Ficlet: Like Crucio, Only Worse
Title: Like Crucio, Only Worse
Summary: Luckily, Lily's already been through Auror training.
Characters: Peter, Sirius, Remus, James, and Lily
Word count: 1100
Rating and warnings: G, no warnings. Author's notes at end.
"What's going on?" Peter asks as soon as he steps out of the Floo into Sirius' sitting room. "I got the message and came right away."
It's well after midnight, and a wrinkled, unshaven Sirius is stretched out on the couch, peering intently into his two-way mirror, oblivious to Peter's arrival. Remus is sitting cross-legged on the floor with the day's Prophet spread out in front of him. He looks up at Peter over the top of his glasses, his eyes pink with exhaustion. "It's happening," he says simply.
At last, Peter thinks. It's not a surprise, not after all this waiting. He moves a carton of half-eaten take-away so he can sink down into a chair. "Well?"
"Not much news yet, right, Sirius?" Remus prompts, rubbing his temples.
"What?" Sirius asks absently, and then, to the mirror, "It's not really that bad, is it? I mean, it's not torture, not exactly. Even though a Malfoy is in charge. Is it?"
It's pretty bad. That was James' voice coming through the mirror. Peter would recognize it anywhere, subdued though it was. It's like Crucio, only worse.
Peter can hear a long, low moan and several low, murmuring voices.
"Well, she's been through Auror training," Sirius says philosophically. "That ought to help."
Give me Voldemort any day, James says darkly.
And then in the background they can hear Lily's voice, loud and clear. For heaven's sake, James, shut up and come hold my hand. You're not the one in labor.
Peter laughs. All is well; Lily has things under control.
*
They are all still there two hours later, waiting. Remus is almost done with the crossword. Peter is eating the cold take-away. Sirius' feet are propped up and his eyes are closed.
Peter clears his throat. "Not that I'm trying to rush things or anything, Sirius, but your note said we were almost at the end."
Sirius starts and grabs at the mirror resting on his chest. "Good point. What does Healer Malfoy say, James?" he asks the mirror impatiently. "How long can this possibly last?"
James has just started a long explanation about how labor's a lot like Quidditch, completely unpredictable, when he's interrupted by a piercing scream.
A woman's voice is shouting, This is it! Push, Lily, push!
Oh, god, oh, god, James moans. It's happening. I'm having a baby.
"I want to see," Sirius says, and James' voice drifts in and out of the background for a moment. Darling, what if I put the mirror right here--no?--fine, fine--
The warning tone in Lily's voice comes through clearly, even to Peter's ears. If you don't get rid of the bloody mirror your testicles will be so damaged you'll never have a second child, James.
Peter sniggers.
Er, sorry, no luck, Padfoot, James says quietly. And you don't really want to--really, it's not--dear god, is that--
Lily screams again.
Remus inhales sharply.
"Even worse than the transformation, hm?" Sirius asks, glancing at him.
"I don't have to listen to myself," Remus explains.
Sorry, going to set you down for a bit, James says rather indistinctly. I think it's actually happening now.
Over here, a Healer says, and they can hear the scuffle of footsteps.
Is that the head? James asks stupidly, and in the background they can hear Lily again. Shut up, James, of course it's the head. My hand! Hold my hand! Ohhh! Ohhhhhhh!
Then, suddenly, they can hear half a dozen voices at once. It's a boy! It's a boy, Lily!
Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
Harry's wail, Peter thinks. That's the name Lily and James had picked for a boy, Harry.
"Yes!" Sirius yells triumphantly, pumping a fist in the air. "A boy!"
It's a boy! James repeats unnecessarily. His voice is loud and clear; he's obviously picked up the mirror again. All the right equipment. Look.
Sirius squints at his mirror. "I can't see anything," he says. "Is that blood?"
Well, believe me, it's all there, James says proudly. Potter-made.
Put that thing away, James, Lily says. Now.
"I told you so," Peter says pointedly in Remus' direction.
Remus fumbles in his pockets and passes five Galleons to Peter. "Go ahead, take money from an impoverished werewolf," he says.
"It's a rare blessing, the Sight," Peter says, nodding as solemnly as he can. "I'll spend it on further training."
"Dumb luck," Remus mutters.
"You just wanted to buy dresses," Peter replies, and Remus flips two fingers at him.
Wait, James says urgently. Healer Malfoy, I thought she was--
There is some murmuring at the other end, phrases like afterbirth and nothing to worry about and it'll all be over in a moment.
That's disgusting, James says suddenly. That's really, really--
"I want to see," Sirius says insistently.
You don't really, believe me, James says. That's--look, can you see--oh god--
Then, suddenly, there's a sharp crack, as if the mirror has hit the floor and shattered.
Sirius howls in frustration. "Lily! We can't replace that!"
"For heaven's sake, Sirius," Remus says. "Let the woman have a moment of privacy. I'd have got rid of you a long time ago."
In a moment, though, they can hear Lily's voice, panting and hoarse. Keep your hair on, Sirius, the mirror's fine, it's James who's passed out. The Healers are trying to bring him around.
Peter sniggers. He gets out of his chair and pulls the mirror from Sirius's hand. Lily is there in the reflection, sweaty and pale, her hair sticking to her forehead.
"Congratulations, Lily," he says.
Thanks, Peter, she says. Her voice is very quiet now, fading so quickly Peter can hardly hear her. Tell the others they can come round tomorrow, alright?
"Alright," Peter says. "Goodnight, Mum." Lily smiles wanly and disappears from the mirror.
Remus and Sirius are looking at him. Peter places the mirror on a bookshelf, well out of Sirius' reach.
"Goodnight, all," Peter says, fumbling for the Floo powder, ready for bed himself. "I'm getting some sleep."
"But--" Remus says eagerly.
"But--" Sirius objects.
Peter waits until he's climbed halfway into the Floo before calling out over his shoulder. "Lily says you can start corrupting him in the morning."
He catches a brief glimpse of Sirius beaming before he disappears.
*
Author's note: This bit of fluff celebrates the first birthday of my journal and, more importantly, the birth of a tiny nephew.
Summary: Luckily, Lily's already been through Auror training.
Characters: Peter, Sirius, Remus, James, and Lily
Word count: 1100
Rating and warnings: G, no warnings. Author's notes at end.
"What's going on?" Peter asks as soon as he steps out of the Floo into Sirius' sitting room. "I got the message and came right away."
It's well after midnight, and a wrinkled, unshaven Sirius is stretched out on the couch, peering intently into his two-way mirror, oblivious to Peter's arrival. Remus is sitting cross-legged on the floor with the day's Prophet spread out in front of him. He looks up at Peter over the top of his glasses, his eyes pink with exhaustion. "It's happening," he says simply.
At last, Peter thinks. It's not a surprise, not after all this waiting. He moves a carton of half-eaten take-away so he can sink down into a chair. "Well?"
"Not much news yet, right, Sirius?" Remus prompts, rubbing his temples.
"What?" Sirius asks absently, and then, to the mirror, "It's not really that bad, is it? I mean, it's not torture, not exactly. Even though a Malfoy is in charge. Is it?"
It's pretty bad. That was James' voice coming through the mirror. Peter would recognize it anywhere, subdued though it was. It's like Crucio, only worse.
Peter can hear a long, low moan and several low, murmuring voices.
"Well, she's been through Auror training," Sirius says philosophically. "That ought to help."
Give me Voldemort any day, James says darkly.
And then in the background they can hear Lily's voice, loud and clear. For heaven's sake, James, shut up and come hold my hand. You're not the one in labor.
Peter laughs. All is well; Lily has things under control.
*
They are all still there two hours later, waiting. Remus is almost done with the crossword. Peter is eating the cold take-away. Sirius' feet are propped up and his eyes are closed.
Peter clears his throat. "Not that I'm trying to rush things or anything, Sirius, but your note said we were almost at the end."
Sirius starts and grabs at the mirror resting on his chest. "Good point. What does Healer Malfoy say, James?" he asks the mirror impatiently. "How long can this possibly last?"
James has just started a long explanation about how labor's a lot like Quidditch, completely unpredictable, when he's interrupted by a piercing scream.
A woman's voice is shouting, This is it! Push, Lily, push!
Oh, god, oh, god, James moans. It's happening. I'm having a baby.
"I want to see," Sirius says, and James' voice drifts in and out of the background for a moment. Darling, what if I put the mirror right here--no?--fine, fine--
The warning tone in Lily's voice comes through clearly, even to Peter's ears. If you don't get rid of the bloody mirror your testicles will be so damaged you'll never have a second child, James.
Peter sniggers.
Er, sorry, no luck, Padfoot, James says quietly. And you don't really want to--really, it's not--dear god, is that--
Lily screams again.
Remus inhales sharply.
"Even worse than the transformation, hm?" Sirius asks, glancing at him.
"I don't have to listen to myself," Remus explains.
Sorry, going to set you down for a bit, James says rather indistinctly. I think it's actually happening now.
Over here, a Healer says, and they can hear the scuffle of footsteps.
Is that the head? James asks stupidly, and in the background they can hear Lily again. Shut up, James, of course it's the head. My hand! Hold my hand! Ohhh! Ohhhhhhh!
Then, suddenly, they can hear half a dozen voices at once. It's a boy! It's a boy, Lily!
Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
Harry's wail, Peter thinks. That's the name Lily and James had picked for a boy, Harry.
"Yes!" Sirius yells triumphantly, pumping a fist in the air. "A boy!"
It's a boy! James repeats unnecessarily. His voice is loud and clear; he's obviously picked up the mirror again. All the right equipment. Look.
Sirius squints at his mirror. "I can't see anything," he says. "Is that blood?"
Well, believe me, it's all there, James says proudly. Potter-made.
Put that thing away, James, Lily says. Now.
"I told you so," Peter says pointedly in Remus' direction.
Remus fumbles in his pockets and passes five Galleons to Peter. "Go ahead, take money from an impoverished werewolf," he says.
"It's a rare blessing, the Sight," Peter says, nodding as solemnly as he can. "I'll spend it on further training."
"Dumb luck," Remus mutters.
"You just wanted to buy dresses," Peter replies, and Remus flips two fingers at him.
Wait, James says urgently. Healer Malfoy, I thought she was--
There is some murmuring at the other end, phrases like afterbirth and nothing to worry about and it'll all be over in a moment.
That's disgusting, James says suddenly. That's really, really--
"I want to see," Sirius says insistently.
You don't really, believe me, James says. That's--look, can you see--oh god--
Then, suddenly, there's a sharp crack, as if the mirror has hit the floor and shattered.
Sirius howls in frustration. "Lily! We can't replace that!"
"For heaven's sake, Sirius," Remus says. "Let the woman have a moment of privacy. I'd have got rid of you a long time ago."
In a moment, though, they can hear Lily's voice, panting and hoarse. Keep your hair on, Sirius, the mirror's fine, it's James who's passed out. The Healers are trying to bring him around.
Peter sniggers. He gets out of his chair and pulls the mirror from Sirius's hand. Lily is there in the reflection, sweaty and pale, her hair sticking to her forehead.
"Congratulations, Lily," he says.
Thanks, Peter, she says. Her voice is very quiet now, fading so quickly Peter can hardly hear her. Tell the others they can come round tomorrow, alright?
"Alright," Peter says. "Goodnight, Mum." Lily smiles wanly and disappears from the mirror.
Remus and Sirius are looking at him. Peter places the mirror on a bookshelf, well out of Sirius' reach.
"Goodnight, all," Peter says, fumbling for the Floo powder, ready for bed himself. "I'm getting some sleep."
"But--" Remus says eagerly.
"But--" Sirius objects.
Peter waits until he's climbed halfway into the Floo before calling out over his shoulder. "Lily says you can start corrupting him in the morning."
He catches a brief glimpse of Sirius beaming before he disappears.
*
Author's note: This bit of fluff celebrates the first birthday of my journal and, more importantly, the birth of a tiny nephew.