet woman?" Lily cried.

"If the shoe fits..." James growled. "I know you dated Tyrone Rugen, I know you slept with him more than once."

That was a mistake. Any sane man knows you never bring up past transgressions when arguing with your wife, especially if she's six months pregnant. Lily's eyes darkened and narrowed. "I? That is a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black if I ever heard one! You dated Bettina Robertson and Aileen Starrunner! Don't you dare say I'm some sort of slut!"

"Maybe if you had just said okay when I asked you out..."

"Don't you pin this on me, James Potter!"

James's lip curled. He turned on his heel and stormed out the door, letting it bang hard behind him. Lily furiously snatched up her book and stalked into the living room to continue reading.

~~~

"James!"

James jumped about six feet and looked up. "Huh?"

Solomon Potter stood in the doorway, watching James gravely. "It's time to go," he repeated. "Your shift has ended. I've been calling you for the past five minutes."

"Sorry, Uncle Solomon," James apologised.

"A lot on your mind, Jamie?"

James's aunts and uncles had always called him Jamie, except Uncle Alphard, who had been married to his Aunt Faith. He'd long ago stopped minding. "Oh...Lily and I had a bit of a row this morning. Actually, it was quite a lot of a row. I was teasing her and I pushed it too far...she snapped at me and I'm afraid I got a wee bit suspicious. Sum and substance of it is that I left in a bit of a huff." He looked up at his uncle. "I know you've never married, but surely Dad came to you for advice? How did he handle fights with Mum?"

Solomon frowned. "Dozen roses, usually. More if it was a really big fight."

"Thanks." James closed up his office, hugged his uncle, and left.

He went to a florist's shop and studied the case for a long time until a friendly voice asked, "Can I help you?"

James turned and smiled. "Yes, I had a fight with my wife and I'm trying to buy her roses to make it up to her. Could I get a dozen roses?"

The clerk smiled. "What colour would you like them?"

"Er, yellow. And could you put a tiger lily in the centre?" Lily loved yellow roses; tiger lilies reminded him of her. The first time they had gone on a date, he had given her a single tiger lily.

The clerk cheerfully did up the package for him. It was as James was paying her for the flowers that the front window of the shop blew in.

James whirled around and paled. By the masks, he knew instantly that these were no ordinary robbers, but Death Eaters.

The clerk straightened. "I can't unlock the cash register unless you make a purchase," she said bravely. Before James had time to warn her, there was a flash of green light, and she slumped across the counter.

People screamed and ran for the door, but they were cut down one by one. Someone aimed a spell at James, but he ducked; it shattered against the wall behind him. He scrabbled for his wand, but as his hand closed around the smooth wood, there was an ominous rumbling. The spell that had failed to hit Jams had knocked out a vital support. An instant later the building collapsed.

James scrambled for the door, the window, anything, but he got no more than two steps before a brick hit him across the back of the head, sending him into darkness.

~~~

Lily stared out the window. She had finished The Grapes of Wrath. She had cried when she realised the things she had said to her husband, what she had done. She had vowed to be a better wife. She had cooked James's favourite dinner and set the table with her best dishes.

James was late.

Lily couldn't help fretting a little. Had he left her? Would he be back? Was he still mad?

Stop that, Potter, she scolded herself. Probably he was just hung up on paperwork. Steeling herself, she picked up the phone and dialled.

An elderly voice answered. "Potter, Potter, and Haphram. If you're calling for Moses Haphram, I'll patch you through. If you're calling for Solomon Potter, hold on a minute. If you're calling for Adonijah Potter, you're five years too late."

Lily smiled feebly. "Solomon? It's Lily. James's wife?"

"Ah, yes. What can I do for you, Mrs. Potter?"

"Is James there? He's not home yet and his dinner is getting cold."

There was a pause. "No, he left at the regular time, half an hour ago. I hope he isn't in trouble."

Lily bit back a cry. "Oh, no. It's just...we had a fight this morning. I'm afraid he might have left me."

"Jamie hasn't left you," Solomon assured her. "In the first place, you're his wife and you're pregnant with his child. In the second, he asked me for advice on pacifying one's wife when one has fought with her. He wouldn't have asked if he didn't care."

Lily took a deep breath. "Thank you, Solomon. I think I'll call Sirius and Remus, see if James is over there."

"You're welcome, Lillian, and good luck."

Lily had never been able to convince Solomon that her name was Lily, not Lillian. She replaced the receiver, then lifted it again and pressed the speed dial number labelled M&P.

A minute later, someone answered. "Yyyyello?"

"Sirius? It's Lily."

"Ah, Mrs. Potter! How lovely to hear from you! How is Junior doing?"

"The baby's fine. It's his father I'm worried about. Is James with you?"

Sirius paused. "James? No. Did you lose him?"

"God, I hope not," Lily murmured. All her fears came back in a rush. What if, despite Solomon's reassurances, James had left her?"

"Oh, Lily, I'm sorry," Sirius gasped. "I didn't mean it like that." He hesitated. "Is he...is he still drinking heavily?"

"No," Lily practically whispered. "He stopped when I found out I was pregnant...Sirius, what if something's happened to him? I can't raise this baby by myself!"

"I'm sure he's fine," Sirius said reassuringly. "Look, do you want me to call the bars or something?"

"If you wouldn't mind? I'm starting to get worried, Sirius."

"Don't worry, Lily. We'll find him," Sirius promised. "Call me if he comes home."

"I will." Lily hung up the phone and was just considering giving Frank and Alice a call when someone knocked on the door.

Lily went into the living room and opened the front door, exposing two men in uniform. "Yes?"

"Is Mrs. Potter home?" said the taller of the two.

"I'm Mrs. Potter."

The men exchanged dismayed glances. They hadn't expected a pregnant woman. "Ma'am, I'm Officer Davies. This is Officer Martin. We got your address out of your husband's wallet."

Oh, Lord, what has James done now? Lily thought in agony, rubbing her stomach as the child suddenly gave her a sharp kick in the ribs. "Why did you have my husband's wallet?"

Another exchange of glances. "Ma'am, there...there has been an accident."

Lily froze. "An accident?"

"Yes, ma'am," Officer Martin said. "Explosion. A florist's shop was blown up. Your husband was found under the rubble. At first we thought he was dead...there were a lot of dead people...but he moved, and he was still breathing. He's been...ma'am? Are you all right?"

Lily swayed on her feet. Suddenly and without warning, her eyes rolled back in her head, and she crumpled senseless to the ground.

A few moments later, she revived to see Officer Davies kneeling over her and Officer Martin hovering nearby. "Are you all right, ma'am?"

"Take me to him," Lily gasped out. "Please. I want to see my husband."

Officer Davies helped her to her feet. "Come with me, ma'am."

Lily started to follow, then hesitated. "Wait. I have to call Sirius and Remus...I have to tell them what's going on."

"By all means, ma'am."

Lily hurried to the telephone and pushed the button. Remus answered this time. "Hello?"

"Remus? It's Lily." She promptly burst into tears.

"Lily? Are you okay? Is James back?" Remus asked urgently.

Lily gulped. "No, he...oh, Remus, he's been hurt. An explosion. A couple of police officers just showed up...they're going to take me to him now."

"Oh, God," Remus croaked. "Lily..."

"I don't know where he is. I'll call you later...I have to go now." She hung up the phone and hurried after the officers.

~~~

"Lily, wait!" Remus shouted, but it was too late, she had already hung up the telephone.

Sirius came in. "Well?"

Remus shook his head. "It's not good. Lily says a couple of officers showed up and told her James had been hurt in an explosion...that they got her address out of his wallet."

Sirius paled. "Is his address in his wallet?"

"On his driver's license." Remus looked worried. "Sirius, even if they did get it out of there, what if they're just making this up, trying to draw her out on her own? She said they were taking her to him..." He swallowed hard. "James would never forgive us if we let Lily get hurt. And with the baby..."

Sirius was already reaching for the phone and dialling. A few minutes later he hung up and nodded. "There was an explosion--at a florist's shop. I called one of the hospitals, they told me James Potter had been admitted. They were telling the truth, at least."

"Should we go in there?" Remus asked tremulously.

Sirius shook his head. "No. Let Lily have some time by herself with him."

~~~

James hurt. Everything hurt. His head seemed to be enveloped in cotton. He could smell the hospital antiseptic...but why was he in a hospital? Oh, God...had something happened to Lily, or the baby?

He opened his eyes. At first his fears seemed confirmed--Lily's green eyes hovered above him, her face pale and frightened. He moved his hand, searching for hers. "Lily?"

"James?" Lily's green eyes were huge. "Oh, thank God. Thank you, God."

James shook his head. "Are...are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" Lily repeated. "I am now. I should be asking you that. Don't you remember what happened?"

And suddenly James did--the explosion, the Death Eaters, the roses with the tiger lily. Turning his head, he noticed the flowers on the bedside table. He smiled a little. "I do."

Lily smiled weakly. "Who are the flowers from?"

"Me." James gripped her hand. "They're for you, Tiger Lily. To...to say I'm sorry."

"Oh, James," Lily said, tears filling her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have--"

"No, it's my--"

"I didn't mean--"

"I shouldn't have said--"

After a moment or two, they started laughing a little, but Lily was crying too. "I was so scared," she admitted. "I thought I was going to lose you."

James gripped her hand tightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

James struggled to sit up; she helped him. "Lily, I don't want this to happen again," he said urgently. "These are dangerous times we live in--no, listen," he insisted as Lily began to protest. "If anything were to happen to us, if one of us gets killed, I don't want to die mad at you, or with mad at me. From now on we don't go to bed mad at each other, agreed? And I don't leave for work angry."

"You're just sick of waffles," Lily teased. James laughed; he had been forced to subsist on waffles for a week in his bachelor days and consequently hated them. When she was mad at him, she usually made waffles for breakfast.

"I don't like them, but you know what, Lily? I don't like being mad at you even more." He put a gentle hand on her swollen stomach. "When this baby comes, I want him or her--or them--raised in a loving, warm environment. I want a household where my children don't run in terror, where they aren't afraid to screw up, and where they know that even if Mummy and Daddy fight sometimes it doesn't mean they don't love each other anymore. What do you say? Sound like a plan?"

Lily smiled, tears pricking at her eyes again. "It sounds wonderful."