Here After
by Kiamii
Chapter Three "Alex Potter"
Note: I have no clue about babies and stages and stuff. Alex is supposedly 14 months but let's just say he's a little underdeveloped.
Often the test of courage is not to die but to live. - Vittorio Alferi
James Sirius Potter was in a great mood. Putting aside the fact that his younger brother, Albus, had gotten into Slytherin of all houses. Well he didn't care really. Albus was still Albus in James' mind. He looked around at his table and noted all the Weasleys there. There was Victoire, the eldest cousin of them all. She was Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur's eldest daughter and she was in Gryffindor too. She was dating Teddy Lupin of all people, and his dad didn't even care! His dad, Teddy's godfather, was actually pleased with the whole thing. James gagged in his head and turned his attention to Molly Weasley who was a 6th year and in Ravenclaw. The first Weasley in that house, he was told. She reminded him of his grand mum just like her namesake and James turned to see Fred Weasley whispering to his best friends John Wood and Mark Jordan. All three were in 5th year and were Gryffindors. They were like the marauders, according to his dad. A loud laugh drove James to see his cousins Roxanne Weasley and Dominique Weasley entering the great hall. Both were third years but Dominique was a Ravenclaw where as Roxanne was in good old Gryffindor.
"What's up James?" Lucy Weasley asked. They were the same age and James considered Lucy one of his best friends next to Robert Whitby and Michael Losk, his dorm mates. Lorcan and Lysander Scamander were his friends too, but they were in Hufflepuff. Albus was talking to Scorpius Malfoy over at the Slytherin table and another Slytherin boy, but James ignored this and saw his cousin Rose Weasley chatting with another Ravenclaw girl. No Weasleys or Potters in Gryffindors this year. Such a shame.
"Nothing," James loudly sighed. Lucy shook her head in amusement and took a piece of toast, loading her plate. James went back to eating before the owl post arrived. Surprisingly, Galileo their tawny family owl, landed in him. It was only the third day back! Nevertheless, he took the parchment from the owl with a thanks and opened it up, Lucy peering over his shoulder.
To James,
Your father had recently come across a baby in his work and well... You'll be having a new baby brother in your life. His name is Alex and you'll get a chance to meet him this weekend as we are coming to visit with him. Send Neville our love as always.
Love,
Mum
"A baby?" Lucy asked, baffled. The Gryffindor cousins spotted James looking quite stunned and they gathered around the eldest Potter before James handed over the letter. As each cousin read, their own eyes widened before Fred, ever the blunt one, loudly told them.
"Looks like we have another Potter cousin," Fred said. That seemed to break the tension and James blinked before looking at Albus who looked just as surprised as he did before both brothers grinned. They had a new brother which meant another family member. James found himself anticipating the upcoming weekend...
Saturday morning found James running to the great hall to meet up with Albus who looked just as impatient as he did. The two boys turned around to wait for their parents to the amusement of all those who rose early. James Potter was known for sleeping in later than the norm, so seeing him up so early was definitely a sight. As the two boys waited, their cousins passed them every now and then, all giving them a good luck before leaving. Finally they saw their parents entering and Albus ran to greet his mother and father while James followed at a slower pace. He saw a small boy on his father's hip, hiding his face in his dad's shoulder. When James reached his dad, the man smiled and knelt down, putting the baby on the ground.
"James, I want you to meet Alex." Harry said to his eldest son and James searched his father's eyes like he had done when Albus had been born and again when Lily had been joining the family. Finding what he was looking for, he grinned and knelt down to the baby, peering at the hazel green eyes staring back at him.
"`Lo there Alex. Can't call you Al so how about Lex?" James suggested and the baby cocked its head to the side in a curious manner before giggling and reaching for James. The 2nd year looked at his father for permission before he picked the baby up, surprised to find how light he was. He had never really held a baby like this, being only four years old when Lily was born. He adjusted Alex according to his father's instructions and smiled as Alex began to tug at his hair.
"He seems to like people's hair," laughed his dad as he tugged Alex's hand from James' hair and put a pacifier in the boy's mouth. Alex blinked and put his head down on James' shoulder.
"Is he always this quiet?" James asked, looking at the baby. At his father's nod, James wondered what it'd take to make the baby talk more. Alex squirmed when James accidentally let his finger poke the baby's stomach. The boy grinned and began to move his fingers in various spots, tickling the baby who giggled through his pacifier. Harry was laughing as he saw the action before looking at his watch. They had chosen this day since it was the weekend and Hermione and Ron were with Rose already at the Three Broomsticks like they agreed to meet. Lily and Hugo were with Hermione and Ron thankfully.
"We should get going. Your Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron want to see you too you know," Ginny said and James nodded happily, handing his baby brother to Harry. Albus peered at the baby as they walked, too scared to ask his dad to hold him in fear that he'd drop baby Alex. The baby was looking back at him, staring intensely which was somewhat abnormal for any kind of baby really, but Albus fortunately had no experience with babies so wouldn't know this. Alex finally turned back to look ahead of where he was being carried, looking around at the future Hogsmeade in surprise. Everything was slightly different, more open and welcoming... Was Voldemort gone here? Was this why his future self didn't look so tense about much? He was an auror and a captain at that if the badge he wore before was any indication. He still couldn't get over the fact he had married Ginny and had three kids, Albus looking very similar to how Harry looked at 11.
They had arrived at The Three Broomsticks soon enough and upon entering Albus went to greet their little sister. James instead went to his aunt and uncle to say hi. Harry chuckled and put Alex down on Ginny's lap when she sat, going off to ask for a high chair. While he could normally conjure one, the Three Broomsticks had specifically charmed ones that were for children. He got one after flashing a quick, charming smile at them and saying his name even though the place looked mildly packed it was delivered to him fast. He grinned at the disapproving look on Ginny's face for doing that and he lifted Alex up into the high chair. The baby looked put out but sat still as Harry buckled him in and took out the pacifier.
"So Neville invited us to tea after this," Hermione spoke up after she finished ordering. Rose was chattering with Albus about Scorpius while Lily and Hugo talked about what they did at school yesterday. James was left next to the high chair and he glanced at the baby before smiling again. He had always hated these small meetings only for the fact he had no one his age to have fun with, which was why he loved big parties with the Weasley family or being at Hogwarts. He did feel a little guilty for baby Alex who wouldn't have any family his age when he went, or anyone in Hogwarts for that matter.
The food arrived and James watched as his dad cut up bits of Alex's food and gave a plastic non sharp fork to the baby to try and eat by himself. He kept dropping his food and James made sure no one was looking at him before he took the fork slowly in his hands, smiling at Alex's pout before he stabbed a piece of the food and held it to Alex's mouth. The baby looked at him, almost incredulously, before opening his mouth reluctantly. As James began to hand feed him, he was oblivious to his father stopping in a conversation to Ron about the newest case and the two men watching him.
"Looks like James has taken a liking to your new youngest," Ron commented lowly so no one could hear, least of all attention turn to James and embarrass the poor kid who tried so hard to live up to his namesakes. Harry smiled as he watched his eldest son quietly laughing when Alex tried to refuse a bite and ended up with some of it on his top. James reached over and grabbed a napkin, doing his best to wipe the mess up the muggle way. James was looking around and when he caught his dad's stare, the preteen blushed a bright red to nearly match his sister's hair. Lily was the only one of his children to inherit the Weasley red hair, though it was Albus who inherited his green eyes. James was certainly unique, but if Harry had to connect him to anyone it would be his own father - James Potter Sr.
Thankfully Harry and Ron were the only ones to have noticed James' interaction with the baby and Harry stood up, picking Alex up out of the highchair after a quick scourgify and he placed Alex gently in James' lap, handing him the bottle of milk. James looked at him for a second, astonished, before his eyes drifted down to the wiggling baby who was looking around as if embarrassed. James grinned and tried his best to get Alex comfortable on his lap, only knowing when he was by the amount of wriggling. With that task done, he brought the bottle up to Alex's lips and like with the feeding, Alex looked at him in disbelief before accepting his bottle, his small hands wrapping around the item, suckling on it a little until Alex's eyelids began to droop, letting James take the bottle from him and continue to hold it up as he began to fall asleep, still suckling.
"Awe James," Lily teased as she finally noticed what her brother was doing. Her words brought attention onto him causing James to scowl.
"It seems he likes you," Ginny said helpfully, "Whenever your dad and I try that he wiggles a lot more so we usually let him try eating by himself." James allowed a small pleased look to appear on his face. Alex had finally stopped drinking and James put the bottle down, looking at Harry who silently mimicked how to burp a baby. James clumsily lifted Alex to his shoulder and hesitantly patted the baby's back, sighing in relief when Alex let out a small burp. He drew the baby back to his lap and looked accomplished as Alex was completely asleep. Harry looked at his son proudly and went back to conversing with Ron until it was time for the group to go back to Hogwarts. James insisted he carry Alex, though he did his best to be gentle. Albus whined that he hadn't gotten to see his new brother, but was content to walk next to James, looking at the baby with wonder. Eventually they reached the castle and James reluctantly gave his new baby brother up to Harry. In the few hours he had met Alex, he found himself positively attached to the baby. Maybe because Alex was so frail looking that James had been scared every now and then he'd hurt the toddler.
"We're probably going to try and get him talking a little more, and see if he can walk yet." Harry was telling Rose who had asked about Alex being 14 months. He rested the toddler against his chest, letting the head lean against his shoulder. He dug in his pocket and produced the pacifier once more. In his sleep, Alex looked a lot more like a normal baby than anything else, burying his face into the shoulder provided and clenching as well as unclenching Harry's shirt. James grinned. Yes, he was certainly looking forward to Christmas and seeing the baby again.
"We better get going if we want to make it on time to see Neville. We'll join you three later," Hermione said and the children nodded, saying their respective goodbyes. James did give Alex a quick and small hug before disappearing up the stairs leading to Gryffindor. Rose kissed Alex on the head, hugged and kissed her mother and father, before she went to the stairs leading to Ravenclaw. Albus was the last to go and he smiled, hugging his family, before going to the stairs leading down to the dungeons where Slytherin resided.
"We're missing a Hufflepuff in this picture," Ron joked and was hit on the arm by Hermione, though she was laughing as well as Ginny and Harry. Hugo and Lily looked at their parents in confusion before shrugging, following the adults as they walked towards the Herbology office.
Author's Note: So this was mainly in James Potter's POV if you hadn't notice. I felt the eldest potter needed a little interaction with his new sibling the most. No idea what anyone cept Albus and Lily look like in the future when it comes to the grand kids of Molly Weasley so I'm making it up again. I worked on Thanksgiving day today and ate alone, so I felt like writing something. Lol. Hope you enjoyed. Make my day by reviewing about this one please?