How Two Became Three

Lily sighed, as she walked hand in hand with James down the sunny streets of Godric's Hollow. It was uncharacteristically warm for November, especially as it was England, and it was nice to go out without having to wear many layers just to stay warm. Lily, however, found herself unable to enjoy the weather. Children were playing on the area of grass outside a few houses ahead, and Lily couldn't help but feel her heart sink at the sight. They sat down on a bench in front of a small stream which intersected the town, and Lily watched the children running up and down the green.

Everything about her life was perfect. She had fallen deeply in love with James whilst they were at school, and they had been married the year previously at a beautiful wedding ceremony surrounded by her family and friends. She had graduated from Hogwarts with top marks, and was in training at St Mungo's Hospital to become a Healer. She lived comfortably with James in a cosy cottage in the half-wizarding town of Godric's Hollow. Everything was perfect for Lily Potter. Except for one thing.

They had been trying for a baby for a long time now, but with no luck.

"Don't worry," James said, turning to face her and taking her hands in his. "We're still only young. We've got plenty of time."

"I know," Lily said, looking up at her husband's sincere expression. She knew he hated it when she was down, but there was nothing he could do about it in this instance. He couldn't make her body work any differently, or change his own. Anyway, they had been to a Healer and found there was nothing wrong with either of them, they were both fertile. There wasn't an explanation for why she couldn't conceive.

"We'll keep trying," James said, smiling reassuringly. "We'll have a little Marauder yet."

Several weeks later, Lily woke up early, before James for once. Everyone assumed it was the other way around, but James was actually a morning person whilst Lily hated having to get out of bed, and would get grumpy is woken too early if there was no reason to be.

A feeling of revulsion rose up in her stomach, and she was suddenly aware of the stuffy air in her bedroom. She regretted painting her nails the previous evening, now almost gagging at the chemical smell. She barely made it to the bathroom before she vomited into the toilet. Her throat burned, she eagerly drank the bottle of water she had luckily left in her bag outside the bathroom the previous night. Unwilling to leave the bathroom as she still felt sick, she leaned against the wall, relishing the feel of the cool tiles on her too warm back.

She tried to think back to what she had eaten the previous night. She had enjoyed a simple roast dinner with James, nothing out of the ordinary. She hadn't even had a glass of red wine, which they usually had with their Sunday dinner every week. So why did she feel so ill? She hadn't reacted that way to a roast before. Maybe…? Maybe it's something else, Lily thought, maybe I could finally be…no. I'll have to diagnose myself first; I'm not getting my hopes up. Even though it was just a possibility that she was finally pregnant, it was more than anything which had happened so far.

That's how James found her several hours later, dozing in her pyjamas with her back against the bathroom wall, a smile on her face.

Lily was nervous. James had found her later that morning after she had vomited, and they decided to test if she was carrying a baby. James had popped out to buy a diagnostic potion, as Lily, the strongest at potions out of the two, did not feel well enough to create it herself. That, and they wanted to make absolute sure that it was correct. She paced the floor in the living room, desperately hoping everything would go well.

"Lily, love!" James called from the fireplace, where he had just flooed in, "I'm back."

She rushed out of the living room and into his arms.

"Here," he said, unstopping the bottle with his free hand and holding it up to her lips. "After you take the potion, I need to perform a simple spell. My wand will glow gold if the result is positive."

"Okay," Lily said, wriggling out of his grasp and eyeing the potion. This was it. She gulped down the potion in one go, and then closed her eyes as he muttered the spell. She couldn't stand watching James' wand to see if it would change.

James gasped, and her eyes flew open. The wand was glowing a clear, unmistakable, gold.

They stood in silence for a second, staring at James' wand in disbelief. The James stepped forward and hugged Lily close, who was standing frozen in shock.

"I'm going to be a mother," she whispered.

"Not just a mother," James replied, "You're going to be the best mother ever."

Several months later, as she looked down at the baby in her arms, her heart felt like it would burst. It was the happiest she had ever felt in her life, the start of their family. James leaned forward and stroked the baby's soft black hair.

"Looks like he'll take after me," he chuckled. "Oh!" he said, as he opened his eyes, "but he was your eyes."

"Harry," Lily whispered, "Harry James Potter."

Everything was just how Lily imagined it would be. She smiled and kissed Harry's head.

This was written for the Speed of Lightning Challenge, by Shira Lansys. The prompt was to have a happy ending. Please review :)