Ginny Potter shot a look of concern at her son Albus as she stirred the contents on the stove. He was unusually quiet and staring furtively at her.
"Oatmeal for breakfast, Al? Or would you prefer toast?"
Albus shrugged. "O-meal, please mummy."
Ginny smiled at him, and turned to get the bowls out of the high cupboards. As she did, she glanced at her son, seeing him eyeing her curiously. Well, a certain part of her.
Ginny smoothed a hand over her dress, feeling the baby move under her hand. Her baby bump had really grown in the last month, so much so, she had returned to her midwitch to ensure it definitely wasn't twins.
She came close to Al. "The baby is really kicking this morning. Would you like to feel?"
Al nodded slowly, holding his hand out. Ginny took it and placed it on the side of her ever growing stomach. His eyes widened when he felt the kicks.
"Wow!"
Ginny chuckled as he got off his chair and leaned his face where his hand had been. Seconds later he pulled back in delight, looking up at her.
"It kicked me, Mummy," he said in delight.
Ginny ruffled his hair. "That's your baby brother or sister in there."
Albus looked at her stomach, then at her. "It's a hooman?"
"It would be very weird if not, sweety," quipped Ginny. "Oh, the oatmeal is burning." She turned back to the stove and Albus returned to his seat, thinking hard.
A minute later, Ginny set down a bowl of oatmeal in front of him, and one for herself. It was nice to have a quiet moment together, she thought. James had woken earlier than usual, and Harry had taken him out for a fly to let her have a lie in.
"Mummy?"
"Mmmm?"
"How baby get in there?"
"Oh." Ginny put down her spoon, looking at her second son. "Well, you know mummy and daddy love each other, right?"
Albus nodded.
"Well, daddy and mummy had special cuddles, and daddy used his magic wand and that's how we made a baby."
"Oh." Albus thought about for a minute and nodded. " Okay."
Whew, thought Ginny.
Several minutes later, Harry and James, both flushed from flying, entered the kitchen.
"Gin, love, you didn't need to make breakfast," protested Harry. He leaned over to peck her on the cheek.
"I know my boys," she said, shooting both Harry and James a fond look. "Merlin knows how long you'd be out there if you didn't feel hungry."
James was already tucking into the bowl of oatmeal Harry had dished up for him. "I love flying, mummy."
"He's getting really good," acknowledged Harry.
Needing some attention from his father, Albus blurted out, "I know how da baby got in there," he announced, pointing to Ginny's stomach.
Harry looked startled, but Ginny winked at him, so he relaxed.
James snorted. "I already know, Al. Uncle Ron told me."
This was news to Harry and Ginny. "Go on, then," encouraged Ginny.
"Mummy and daddy went to the pumpkin shop and got some seeds. Daddy put the seeds in mummy's tummy and the baby grows. That's why my hair is orange, like mummy's," he said proudly.
Well now, that made sense too, except... "But my hair is black," said Albus, " like daddy's," he quickly added.
"Well, duh," said James, rolling his eyes, " daddy went at night time for your seeds."
"Oh...okay," said Albus.
Harry and Ginny tried to hold their laughter as the Potter family finished their breakfast. All was well until -
"But how does the baby come out?" asked Albus, confused.
"I know that too," said James, smugly.
"You do?" asked Harry and Ginny, together.
James nodded. "Uncle Ron told me."
"Tell me!" urged Albus.
James leaned in, as though it were a big secret. "Magic."
Harry and Ginny let out a sigh of relief, but they nodded for both Al and James' sake.
"Special magic," agreed Harry, placing his hand over Ginny's and shooting her a loving look.
"Like special cuddles?" clarified Albus.
Harry nearly choked on his oatmeal.
"Yes, Al, just like special cuddles," said Ginny, grinning at her husband.
"With daddy's magic wand?"
Harry spat out his mouthful of oatmeal.
NineYears Later -
" – and that's how babies are made," said Teddy, looking at James, Freddy and Albus' faces.
"No way," said James, screwing up his nose. At 13, he had no time for girls, except for his cousins and his teammates on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. " I'm never doing that with a girl."
"Who are you gonna do it with, then, a boy?" teased Freddy. "A krup? A pygmy puff?" He waved his wand around, making it shoot sparks of all colours. It was one of the novelty children's items from WWW.
"Ew."
Teddy, Freddy and James looked at Albus whose face was all screwed up.
"What is it, Al?" asked James.
"I'm having a flashback to mum and dad explaining to me how Lily got in her stomach. She told me she and dad had special cuddles and dad used his magic wand. All this time I thought she meant his literal magic wand, not..." He couldn't, wouldn't think of his parents doing that
"EW!" chorused James, Teddy and Freddy.
"All right boys?" asked Harry, suddenly appearing in the doorway. They'd snuck upstairs to Teddy's room at the Potters. "Come downstairs, we're about to sing happy birthday to Lily. What are you talking about, anyway?"
The boys exchanged awkward looks. "Nothing, Uncle Harry," said Freddy, turning red and hurrying out.
"Just filling them in on Hogwarts stuff, Harry," assured a confident Teddy, winking at James as he sauntered out of the room.
James and Albus stood, eyeing their father warily. "Well, you coming?" asked Harry.
"I can't even look at you right now, Dad," sniffed James, covering his eyes and hurrying out. "Ouch, damnit," he swore, as he ran into the door jamb.
"What in the world – Albus, care to explain?" asked a bemused Harry, looking at his second son.
Albus shook his head. "Wands," he gasped, scrambling to think of something. "We were talking about wands."
"Wands, hey. I'm particularly fond of mine, we've been through a lot together," mused Harry.
"Yeah, well, I guess mum is fond of it too," snapped Al, and he marched past Harry.
"Well, yeah, I suppose she is," agreed Harry.
"Ugh, Dad!" groaned Albus, " stop, please." He quickly fled the room.
"What did I say?" Harry asked himself, perplexed.
A/N Based on latest artwork from blvnk, and some words are hers. Bless you again, Bianca.
