Mr and Mrs Potter

The sun was just starting to set, when the gates of the Potter mansion swung open. Two people strode up the path. The front door opened spilling out warm, welcoming light out into the cold night air. The pair hurried up the steps and broke through the barrier of cold air into the warmth. The two House elves were waiting for them.

"Mr Potter sir, welcome back." Quen, stood by the open door and bowed.

Mr Potter smiled, "Thank you Quen. Have James, Sirius and their guest arrived?"

"Yes Sir they were here for lunch Sir."

"Do you know where they are?" Mrs Potter asked.

"Up on their floor, most probably Mrs Potter."

Mrs Potter nodded, "Well then, Adam we better go and say hello."

Mr Potter nodded and together the couple made their way towards the spiral staircase and the top floor.

"Jane" Mr Potter grabbed hold of his wife's hand, "Shall we sneak up on them?"

Jane eyes her husband. Even though he was an adult Adam still behaved like a child and it was easy to see where James got his mischievousness and cheekiness from. Jane knew that James would be just the same. In fact Adam hadn't really changed much since she had married him, only the death of his brother had made him lose a bit of his jolliness. His hair was the same colour as James' with several streaks of grey and had the same kind of messy floppiness as well. The two of them looked so alike that some people often thought they were brothers. Jane Potter had dark blond hair with small hints of brown and grey.

Finally she gave in, "Yes all right Adam," she sighed, "you can sneak up if you want."

Adam clapped his hands, "Yes!"

Amy was sitting in James' room with Remus, Sirius and Marigold, when they heard the floor boards creaking outside. Amy's face paled and she backed towards the corner furthest from the door. The other three got up and Sirius marched towards the door.

"Paddy be careful!" Amy squeaked.

Sirius paid no attention to Amy and drew out his wand, Remus followed his example and came up beside him.

"On three!" Sirius muttered. "One. !"

Remus wrenched the door open.

"Expeliarmus!" Sirius and Remus's voices melted with the shout of surprise from the person on the other side of the door. Someone laughed, and the boys lowered their wands. Mr Potter was standing there with his wife clutching onto the window ledge laughing.

"Oh Adam" she cried, "you may be an amazing Auror but Sirius and Remus could bet you any day. Your no match for two Marauders!"

"Mum! Dad!" Amy pushed past Sirius and Remus, and ran into Jane's arms.

Adam laughed, and pulled Sirius into a bear hug, "Ah hows my wonderful adopted son?"

"I'm great Papa Potter."

"Well that's good. Remus! How are you boy? Your looking well, how's er hows everything going?"

"I'm very well thank you Mr Potter, and everything's going good."

Adam nodded and Jane welcomed the boys. Then Sirius introduced Marigold, to them. Mr and Mrs Potter were delighted that Sirius had found a someone he trusted enough to have as a Girlfriend. Adam looked round the room, "Right. Where's James then?"

Lily opened her eyes and tried to sit up, only to find that she couldn't. She glanced down and saw a pair of hands were wrapped round her waist. She turned round as best she could, and saw James was lying behind her fast asleep, his glasses askew. She smiled and brushed a stray lock of hair out his face. James shifted slightly and his eyes started to flutter open.

"Hey," Lily whispered.

"Hey," James smiled up at her, "Did you have a nice sleep?"

Lily nodded, "Yes, what about you?"

"It was all right. What's the time?"

Lily glanced at her watch, "It's about eight."

"Eight! Wow, my parents should be here soon, if they're not already."

"So should we go down?"

"Yeah probably." However James made no move to get up.

"So are we going to go down?"

"Yeah, but not now I can't be bothered."

Lily crossed her arms, "James Potter!"

"Lily Evans!"

"Stop it James." Lily slapped him, and James laughed.

"Come on Lil, my parents wont die if they don't meet you as soon as they come home. Anyway they'll be busy with Sirius, Remus and Goldie, not to mention Amy will be clinging to them like she's a House elf in trouble."

"Don't be mean to your Sister!"

"Its not being mean Lil, its just telling the truth."

"Right." She tried to get up, "James! Take your arms away from around my waist."

James smiled, "Why?"

"Because I want to go down stairs."

"Aww come on Lily, can't we just stay up here for a little longer?"

"NO!"

James sighed and released his grip, Lily stood up, and glared down at him.

"Come on Potter." sighing again, James heaved himself off the sofa and they made their way down stairs. They emerged from the play room just as Adam asked where James was. James placed a finger on his lips and remained in the door.

"James is showing his girlfriend round the garden." Amy answered smiling. "Jami's got a girlfriend!"

"A girlfriend really?" Jane asked, "Well he certainly forgot to mention that in his letters." She looked at Sirius and Remus, both boys were frowning. "I suppose it is true boys? Does James have a girlfriend?"

Sirius shrugged, "Not as far as we know. There is someone who he really likes and, er, you will know who it is. But it looks like they're acting the same as they have been since, er, since" He trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Remus came to his rescue, "James and Lily aren't going out although they both like each other, they're just friends at the moment."

"Lily? Wait Remus do you mean The Lily Evans? The girl James has been in love with since he has been at Hogwarts?"

Remus nodded, "Yep, the one and only."

"Humm okay well you say they went to the garden?" Amy nodded, Adam pushed a hand through his hair. "Well it's much too dark outside now they must have come back and not told you. Oh well I'm up for a game of finding our son, aren't you Jane?"

Mrs Potter nodded, "Jami!" She called starting towards the staircase, "Jami boy! Where are you?"

"Hey Mum." James stepped out from the doorway and Jane screamed.

"JAMES! Merlin how are you? I've missed you!" Mrs Potter enveloped her son in a massive hug, raining kisses on him.

"I've missed you to Mum." James wriggled out of Jane's grasp, only to be caught by his father. Lily stood quietly by the door, watching. Marigold slipped over to her.

"Lily," She hissed, "are you and James going out?"

Lily shook her head, "No. but why does Amy think we are?"

Marigold shrugged, "No idea, in fact I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Mum, Dad." James stepped away from his parents, "This is Lily Evans, she is the Head Girl."

Jane looked Lily up and down, then smiled, "Lily its good to meet you, I'm Jane Potter."

Lily smiled back, "Nice to meet you too Mrs Potter."

Jane tutted, "Its Jane. That goes for you, too." She turned to Marigold. "I will not have my sons friends calling me Mrs Potter, it reminds me too much of work." she shuddered.

Then Mr Potter stepped forwards, "Adam." He held out his hand, which Lily hurriedly took.

"Its, er, nice to meet you?"

Adam nodded, "So are you going out with my son?"

"Dad!" James cried at the same time that Lily shouted "No."

Jane started laughing, "There we go Adam, Lily's not got James, so there is no need to be hostile."

Adam grunted and turned towards the stairs, "Azzie!"

The house elf appeared with a pop! "Yes Mr Potter?"

"Is dinner ready?"

"Yes it is Mr Potter. It can be on the table when ever your ready."

Adam nodded, "Good thank you Azzie, have the table set for ten minutes time please."

The elf nodded and disappeared again. Adam turned towards the teens, "Right so dinner is in ten minutes, which gives me a nice time for a shower and you children to wash your hands and Sirius?"

"Yes Papa Potter?"

"Try not to sit in Amy's seat."

Sirius grinned at Adam, "It depends on what I feel like in ten minutes."

Adam nodded and then departed to the floor below. As soon as he had gone James turned to his mother.

"What up with Dad?"

Jane sighed, "No idea. Maybe it was the job we did today."

"What did you have to do?"

"It was to do with a family, and I think it reminded him of-" She glanced at Amy, "of you know what."

James nodded, "Ah well, Pads, Moony I don't think there has been a better need for the Marauders than this."

Both Sirius and Remus brightened up and the three boy rushed into James' room without a backwards glance, the door slamming shut behind them.

Jane sighed, "Well it looks like the boys are going to get us through the meal today. Now Amy go wash your hands and then come to the living room. Marigold, Lily would you like to join me there? The boys will be totally occupied and won't miss you."

The girls nodded and followed Jane.

Ten minutes later most of the occupants of the house were sitting in the family dining room. The only person missing was Adam. Jane glanced at her sons (adopted and biological) and their friend, and wondered what they could have come up with in the limited amount of time. Adam appeared and sat down, his face sullen. As soon as Adam had sat the house elves apparated into the room with plates of hot food. They waited until all the food was on the table before Jane told them that they could help themselves. There was absolute silence. After a while Adam looked up and a frown appeared on his face.

"Jane, why are you wearing nothing apart from you bra?"

Jane looked at her husband in surprise, "I don't know what you mean Adam. I assure you that I am wearing my clothes."

"No seriously Jane, you are not wearing your clothes."

Jane turned to her son, "James am I wearing my clothes?"

James nodded grinning, "Yep you are Mum, the same thing you've been wearing since you got in."

"See Adam, I think your just tired."

Adam shook his head in disbelief, and was about to return to his meal when he caught sight of Lily and Marigold, and his eyes widened.

"Er Sirius, why are you Girlfriend and her friend wearing bikinis?"

"Sorry Papa Potter? Marigold and Lily are wearing bikinis?" Sirius turned to look wide eyed at Marigold. "Oh they're not, shame I had just got my hoped up."

"Wait are you saying that they're wearing their clothes?"

Sirius nodded, "They are Papa Potter."

"I must be going mad." he muttered.

Lily leaned towards James and whispered, "Why does your dad think I'm wearing a bikini?"

"It's part of the trick, all of us look like we're wearing something else." he whispered back.

Lily nodded and giggled; Sirius was staring at Marigold like a lazy dog, who's favourite toy was just out of reach. Marigold had also noticed that and was teasing him.

"Oi Black." Lily glared at him, "Stop eyeing up my friend like she's your dinner."

There was a moment silence then James, Remus and Jane started laughing. Sirius looked at Lily with wide eyes.

"What am I doing that's so wrong Lily-Petal? Goldie is my Girlfriend so I can look at her in what ever way I like."

"Yes but not when we're eating!"

"Aww you spoil everything for me Lily-Petal." He pouted, then grinned, "Papa Potter, what do you think of James being dressed up as a broomstick?"

Adam turned his head to look at his son, "James, really what-" He stopped and then looked at everyone round the table. Jane was now wearing her silk night dress and it looked like Lily and Marigold were wearing really tight revealing dresses. Amy was dresses up like a dog, and Sirius, Remus and James looked like big sparkly presents. Then he started laughing, he laughed so hard that he fell onto the floor and had tears rolling down his face. The group stared at him and finally he clambered back up, "Oh that was good boys, very good indeed. Fancy me thinking that Jane was down here dressed for bed." He laughed again and Jane reddened slightly.

"Well done boys. You managed to get him back to normal. Adam say a proper hello to Lily now."

Adam turned to Lily, smiling, "Lily Evans its very nice to meet you, sorry about earlier, you look like one of the people we had to help and I had a huge flash back. So I apologise."

Lily nodded, "That's okay Mr Potter, I forgive you."

"It's Adam."

That evening, the Potter house was full of happiness and laughter. Adam, James, Remus and Sirius were the main entertainment. The four of them danced around the room, in the strangest way and then Jane insisted that Lily showed them a Muggle game. Her first thought was Sharrads, but she had to rule that out because none of them would know anything do to. In the end Lily settled for Musical Bumps, and with the singing Holly and Ivy doing the music and Azzie and Quen judging. It was passed midnight by the time they went up stairs, but much later before the Seventh years went to bed. When they finally did go they were all very happy and very tired.