4 YEARS LATER

The funeral was a sombre affair. The young couple, killed at the tender age of 21 were buried side by side, their 1 year old held in the arms of his grandmother. The boy was crying but he didn't know why. He was sad but he didn't know why. The boy cried louder, setting off the only other baby at the event.

Looking down at the baby in my arms I cooed quietly to him, hugging him closer to me. Rocking him back and forth, I buried my face in his hair to hide my tears. An arm wrapped around my shoulder as James stepped closer to me, covering our little family with the umbrella.

"It could have just as easily been us James," I said quietly, sniffling back my tears. "Merlin I didn't think it would be Alice and Frank."

"There was a chance that it would have been us." He said gently, "If Bellatrix wasn't caught before she breached our wards then who knows what would have happened."

I sucked in a shuddering breath, rocking Harry back and forth but he wouldn't be soothed. How could he be when the woman he wanted to seek comfort from was upset herself? I needed to be strong for my son.

"Pass him here," A voice said from the other side of James.

Sirius approached the pair of us after having paid his respect to our newly fallen friends. Holding out one arm for his godson, he took Harry into his arms and held an umbrella of his own in his other hand. Cradling my son against his chest, he managed to calm Harry quickly.

James pulled me into his side and I turned, burrowing my head in his chest. Wrapping an arm around me, he patted my back gently to calm me. Taking a deep breath, I pulled away from him and looked up into his face.

"How can you be so calm about this James?"

"Because I have to be, I have a family to protect." His eyes drifted over to Neville who had started to quieten down. "Things are going to change now and we need to be prepared for whatever's going to come our way."

I nodded, and looked back to Neville and his grandmother. "Let's go and say goodbye to Alice and Frank for the last time."

Making our way through the crowd of people we approached the two headstones. Letting out a deep breath I stepped out from beneath the umbrella. Crouching down beside the graves, I pulled my wand from my pocket and conjured up two bunches of roses and placed one in front of each gravestone. Rising to my feet I turned back to James only to find him shedding some unwanted tears.

"James." I muttered quietly, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

He dropped the umbrella he was holding, wrapping his arms around me and burrowing his head into my neck. His shoulders shook slightly as he finally let himself cry. Rubbing his back a little, I let him hide his face in my neck as if to hide his tears. We stood, getting drenched by the rain until we were covered once again by an umbrella. Looking into the eyes of the tallest marauder, I smiled gratefully at Remus as he shielded us from the rain.

Remus gave me a gentle smile and reached out to set a hand on James' shoulder, the action making my husband wipe at his face and straighten up. The two old friends shared a look before heading back to Sirius with me under James' arm. Harry, spotting his father, made grabbing motions and James smiled for the first time today, reaching out to pick up our son.

I tried to smile at my boys, all four of them, but my eyes strayed to the other baby in the room. Excusing myself, I made my way through the crowd, towards Neville and his grandmother. The older woman recognised me immediately and thanked me for coming.

"Can I hold him?" I asked, gesturing towards the boy. His grandmother handed him over to me and I rocked the young boy gently in my arms. Neville stared up at me with big eyes and I smiled softly at him, my eyes drifting to the lightning scar on his forehead.

"Are you the girl who made the Unbreakable Vow with my daughter-in-law?" The older woman asked and I nodded my head.

"Alice and I knew that Voldemort would come after one of our sons, and that one of us would have to fall so we made the vow that our sons would always have a set of parents to treat like their own." Leaning down to press a kiss to Neville's head, I met the eyes of the older woman. "And I will make good on that promise – I want him and Harry to grow up like brothers so whenever you want to drop him off at our home, feel free to do so. He'll always have shelter in our home."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Turning my attention back to the child in my arms, I met the inquisitive eyes that were staring up at me. "Neville Longbottom, your parents were two of the bravest people I have ever met and they loved you so much sweetheart. And you will still be loved and believed in. As long as I breathe, you will have my protection."

Neville, as if he understood my words, smiled brightly as I handed him back to his grandmother. I made my way back to James and took Harry from him.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, looking down at me.

"No." I pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead. "But it will be."

"Are you sure?" He asked with evident concern and I nodded.

"Now," I looked around at three of the original marauders, "Let's go home."