I do not own Harry Potter. All characters, places, etc. belong and

are property of J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 1 - Sugar Quills

Limping down a Hogwarts corridor, an elderly woman screamed out in pain. Very few students took this corridor because of Moaning Myrtle. The woman doubled over in agony and passed out.

The library at Hogwarts was always chock full of students. Four legends of the school, the Marauders, were helping to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had all become Aurors, much to the faculty's surprise.
"Well James, that about wraps it. I have about three inches to go on this report and then we can fly it over to the ministry," said Sirius, quill between teeth, probably a sugar quill, and working hard.
"Just use Chars. He should be on his perch in the office. Besides, it saves time. Lily told me not to be late for supper again."
Chars was the smoky, black owl he had been given by Dumbledore when he passed his Auror finals. He and Lily were married the day after.
"Prongs! Tell Moony to bring me up another box of sugar quills. I just about cleaned this one out."
"Okay, Sirius," said James, shouting Sirius's order to Remus, who was down the hall preparing the next DADA lesson.
Remus noted the order at once and began searching through his closet. "Let's see what we have left: Fizzing Whizzbees, Acid Pops, a whole gross of Ice Mice is best left for the summer time. Ah! Here they are," said Remus, removing a bright purple box with a picture of a fluffy cream quill on it.
"Honestly," groaned Remus, barely making his way up the steps, "these things weigh a ton! Did you order them Super-sized from Honeydukes?"
"Yep," grinned Sirius, "and extra-fine. I figured it wouldn't hurt since I have a few more reports for the ministry due tomorrow."
"What? A few more? You must have been putting it off!" said Peter as he walked in. "Myrtle's at it again. I just came from the second floor. The entire corridor has been flooded."
"Prongs, go straighten her out. You always did have a way with Myrtle," teased Remus, while Sirius laughed in agreement.
"Okay," agreed James. "Just don't start heading down to the dungeons without me. I love messing around in Snivellus's private stores."
James walked out of the classroom and proceeded to climb the Grand Staircase. He was truly going to miss this place. He had gone to school for seven years, then Auror training, and now he was back as an associate professor. He and Lily had also gotten married here. They were also living here in the professors' quarters and were planning to move to Godric's Hollow by the middle of fall term. Moving along the stairwell, his mind was joggled out of his train of the thought by the sound of water trickling down to the ground floor. Damn Myrtle, he thought.
Walking down a wet hallway with an unhappy ghost was no mean feat, especially when objects or persons were in your path. Completely oblivious to the fact that there was someone on the floor, he turned head over heels and fell flat on his face.
"Professor McGonagall? What are you doing down there?" Seeing her unable to answer, his eyes wandered down to what she was clutching.
"Who did this to you, professor?" But there was no need asking. Whoever had done it was probably long since dead. Almost everybody Professor McGonagall loved died in the wars against Grindelwald and Voldemort.
James was no expert at delivering babies, but he managed to keep a fifty-year old woman alive during childbirth.
When the child made his appearance, his similarity to James was striking. James knew that himself and McGonagall were distant cousins far down the line, but none of the Potter traits had ever shone like this.
"It's a beautiful boy, professor," said James, handing the baby to his mother. "What will you name him?"
"I won't name him Albus, that's for sure, or Emeric, after his grandfather. I'll name him," sighed the weary professor, "Harry. Yes, Harry. Take him, James and raise him as your own. I knew Lily was unable to bear children, no matter how quiet you kept that secret. So please, take him," she said, pushing newborn Harry into her young cousin's trembling hands. She, then, laid back and fell asleep.
James conjured a stretcher for her and walked to the hospital wing, with Professor McGonagall floating beside him. He handed the baby and the professor to Madam Pomfrey and made for the library.

"McGonagall had a baby?" gasped Sirius. " Is that biologically possible?" Remus and Peter sniggered in response.
"Seriously, isn't she a bit old though?"
"I don't know," said James. "All I know that there is a baby in the hospital wing named Harry and he's a dark one."
Remus, Sirius, and Peter knew all about James's relations with Professor McGonagall.
"You know that in our Scottish clan, once a generation, the blood spits out a dark one. Professor McGonagall was the dark one in hers, I was the dark one in mine, and now Harry is the dark one in his. But I have never seen both the McGonagall side and the Potter side in one kid. Green eyes and black hair.."
"That's very interesting, Prongs, but where will you keep the kid? You can't teach and baby-sit at the same time. Besides, what will Lily say?" asked Peter.
"Calm down, Wormtail. She would be delighted since Voldemort sterilized her with a curse almost two years ago."
Gathering his things, James left for the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had cleaned Harry up and given him some food and a sleeping potion so he no longer looked like a screaming red bundle. The nurse handed the sleeping Harry to James, and immediately went to tend to Professor McGonagall.
James turned on his heel and left for his quarters. Half-way down the corridor, he heard a sarcastic booming voice.
"Moony! Bring up another box of sugar quills!"
Inside, James laughed to himself. It was amazing the way that Sirius got rid of his cavities by magic. Shaking his head, James turned onto the hallway where Gryffindor tower was. Right next to the Fat Lady was a portrait of Lady Violet, the entrance to the Gryffindor faculty's rooms.
Once inside his quarters, he conjured a patchwork quilt and a few plush lion pillows. He placed Harry on the quilt and proceded to the kitchen to conjure baby food. Lily was asleep on the sofa. He muttered a cleaning charm and suddenly the room was spotless. Before he could get started preparing Harry's lunch, he glanced at his watch and knew the Mad- Eye was waiting for him.
"I'll be back soon, Harry!"
With a loud crack, he Apparated and was gone.