Chapter 21:Dogfather

Calamity quit St. Mungo's and joined the Order, though her work was mostly reactive: making sure that the members coming back from battle were well cared for and the sort. Sirius preferred this. He didn't know how James could manage worrying about Lily and fighting at the same time. James said he never worried about Lily, but Sirius knew that if anything happened to her James would be a mess. Still, 1980 arrived and with it came a pregnancy for Lily and James. Naturally, Calamity assisted in the prenatal care, as well as the delivery.

Sirius, Remus, and Peter were waiting with James as the labor went on- Lily having thrown a vase to make them leave the room. James sat down, tapping his foot, then jumped up and paced the room, then sat down again. He heard Lily give a cry of pain, then lept towards the door.

"Don't do it Prongs," Remus called.
James stuck his head in and closed the door quickly. Sirius heard the sound of a hex hitting the wall.
"Almsot got me with a Bat Bogey Hex," James said with a half grin. "Takes me back to third year when you made Snivellus' boil potion overheat and it exploded."
"Good times," Sirius said with a smirk.
There was another cry of pain, this one with a few well chosen cuss words.
""She's in good hands," Peter reminded James.
"Right, right."

They sat in silence for a moment.
"Can't believe you'll be a dad, Prongs," Sirius said. He looked at his worried friend.
"Me either," James said. "Merlin, what am I going to do?"
"You'll be great," Remus said.
Peter nodded enthusiastically.
"But bringing a kid into the world in the middle of a war? You and Calamity have the right idea, waiting and all," James said.
Lily gave another cry and Peter flinched, scratching his left forearm nervously.

"I'm starting to think that you and Lily had a better idea," Sirius said.
James and Remus turned to Sirius, only Peter seemed oblivious to his tone as he gave another flinch.
"What do you mean, Padfoot," asked Remus.
"I thought it was better to wait, but, watching you and Lily it seems to work so well for you," Sirius said, running his hand through his hair in a Potter-esque sort of way. "After Bellatrix kidnapped Calamity, I couldn't stop thinking about what I would do if something happened to her. Now she's in the Order so she and I are always in danger. What if she dies and I'm left here just thinking of what could have been... FOR MERLINSAKE PETER IF YOU CAN'T TAKE THE NOISE JUST GO!"

Remus and James jumped at the sudden change in volume, turning again to Peter who was beet red, though he flinched again. He was grasping his left forearm for support.
"Wormtail," Remus said gently. "It's true, if you need to go you can."
Peter glanced at James for confirmation.
"Yeah, Peter, it's alright. I'll see you at the meeting next week."
Peter nodded vigorously and scampered from the room. The wincing friend gone, Remus and James turned back to Sirius.

"Are you saying you want to get married," asked James.
Sirius glanced between the two.
"Uncle Alfred had a family ring he gave me with all the money," he said slowly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver box, the Black family crest carved on the top. He opened it to reveal a golden ring with intricate designs around the edge, a ruby in the middle.
"Padfoot," James said mouth hanging open. "Does Calamity have any idea?"
"I've just... been carrying it around," Sirius said sheepishly. "Waiting for the right moment."
"Padfoot, you gotta-" James began but he stopped.

There was sudden silence from the next room. James stood again, approaching the door slowly, as he would the Womping Willow. Just as he reached the knob, Calamity poked her head out.
"James? Would you like to meet your son?"
James opened his mouth and closed it again. Sirius and Remus rushed forward. James cleared his throat. "Son," he croaked.

Calamity opened the door wider so the three could peer in.

Lily was drenched in sweat and red, but she was peering down with a smile at the small baby in her arms, a black tuft of hair visible from it's head. She looked up and spotted James, who looked more nervous than Sirius could ever remember seeing him.
"Come meet Harry," Lily said, motioned the three forward.

They peered down at the small sleeping child with wide eyes.
"Do you want to hold him," asked Calamity.
James' eyes widened.
"Now?"
"Yes, James," Lily snickered. "Now."
He held out his arms and Lily placed the small bundle in them. A smile broke across his face and his eyes filled with tears. The bundle stirred and opened its eyes slowly.

"Blimey," Remus breathed. "He's got Lily's eyes."
"Let's hope he gets the rest of her looks too," Sirius teased. "Better luck for him than those Potter genes: awkward and gawky."
"Look at that black hair," Remus said. "He'll be as odd looking as James Potter for sure."
James seemed oblivious to the insults as he sat on the bed. Sirius wrapped his arm around Calamity who was smiling at the new parents.

"Look at him," James said finally. "He has no idea how lucky he is." James glanced at his friends. "He's got the most beautiful and brilliant mother, the best father he could hope for, and three uncles that will make sure he's spoiled rotten. Not to mention an aunt to fix him up anytime his Uncles get him into trouble."
"We'll call him Lil' Prongs," Sirius suggested.
Lily caught James' eye. "Did you tell him?"
"Tell me what," asked Sirius.
James looked bashful. "Well, Sirius, we've been mates longest and you're practically my brother- I mean you all are, but, well, Lily and I talked about it...would you be willing to be Harry's Godfather? Just in case anything happened to Lily and me? We think you could really provide a home that's best for Harry...You and Calamity..."

Sirius stood stone still, staring from Lily to James to the small fragile bundle in James' arms. It suddenly seemed even smaller and more breakable. Could he, Sirius Orion Black, handle such a glass figure? Without breaking it?
Lily nudged James.
"Oh, right," he said. He held out Harry to Sirius, who looked at Calamity for confirmation. She rolled her eyes and motioned him forward.

The small bundle wiggled for a moment in Sirius' arms, getting comfortable.

"I'm your Godfather," Sirius whispered to the tiny Harry. "I'm gonna make sure you never have to worry about anything in the whole world."

Harry opened his emerald eyes again and for a moment he and Sirius looked at one another. Then, Harry smiled.

A/N: It's a short one, but I hope you enjoyed. REVIEW!