When the Harrys Attack

-4-

A/N: Wow, I just realized how huge the time gap is between Parts Two and Three. I guess I've lost most of my readers, eh? Well, for those of you that are still here, thanks, and keep reviewing! I never know how this story is perceived until you give me a holler! Well, you know the drill—I'm not masquerading as JKR and attempting to create new plotlines in her name. The characters are hers, the plots and other devious details (love the alliteration!) are mine. Happy reading!

Must…not…give…Sirius the satisfaction of knowing he was right! Remus had mysteriously appeared dangling from the light fixture only seconds before. Now, he was swinging uselessly above, as Harry gurgled and squealed joyously from below. He had an inkling that Harry had something to do with his sudden misplacement. All he had done is told Harry that it was bedtime! Apparently, the Potter child hadn't liked the idea. Remus was befuddled by how this had happened. He couldn't figure out if it was wandless magic or—

CRASH! (And other assorted onomatopoeia.) Remus dazedly picked himself up off of the ground. He fished for his wand, and once he had located it, he pointed at the fallen chandelier-looking light. After a series of mental spells (he wasn't going to risk verbalizing them in front of a seemingly very magically potent Harry), the light fixture repaired itself, and was attached to its old place on the wall.

"Now," he said firmly, rounding on Harry, "Bed."

Harry's whole face lit up (including wide-set almond-shaped green eyes) as he proudly pronounced one of the only words he knew at this time, "No!"

Remus sighed and picked up the recalcitrant baby. Harry protested with a wail that made Remus's overly sensitive ears hurt. He gritted his teeth and held on to Harry as he squirmed and tried to free himself, walking down the hall a ways when…

The door flew open, revealing a disheveled Sirius Black, who was grinning knowingly at Remus. Caught in the act, Remus thought wryly, Now he'll never leave me alone.

"I see you've been…enjoying the company of a perfectly harmless baby," Sirius said, with that annoying expression still on his face.

"Stuff it, Padfoot," growled Remus as he disappeared inside of Harry's room. A few moments later, he reappeared in the living room, Harry's angry cries chasing him down the hall.

"Seems like the two of you get on famously. I shouldn't've interrupted." Sirius commented from his place, sprawled out on the couch.

"By the way you're acting, I can infer that all is well with James?" Remus said, hoping to change the subject.

"Nice try, Moony. You aren't getting out of this one until you admit that I was right."

"Not on your life."

"The term is 'not on my life' isn't it, Moony?"

"You think that it was a slip of the tongue? I would never gamble my own life."

"Oh," Sirius groaned, clutching his chest, his eyes rolling up in his head, "Shot to the heart."

"Some of us just can't handle the truth," Remus sighed, but there was a grin on his face. There was always light badinage floating around between the marauders. In these grim times, it helped to see humor in situations, because if a person started to become depressed, then it wasn't very likely that they'd resurface from it.

There was a moment of comfortable silence before Remus asked again, "So, is our fearless leader unscathed, then?"

"All but his pride," scowled Sirius, "Moody can be a right berk at times."

"He's the best at what he does, though," Remus said.

"Doesn't give him license to be a berk, though."

"What happened?"

"Ah…James made a tiny slip in his Occlumency, and Voldemort sensed that they were there, and there was a battle, but they all escaped before anything really happened." Sirius said, "Not a big deal."

"But, Sirius…it is a big deal. What if something really had happened? How would James have felt then?"

"The point is nothing did happen," Sirius said, a little harshly.

Silence fell between them, and this time it wasn't comfortable. Harry was starting to calm down in the other room, obviously resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to escape his crib. Remus suspected that Harry was actually very tired, after tormenting Sirius and then Remus. The boy was definitely of marauder make—no question of it. Remus silently counted to ten in his mind before speaking up again, knowing that he would have to be the one to give in, as Sirius was far too stubborn to even consider it.

"I'm sorry. It's just that sometimes James worries me with his rashness. I worry that one day, it'll be the death of him and then-"

"Don't talk like that," Sirius said abruptly, his blue eyes dark for a moment, "You seem to be awfully comfortable with talking about James's death."

"I'm being realistic, Sirius! We all know how James acts before he thinks, and how he's so apt to play the hero! It's feasible that-"

"No, it isn't." Sirius interrupted coldly, "And I can't believe you would suggest it. I'm every bit as likely to be impulsive as James is, and you don't seem bent on sentencing me to death, do you?"

Remus just sighed, knowing that he wasn't going anywhere with this conversation. Before he had to answer, though, the door opened, revealing a grinning James, bearing a laughing (and blushing!) Lily in his arms. They looked so alive, as if they were surrounded by a blaze of intense light, their lives radiant with their love, and their joy. Remus couldn't picture James being vulnerable to anything at the moment.

"Obviously someone's feeling better," commented Sirius with a lazy grin in James's direction. By the way he wasn't looking at Remus, it was clear that he wasn't included in Sirius's half of the conversation.

James's eyes flitted from Remus to Sirius curiously, catching the tension in the air quickly. It was hard not to notice, seeing as Sirius was being so obvious. Remus felt irritation build inside of him. The grin had quickly melted from James's expressive features, and he placed Lily on her feet. His wife grabbed his shoulder for balance, her face still radiant with adoration for James. However, she caught the quick change of expression on his face, and darted an inquiring look in Remus and Sirius's direction.

"Hard not to feel better when you're the luckiest bloke in the world," James replied to Sirius, a little belatedly. However, by now a small frown had come over James's narrow features; he didn't like it when any of his mates were at odds.

At that moment, thankfully, Harry chose to raise up a cry. James and Lily looked at each other and grinned.

"That's my boy," James said.

"You mean stubborn and willful?" Sirius said, "Yeah, that's your boy alright, Prongs."

"Hey, he's my child too," Lily reminded him, "That means he has some redeemable qualities." And with that, she jogged down the hall, obviously wanting to check in on her baby.

As soon as Lily was gone from the room, James turned on his mates and asked, "Okay, you lot. What's going on?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sirius said suavely.

"Just a minor disagreement," Remus said, right on top of Sirius. Both looked at each other, and glared.

"Don't listen to him."

"Someone's in denial." Once again, they spoke simultaneously. James rolled his eyes expressively.

"Well, whatever it is, both of you need to get over yourselves. Now kiss and makeup, before I jinx you," A typical James way of solving things. Remus couldn't help but to crack a weak grin, no matter how shaken he was by his and Sirius's brief spat.

"I'm not kissing that," Remus said, making a joke in hopes of making a peace offering. Sirius, however, was unresponsive, his blue eyes still slightly hooded. He was stubborn, and tended to hold grudges. Remus and James met eyes. It'll take a while to blow over, and then suddenly, everything will be okay again, Remus decided.

"Well, I think I'm going to call it a night."

"But Moony, the fun's only beginning." James protested.

Remus grinned obligingly, stood up to embrace James, nodded at Sirius, and vanished through the front door. James turned to watch him leave, his hands mussing his hair. As soon as the door clicked shut, he whirled on Sirius.

"Why were you being such a moody git to him?" James asked, frowning.

"Because it's Be A Moody Git Night?" Sirius responded. It was clear that his best mate was turning something over in his mind.

Within a few moments, Sirius left as well, leaving James alone in the living room. He watched the door with a troubled expression on his face, but he knew better than to press the issue. Sirius only exploded under pressure, and Remus wore down very easily. He could only hope that his two friends would make up…and preferably, make up quickly.