Prompt fill for "Harry and Ginny in St. Mungo's introducing James and Al to their baby sister"
"Now," said Harry, "we're going somewhere very important today, so we need to be on our best behaviour."
His sons, who had been vigorously play-fighting only seconds earlier, looked at him uncomprehendingly.
"We need to be very very good," he added, firmly.
"Am good," said Albus.
Beside him, James stiffened.
"I more good," he said challengingly, glancing at his brother. "More than Al."
Albus frowned. "Am good."
"I MORE good."
"Boys," said Harry, hurriedly placing himself between them, "boys, we don't fight …" he trailed off, as the realisation hit him that who was 'more good' was not the worst thing they could be squabbling over. In fact …
"OK," he said coaxingly, "let's see who can be the most good."
James eyed him consideringly. "Prize?" he demanded.
"Yes, there'll be a prize."
"Toy?"
"A-ha, you'll have to wait and see - if you can be good enough."
This seemed to have the desired effect. Both Al and James sat very still, shooting surreptitious looks at each other, and Harry breathed an inward sigh of relief. He was the Head of the Auror Department, had got himself out of numerous sticky situations – but nothing was more challenging than getting his two young sons to behave.
And it was about to get worse, he thought, with a small smile. It might be said that girls were better behaved, but if his newborn daughter was anything like her mother -
Well, he had to wonder if they would have to wait until all three had gone to Hogwarts before the house was quiet again.
Miraculously, the boys let themselves be washed, dressed and fed with minimal trouble, though Harry was sure Ginny could have done a better job. He didn't bother trying to comb their hair – it never made any difference – but he thought all three looked relatively presentable as they left the house and made their way to the hospital.
"Remember, Mummy will be very tired," he told Al and James, once the Welcome Witch had pointed them in the right direction. "So we need to be careful –"
"Why?" asked James.
"Because she's just had a baby, so –"
"Why?"
"Well, it's very difficult." Harry winced at the memory of the previous day. He had been present for the births of all three of his children (though it had been a close thing with James) and he still didn't completely understand how labour worked. All he knew was that it looked – and sounded – extremely painful, and he was not surprised that Ginny consistently threatened to remove certain parts of his body in an equally painful manner.
"Why –"
"Look, we just – we just need to be gentle with Mummy, OK?" Harry interrupted; if he didn't nip James' line of questioning in the bud, it could tend to get out of hand. "She's not up to playing right now."
"Will baby play?"
"Er – no, not yet."
"Why?"
"Oh – look, here's Mummy's room!" said Harry quickly. He tapped on the door, heard Ginny call 'come in!', and ushered the boys inside. His heart swelled at the sight of his daughter – his daughter! – in her mother's arms. His eyes met Ginny's, and they shared a look: a secret, knowing smile, an unspoken acknowledgement of what they had experienced together. It was a very different atmosphere now, than it had been yesterday, frantic and hazy and dizzying, and then the stillness of the moments after, when they had met their little girl for the first time, held her. It didn't change, Harry had thought then, the feeling of becoming a parent. That wonderment, and pride, and joy - it never went away.
"Here are my boys," said Ginny from the bed, beaming at them. "Mummy's missed you!"
James and Al both started towards her, and then, remembering their father's warning, hung back warily.
"Come here," said Harry, noticing this, and he carefully swung them each onto the bed, happily taking his daughter from Ginny so she could kiss the boys and give them a one-armed hug.
"Where baby?" James asked, peering round. "Mummy, I being good –"
"Am good too," Al told his mother quietly.
"You're both being very good," said Ginny amusedly, shooting Harry a look that said how did you do that? "Do you want to meet your sister?"
"'Es pease," said James eagerly, so Harry perched on the edge of the bed, angling his arms so they could see into the bundle of blankets.
"This is your sister."
"Lily," said Ginny, and Harry turned to look at her so quickly he almost gave himself whiplash.
"Are you sure -?"
"Yes." Her voice was soft, but her eyes bored into him, seeing everything, knowing just how much it meant to him. "It's a lovely name. And anyway –" Her tone became bright again – "we were talking, the two of us, and she said she'd like to be called Lily, please."
"Well, I can't argue with that," said Harry, struggling to keep his voice steady. He smiled. "One day old, and already telling us what to do."
"Oh, yes. We'll be running circles around her." Ginny hesitated. "I was thinking – for a middle name –"
"Luna?"
"I – well, yes, how did you know that?!"
Harry gestured at their daughter, grinning. "She told me."
"You think you know me so well, don't you …"
"Yes," said Harry. "Because I do."
He turned back to James and Al, who were starting to fidget.
"Boys – this is your sister." He paused. "Lily Luna."
They regarded her curiously.
"Is pink," said Al.
"So were you, when you were born."
"Why?" asked James.