A/N: Hey, this next story is for The International Wizarding School Championship.
School: Mahoutokoro
Year: 3
Theme: Neville is BWL
Prompts: Swinging On A Swing (Main), Teacup
WC: 1505
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All rights go to J.K. Rowling.
It was a sunny morning in Godric's Hollow. A few clouds littered the sky and a light breeze followed through the streets. Men and women bustled around as they flipped their signs to welcome a new round of customers. Farmers scurried around the main square to set up their fresh produce in stalls, while children waved goodbye to their parents before tugging on their backpacks and heading to the small school yard in their fair town.
Amongst these people was a young red-haired woman who stood in her kitchen as she whipped up a batch of her famous pancakes, bacon, and eggs. She was about to flip another pancakes but a young child interrupted her.
"Mommy! Mommy!" the four-year-old cried as he ran through the halls of their home before stopping obediently at her feet.
She immediately dropped her work and picked up the little boy, swing him in her arms. Laughing, she asked, "What is it, Harry?"
"I got my shoes on, see? See?" he pointed feverishly at his feet. And true to his word, he had.
"That's wonderful, baby, but why'd you put your shoes on at this time of day?"
"Daddy wants to show us something."
"Something?" she questioned.
Suddenly, an older man sheepishly shuffled into the room and flashed her a grin. "It is quite something."
"Then I guess we better find out what it is," the woman answered with a smile as she shifted Harry's weight in her arms and bounded over to the man she'd married. Immediately, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her towards the door.
"Eyes closed." The two quickly obeyed, putting their trust in the man.
A few seconds passed in silence before impatience got the best of the mother. "James, where are you dragging us out?"
"We're almost there, Lils, just be patient," he answered, avoiding the question asked, and letting a chuckle escape his lips at his wife's antics.
"But, Daddy, I wanna know too!" the little one demanded just as they came to a halt.
"Open your eyes, then." And so they did, only to find themselves in their small front yard, in front of the Old Oak Tree that had been standing tall and proud ever since they'd moved in. But the unusual thing was that a white cloth was draped over a branch, covering something from view.
"You're in luck, Harry-Beary," said James as he walked past his family and towards the cloth. "Because now, you get to know. Or rather, see." In one quick motion, he yanked the piece of fabric away to reveal a swing. The swing itself comprised of a long wooden board, held up by two long pieces of rope that were wrapped around a branch and firmly knotted.
"Oh, James, it's... It's wonderful!" Lily praised as she approached him, giving the man a peck on the cheek.
"Eww... Don't be gross!" Harry squirmed while trying to wiggle free from his mother's grasp. Somehow, after a lot of whining, he managed to and wasted no time clambering onto the new contraption he'd been presented with. "Daddy, push me, push me!"
His father pulled back and flashed a smirk at the raven-haired boy as an idea crossed his mind. Adjusting his glasses, he spoke. "Let's find out how high you can go, hm?"
"Yea! Yea, I wanna touch the sky, Daddy!"
"Now, James..." Lily began. The threat was left unsaid but it did nothing to sway the man's motives and have him rethink his actions. Instead, he was already moving behind the swing and giving it light pushes while Harry struggled a little to stay in his seat.
"Higher! Higher!" And higher he went. The boy's laughter filled their air as he pretended he was flying. He let his eyes close as he imagined the flocks of birds that would sometimes pass by his house. He imagined he was one of them and enjoyed the feeling of freedom that came with soaring high, above it all. He even imagined how small everything would be as he looked at the ground thousands of feet below.
Soon, the ride came to an end, but he was eager to let his mother and father try. "Mommy, come try, come try!" he urge as he ran over and clasped his tiny hand in hers. With all his strength, he tugged and pulled until she finally relented and took a seat.
Next, it was her laughter that filled the air and spread smiles. The feeling was exhilarating in the most exciting way possible.
Of course, being the ever sneaky Marauder, James gave a push that almost had Lily falling off the seat and into the grassy ground below. Her eyes widened and she gasped in surprise, immediately tightening her grip on the rope. A single minute passed before she regained her bearings and her brain fully processed what had just happened.
The swing came to an abrupt stop as she jumped off and whirled around to face the man responsible. Her face was almost as red as her hair. "James Potter!"
"Ooh, Daddy's in big trouble." Harry called out from the side.
"And he's about to get in even more trouble if he doesn't start running."
He was off in less than a second.
...
In the end, they'd spent about two whole hours taking turns on the swing and laughing so hard when James sent it so high that it got stuck on the branch above. At some point, the redhead had brought out the forgotten pancakes that had been left on the stove and the three had wasted no time plunging in.
"Mommy, can I have ano-anoth..."
"Another pancake?"
"Yes please."
"Mhm, but don't overdo it." she reminded him while grabbing his plate and placing a pancake and drizzling maple syrup on it in the shape of a smiley face. "There." After handing back the plate, she filled her teacup with her favorite drink: Green Tea.
"You know," James began. "If you keep drinking that much, you'll end up turning into a green monster."
Harry immediately broke out in laughter as he fell onto his back, with James following soon after. Meanwhile, Lily looked at them, completely appalled.
"James Potter!" she cried. "If you don't stop acting like a kid, Harry's going to end up just like you."
"Would that be such a bad thing? At least we'd have a little fun."
"Oh, and I suppose you're the master of fun, yea?"
"You know it." he replied smugly. "It is why you married me, isn't it?"
She opened her mouth to reply but nothing came out. Her mouth shut with an audible click as she turned her head away in annoyance.
"Look at that, a cat has got your mom's tongue. That, Harry, is what we call the Potter Charm."
"The Potter Charm." Harry repeated.
"Exactly, son."
Lily's head snapped around at that. "Look what you're teaching him. The Potter Charm? I've never heard of something so stupid."
"But it's real!" James protested.
"Well, I'll tell you something, hm? I didn't marry you because of your so called Potter Charm. Oh, no. I married you because of the man I thought you were."
"Aw, sweetheart, I'm still that man." he cooed. "Just better."
"Hardly. If anything, you're worse. Just think of your Quidditch skills. I doubt you could catch a Snitch, even if it was right in front of your face."
Now, it was James' turn to look appalled at his wife's accusation. His mouth hung open and his eyes widened. He tried to defend himself again, but no sound came out. Lily looked at him with a victorious grin before turning her gaze to Harry. "Now that, Harry, is how you stop a man in his tracks."
...
After that little conversation, they'd taken to lounging around a little, counting clouds and telling stories. Another hour passed just like that before they returned to the swing and continued their fun.
And as Lily watched her insane husband try and climb the tree to untangle the rope as her little boy stood underneath to attempt to catch his daddy should he fall, she couldn't help but let her smile grow wider and wider.
It was moments like these she cherished, because it was moments like these that made it all worthwhile. And she was certainly glad that she'd been graced with more time to enjoy all that she held close and dear to her.
After all, time is a precious thing.