Author's Notes:

Hi Everyone! SURPRISE UPDATE!

I hope everyone is at home and healthy right now. I've been really down lately because of the quarantine. I'm not used to having such little social interaction-I'm not doing well with not having work. I even miss my annoying, but loveable, regulars. But I especially miss the regulars who are like family to me. Seeing and talking to them via Facebook and Instagram just isn't the same. I took some time this weekend to just, let myself think about the worst that can happen with all of this so that now I don't think about it quite as much. Because of all this darkness, I wanted to give you another happy/fun chapter that I think really sums up how these characters are developing. This time off gives me more time to write, play WOW, do my cross stitching, and read so it's been nice, actually.

Midnitewanderer: Of course it has snickerdoodles! The best kinds of cookies! (Also, you'll be happy with the end of this chapter!) But yes, you've hit the nose on how I'm going to write Harry. Most of his Dursley memories will fade. And, yes, you'll see the Weasleys within the next chapter or two and Hermione within a few chapters as well. As for a little H/G, you'll see!

Smallwjl: I think you've also hit the nose on my character development. Remus spent time with James while he was unconscious and he only had 2 years by himself besides that. I definitely think this will impact his development!

Dutchie: Thank you for the review! The good news about my layoff is that I now qualify for unemployment and the Bartender/Server's relief fund (Which I've applied for). And I've been promised my job back (assuming we're not bankrupt!). Also, my city has been AMAZING with all of this. I've already been venmo'd "tips" from several people in the community we service. While these are strange times, I've been so happy to see my community grabbing their bootstraps and being there for each other.

Lija: I understand why you would be upset with how the scene of Sirius giving Harry over unfolded differently. However, this is an AU universe that follows closely, but not extactly, to the books themselves. In that chapter, Sirius handed Harry over to Hagrid at his, and Dumbledore's, behest so unquestioningly because James was injured and Harry was not. James was Sirius' priority since he was gravely injured. Otherwise I think he would have fought for Harry much more adamantly.

Anyway! Now that you've read my (mandatory?) ramblings, please enjoy Ignoring Destiny!

Chapter Eleven: Prank Wars I

It had been several weeks since James had succeeded in getting Sirius released from Azkaban and the small family of four were busy adjusting to their new lives at Potter Manor.

Remus had kept his little flat in London but had been staying off and on at Potter Manor with Harry, James, and Sirius as he reconnected with his old friends and got to know Harry. In just the few weeks that James had been awake and Sirius home, Remus was looking younger and less shabby than normal. The house elves, Gus and Cirri, were keeping him well fed and his clothes clean and without patches. His smile came easier now and his last transformation was the best he had had in four or five years. Without the threat of Voldemort looming over them, James and Sirius were able to be with Remus when he transformed. They had left Harry with Augusta; he did well sleeping over with Neville, the two got on well. As the next generation of pureblood houses, this was an important development for the two boys.

Harry had adjusted exquisitely to his new life at Potter Manor. He was reserved at first in seeking attention or expecting anything from his three new parents but as the days moved on and the memories of the Dursleys faded Harry had begun to form a routine. His first Christmas at home had been quite the experience for everyone involved. Because Harry had never received gifts from the Dursleys for holidays, he hadn't expected anything from his dads. However, he was pleasantly surprised when he received not one gift but about a dozen. He received several from each James, Sirius, and Remus.

James had fallen back into his roll as a parent without missing a beat. Considering the last thing he remembered before his coma was being a dad this wasn't at all surprising.

It was Sirius who was having problems adjusting to his new life. Sirius often joked around and played with Harry and talked with the remaining marauders but James and Remus could tell that something was wrong, that he still wasn't all there. They suspected that this was the residual effects of having been in Azkaban for over two years. They tried to talk to Sirius, get him to open up but to no avail.

It wasn't often that James and Remus found themselves alone in Potter Manor; typically, Sirius or Harry would wander in and then whatever conversation they were having would be put on hold. Today was one of those rare days where Sirius had gone to bed early and Harry was asleep in his room as well while James and Remus were sitting in the living room watching TV.

James looked up at the clock on the wall and saw that it was close to midnight before turning his attention to Remus who was glued to the TV documentary about the Salem Witch Trials. James simply picked up the remote and paused the show. Remus stared at the TV for a few seconds before realizing what James had done.

Remus turned to James and asked, "What's up, Prongs?"

"Have you noticed that Padfoot has been a bit…off since he came home from Azkaban? He's just not himself," James asked.

Remus nodded, "Yeah. I mean, he talks to us and he plays with Harry but there's something not quite right; he isn't as dramatic as he used to be. You know what I'm getting at?"

"Yeah," James replied, nodding, "I do. I know it's going to take time to get him back to his old self, but I'm wondering if there's anything that we can do to help? Maybe we can get him a mind healer or something?"

"A mind healer would definitely be a good idea," Remus replied, "But I think there's something else we could do to help ease the tension around this place."

"What's that? You don't mean…?" James asked, a knowing and mischievous look in his eye.

Remus' eyes glinted as he spoke, "I do mean."

"Well, then! It sounds like we need to get planning. We'll need the help of Gus and Cirri, a little tricky wand work—" James began.

"And some food," Remus agreed, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Rightly so, my friend," James replied.

Later that next night James, Harry, and Remus were sitting at the table in the kitchen getting dinner set up while they waited for Sirius to arrive. Gus and Cirri were busy finishing up the last few dishes and rushing them to the table. Harry was putting out the plate settings when Sirius waltzed into the room whistling a tune.

"Good evening family! What's on the menu this evening?" Sirius asked as he took a seat at the table and pulled his plate towards himself.

"Mashed po—pota—potaytows, green beans, and pork chops with apples!" Harry said excitedly, clapping his hands.

Remus picked up the mashed potatoes and scooped some onto his plate while saying, "And for dessert we have treacle tart!"

Sirius rubbed his hands together while he looked at the food before him, "This looks delicious!" Sirius reached for the greet beans and scooped some onto his plate and put the bowl down. Then he reached for the potatoes and scooped some up and put them onto his clean plate.

Sirius put the bowl of potatoes down and did a double take at his plate which was now clean and shining. Sirius scowled and picked the potatoes back up and scooped more onto his plate, giving himself a generous portion and watched in amazement as the potatoes disappeared in an instant. "What's going on?" Sirius asked as he looked around at everyone else's plates which were piled high with food.

"What do you mean?" James asked, looking concerned.

"My food keeps disappearing!" Sirius exclaimed, pointing at his plate.

Remus looked at Sirius and furrowed his brow, "What do you mean? You haven't put any food on your plate."

"Yes I have!" Sirius said, incredulously.

"Uncle Sir-rus, you haven't done anything yet," Harry said.

Sirius looked at the food on the table, confused. He picked up the pork chops and put two on his plate while everyone looked at him. He reached over for the green beans again and looked down at his plate which was now empty again.

"Now come on! I had definitely put food on my plate!" Sirius looked around at everyone else's plates and saw that there was more food on them now. "What's going on? Prongs? Moony? What did you guys do?"

James and Remus couldn't keep the laughter in anymore; they both exploded in laughter towards Sirius who looked at them both with wide eyes, "What did you do?" he asked.

"We," laugh, "charmed your plate," James laughed again, "to move your food," laugh, "to our plates!"

Remus continued laughing as Sirius looked at them with wide eyes before he bust out laughing, too.

Once Sirius had calmed down and stopped laughing, he said, "Ok, ok you guys got me good! Now, can we eat?"

Sirius reached out and grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes again. The moment he touched the bowl it vanished.

"Oh come on!" Sirius yelled as he reached for the bowl of beans again. This, too, promptly disappeared. He touched the bowl of pork chops and that, too, disappeared. Finally, he reached for the treacle tart and watched in disbelief as the entire pan vanished. And all that was left was the mushy sauce made of apples.

Sirius hated apples.

He looked at the rest of his family as they were happily eating the dinner that the house elves made, all of them were doing their best not to laugh. Suddenly, the bowl of apples tipped onto Sirius plate and he found himself facing a large dinner plate filled with the apple sauce.

Wrinkling his nose, Sirius turned to the other three and accused, "You three did this. You know I hate apples! Come on, what's with the pranking?"

The three of them burst into laughter again at the sad look on Sirius' face. Somehow, in that moment, Sirius more closely resembled a dog than a human as he was begging for answers and to not have to eat the apples. Then, Sirius began to fake cry and started wiping away the nonexistent tears.

"Oh, now come on, Padfoot, we're only messing with you," James said as he pat Sirius on the back.

"Yeah," Harry pipped up, "Gus and Cirri have the food. Look, here they come now!"

Sirius looked up and sure enough the two house elves were carrying the missing bowls and trays of food. They placed the dishes on the table and replaced Sirius' plate with a new, non-jinxed one and smiled.

"Is Gus and Cirri doing good, Master James?" Gus asked with a wide smile on his face.

James let out a booming laugh and replied, "Yes, yes you two did wonderful. Thank you for your help!"

Gus bowed towards James and smiled, "If that is being everything, Master James, then Gus and Cirri is going to be eating our dinner now, we is."

James nodded and then looked over at Sirius who was now staring at James, a hint of mischief in his eye. "You three realize that this means war, right? There's no way I can let you get away with this," Sirius warned, "And I will be victorious."

Over the next several days none of the people within Potter Manor could move more than ten feet without encountering some sort of prank. They've begun dubbing it the Great Prank War of '84. Even Harry was getting into the pranking by doing small things throughout the house. His pranks were mostly leaving a toy somewhere for someone to step on or hiding an object the adults needed.

The pranks from James, Remus, and Sirius ranged anywhere from putting shield charms on the toilet bowl so nothing would go in to vanishing their clothes when visitors were over.

Remus seemed to be at the head of vanishing clothes because poor Minerva had seen Sirius and James naked more often than she had ever wished. The first time it happened she had spit out her tea and turned to cover Harry's eyes as Sirius stood there naked as he came in this world. Sirius had simply looked down and continued in his nakedness, ignoring the prank entirely.

"For goodness sakes, would you three grow up already?" Minerva shouted at Remus, Sirius, and James as Remus had yet again vanished James and Sirius' clothing in front of her.

James and Sirius looked at each other and then at Remus who stood, fully clothed.

"Don't look at me!" Remus said, holding his hands up, "I didn't do it. I don't even have my wand in my hand."

James flicked his wand, causing clothes to appear on himself and Sirius, "You must have because I certainly didn't," James said.

"Well I know I didn't do it," Sirius said, "If I did, everyone else in this room would be naked. Maybe blue, too, I don't know."

Minerva folded her arms when the men looked her direction, "I most certainly did not do this."

Harry, unable to keep it in any longer, burst out laughing from his place on the floor. He promptly fell over and rolled around as the laughter escaped his lips and the four adults looked at him in bewilderment.

"Harry James Potter, did you vanish our clothing?" James asked bewildered.

Harry nodded from his place on the floor.

"You vanished their clothes, intentionally?" Minerva asked, astounded.

Harry shrugged, "Uncle Moony is always doing it, Nana, so I thought it would be funny if I did it and then, poof! They were nakey!"

Minerva looked at the three men, "Do you see what you're teaching this boy? Honestly. Childish pranking aside, why is he calling me Nana?"

Sirius grinned, "Well, Minnie, he was having trouble saying 'Auntie Minnie' as it's quite the mouth full, so I told him that Nana was a much easier word to say."

Fighting a small smile, Minerva said, "Well, I hardly approve. What you three are teaching him is beyond inappropriate. Pranking, unseemly nicknames, I mean honestly, what will he do when he gets to Hogwarts and he's required to call me Professor McGonagall?"

Sirius shrugged, "I personally think it's hilarious," he turned to James, "Don't you? A mini Marauder!"

James smiled, "I think that the pranking does Harry good, Minerva, but I agree he really shouldn't be vanishing clothing. I think we should institute a rule that there won't be any pranking involving nakedness. Understood, Harry? That goes for you too, Moony, Padfoot."

Harry, Remus, and Sirius agreed to this rule but as soon as James turned to see Minerva off, each of them gave a sly smile as Harry pulled his hand from behind his toy to reveal his fingers had been crossed.

End Notes:

Thank you for reading Ignoring Destiny! Please like, follow, and review! (All reviews get a response in my author's notes in the following chapter!)