"I can feel him kicking again!" Lily exclaimed. There was a rush as several people tried to put their hands on her round stomach and feel the baby moving.
"Hey!" James called, annoyed, "It's my son!" He tried to push through, but he soon had to give up as no one would pay him any attention. "Don't traumatize him before he's gotten a chance to try a chocolate frog!" he called hopelessly.
The Order members were relaxing in the large great room after another long meeting. Many of them were for all intents and purposes, basically living at the Order at this point. People like Sirius, without any real job or family they needed to be with, were spending all their time at the headquarters, a large formidable old manor that was very well hidden. There was almost never a moment of peace as there was so much work to be done, but now, in the after math of a particularly brainwashing lecture, everyone was resting and chatting unconcernedly before dinner.
"You get to feel him moving around in there every day, mate! Give them a chance!" Sirius called from the couch.
"I suppose…" James said, glaring reproachfully at the circle of Lily's friends who were now giggling about something as Lily animatedly spoke with them. Even Professor McGonagall had stopped to speak with Lily and watch as she pointed out the place where they could feel the baby moving.
"I'm still completely in shock, you know," Sirius said as James reluctantly dragged himself over and sat down next to him, "I think it might be a permanent condition. It's been six months now and I still can't imagine you as a father."
"Me neither!" Peter exclaimed.
"I can't either," James said, still watching Lily and her crowd of admirers.
Suddenly Remus started laughing. James, Peter, and Sirius all turned to stare at him. Remus rarely stayed after meetings. It had been a long time since they had last heard him laugh.
"Sorry," he choked through his chuckling, "I was just imagining James changing someone's nappies!"
This got Sirius laughing too, "Or potty training!"
"Or scolding his kid for taking his wand!"
"And changing into Prongs to entertain the baby!"
"How about teaching his kid to ride a broom?" Remus exclaimed.
"Or, can you imagine, James giving him the sex talk?" The three friends were nearly rolling on the floor with their laughter now.
"And, James Jr., at Hogwarts!"
"And being sorted into Gryffindor!"
"And falling asleep in History of Magic!" Sirius suggested.
"And taking lessons from McGonagall!" Peter laughed. James cocked an eyebrow, attempting to look annoyed.
"Oh, shut up!" he exclaimed, but he, too, was grinning.
"Excuse me?" Professor McGonagall said, clearing her throat behind them.
"Sorry!" Sirius said, barely controlling his laughter at the look on Peter's face. "We were just talking about…"
"We were imagining James's son…"
"Going to Hogwarts… and…"
"And taking transfiguration!"
"Ah, of course," Professor McGonagall said sarcastically, "And I assume he will enjoy it thoroughly and never interrupt the class?"
"I would be ashamed if he didn't," James exclaimed, but as Professor McGonagall smiled and walked off, he added under his breath, "interrupt the class and create chaos…"
The four of them chuckled again at this. Finally, after a few more minutes of joking and talking lightly during which James managed to once more wander over and sit with Lily, Remus got up and bade them all good night.
"Oh come on Moony! Stay for dinner!" Sirius exclaimed.
"No… Not tonight, I can't…"
"Please? Why not?" Sirius begged, following him into the empty hallway.
"I've got to… Well, it'll be full moon soon… I'm not feeling quite myself…"
"Oh come on! You never stay! Just this once?" Sirius pouted his lips in a truly pitiful way, making pathetically pleading eyes. Peter laughed, but Remus continued to ignore him. Bounding up to block the door, Sirius leaped into his dog form, whimpering and wagging his tail dejectedly.
"People will see you! Stop it!" Remus said coldly, "I have to go." He walked out into the damp air, pushing past Sirius and whipping out his wand to disapparate.
"Hey! I was only kidding around!" Sirius called after him, but it was too late, Remus was gone. Peter and Sirius exchanged taken aback looks. "What was that?" Sirius wondered. Peter shrugged, looking rather afraid.
"Maybe he's changing early," Peter suggested.
"That's impossible," Sirius said angrily, "What's he talking about 'the full moon is soon'? It's not until next week!"
Still shaking his head, Sirius slowly walked back into the main room. "Should we… tell James?" Peter asked hesitantly.
"No," Sirius said dismissively, "He's got enough on his plate as it is…" Trying to forget the harsh look in Remus's eyes as he left, Sirius went to join the others at dinner.
A/N: Hope you liked! I'll be updating soon... I hope. Thanks for reading!