Chapter 30

"Happy Halloween love," Lily Potter said smiling over Harry's crib as she pulled him up. He was smiling up at her and began to gurgle. "Your first Halloween and Auntie Amelia is having a party tonight and we are invited. Harry gurgled again and she smiled, "Yes we did. Guess what you are going to be for Halloween? A dinosaur!"

"A what?" James frowned as he walked into the nursery and ran his hands through his hair.

Lily flicked her wand and Harry's baby Halloween costume floated out of his closet, "That." She motioned to as she picked her baby out of the crib. Lily had finally gotten enough courage to let Harry sleep in the other room without her hovering over it, but she made James bring her to a muggle baby shop. This is where they bought a baby monitor and Lily modified it where it worked off of magic, like the rest of their house.

James turned around and took the costume out of midair. James chuckled, "Lily that is too cute. You realize he will kill us later on when we show his first girlfriend the pictures of him in this."

"Maybe you," Lily said turning her head as she was now changing his dirty nappie. "But he will always love his Mummy. Mummy can not do anything wrong to her baby Harry!"

The baby gurgled as he loved when his mother talked him in baby talk.

The costume was blue and green. It had a little hood that had dinosaur spikes and kept his little head warm. It also had little mittens and feet covers, that was blue and green all over with dinosaur spikes from the top of the head all the way to the bottom.

"It will keep him warm," Lily pointed out. "It has been getting chilly around here and I don't want him to catch another cold."

"I know."

At breakfast Lily was feeding baby Harry and James was sitting beside them eating his eggs and breakfast. Sirius and Amelia walked into the Potter kitchen.

"Howdy Potters," Sirius said grabbing his belt and walking in like an old cowboy from the Americas.

"Oh Merlin," Lily sighed. "What muggle show has he caught now?"

"Got me," Amelia shrugged. "Ask James, they were the ones that were alone with the baby last night. He has been like this all night last night and this morning."

"I still need to go get James and I a Halloween costume."

"Get the boys to watch the baby and we will go shopping," Amelia shrugged.

"No!" James jumped up, "I want to pick out my own costume!"

"One condition."

"Okay."

"No stupid costume."

"Aw, Lily!"

"You fell right into that one Prongs," Sirius cackled.

"You aren't wearing anything retarded either," Amelia piped up and Sirius went all sad faced now and it was James laughing this time.

"I will just get the stroller and we will all go shopping for our costumes together," Lily suggested.

The Halloween party ended up being a smash hit, and everyone was having fun. No one was actually having to worry about the fight with the Lord Voldemort or his Death Eaters tonight. Tonight everyone was having fun and remembering what how life was before the war with Voldemort started.

Amelia had thought of everything to make this night totally care free. In fact Amelia had even hired a nanny to watch over the children while their parents partied the night away. Which was a good thing at the moment because James was trashed and Lily was pretty tipsy.

Lily and James had also gotten the best costumes, and they had both been satisfied with them. Lily ended up going as a roman goddess and James was Zeus.

"As if you really need to feed his ego anymore," Alice rolled her eyes as the couple showed up with a dinosaur baby Harry.

"I know," Lily sighed. "Didn't really think about it until he had slipped it on and started strutting around the house."

Sirius ended up being a pirate, Amelia was a fairy, Frank was a troll, Alice a mermaid, and Remus was a muggle postman which made the close friends crack up because of the long story. Peter didn't show up which concerned all the friends, but soon they were all too trashed to worry about Peter.

It was quite clear to everyone at the party that Amelia and Sirius's relationship was truly blossoming into something much, much more.

"Won't surprise me," Alice spoke while slurring her words to Lily. "I think there will be another wedding here soon."

"I know," Lily nodded. "Sirius deserves to be happy after losing Autumn and Cassidy. Amelia deserves to be happy too, s…she is such a good person."

Hours later, James came stumbling from downstairs. "Lily have you seen Sirius or Amelia?"

"No," Lily yawned. "They disappeared hours ago. Why?"

"I wanted to say goodbye to them."

"Are you guys leaving?" Remus asked while hiccupping.

"Floo home," James nodded. "Harry has another fever."

"Oh no," Lily sighed. "Let's get him home then."

Weeks later Remus Lupin was sitting alone in the back of the Leaky Cauldron. Even though it really didn't matter to sit in the very back for privacy, as there was no one else in the Leaky Cauldron but Tom, the old bar keep.

Then the person that Remus was suppose to meet finally walked in and sat next to him.

"I thought you would never show," Remus spoke as he drank another Firewhiskey. Tom kept them a coming.

"I was a bit tied up at the office today," Peter said acting sincere.

"Why did we have to meet here?"

"I wanted to meet alone."

Remus nodded, "I figured that. So what is so important to come to an abandoned bar way away from all of our friends."

"I have figured out whom the spy is."

"What!" Remus's eyes almost popped out, "Then why haven't you gone to Albus with this information."

"I have," Peter lied. "Albus says I need to have some concrete evidence proving it."

"So you want me to help you prove that the person you believe is the spy."

"Yes."

"Why me?"

"No one will give you a job and I know that you are extremely bored."

"Well, I help Lily out all the time with the house and the baby."

"I know," Peter nodded. "Do you want to help me or not?"

"Of course," Remus nodded. "This person is threatening all of our lives. Also was the murderer of my sweet Gabriella."

Remus didn't see Peter twitch at the mention of Gabriella.

"Who do you believe it is?" Remus pushed on.

"Sirius."

Remus spit his Firewhiskey all over the place to get an evil look from Tom from across the room. "Have you gone bonkers!"

"What?" Peter backed up.

"You honestly think the spy is Sirius?"

"Yes," Peter lied.

"How? Sirius is our friend! He lost Aurora and Cassidy because of this spy, so it could not be Sirius! We could lose Harry or Neville, or the both of them because of the spy. Hell we almost lost Lily, Harry, Alice, and Neville! You truly believe that it is Sirius?"

"Yes," Peter lied again.

"How?" Remus asked amazed.

"He is a Black after all. Look at Narcissa and Bellatrix…look at what Regulus was."

"Sirius has always been the total opposite of them. He loved Cassidy and could not wait until the arrival of baby Aurora. Do you remember how devastated he was when he lost the both of them! Do you not remember how destroyed he was after Cassidy had died! Remember how long it took him to move on?"

"You know I never believed that act he put on," Peter shook his head as he began to set his plan in motion.

"What act?"

"That being such in love act that he gave up his bachelorhood for domestic life with a child."

"But he did!" Remus yelled with his eyes popping out and Tom looked up to see what was all the ruckus.

"You don't believe me?"

"No Peter, I am sorry I do not. I do not believe that Sirius that kind of evil in him to be the spy. I can not believe that Sirius's relationship with Cassidy was a fraud and that he never wanted that little girl that he still mourns over. Hell he still mourns over the both of them. You can not tell me that the man that Grace and Harold raised as their own is the spy, I will not believe it."

"You won't tell the others will you? I can not let anyone know my suspicions until I can prove it."

"I will not tell anyone your suspicions only because they are ludicrous." Remus got up and threw money on the table, "Good night Peter."

"So," Lily said winking at her friend. "Amelia what happened to you in Sirius at the Halloween party? Should we be expecting a little baby from the two of you soon?"

"No," Amelia blushed.

"Well we wouldn't know because you haven't talked to us since the that night," Alice pointed out. "Now it is almost Christmas and we are having to do all our shopping now and have a little visit now."

"I know," Amelia sighed. "I have just been so busy at work with everything going on, it has just been so hard to get away from work. By the time I get home from work then I am just too tired to come by and stay at home with Sirius."

"I understand," Lily shook her head as Harry cooed from his stroller.

"Look!" Alice pointed out, "Father Christmas!"

"You still believe don't you?" Amelia joked.

"Not for me," Alice rolled her eyes. "For the kids, you know Neville and Harry."

"Oh I would love to have a picture of Harry with Father Christmas," Lily grinned from ear to ear. "I remember my mum had Petunia and my first picture of Father Christmas on the mantle until that night she died. Every time I came home from Hogwarts and see those pictures just let me know I was finally home."

Father Christmas was absolutely terrifying to little baby Harry as all he was doing was screaming at the top of his lungs. A huge man that was all in red, face was really scratchy, and a laugh that shook Harry all around. Then there was a bright light that scared Harry even more. Even though it didn't seem possible, but he did scream even louder then he was screaming before.

Finally Lily picked her son up from this Father Christmas's lap.

Lily paid the money to the photographer and sighed as she looked at the picture, "Horrible." She began to giggle, "Look how upset he was. James makes that same face when he doesn't get his way."

"So weird," Alice said shifting Neville on to her other hip as they were finishing up their Christmas shopping. "Harry was absolutely terrified and I had to pry Neville away from Father Christmas." Alice then showed Lily and Amelia her picture of a very happy Neville with Father Christmas.

"Oh well," Lily sighed. "Let's just finish our shopping before the kids get fussy. Oh yeah," Lily brightened up. "James and I are throwing a Christmas Party on Christmas Eve at the house."

"I don't know," Alice bit her lip. "I mean, no offense, but honestly we should not have attended the Halloween party that Amelia threw."

"And why not?" Amelia frowned a little offended as they were now in a robe shop.

"Well honestly," Alice sighed. "You had invited almost the entire Ministry and everyone in the Order. We do not know who we can really trust at the Ministry and we still have not figured out who the spy is in the Order. Yes, Frank and I had a blast. In fact the next morning I realized what kind of danger we could have all been in."

"I felt the same way," Lily confessed as she checked on a now sleeping Harry in his stroller.

"I know," Amelia sighed. "There was way too many people there, but we did all have fun."

"Yeah we did," Lily smiled. "I did think about what Alice pointed out. So I just want to invite family, you know you guys."

"Aww Lily," Amelia smiled.

"All we have now is each other in these dark times."

"So what's the plan?" Alice asked.

"Alice, Neville, Frank, Amelia, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Albus will all be invited."

"I don't think he will show."

"Why not Amelia?" Lily frowned.

"Sirius and I invited him to our Halloween party and he did not show up, did he?"

"Most likely because there were so many people there," Alice suggested as she paid the cashier. "You know how Voldemort," the cashier screamed at hearing his true name but Alice shrugged her off, "we all know he has a bounty on Albus. Any Death Eater knows that if he is the one to kill Albus he will be honored by Voldemort."

"Do not say his name," the cashier hissed.

Alice rolled her eyes as they left the store.

"He doesn't have to show up," Lily shrugged her shoulders. "I just want him to know that he is welcomed."

Harry Potter was almost five months old now and he was laying on his stomach and began to army crawl towards the Christmas tree. He had been staring down those bows on the presents for weeks now and he wondered how they tasted. They looked really yummy and his mummy would not let him go anywhere near them.

"Harry!" Lily yelled as her infant had crawled and was now underneath the Christmas tree eating one of the bows off of one of James's presents.

"What is it?" James yelled as he ran into the living room with his wand at the ready.

Lily was dancing around and around with a very happy, cooing Harry on her hip.

"Lily!" James asked now really confused, "What is wrong with Harry? Is he okay? He is okay, right?"

"My wittle man is perfect!" Lily smiled as she began to spin in circles with Harry as he cooed and giggled some more.

"Well what is wrong?"

"James!" Lily looked away from Harry's baby face, "He crawled to the tree!"

"Merlin!" James ran over to Lily and took Harry into his arms and threw Harry up and down in the air. "That's my boy!" Harry liked being thrown up and down not only did it feel really neat, but he could feel the funny stuff on top of his head going up and down.

"What a wonderful Christmas present!" Lily beamed at her son.

"And an entire day early too," James smiled with such pride in his son.

"Lily," Alice gasped as she looked all around the Potter's home that had been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. "Beautiful and breathtaking. Looks like the way your mum and Grandma Rose use to keep the house when you would come home. I always loved coming by your house to see what they had done for you that year."

"I know," Lily gave a sad smile. "Can't believe that they have all really been dead this long, the holidays really get to me."

"I know," Alice nodded. "All of us really. You lost your Grandma Rose at the end of fifth year, your mum and dad at Christmas our seventh year, I lost my mum and dad, Frank lost his father, James lost the both of his parents in a fight against Voldemort, Remus lost Gabriella to the spy, and Sirius also lost Cassidy and Aurora to the same spy. The holidays are hard for all of us."

"All of you guys were wonderful friends to us in Hogwarts and we all conquered the tragedies that happened together. We are family and I had to have all of you guys here with us to celebrate."

"I still can't get over your decorations."

"Kind of a tribute to my mum and Grandma Rose."

"I figured that much," Alice nodded. "How did James react to your Christmas extravaganza?"

"He totally loved it."

"Harry?"

"Took a few days," Lily laughed. "He didn't know where to look first and it took a few days for him to get use to it."

"Poor baby."

"I know," she giggled and then sighed. "Oh he crawled for the first time today!"

"Oh Lily!" Alice pulled her best friend into a tight hug, "That's wonderful! Hopefully Neville will start to crawl soon too."

"Let's go into the dining room, everyone else is already in there."

Around the table was James, Lily, Harry (in a highchair), Frank, Alice, Neville (who was also in a highchair), Sirius, Amelia, Remus, and Peter.

"Too bad Albus did not show up," Alice said over dinner.

"Alice please do not give up on me so easily," Albus Dumbledore said stepping into the dinning room with a casserole.

"How wonderful of you to show up," Lily said getting up to pull up another chair.

"How wonderful that the Potters invite me over for this holiday dinner."

"What about the students at Hogwarts?" Remus asked from a couple of chairs down.

"Sent all home, Hogwarts is in a great danger with the war that is going on at the moment. The Governors ordered that every student and member of the facility be sent home. I got a lovely invitation from the Potters for Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, so how could I pass it up?"

"So why didn't you attend our Halloween party?" Sirius asked a bit confused.

"I apologize, but the Governors set up a Halloween Ball to try and brighten up the spirits of all the students through all this doom and gloom." Albus turned his attention now to the two babies in the room, "Merlin! The two of them have grown like weeds."

Both mothers beamed proudly about the above statement and dinner went on with pleasant small talk.

"Happy Christmas Harry, my love." Lily said from looking over her almost five month olds crib.

"Happy Christmas Harry," James said from behind his wife with his arms around her waist.

Harry gurgled at his parents and in their hearts that was Harry's way of saying Happy Christmas to them.