Change of Plans
~June 15th, 1980; the Potters� house~
�I need an aspirin!�
�Honey, you know that isn�t good for the baby,� James murmured. �The doctor said��
�Screw the doctor,� Lily growled. �I feel like someone whacked me upside the head with a sledgehammer. Now go get me the aspirin!�
�I threw it away,� James said timidly.
�What?� Lily asked, raising her voice. �What the hell did you do that for?�
�I did it for our baby,� he said calmly, �for the family.�
Lily covered her mouth, her eyes widening. �I�m sorry,� she whispered. �I don�t know what I was thinking. Sorry I snapped at you.�
�That�s okay,� James said, kissing her forehead. �I�ll go make some tea for your headache,� a baby�s cries filling the house and he added, �as soon as I take care of that.�
�No, you�ve been working too hard,� Lily said, sitting up. �I�ll go take care of the girls,� Before James could argue, she was already up and headed toward the nursery.
James shook his head and laughed a bit under his breath. No matter which way Lily�s mood swings went, one thing remained the same. When she made up her mind, the best thing to do was to just step aside, because, pregnant or not, there was no arguing with her.
~July 1st, 1980; Malfoy Mansion~
Narcissa picked Draco up from his crib and rocked him slowly to quiet his crying. He�d made a full recovery and had been sent home from the hospital a few weeks earlier, but he was very fussy. Narcissa suspected it was because the house was so cold, even though it was summer. Poor little Draco, who had spent over a week in an incubator, wasn�t used to the temperature.
�Shh,� Narcissa breathed, wrapping Draco in a blanket. He stopped crying and fell asleep in her arms.
Narcissa sighed and slowly lowered him back into his crib. She didn�t want to think about what Lucius might do if Draco�s crying disturbed him while he was working.
~July 18th, 1980; the Potters� house~
�So, which one is this again?�
�That�s Sheila,� James said as Sirius picked Sheila up.
�Hello Sheila,� Sirius said, �remember me? I�m your godfather.� Sheila giggled and reached up a hand to touch Sirius� face.
�I think she liked your beard,� James laughed, picking up Melissa.
�Lisa�s been trying to get me to shave it,� Sirius said.
�How long have you been dating now?� Lily asked. Sheila held her arms out, so Lily took her from Sirius.
Sirius shrugged, leaning against the wall. �Couple years.�
�Have you popped the question yet?� James asked.
Sirius shook his head. �Not yet. I�ve been thinking about it. Am I really ready to get married? I never really thought of myself as a marriage kind of guy.�
�Yeah,� James said, �but if someone told me back at Hogwarts that I�d be married with two children and another one the way, I would�ve asked what they�d been smoking.�
�Hey,� Lily said, hitting his shoulder with her free hand, �you proposed in our seventh year. Are you saying you weren�t planning on going through with it?�
�Yes�I mean no�I mean�� James stuttered.
�James dear,� Lily said, �breath. Now, Sirius, if you�re having any doubts at all then don�t ask her. The worst thing you can do is to propose and then have to take it back.�
�I thought being late for the wedding was the worst thing,� James said. Melissa tried to get away from him, so he put her back in her crib.
�I said that because you were fifteen minutes late for our rehearsal dinner,� Lily said, her voice rising warningly. �Sirius wouldn�t do that, now would he?�
�Maybe I should go,� Sirius said. He looked at Melissa and Sheila. �Happy birthday girls.� He left the room in a rush, and they heard the front door open and close.
�Did you talk to Albus?� Lily asked, putting Sheila back in her crib.
�Yeah, he said he was busy, but he wanted to wish the girls a happy birthday.� James answered.
Lily placed a hand on her stomach and felt the baby give a small kick. �I have a feeling it won�t be long before we have another birthday to celebrate.�
~July 27th, 1980; Malfoy Mansion~
Narcissa filled a bottle with formula and pointed her wand at it to warm it up. She then brought it upstairs for Draco.
Lucius had insisted that Draco be bottle-fed from the beginning. �I will not have my son raised like a savage,� he�d said as he stocked the shelves with formula and bottles.
�Is Master�s wife needing help, ma�am?� a house-elf on the second floor asked.
�No Dobby,� Narcissa answered stiffly. She had little patience with house-elves. �Just go back to your work.�
�Yes ma�am, thank you ma�am,� Dobby said, bowing as he backed into another room and out of sight.
Narcissa continued walking until she reached the nursery. She heard Draco crying and rushed to his crib.
�Shh, it�s okay,� she murmured, lifting him up in her arms and offering him the bottle.
Draco drank only half of the formula, but it was more than he had any other day since he�d been home. Narcissa brought him up to her shoulder and gently rubbed his back. He gave a small burp and she put him back in his crib. He immediately curled up and went to sleep.
Narcissa smiled slightly. Draco seemed to finally be comfortable living in the mansion. In fact, it looked like he was even happier about it then she was. Of course, that wasn�t really saying much.
~July 31st, 1980; the Potters� house~
�James, I think you�d better call Albus.�
�You mean��
�I mean if you don�t want your son born right here on the kitchen floor, you�d better get your arse on that phone right now!�
James stumbled as he rushed to the phone. �Shouldn�t we call a cab?� he asked while dialing the number.
�Already done,� Lily said, grabbing her purse. �They�ll be here in ten minutes.�
�This is Albus Dumbledore�s office,� a voice said on the phone. �He isn�t in right now. Please state your message after the beep, and he�ll get back to you within one month�s time.�
There was a small beep and James spoke quickly. �This is James, and we don�t have a month! Lily�s having the baby now!�
�The cab�s here!� Lily yelled, walking out the door.
James dropped the phone on the receiver and ran out to the cab. �What about the girls?� he asked as he climbed in.
�There�re at Sirius� house today, remember?� Lily said.
�Okay,� James said, calming down a bit. At least if they were spotted at the hospital, Melissa and Sheila would be safe.
~Same day; the local hospital~
�Congratulations Mrs. Potter, it�s a boy!�
Lily barely heard the nurse�s words. She fell back on the bed, completely exhausted.
�Would you like to hold him?� the nurse asked a few minutes later.
�Uh-huh,� Lily nodded, holding out her arms.
�Have you thought about a name for him yet?� the nurse asked as she lowered the baby into Lily�s arms.
Lily thought for a moment before looking up at James. �You decide,� she said.
�How about�� James hesitated before finishing, �Harry.�
�Harry�� Lily repeated the name. �It�s perfect.�
�Harry it is,� the nurse said. �I have some paperwork to fill out, so I�ll let you have a moment alone. Press the button if you need anything.� She left the room.
Lily and James were silent for a moment. Lily was unable to tear her eyes away from the little bundle in her arms. Little Harry looked up at her with a curious stare.
�He looks just like you,� Lily said to James.
�He has your eyes,� he said, shaking his head slowly. �I thought all babies were born with blue eyes.�
Lily nodded. �I know, but the girls had green eyes too.� Then, she finally looked up. �Did you talk to Albus?�
Before James could answer, the door opened and the nurse poked her head in. �You have some visitors.� She opened the door the rest of the way and two people stepped forward.
�Oh, I�m so glad you�re here,� James said, rushing toward Albus and Sirius. Sirius was carrying Sheila and Albus was carrying Melissa.
�Press the button if you need anything,� the nurse said, leaving again.
James, Albus, and Sirius stood around Lily�s bed, looking down at Harry.
�Well what do you know?� Sirius said. �Lily, he has your beautiful eyes.�
�Hey,� James said in mock anger, �you�ve got a fianc�, so stop hitting on my wife.�
�Actually, Lisa�s still just my girlfriend,� Sirius said, sounding a little embarrassed.
James looked like he was going to say something, but Lily gave him a look of warning and he kept his mouth shut.
�I got your message and came as fast as I could,� Albus said seriously. �We need to discuss the subject of security. I have reason to believe there might be a leak. I think it might be time to take the next step.�
Lily�s eyes widened. �You mean��
�Yes,� Albus nodded, �you�ll need to have a Secret-Keeper. The decision is yours, but if you can�t choose, I�d be happy to do it.�
�Actually,� James said, �Sirius, we would be honored if you would be our Secret-Keeper.�
�Anything I can do to help,� Sirius said. �I couldn�t stand for anything to happen to you and my godchildren.�
�Okay,� Albus said, �I�d stick around, but I have other business to attend to.� He gave Melissa to James and pulled a bottle of pale blue potion from his pocket. �Here�s the potion for the spell. You know what to do.� He set the bottle on the bedside table and left without another word.
The room was silent for a moment. James was the first to speak. �Well, what are we waiting for?�
�Well,� Sirius said apprehensively, �I don�t know if this is such a good idea.�
�What do you mean?� Lily asked.
�I mean that you should use someone else,� Sirius said. �I didn�t tell you this before because I didn�t want you to worry. Malfoy�s been hanging around outside my office, trying to recruit me, no doubt. You need to choose someone they won�t go after, like Peter.�
�But Sirius�� Lily started.
�But nothing,� Sirius said firmly. �Use Peter or Remus or anyone else, just not me. You need someone they wouldn�t expect.�
�Okay,� James said, �if it�s that important to you, we�ll ask Peter. Is that all right with you, Lily?�
�Yeah, it�s fine,� Lily said. �I trust him enough. Now let�s get off this dreadful topic and let the girls meet their baby brother.�
Sirius and James nodded. Sirius gave Sheila to James, who held the girls one in each arm and turned him so they could see.
�Melissa� Sheila, look,� James said. �That�s your little brother, Harry.�
Melissa and Sheila giggled and James could�ve sworn Harry smiled too. That only lasted a moment, however, before Harry started crying. This seemed to upset Melissa and Sheila, because they also cried.
�He must be hungry,� Lily said over the crying. �Sirius��
�Say no more,� Sirius said. �Come on girls, we�ll go to the waiting room.� He took Melissa and Sheila and left the room.
~Same day; unknown~
The Dark Lord came out of his meditation immediately. He stood up and whirled around in one fluid motion. He brought his arm up, palm facing upward. A small blue flame leapt from his hand, hovering in midair.
�Wormtail,� the Dark Lord hissed. The flame flickered one before disappearing. Less than a minute later, a man apparated into the room, cowering.
�Wormtail,� the Dark Lord said in disgust, �You didn�t tell me they were having another child.�
�But Master, I didn�t know, I swear,� Wormtail said fearfully.
�Count yourself lucky Wormtail,� the Dark Lord said. �I shall spare your life, for I have a special task for you.�
�Yes Master, anything Master,� Wormtail muttered.
�The Potters will ask you to be their Secret Keeper. You will accept. You will keep me updated on their location. We cannot afford to have outdated information.�
�But are you sure it�s the Potters?� Wormtail asked and flinched as if expecting punishment.
�Now, you know that I made the announcement months ago,� the Dark Lord said. Then, he shook his head. �I must be going soft after all this time. Couple years ago I would�ve hacked off a limb for such a question.�
�I am eternally grateful that I have been spared,� Wormtail stuttered.
�Don�t push it,� the Dark Lord hissed. �Go back, before you are missed.�
Wormtail nodded and apparated out. The Dark Lord growled under his breath. The meditations usually didn�t take that much energy, but this time he�d also been eavesdropping. It was how he�d found out that the Potters had a son now.
But he wouldn�t have to waste energy now. He had a spy who could get the information for him.
The Dark Lord smiled his cruel smile. The clock was ticking. Only a year and three months until the day he would make clear the full extent of his power.
Then, he thought for a moment. The Dragon was directly tied into this. He was also destined to be powerful. He�d make the perfect heir.
He brought his hand up and summoned the blue flame again. �Malfoy,� he hissed.
~The next day; Malfoy Mansion~
Narcissa sat down in a chair, cradling a sleeping Draco in her arms. He was very much at home now, no longer waking Narcissa with his crying at all hours of the night.
A creaking door made her look up. Lucius stood in the doorway with another man she didn�t recognize. She stood up quickly, knowing that they have bad news of some kind.
�Give me the baby,� Lucius said forcefully.
�Why?� Narcissa asked, not moving from where she stood.
�Master has given order that Draco shall be his heir,� Lucius said with absolutely no emotion. �He will raise him now. Wormtail here has come to take him away.�
�No!� Narcissa screamed, gripping Draco tightly against her chest. �No! I won�t let you take him!�
Lucius came forward and grabbed her shoulders. �Get the baby,� he ordered.
Narcissa�s eyes stung with tears, so she shut them. She felt hands pry Draco out of her arms. When she opened her eyes again, Wormtail was holding the now crying Draco.
�Take him away,� Lucius said. Wormtail nodded and disapparated.
Narcissa fell to her knees, feeling not tears on her cheeks but not wiping them away. Over these past couple months, she felt Draco had become a part of her. Now she felt empty, as though a piece of her soul had been taken from her. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she�d been happy. Now she felt that she might never be happy again.
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Author's note: Aww, poor Narcissa, or better yet, poor Draco. And while we're at it, poor James. This is the last time I'm saying it, I know nothing about babies or young children. Also, I mentioned the name of another of my original characters from my Order of the Phoenix story in this chapter. Did you catch it?
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