The Family That Lived

⁰³|ᴋɪɴɢ'ꜱ ᴄʀᴏꜱꜱ ꜱᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ

Today was the day

Today was Harry's eleventh birthday.

The little boy had now grown up, his black hair were almost covering his eyes. Despite Lily's desire to have them trimmed, James claimed that the shabbiness of his hair just made Harry look more like a Potter. Harry had hesitantly agreed with his father, and Lily was left to shake her head at the two boys. 

For most of his birthdays, Harry and Neville would celebrate it together. There would be intimate gatherings and all adults would shower those two with gifts. However, since it was the final birthday before Harry's Hogwarts adventure began, it was determined that only him, Lily, and James would spend the day together.

It was just like his mother to plan out a day full of muggle activities and the family had found themselves in an amusement park. James, while being married to Lily this long, was still oblivious to so many things outside the wizarding world asking whether a roller coaster was a flying carriage.

Upon watching his wife and kid laugh their heart out at his feigned obliviousness, he felt his heart get lighter. 

It amazed his parents that while other kids would want a barrage of presents, Harry seemed so earnestly content just having his parents stand at either sides as he cuts his cake. The boy always cherished holding his mother's hand, and he loved James's fervent insistence that his son was exactly like him. 

Harry had grown up seeing the respect his parents got from everybody in the Wizarding World.

He often wondered about the reason behind this, but he has a vague idea that the fame had something to do with the scar he carried on his forehead. He also reasoned that Lily might have only agreed to let Harry let his hair grow out in order to cover the scar up. Each time he entered a meeting of wizards and witches, Harry was used to drawing stares.

The tiresome day had the Potters stumbling into the house with no energy left. Lily got to her knees and hugged Harry, instructing him to freshen up before they all sat down to watch Harry's favourite movies. 

As soon as Harry entered his room he was met with a small gift on the bed. 

Sirius and Remus just kept a Gryffindor tie on his bed. As he touched it, he saw a note under it.

Dear Harry,

This is a Gryffindor tie. You would know that from all the pictures of us and your mother from school.

You are a wonderful wizard and while Sirius insisted we kept the tie red, it would change if you were sorted in a different house. I know from all the stories you have wished to be in the same house as all of us. However, know that any house you go in, they would have gained an extremely talented wizard.

As Sirius says "After all, you are the offspring of a Marauder."

Happy Birthday, prongslet

Love,

Remus

Harry ran downstairs to where his mother was arranging a movie night. As he showed the gift from his godfathers, he heard his father mutter under his breath "just like paddy."

It was a night of laughter, the family's collective 'awss' and James's snarky comments. They ended up falling asleep there. Next morning James woke up finding his limbs tangled with his son. 

He saw Harry curled into a small ball and found his face was buried in the pillow.

James saw his son's emerald eyes shut close. The man remembered the first time he had seen Harry sleep in Lily's lap, and then smile because of whatever dream that played behind his eyes, James had smiled along with him. Maybe everybody thought that their child had a contagious smile.