⚯͛ Unfortunate - Remus Lupin ⚯͛

98.

"Babe," Maeve patted Remus' shoulder. "Wake up."

"Mm...what is it?"

"The baby's kicking."

It had been three months, and they were in the middle of March. At present, Maeve was, well, Maeve was huge. She was seven months pregnant, but she already looked as if she was about to explode. She felt it too. She wondered if she was abnormally big, and when she asked Lily, Lily assumed she was already nine months because of how swollen her belly was. It was concerning.

She had been told not to worry by her friends and her husband, but it didn't really help. She wanted to go to the hospital, just to see if everything was alright, but she knew that Remus really didn't want her to, just in case they found out that the kid was a werewolf. They'd worry themselves to death then.

Sirius had officially introduced Caroline - his girlfriend - the previous month at their shared flat. She was nice, just very shy. She was perhaps the complete opposite of Sirius. Maeve was actually quite thankful for that, it was a relief to have someone quiet in a group full of excitable Gryffindors. She was pretty too, but it appeared as if she wasn't too aware that she was. She had light brown skin, dark curls, kind eyes...she was the type of person that you wanted to talk to but were too intimidated to at the same time. But she wasn't intimidating at all, not once you talked to her. The group had warmed to her quickly.

Not only did the group like her, they thought she was perfect for Sirius. She was cool, calm and collected, logical. He was perhaps the complete opposite, but seemed to helped her emotionally understand things, and helped her to laugh. It seemed they balanced each other out.

"Wow, he's really kicking," Remus whispered, a hand on Maeve's stomach, bringing her back to reality.

"I know," she smiled softly. "He seems impatient to get out...you and me both, mister."

Remus grinned as she fondly patted her stomach.

"I know we were both reluctant...to have this baby, but now...man, I love them already."

"Me too. You mean them as in boy or girl, right?" Maeve checked.

"Yeah...?"

"Good, I think one baby is fine, but more than one? That would be a lot," Maeve said, making Remus chuckle.

"One is still a lot."

"True."

The next morning the couple were woken up with loud knocking on the front door. Before he even called out to them, they knew it was Sirius.

"What time is it?" Maeve asked with a groan.

"8am, morning sunshine."

"Damn...this pregnancy business is making me sleep for ages."

Remus rubbed his eyes sleepily and climbed out of bed, reluctantly leaving the room so he could open the front door.

She heard Caroline's voice float through, "Hey, Remus, I know it's early so I'm sorry about him but he's-"

"LOOK AT THE NEWSPAPER MOONY! LOOK!"

"-a bit excited."

Maeve sat up in bed and smoothed her hair down as she heard the sound of paper being handled, supposedly the big pages of the daily prophet being turned. She was just getting out of bed when she heard Remus yell.

Bleary-eyed and still half-asleep, she rushed into the room, a bewildered look on her face.

"What the fuck is going on?"

"Look at this."

Shaking with excitement, he held the newspaper out for her to read. She squinted to make out the title: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE RELEASES STATEMENT DETAILING YOU-KNOW-WHO'S DEMISE: THE WAR IS OVER!

"Oh Merlin," Maeve took the paper from him.

"It's finally over," said Remus. "Officially."

Maeve looked up at him and then Sirius who beamed back at her.

"Thank God is all I say," she smiled in relief, handing Remus back the newspaper.

"No more Order of the Phoenix, then," Sirius said.

"Until next time," Caroline said matter-of-factly.

They all looked at her.

"Next time?"

"Well, you know...he's not really gone, is he? He's just been weakened," she said calmly, peering at a loose curl that had fallen across her glasses and brushed it away. "This could all happen again."

Innocently she looked up at their faces but frowned when she saw their expressions. They knew she was right, but they didn't really want to think about it in that moment.

"Sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"It's okay," Sirius said gently, taking her hand in his. "We know you're right, but we want to celebrate the moment right now, yeah?"

"Oh," she looked up at him for a moment before nodding. "I understand."

He grinned and brushed away the dark curl that had fallen over her glasses again, tucking it behind her ear. She swatted his hand away but smiled fondly back up at him.

Maeve couldn't help but smile as well at the two. Sirius was finally happy.

"This article makes it sound like he's dead," Remus said, reading the newspaper. "They've done it really weirdly..."

"It will give people hope," Sirius said.

"False hope," Maeve said, her mouth scrunching thoughtfully. "Well...maybe that's what we need right now...hope, whether it's right or not."

"Maybe," Remus shrugged as he finished reading the article. "Anyone else wanna read?"

"We've already read it all," Sirius said.

"Can I read it?" Maeve asked.

Remus nodded and handed the paper back to her.

"Please, guys, come in," Remus laughed as he gestured to the couple who he realised were still standing in the doorway. "Anyone want a cuppa?"

"Mm, me please," Maeve murmured as she went to the sofa, reading the article.

"I'll have some, mate," Sirius nodded gratefully.

Remus nodded, "Carrie?"

"Oh, I'm okay thank you," she smiled awkwardly, before going to sit beside Maeve so she could read the article again.

Sirius joined Remus in the kitchen to help him with the tea.

They worked silently beside each other as Sirius got the mugs and tea-bags, whilst Remus boiled the water. In both of their minds was the war, the war that was over, the war they had been thrown into at 17, the war that had killed and institutionalised their friends. And it was all over. The only question still lingering in the air was...

"What now?"