Maybe Memories

Hardly a week after the attack on Hogsmeade, Estelle and Sirius found themselves in the same situation. Instead, they were at Diagon Alley and things were much, much worse. It was pure chaos. Wizards and witches were fleeing, fearful that Voldemort would make an appearance. The brave fought for themselves, for their families, for Dumbledore. A rat scurried between feet. Screams, smacks, explosions, crashes, curses, and cries filled the air. Buildings caught fire. Casualties were costs (for both parties).

When Estelle saw Alastor Moody topple over, she was sure they were done for. Later, she found that half of his face was blasted off and he was angrier than ever. He managed to rid them of Evan Rosier, the one who'd cursed him.

James was still slightly recovering from the Hogsmeade attack. Dumbledore told him it would be much wiser if he didn't fight, but James wouldn't listen. He was fighting harder than ever for Lily and Harry.

When Frank and Alice Longbottom managed to take down Wilkes, the opposing party fled. The battle came to an end.

"I damn near lost my leg," Sirius exclaimed, still talking of Diagon Alley, days later, with James and Lily.

"Will you watch your mouth?" Lily hissed, giving baby Harry a spoon full of applesauce. He attempted to feed it to himself, and almost all of it made his mouth.

"Oh, for God's sake Lily," Sirius murmured.

"Sometimes he picks up random words from a sentence and I don't want it to be a curse word," Lily said. She smiled at Harry and took the spoon before wiping his mouth.

Sirius grinned at Harry, "Can you say, 'Oh, Mummy, calm down'?"

"Oh, Mummy," Harry repeated.

Lily gave Sirius a look. James laughed. Rolling her eyes, Lily took Harry from his high chair and hugged him close.

"You're still Mummy's boy," she said, then kissed his forehead.

"Estelle, you're being much too quiet," James said. "What's the occasion?"

Estelle rolled her eyes, cracking a smile, "I've been a little...weird since Diagon Alley." She shrugged, then joined Lily in the next room with Harry.

"She saw Moody get his face blasted off," Sirius said, quietly, "She thought he was a goner."

"Moody can make it through anything," James said.

"Pretty much," Sirius agreed.

"Are you sure you two don't mind watching Harry?" James asked, "We're just going to eat a quiet dinner. If you need to--"

"James, if I didn't want to, I wouldn't," Sirius said.

Lily and Estelle came back into the room with a bag floating behind them.

"Make sure he goes to sleep at 7--"

"7?" Sirius interrupted, "Even a baby can't go to sleep that early."

"7:30, actually," Lily said, "He needs a lot of rest at this age, okay? So just listen. A bottle before bed. He usually wakes up around 1:30--"

"A.M.?"

"But usually just needs rocked back to sleep," Lily went on, ignoring Sirius, "If he doesn't seem to want to go back to sleep, you can always bring him back here. We can't leave the house."

"This is being a parent?" Sirius whined.

"It sounds bad," James said, "but on day, you'll see it's worth it." He took Harry from Lily's arms and kissed him. "Daddy loves you. I know you're going to be good for Sirius and Stelle."

Lily kissed him again.

Estelle took Harry, "You ready to stay with me for one night?"

Harry smiled, green eyes wide.

She held him close as they traveled by floo powder. Harry clung tight to her as they went through.

"You'll see Mum and Dad first thing tomorrow," Estelle smiled at Harry, when they were inside she and Sirius' house. She sat Harry on the couch and brought his bag over, that Sirius had just bought. "I'm sure you've got something in here for fun." She found an oddly shaped stuffed animal.

Harry reached for it.

"Okay," Estelle said and handed it to him. When he held it, it looked clearly much more cat-like. She studied it.

"It turns into what animal you're thinking of while you hold it," Sirius said.

"Clever!" Estelle said. "What about a dog, Harry?"

Harry looked at her, then back at the animal. It shifted into a dog.

"Good job," Estelle said, kissing him on the cheek. He giggled and she did it again.

Sirius stood back, gazing at the scene. He couldn't help thinking about how wonderful a mother Estelle would make some day. He shook his head, smiling.

It was nearly 8 o'clock. Sirius was on the couch, next to Estelle, with Harry lying against his chest. Estelle was reading out loud, but Harry had already fallen asleep. Sirius found himself a little sleep. After yawning, he kissed Harry's head.

"I think he's gone to sleep," Sirius said.

Estelle smiled and put the book aside. She stood up with Sirius as he placed Harry is his over-night crib. They stood back and watched him sleep.

"He's so sweet," Estelle said.

The first thing Lily did when they arrived back with Harry was take him and kiss him. Then, she invited Sirius and Estelle to the usual Christmas Eve dinner. Of course, when Christmas came, they came to the dinner, joined by Remus, Peter, and Estelle's mother. Of course, after dinner, Daphne left with Dumbledore.

Everyone had fallen asleep, except for Sirius and Estelle.They sat by the hearth in the living room and cuddled under a blanket, watching the snow fall under the lit street lamp.

"Do you think this war will ever end?" Estelle said.

"Of course," Sirius replied.

"Soon?"

"Yes."

"Soon enough for Harry to not to be able to remember any of it?"

"Certainly."

"I hope," Estelle sighed and snuggled closer to him.

"When this is all over," Sirius said, "do you want--will you, I mean--can we get married?"

"I think so," Estelle replied, "I think we should."

"Have our own family?"

"That usually comes with marriage," she teased.

He kissed her cheek.

"What do you have in mind to name our far future children?" Estelle asked.

"Andromeda, after my favorite cousin. Andromeda is plenty without a middle name."

"I like that enough to consider."

"And Stephan."

"Steven?" Estelle asked, "You go from Andromeda to Steven?"

"No!" Sirius said, "use that bit of French you've got in you to say it. Stephan."

"Stephawn," Estelle emphasized the ending. "Stephan Brendon."

"Okay, no."

"Drop the Brendon and we'll see?"

"Yeah." He snickered, "Can you imagine it? Our kid would be the worst kid that ever lived."

"Snotty, a know-it-all, smart alic, angry."

Sirius laughed, "Rebellious, curious, a prankster."

She laughed, "We're asking for trouble even talking about it."

Sirius grinned and kissed her.

The future I imagined never quite came.