AN: A longer one that didn't go up straight away because I realised that we needed to finish October 31 1981 and the subsequent day first... for some reason fanfic decided that from "A" to "first" was one word... O.o
Chapter 5
March 27 1982
"James..." Lily whispered her husband's name as she entered their bedroom where he slept. The effect was ruined as the baby girl in her arms wailed, and she winces as she goes to kiss his forehead softly. "Happy birthday, love." She sits the girl on the bed next to him and puts the other baby in her arms, a boy, next to the girl.
James had jerked awake at the baby's cry, his eyes flying open as he instinctively reached for his wand. Grabbing his glasses and keeping his wand point at the largest blob as he shoves them on his face, he automatically relaxes as he sees who it is. "Sorry love," he lowers his wand, grimacing. "Old habit."
She nods understandingly, and then grins. "Well, Happy birthday."
He smiles at her and kisses her cheek. "Thanks love." Turning to his children, he grins. "And what have our two noise-makers been up to this morning?"
"Making you breakfast with me." Lily answers for them, grinning. "If you take care of them for a sec, I'll get the food..." before he can talk she speaks again; "yes, there's bacon."
"I bloody love you," he calls after her. Gathering his children close, he tickles Rose who giggles and chats to Harry who babbles and coos back as if answering.
She grins and comes back in with a tray, on it a plate of his favourites; bacon, bacon, more bacon and eggs. "I love you too." she sits next to him and hands him the tray, still grinning.
He settles the kids, one on either side of him, sitting up against the headboard. Shifting Rose a little, he pats the space for Lily to sit next to him. Tucking into his meal, he almost moans with delight. Swallowing quickly, he smiles brightly at his wife. "This is delicious love."
She takes the seat and kisses his cheek. "Good..." Lily picks up Rose and rests her on her lap, kissing her bright red hair.
He grins and finishes quickly. "So... What's planned for the day?"
"Sirius and Remus are coming for lunch... With Allie, most likely. Then you'll get your presents and then Sirius and Allie are taking Rose and Harry for tonight so that we can spend some time alone..." she grins and takes out a small box from her pocket. "So you won't be getting this until they come..." she holds it out of his reach, getting off the bed, leaving Rose there and giggling.
James pouts and pretends to lunge at her. "Meanie!"
She grins and stands teasingly by the door. "You'll get it when they come."
"Reeeeeeally now?" He smirks and hops off the bed, picking up a child under each arm. "Let's get Mummy!"
Lily gasps dramatically. "Oh no, save me from the evil Daddy!" she grins and runs.
Feeling Rose slipping, James gently sets her on the floor. Clinging to her Daddy's leg, the girl stands. This wasn't new but what she did next was. Wanting her Mummy, she let go and took one shaky step in the direction Lily had run to. Staring at her in awe, he yells for his wife. "LILY! LILY COME QUICK!" Excitement lends his voice character.
Lily comes, and sees her walking. "Oh... Goodness! Rose!" she sits down and pats her lap. "Come on, Rose, come to Mummy..."
Rose takes another tottering step and then another, falling onto her bottom about halfway to her mother. With a startlingly familiar look of determination, she gets laboriously to her feet and continues on, falling into her Mummy's lap. Grinning broadly James is at his wife's side, scooping up his daughter and showering her face with kisses. "Best birthday present ever! Aren't you a clever girl Rosie?"
Lily beams and picks up Harry and hugs Rose. "You brilliant girl, you."
James had passed Rose to her mother and wraps his arms around all of them. Harry, who'd fallen back to sleep, wakes up and gazes around with a soft coo, as if asking what all the fuss is about.
Lily grins and kisses Harry's forehead. "Just like his father." She turns back to Rose and kisses her on the forehead as well.
James raises an eyebrow, confused. "Just like his father, what?"
She grins. "Always sleeping."
He pokes her gently in the side. "I'm not always sleeping," he protests.
"You can sleep through anything." she counters, still smirking.
"So /just/ because I slept through you blowing up the stove, means I can "sleep through anything"?" He questions with a slight raise of one eyebrow. "C'mon Lils... That was /one/ time!"
She smirks with triumph, as if she'd already won the argument. "You slept through that... You sleep through when Harry or Rose wake up crying... Hell, you slept through Sirius snoring for six years!"
"You get used to that!" Is all he manages, rather weakly as he realises he's lost.
She grins and kisses him. "Don't worry, I still love you..."
He kisses her back heatedly. "Good," he whispers.
Lily shivers and murmurs back, "We have tonight..."
"Even better," his smile is slow and promises all sorts of things.
She smirk slowly and kisses his cheek before snapping out of it by a chiming from the fireplace. "They're this early?"
James shrugs. "Must be... Maybe they got bored at home?"
Lily nods. "Probably..." she gently slips Harry into his arms, taking Rose to greet their friends. "Hey Sirius... They're coming soon?"
Sirius nods, moving out of the way to let the others through. James heads down the stairs, gently cradling his son.
Allie comes through, beaming. "Can I hold my goddaughter...?" Lily grins and gently gives her Rose as Remus comes through.
Remus gives them all a tired smile, looking paler and thinner than usual.
She frowns at Remus' state and hugs him gently.
Remus hugs her back gently before setting her away from him. Sirius and James look at their friend silently communicating and both nod in understanding, James offering a rueful shrug and Sirius grimacing.
She frowns at Remus' state and hugs him gently.
Remus hugs her back gently before setting her away from him. Sirius and James look at their friend silently communicating and both nod in understanding, James offering a rueful shrug and Sirius grimacing.
She frowns again, and walks off to join Allie in playing with Rose, leaving the three friends together.
James sighs and talks quietly to them for a little while before drifting over to his wife. "Lils? What's wrong?" He asks her softly.
"Remus seems... Distant." she mumbles, still smiling as Rose plays with her hair.
"He's got a lot on his mind... Dumbledore had him spying on the werewolves you know... He probably got to beating himself up about it..." James sighs and rolls his eyes. "Bloody noble prat."
Lily smiles weakly, and hugs him gently. "Mm... As long as he's okay..."
James hugs her gently his chest pressing a kiss to her hair. "C'mon... Go talk to him love, I know you want to."
She pouts. "Fine..."
"Love..." He grasps her arm gently. "If you don't want to..."
She grins. "I'll talk to him." she kisses his cheek, then walks over to her friend. "Hey, Rem."
"Hey Lily," Remus' voice is hoarser and more defeated that usual.
She frowns. "Remus... Are you okay?" she takes his hand and squeezes it.
He manages to muster up a shaky smile. "I'm fine Lils."
"Remus." she sighs, and sets Rose on the floor. "Tell me." she leads him to their library and sits down with him. "Talk."
Rose crawled after them, curious as ever. Remus glances down as a little hand grips his knee. "oony!" She crows and Remus chuckles softly, picking her up and settling her in his lap. "Just like your Daddy aren't you?" Sighing he turns his attention back to his oldest friend. "I just... When I was with the werewolves.. Looking around them it was like seeing me if James, Sirius, Peter... If they hadn't befriended me... It's what I could have become.. What I still might become..." He sighs and punches the bridge of his nose.
She frowns. "You /won't/ become that. They won't abandon you. /I/ won't abandon you."
He smiled gratefully at her. "Are you sure?"
"Positive." she replies.
His grateful smile widens. Rose, as if echoing her mother, pulls herself upright in his lap and places a slobbery kiss to his cheek. "Wub 'oony"
Lily grins and kisses his other cheek, then picks up her daughter. "You aren't even supposed to be in here, Rosie!"
Grinning her daughter pats her face. "Wub 'ummy"
Lily laughs. "You're such a sweetie. I love you too, Rosie." she holds her and gets up, looking at Remus. "Let's go back, yeah? James still hasn't gotten my present..." her grin is wide.
Remus smirks. "Knowing Prongs, he's probably wetting himself with excitement."
She nods, still grinning. "Yep."
Remus plucks his pseudo-niece from her mother's arms. "I'm going to steal your kid so you can give old' Prongsie his gift without worrying anyone will get crushed."
She giggles. "Okay then..." she leaves the library, jumping on James and kissing his neck.
James lets out a startled yelp before scooping her off his back with a grin. "I very glad it's you Lily-flower," he drawls, "otherwise I would be questioning our dear Moony about certain aspects of his personality..." He sends his friend a wicked grin across the room.
She pouts. "Well, since you're making fun of Remus, we'll just wait another hour to open your presents..."
"Awe love," he gives her puppy dog eyes. "I'm sorry."
She laughs. "Say that to Remus."
Lily grins and takes a small, longer-than-wide box and enlarges it. "Here."
Taking it curiously, he rips off the wrapping paper like a kid at Christmas and opens the box, his eyes widening at the contents. "Lily," he breathed. "You shouldn't have..."
Lily grins. "Nimbus 1500. Newest broom on the market... Though, you probably know that." she kisses his cheek.
"I..." he gapes. "I don't know what to say..."
Lily grins. "A 'Thanks' would do?"
Instead of a simple thank-you, James picks her up, spinning her around, kissing every part of her face he could reach. "I love you!"
Lily grins and kisses him back. "I love you too."
Still grinning broadly, James sets her back on her feet. "You're the best!"
She laughs and kisses his cheek. "You get the other half later..." she whispers with a grin.
"There's /more/?" His eyes are alight with glee.
She giggles. "Tonight..." she reiterates, still whispering.
"Oooh." he smirks, kissing her quickly. Louder, he asks, "Well, we've got a while until lunch... How shall we pass the time?"
She laughs. "You've only gotten one present!"
James blinks. "But... This is... Lily! This is /more/ than enough!" His gaze softens. "You could have gotten me nothing and I would have been happy."
"Not from me, silly." her smile is sweet.
He gazes around at their friends who are grinning at him like idiots.
"I don't even know what they got you... I just know they didn't get a broom." Lily grins, also excited to know.
Padfoot jumps on his best friend, yelling "Me first! Me first!" James shoves him off, chuckling good-naturedly. "Still haven't managed to tame him Allie?" He smirks and takes the clumsily wrapped package from his friend.
Lily laughs. "It's not her fault!"
Allie pouts. "No, it isn't. It is definitely not my fault that he's an untrainable mutt."
Ripping it open with relish he tips a bundle of grass shoots tied with string onto the carpet. He cracks up. "Alright Pads... Where's the real present?" Pouting at the fact that his friend knows him so well, Sirius pulls a small, much more neatly wrapped box from his pocket. Taking it, James unwraps it carefully, taking the lid off the box to reveal a delicately blown glass stag and doe. He touches the stag's antlers with a gentle forefinger and it raises its head. Nuzzling the doe, it then drops its head back to cropping the glass grass.
Lily gasps. "Sirius, that's beautiful!" she turns to Allie. "You helped, I'm guessing?"
Allie nods, beaming. James is simply staring at it. "It's... I... Thanks mate..."
Lily leans on his shoulder. "It's so pretty..."
James wraps his arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head watching the stag suddenly nudge the doe and they took off running, soundlessly, appearing to hover over rather than touch the table top. Luckily, it appeared they couldn't stray very far from their little patch of grass but... The things they could do...
Lily sighs, then looks at Rose and Harry, each on their uncles' laps and smiles happily. "I love you..." she murmurs to James.
"I love you too," he murmurs back. Remus' present is, as always, a book. It was a beautifully bound handwritten account of the Marauders time at Hogwarts. "Moony? You?" His friend nods, smiling. "I hope you like it."
"Like it?" James grins. "I love it!" Peter's joke gift of venison steaks isn't as well received as Sirius'. James pales and looks like he might be sick, and Padfoot and Moony look like they're going to murder the smallest member of their group. "You idiot!" Sirius hisses and Peter, cowering, stammered out about how he'd found it funny.
Lily grins at Remus' present, asking for second read. At Peters gift she frowns, but holds James' hand tightly. "He didn't mean it like that..." she whispers to him.
"It's not funny..." James shivers, eyes glazing over at a memory.
"I know... What... What happened?" she can tell that he's not thinking of anything pleasant, and sitting on his lap, she tried to convince him into telling her.
"I'd... I'd gone for a walk in some woodlands and, hearing a group of people coming my way, ducked into the underbrush. They didn't sound threatening but I transformed anyway... How was I to know I'd stumbled into the bloody royal woods and it was a load of blue bloods with nothing better to do then..." He shivers and swallows hard. "Hunt." That last word is a whisper. "Trust me, it's not fun... And to think how close I came to ending up like that..." He throws the steaks a murderous glare.
Lily kisses him softly, an arm around his neck. "But you didn't, for which I'm really glad..." a small smile lights up her face. "I love you. Relax, okay? Peter didn't mean harm..."
"Of course he didn't," James is slowly calming down. Peter was a friend he wouldn't do something like that on purpose. "Sorry James," Peter squeaks. "I... I didn't know..." James throws him a tired grin. "S'fine mate... You know for next time." Peter nods vigorously and James resolves to put the matter out of his mind. "So." He claps his hands loudly, startling Remus out of what looked like deep thought. "Now what? Cake?" He smirks as the kids perk up at the mention of cake.
Lily smiles and gets up, disappearing into the kitchen. When she came back out, she had a cake in her hands. "Cake?"
"CAKE!" Sirius yells, causing everyone to jump. "Merlin Padfoot!" James laughs. "Scare everyone to death why don't you?"
Lily picks a crying Harry up from the floor, pouting. "Sirius, you scared poor Harry."
Quickly assuming a sober expression, James shakes his head at his best mate. "Tsk tsk Padfoot!"
Lily laughs and bounces Harry up and down, causing him to laugh.
He grins at his wife and reaches out to tickle his son.
Harry laughs further and Lily does the same, his laughter infectious. She kisses his forehead, and moves him so that he's resting on her hipbone, making it easier for her to move.
James smiles softly at the picture, crouching down to pick up Rose who was tugging on his pant leg. "Feeling left out are we Rosie?" He cuddles her, watching his wife and son.
She kisses Harry's nose before turning back to the cake and cutting a few pieces. As her son pouts at her, it is obvious that he wants cake. "You're too cute to resist, Harry Potter." she looks at him fondly and cuts him a smaller slice of cake, feeding it to him.
James chuckles and grabs a slice for Rose and for himself.
Lily glances over at them and smiles. "James, I'll be back in a few minutes, going to go pack their bags." she sets Harry on the carpet and goes upstairs.
James nods as Rose happily smushes cake, smearing it on her face. "Dadda!" she shrieks excitedly and he glances down to find his eldest covered in chocolate. Shaking his head with a chuckle, James says cheerfully, "what am I going to do with you squirt? You're a mess." His daughter simply grins up at him and James can't help the answering grin that spreads across his face.
Lily comes downstairs after about 10 minutes, watching her husband and her daughter laugh together with chocolate all over their faces. "James! You're supposed to... Never mind, you never do what you're told anyway." Laughter is in her voice.
James looks up, pouting and then points to Rose. "It's all her fault!" Rose giggles and says quite clearly "No! Dadda!" Sirius sniggers.
Lily pouts. "I don't even know which one of you to believe! You, missy, are too much like your father." she giggles and takes Rose from her father.
Rose giggles again, patting her mother's face with chocolate covered hands as James grins. Sirius sniggers again and James raises an eyebrow in his direction. "Have something you want to say Pads?" Sirius grins broadly. "Nope mate. I'm good." James glares at him.
She glares at the both of them, playful. "You're both evil." taking a napkin, she wipes at Rose's face, then hands.
"We know," they say together, grinning in an identical evil fashion.
Pouting still, Lily walks to the bathroom, coming back a minute later with hardly any chocolate on her face. "I should just never make chocolate cake again." Still holding Rose, she ruffles her daughter's hair. "You're too much like your daddy and uncle Padfoot."
"Awe but I love chocolate cake," James protests and Rose seems equally upset if the sad little puppy dog look on her face is anything to go by. "Toclate?" she asks sadly.
"Not fair!"
"What's not fair love?" He asks, innocent grin in place.
"Three against one. And you have Rose!" she pouts.
"Rose is cute... And you've got Harry..." He smiles sweetly at her. "And I love you." He pecks her quickly on the lips.
"Have not." she kisses back softly. "I love you too."
"Yes you do and I love you more." He wraps his arms around her in a tight hug.
She grins and hugs him back. "I love you most."
Grinning in return he kisses her softly again. Sirius wolf-whistles and James starts having forgotten they weren't alone.
Lily looks at the time, seeing that it's around lunch time. "Well... Lunch?" she changes the subject.
Sirius yells "FOOD!" and James laughs. "I guess that's a yes." Remus shakes his head, shutting his book and Peter's watery eyes light up at the mention of food.
Lily laughs and summons the meal, which consisted of her husband's favourites.
James beams at his wife. "Lily-flower I love you!" Sirius grins at her, already stuffing his face. Remus murmurs a quiet "thank-you" already looking better with some food in him.
Lily laughs and turns to Rose and Harry. "Never, ever eat like your daddy and your uncle." she states jokingly, taking a bite herself.
Rose giggles already copying her uncle and Harry just babbles, not yet able to eat solid foot but he much enjoyed watching the others eat.
Lily pouts. "Jaaaames..." she whinges. "You're rubbing off on her..."
"Hey blame Sirius for that one Lils! I'm eating normally... Look!" he takes an exaggeratedly normal bite.
She rolls her eyes, but turns to Sirius. "Sirius Black, if you have corrupted my daughter, merlin help you."
Sirius actually looks scared. "Noooo Red! Don't kill me!" He tries to hide behind Allie.
She can't help the smirk that comes as Allie doesn't let him hide behind her. "Hey, I'm innocent in this!"
"You've got to save me Allie! Red's gonna kill me!"
Lily laughs and puts on her best innocent expression, the one that had won over most of the teachers for her time at Hogwarts. Her eyelashes batted and she pouts slightly. "Allie, it wasn't me! It was him!"
James recognises the expression and sniggers. Allie simply raises a eyebrow at her best friend and Sirius whimpers. Remus sighs and shakes his head. "Stop terrifying poor Padfoot Lils."
"Remus... But... He was being a bad influence on my baby!" she held up Rose, who was looking as cute as ever. "This cutie!"
Remus cracks a smile. "She's a kid Lils, she'll grow out of it." Sirius looks like he is going to hug their friend.
She glares playfully and mutters something about "men".
James looks offended. "Hey! We're not all /that/ bad..."
Lily looks up, smiling. "I know..." she picks up Harry. "This one isn't!" She grins.
"You'd better." He sniffs, pretending to wipe a tear away. Sirius "coughs" and James turns on him. "I'm a sissy? You're the one that was hiding from my wife behind your girlfriend!" That shut him up.
Lily laughs. "Men. Show us women their weaknesses in the first hour." she winks at Allie.
"He-ey! What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius looks unsure whether he's been insulted or not.
"That what you pride yourself on is also your weakest point... This is why women aim for it when insulting you." Lily explains with a smirk.
Sirius pouts and opens his mouth to say something but Remus, being closest, claps his hand over their friend's mouth. Sirius glares and Remus quickly pulls his hand away with a disgusted expression. "You /licked/ my hand!" Sirius smirks and turns back to the women and James silently Silences him, breathing a sigh of relief. "Now /that's/ out of the way..."
Lily grins, then looks around. Everyone had finished eating... She sent the remains back to the kitchen leant on James' shoulder. "Happy Birthday, love."
James presses a kiss to her temple. "Thank-you love." Sirius mimes throwing up and James fingers his wand threateningly. "Shouldn't you be going soon Padfoot?" The question is casual.
Lily laughs, and she kisses her husband's shoulder.
Grinning he wraps his arms around her waist. "I love you."
"I love you too..." she trails off and giggles at Sirius' expression. "Sirius... Really? You... Hypocrite." she doesn't want to say anything, because of Rose, but she's on the verge of laughter.
James is holding back laughter himself. "Oh Pads, she's got you there." Sirius' mouth works but of course no sound comes out. Remus takes pity on him and lifts the jinx. Huffily, he turns his back on them all.
She lets out a snigger. "Sirius! Come on, you have to admit it." her voice is teasing.
"Sure." James kisses her and then picks up Rose, kissing her forehead. She giggles and flings her little arms around his neck. James laughs softly and passes her to her mother. He then scoops up Harry, tickling his softly as he giggles.
Lily beams at Rose and hugs her close. "I love you, Rosie." she kisses her forehead and Rose replies with a "Wuv 'ou 'oo, Mamma." Lily then takes Harry, rocking him softly before repeating the same statement to him, to which he just blubbered. She set him on the floor and went upstairs, coming down with two small bags. "Their clothes..." she tells Allie. Hugging her best friend, Lily whispers a "Thank-you" and lets go, hugging the others.
They hug James as well and he has to bite his lip hard as their kids disappear with their best friends in a swirl of green flame. Remus takes his leave as well, pulling James into a rough hug and Lily into a gentler one before striding out the door. Peter nods to them both, mumbles a "sorry" and a "happy birthday" to James and sends a funny little head jerk Lily's direction before following Remus out the door. And then they were alone.
Lily turns to James. "We're alone now..." a smirk on her lips, she kisses him softly.
"We are indeed," he returns huskily, deepening the kiss.
Arms twining around his neck, Lily kisses him slowly and passionately.
Smirking against his wife's lips, James murmurs. "We appear to be child free... However shall we pass the time?"
"I wonder.." she mutters in return, kissing him again
"I'm sure we can come up with something..." Pulling away, a wicked twinkle appears in his eyes. "We could play Scrabble..."
Lily laughs and kisses him again, distracting him. "Let's just go upstairs..." she whispers breathlessly.
"I like that idea better," he pants when he can breathe again. Scooping her up with a soft laugh, he carries her upstairs.
AN: Chapter 6 will be a while yet, we need to write it… it's been started though you'll be happy to know =)