AN/ Hey guys. I am so so sorry it's taken me so long! I had no idea it had been over seven months since I'd updated the story! I was really surprised and shocked when I looked the other day. Anyway, here is finally another chapter. I won't bore you with excuses as I'm sure you're all itching to read what happens. Thank you for sticking with me, even though I've been rubbish at updating. :)
"Lils, I'm bored," James moaned wandering into the living room and throwing himself down on the sofa. Lily looked up from where she was sitting, playing with Harry and smiled sympathetically.
"I know, but Sirius is coming over later. Why don't you go out for a bit? You didn't go out last night."
"Yeah," James sighed, running a hand through his hair, making it stick up even more. "I can't. Dumbledore came by the other night when you were already in bed and wanted the cloak."
"You gave him the cloak?" Lily paused in playing with Harry and James nodded. She pursed her lips. "Why?"
"He wanted to borrow it."
"And you let him," Lily frowned, not really understanding why her husband had given up his only source of escape. Her husband loved his cloak, even more so now that they were in hiding, not to mention that it was a family heirloom as well. "Did he say what he wanted it for?"
"He just wanted to borrow it, but I didn't think it would be this long."
"When did he come?"
"A week ago. I thought he'd only need it for a few days," James threw his head back, forgetting the wall was behind him. "Ow!"
"Careful," Lily made sure Harry was occupied with a toy and then went to sit beside her husband. "Let me look. It's just a bump."
"Great. Now I'll have a headache as well."
"Think of this as a long holiday, James," Lily suggested, curling herself into James' side, but ensuring that she could still watch Harry. "We wouldn't normally get this much time to spend with our baby."
"True," James wrapped his arm around Lily. "I just don't know if I can handle this much longer."
"Play with Harry, clean the house, read books. We can do everything we didn't have time for."
"Yeah. Can't have a big birthday celebration though," James noted, watching as Harry rolled over. He gurgled happily and dropped a toy on his face. James and Lily laughed.
"No but Bathilda will come and so will Sirius. I've already asked him."
"Good," James kissed Lily's head. "Have we got any presents for him yet?"
"I've got a few but he won't remember if he doesn't get loads of presents. He's only one, James."
"Yeah," James smiled. Harry gurgled again, throwing his toy across the floor. "Come here then, Harry."
James lent forwards and lifted Harry up into his arms. He kissed his son's cheek and the baby smiled, reaching out a chubby hand to touch his father's nose. James lent back on the sofa and allowed Harry to crawl around. He smiled watching the baby and realised that he would enjoy spending more time with Harry. Maybe there was some good in being stuck indoors.
"Come on, Harry, say it," James begging his son, lying on the floor beside him. "Say it, Dadda."
The baby only grinned back at his father. At the table, Lily rolled her eyes.
"He's too young surely, James. I think you were imagining it."
"I wasn't. He half said it," James insisted. He crawled up onto his knees and pulled Harry into his arms. "Okay then, Harry. Say Mama. Ma-Ma."
Lily laughed, watching James try and convince the baby to speak. That morning James had announced that Harry had said his first word whilst she was in the shower. While Lily didn't really believe him, she was very happy to watch James argue with a one year old. She shook her head and folded up the letter she'd been reading.
"Padfoot's going to come by tonight. He want's to see Harry on his broomstick. I don't think the picture was enough."
"Course it wasn't," James paused in his attempts to get Harry to speak. "He want's all the fun of chasing after him and making sure he doesn't knock anything down."
"Well we sorted that out," Lily reminded James, remembering the afternoon she'd spent packing away all the ornaments after Harry had broken a vase Petunia had, rather surprisingly, sent them for Christmas the year before. Sirius had give Harry a toy broomstick for his birthday as despite being only a year old, and the broomstick not going very high, Harry was a terror on it. Misty refused to go near the object and if Harry was ever holding it and she was close, she would scamper off to the safety of Lily and James' bedroom. At that moment though, the little cat was curled up next to Lily, sleeping happily.
"Yeah, maybe we could un-pack some of the really horrible pieces though, Lils. I mean no one would mind if that ugly little plate got broken."
"They are staying in the boxes," Lily told James firmly. "besides, I like some of those ornaments. Anyway, Sirius says he'll come round after seven, so I'll cook something for then."
"Oh Harry will be in bed by then," James looked disappointed but then shrugged. "At least he's definitely coming round. It's been ages since we saw him."
"Yep," Lily nodded. She watched James thoughtfully for a second before she spoke. "Don't be too harsh about him not making it for Harry's birthday."
"I won't," James promised. He turned his attention back to Harry. "Okay, Harry it's easy. Listen. M-A-M-A. Can you do that? M-A-M-A."
James looked at his son expectedly but Harry still didn't answer. James sighed but didn't give up. He worked at it until Harry got bored with the 'Daddy making sounds' game struggled to get away. James allowed him to crawl away and Harry immediately set off in the direction of the broom.
"Broom alert," James called softly to Lily. She glanced up from the book she was reading and nodded.
"Well, you're chasing him. He never goes after it when I play with him."
"Fine," James tried to sound annoyed but he couldn't hide his smile. By this time Harry had reached the broom. He picked it up and waved it in the air, almost hitting himself in the head.
"Come on then," James held his arms out. "Come back over here and you can go on it."
Harry just waved the broom again, definitely staying exactly where he was.
"Come on," James coxed again, waving a toy at his son this time. "Come back to Dadda and you'll go on it."
Harry frowned at his father and turned to look at Lily. His frown deepened when he saw that Lily wasn't watching them. Harry screwed up his face but then relaxed his features. He waved the broom for a third time.
"Mama!"
Lily dropped her book in shock. Her eyes flew over to her son who was now smiling at her. Lily glanced at James and saw that he also looked surprised. It was clear that even though James thought he'd heard Harry speak that morning, he hadn't really been expecting it to happen again.
"Mama!" Harry demanded again when no one moved. He held out the broom and Lily nodded.
"Yeah, you can go on it," She stayed where she was for a moment and then got to her feet. She went over to Harry and gathered him up in her arms. "You're such a clever boy!"
"Told you he spoke this morning," James boasted, also getting to his feet. He kissed Harry's head.
"Of course he did, but I wasn't there," Lily grinned, cuddling Harry again. "He said my name first, James. That means he likes me better."
"He said 'Dadda' this morning, but he doesn't like doing it when he's got an audience."
"Course not. Didn't realise our son was so shy," Lily laughed. She looked at Harry again and then threw him gently into the air. Harry squealed as she caught him. "Such a clever boy, Harry!"
"Sirius is going to be annoyed," James smiled as Lily continued to throw Harry, gently into the air. "He wanted Harry's first word to be Padfoot."
"That is way too long to be his first word. Dog might have been better."
James laughed, "Yeah, ah well. Mama is his second word."
"Officially it's his first," Lily argued back, still smiling. James only rolled his eyes; this would be a discussion they would have for years. Even when Harry was grown-up James could imagine him and Lily still fighting over who's name he had said first. Harry probably wouldn't even remember it and would think they were being silly. The thought made James smile even more. Noticing, Lily moved closer.
"What is it?" she asked softly, staring lovingly up at James.
"Nothing," James replied. He bent down and gave her a kiss. "Just thinking."
"About what?"
"The future."
"Well we still have luck on our side," Lily smiled at him.
"That we do," James nodded. He still believed that despite their situation. They may be in hiding and unable to work but they were together as a family. He had Lily and they both had Harry. It may be quiet and boring but they were safe and hidden. In a time of darkness, both he and Lily had light and they were lucky to have it.
Lily finally set Harry down and helped him onto his broom. Even though she'd said earlier that James would have to chase after Harry, Lily took over the job. Harry squealed with delight as he flew around on the broom, dodging chairs and tables. With all the squealing and laughing, Misty woke up. She let out a terrified yowl but James grabbed her before she could escape upstairs. The cat struggled for a few moments but then realised she was safely above the height of the broom in James' arms, and started purring as James stroked her.
Yeah, James thought, laughing as Lily had to jump to the side to avoid being hit by Harry, their luck would definitely last forever.
AN/ Hey guys. I hoped you all enjoyed that chapter. It is going to be the last one in the story bar an epilogue which I should have uploaded straight after this chapter. I know some of you might think it's a very quick ending to the story, but I didn't want to drag out their time in hiding. I also couldn't think of any interesting chapters to write and I didn't want to bore you all. :)
