Beyond the Lake

Chapter Twelve

***

Everything was so easy to forget with the excitement of his son. But now, after two months, everything came flooding back, and he couldn't help but wonder when.

But whatever anxiousness he was feeling would quickly be pushed aside for Harry. He couldn't wait to teach him how to ride a broom, play Quidditch, and to tell him every secret passage in and out of Hogwarts. The list of things to do in the future, assuming they had one, was never-ending, but for now, he would have to deal with the diapers and the baby magic Harry performed whenever he really wanted something...

"James, get your ass in here and take Harry!" Sirius shouted from the living room.

James laughed to himself and headed towards his son and Secret-Keeper, highly amused. But amusement turned into laughter when he saw Sirius' face, which looked like he had just run into a raving hippogriff.

"Sorry about that, but he's done worse with that damn baby-magic, and it's gotten worse since his first birthday," he said to Sirius while taking Harry.

"Yeah, how much worse?"

"Once he glued Lily's papers for Gringott's together that were just finished and due the next day."

"That sucks," said Sirius, who was in the process of returning his face to normal. "I have a date tonight, imagine what they would say."

"Who's the poor soul now? Or maybe it's Marissa again?"

"You know, I don't know how Lily can still stand her. And I don't really know why I started dating her in the first place. But, no, it's not her."

"Then who is it?"

"Remus."

"Moony?" asked James; surprised the two had actually done something. "Finally. It's only taken you years."

"How- how'd you know about...?"

"You both made it blatantly obvious to everyone but yourselves. What finally did it?"

"I dunno. We just sorta kissed."

"Spare me the details."

"Gladly. I don't like to kiss-and-tell."

***

Contrary to Sirius' opinion, Lily would gladly see Marissa, or Alice, or anyone else besides James and Sirius. However, being in hiding made that impossible, although she and James received many owls from numerous people, including Remus and Peter. The television James had bought and rigged up to work in their very magically-based home during her pregnancy helped, too, and she had just come from watching it when she came downstairs and heard Sirius and James.

"Hey Lily," said Sirius upon seeing her in the doorway.

Turning around with Harry in his arms, James said, "You should've seen what Harry did to Sirius. It was priceless."

"So that's what that scream was about. Sorry about that, Sirius," she apologized, taking Harry from James. "But wonderful job on your part, Harry."

Harry just stared at her and giggled while Sirius made an attempt at the evil eye.

"I'd better get going, anyway," Sirius announced. "Off to see Remus. Wish me luck."

"What? Are you two... finally."

"Geez! Did everyone know besides us?"

"Pretty much. It wasn't too hard to tell that you two were head over heals for each other. You really were stupid about the whole thing."

Once again Sirius' glare was directed at her.

"I'll just have to tell him you called us stupid."

"Go right ahead, and tell him we said 'Hi'," inserted James into the conversation.

"Alright, see you guys later."

Sirius walked out the door, leaving the three to themselves.

***