Bath Time for Harry
Inspired by a post in the Sugar Quill forums in which someone stated they thought James and Sirius must have been hopeless cooks for having grown up with House Elves. In the name of fun, I invented a circumstance in which I thought James would be hopeless.
***
"Lily, how long does it take for soup to-" James's head stilled as soon as it popped through the crack in the bathroom door. His eyes widened.
“Blimey, I thought you said you were giving Harry a bath.”
Lily smiled. “I am giving Harry a bath, but it’s been a long day and I-“
Naked Harry beat at the bubbles like toy drums, completely oblivious to his Dad’s distractions. Behind Harry, Lily turned a cheek away from the assailing spray. “I always end up soaked anyway.” She squinted through wet eyelashes.
James slipped his wand out of his pocket and began popping bubbles too.
“Don’t pop them all, please,” Lily objected, gathering them around her with one free hand while the other maintained its hook around Harry.
“Sorry, just getting rid of a few unnecessary ones."
“I see which unnecessary ones you’re referring to,” she admonished.
“Harry, get that one over there, will you?” James pointed. Harry looked up at the sound of his name, his black hair plastered to his little egg head. He surveyed his dad with interest and then kicked out in excitement. James’s grin widened. “That kid has all the fun,” James said, turning his eyes back to Lily, where they lingered.
“Didn’t you have something on the stove? Soup?” Lily teased, green eyes twinkling.
“Sod the soup.”
The unmistakable hiss of a pot boiling over reached their ears.
“James, the stove!”
“Bugger.” He frowned and scurried off.
Lily took up Harry’s chubby hands in hers and leaned over him, smiling. “At least your silly dad knows how to Scourgify, Harry,” she cooed in his ear.
***
"Lily, how long does it take for soup to-" James's head stilled as soon as it popped through the crack in the bathroom door. His eyes widened.
“Blimey, I thought you said you were giving Harry a bath.”
Lily smiled. “I am giving Harry a bath, but it’s been a long day and I-“
Naked Harry beat at the bubbles like toy drums, completely oblivious to his Dad’s distractions. Behind Harry, Lily turned a cheek away from the assailing spray. “I always end up soaked anyway.” She squinted through wet eyelashes.
James slipped his wand out of his pocket and began popping bubbles too.
“Don’t pop them all, please,” Lily objected, gathering them around her with one free hand while the other maintained its hook around Harry.
“Sorry, just getting rid of a few unnecessary ones."
“I see which unnecessary ones you’re referring to,” she admonished.
“Harry, get that one over there, will you?” James pointed. Harry looked up at the sound of his name, his black hair plastered to his little egg head. He surveyed his dad with interest and then kicked out in excitement. James’s grin widened. “That kid has all the fun,” James said, turning his eyes back to Lily, where they lingered.
“Didn’t you have something on the stove? Soup?” Lily teased, green eyes twinkling.
“Sod the soup.”
The unmistakable hiss of a pot boiling over reached their ears.
“James, the stove!”
“Bugger.” He frowned and scurried off.
Lily took up Harry’s chubby hands in hers and leaned over him, smiling. “At least your silly dad knows how to Scourgify, Harry,” she cooed in his ear.