"We are going to end up poisoning and killing my fiancée."

James muttered, his hands, shirt, and face covered in flour just as badly as Sirius was. Neither of them had a clue as to what they were doing and Remus was just sitting up on the counter nibbling at the chocolate leftover from the cake recipe. He kept reading off instructions but he wasn't sure if they had done anything right.

Today was Lily's birthday, her 19th to be exact, and James was trying to do something special. He'd thought about it over and over again until one night when he was sitting around with the group. Gemma was lying on the sofa with Sirius, flipping through a book with a picture of a cake on it. It became just that simple.

Not that any of them knew how to bake a cake.

"I said 5 ounces of flour!" Remus shouted, looking down at the recipe and then back at them. "You've got about 12 on you and another 12 on the floor."

"We're fucking wizards Moony."

"Ever the eloquent one, Sirius."

"I just mean we can clean it up in a second…we're not muggle cleaning. That'll give me a disease or something."

"I'm sure your girlfriend loves it when you say things like that."

"Would you two shut up?" James sighed, sifting flour and cocoa together until it was all into the bowl. "I need to know what to do next."

"Oh, right…it says fold it gently into the butter mixture."

James looked at the bowls oddly. "Fold it? How the fuck do you fold powder into butter? Are all muggles mad? First with that weird bicycle thing and now this!"

"Do you know a folding spell?" Sirius looked to Remus, expecting genius to come spilling out of his mouth.

"For clothes maybe but not food folding."

"You are no help. Honestly, what is the point of you."

"Shut it Sirius."

"You shut it."

"Really mature there Black."

"Shut it before I shut it for you."

"Again…both of you shut up." James huffed, taking a risk by pouring the flour into the other bowl and then trying to stir it in a folding motion. "There…that's good."

Remus nodded and looked at it weirdly. "Right, it doesn't look terrible, okay. Add your milk and boiling water."

"Aye aye captain, added!"

"Now just divide it into those pans and put it in the oven."

James grabbed the bowl and tried not to spill too much over the side as he dumped it in the circular round pans. Making sure they were as even as possible, Sirius carefully opened the oven and he shoved them in quickly. After shutting it up again, they just had to wait.

"That wasn't so bad."

"And it tastes semi-okay!" Sirius grinned, dipping his finger in the bowl and then putting it in his mouth. "I can't die from this right?"

"Think that's the least of our worries mate."

"At least Gemma made the frosting before she left. That is a disaster adverted."

"We would have figured it out Remus. I mean, we got that sifter thing working."

"I read the recipe…it probably would have tasted like shit."

"The confidence you have in us, it's heartwarming."

"Sorry James, I'm sure it would have tasted like chocolate heaven."

"There ya go, speaking truths again."

He smiled, flicking his wand and saying a few spells before the dishes began cleaning themselves. Much simpler than doing it by hand he always thought, but never as easy as when he used to have a house elf. Merlin did he miss Wally.

Making sure everything was going off without a hitch, he left it to stack back in the cabinets and walked into the living room. Sirius was over in the armchair and Remus was kneeling in front of the telly box messing with the dials.

"Catch!"

Throwing his hand up, he caught a bottle of ale and then glared at Sirius. "You could have killed me!"

"I didn't throw it that hard."

"You could have hit and maimed my beautiful face!"

"It's not that great, is it?"

"What do you mean it's not that great? I'm the sexiest person in this room."

"Sexiest person with glasses maybe."

"Thanks for defending my sexiness, Sirius." Remus smirked, still flipping channels.

"I was talking about me"

"Course you were. Have either of you ever watched Doctor Who? It's amazing." Remus smiled as he started flipping through the channels.

"Can't say I have."

"I think you guys would like it. It's about this guy that travels through time and he's got this box that's bigger on the inside –"

"That's nice. Sounds brilliant. Big boxes."

"Such good listeners you lot."

"So James, how long were we supposed to bake that cake?"

"20 minutes I think the book said."

"Ten more minutes then. Hopefully the plans are going well and she won't end up early."

"They had a whole day planned of shopping and eating weird French food, I'm sure Gemma will keep her occupied."

Remus looked back at them from the ground, a slight perturbed look in his eyes. "The Doctor would make a better friend than you two."

"I'm sure he would Remus but honestly, we have time-turners, why would we need a Doctor bloke?"

Remus just huffed and turned back to whatever he was watching. The only thing James had ever watched on the weird picture box was some drama thing Lily liked watching during the daytime. He didn't even know what it was called.

Checking his watch a little while later he walked into the kitchen to take out the cakes. Pulling on mitts that had cow heads on them, he opened the oven and pulled out the cakes. They smelled good so he took it as a positive sign and then sat them on the stovetop. Checking the cookbook it just said to let them chill long enough to not melt the frosting.

Leaving them there, he walked back into Lily's room to check on her gift. Creaking the door open slowly and then jumping in and slamming it, he didn't see it anywhere. He knew this would happen just leaving it in a box like that. Gemma told him to stick it somewhere safer but he wasn't really a good listener.

"You still in here?"

He didn't hear a sound, nothing. He checked in the cupboard, under the bed, everywhere. Not a sign of it.

"Sirius!" He yelled out, his head still stuck under the bed when both of his friends came back.

"Nice arse, mate. Now I see why Lily keeps you 'round."

"Shut up and turn into a dog."

"Oh James…I'm not into bestiality. Especially with you."

Popping his head out from under the bed and glaring at him, he stood back up and poked him in the chest. "Find the cat."

"You lost the damn thing, didn't you? Merlin, Prongs."

Sirius shook his head, pulling his wand out from his boot and then tapping it against his head a few times. Slowly, he shrunk down into his animagus form of a big black dog and even then James could tell he was still shaking his head at him.

"Just find it Sirius, stop looking at me like that."

Padding around, he started sniffing all over the place. Remus announced he was going back to watch telly so he just waved him off and waited on the bed until Sirius found it. Thankfully a few minutes later, his big dog of a friend had a tabby kitten in his mouth.

"Aw, good boy Padfoot! Now drop the kitty cat." He spat it out in his lap, his big grey eyes glaring at him.

"What are you two doing?" Looking up, they both turned to see Gemma standing in the doorway.

"Is Lily back already?"

"No James, she's still at the shop. I just apparated out of the dressing room to check on you lot. Do you like this dress?" She turned in it, James could still see the tags on the skirt.

"Yeah, it's nice."

"I'll take my boyfriend's panting as a yes. Why is he a dog right now?"

"Couldn't find the cat."

"I said you should have bought it a cage."

"I know, I know."

"I have to get back so she doesn't find me missing. Get that cake frosted, alright? Just like I told you."

"I remember."

"Okay, we'll be home in about twenty minutes."

"You think she's gonna like her?" He held up the kitten, Gemma coming over to scratch it behind the ears.

"I know she will. Me, I'm more of a dog person." She laughed as Padfoot jumped on her and licked her cheek before she pushed him off and disapparated.

"Please, turn back now, the cat is afraid of you and I hate trying to have a conversation with a dog."

"My doggy feelings get hurt when you're so mean." Sirius smirked once he was human again, both of them heading back to the kitchen.

"You poor thing, here, hold the cat while I frost this thing."

Shoving the kitten into his hands, he washed up quickly and then grabbed the chocolate buttercream. Trying to remember exactly the way Gemma said to do it, he put one cake on the plate and then put a big glob of frosting on top of it before spreading it round. Then he stacked the other and completely covered it.

"Hagrid could have made a prettier cake."

"I have no doubt about that, really." James cracked a smile, the whole thing having gone lopsided and the frosting probably thick enough to cover two cakes.

"Gems said there were candles in the draw too."

"Right-o."

Grabbing the candles, there was a knock at the door which he knew had to be Peter. Sticking them in the cake, he counted nineteen and then took his wand and lit them up. It was perfect timing too because a second later Lily and Gemma apparated in and dropped all their shopping bags in the living room.

"Happy birthday Lily!" The Marauders shouted, all of them surrounding the tilting cake disaster as James tried to keep it balanced in his hands.

"Oh my Lord," Lily looked at the cake first and then at all of them.

Her pretty face lit up when her eyes landed on him, emerald green and the most beautiful eyes he'd ever see. She laughed as she walked forward, her red hair swept up high in a ponytail and her gaze never leaving his. She was going to be his, forever.

"Blow them out," he smiled, completely forgetting that Sirius was standing behind him holding her present.

She bent forward, taking a deep breath before blowing them all out. Everyone applauded, Lily grinning again before noticing the small cat in his mates hands. He stepped in her line of vision, hoping she'd just forget about it but he knew she wasn't that dumb.

"Wasn't that a—"

"What? No, nope. Not a cat. Now…why don't we move to the kitchen and slice this up?"

"Whatever you say James."

As they all turned to go, James shoved the cake into Remus's hands and then grabbed the cat from Sirius's. Gemma came to stand next to him and held out a pretty pink ribbon that fit just over the tabby's head and made it perfect. Bending over he kissed her on top of the head in thanks.

"Look Lily, I got you a present!" She turned back, shaking her head with a laugh as he held up the kitten.

"That is the cutest thing I've ever seen."

"I remember you saying you wanted one back at Christmas."

"So this is from Sirius, right?"

"Yep, I got you the cat. Totally me."

"Shut up Black."

"I was the one holding it…you just stole it out of my hands!"

"Stop it, let him be." Gemma dragged him away to help get plates as James got a quick moment alone.

"I love her." Lily smiled, kissing the kitten as she took it from him and let it cuddle up against her chest. "And you."

"I made the cake too."

"Probably should've let Sirius take the credit for that one."

He laughed, pulling her into a hug but carefully not to crush her gift. "He frosted it."

"I'm sure he did."

"Happy Birthday Lily."

"Thanks…so, what shall we name her?"

"How about Cat?"

"Cat?"

"That way I don't have to worry about remember it."

"And what if someday we have kids James? Are we just going to name them Boy or Girl?"

"Works for me."

Shaking her head, she held up the cat and took a good look at her. "What about…Dinah."

"Dinah? What kind of name is that for a cat?"

"I think it's perfect. Just like in Alice in Wonderland. I love that film."

"I will act like I know what you're talking about and go with it. Dinah it is."

Later that night after Remus and Peter had gone home and Gemma had pulled Sirius back to her bedroom, James and Lily sat up in the living room. It was dark, the telly letting off the only light in the room as Lily sat in his lap and Dinah curled up in hers.

He was running his fingers through her hair, her eyes closed as she rested her head on his shoulder. He wished that they could have stayed like that, happy and peaceful and not a thought about anything else. She opened her eyes a little while later and leaned up to kiss him.

"This was a perfect birthday."

"I'm glad you thought so."

"I mean…I got croissants and a kitten all in one day."

"Don't forget the cake."

"Oh no, never will I forget that cake."

"It was a bit dry, wasn't it? Tasted like flour."

"The frosting was delicious."

"Gemma made it." Lily laughed, stirring Dinah for a seconds before she curled up in a ball and went back to sleep. "I'm a failure."

"Just at baking cakes. I'm sure Gemma will always be around to make our kid's birthday cakes, we won't have to worry about it."

"You mean you can't bake either?"

"Not at all, I'm terrible."

"Good. I feel better now."

"It was all for you, my inability to bake."

He smiled, grabbing the cat and putting her on the floor. Standing up with Lily, he picked her up and let her wrap her legs around him before walking back towards her room. Her hands ran through his hair, over and over just liked she always loved doing. He held her in a good grip under her bum as they made for the hallway, Dinah following close by. Gemma's door opened as they passed it and she walked out in Sirius's shirt with a bright smile on her face until she spotted them.

"Oh, right, thought you two would have apparated to his place."

"Why?"

"I dunno, figure we went to bed first, figure you'd shag elsewhere."

"Who said we were going to—"

"We definitely are." James grinned, Lily laughed when Sirius walked out in his boxers.

"Are you two still here?"

"Sorry, but this is my flat."

"Out flat thanks…but we'll go. You two have fun."

"Thanks Gems."

"Love you Lily." Sirius picked his girlfriend up so she could kiss Lily on the cheek and everyone laughed.

"That wasn't awkward."

"Not at all." James teased, waving goodbye to them before they disapparated.

Getting back to the bedroom, James playfully threw her on the bed and then yanked his shirt up and off over his head. Closing the door after Dinah made her way in, he was delighted when Lily slid to the end of the bed and began undoing his belt.

"Do you want kids, James?"

"I know we're about to be in the process of making one but I thought an easy spell and we could prevent that."

She smacked him on the stomach and laughed. "No, I mean in the future. Do you want kids?"

"Yeah, I think I'd like a son. Maybe two."

"No girls?"

"Absolutely not. I don't want to imagine my daughter walking around Hogwarts with boys that act like Sirius and me. I'd have to kill them all."

"What if she met someone nice, like Remus?"

"Nope, he's not that great. Peter either. Neither of them would be good enough."

"So boys."

"Yep, boys. I can teach them quiddtich, show them how to hex Slytherin's, all that good stuff."

"My children will not hex anyone."

"Oh you wait…they'll be the talk of Hogwarts. A new era."

"I've decided not to bear your children."

He laughed, bending to pull her dress up. "Oh no, there's no going back now."

"Never…I'm not having your kids if they're going to be that much of a terror."

"Enough talk about babies, I'm not going to be able to get it up if I'm fearing for the end of my youth."

"Such a lovely way to put it."

"Happy birthday Lily Evans."

"I love you James Potter."