A/N: This was prompted by all the reviewers of Mother of Eight, as well as reading a couple of stories about the father-son relationship between Arthur and Harry. I did take a few liberties with the time-line since all we know about Molly's brothers is that they were in the original Order and were killed during Voldemort's first rise to power. Please give me any any feedback, especially constructive! Enjoy!
Arthur was never one for effusive greetings and emotional outbursts. That was Molly's job and, bless her, she was quite renowned for it. Arthur's emotions, although just as deep, were much quieter, subtler. People tended to forget that Arthur was ever bit as much of a Gryffindor as his wife and he lived and loved passionately because of it.
The first time Arthur met Harry wasn't when the boy was 12 years old. It was actually when he was less than one. Molly's irascible twin brothers had insisted on throwing a party for 27th birthday. They invited Molly and Arthur, as well as many of their Auror friends, including their trainees James Potter and Sirius Black. Sirius had brought a date, a pretty witch whom he proceeded to ignore all night as he doted on his godson whom James and Lily had brought with them. Arthur's own children had been left at home with a sitter except for 5 month old Ron who was asleep in the guest room.
Arthur was wondering the party chuckling at the odd assortment of people his brothers-in-law knew when Molly approached him with a babe in her arms. Assuming it was their Ron, Arthur had a bit of a shock when he caught sight of the crop of black hair coming from the tot. Seeing his look, Molly chuckled a little. "Arthur, this is James and Lily Potter's son, Harry. Ronnie's still asleep." She gently rocked the baby in her arms and explained, "James is Fabian's trainee. Lily and I were talking but she had to use the loo, so I offered to hold Harry for a while."
Arthur smiled. "Couldn't wait to get your hands on another babe, Mollywobbles?"
With a mock glare over the pet name, Molly sighed. "They are just so beautiful at this age."
"Much quieter too." Arthur agreed with a wince, thinking of their own twin hellions who were no doubt already planning some sort of 3-year old retribution for being left with the dreaded sitter for the night. Molly chuckled, seemingly thinking of the twins as well.
Suddenly Molly's head went up and she stared over Arthur's shoulder for a moment before her mouth set and her eyes narrowed. She suddenly thrust the baby into Arthur's arms and marched off muttering something about "those twins!"
Not quite sure which pair of twins had done something to incur his beautiful wife's fiery temper, Arthur stared after her for a moment before deciding to give her a little while to cool down before investigating. Then he looked down at the lad in his arms. He was surprised to see Harry was no longer sleeping but instead was staring up at his with large emerald-green eyes. "Hello lad." Arthur greeted gravely. "Seems it's just you and I for a moment." Harry stared back at his fir a moment before his small pudgy hand reached out and tried to grasp Arthur's bright hair. It landed on his cheek instead and Arthur couldn't help but smile at the look of frustration that crossed Harry's little face. "It's alright little man, you'll be able to reach soon enough." He reassured as he rocked Harry gently.
All too soon the calm was broken by Molly stalking over, towing Fred and George by the ears. "Look who snuck out Arthur."
Lily Potter had arrived in the chaos to reclaim her son as the Weasley's had taken their leave of the party and taken their wayward sons home to their punishment, and not two weeks later, Gideon and Fabian were killed in a fight with the death eaters. Arthur's moment with little Harry Potter was quite forgotten until the morning of November 1st 1981 when the Wizarding World found out that the little boy had vanquished You-Know-Who. Arthur was reminded of the sweet little green-eyed boy he had held in his arms as he sat at the breakfast table looking at his family who were now safe because of little Harry Potter. As Arthur raised his glass and proposed a toast, "to Harry Potter", he somehow knew that the moment they had shared at that party wouldn't be the last.
