Losing Game/// James Potter

Chapter 77

It had been a few weeks since Elsie found out she was pregnant, and keeping the news hidden from the boys proved to be harder than she thought. She had to ignore the curious looks Sirius gave her when he offered her some of his firewhiskey, she had to subtly keep her mood changes limited and sparse or else Remus would catch on too easily, and she had to somehow convince Peter to make her tea that helped ease her cramps without him suspecting anything. And hardest of all, she had to look away every time James looked hurt about her sneaking around and lying to him about where she would run off to. But as she looked at the set up before her, she knew it would all be worth it in the end.

Her eyes gazed over the 4 gift boxes that were decorated with wrapping paper and large bows. Inside, they were stuffed with tissue paper, confetti charms, and sets of Filibuster fireworks that were charmed to go off as soon as the lids were lifted. And underneath the Marauders-styled celebratory items was a small plush toy for each of the boys. Ones that revealed the secret Elsie had been hiding.

"Oi, Els!" A shout pulled Elsie out of her train of thought, her eyes shifting over to find James standing on the stairs with one hand on his hip and the other pensively scratching his head, "Have you seen my bloody glasses? Padfoot wants to go out for a drive on his bike, but I can't find those bastards anywhere."

Elsie rolled her eyes playfully while letting out a laugh, "They're on your head, you git."

James' hand snapped up to his head and he quickly put them back on his face, "Oh...erm...right. I was just joking."

"And my name is Sirius Black," she teased while turning around and fixing the bow on James' gift box.

James walked up from behind and wrapped his arms around her, planting a kiss on her cheek while asking, "Who are those for?"

"You," she turned back around and smiled up at him, leaving a small, lingering kiss on his lips.

"Me?" He looked at her curiously before her gaze drifted over his shoulder and she pointed towards the stairs.

"And you," she spoke as James looked over to see Sirius emerging on the steps while shrugging on a leather jacket.

"What did I do now?!" Sirius exclaimed dramatically, not knowing why she had pointed towards him.

Remus trudged out onto the stairs a moment later in a tired daze as Elsie chuckled at the boy who could sleep for days on end, "Also you."

"I didn't do anything. It was Padfoot," Remus yawned out nonchalantly and made his way down the stairs.

"Oi!" Sirius shouted at him while following his lead and pouting, "I didn't do anything this time."

"None of you prats did anything," Elsie laughed at the boys' antics just as Peter entered through the front door, "Perfect timing, Wormy. It's gift opening time!"

"Who's birthday is it?" Peter asked nervously as he made his way over to the other confused boys, wondering if he had forgotten a special day.

"Why are you buying gifts for other men?!" James playfully teased while dramatically placing a his hand over his heart in feigned hurt, "Are you cheating on me?!"

"Knew you'd always come around," Sirius winked at her as he threw an arm around her shoulder and sloppily kissed her cheek.

"This is exactly why Remmy is my favorite," she grumbled under her breath while shoving a gift box in each of their hands, eliciting a round of groans from everyone except from a cheekily smiling Remus.

She instructed the boys to open their boxes at the same time and anxiously rocked back and forth on her feet as she waited for them to do so. As the three lids flew open, shots of confetti and fireworks boomed out into the open air of the room creating a colorful, chaotic mess above their heads. Elsie stood there trying to hold back a chuckle as she watched James' eyes light up at the sight above them, reminding her of the time the two of them babysat the Weasleys. He may have been 19 years old, but James Potter was still at heart the young boy she fell in love with.