The Godmother

41. continue'd.

The trial was never continued for that day.

Elizabeth found herself coiled on Remus' couch, a warm quilt covering her despite it only being June. Remus had turned on the radio. Cruisy 70's rock music played from the radio. Harry and Ron were playing chess on the ground while Hermione watched. Remus sat beside her.

"I think I'm going to buy a house", Elizabeth announced.

It was the first thing she'd said since they left the courtroom. They had waited two hours in the lobby of the Ministry only to be turned away and told that the jury team were 'reviewing evidence'. It was during these two hours that she felt butterflies in her stomach. Weird butterflies. Not like the kind inside of her gut when she was nervous. She hadn't been nervous. She hadn't been feeling anything. The butterflies were actually there. And it was when they arrived at Remus' home that she realised that it wasn't butterflies. It was the baby.

"You're going to buy a house?", Remus repeated.

Elizabeth nodded, thoughtfully.

The three children looked up from the carpet in front of the couch.

"Where?", Hermione asked, a curious smile across her lips.

"Somewhere near the beach", Elizabeth decided, "Up the coast. Somewhere where Sirius can go fishing. We'll build a jetty and swim in the ocean in the summer", she said.

Remus nodded slowly and confusedly.

"I think that he'll like that", he agreed.

"Somewhere near a quiet village. I don't think he'll like London after all the publicity with the trial. We'll build a main house and then a guest house for Harry to stay in", Elizabeth said with a smile.

It was the first time she'd smiled in months. Genuinely smiled. She couldn't tell whether it was real or the tiredness had built up inside of her to the point that her emotions were swollen and numb.

"What about the baby?", Harry asked.

Elizabeth looked down. The smile wiped from her face in an instant.

"Its not a baby", Elizabeth said, shaking her head.

"I- I just meant-".

"You're our child, now, Harry. We don't need another baby", she said with a laugh, "Not when there's to be a war soon. Your parents thought that that was a good idea and look where it lead them!", she giggled.

Harry's face dropped immediately.

"Elizabeth", Remus called roughly.

She turned to look at him, seeing a scrutinising look on his face.

"What?", she demanded, harmlessly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Harry stood up. Elizabeth watched him.

"Harry, what? What did I say? What did I do?", she demanded as Harry walked toward the stairs.

Like shadows, Hermione and Ron followed.

"Sorry, Miss Potter", Ron said sheepishly.

Elizabeth glared at their backs as they followed Harry up the stairs.

It was quiet again. Elizabeth felt Remus staring at her. The radio kept blaring until Elizabeth felt the urge to blow it up. She roughly grabbed her wand and clicked it off.

But then, she only felt Remus' stare more intently.

"What?", she roared, finally looking at him.

Remus' eyes were following hers. Her skin felt red. She felt angry for no reason. For every reason.