Note: I do not own any of these characters. (…because if I did things would be different :P) JK does, not I. Bear with me people, things are not always what they seem…
"Shh," a male voice hissed.
"I can't help it," a female voice giggled in response.
"Sure you can my little maraudera—oof!"
"Don't call me that!" She said with humor in her voice.
"Marauderette?" a thump answered that question
Awkward sounds were coming from the closet, and the two people moving around in it. Finally the door opened.
"Not bad if I do say so myself," Sirius beamed while stretching. "and I do."
"Just wait until next time," Lily threw over her shoulder as she walked into the kitchen. "Are you hungry? That was hard work."
"Hard? Puh, I don't like to think of it as a chore, but yes, sustenance is always encouraging."
"Whatever you say, pup," she rolled her eyes and opened the cabinet above her. As she reached into the cupboard Harry's baby monitor went off, and cries filled the house, indicating he was awake.
"Oh, I'll go get him, just make my sandwich," Sirius winked at Lily to joke with her.
"I will get Harry, you make your sandwich," as she spoke, she yanked the kitchen towel down from it's perch on her shoulder and thrust it at him hitting him in the chest and pushing the towel into his hands.
"Must I do everything?" he muttered to himself.
"Yes" a response came from the baby monitor.
~*~
When James came home he expected to see Lily cooking, or Harry in his highchair. But when he walked in to the kitchen no one was around.
"Lil?" he called.
He walked into the dining room and then through to the living room where he saw Lily laughing and kneeling on the ground while holding the little one on a big black dog. Upon seeing him, Lily hopped up, scooping Harry in her arms simultaneously, and ran over to hug James. James smiled and hugged his family, totally immersed in being home form his trip. A slight noise brought him back to his den, looking over he saw that Sirius had returned to his so-called normal state of human being.
"I, um, didn't know Sirius was here," he broached the subject. Sirius had seemed to be spending much time with Lily while James was away. When he had talked to her on her mobile mirror, she had been shopping with Sirius to find a Bewitching Baby Bonnet, the kind that drowsed the baby to sleep. When he could spare five minutes to stick his head into the fireplace, Sirius had been there too.
"Oh yes, I invited Sirius and Remus over for your welcome home Dinner, I hope that's alright? Poor Peter said he couldn't make it, some business meeting I believe it was." Lily informed him, looking to Sirius for conformation on Peter's whereabouts.
"Well, where is Moon then?" James questioned.
"He's-" Sirius and Lily both started, but before they could finish, Remus popped out of the fireplace.
"I'm right here, where were you?" Remus looked questioningly at his old friend, eyebrow raised.
"Where was I?" James asked, "I was on time, but it looks like you aren't."
"Yeah, where did you go, you never did tell us? And don't dance around the question this time," Sirius asked with the same look-eyebrow raised with the mock of an accusing stare.
"Well, maybe if you lot weren't so bloody nosey-" James stopped, laughing at his accidental pun. Lily rolled her eyes.
"He had a meeting with Master Dumbledore." Lily said matter-of-factly.
"Yes I did and we discussed, the, er, current events you could say." James finished for his wife, after recovering from his lapse of laughter.
"You know, we aren't in school anymore, he does have a first name." Sirius told them.
"Well, you know Padfoot, it is only polite," Remus told his friend.
"Yeah, but I like the idea of being out from anyone's control, even if that be school" Sirius almost spat.
"Pup, I don't think you were ever in anyone's control!" Lily Laughed, patting Sirius on the back pushing him into the dining room.
James, still holding Harry, shook his head; he was being stupid, it was time for dinner and he followed him extended family.
"Well, you never know, rumor in the road is that we have the Big Bad's right hand man at our dinner table!" Remus tried to say seriously.
They all laughed at the absurdity of the statement sitting down at the Potter's dinner table, with Harry at his high chair. In his seat, Harry was level with everyone else, almost looking like a little adult. Across from Harry sat Remus, and next to Remus, Sirius. James mentally noted that Lily and Sirius sat opposite each other while James sat to her other side. The seat across from James was empty. When his eyes fell upon it, he asked where Wormtail was again, not remembering the funny man latest exploit.
"You know, I don't honestly know. He was very prickly to it, I can tell you that. Very secretive. All he said was that it was a business meeting. When I asked if it was a girl, he didn't really respond and that was when he left." Lily said with a sigh. "He has been withdrawing more and more don't you think?"
"Wormtail finally got some tail!" Sirius and the boys snickered. After taking a look at Lily, James half-heartedly scolded Sirius, still trying to cover the smile on his face.
"Sorry, love." Sirius apologized, leaning over to kiss Lily's cheek. James bit his tongue instead of the lamb in his mouth.
The rest of dinner went quietly, the guest talking of everything else imaginable, the weather, the Prophet, the special ingredients in Lily's food.
"I survived to see another moon." Remus teased her.
"Or so you think, Wolfie, you haven't had dessert. There's still time yet." She said slyly.
"Nah, she probably pissed off the house elf!" Sirius taunted.
"I do not own a house elf!" Lily said outraged.
"What is it with all the muggle borns, they freak when they see the little cretins." Sirius mocked her. "Yeah, what was the thing called in school, your, er, club, laid was it?"
"It was Liberating Alienated Elves Defense." Lily said defensively.
"As I recall she dragged us all into that club," James commented.
"Well, we know why you joined, the rest of us just felt sorry for her." Remus said patting her on the shoulder as he walked by putting his dish up. "Poor kid, silly little club and no one to join, what's a wolfie to do?"
Lily simply stuck her tongue out in her defense. Everyone began to clean up their plates and clear the table. Lily began to wipe the mushed peas from Harry's chubby face when Sirius walked by to wipe down the table.
"Pup, pup, pup, pup." Harry sang. Lily and Sirius laughed. Remus and James hearing the laughter came in and audienced the musical. Harry continued, "Pup, pup pup pup."
"Well it isn't what I thought his first word would be," James said, his head tilted to one side.
"Oh, love, ever since he saw Sirius here as a dog that's all he's been able to talk about."
"Cute…" James muttered, but no one heard, the others were playing with his kid. His kid, he thought, his first word should have been da, or mommy or something at least, not dog or whatever.
"I must have floo lag or something because I am tired," James lied.
"But you came in the front door, love, where did you come in at?" Lily asked her husband.
"I didn't think you'd be home so I took the Floo 8, ya know the scenic route?" James admitted, looking sheepishly, "cheaper."
Lily and James sent Sirius and Remus on their way, or more of their way to the tavern. James informed his other half of the plans for tomorrow. He had to meet Dumbldore at Harper's Court to discuss their further plans. He would have to tell Lily eventually. He sighed, he would tell her tonight.
Stay tuned: Same Marauder time, Same Marauder channel!