(no subject)
Title: Guessing games
Author: apostrophe_ess
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, I merely gain from playing these games in her playground.
Pairing/Character: James, Sirius, and Remus (most definitely separately)
Word Count: 927
Rating: G
Prompt: For potterverse100, number 85 - friendship (runs on from number 62 - nicknames). Prompt table here. Chronological list here.
Summary: After his and Lily's talk about the impending birth of their baby, James needs to get his worries off his chest. The trouble is that he's actually not very good at doing so.
Guessing games
“S’everything alright, Prongs?”
James felt a mix of guilt and relief at leaving Lily at home. She never begrudged him time out with his friends, ever. That probably was part of the cause of the guilt in a way.
“Get some drinks in,” he suggested to Sirius, deliberately not answering the question.
“Seriously mate,” Remus said in quiet tones when Sirius had gone to the bar and was obviously flirting like crazy with Madam Rosmerta. “Is everything alright.”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Well. Yeah, it is fine. But I can’t help but be worried.”
“It’s understandable. You’re bound to worry.”
They both looked up at tinkling laughter at the bar. Madam Rosmerta might be years older than Sirius, but he had her eating out of his hand.
“I reckon I’m in there,” he suggested coming back to the table and slipping in between them. “Now, what did I miss?”
“Nothing,” Remus said.
Sirius looked from one of them to the other. “I’d say, if he hadn’t assured us to the contrary, that young Prongsie here has something on his mind. Something he wants to talk about, something he’s not quite sure how to broach. What would you say, young Prongsie?”
“Cheers?” asked James, lifting his pint pot and offering it to the others to chink against.
“It looks like it’s to be a guessing game then Moony. So, top of the list has got to be the blushing bride. How is Lily?”
“She’s fine,” James informed them, a little on edge at how quickly Sirius had honed in on the topic of his concern.
“And the baby?”
“Fine too,” James answered, nodding before he picked up his pint again.
“It can’t be long now, till he or she makes their way into the world,” Remus added, with an encouraging smile.
“No,” James agreed, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Between them in three questions they had got right to the heart of what was bothering him. But why was he feeling uncomfortable? Why didn’t he want them to guess? Wasn’t that why he’d suggested meeting them, and Peter, here in the Three Broomsticks, so he could talk about it without worrying Lily.
“I think,” Remus started looking at James apologetically and then towards Sirius, “that James is feeling a bit worried over something.”
“S’understandable,” Sirius suggested in serious tone before lightening the mood. “So what is it, unable to cope with the good lady wife’s demands? You know what I mean,” he said turning to Remus with a wink, “strange fads for food in the middle of the night. Early morning runs out to the Muggle all night store for garlic bread or shoe polish. That sort of thing.”
“No,” James chuckled, picking up his pint and taking a good mouthful before putting the glass down again and sitting back in his chair. “It is Lily though.”
“Go on mate. Spill. Get it off your chest,” Sirius said.
“It’s just when it comes out.”
“The birth thing. Not for the squeamish,” Sirius suggested.
“Well, that’s it. What if I can’t cope and I, well, I don’t know. You hear all sorts of tales, of blokes fainting for instance.”
“Like you did when she found out.”
“Or if there’s problems and something happens to Lily or to the baby. What if something happens to both of them?”
“James,” Remus said soothingly, tentatively moving his hand to rest on their friend’s arm for a comforting second. “She’ll be in good hands. Lily is young and fit. They’ve not suggested anything is likely to happen to either of them, have they?”
“Look mate,” Sirius added, before James had chance to answer. “Your worries are normal. You should have heard Andromeda before she had her baby. And Ted! Honestly, the way he went on. Everyone worries like that. You think of all the things that could go wrong, and then dwell on them. Think of afterwards, when Lily is holding a tiny little person. A person that you made with her. Or on second thoughts,” he looked at Remus with a grin and then back at James. “Only think of that little person if it looks like Lily, you’re depressed enough as it is.”
“So you think I’m worrying over nothing?” James asked them.
“I didn’t say that. I think your worries are natural, the sort of worries that every man goes through when he’s about to become a father.” There were other worries that Sirius would have understood more. Worries about the Prophecy and its link to the baby, worries about the times they were living in. He himself was extremely worried about the safety of the Potters, even if they didn’t seem to be themselves.
“Is Lily worried?” Remus asked. They’d not planned for her to get pregnant when she did. It wasn’t like she’d had chance to consider all of this beforehand.
“If she is then she doesn’t show it. She’s looking forward to it, to seeing what our,” he stopped himself from saying daughter, “baby looks like. I think she’ll be glad to evict it, get her body back to herself.”
“And to you mate,” Sirius laughed. “Look on the bright side, hey Prongs? Sooner it’s over and done with, sooner you can get back to normal again.” Sirius winked in over-dramatic fashion to James and then turned to look Madam Rosmerta up and down again.
James grinned and picked up his beer. It was definitely time for a change of subject. “So,” he said brightly, standing and slipping his hand into his pocket for some coins. “Who wants another drink?”
Author: apostrophe_ess
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, I merely gain from playing these games in her playground.
Pairing/Character: James, Sirius, and Remus (most definitely separately)
Word Count: 927
Rating: G
Prompt: For potterverse100, number 85 - friendship (runs on from number 62 - nicknames). Prompt table here. Chronological list here.
Summary: After his and Lily's talk about the impending birth of their baby, James needs to get his worries off his chest. The trouble is that he's actually not very good at doing so.
Guessing games
“S’everything alright, Prongs?”
James felt a mix of guilt and relief at leaving Lily at home. She never begrudged him time out with his friends, ever. That probably was part of the cause of the guilt in a way.
“Get some drinks in,” he suggested to Sirius, deliberately not answering the question.
“Seriously mate,” Remus said in quiet tones when Sirius had gone to the bar and was obviously flirting like crazy with Madam Rosmerta. “Is everything alright.”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Well. Yeah, it is fine. But I can’t help but be worried.”
“It’s understandable. You’re bound to worry.”
They both looked up at tinkling laughter at the bar. Madam Rosmerta might be years older than Sirius, but he had her eating out of his hand.
“I reckon I’m in there,” he suggested coming back to the table and slipping in between them. “Now, what did I miss?”
“Nothing,” Remus said.
Sirius looked from one of them to the other. “I’d say, if he hadn’t assured us to the contrary, that young Prongsie here has something on his mind. Something he wants to talk about, something he’s not quite sure how to broach. What would you say, young Prongsie?”
“Cheers?” asked James, lifting his pint pot and offering it to the others to chink against.
“It looks like it’s to be a guessing game then Moony. So, top of the list has got to be the blushing bride. How is Lily?”
“She’s fine,” James informed them, a little on edge at how quickly Sirius had honed in on the topic of his concern.
“And the baby?”
“Fine too,” James answered, nodding before he picked up his pint again.
“It can’t be long now, till he or she makes their way into the world,” Remus added, with an encouraging smile.
“No,” James agreed, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Between them in three questions they had got right to the heart of what was bothering him. But why was he feeling uncomfortable? Why didn’t he want them to guess? Wasn’t that why he’d suggested meeting them, and Peter, here in the Three Broomsticks, so he could talk about it without worrying Lily.
“I think,” Remus started looking at James apologetically and then towards Sirius, “that James is feeling a bit worried over something.”
“S’understandable,” Sirius suggested in serious tone before lightening the mood. “So what is it, unable to cope with the good lady wife’s demands? You know what I mean,” he said turning to Remus with a wink, “strange fads for food in the middle of the night. Early morning runs out to the Muggle all night store for garlic bread or shoe polish. That sort of thing.”
“No,” James chuckled, picking up his pint and taking a good mouthful before putting the glass down again and sitting back in his chair. “It is Lily though.”
“Go on mate. Spill. Get it off your chest,” Sirius said.
“It’s just when it comes out.”
“The birth thing. Not for the squeamish,” Sirius suggested.
“Well, that’s it. What if I can’t cope and I, well, I don’t know. You hear all sorts of tales, of blokes fainting for instance.”
“Like you did when she found out.”
“Or if there’s problems and something happens to Lily or to the baby. What if something happens to both of them?”
“James,” Remus said soothingly, tentatively moving his hand to rest on their friend’s arm for a comforting second. “She’ll be in good hands. Lily is young and fit. They’ve not suggested anything is likely to happen to either of them, have they?”
“Look mate,” Sirius added, before James had chance to answer. “Your worries are normal. You should have heard Andromeda before she had her baby. And Ted! Honestly, the way he went on. Everyone worries like that. You think of all the things that could go wrong, and then dwell on them. Think of afterwards, when Lily is holding a tiny little person. A person that you made with her. Or on second thoughts,” he looked at Remus with a grin and then back at James. “Only think of that little person if it looks like Lily, you’re depressed enough as it is.”
“So you think I’m worrying over nothing?” James asked them.
“I didn’t say that. I think your worries are natural, the sort of worries that every man goes through when he’s about to become a father.” There were other worries that Sirius would have understood more. Worries about the Prophecy and its link to the baby, worries about the times they were living in. He himself was extremely worried about the safety of the Potters, even if they didn’t seem to be themselves.
“Is Lily worried?” Remus asked. They’d not planned for her to get pregnant when she did. It wasn’t like she’d had chance to consider all of this beforehand.
“If she is then she doesn’t show it. She’s looking forward to it, to seeing what our,” he stopped himself from saying daughter, “baby looks like. I think she’ll be glad to evict it, get her body back to herself.”
“And to you mate,” Sirius laughed. “Look on the bright side, hey Prongs? Sooner it’s over and done with, sooner you can get back to normal again.” Sirius winked in over-dramatic fashion to James and then turned to look Madam Rosmerta up and down again.
James grinned and picked up his beer. It was definitely time for a change of subject. “So,” he said brightly, standing and slipping his hand into his pocket for some coins. “Who wants another drink?”