Another little snippet. Happy 21st Birthday Lily! xx

January 30 1981

"Sirius Black!"

Lily shoved him roughly and snatched Harry up into her arms, cradling him to her bosom as she sent daggers at her husband's best friend. Beside the door, James was clutching his sides dramatically as he roared with laughter.

"It's bloody well not funny!" Lily screamed at him, tears of frustration leaking out of her eyes. "I almost had a heart attack!"

After recovering from his laughing fit, James sat up on his elbows and grinned at his wife. "It's bloody hilarious," he countered, winking at Sirius. "I wish I'd thought of that!"

Harry gurgled happily in his mother's arms and pulled on her long, dangly earrings.

"Ouch, Harry, let go of mumma's earrings," she cooed softly, taking his chubby wrist in her hand. Sirius, noticing the change in Lily's demeanour, made to leave the bedroom, when Lily drew her wand and glared at him. "I'm not finished with you, Black!" she snarled.

James, slightly concerned for his best mate's well-being, tentatively approached his fuming wife with outstretched arms.

"Lily," he began slowly. "If you're going to start firing hexes, at least put Harry out of harm's way."

Lily's green eyes pierced him harshly as she weighed up his argument. After a few moment's deliberation, she nodded and gave her son to her husband, before focussing her concentration back onto Sirius.

"You're lucky nothing had happened to him!" she growled darkly, stepping closer and closer with each word. "If Harry'd been hurt, or, or - "

"But he wasn't," Sirius assured her with an air of nonchalance. "Keep your knickers on, Lil. I wouldn't let anything happen to Harry."

Lily seethed. "Remus would never have done anything like this!"

"Hah," Sirius barked a laugh. "We all know that Moony needs to learn to liven up a little. Besides, I'm the fun uncle - everyone knows that."

"I think I'll be letting Remus take care of the babysitting from now on," Lily told him firmly.

Sirius pleaded at James, who sighed and bounced Harry on his hip. "Sorry, mate, but I sort of agree with Lily on this one."

Sirius's face fell and he slumped his shoulders. "Fine," he sulked, and got up to leave. "I was just trying to have some fun." She trudged towards to door. "Happy birthday, Lily," he muttered as he passed her before heading outside.

Lily sighed deeply and sat on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands. James sat next to her and allowed Harry to crawl into her lap.

"Of all the people in this world," she cursed, "you had to inherit an Invisibility Cloak."

James put his arm around her shoulder and tucked her into his side. "Come on, Evans. You have to admit, it was pretty funny.

She elbowed him in the side, but a small smirk crept onto her face. "Do you think I was too hard on him?" she asked, a little worried.

"He'll come round," James assured her. "But don't deny him, Harry. He's the only thing Sirius has got."

Lily nodded slowly and sighed again. "I'll go an apologise tomorrow," she promised. "Right now, I just want to sit here with my two favourite men on my birthday."

A/N: Okay, so I'm guessing you're all wondering what Sirius did to Harry. First of all, James and Lily went out for dinner for Lily's birthday and Sirius was babysitting. He thought it would be hilarious to hide Harry underneath James' Invisibility Cloak just before they got home and see Lily's reaction to finding her son missing. Obviously, she wasn't very amused.

Please read and review! xx