I must have originally started this story two years ago before I went nuts with writing one-shots. Anywho, I finally got around to finishing it. I hope you enjoy. Please, please review if you find the time. And I apologize if there are any errors in canon, grammar, spelling etc.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The credit belongs to the amazing J.K. Rowling.
Coming to Dinner
"James, please get the door," Lily called from the kitchen. "I have to watch this pot."
"Sure," James put down the latest issue of the Daily Prophet and walked to the door. He turned the knob and pulled the door open. Standing outside was James Potter's best friend, Sirius Black. In his left arm he carried a box of Honeyduke's fudge.
"Hey there, Prongs," he smirked. "It's bloody freezing out here. Are you gonna let me in?" James smiled and opened up the door. "Nice place. Nice place," Sirius surveyed the room leaving the fudge on the dining room table. Lily came out of the kitchen.
"Sirius," Lily outstretched her arms for a hug.
"Lils," he hugged her also kissing her cheek. "I brought some fudge."
"Oh good," she answered grabbing the box. "Oh Merlin Sirius you couldn't even tuck your shirt in?" she eyed his wrinkled, completely untucked shirt.
"I wasn't told this was a formal event," Sirius argued stuffing the front of this shirt untidily into his jeans. The doorbell rang again. James went to answer it while Sirius waltzed into the kitchen.
"Moony," James opened the door. He could hear Lily scolding Sirius for tasting her soup before it was finished. Remus smiled and offered a bottle of wine. He also came in leaving his coat neatly folded on the couch unlike Sirius's which was tossed in the corner behind the door. "You alright Moony?" James noticed Remus' sickly appearance.
"Yeah, fine," Mooney answered as he always did even when things weren't fine.
"C'mon Prongs you know Moony always looks like he's been hit by a bus," Sirius came out of the kitchen munching on an apple.
"Sirius," Lily slapped him for his comment, "and where did you even get this," she yanked the apple out of his mouth careful not to touch the bitten portion. "Get your hands out of my kitchen. Haven't we taught you that we don't touch things that aren't ours?" she handed him back the apple which he refused to accept any other way, but by his mouth. "Hello Remus," she focused her attention to Remus and hugged him.
"Hello Lily. How are you?"
"Oh I'm good. You?"
"Fine."
"You find a job yet Moony?" Sirius finished the last bite of his apple until only the core was left. "Well…another job," Sirius was asking about a job that wasn't secret such as Remus' involvement or "job" in the Order of the Phoenix.
"No. I'm obligated to tell them about…me… and they always turn me down."
"Use it to your advantage," Sirius answered. "Threaten to howl at the customers or something."
"Sirius could you please set the table?" Lily handed him four dishes in attempt to stop his teasing Remus.
"Me? Why not him?" he looked at Remus.
"Because he's not being annoying," Lily answered disappearing back into the kitchen.
"So how are our favorite newlyweds?" Sirius asked as he placed each plate on a napkin.
"Good," Lily and James answered in unison.
"The married life been treating you alright?"
"Yes," Lily answered handing Sirius a handful of forks, knives, and spoons. Sirius rolled his eyes accepting them. He tried to pass them off to Remus, but Remus refused keeping his arms folded.
"This doesn't mean we're stopping our midni….wait where's Wormtail?" Sirius had just noticed that Peter was not anywhere in sight.
"He's not coming," Lily brought out a steaming pot. "Has something else to do."
"What could be more important than these two blokes and I, as well as you of course?" Sirius asked.
"Don't know. He owled us this morning."
"It always seems like he's got other things to do," Remus added.
"Maybe he's finally got a girl," Sirius laughed. "About time. Probably afraid I'll steal her if he brings her around. I can't help it of course, these looks are a curse you know," he smirked. "Moony have you found yourself one yet?" Remus just stared at him.
"Oh Sirius leave him alone," Lily ordered. "Just because he doesn't go after every girl in sight…"
"Like I said I can't help it," Sirius smirked again adding a conceited flip of his hair. "I was born this way. "I just wake up like this unlike this one," he turned his thumb towards James, "who probably spends more time on his hair then you do." He was referring on James's constant messing up his hair. James subconsciously gave his hair a quick rub retuning it to its original windswept mess. "That's right mate, mess it up even more," Sirius chuckled. "Well at least someone finds it attractive," he nodded towards Lily as she placed a steaming tray of beef casserole on the table. James walked over to her and kissed her cheek. "Yeah, way to show off," Sirius sat himself at the table.
"Well if you're so good looking, I'm sure you could find a number of girls who would be willing to kiss you," Lily stated.
"Well that's my problem, Lily dear. There's too many. I could have one kiss me, but she'd probably be angry if I let another kiss me. I'm not a one woman man. I can't be hogged by just one woman."
"Go get the drinks you git" Lily scoffed. Sirius was always so full of himself.
The dinner conversation started out with Sirius' inability to settle down. Then the subject quickly changed to the discussion of the upcoming wedding of Frank and Alice Longbottom, two of the group's close friends, who were also in the Order. The conversation then carried to Order business, which Lily quickly dismissed saying it was not acceptable for cheerful dinner conversation. Other topics such as Quidditch, Lily's soup, and Sirius' annoying neighbor were tossed around the table. The topic concerning Sirius neighbor was more of a debate. Lily argued she was probably a very pleasant elderly woman who, like people in functional society, found Sirius a bit much to handle. Sirius argued that she was batty old hermit whose only pleasure in life was nagging him or getting him into trouble with the landlord.
Dinner did not last much longer. James and Sirius always ate incredibly fast and Remus, being the quiet one, took time to eat as Sirius argued. "Do you need any help clearing, Lily?" Remus asked rising from his chair.
"No, no," Lily smiled flicking her wand towards the empty plates. They rose and zoomed into the kitchen. "You all catch up. I'll get the dessert—chocolate éclairs and your fudge, Sirius, if you don't mind."
"'Course I don't." As Lily cleaned the kitchen and prepared the éclairs and fudge in a nice presentation, which of course had to look perfect, Lily stole glances of the three men, who would always been silly Gryffindor boys, laughing at the table. It was just the days at Hogwarts when she would see them at breakfast or dinner, when they weren't in trouble or gallivanting around the school—just the three of them, plus Peter, all laughing about something which no one else understood calling each other by their ridiculous nicknames. Lily brought in the tray of éclairs first. As she sat it on the table she caught wind of the conversation taking place at the table.
"Now here's what we should do." Lily watched Sirius who seemed to be mapping out something using his wand, fork, and a napkin. "It's got to be in one of the drawers so all we have to do is…" Lily knew exactly what they were talking about.
"No!" she demanded. "You are not breaking into Filch's office to steal that bloody map!" The most prize possession of the Marauders, the Maruader's Map, had accidently been left in the Gryffindor common room at the end of the Marauders seventh year and now they were sure Filch was in possession of it.
"Prongs!" Sirius gasped throwing his hand to his chest. "She knows about the map. Are there no secrets anymore?"
"You're ridiculous," Lily continued. "Still living in seventh year. Honestly I can't believe the baby's going to be born into this nonsen…" her voice trailed off as she retreated to the kitchen to grab Sirius' fudge. Sirius' ears hung on every word she said. He turned to her as she placed the fudge of the table.
"What did you say, Lily?" Lily smiled. She looked to James for approval to share their secret. He nodded his head.
"I said I can't believe the baby's going to be born into this," she stated again this time obviously focusing more emphasis on the word baby then her anger towards their immaturity. James walked to her side arm around her back. It took Remus and Sirius a few moments to process the information before the understood.
"Well, Merlin, I can't believe it," he slapped James's back. "Congratulations, Prongs!"
"Thanks mate," James returned the action.
"Congratulations, Lily," Remus kissed her on the cheek. "A boy or girl?"
"A boy," she answered.
"So do we have any names?" Sirius resumed his seat at the table. Lily, James, and Remus joined him. "Going to be named after you?" he smirked at James. James shook his head.
"No," Lily laughed. "His middle name will be James. We've already decided that." "We're thinking…" she was cut off by Sirius.
"Sirius," he stated. "Naming him after me, oh Lily I'm touched. Sorry Remus, but we must admit I've got the better name." Lily rolled her eyes.
"We were thinking of Harry," she continued.
"Not short for Harold?" Sirius gave them a look of disgust.
"No," Lily answered, "Just Harry—nice and simple."
"Hmm…Just Harry James Potter," Sirius laughed at his own joke. "Bet you anything he gets your eyes Lils."
"Let's hope anyway," Remus added. Lily had stunning green eyes. It was no secret. Everyone told her so. Remus had always been particularly fond of them.
"Thanks Moony, me and my not-up-to-par eyes, appreciate that," James acted hurt. James eyes were hazel.
"Well we know it would just be better if he looked mostly like Lily. He'd be far more attractive," Sirius hit James playfully on the back.
"Maybe he'll get your hair," Remus remarked. "You can teach him how to make windswept."
"Oh let's hope it's not as messy," Lily replied. "That will drive me up the wall." Everyone laughed. In a moment of silence, Sirius took the opportunity to ask a question that he had often wondered when thinking of the possibility of James and Lily having a child.
"So," he began trying to find the right words, "in the unfortunate case you've had enough of him and you need to give him off to someone—who's the godfather?" Lily took a few moments before answering enjoying Sirius's childlike expression of anxiousness.
"You, Sirius, you will be," she sighed. The biggest smile erupted on Sirius' face. "How about that? I'm a godfather. Never thought I'd see the day."
"Never thought anyone would be daft enough to entrust you with a child," Lily added glancing at James. Obviously it was his idea. "Of course Remus will be the godfather for our next child," Remus smiled warmly. He was one James and Lily's best friends, but Sirius and James would always have that friendship that was stronger than anything. "And then, Peter I suppose if he ever comes around again."
"Now, now Lily, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Sirius interjected. "Why don't we focus on my godson before we go on thinking about the others? Who's the godmother?"
"Well, I don't think he'll have one now," Lily answered sullenly. "We aren't close with very many women. Maybe Alice or Molly," her voice trailed off. James grabbed her hand for comfort. She had never gotten over her and her sister, Petunia's, severed relationship. Not comfortable with sadness himself, Sirius offered a quick solution. "Well then Remus can take that position."
"Remus?" Lily questioned stifling a laugh.
"Why not?" Sirius looked at Remus, "He's reliable, and let's face it he has a much better figure for a dress than Peter." Remus rolled his eyes. "It was a compliment," Sirius defended himself. He flicked his hands summoning three glasses of wine, for James, Remus and himself, and one glass of water for Lily. "Can you imagine?" he took a swig of wine, "a little Marauder—our protégé. He'll be sneaking down to kitchens for midnight snacks before he can levitate a feather. Now, of course, he'll be making the Gryffindor Quidditch team."
"Well we don't know he'll be sorted into Gryffindor," Lily stated. "What about Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff?" Slytherin was not an option.
"Lily, please," Sirius scoffed. "He's a Gryffindor. I already know it."
"He'll have your wit," Remus complimented Lily.
"Why thank you Remus," she smiled. "I certainly hope he'll do well at school."
"Yes, yes and he'll be prefect and head boy and everyone's favorite student right Prongs," Sirius laughed.
"Of course," James answered. "I mean, I was head boy," he said pretending to be proud.
"I still think someone slipped something into Dumbledore's pumpkin juice," Remus mumbled while sipping his wine.
"Couldn't agree with you more," Lily replied.
"It would be good if he got your Quidditch talent," Remus informed James.
"Yeah," Sirius agreed, "I'll bet he makes the team his first year."
"Even though that hasn't happened in what…ninety years?" Remus stated. Sirius was getting a little ahead of himself.
"Well he has got my talent running through his veins," James took the last drink of his wine then stood up taking everyone's glasses into the kitchen.
"Honestly," Lily sighed. "Is that all you boys think of—Quidditch?"
"Well really Lily, what else did we do with our school years?" Sirius questioned. "You wouldn't let us talk about the map. Speaking of which," he leaned closer to Remus whispering, "We'll have to make sure he gets that. A starting-school gift from his two favorite uncles."
"I heard that," Lily informed them. "And maybe he'll do something positive like Remus and actually learn something. Remus you always were one of the brightest in Defense Against the Dark Arts. But, I suppose there's no getting around the fact, that he will be like you in some respects," she admitted defeated to James and Sirius.
"That's the spirit Lily," James smiled kissing her again.
"That's right! Accepting this 'toe rag'" Sirius alluded to a comment Lily made about James in fifth year, "means accepting both of us, well me, I know you've always loved Remus more, and whatever consequences—including the behavior of your children."
"Thank you for spelling it out so clearly for me, Sirius," Lily, though she always found Sirius to be somewhat of a git, couldn't help, but laugh.
The living room clock echoed nine chimes through the hall. "Nine o'clock, damn I'm supposed to be meeting…" Sirius stopped himself. "I should let you two get back to happy married life," he got up from the table. "Keep the fudge Prongs, dear," he hugged him. "Moony, I'll be seeing you more often than not," he also hugged Remus. "And Lily," he hugged her. "It's been a pleasure. Thank you for dinner. It was perfect as always."
"I should be leaving soon too," Remus shook James's hand. James pulled him in for a quick hug. "Thank you very much Lily," he slipped on his coat before hugging Lily.
"Anytime, Remus. Remember, if you ever need anything, we're always here," she whispered sweetly to him staring directly into his eyes. She always was sympathetic towards Remus. Besides the Marauders and Severus Snape, she was the only student while they were at Hogwarts who knew of Remus' condition and always treated him the kindest way possible.
"Oh sure, be there for him," Sirius joked. Her whisper obviously wasn't as quiet as she thought or it very well could have been. Sirius had hearing like a dog. "There's never any love for me," he waved goodbye as he walked a few paces down the road.
"That's because you're a git," Lily called playfully out the door. Remus exited next giving a quick nod of his head and a smile before disapparating.
"He'll be a good boy, you know," James wrapped his arm around Lily rubbing her arms to keep her warm from the chilly outside air. "Despite his genes working against him."
"I know," Lily smiled. "He'll be wonderful."