Ch.13

AN: the final chapter! Despite the bitter ending James and Lily have, hopefully this chapter is a happier side to said ending.

"Lils, I really don't see the point of this," James said skeptically. He was in the kitchen, filling a decorated bowl with candy, but not normal candy. No licorice wands, chocolate frogs, or Bertie Bott's. Instead, there were Hershey bars, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Charleston Chews, and things called Fudge Rounds. James figured it was muggle candy. He also figured muggles have a weird candies. Who doesn't love an acid pop?

"It's for Harry," Lily called from the sitting room. "He's always cooped up in this house and can't ever go out."

"There's a reason for that."

"I know, but what child wants to be in a house all day? He's starting to act out."

"Don't need to remind me," James' face twisted, remembering the Oxy Clean incident he went through with the kid a few months ago. Sirius was still laughing about it.

Lily came in the kitchen with 15 month Harry in her arms. Harry was in a white onsie looking garment covered in black splotches with a cow's head hood/hat thing pulled over his head, and little hoof mittens. He was a cow for Halloween.

"And how exactly does this 'trick-or-treating' thing work?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Kids go door to door, saying 'trick- or-treat!' and then the owners of the house give them candy," Lily explained, tossing a Fudge Round into Harry's plastic jack-o-lantern bucket. The infant clapped happily.

"And all these kids are dressed as farm animals?"

"No, they can be whatever they want. Some are princesses, some are superheros, and some are vampires."

"Okay. Here's another question; what is this bowl of for if you and I are going to be taking Harry door to door, collecting candy for me?"

"What makes you say the candy is for you?" Lily frowned at her husband.

"Simply, how's Harry supposed to eat candy if he hasn't got any teeth?"

Lily frowned even more. She hated it when James had a point, like when he told her that Rocky Mountain Oysters were absolutely disgusting. Especially when they were covered in maple syrup and powdered sugar. Lily found them to be quite tasty, but after she had Harry, the tasty treat became a revolting form of torture.

"Well, it's not about the candy. It's about having fun."

"Lily, that's what junior league quidditch captains tell you until you get to school when all of a sudden it's about winning a trophy," James sauntered back into the sitting room and lazily put the bowl of candy by the door. It was still fairly light outside, but he couldn't help but notice a bunch of kids milling the streets.

Lily followed James into the sitting room. She knew he wasn't into the trick-or-treating idea, but she knew how to get him to tolerate it.

"I think Harry looks cute in his costume," she commented, showering the boy's face with kisses.

"He's a farm animal that later becomes someone's dinner!" James cried. Of all the costumes his son could be in, he had to be in a cow suit! Was it too much to ask for a handsome devil like his son to be put in something more manly? Like a dragon or a dinosaur. No. He had to be a cow. Although he pulled off the look and would definitely make any woman's heart melt, James felt he needed to be bold as well as adorable, like his father.

Lily ignored James' comment and continued to trick the man into leaving the house. "Harry, what sound does the cow make?"

"Lily, please–,"

"MOO!" Harry cried, squealing with delight. "Moo, moo, moo, moo, moo...mooooooooo!"

"Let's go before it gets too late," James grabbed his coat and opened the front door. Lily hoisted her son up and grabbed his little candy collecting bucket. She made sure to leave the bowl of candy for the other kids out by the front door before heading to the first house.

The family of three traveled to all the houses in Gordric's Hollow before Harry tired. James was about ready to hex people for constantly asking Harry what sound the cow makes and he replies with a series of 'moos' that continues long after they had walked away from the house.

"Next year, Harry will not be an animal of any kind," James declared, hanging his and Lily's coat in the closet.

"Awww, I thought it was cute," Lily pulled the little hood off of Harry and took off his mittens. Because the onsie also doubled as pajamas, Lily put the boy down on the floor where he immediately stood up and began to toddle around.

"I think it's time for someone to go to bed," Lily cooed.

"Yes please," James said suggestively.

"James! Not in front of Harry."

"He's over there," James pointed over to the couch, where Harry took his candy bucket and dumped it's contents on the floor. Not caring about the sweets, he stuck the bucket on his head and giggled, which turned to laugher as he heard his voice magnified.

"See, can't even see," James pulled Lily to him and kissed her. As he pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss, James felt something hit his lower back. He broke away from his wife and stared accusingly at his son.

Harry looked around innocently with the bucket still on his head, but his fist was filled with candy. James reckoned he was pelted with the toothbrush a muggle dentist put in his bucket.

"What's your problem?" James asked, scooping the boy up. Lily removed the bucket from his head and carried him toward the stairs to be put down.

"Hey, Lils!"

"What?"

"I love you," James called up the stairs.

Lily looked down at him, over the railing, "I love you too."

James smirked and crashed down on the couch. For a brief moment he felt at peace and that he and Lily will have the life and family without worrying about Voldemort. James also figured 9 was a good number of children. 4.5 will look like Lily and will be name Lily Jr. The other 3.5 (since there was already Harry) would look like him and would be rightly name James Jr. JJ if they were looking for their own identity.

As James relished in the happiness of his to be massive family, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He was barely on his feet when the door burst off its hinges.

AN: sad ending, but this was a tragedy to begin with. Hope you like it! I don't own JKR or HP, don't forget to review!