Harry's First Christmas

Lily shivers and draws her thick woollen coat closer to her body and shifts nearer James.

"What time is Sirius coming around tomorrow?" Lily asks.

"Whatever time he feels like!" James says with a laugh. "He'll probably be round about 7am, you know what he's like when it comes to Christmas!" He tells Lily and watches her groan and rolls her eyes.

"Yes I do know. After me thinking he was attacking me the last Christmas I spent at your house." She said as James started to giggle quietly at the memory. "How was I meant to know he acts like a five year old when it comes to Christmas!" James continues to laugh, but now louder. Harry stirred in his sleep and this quietened James down, not wanting to wake his son up. Suddenly realisation dawns on James' face.

"Lily flower…" He says sweetly.

"What do you want?" Lily asks, giving him a piercing look. She knew he wanted something when he called her Lily flower. He called her that every time he asked her out in Hogwarts, in fact pretty much every time he spoke to her.

"You know this whole Christmas carolling thing we're meant to be doing tonight? Can we give it a miss? I want to spend Christmas Eve with you and Harry, alone." James asks, if it was possible he was being even more sickly-sweet than he normally was when he wanted something from Lily.

"James! You know how much this means to me!" Lily exclaims. "I understand you want us to spend Christmas together but we'll have plenty more. And I want Harry to experience everything that makes Christmas what it is! Tell you what, you can invite Sirius, Remus and Peter if you want." She resigns, giving him a compromise. She knows it has worked aswell because James' face lights up happily.

"I love you Lily Potter." He says and kisses her on the cheek. Lily laughs and stops walking to open the gate. They are home at last, Godric's Hollow. James holds the gate open as Lily pushes the pram through the gateway and up the path. Lily unlocks the door and pushes it open. Inside the hall is a beautiful creamy colour with lots of pictures of family and friends on the walls, along with quite a few of Harry. One picture would particularly catch anyone's eyes. In a gorgeous golden frame there is a photograph of Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter and two of Lily's female friends Tammy and Natasha. The seven of them are sat underneath the tree by the lake in the Hogwarts grounds. It's snowing and they are sat laughing, smiling and waving.

Lily, James and Harry go into the living room and, after taking Harry from his pram, collapse on the sofa. Lily closes her eyes as she rests her head on James' shoulder and Harry plays with her hands.

"This Christmas is going to be spectacular..." James whispers and strokes her cheek. Lily lifts her head and James jumps up.

"Time to tell the guys about the carol-singing. What time should they be here for?" He asks chirpily.

"Tell them to be here around 7, we have to meet everyone at 7:30." She says, after a couple of seconds of thought she changes her mind. "In fact tell them if they come over around 5:30 then I'll make us all something to eat together and we can go after that."

James nods and bounds off to the fireplace in the kitchen to floo to tell the Marauders about the night's events. In a few seconds Lily can hear the eagerly chattering voices of James and Sirius, then James and Remus. During that time Lily plays with baby Harry, talking to him and telling him all about what's going to be happening tomorrow. He looks up at her with those startling green eyes, just like her own. Suddenly James appears at the doorway, casting a shadow over Lily and Harry. They both look up to see what has blocked the light. James has a slight frown on his normally happy face.

"What's wrong James?" Lily asked, suddenly concerned, as she stands up with Harry on her hip and goes over to him.

"I couldn't get through to Wormtail. His fireplace was...well I don't know what it was but whatever it was it wasn't working." He says as his brow furrows further.

"He's probably getting it maintenanced or needs it cleaned. Knowing Peter he's got it all clogged with soot!" Lily says light-heartedly, trying to cheer him up. "Don't worry I'm sure he'll be over tomorrow!" James smirks at his wife's intelligence. Lily passes him baby Harry.

"Well some of us have food to cook for their husband and his friends. So if you'll excuse me." Lily says sarcastically and flounces out of the room and walks into the kitchen. The kitchen has pale green wallpaper and marble worktops with green specks. All the appliances are silver, but numerous different one's broke mysteriously while Lily was in the process of teaching James how to use them. Being a muggle-born Lily preferred to do things like cooking and washing herself rather than rely on magic. She looked through the cupboards and decided to make a pie for them all. Harry would have to have his canned baby food. She gets out the ingredients and starts cooking.

Meanwhile James is sat reading a book to Harry.

"And the giant said 'Fe-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an English man!' Jack froze. The giant rounded the corner and saw him. He started running towards to top of the beanstalk…"

Harry suddenly banged his hands on the book.

"Yes Harry, we're reading this book. Remember, it's called 'Jack and The Beanstalk'." James says slowly to his son. Harry looks at him, hits the book again and tries to crawl out of James' arms. James puts him down on the floor and he crawls towards the Christmas tree.

"Uh-oh, Jack climbs beanstalks Harry climbs Christmas trees!" James mutters and rushes over beside him, he makes it just in time. Harry is a very fast baby. James picks him up and Harry starts crying, his hands out longingly for the tree.

"No Harry." James says sternly, pointing a finger at Harry. Harry grabs his dad's finger with both hands and bites it gently. James slowly pries his finger from the grasp of teeth. He then proceeds to tickle Harry who gurgles and giggles happily. James throws him a little way in the air and catches him.

Lily's voice can be heard floating through the hallway.

"What are you doing to that child James?"

James stops tickling Harry and walks into the kitchen to see a flower-covered Lily. He sniggers and tries not to laugh out-right.

"Maybe we should eat out?" James suggests. Lily takes the flower-dusted apron off and throws it at James who, along with Harry, is now covered in flower. Lily laughs.

"Ok, how about we order in. I'll go down to that muggle take-away shop and get us something." Lily says with a sigh. James smiles triumphantly and does a little victory dance with a chortling Harry. Lily laughs and is about to suggest they go and wait for Sirius and Remus when there is a knock at the door. Lily leaves James doing his victory dance and goes to answer it.