Chapter Two
Heirs of the Snake and the Lion
July 31, 1988, Harry Potter is Born
"JAMES POTTER! Get In Here Now!" Lily Potter's screams echoed throughout the lobby where James his best friends Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin sat joking and about their school days. Sirius grinned crookedly, "Uh Oh mate, you're in for it now." He patted James on the shoulder, barely holding back his laughter. "You better go James," Remus advised, "I wouldn't make Lily wait any longer if I were you." Smiling encouragingly they watched as James Potter stood up and walked into Lily's room like a soldier going to be executed. As soon as he closed the door more screaming ensued. "Finally!" Remus and Sirius, listened as Lily scolded her husband. "This Is All Your Fault, I Hope You Realize The Pain That I'm Going Through Right Now For Your Pride!" At that statement neither of the men sitting in the lobby could hold back the laughter. Fresh waves came as screams continued to stream out of the room. Soon however they realized that Lily wasn't screaming at her husband, that it was the screaming of a very loud baby. Who was probably at the moment, very upset at the world for taking him from his happy, warm and comfortable home.
James came running out of the room, and Sirius and Remus stood up and patted him on the back, James was covered in sweat and breathing hard, but he was smiling happily. Sirius decided it was time for a joke, "Well mate you look exhausted did you give birth or did Lily?" James started laughing and he gave Sirius a hug. Remus looked at James. "Well James," He asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?" "It's a boy" James managed to say, before Peter came running into the lounge, looking a little pale, and sick. James smiled at Peter, and gave him a warm hug. "You're a little late Peter, but that's alright. I'm just glad you're here, and Lily's too tired to care." He led Peter over to where Sirius and Remus were standing.
"Gentlemen," James announced, "I have a very important decision to make today, and no Sirius it's not what Lily and I are going call the baby, that's already been decided. His name is going to be Harold James Potter. No what I need to decide is who is going to be Harry's Godfather." He looked at each of them in the eyes. A few minutes passed before Lupin backed away smiling gently.
"I can't be his godfather James, with my...condition, the ministry won't allow me to take custody if you and Lily were to..." Remus looked away, no-one in the Order liked to think that it could be the last day that any of them would see each other again. Suddenly Peter backed away as well, he was wringing his hands, and stuttered over his words.
"D-Don't make me the godfather either James, you k-know how I am so forgetful and c-careless. Harry w-would hate it with me, besides I'm n-not that responsible either, Ha-Ha I w-would probably lose him." Peter was sweating and his kept shifting around swiftly, as if he expected someone to jump around the corner and shout "Boo!". Shrugging away Peter's odd behavior James turned to Sirius, a broad smile on his face.
"Well mate, it looks like you're the only one left, so I officially announce you, Sirius Black, to be the godfather of my son, Harold James Potter. Congratulations mate." James patted Sirius firmly on the back, while Sirius was staring into nothing, probably in shock. "Come on everyone, let's go see Lily and Harry, Dumbledore is in there as well." The four friends walked into the room, where Lily was lying on the bed smiling tiredly, a dreamy expression on her face. Dumbledore stood next to the bed, and was holding the tiny bundle that was Harry carefully. He passed the baby to James, when he walked in. Harry was awake was carefully observing his new environment.
"Hello Harry." James spoke softly so not to disturb his new son. The baby looked at him, with Lily's eyes. James then passed Harry into the arms of Sirius, who was rather unused to holding a baby, though when he looked into the face of his godson, a wave of warmth came over him, and smiled a very big smile at Harry. Peter and Remus stood at Sirius's shoulders and they too had to smile at the newborn.
"Can I have my baby back now?" Lily said from the maternity bed. Though she was trying to be cross, she was failing miserably. One because she was so tired, but mainly because she loved the attention that her baby was getting. Sirius passed Harry back to James who in turn, returned the baby back to Lily's arms. As soon as Harry was nestled comfortably, in his mother's arms, both Harry and Lily fell asleep.
Dumbledore motioned the four men out of the room, and quietly closed the door, behind them. "Remus, Peter, Sirius, I need to speak to James alone for a moment if you please." The three men went back to the lounge chairs, and watched as James went from being to surprised, to being depressed, and resigned. After what seemed like an eternity, Dumbledore, gripped Jame's shoulder and then disapperated. Slowly James walked over to his friends, and sat down heavily in one of the chairs beside them. When he looked up at them, the brown eyes behind his glasses were troubled.
"Which one of you would be willing to give his life and freedom, for me, Lily and Harry? Which of you would sacrifice yourself, if you knew that you would be helping to save our world from Voldemort?" James wasn't looking any of them in the eye now, now he was staring off into space as if he could see something there, that the rest of them couldn't. It was Remus who spoke first.
"James I don't know what Dumbledore told you, but please listen, if it's this serious, then you shouldn't be asking for a volunteer. Everyone in the Order knows that there is a spy in the ranks, what if it's one of us, you would handing yourself to Voldemort on a silver platter." Everyone looked at Remus, he knew that they all thought that he could be the traitor, because of what he was, and this speech didn't help his position at all. James looked at Peter, his head was hanging down, and if he felt that he couldn't look James in the eye. So James turned to Sirius, his best friend, the one who had always been loyal. "Sirius?" The name became so much more, when James said it then, it became a plea, a question, a hope. It became something that Sirius couldn't resist.
"James, every one of us would be willing to give his life for you. But there's something more here isn't there? And in that case, I want you to talk to Lily, and then decide what to do." Smiling at James he got up and put his coat on. "Well boys, its late and it's time that I went to bed, because to tell you the truth, all this stress has made me exhausted too. Night." And Sirius disapperated then too. Peter stood up and nodded farewell to James.
"S-Sirius is r-right. It i-is late, and I sh-should be going t-to bed t-too." Because Peter couldn't apparate he just walked away. Now it was Remus's turn.
"James..." Remus started, but then he shook his head, and gave Jame's hand a quick squeeze before leaving aswell. James Potter was left all alone in the middle of the night with no-one to comfort him, with the new information that he had just received. Why did Dumbledore have to ruin tonight? James thought. He didn't, a part of his mind said, he was just preparing you for something, so you won't be surprised.
Heirs of the Snake and the Lion
July 31, 1988, Harry Potter is Born
"JAMES POTTER! Get In Here Now!" Lily Potter's screams echoed throughout the lobby where James his best friends Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin sat joking and about their school days. Sirius grinned crookedly, "Uh Oh mate, you're in for it now." He patted James on the shoulder, barely holding back his laughter. "You better go James," Remus advised, "I wouldn't make Lily wait any longer if I were you." Smiling encouragingly they watched as James Potter stood up and walked into Lily's room like a soldier going to be executed. As soon as he closed the door more screaming ensued. "Finally!" Remus and Sirius, listened as Lily scolded her husband. "This Is All Your Fault, I Hope You Realize The Pain That I'm Going Through Right Now For Your Pride!" At that statement neither of the men sitting in the lobby could hold back the laughter. Fresh waves came as screams continued to stream out of the room. Soon however they realized that Lily wasn't screaming at her husband, that it was the screaming of a very loud baby. Who was probably at the moment, very upset at the world for taking him from his happy, warm and comfortable home.
James came running out of the room, and Sirius and Remus stood up and patted him on the back, James was covered in sweat and breathing hard, but he was smiling happily. Sirius decided it was time for a joke, "Well mate you look exhausted did you give birth or did Lily?" James started laughing and he gave Sirius a hug. Remus looked at James. "Well James," He asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?" "It's a boy" James managed to say, before Peter came running into the lounge, looking a little pale, and sick. James smiled at Peter, and gave him a warm hug. "You're a little late Peter, but that's alright. I'm just glad you're here, and Lily's too tired to care." He led Peter over to where Sirius and Remus were standing.
"Gentlemen," James announced, "I have a very important decision to make today, and no Sirius it's not what Lily and I are going call the baby, that's already been decided. His name is going to be Harold James Potter. No what I need to decide is who is going to be Harry's Godfather." He looked at each of them in the eyes. A few minutes passed before Lupin backed away smiling gently.
"I can't be his godfather James, with my...condition, the ministry won't allow me to take custody if you and Lily were to..." Remus looked away, no-one in the Order liked to think that it could be the last day that any of them would see each other again. Suddenly Peter backed away as well, he was wringing his hands, and stuttered over his words.
"D-Don't make me the godfather either James, you k-know how I am so forgetful and c-careless. Harry w-would hate it with me, besides I'm n-not that responsible either, Ha-Ha I w-would probably lose him." Peter was sweating and his kept shifting around swiftly, as if he expected someone to jump around the corner and shout "Boo!". Shrugging away Peter's odd behavior James turned to Sirius, a broad smile on his face.
"Well mate, it looks like you're the only one left, so I officially announce you, Sirius Black, to be the godfather of my son, Harold James Potter. Congratulations mate." James patted Sirius firmly on the back, while Sirius was staring into nothing, probably in shock. "Come on everyone, let's go see Lily and Harry, Dumbledore is in there as well." The four friends walked into the room, where Lily was lying on the bed smiling tiredly, a dreamy expression on her face. Dumbledore stood next to the bed, and was holding the tiny bundle that was Harry carefully. He passed the baby to James, when he walked in. Harry was awake was carefully observing his new environment.
"Hello Harry." James spoke softly so not to disturb his new son. The baby looked at him, with Lily's eyes. James then passed Harry into the arms of Sirius, who was rather unused to holding a baby, though when he looked into the face of his godson, a wave of warmth came over him, and smiled a very big smile at Harry. Peter and Remus stood at Sirius's shoulders and they too had to smile at the newborn.
"Can I have my baby back now?" Lily said from the maternity bed. Though she was trying to be cross, she was failing miserably. One because she was so tired, but mainly because she loved the attention that her baby was getting. Sirius passed Harry back to James who in turn, returned the baby back to Lily's arms. As soon as Harry was nestled comfortably, in his mother's arms, both Harry and Lily fell asleep.
Dumbledore motioned the four men out of the room, and quietly closed the door, behind them. "Remus, Peter, Sirius, I need to speak to James alone for a moment if you please." The three men went back to the lounge chairs, and watched as James went from being to surprised, to being depressed, and resigned. After what seemed like an eternity, Dumbledore, gripped Jame's shoulder and then disapperated. Slowly James walked over to his friends, and sat down heavily in one of the chairs beside them. When he looked up at them, the brown eyes behind his glasses were troubled.
"Which one of you would be willing to give his life and freedom, for me, Lily and Harry? Which of you would sacrifice yourself, if you knew that you would be helping to save our world from Voldemort?" James wasn't looking any of them in the eye now, now he was staring off into space as if he could see something there, that the rest of them couldn't. It was Remus who spoke first.
"James I don't know what Dumbledore told you, but please listen, if it's this serious, then you shouldn't be asking for a volunteer. Everyone in the Order knows that there is a spy in the ranks, what if it's one of us, you would handing yourself to Voldemort on a silver platter." Everyone looked at Remus, he knew that they all thought that he could be the traitor, because of what he was, and this speech didn't help his position at all. James looked at Peter, his head was hanging down, and if he felt that he couldn't look James in the eye. So James turned to Sirius, his best friend, the one who had always been loyal. "Sirius?" The name became so much more, when James said it then, it became a plea, a question, a hope. It became something that Sirius couldn't resist.
"James, every one of us would be willing to give his life for you. But there's something more here isn't there? And in that case, I want you to talk to Lily, and then decide what to do." Smiling at James he got up and put his coat on. "Well boys, its late and it's time that I went to bed, because to tell you the truth, all this stress has made me exhausted too. Night." And Sirius disapperated then too. Peter stood up and nodded farewell to James.
"S-Sirius is r-right. It i-is late, and I sh-should be going t-to bed t-too." Because Peter couldn't apparate he just walked away. Now it was Remus's turn.
"James..." Remus started, but then he shook his head, and gave Jame's hand a quick squeeze before leaving aswell. James Potter was left all alone in the middle of the night with no-one to comfort him, with the new information that he had just received. Why did Dumbledore have to ruin tonight? James thought. He didn't, a part of his mind said, he was just preparing you for something, so you won't be surprised.