"I still wish we were able to go out and celebrate All Hallows' Eve properly," muttered the young black-haired man.
"We all do, James." A redhead patted his back. "We all do."
"I mean it's Harry's first proper holiday, him being a year old and all."
"C'mon Prongs, we're here, we're celebrating here. Stop acting like this is a funeral when it's s'posed to be a party!" This came from a tall man in a pirate costume.
"I know, Padfoot, it's just..."
"Oh, stop whining, would ye?"
"Padfoot's right, you know. We should make sure Harry remembers his first proper holiday, he won't remember it like this. Look, we're all here, what else do we really need? We can make this the biggest party ever. Also if you tell me that I put this stupid costume on for nothing I will bite you."
"Remus!" cried the only woman in the room. "Don't even joke about this! And I love your costume by the way. Very demonic."
"Thanks Lily. That's what I was going for," grinned Remus and his fake vampire teeth almost fell out of his mouth.
"What d'ye think of m'costume, Mrs. Potter?"
"I love it too, of course. I love all of your costumes, Sirius. Except for James's." She winked at Padfoot and turned to her husband.
"What's wrong with my costume?" asked James in confusion.
"For one you haven't put it on yet." Everybody started laughing.
"I'm such an idiot! Why haven't you told me before, Daffodil?"
"It was fun," admitted Lily. "Also I had no idea you were unaware of the fact that you have no costume on, especially when your costume is a full body armour and a broadsword."
"And now you ruined the surprise." James left the room to change.
"What's with you, Wormtail? You've been awfully quiet."
"You could say I've been quiet as a mouse," winked the man in the corner. "It's just so great that we can be here tonight and just forget for one night that... I'm ruining it aren't I?"
"No. We all think about it, we just pretend we don't. It's great to almost forget for one night," said Remus.
"Y'know when Prongs comes dressed as a knight we can play a theatre. He can try save princess Peter here who was kidnapped by a merciless pirate me and a demonic vampire ye and I actually have no idea what yer costume is, Lily."
"Peter Pan."
"Come again?"
"Peter Pan. Come on guys, that book was first on the list."
What li- Ah! The list of stuff by muggles we should know. Yeah, I know what list."
"You didn't read any of it? Watch any of it?"
"Well... Sorta not yet."
"Remus?"
"Don't look at me, Lily. I'm a busy man. And I forgot."
"Oh, you're right. It is first on the list." Peter was holding a piece of paper in his hands. "Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Disney, Mary Poppins..."
"Y'have that list here? Where did ye pull it from? D'ye have pockets on that gown of yers?" Sirius sounded curious.
"Well... no, no pockets." Peter turned bright red. "But there are places you can hide stuff."
"Get a hold of yourself, Sirius. Men have pockets, women are resourceful. Don't act so surprised."
"Sorry, just wanted to know... Y'know, no pockets and stuff. How can ye live like that?"
"You'll get used to it."
A clattering noise echoed through the house. And again. And again. Lily looked up to the ceiling and then to the crib with her baby inside.
"He's gonna wake him," she whispered and then a realization hit her. "The stairs!" But it was too late because a noise only someone dressed in full body armour falling down the stairs can make shook the whole house and possibly the whole town. Harry immediately started crying.
"Seriously, I don't know why we bothered with Fidelius charm when James just made the loudest noise anyone can ever make."
"Don't worry, Lily. There are protections on this house, nobody outside could have heard a thing. Not sure about the earthquake James started though." Remus smiled reassuringly at Lily who was now at the crib comforting little Harry.
"You have to see this, this is the most funny thing I have ever seen." Peter's voice came from the hallway together with the unmistakable barking laughter that belonged to Sirius. Remus and Lily looked at each other, rolled their eyes at the same time and stepped into the hallway. James was lying at the bottom of the stairs, on of his legs propped on the rail, the other ended in a hole in the bottom stair. In one hand he held a huge sword that somehow ended up stuck in the wall and with the other hand he was trying to open the visor of his helmet that got damaged by his fall.
"Are you alright, James?" asked Lily worriedly.
"Never been better m'lady," came James's muffled voice from the helmet. That's when Lily lost it and forgetting Hary for a moment started laughing so hard she had to lean against the wall. Harry who still had tears on his face from the crying and abrupt awakening looked curiously at his mother with his big green eyes and after a moment's cosideration laughed too.
"Nobody's going to help me, I guess." James let go of the sword and was now trying to pull his leg out of the stair.
"Ye. Guess. Right," managed Sirius who was on the floor and gasping for air. Peter was wiping away tears of laughter and Remus was holding his belly and laughing laudly.
"Does anyone has a camera?" aksed Peter.
"It's upstairs," Lily answered which only made everyone laughed more.
"Hahaha. Real funny. Get me out of here. Please," begged James. It took them a while to stop laughing or at least mostly stop laughing so they were able to help James. Lily went back to their living room with now happy Harry and the boys started pulling James from the stairs and out of his armour.
"Where did ye get this thing anyway?"
"You wouldn't believe it."
"Try us."
"Actually, it's from Hogwarts."
"You did not!" Remus was shocked.
"Piece by piece," nodded James. "Took me two years."
"Y'never told us." Sirius sounded hurt.
"Wanted to surprise you."
"You know how much trouble this could have gotten you into?"
"I know," James grinned as the breastplate was lifted from him.
"I wish I had this idea. Um, Padfoot, you're stepping on my dress."
"M'apologies, Wormtail. And we all wish we had this idea. There ye go, ye should be able to get yer leg down now."
"Merlin's beard would you just stop with this fake pirate accent, it's annoying."
"Aye, aye, captain Moony. Actually aye, annoying. And nah, I won't stop. Annoying ye's m'favourite."
"How are you doing?" Lily peeked into the hallway.
"Almost free, Sunflower," announced James, his one leg still stuck in the stair.
"Good to hear. Harry's awake now, so I'll get him ready and I'll bring out the cake then."
"Lovely."
"Little Harry's gonna have a costume too?" asked Padfoot as Lily disappeared into the living room again.
"Yes. Lils made samothing for him, but she wouldn't tell me what. Merlin's beard, what is wrong with this stair?"
"Maybe you should pull harder," suggested Remus.
"Don't even go there." James's cheeks were flushed with effort, but his leg would not move.
"If women can push a baby out of their body, you can push your leg out of that stair."
"Thanks for the support, Pete. Any encouraging words from you, Pads?"
"Nah, not really. I'm just enjoying the show."
Finally with a loud crack James's leg was free. Those few scratches that he had there were healed instantly and Prongs was finally able to stand up.
"Can you tell me how is it possible that you came up with a way to steal an armour from Hogwarts, but didn't stop to think that it would be difficult as hell to walk in it, let alone walk down the stairs in it?"
"Dunno. Knights fought in this and all that."
"Incredible," proclaimed Peter.
"Guys? You ready?" called Lily from the living room.
"On our way, Tulip."
When they entered the living room, Lily was standing there with Harry in her arms. He was dressed in something green and quite sparkly with a little plastic wand which was letting out sparkles in his hand.
"Did you make him Tinker Bell?" asked James incredulously. "Did you make our son a fairy? That's so cute!"
The other three Marauders looked at each other helplessly.
"He's a what?" asked Sirius finally.
"You haven't read Peter Pan? But that was the first thing on Lily's list and she gave you that a long time ago."
"Wow, ye almost made me feel guilty. ye'll be such a great father, Jimmy."
"You think so?"
"I never doubted ye. So yer son is all sparkly and cute. Can we get the cake now?"
"Harry looks lovely," added Remus who noticed Lily's glare.
"You know what?" asked James. "Sit here, Poppy. I'll get the cake."
"Thanks deer."
"Aw, you two are just so cute together."
"You finally said a normal sentence, Padfoot," said Remus happily.
"Damn! But no worry, yer pirate's back."
"No, no, no, you can't."
"Aye. I can and I will."
Their starting argument was interrupted by James who was bringing in the cake. It was shaped like a huge pumpkin and Lily charmed it so it's eyes and mouth glowed as if the inside was on fire. James set the cake on the table and with a wave of a wand dimmed the lights in the room so now the only source of light was the pumpkin cake. It was all pretty dramatic. At least until little Harry laughed and clapped his hands.
"He loves the cake!" James exclaimed and waved his wand again. A couple of bats appeared near the ceiling. "You know what? This is the best Halloween I could wish for. I know I wanted to take little Harry trick-or-treating, but I just realized this is better. Celebrating with my best friends, my beautiful flower, my little boy. And the perfect cake. I really hope Harry remembers this." James finished and looked at the others, who all suddenly seemed moved by his speech. Sirius was the one to break the silence as he cleared his throat, "Ay Prongs, this is s'posed to be a party, stop with yer sentimental speeches and cut the cake."