Work Text:
In the front room of a small cottage normally occupied by a family of three spending time together; there was a gathering of young men, three of the normal group of four. Having been called for a very important meeting but the message hadn’t gone into detail.
Two of the young men had black hair, one shoulder length which has a slight curl to it, and the other is short uncontrollably messy; the final young man has a short mousy brown mop of hair.
These three young men are gathered in this front room, lounging across a comfy-looing sofa and an armchair. There were drinks and a platter of biscuits spread out across the coffee table at the centre of their circle.
“Okay, gentleman, we are gathered here today for a very important meeting,” began the messy-haired young man.
“That’s great James, but why are we doing this without Peter?” the mousy brown-haired man questioned.
“That is simply answered dear Remus, because his mother is still ill and therefore couldn’t make it. Again.” James added the second part in a mumble. “Moving swiftly on, we are here for–”
Before, James was able to get back to his very important announcement his fellow marauders were distracted by the arrival of a crawling distraction.
“Pafoo!” exclaimed the crawling distraction. Said crawling distraction came in the form of a young baby boy, dressed in a small t-shirt that had a cartoon stag on it and a baby-sized black leather jacket and light brown shorts with anchors on them.
“Pup, how are you doing today, huh?” The other black-haired man returned in a happy voice, who had up until that point been quieter than normal. Scooping up the messy black-haired toddler who had stopped in front of the older man's seated position, leaning to sit on his legs so he could raise his chubby hands in a clear demand.
“Mooey!” Harry exclaimed in an equally happy voice. Having spotted the other man from his new position in the arms of his godfather.
“Hi cub,” Remus responded to his happy exclamation, “you’re very happy this morning, aren’t you?”
Whilst this exchange was on going, James was stood by slightly exasperated that his son was stealing his thunder just by turning up. “Okay, yes, it’s wonderful, my incredible son has arrived. Late, might I add, I’ll be noting that down, Harry,” he said in a joking manner wagging his finger in a playful manner at his young son.
Not that his son was paying him any proper attention, giggling away whilst totally enraptured as he was with the long hair of his godfather that was hanging loose around his face. “P-a-aaa, Pafoo, Mooey,” was Harry’s contribution to the conversation.
“Indeed, thank you for taking attendance Harry. We are indeed all here now.” James replied with a smile.
“No, Wormy, Pa. Pafoo, no Wormy?” Harry questioned while patting his godfather on the cheek with his little hand.
“Sorry, Prongslet, no Wormtail today. Just Uncle Padfoot and Uncle Moony today, oh and your dear old dad,” Sirius responded with a seriousness as if Harry had asked a very important question, “But he’s boring, I know.” Jokingly responding giving a playful wink to his best mate, who began spluttering indignantly.
“Treachery, betrayal by my own brother. Unhand my son, you fowl beast. Save me, Remus, avenge this betrayal.”
The only reaction this got out of Remus, who was calmly drinking his tea and enjoying a double chocolate chip biscuit, was the rolling of his eyes.
“Sure Prongs, Padfoot pass me the mini-Prongs, please.”
“I don’t think so, Moony. My godson, therefore, I get to hold him, thank you very much.” Turning away from his friend with a snooty nod, though his pretend nonchalance was somewhat hindered by the wriggling almost one-year old in his arms.
Harry was bouncing up and down on his godfather’s lap, “Mooey, Mooey, MOOEY!” Rising from a slightly above reasonable-level demand to a scream. Waving his arms with his new demand obviously not having appreciated the lack of attention he had been getting.
Due to the waving limbs of the bouncing toddler Sirius had to quickly move his face to avoid a flying toddler fist. “Alright, alright, passing you over. Hang on, your majesty,” he responded calmly.
Swiftly stretching out to pass the excitable toddler to his uncle. Remus was now wearing a subtly smug smile upon reaching out to take the toddler. “Thank you, Padfoot.” Giving Harry a tight hug, receiving an enthusiastic toddler cuddle in return.
Whilst this banter had been going on James had been quietly chuckling from his seat in a comfy red armchair across the coffee table from his friends. He gave his son a happy smile when he looked across to him.
“Anyway, now that we are all settled,” James said whilst making eye contact with the other people individually in the room, “back to the important meeting, so attention, please.”
Everyone had settled down a bit now, Harry was calmly sitting in Remus’s lap, gumming on a biscuit that had been broken in half to be better sized for him. Remus was carefully keeping an arm around the precious bundle he was holding and sipping on his tea while turning his attention to his friend.
Sirius was not stretched out on the sofa; he was somehow managing to be lounging in an elegant manner whilst drinking a butterbeer and perusing the biscuit selection in front of him.
“Okay, come on, Prongs. What is this oh-so very important meeting about then?” Sirius asked having settled on taking a ginger newt. Turning his grey eyed gaze to his best friend.
“Thank you Padfoot. This meeting is the start to planning the best first birthday party that has ever birthday partied,” was the delighted exclamation of the proud father who had finally got his meeting started.
“Seriously, Prongs. Don’t even think about it, Padfoot” Remus interrupted himself to stop Sirius who looked as though he was going to make the way too overused pun. “Why are we holding this meeting now, I rushed over here thinking there was an emergency!”
“A planning emergency, Moony, planning emergency!” was the equally fervent response. “Harry’s first birthday has to be perfect, it’s his first birthday.” James was running his hands through his already messy hair, making it even worse. A nervous gesture he still hadn’t grown out of yet.
“Exactly, Prongs, his first birthday, FIRST, he isn’t going to remember it. He will be one!”
“Really, Prongs, deep breathe. It’s going to be fine; we have plenty of time to plan it to perfection.” Sirius calmly interjected from his position on the sofa. Having let his other friends argue for a bit watching it very much like a tennis spectator.
“Okay, so why don’t we break it down and go from there. Yes?” Remus added seeing that James was actually quite nervous about this, wanting to create this day of happiness in such dark times.
“Yes, yes. Thank you, Moony. Let’s do it like that, should we start with the cake.” James mumbled the second bit to himself, starting to calm down now that his friends were taking him seriously.
The rest of the day passed in much the same manner but with a calmer atmosphere. For that day the men inside the cottage were able to forget the war that was going on outside the walls. Laughter and giggles could be heard from outside the room, as the young men and boy were enjoying just spending time together.