theshabbiestofmen | ic contact;

[ so the thing about potters and christmas is that it's always a big ordeal. when james was in school, it was partially because of his mother. her insistence that his friends come by for at least a couple of days before the holidays, that they do everything and anything considered 'christmas-y' because it was her favorite holiday. when remus and sirius could come by, she'd smother them with gifts. gifts on gifts on gifts and then it would be food and eggnog and fireplaces and snowball fights and she would always, always make it special for them.

when she died, that first christmas was hard. but somehow sirius and remus and peter all found a way to step up, brought together some big party on christmas eve to honor your mum and things got easier. better. since then james has only had one christmas, but he's taken it upon himself to go all out with it. his father passed as well, but with lily, the tradition had to move on.

james potter was not his mother. he couldn't ever take the holiday to such an extreme as she had. but he's quick to help lily and hermione with decorating up their house, quick to make everything as cheesy and over the top as he possibly can. in the corner of their living room, under a window, is a candle that he set there specifically for her. remus is probably the only one who recognizes it.

but that doesn't matter much, does it? because it's christmas and it's a time for presents and joy and love and all the best things in life. james' favorite things in life. and while he and lily have gotten an obscene amount of presents under the tree for everyone, this is one that james wants to hand-deliver.

so remus' room is suddenly going to receive a succession of knocks. quick and insistent and continued until he opens the door. once he does, james is going to thrust a small to medium sized wrapped package into his hands, the contents of which are a scarf (his mother's tradition) and a stack of three leather journals, all hand-made and decorated with various different designs. james is actually quite proud of this gift, moony, as you can probably tell by his giant grin. ]

Happy Christmas, Moony!

Happy Christmas, Prongs!

[He laughs as he tries to hold all the presents at once-- and then finally gives up and dumps them on the bed, moving to sit after them.]

Can I open them now, is that allowed?

[His room here is so much nicer than the one in Odin's district-- larger, for one, and painted a quite nice yellow, bright and cheerful. There's already a mountain of books neatly stacked by his bed, most from the library, and a few paintings hung up to keep the place looking interesting.]

Yes it's allowed! [ james laughs as he follows remus into his room, looking around at the decorations for a moment or two before he ends up just standing over him next to the bed. ] No point in giving them to you if you can't open them.

Though this isn't it- 'mione and Lily've got a whole ordeal set up outside. This is just mine.

Honestly . . .

[He murmurs that, utterly pleased and embarrassed all at once. Carefully he opens the first package, which makes him laugh and smile over at James-- he misses James' mother and her fantastic Christmases, and he knows exactly what this is supposed to mean.

But the second present really makes him light up-- he beams down at it before grinning over at James.]

This is brilliant-- thank you, I've been dying for somewhere to take down notes on all of Asgard and the things we discover-- oh, god, it's gorgeous, James, thank you!

Honestly nothing, open the things!

[ but it's not like remus needs much incentive. he's got the first package opened and he's laughing and merlin james misses his mum. but in that same moment, he knows she'd love it, all of it, and most definitely the fact they're all here together. that's all he's got to worry about.

the second one is the one he's most excited about, and the one he's watching remus' face for rather than the actual opening. and when he sees the grin he lights up just as much as if it was his own, so very proud of himself. ]

You always had parchment following you around at home. Figured this would have to work for now. The quills are your business but when I saw a leather-worker or whatever they call themselves it just screamed Moony.

They're brilliant-- thank you, James, thank you-- I'll use them right away.

[His face sort of hurts from grinning so much.]

You're brilliant. Your gifts are under the tree, but I think Lily and Hermione might kill us if we opened all our presents before Christmas proper.

[ your face can never hurt from grinning too much you're just unpracticed. goodness, moony ]

My presents? [ feign shock, feign shock, and then he just breaks into a wider grin. ] You shouldn't have, Moony. But you're definitely right, Lily would have our heads if we opened everything. She's going to want us out there for all the festivities soon.

Well. I won't be sorry to get this early, I'll be honest.

[Carefully, almost reverently, he sets the books aside.]

I like this-- us all living together, I mean. It was a fantastic idea.

[ he watches the way remus carries the books, and he's somewhere between being exsasperated because they're not breakable, mate and being excited he likes them so much. but then remus talks about living together and james just about cheers, with how happy he is. ]

Isn't it? It's like being back in the Gryffindor Tower, only much better.

Except with your son around.

[A beat. He adds (slightly cautiously):]

He's so-- I worry about him a little. He's so serious. I mean, god knows he has every right to be, and he's perfectly charming, I don't-- this isn't a criticism, I just-- I worry a little.

[ give it to james potter for taking that whole timey whimey bit in stride. ]

Serious is putting it lightly, mate. I worry he doesn't even remember how to have fun. [ but then he shrugs, leaning forward on his knees a little. ] But I think it'd be good for him, with us all here. From what I can tell he didn't get a lot of chances to do this sorta thing.

[ and then a small smile. he's so glad you were worried about criticizing his son. ]

You knew him as a baby back home, yeah?

Aggressively drooly and intent on playing, yes.

[He returns that smile.]

I have to say, I'm a bit sorry you were brought from before the birth. Watching you stress over Lily in the hospital was quite a sight-- tiring, admittedly, but still amusing in retrospect.

[ he snorts. ]

Knowing him now I honestly can't even imagine that.

[ but then he just laughs, running his hand through his hair a bit at the idea of lily pregnant and hormonal and oh good godric. ]

That's a terrifying thought, honestly. I can't imagine I got much sleep- or you, or Sirius, or anyone for that matter.

Honestly, we were fine with it. It was you who stressed; we personally fully believed in Lily and Saint Mungo's.

[He flashes him a grin.]

It was worth it, though. Harry was a lovely baby, he really was. I took a picture and everything.

Of course I was stressed! Have you honestly thought about pregnancy before, Moony? With all my trust in Lily and Saint Mungo's it's enough to give me nightmares even now.

[ but then james sobers a little, the smile still there but a little more serious. ]

Do you... [ is it weird to ask about it? he's going to anyway. ] Do you have it? Here?

Edited (DAMN IT PUNCTUATION) 2014-01-18 18:09 (UTC)

[His mouth twitches, but he gets up, going to his bookshelf.]

I do, yes.

[It's in Saint Mungo's, clearly. Lily is fast asleep, her red hair damp from sweat, her face pale. James is in the bed with her, curled protectively around her-- and Harry, not more than a day old, is resting on his mother's chest, his cheek pressed against her. His eyes are wide open; he stares up at James, who looks down at his son. His expression is equal parts awed and adoring; carefully, he rubs a finger over Harry's cheek.]

There y'are.

[ remus' movement is enough for james to freeze - thinking maybe, just maybe - before he affirms it. he has the picture. his eyes follow remus all the way to the bookshelf, and then all the way back, his chest tightening just a little at the idea of it. it's the future, sure, and maybe he shouldn't be looking at all, but he's taken over by an overwhelming need to see that he can't help it.

so when remus holds out the picture to him, james takes it, giving him a quick smile for thanks before he even looks down. and that's when he sees it, an image that is so real even if he's never lived it, playing out in front of him like it could have been his memory. or will be his memory. james isn't sure if time stops or he just stops breathing because there's a span of something there where james is pretty sure he doesn't exist outside of that picture. of seeing lily, stunning lily, and then there's him and he's there and then there's harry. so small, so vulnerable, looking up at what james knows is him even if he feels a sudden, painful, sense of jealousy at the figure in his spot.

and then, after what feels like an eternity, he lets himself exhale- a single word hanging somewhere in there. ]

Merlin.

ic contact;

action slash knock at the door.

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