Lily sat in the Tonks' safehouse, Harry wrapped in blankets and sleeping peacefully next to her. James was tapping a hand against his leg in restless frustration, hardly able to sit still.
"We'll hear if they need us," Lily said, "Sirius will keep us in the loop."
James took a breath to say something, then shook his head. "I'm going to go see if Ted needs any help with the tea."
He walked through to the kitchen, and Lily sighed, looking across to Andromeda. "I'm sorry. He's never been a very patient person."
Andromeda nodded. "It's all right, I understand."
Lily stroked the top of Harry's head, soft hair covering such a fragile, precious thing. "How do you do it?" she asked suddenly. "Be a parent, in a war."
"By accepting that a heart rate constantly above normal levels is pretty much a given," said Andromeda with a wry smile. "It's not really a case of how, though. You just do it."
"Mummy?" The tousled and sleepy head of one Nymphadora appeared around the living room door. "Why's everyone up?"
"You should be in bed," Andromeda told her without chiding, pulling her daughter into her lap. "Now look, see, we've got a very special guest with us tonight - say hello to Harry."
Dora leaned over, cooing at the baby with great interest, and Andromeda touched Lily's arm. "You do it because looking at them reminds us what it is we're striving for at all."
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Lily sat in the Tonks' safehouse, Harry wrapped in blankets and sleeping peacefully next to her. James was tapping a hand against his leg in restless frustration, hardly able to sit still.
"We'll hear if they need us," Lily said, "Sirius will keep us in the loop."
James took a breath to say something, then shook his head. "I'm going to go see if Ted needs any help with the tea."
He walked through to the kitchen, and Lily sighed, looking across to Andromeda. "I'm sorry. He's never been a very patient person."
Andromeda nodded. "It's all right, I understand."
Lily stroked the top of Harry's head, soft hair covering such a fragile, precious thing. "How do you do it?" she asked suddenly. "Be a parent, in a war."
"By accepting that a heart rate constantly above normal levels is pretty much a given," said Andromeda with a wry smile. "It's not really a case of how, though. You just do it."
"Mummy?" The tousled and sleepy head of one Nymphadora appeared around the living room door. "Why's everyone up?"
"You should be in bed," Andromeda told her without chiding, pulling her daughter into her lap. "Now look, see, we've got a very special guest with us tonight - say hello to Harry."
Dora leaned over, cooing at the baby with great interest, and Andromeda touched Lily's arm. "You do it because looking at them reminds us what it is we're striving for at all."