Where There is Love, There is Life

Chapter Two: Told You She Wanted A Daughter

Annie Lupin entered her dormitory earlier than she usually did. It wasn't her fault the guys left to go do some 'guy stuff'. She hated when they did that, it was as if she hadn't known them for the greater part of her life. But she eventually got over it. When she entered her room, she wasn't shocked to see Lily Evans in there. She was her roommate... well... only roommate at that, and she wasn't seen in the common room. Those reasons concluded to Annie that she could be in her room. Which was okay, she and Lily got along pretty well. But Lily was always fascinated on how Annie could stand to be with James and his friends all day. Annie just kept saying that she was part of 'his friends' and he really was a great guy, even if he was a bit arrogant and a bit of an idiot. But, Annie reasoned, that was why she loved him like a brother. They all were like her brothers. James was her protective, arrogant brother. Sirius was her charming, stupidly funny brother. Remus was her brother. And Peter was her annoying, little brother. Despite the fact that Peter was older than her and Remus by a month, she still considered him to be a little brother figure.

Lily looked up from her bed when Annie entered. She looked across their huge dormitory, as there were only two of them, and waved Annie over. Annie walked over to Lily's bed and sat down. Lily had a box of Chocolate Frogs open on her bed, which could mean one of two things. She was really depressed or she wanted answers to her famous question. Lily chose the latter.

"Annie, how do you stand James and all of his friends?" Lily asked. Annie sighed before answering.

"Well, part of the 'standing' is that I am included in 'his friends'. I've known them for a very long time. They're like brothers to me, except for the fact that Remus actually is. Sure, they are arrogant, but they're fifteen. Who isn't arrogant at fifteen?"

"Girls," was Lily's appropriate answer. Annie grinned and nodded.

"Of course. I understand completely. And that makes total sense. We aren't arrogant because we know better. So Lily, enough talk about arrogant boys that I happen to be friends with. Who do you like?" Annie asked.

"Promise not to tell?" Lily asked her.

"Of course. Who do you take me for? Sirius?" Annie asked. Lily laughed and the girl-talk continued. The girls talked for a very long time, long into the night. Once and a while, during the earlier hours, the boys could be interrupted from their 'meeting' to hear laughter coming down from the girls' staircase. Most often it was Lily's laughter, but Annie's could be heard too. The boys would look toward the stairs, as if they held the answer to why the girls were laughing, and they would slowly shake their heads.

At about 2 in the morning, with no regard for their exams the next day, Lily and Annie were still talking. They were very energetic considering the hour. Maybe it was all the chocolate.

"I really hate James Potter," Lily told Annie.

"Yeah. I know you do. And you always will," Annie said. She knew there was no way to change Lily's mind. Even though Lily had told her that she thought it was very nice of James to let her and Remus stay at his house over the summer. But he had done too many things to let that one comment affect her like it did. So she put the thought in the back of her mind and promptly forgot about it. There was no way James Potter could 'win her over'.

James, however, thought differently. He just had to be really nice. That's all, just really nice. Sure when he told Sirius this he laughed until he was doubled over gasping for air, but that wasn't the point. He knew there was a way to Lily's heart. He would just have to find the map. James sat on his bed musing. Something would come to him; he would just have to let it.

James wasn't the only one thinking in the Marauder dormitory. Sirius was lying on his back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was deep in thought. His mind was going over what had happened with Snape that day. He wasn't thinking of when they had the boy in their clutches. No, he was thinking of afterwards, when Annie was talking to them.

"You can't keep ruining our fun, Annie," James said to the girl. She just laughed at him and pushed some brown hair out of her face. Her blue eyes were bright with laughter. This look in her eyes and her soft laughter made James scowl.

"What's so funny?" he asked haughtily, glancing at Sirius who just shrugged.

"You think I ruined your fun? Well, you just ruined any chance you might have had with Lily," she told him. James looked at her disbelievingly.

"I had a chance with Lily?" he asked breathlessly.

"Up until five minutes ago," Annie responded smoothly.

Was Annie letting on more than she should have? Sirius thought as he lie in his bed.

Sirius, Remus and Annie looked at Peter as he glanced between the two as if they were in a heated tennis match.

"What, Peter?" Sirius finally snapped. Peter kept looking between the two. Remus and Annie shared a look.

"Are you two sure that you are twins?" he asked Annie and Remus. Remus sighed, Sirius groaned and Annie muttered something that distinctly sounded like 'Oh God'.

Sirius rolled his eyes at the memory. That boy is so stupid. 'Are you two sure that you are twins?' Of course they are!

"Then why don't you guys look a lot alike?" he asked. Annie looked to her brother and appraised him a little before answering.

"We used to," she began. "But then... well... you know. That changed his eye color. We used to have the same color eyes; then his changed to amber..."

Sirius remembered looking at Annie's eyes after she made this comment. Her eyes are beautiful, he thought. They're so blue. It's quite striking.

"You were bored?" she asked him, hoping his explanation was so much better than James'. But unfortunately James and Sirius seemed to be sharing the same brain that day.

"Yep," he answered.

"Then why didn't you read a book? Or study for OWLs? Or throw yourself into the lake?..."

Why did I say yes? How could I have been bored? Sirius thought. I would have thrown myself into the lake if she wanted me to. I can't believe I was so stupid. No... maybe I wasn't. I was bored. Oh I just don't get it anymore.

"...We're not seven anymore, we're fifteen, almost sixteen. When are you going to start to grow up?" Annie asked.

Sirius sighed softly as he remembered Annie's comment. She's right. But what fun is it if you aren't immature?

Over on Remus' bed, he was planning something. He had parchment out and was making messy notes, quite unusual for him. He looked down at the paper and crossed something out. James knew what he was doing, as did Sirius. He was planning something for Annie's 16^th birthday. Of course, he shared that birthday, but it was more important to his sister than himself. He took extra care in what he was planning. He wanted it to be special. His sister was his life. She was the only member of their family who didn't involuntarily shudder when bumping into him. His parents were afraid of him. They knew his strength and power. So did Annie, but he was still her lovable brother. She thought of him as an older brother, although he was only older than her by twenty minutes. He always protected her and loved her dearly. He wanted her birthday to be special. Remus looked over at Peter and saw that he was once again daydreaming. But he didn't know what about. He would have been very mad if he knew Peter was daydreaming about his twin sister. But he didn't know, so he wasn't mad.

"Remus! Do you know where my Quidditch robes are?" Sirius yelled to the boy who was in the bathroom. Remus poked his head out the doorway and into the room.

"No. I haven't seen them. Try by the door," he suggested. He watched Sirius go towards the dormitory door where a big pile of clothes lay. Sirius rummaged through the pile, eventually coming across some red robes. He picked them up and looked at them closely. After recognizing them as his own, he put them into his trunk. Well... 'threw them' would describe that a little better. Remus was done packing, as was James. Sirius finished by slamming the lid down on his trunk and Peter took the pile of clothes by the door and stuffed them into his own trunk.

"Um... Sirius?" James called to his best friend. Sirius looked at him and wondered vaguely why James was dressed in his Quidditch robes.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" James asked. Sirius looked at him trying to figure out what he was implying. James pointed to his clothing and Sirius got it. He opened his trunk and took out his wrinkled Quidditch robes. As he did there was a knock on their door. Peter opened the door, as he was the closest. When he did, he saw Annie standing there.

"Hey Peter. Where's James?" she asked. James came to the door as Peter quietly returned Annie's greeting. Annie smiled when she saw James in his Quidditch robes, as she was in her own.

"So we are wearing the uniform?" Annie asked. James nodded and pointed over his shoulder to Sirius. Annie laughed as she watched Sirius, cursing James, as he changed into his Quidditch uniform.

"You waited until he was done packing to remind him again, didn't you?" Annie asked of James. He just smirked in return. Annie grinned and rolled her eyes.

"Is anyone leaving for the Great Hall yet?" Annie asked.

"I'll go," James said. Remus put up his hand and walked toward the door. Sirius yelled for them to wait for two seconds as he hastily grabbed his Beater's club and walked to the door. They looked at Peter. He told them to go ahead, as he had to grab something. They shrugged and headed out to the Great Hall. Peter went to his trunk and the picture of the five friends. He opened the back and took out a piece of parchment hidden behind the picture. He looked at it and thought. He shook his head and put the paper back into the picture frame. He closed his trunk shut and went out the door.

James, Remus, Annie and Sirius walked into the Great Hall and past a hissing Slytherin table. The four just hissed right back at them. They continued down the hall to the Gryffindor table. They joined the rest of the Quidditch team in the center of the table and sat down. The hall was full of noise and commotion. Most of it was coming from the Gryffindor end of the hall. They had won the House and Quidditch cups. Sirius and the other Gryffindor Beater were banging their clubs on the table as the cheers grew from the Gryffindor table and Peter sat down. Professor Dumbledore stood up and all noise ceased.

"Welcome to the end of the year feast," he started, pausing for cheers he knew would come. And they did. Once they stopped he continued. "I would like to congratulate Gryffindor House for winning both the Quidditch and the House cups this year. Congratulations!" Once Dumbledore finished the hall exploded with noise. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, decked out in their uniforms, were among the loudest and rowdiest. They stood up on the table and cheered.

Lily was cheering a ways down the table from the Quidditch team and seemed to enjoy their rowdiness. She had worked hard to earn her house points and thought the team deserved all they got, even if James captained them.

The students ate to their hearts content. They knew the train would be coming soon and they would have to leave. Friends from different houses made the rounds to each other's tables to say good-bye or some special message. In fact, a Ravenclaw boy came over to the Gryffindor table and kissed a girl he wanted to know as more than just a friend. Everyone from both houses cheered as they kissed. Both broke apart blushing, but much happier.

On the Hogsmeade platform the students got ready to board the train. Some seventh years stood back to take one final look at the place they called home for seven years. Some cried while some cheered. For others it was a solemn day and it would be a solemn ride back.

Ever since they had gotten the letter from their parents, Annie had mixed feelings about not going home. She wondered if everything was all right at home. But she knew it wasn't. Their mother had gone into great detail about why she and her brother couldn't come home for the summer holidays. Her parents were being inquired at work. They worked for the Ministry as Aurors. Since they had a werewolf for a son, they were being questioned about their family's loyalties. Why would they go against the Ministry? Why would they join some wizard who seemed to like Dark Arts more than the entire Slytherin house put together? Annie sighed as she stepped into a compartment. It was empty except for Lily Evans.

"Hi," Annie said. Lily looked up and saw her roommate looking unusually glum.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Lily asked. Annie just sat down next to her friend and put her head on her shoulder. Lily wrapped her arms around her friend and held her as the train sped toward London. Annie was deep in thought as Lily comforted her.

"I can't talk right now, Annie," Remus told her.

"Why not?" Annie asked. Remus sighed.

"We're having a meeting soon," Remus answered. Annie rolled her eyes and left.

Annie slowly fell asleep as the train traveled on. Lily fell asleep too, a little after she had made sure Annie had drifted off. They were awakened by the stopping of the train at the King's Cross Station in London. Luckily they had changed earlier before both had fallen asleep. They grabbed their trunks and exited the train. They walked through the barrier and onto the Muggle platform. Annie stopped Lily before she went to go meet her mother, father and sister.

"Thank you," she told her. Lily smiled and hugged her.

"You're welcome. If you ever need anything, let me know," Lily told her. "Just owl me. I know you're staying with Potter, so if you need to get away from him I'll be happy to help."

Annie laughed as she let go of her friend. She nodded a little and watched Lily walk off to her family. As Annie watched the Evans family exit the station, the boys joined her on the platform.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked her quietly. She nodded at him and looked to the others. Peter looked behind Remus and Annie and waved to someone.

"My folks are here. I'll see you guys next year," he told them. They said their farewells and watched Peter join his family behind them. Mrs. Black came into view as they watched Peter and his family. Sirius groaned and they turned back into their circle. He turned to Remus and did a silly handshake with him before turning to James and doing the same. He turned to Annie and sighed. After which he hugged her tightly.

"If you ever need anything, you let me know. I know you're not okay. I'm always here for you. Never forget that," Sirius told her so only she could hear. She nodded as they parted and he took his trunk with him to meet his mother. Before he got to her he turned and waved at the group. They waved back and watched Sirius follow his scolding mother.

James looked for someone from his family and immediately spotted his father coming over to them. James was the spitting image of his father. Remus and Annie noticed that right away.

"Sorry I'm late," James' father told them.

"It's quite alright, Mr. Potter," Remus said as the three kids picked up their trunks and walked out of the station. They walked down the sidewalk a ways and came to a very nice luxury car parked at the side of the street. Mr. Potter opened the trunk and the trunks were put in there. The three kids sat in the back of the car as Mr. Potter took the driver's seat. They laughed as he joked about 'chauffeuring them around'.

They pulled into the Potters' driveway a few minutes later and got out of the car. The Potters' house was huge. Annie and Remus knew their house was big, but it looked tiny compared to James'. The three friends walked up to the front step as Mr. Potter gave instructions to three house elves about the trunks. James knocked on the door and his mother answered. She had a cheery face and a warm smile as she greeted them.

"Hello dears. Come in," she said. She waited for the trio to step into the grand foyer before rounding on Annie. "Annie, it's so nice to meet you. Come, let's talk in the kitchen." Annie smiled as Mrs. Potter swept her toward the vast kitchen. James scowled and Remus laughed.

"Love you too, Mum! My year was great! How was the house without me?" James yelled in the direction of his mother. "Told you she wanted a daughter," he muttered to Remus when he got no response. Remus followed James as he trekked up the stairs to his room, still muttering about 'not feeling loved by his own mother'. He opened one of the double doors that led to his room and waited for Remus to follow in before closing the door. Both walked in and saw Sirius sitting on James' bed.

"Took you long enough," he started. "I've been here for fifteen minutes. Where's Annie?" Remus laughed as James glared at his best friend. Sirius looked at Remus.

"Apparently his mum wants a daughter more than a son," Remus explained and the glare was turned on him. Sirius and Remus laughed.

Annie and James' mother were sitting at the kitchen island, sipping drinks as they talked. They turned their heads as they heard booming laughter coming from James' room.

"Sirius must be here," Mrs. Potter explained to Annie. Annie put her head down on the cold granite island. "What's wrong dear?"

"They're all going to kill me," Annie told her. Mrs. Potter laughed.

"I'll save you, dear. I've always wanted a daughter. And as I get one for a couple of months I'm going to make the most of it. Come to me if you ever need to escape them," Mrs. Potter said. Annie lifted her head from the granite and beamed at her.

"Thank you so much," she said. "You really don't know how much good will come of this." Mrs. Potter smiled and the two women of the house talked of many things as the boys upstairs conspired. This is going to be a great summer, was a thought shared by all.