Baby on Board

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Poor me...

Deep gratitude to LilyLuna Potter and Iris_ Potter for reviewing this story!

Chapter 2

With a soft pop, Caradoc Dearborn Apparated in front of Sirius. "Anything new?" he asked curtly.

"No, everything is just the way we expected," Sirius answered just as curtly before looking at his watch. "I'm coming at seven," he added and Apparated away, leaving Caradoc to watch the house that they have been suspected to be one of the Death Eaters' headquarters.

The Muggle hotel in southern Belgium where they were staying did not have many guests this week. Sirius found this strange because the food and service were quite good and the rooms were very comfortable - they even had fireplaces. He decided to make a Firecall to England - not to the Order's headquarters because he had nothing new to say, but to the Potters' house.

Mrs. Potter was in the kitchen and she said almost immediately, "Oh, how glad I am to see you! Are you fine? Is the mission going well?"

"Yes, and what about you?"

"We're fine. Henry caught a cold but he's fine now."

"How are things?"

"We're looking forward to seeing you, dear. Everyone will be so pleased when I tell them about your call."

"I'm coming back soon. Any other news?"

"No, nothing new. It's raining a lot these days - "

Mrs. Potter was a she-devil. Sirius loved and respected her deeply, but she was a she-devil. He was sure that she knew what it was that he wanted to know, but she pretended to be clueless.

"Have you heard from Angela recently?" he finally asked.

"But of course. She's fine, given her state."

"And?"

Mrs. Potter laughed. "You want to know whether you've become a father, don't you? Not yet, Sirius, but this will happen soon."

"Well, we'd better finish the conversation. Give the others my best regards."

"All right, my boy. Take care! See you soon."

When her head disappeared, Sirius remained knelt on the floor, and felt a burst of anger towards her. She sympathized with Angela in the whole baby matter. Everyone sympathized with Angela! Couldn't they see the things from his point of view? He was eighteen, for crying out loud! He just wanted to live for a while without responsibilities. It was not as if he had wanted the baby. Even Angela had not wanted to get pregnant! The whole thing had been a horrible mistake, so why did everyone keep looking at him as if he was a monster?

--------------------------------------------------------------

"I'll be late tonight - " Sirius began, opening the door to his former bedroom, now Angela's bedroom.

"All right, I suppose that James, Remus, and Peter can provide you a nice time," she answered, but Sirius was not listening to her. He was, instead, looking at her and his incredulous expression made her want to scream. He had not seen her naked since she'd told him that she was pregnant, and now she looked different - much different. I didn't do this to myself, she wanted to shout. At least, not alone! She knew how she looked - she had gained so much weight for the last few months that she herself could not look at the mirror anymore, but the pure disgust on Sirius' face made her feel an almost physical pain, although she tried to hide it. "Are you looking for something?" she asked.

"I must have left my black trousers here somewhere," he answered.

"Maybe in this drawer." Angela pointed at the only drawer that she had not put her things in and continued rubbing the white cream in the skin of her stomach. She was very well aware that Sirius did his best not to look at her, so she was surprised when he asked in a tentative voice, "Is that keeping you cool?"

She frowned, unsure of what he was talking about, but after a moment, she smiled. "No, though it's a really hot August. I use the cream to prevent stretching wrinkles from appearing on my skin. This sometimes happens during a pregnancy."

"But you are feeling good, aren't you?" There was the slightest hint of worry in his voice, and Angela smiled inwardly, feeling ridiculously happy.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Good." But after that, Sirius obviously decided that he's shown too much concern, so he said, "You certainly do need this cream, you know." She did need it. In several months, she had transformed from a slender, graceful, fairy-like girl into an elephant calf, and it was because of that baby. Why the hell did she want it so much? Couldn't she see what she was turning into? At least the child was due no longer than a month, so things could not get much worse.

Angela did not bat an eyelid. "Well, tonight you could enjoy the company of many slim girls, I suppose. You've never had a problem to find a date for one night, as long as I can remember. Have a nice time, my dear."

She waited for him to leave the flat, before smashing her glass of orange juice into the wall and bursting into tears. Why had Sirius invited her to come and live with him when he behaved that way? When she had Apparated in front of Remus' flat to tell her that maybe it would be better if she moved in with him, she had felt so happy and relieved, but during the six weeks they've been living together, he had made it perfectly clear that he had not changed his attitude. He was going to take care of her and the baby, but nothing more. He still did not want to be a father and the fact that he was going to become one in a short time did not change his view on the matter. Yet, Angela had not lost hope. She knew that no matter how angry Sirius was, he loved her. He did not want the baby, but he loved her, and, despite his demonstrative indifference, she felt that he worried about her. The problem was that each time Sirius let his feelings for her show, he felt obliged to try to hide them behind snide remarks and rudeness. Angela was sure that he had no idea how much those things hurt her, but it did not make her feel better. Yet, she hoped that the birth of the baby would bring them close. Sirius would have to stop sulking after the baby became a real person. Sirius loved children; she has seen him with John Lupin when Remus had been left to baby-sit his nephew. He will change, she told herself firmly, and angrily wiped her tears. And if he doesn't, I'll do all three of us a favor and leave him alone, as he obviously wants to be.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The four friends made strong impressions in the crowd of the Muggle club: Peter was nice-looking, James and Remus were quite attractive, and Sirius was simply gorgeous, so all of them received their share of female attention. Only Peter and Sirius accepted it, though. James was unable to enjoy any female company, except for Lily, who could not come this evening, and Remus was not in the mood for picking up a random date. Sirius, however, compensated more than enough for his two friends' indifference; he flirted with practically every girl in the club, danced with them, and did not seem to notice the disapproving looks that his friends kept throwing at him. Soon, all the Marauders were quite drunk, Sirius in heat dancing with a petite blonde with enormous eyes and hungry smile.

"He's all over her. It's disgusting," Remus muttered.

"If I had danced with any woman like that, Lily would have killed me on the spot," James agreed. "Of course, that is if my mum hadn't got me first. Look, they are practically doing it on the dancing floor."

A moment after that, the blonde girl drew her face nearer Sirius' and tried to kiss him, but he turned aside at the last second, then got free of her arms and went to the table where James and Remus were sitting. "Come on, we're leaving," he said. They found Peter on the dance floor, and the four of them left the club, only to decide that they were all too drunk to risk Apparating - only Merlin knew where they could end up! Therefore, Peter caught the first taxi they saw to take him home, and the other three decided to take the next one to Remus' flat.

That evening, James and Remus had been drinking more than Sirius, so he let James put his head on his shoulder and fall asleep like that. Remus was already sleeping with his head in James' lap but Sirius remained awake until the taxi was driving them in the dark London streets.

"Why didn't you kiss her?" James asked, after a hole in the road had made the car jump and awoken him. Remus continued sleeping.

"What?" Sirius answered sleepily.

"The blond girl in the club. Why didn't you kiss her?" James repeated without bothering to open his eyes.

"Why didn't you kiss her?" Sirius muttered.

"Because she's not as pretty as Lily."

"Well, she's not as pretty as Angela, too."

"C'mon, Padfoot, right now she's a lot prettier than Angela, so I know that can't be the reason." Now James' curiosity had arisen, but not enough to make him open his eyes.

"But she is a blonde."

"You like blondes."

"No, I don't. Not anymore."

James' eyes snapped open and he raised his head from Sirius' shoulder, but before he could look him in the eyes, Sirius turned aside and looked out the window.

"What?" James asked, amazed.

"She must have done something to me because I don't like blondes anymore. She's quite good in Charms, you know. I know she did something because I don't like brunettes anymore, either. Except for her, that is."

"Are you serious?"

Sirius nodded. "Wake me when we get there," he said, and fell asleep.

Now James was the only one awake, except for the driver. He was not afraid that he would fall asleep again because his mind was working busily to accept the surprising news. Sirius was in love. Sirius is in love. Sirius is in love. Of course, they all knew that he loved Angela - after all, she was the first of his girlfriends who succeeded in staying with him longer than a month - but turning aside from a catch like the petite blonde? Losing interest in blondes and brunettes? Well, that still leaves the read-heads, James thought, but he did not believe it would happen. It seemed that Sirius has finally caught the Lily-syndrome. But that could mean another thing, besides that! If Angela starts treating Sirius like Lily has been treating me for years....No, I can't let that happen, but even I know that he's made a complete prat of himself in front of her, so I have to start mending things as soon as possible.

"Driver!" he said in hushed tone, "I've changed my mind. Take us to another address, not the one we gave you earlier."

--------------------------------------------------------------

After four knockings and three pressings of the door-bell, just when James had begun to think that he had come to the wrong flat, the door opened. He had been so careful; three floors, red door. So this had to be the flat he was looking for.

"James?" Angela asked. It was almost three o'clock in the morning and she had obviously been sleeping but now there was concern in her eyes. Angela was an attractive woman, but now her body was so disfigured that she was certainly not as beautiful as the girl that Sirius has been dancing with in the club. Her wide blue robe did nothing for her good looks. "Where is Sirius? Has something happened?"

"I left them in the taxi because I had to come here and take care of something," James began. "Sirius is an idiot, you know, but he is your idiot. Have you placed a charm on him, or what?"

She blinked. "What charm?"

"So, you haven't," James was glad. "Then it is real."

"What is real?"

"Sirius," James answered, rolling his eyes at her inability to grasp such a simple conception. "I think he has the Lily-syndrome now. No. That's not right. It can't be Lily-syndrome because you are not Lily. Angela then. Angela syndrome," he finished, feeling rather pleased with himself, just at the moment when his shoe slid on the step and began slipping down - After a moment, he followed his shoe but Angela caught his hands and pulled him up.

"Come here," she said, supporting him, as they were walking inside the flat. "Stay here," she said, grabbing her wallet and disappearing downstairs.

When she returned with Sirius and Remus, both of whom were now awake but drunk, James had managed to change his pose. Instead of standing in the living-room, he was now lying on the floor because his legs had finally failed him.

Remus slumped into a heap next to him. Sirius crossed the room in three steps, collapsed in an armchair and began glaring at James. "Angela paid the taxi driver," he said. "You should give her the money back."

"I just wanted to ask Angela whether she's placed a charm on you or not," James explained. "She hasn't, so you really have the Lily-syndrome, only that it isn't the Lily-syndrome but the Angela-syndrome."

"Yes, yes, I understood you perfectly," Angela assured him. "Thank you, really. It's always nice to know that people think you are capable of using charms just to attract one man's attention."

"It's not like he doesn't have a choice, you know," James informed her. "All those women in the club were drooling only when they were looking at him. The blonde, you know, a petite slender kitten, was all over him. She even tried to kiss him."

Angela's face turned into stone and she shot Sirius an icy look. Is that jealousy? James hurriedly tried to make it better. "No, no, I didn't mean that. He isn't guilty. She tried to kiss him and so on, but he said, 'Noooo, I've got a wife.'"

"Prongs - " Sirius cut in, threateningly, and Angela asked, "Did he really say that?"

"Oh, yes, he did," Remus interrupted. "He said, 'I've got a wife, her name is Angela, and she's gorgeous, and I love her.'"

"Do you see it?" James asked triumphantly. "He loves you, he loves you, he loves you!"

"You two, shut up!" Sirius bellowed, infuriated.

"He loves you, he loves you, he loves you!" James and Remus continued.

Sirius jumped from his armchair and started towards them, but tripped on his second step, and fell on the carpet on his face.

"Look, Empress, he's falling, he's falling for you!" James and Remus shouted triumphantly at the same time.

Angela laughed softly. Sirius stood on his palms and knees and started crawling towards them.

"He thinks you're soooo gorgeous!" James shouted before Sirius reached him. "He says you're gorgeous and sexy, even when you're the size of an elephant, and you have the biggest ti- " Here, Sirius' palm pressed against his mouth.

"Shut up!" Sirius roared and punched him, searching for Remus with his free hand. A minute later, the three of them were fighting each other quite seriously, if clumsily, because of the alcohol. Angela waved her wand and they flew to three different corners.

"That's enough!" she said firmly. "Sirius, I know that Remus and James are lying about all this because I know you well, and I'm completely aware of the fact that you'd rather die than admit any sort of connection to me. James, Remus, thanks for trying, but I don't want you to have problems with Sirius, not because of me. Now, I think it's time for bed, for all of us."

"No!" James said, horrified. "We can't have a threesome, Lily's going to kill me!"

"No, James, I didn't mean that. Come on, we'll place you in Sirius' room, and then we'll take Remus there, too. You all can sleep there."

She and Sirius caught him by the hands because his legs still refused to work properly. He almost fell asleep on his way to bed, and was awoken only by Angela's voice asking, "Is that fine?"

"Yes," Remus answered from somewhere beside James.

"Yeah, fine," James agreed. "Now I am going to sleep here in this soft bed. And I won't throw up. Not at all."

He heard Angela's laughter, and that was the last thing he heard.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Angela stretched in her bed and snuggled closer to the teddy bear that was so warm and comfortable against her. She did not want to wake up. She wanted to sleep, and sleep, until the birth came. She certainly did not want to get up, because she would have to move, and moving was so difficult, with this huge tummy. She knew, of course, that she would have to wake up finally, but for now, she just decided to enjoy the peace, the caress of the dawn on her face, and the teddy bear next to her.

She smiled, opened her eyes, and found herself face to face with Sirius.

"I thought you were a teddy bear," she murmured softly, and he grinned.

"I'm better than a teddy bear. I hug you back."

Angela rubbed her eyes and tried to put her brain in action. "Sirius," she said firmly, "what are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "I woke up with the most terrible hangover, so I made myself a potion, and when I came back to my room, I found out that it was a little, erm, overcrowded."

"So, you decided to come here and share a bed with the elephant, as James so delicately put it?" she asked, not able to hide her smile completely.

"Yes, something like that," Sirius answered very seriously, and her smile faded.

"Okay, I'll make myself a cup of tea."

She did not try to hide herself while she was dressing - after all, Sirius had already made his mind about her looks and voiced it regularly.

"Hey, Angela?" Sirius called when she was about to leave.

"Yes?" she asked without turning back to look at him.

"An elephant or not, your voice sounds damn sexy."

For a moment, Angela just stood there, frozen, and then she went to the kitchen, smiling slightly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Reviews are always appreciated!