Nate was crying. Again.

'Shh,' Kit said soothingly, tears brimming in her eyes as she watched her baby squirm and scream in his crib.

'Kit, come on,' Harry said softly, trying again to pull her from the room.

'No,' she said, fighting back to her baby's side and reaching towards him uncertainly. 'He needs something, but I don't know …'

Tears filled her eyes as Harry roughly pulled her from the room at last and softly closed the door behind them.

'It's okay,' he said, wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed. 'Mrs Weasley says it's normal for babies to cry like that.'

'Really?'

Harry sighed, smiling into her hair. 'Yes. Even Remus said that I did it at first.'

Kit pulled back, wiping her tears from her cheeks. 'But what do we do? Just – just – leave him?'

Harry nodded as more salty tears spilled down her seventeen year old cheeks.

'It'll be all right,' he said again, pulling her back into his chest.

They stood like that for a while, outside the nursery door, listening to the baby cry. Kit had stopped crying before long, and Harry didn't move an inch.

'Do you hear that?' he whispered at last. Kit picked her head off his chest.

'Hear what?'

Harry put a finger to his lips and pushed the door open noiselessly. There, fast asleep in the crib, tired from endless crying, was –

'Oh, my baby,' Kit breathed, clutching Harry's shirt as she reached a tentative hand out towards Nate.

Harry grabbed her hand, and pulled it to his lips, giving her a look and leading her from the room. As he closed the door behind him again, he whispered, 'Let him sleep. It's time you had some, too.'

Kit nodded, and let Harry lead her to their bedroom, where she fell asleep seconds after laying her head next to his.

'Come along, Nate,' Harry said softly, picking up the toddler.

'I'm not tired!' he whined, slipping out of Harry's arms and squirming onto the floor.

'Yes, you are,' Harry intoned as Charlie laughed beside him. 'All the pizza is gone and mum says no more candy. It's time for bed.'

'No!'

Harry leaned down and grabbed Nate under the arms. In retaliation, Nate became limp.

'Nate, come on,' Harry grumbled, kneeling down in front of his son. 'You have to go to bed."

'No!' Nate squirmed on the floor, away from his dad.

Harry sighed. 'Yes. You have to sleep so that you can play in the park tomorrow.'

Nate stopped squirming. 'Park?'

'Yes. But you have to come to bed now.'

In an instant, Nate stood up and ran to the foot of the stairs. Harry followed him as Charlie passed around more drinks and Remus extracted himself from the hubbub.

Harry followed Nate up the stairs and into the little boy's bedroom. Lifting him into his bed, Harry smoothed back the Potter hair on his son's forehead. Nate closed his eyes and Harry sighed leaning down and kissing him on the forehead.

'Goodnight, Natty.'

''Night, dad,' Nate sighed softly.

Harry stood up, stepping carefully over to the door as Nate rolled over, falling asleep. He watched him for a minute before half-closing the door. As Harry stepped out into the hall, Remus smiled at him.

'You're fantastic with him,' he said quietly.

'Thanks. I just want the best childhood for him, I suppose.'

'I think you're surpassing that,' Remus smiled as Harry led him down the hall. 'You all seem like a happy little family. And I'm happy for you.'

'Well, we are happy,' Harry said as they reached the top of the stairs, 'but we aren't a family yet.'

'And you want to be,' Remus said wisely as Harry took a step down.

'Of course.'

'Then I'm going to have to do what James would want me to.'

Harry stopped and looked up at the man. 'What do you mean?'

Remus merely motioned him up and led Harry to the master bedroom.

'Ready to see your mother's engagement ring?' he asked softly, pulling out the top drawer of the age-old bureau.

'Yeah,' Harry breathed, apprehensive.

Remus pulled the drawer out fully, and reached a hand to the back. He flipped open a hidden closure at the back, and pulled out a small mahogany box. As he wiped off the film of dust, Remus turned to Harry, staring entranced at the piece of history.

'When your parents went into hiding they told Sirius about it, seeing as they didn't trust me at the time. However, while Sirius was living in Number Twelve and you were in school, he told me where I would be able to find this, in case he, well…'

Remus lifted the lid, and Harry gasped.

'This is the Potter engagement ring. It's one of those age old traditions, and I know your mum and dad would want you to keep it going.' As Harry lifted out the Emerald ring, Remus closed the lid of the box. 'Kind of ironic that your eyes are the colour they are,' he said softly. Harry only nodded.

'Thank you.'

'As long as I get an invite to the wedding,' Remus grinned.

Harry beamed.

'Did it really take that long to put him down?' Kit asked as Harry and Remus reappeared in the kitchen.

'No.'

'I didn't think so,' she said softly. 'Then why did it take you so long?'

'Don't worry about it, dear,' Harry said softly, grasping her hand briefly before going back out into the living room.

'Seriously, Remus,' Kit said, slightly put out. 'What took you so long?'

'It's a confidential matter, m'dear,' Remus said happily. 'And I must be off…just in case.'

'Alright then,' she sighed, hugging him. 'Good luck.'

'Hopefully I won't need it.'

'Come over tomorrow and elaborate, will you?'

'As long as you don't cook,' he said, winking.

Kit simply shook her head as Remus left through the back door.