A/N: Gah...I really don't like long author notes in the beginning but since this is the very first thing you'll read from me, I'd like to personally welcome you into my dark mind where Harry Potter will be eating Crookshanks's fur balls. Just kidding, this isn't that story. This story (whatever I'll end up calling it) revolves around many families during the Next Generation time frame, plus some flashbacks here and there. Now that your minds have been lubed up—fasten, clench your buttocks! It's going to be a bumpy ride!

March, 1979

Remus was the first to notice her.

"Merlin, is that you?" His smooth voice faltered in astonishment.

Dorcas bowed her head, feeling as if all the courage had fled from her at the sight of her friend's scarred face. I'm a bloody Gryffindor for Merlin's sake—she stepped into the occupied room, taking in the shocked faces of her friends. The too weary faces of people she hadn't seen since she graduated.

"Hey…Frank let me in." Dorcas finished lamely, her gaze trained on the roaring fireplace.

It was James who first drew his wand, placing himself in between his stoic wife and an understanding Dorcas.

The bespectacled young man shot her a dark look before questioning, "What did I do to the Sorting Hat in our first year?"

Sirius scoffed before saying, "Everyone knows the answer to that. What did the stag do the vixen during fourth year?"

"The stag accused the vixen of watering his flower, even foolishly going as far as to claiming that the vixen had only eyes for flowers. So the vixen slammed the stag up against the wall and went about to make a point. Sorry Lily, it still haunts me to this day." Dorcas answered honestly, causing James to splutter, not expecting her answer to Sirius's question.

James lowered his arm and spun around, ready to drop to his knees and beg for his Lily-flower's forgiveness—in a dramatic yet earnest fashion only James Potter could pull off.

"I don't care if you kissed Cassie as long as you don't do it ever again." Lily waved him off annoyedly and turned to the fair haired woman.

Dorcas saw Lily's wink and was relieved to find that she was pardoned for her prideful act.

"Can't believe you kissed Prongs and not me." Sirius interjected in a joking manner.

"Only in your dreams Sirius, would I ever kiss you. Not when…" Dorcas trailed off as a somber mood settled within her.

Remus frowned at the sudden change, his gleaming amber eyes pried into hers.

"Firewhiskey?" Lily offered after a few moments of awkward silence.

"No, no thank you. I shouldn't."

Sirius's eyes narrowed onto her in suspicion. Dorcas was never one to turn down a good drink or two during a party.

Dorcas closed the door behind her and placed a silencing charm on the room. She did so with shaking hands. After she placed the charms and secured it, tears had forcefully streaked down her cheek.

She felt a comforting presence at her side and at once she knew it was Remus.

If life were easy, she'd have fallen for him. But her closest friend deserved much more than her wistful thoughts. A war was brewing and Dorcas was in such a precarious position.

Remus's hand squeezed her's in support, despite him not knowing the reasons for her turmoil.

"I'm pregnant"

Remus's grip slackened, forcing her head to jerk up. She searched his face for his response, only to find it unnaturally blank.

"Remus." Dorcas's voice wavered as his grip suddenly tightened, showing her a might that she had forgotten.

"Moony!" Sirius barked and instantly her hand was dropped. Remus murmured his apologies as he backed away from Dorcas with a dazed look.

"Congratulations Cassie." Lily piped up, rushing over to Dorcas and giving her a warm embrace.

James followed after his wife and gave Dorcas a hug which involved him teasing her by saying that soon he would not be able to hug her when she expands. That earned him a light slap from his wife.

"We're already congratulating her and yet we don't even know who the father is. It could be good ol' Slughorn for all we know." Sirius remarked.

Dorcas took a deep and steadying breath as all eyes focused on her—or to be precise—the barely noticeable bump hidden underneath her loose jumper..

"Not Slughorn, but they do share the same house. Sirius, the child I'm carrying is your nephew or niece or even both."

Dorcas registered a dark cloud pass over Sirius's face as he processed what she had said. She didn't dare look at Remus, afraid at what she would find.

"You met with my bro—that Death Eater? Did he force himself unto you? I swear if he did I will—"

"Stop! Sirius, Regulus is your brother and he did no such thing. What I did was of my own accord and do not even suggest otherwise. Death Eater or not I love Regulus and I am carrying his child. Merlin help me, I am carrying his child and I haven't seen him nor heard from him in two months!" Dorcas interrupted as she leaned on the back of the sofa for support.

"You mean he doesn't know?" Remus asked softly.

"No, he doesn't. But now you all know and I trust you to never utter a word of this to anyone, not even to the other members of the Order. I will protect our child from this war, I swear on my life I will. Voldemort must not ever know of our child. Sirius I ask you now, to amend your relations with your family—at least your father. Enough so that you can tamper with the succession."

Sirius stared into Dorcas's desperate eyes and could not find it in himself to deny her. She was family after all—the one that he found in Hogwarts and would do anything for.

"Have you tried writing to him? Tell him of the child growing within you and tell my bastard of a brother that if he won't take care of you then he doesn't deserve you." Sirius told her, before pulling her into a tight embrace smelling of leather and smoke. She pried herself from his arms, the smell causing her nose to twitch.

"I don't know if I can write to him, he warned me against it. For my safety, he said. He isn't a Death Eater, he's just a boy." Dorcas shook her head before letting out a weary sigh. "I'm leaving tomorrow, I'll write to you all when I am safe. Maybe even come by to see you two with a little Potter on the way." Dorcas gestured to the young couple.

"Where will you be going?" Lily worriedly questioned.

"America, if you'd believe it."

And just like that, the Marauders and Lily were shaking their heads with laughter. But the laughter was not the same as the ones that they had shared in Hogwarts.

They were no longer children.