For Mags, a VoldemortNeverExisted!AU centered around the grown up Marauders
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birth- fuck!"
"Watch your language!" Lily glared at her husband, her green eyes narrowing into thin slits as she pretended to be angry... she wasn't capable of such feeling on her son's fifth birthday. "Harry is at a very impressionable age right now!"
"Sorry." James sucked his burnt thumb and gave his son a knowing smirk. "Next time, I'll say 'farts' instead."
Harry giggled at his father and climbed into his birthday chair at the head of the table. It was decorated with streamers and moving balloons that would make noise whenever they were touched. Harry especially enjoyed poking the elephant one and trumpeting back at it.
"Make a wish, Harry," Lily whispered.
Harry leaned back and with force sucked in his breath until his chest was inflated like the balloon next to him. He let it go, spitting all over the cake. All four of the Marauders laughed as Lily wiped Harry's face with a napkin.
Sirius clapped Harry on the back. "That's all right. You'll get it next time."
Lily held her son back from the table as all five of the candles exploded into little sparks. The sparks lingered to form a luminous "Harry," one candle for each letter before disappearing in a puff of purple smoke. Harry hopped up and down in his chair, his birthday hat flopping along with him. "That was great!"
Remus ruffled Harry's hair, smiling fondly. No matter how much Lily charmed and combed it, it still looked like an unruly mop. It could probably hold snacks in its tangles if it were any longer.
"And now," said Peter, "the moment you've been waiting for: the presents!"
"Oh, we were supposed to open presents first!" said Lily.
Sirius laughed. "Never mind. We never did things in order, anyway. Remember that time James went to Hogwarts first, and then boarded the Hogwarts Express, then stole a certain animal from a certain lake?"
"Can't recall it," James said, looking much too innocent with his wide eyes.
Peter pushed his box towards little Harry with a smile. "Open it!"
Harry pressed a slobbery kiss to Peter's forehead as a thank you gift and began to unwrap the mystery. The five watched Harry open his presents, healing paper cuts that happened along the way and clearing the table of cake when Harry's elbows ventured too close.
And when Harry got tired of cake and candy and presents, they all carried (rather, Sirius carried, and the other four followed) Harry up to his bed for his afternoon nap. The child grasped at his new toys, the plush mouse, the rabbit foot, the record of classical music (bestowed to increase brain activity, because "Merlin knows he's going to need it if he has your genes, James."), the golden book of fairy tales, the music box.
"Shh," Lily hushed. "You're safe."
It was a peculiar sight, all of them trying to fit into one narrow staircase in the little home that they had managed. But that momentary hilarity was forgotten when Sirius laid Harry on the bed and smoothed away his hair, when Remus pulled up the covers, when Peter turned off the light, when the parents gave Harry two tiny kisses.
