It is a very exciting time in my life. I am on the verge of being a father for the very first time. My first son is due in three weeks. But there is an important order of business that needs attending to before that day comes. I need to pick a name for him.
Last night I made arrangements with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna for us all to meet up in the Leaky Cauldron.
We have just arrived and ordered butterbeers and Hannah, with a butterbeer of her own in tow, has also joined us at our table.
"Can any of you guess why I have organized this meeting?" I ask Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah.
"You have chosen a name for your upcoming son and you wish to reveal to us what that name is?" guesses Hermione.
"Right in one!" I say, grinning at Hermione.
"Smart girl, that Hermione," smirks Ginny.
"There's one very important thing you all need to understand, and I need to make it crystal clear right from the start," I say clearly, "This decision is mine and mine only. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Hannah, none of you are my son's father and therefore none of you have any right to any say in his naming. I decided years ago not to share this decision with anyone, not even those closest to me. I knew not too long after the Battle of Hogwarts that if I ever had kids that I and only I would have any choice in their namings."
"That's the way it should be," agrees Luna at once, "And this isn't exclusive to you, Harry; the only person who should have any say in the naming of ANY baby is the baby's father."
"I don't think anyone would ever argue against that," pipes up Hannah instantly, "And I know we are all confident that Harry will do a superb job of choosing his children's names, starting today."
"Let's get to it then," encourages Neville, "Harry what will you name your son?"
"Drumroll please," I say dramatically, and Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah oblige.
"My son's name shall be..." I begin, and then hold my breath for about half a minute.
"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!" I finally shout out.
"James Sirius Potter!" exclaims Ron with a grin, "I think we've got a next generation marauder on our way!"
"That would be awesome if he was! Maybe he'll be a Quidditch star!" I reply.
However, giving my son the name of James Sirius Potter is a serious thing to me and so I put on my more serious face and explain to the others:
"I am honoring two important people in my life with this naming," I say in a meaningful voice, "As you know, my father, James Potter died fighting Lord Voldemort at the height of his powers. You have to give it up for James and his bravery. The thing you have to understand is that James actually defied Lord Voldemort three times before Voldemort finally killed him the fourth time they met. How much courage did James have to have to CONTINUE to stand up to Voldemort time after time. That's the epitome of Gryffindor."
"It is tragic that you had to grow up without your parents, Harry," says Hermione in a quiet and respectful voice.
"But I also know what they died for and I couldn't be prouder to be their son," I say with emotion, "To be able to honor my father by naming my son after him means the world to me."
"It is cruel," says Hannah sadly, "That Harry got so little time with James and Lily and all of it as a baby before he could even talk to them or know them."
"True," says Luna quietly, "But James and Lily loved Harry more than anything and that love endures to this day. It will always endure. The ones that love us never truly leave us and you can always find them in here."
Luna puts her right hand right over her heart.
Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Hannah, and I are all a bit teary eyed although Ron isn't. Ron never has been one for much emotion.
"Thanks," I say quietly, "James this is for you. I am so proud of you, dad."
I raise my wand and think hard about honoring my father by naming my son for him and I cry out "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
A stag comes galloping out of my wand and hovers over us. It doesn't last long but everyone appreciates what it means to me. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah all exercise a very respectful silence while the Patronus is in the air. I feel an inexpressable sense of gratitude to all of them.
After the Patronus slowly fades away, Hermione says, "Harry, you couldn't have chosen a more appropriate name for your first son, good luck on fatherhood."
Everyone else nods. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah all know how much becoming a father will mean to me.
"Thanks, Hermione," I say, "Now as for the middle name, Sirius Black was my godfather and the closest thing to a parental figure I ever knew. The real tragic things about Sirius's life and death are that he died with most people believing him a Voldemort supporter and a mass murderer and the fact that he missed out on what might have been a happier life for him had he survived the second war."
"I never knew he was innocent until after his death," admits Neville, "And I don't know as much about his relationship with Harry as Ron and Hermione do but I do know that Sirius was Harry's godfather. It does seem fitting that after naming his son after the father he lost that he would also name his son after the godfather he lost. I fully appreciate Harry's idea of honoring lost people who were important to him. I haven't decided yet whether to have kids of my own but if I do my first boy will be named Frank and my first girl will be named Alice after my parents."
"George's son is due soon too and I know he intends to name his son Fred," says Ginny emotionally.
"There's no way he could have chosen any other name," says Ron, "To be honest, I don't think George will ever fully heal from the loss of Fred."
"Fred was irreplaceable to George," admits Ginny, "They were brothers, twins, business partners, fellow Beaters, fellow pranksters, BFFs, and soulmates."
"But honoring people through naming is a great way to help keep their memory alive, I understand this too and that's why my son will bear the name James Sirius Potter," I add.
"You know," says Hermione thoughtfully, "It's only fitting that the names James and Sirius would go to the same child. James and Sirius were inseparable at Hogwarts so how fitting is it that the same child gets both names."
"The thing about Sirius that sticks out to me," I say clearly, "Is how genuinely affectionate he was. I could feel affection oozing from him like I could from no one else. It would be awesome if James Sirius Potter became a Quidditch star or a fun loving kid or a marauder type. But what I most hope for is I hope my son James Sirius Potter will be a very loving and affectionate person."
Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah all express approval of me naming my son James Sirius Potter. While I don't need any of their approvals, I still feel satisfied at their reactions.
Yes, fatherhood is drawing near and I can't wait until this world welcomes James Sirius Potter into it.
