October

James pulled his broomstick in for a landing. He touched down in a thick bed of leaves, scattering them up into the crisp air. Harry watched them flutter away and glide beck down to the earth. The baby rode in his new carrier, facing forward, watching the world from his perch at his father's midriff.

James looked around. He had followed Sirius' directions to the letter. Ah well, I'm early or he's late. Harry kicked excitedly at his stomach. "Whatcha think, Harry?" James asked aloud. He propped his broomstick against a tree and hugged his son close. Several minutes passed. The woods had been painted in the warmest of colors; warm colors to chase away the coming cold. Birds sang in the trees around them, the breeze rustling through the last, stubborn leaves.

"Pretty lonely. Do you reckon Padfoot was having us on? I wouldn't put it past him."

An angry buzzing tickled at the edge of his hearing. As it grew louder, James looked around. "That's a Muggle contraption, if ever I heard one," he whispered. The buzz grew to a growl. James ducked behind a tree, peering between the grey trunks, waiting for the Muggle to pass. Wait a minute. James looked up into the air. The growl was coming from the sky! James left his hiding place and looked up. A black shape was growing large in the sky. As it closed in on their position, the growl became a roar. It landed heavily in the clearing. It was a motorcycle!

James backed away as it headed for him. It came to a stop inches from where he stood. Harry waved and kicked at these amazing sights. If only he could get to them! The engine cut off and Sirius climbed down from the seat. Bloody Hell! "Sirius! Are you out of your mind?!" James shouted. "What--" he waved at the bike, speechless.

"Yes!" Sirius answered. He pulled a helmet off his head and shook out his mane of hair. Harry kicked excitedly at the sudden appearance of his buddy. "Harry!" Sirius swooped over, dropping his helmet into the leaves. He hunkered down to talk eye to eye with the baby. "Hey big guy. Whatcha doing? Hanging out? You're so happy. Did you miss me?"

"What are you doing?" James asked. "What is that?" he waved at the motorcycle.

"It's my new bike. Made it myself." His face lit up with pride.

"It's a flying motorcycle!" Sirius nodded calmly at James. "Haven't you ever heard the name Arthur Weasley? He works for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."

Sirius laughed, "Oh, Arthur. He's not going to give me grief. I asked him about it."

"You did?" James looked at him. I don't believe it.

"Well, I wrote him an anonymous letter, asking for clarification on the finer points of the law."

"And what did he say?"

"He said that as long as I wasn't planning to harm Muggles, there were no laws stopping me. I think I may have started his brain turning though."

"How do you mean?"

"Well he went off about drafting new laws and getting my input on them."

James chuckled. "Here," he said, hoisting Harry out of the carrier, "hold Harry." Sirius took Harry while James climbed out of the baby carrier. Then he helped Sirius put it on. Padfoot turned away from him, talking to Harry about the motorcycle. James walked over to inspect it.

Shiny chrome glinted in the sun. He ran a hand along the black seat, up to the handlebars. Taking hold of the handles, he squeezed. Nice! He flung a leg over and sat down on the seat. The bike shifted beneath him, adjusting to his size, until it fit perfect. "Wow," he breathed.

He looked up at Sirius and smiled. Sirius was spinning Harry in a slow circle above his head. Harry flailed in excitement and Sirius laughed. "Hey, how do you start it?" he called. Sirius stopped and looked over.

"Helmet first, Prongs," he called, smiling. He bent and grabbed his. Bringing it over, he handed it to James and waited for him to put it on. Sirius ran through the controls, steering, stopping, and starting. "No flying," he chided. "Practice on the ground first."

James nodded and with one hand on the brake he jumped on the kick-start. The engine roared to life. "Whoohoo!" he shouted over the roar. He let off the brake and started cautiously forward, steering clumsily through the trees, getting acquainted with the strange machine. This isn't so bad. He picked up speed. Soon, he whipped through the trees, the wind against his face. Leaves flew in his wake. The ground dipped and rose and the bike followed it flawlessly, hopping over small hills. James made a wide arch and headed back towards Sirius and Harry. Pulling up in front of them, he cut the engine and took the helmet off. "This is great!" he said, his smile stretching ear to ear.

"Shall we fly?" Sirius asked eagerly.

"We? You mean with Harry?" James' smile faltered.

"Why not? Now wait," he started as James opened his mouth. "I've put every safety spell I can think of on it." He indicated the motorcycle. "I even have an auto-arrest if you happen to fall off. Look, I have a second helmet." And he conjured another one. "You take Harry in the carrier and I'll drive." He smiled.

"But Lily--"

"Doesn't have to know." Sirius smiled mischievously. There's that smile again. The one I can't say 'no' to. James sighed. When we were young, we kept that smile alive as long as we could; he seemed to die without it. It must be habit to give in to it.

"Alright, Padfoot." He scooted back on the long seat. Sirius handed over the baby carrier and then Harry. When they were settled, he climbed on. Sirius strapped on the new helmet and started the bike. It roared to life beneath them. James grabbed him from behind, Harry sandwiched between them.

They roared across the clearing, leaving the ground. Sirius drove them through the treetops, the branches whipping around them. Then they were out in the clear, blue sky. Sirius banked wildly, slaloming through the sky, leaning first to the right then to the left. Harry grabbed for him, kicking, trying to get a better view. They climbed upwards, the air chilling around them for a moment. Then Sirius dove. The movement pulled another whoop from James. Harry laughed between them.

The ground rushed up to meet them. Sirius pulled out of the dive, the tires of the bike, skimming the tops of the bushes, sending leaves skyward in a curtain of red and gold. Sirius laughed and whooped. James threw his arms up over his head, a shout of joy echoing Sirius'.

They climbed again. James grabbed hold. Leveling off just over the treetops, Sirius took them in a large, slow circle around the woods. When they had returned to the clearing, landing with a soft thump, Harry had fallen asleep. Sirius shut off the bike. They sat upon it, relearning how to be on the ground. The quiet seemed wrong somehow after the constant roar of the engine. James let go of Sirius as he dismounted. They pulled off their helmets.

"Oh, the little dear," Sirius breathed when he saw Harry sleeping. He bent close and kissed Harry's head.

"That was great, Padfoot," James said, shaking his head.

"You liked it?" James nodded, a small smile for a reply.

"Harry too, apparently." James looked down on his sleeping son. "He rather fancies the broomstick as well."

"He'll be Quidditch Captain when he gets to Hogwart's," Sirius predicted. James nodded. "Do you reckon he'll be a seeker, like you?"

"Oh, definitely. It's in the blood."

"Well, Prongs," Sirius said after a minute, "I'd better go. I've a job to do. I'll see you in four weeks?"

James nodded. "And then, so I know, Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day?"

Sirius thought for a moment. "Let's go with Christmas Eve."

"Alright." Sirius suddenly pulled him close, embracing him around Harry.

"I have a bad feeling, Prongs. Be extra careful, won't you?" James pulled back, studying him.

"Of course, Padfoot. I will be."

With a nod, Sirius replaced his helmet, Vanished the one James had worn and remounted the bike. With a smile, a wave and a roar of the engine, he was gone.