Milestones: A Potter Family Fan-Fic

Takes a step: You might call it the crown jewel of baby milestones. Perhaps no other moment is met with more anticipation (or camera clicks) than baby's first step on his or her own. But not all babies walk by their first birthday. The normal range is anywhere from 9 to 17 months, with most babies taking at least a few steps by about 13 months.

It was Saturday, everyone in the Potter Household's favorite day. Harry didn't have to work, and Ginny's quidditch reports were due on Friday so no one had to work. James was always his happiest on Saturday because both of his parents were home to play with him. This Saturday the Potters had nothing planned so the parents and their son were just lounging around the house.

Ginny finished changing James' diaper when she heard Harry call her name. She took James in her arms and walked to the living room. "Yes?" Ginny asked. Harry was holding a baby book.

"So I was looking through this book and it says that babies start to walk between the ages of 9 months and 17 months. Has James come close yet?" Ginny sighed.

"Sometimes when he's standing he'll try to walk a little bit but he'll just end up falling. Sometimes when he falls he cries so I don't try to get him to walk a lot."

"It says in the book that we can teach him how to walk. You can stand with him and walk him towards me while holding him. Then it says you let go and let him take a couple steps and he'll fall into my arms. He won't cry."

"Ok." Ginny said hesitantly. "I guess we can try. Do you want to walk Jamie?"

James smiled and clapped. Ginny smiled and set him on the ground. She held his hands up in the air and took a few steps with him. He didn't seem to be unhappy so she kept going. When it seemed he had gotten in a rhythm she let go, but James fell down and started crying. Ginny picked him up and started soothing him.

"Harry!" She said. Harry patted James' head.

"I didn't think he'd fall straight down!" He took James and put him to his chest. Harry then tried doing what Ginny did and James still fell, but Ginny caught and swooped him up and made him fly like a plane before he could notice he fell. This happened multiple times until finally James started actually taking steps.

James walked two steps without Harry's help and then fell forward into Ginny's arms. Ginny looked at James and then at Harry. "He did it! My baby took a step!"

"So was all the effort worth it?" Harry asked as he rubbed Ginny's back.

"Yes it was." she said. She then kissed both of her boys, contemplating her happy day.