Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter Eight

"Moony was...a bit edgy last night, wasn't he?" Sirius asked, rubbing his arm gingerly as he held the door open with his other one for James. Both had taken yet another coffee run, for the werewolf had run them both ragged.

"If you ask me, I think he's sexually frustrated," James snorted, swirling around his coffee in his cup with his finger. "How long has it been since he's had a girl?"

"How the bloody hell should I know?" Sirius looked out the window darkly and raised his cup to his lips. "He's been so bloody secretive lately."

"I could ask Lily," James asked. "He seems to talk to her more than us anyways."

"And you're...ok with this?"

James forced a nod.

"If it were Dorcas-" Sirius said, without thinking.

James gave him a snarky look. "Oh really? And is Dorcas your girlfriend now or something?"

"No!" Sirius said, a bit too quickly. "She's just...well..."

"Hm?" James smirked.

"Get off my bloody case!" Sirius threw a pen in James' direction. "So I'm a bit possessive of my shagmate, what's wrong with that?"

"Shagmate? Is that what they call them now? I still prefer fiancé!" James chuckled.

"Well, if I were going to marry her," Sirius growled. "I wouldn't be such a pussy about it-"

"Oh, so you are going to marry her!!"

"Marry who?" Dorcas interrupted, opening Sirius' door.

"No one," Sirius growled at James. "He's being a prat."

"Oh...um..." she bit her lip nervously. "Can I talk to you, Sirius?"

"Sure," James said, motioning to the empty chair beside him.

"Alone," Dorcas clarified.

"Ooooh," James winked at Sirius. "I see. Another one of those 'meetings,' aye?"

"Oh sod off, you stupid prat!"

"No thanks, but I'm sure Dorcas will be more than happy to assist you if you would like to yourself..."

Dorcas nearly punched him as he ducked out the door, cackling.

"That's not why I came in here-"

"I know," Sirius said, quickly. "He's a prat, I'm sorry." He smirked and sat back. "Come have a seat then..."

"I think I'd rather sit over here," she said, plopping down into a seat across the desk from him.

"Is anything wrong?" Sirius said, leaning forward.

"Yes...well..I was talking to my Mum the other day and she asked about my love life...well...I told her about you."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "And?"

"Well..." she twisted her hands around in her lap. "She's old and doesn't really understand the concept of shagmates...and...um...well, I told her that we were dating." She put her hand to her lower stomach.

"Something wrong with your stomach?"

"I'm on the rag."

"Oh," Sirius rocked back and forth. "Well, so you told your mum that we were dating...and?"

"And, well...my parents...they want to meet you. So they invited you over to this big family gathering we're having with all the family. Cousins, brothers, sisters...do you want to come?"

"Of course I do," Sirius grinned. "Free food, right?"

James crept up to Sirius' door. He was sure by now the two of them were going at it as they usually did (which was why James never sat in Sirius' chair), and he wanted to see if he could get any names to taunt Sirius with later. He peered through a crack in the door. Dorcas was rubbing her abdomen worriedly and Sirius was leaning against his desk talking with her.

"Dorcas, there's nothing to worry about."

"You're sure you don't want to run out on me?" Dorcas asked, blushing. "Because if you do, I'll totally understand."

"Of course I'm not going to leave you for something like this," Sirius shook his head.

"But...kids?"

James blinked. Kids?!

"I'm great with kids," he waved her off. "We'll meet your parents, tell them the truth-"

"Oh, Sirius!" Dorcas shook her head. "We can't tell them the whole truth!"

Sirius sighed. "Fine, we'll tell them that we're dating. Will that make you happy?"

"Yes!" She stood up and sat in his lap. "Sirius, I just...this makes me so happy."

"You know I like to keep you happy," he smiled. Dorcas put her hand on her stomach and Sirius put his on top of hers.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, quietly, rubbing his hand along her belly. "I've always wanted to know."

James' eyes widened. Dorcas couldn't be...pregnant...could she?

"No, not really...just feels weird..." Dorcas smiled at him. "I really appreciate this, Sirius..."

"As much as I gripe about you," he lifted her chin up. "I do think you're pretty nifty. And nifty people make me want to stick around. Who knows, one day we might get-" he snorted "-married or something."

"My mother would have a field day. You know she won't think us 'proper' until we tie the knot, right?"

"Who cares what other people think?" Sirius shrugged. "I'm perfectly happy with you and me and whatever else comes our way."

Dorcas put her head under Sirius' head and sighed; he was still rubbing her stomach gently.

James backed away from the door, eyes wide. Sirius had gotten Dorcas pregnant! And he was just...and she was just....

James stumbled down the hallway towards Lily's office. He burst in there, panting and looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"James, honey, what's wrong?" Lily asked, standing up.

"Sirius...and...Dorcas..."

"Yes, Alice told me about that," Lily chuckled and shook her head. "I knew one of these days it would catch up with them."

James stared at her. "So..."

"I think it's about time that they had a proper relationship, maybe even moved in together. Goodness knows she's over at his flat enough-"

"Do you think they should get married?" James asked.

"Well, now I really don't see that happening," Lily shook her head. "Not as if they really need to, you know."

"But..." James said.

"Oh, come now, you don't really think Sirius is going to settle down with the first girl he ever...well...you know...."

"But he..." James sputtered. "And she..."

"I know you're worried for him, but I really don't think that you need to. They know what they're doing..."

"But they've never..."

"But that's half the fun, isn't it?" Lily grinned, kissing him on the nose. "Oh, and James, could you be a dear and go check on Remus for me?" Lily asked. "And go make sure he put on his medicine on his chest."

James cringed. "I don't have to put it on him, do I?"

"Well, depends..."

"On what?"

"How much pain he's in," Lily shrugged. James blinked at her, realizing something.

"You don't ever...rub his chest with it or anything do you?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't be an idiot."

"But I mean..." James frowned. "You rubbed his chest?"

"James, if I become a Healer, I'm going to be rubbing a lot more chests. You'd best get used to it."

"Yeah, but no chests of guys who you used to have crushes on-OW!" James rubbed his head where the paperball hit him.

"Stop being a prat, James," Lily said, reading her papers again. "I love you, remember?"

"But do you love Remus too?"

"Yes, but not in the same sense."

"WHAT?!" James yelled.

"Honestly, James, there are more ways than one to love a person."

"Are there?"

"Well, let's see..." Lily thought. "There is the undying love I have for you. And then there is the brotherly love I have for Remus. And then, of course, the caring love I have for your mother. And that love I have for Sirius that gets tested on a daily basis. And of course the-"

"Oi!" James blinked at her. "How can you love so many people at once?"

"James..." Lily rolled her eyes. "Go check on Remus won't you?"

"Puh, fine...I'm gone..." he Disapparated.

"Oi! Moony!" James called, walking through the flat.

"James?" Remus called from his small kitchen. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, two things really...first of all, have you been using that brown shit Lily gave you?"

Remus peered into the kitchen where the stuff was emptying into the sink slowly. "Just applying it now, actually."

James let out a bark of laughter. "Good man."

"And what else was on your mind?"

"Well...have you talked with Dorcas or Sirius lately?"

Remus laughs. "I suppose Dorcas finally told Sirius then? She's been dallying for a while now."

"S-She told you?"

"Well, of course. She came over the other night, asking for my advice on the matter, as you'd blab to him first thing."

"Would not," James frowned.

"This was something that needed to be worked out between the two of them, and it needed to be handled by someone with...tact..."

"But...I mean-"

"She was really getting worked up over nothing. I knew Sirius would be ok with it, after all. He's a pretty laid-back guy-"

"Remus, this is serious!" James slapped his hand on the table. "Sirius is not ready for this sort of responsibility! He's barely an adult himself!"

"James, this is not that big of a deal..." Remus gave him an odd look. "It's not as if this is some sort of major commitment or anything."

James looked completely lost for words. "But...."

"You really worry too much," he said, sitting back and rubbing his chest. "I really do wish this thing would go away. You will tell Lily that I've been using that crap, will you?" Remus nodded towards the kitchen. "She'll murder me if she finds out I've been draining it."

"You're right," Lily said, deathly quiet behind them. She pointed to Remus. "You, bedroom now." The she turned to James. "You, home now. I'll deal with you later."

"See ya mate," James winced.

James was attempting sleep on the couch when he heard loud laughter coming in from the next room. He sat up and walked over to the door, opening it.

Sirius and Dorcas were both cracking up, completely drunk.

"Did you see her face?" Dorcas said, taking another swig of the bottle of wine. "She looked like she was ready to disown me!"

"Well, see that's why we're perfect for each other, both of our families hate us now..." Sirius laughed, pulling the wine. "Let me have that, you're too drunk."

"I can't believe we stole the bottle of wine..." Dorcas hiccuped.

"We're putting it to better use than your parents are..." he leaned over and kissed her roughly.

"I don't believe this," James said, anger in his voice. "You two...."

"James, grab Lily, we'll have a drunken party!" Sirius said, trying to stand up straight, but failing miserably.

James walked forward and grabbed the bottle out of their hands. "This has to be the most irresponsible thing you've ever done. This is your bloody child, for crying out loud."

"Child?" Sirius said, his laughter slowly dying. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"And you," he wheeled on Dorcas. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that alcohol can damage or even kill your unborn baby?"

"What....?"

"Maybe everyone else seems to think this is no big deal, but as the child's future godfather, it is my job to make sure that you two don't-"

"Prongs, what child?" Sirius asked.

"Your child! The one Dorcas is pregnant with!" James looked at her. "You are pregnant, aren't you?"

"Not that I know of...." Dorcas shook her head slowly.

"You mean...but what did you go tell her parents?!" James asked.

"Dorcas told them that I was her boyfriend," Sirius snorted. "And then they found out that we were just shagging and nearly blew a gasket."

"Wha...?"

"You really need to listen up more, Prongs," Sirius put his hand to James' chest. "But, for tonight, go sleep with your soon-to-be-wife...We need some time alone."

"But...but I..." James could only mutter stupidly as he walked all the way back to the couch.