The Stag and The Harpy | James Potter

Harry

James exhales when he leaves the room, leaning forward to rest his hands on his knees.

He begins to laugh, his chest aching from how full of love he feels, his eyes watering. He laughs, he cries, he tries to stop smiling. It's impossible. He'll never stop smiling.

"Prongs?"

James lifts his head, and he feels a sudden twinge of guilt. Sirius looks terrified, bordering on the verge of passing out. James quickly straightens up, grabbing his friend's arm and saying hurriedly, "She's okay."

Sirius' head falls, shaking back and forth as he mumbles, "Fucking hell. You had me worried there."

James grins, squeezing Sirius' arm tighter as he asks, "Would you like to meet your godson?"

Sirius' head whips up, his eyes wide with disbelief. James' chest hurts more. He thought it couldn't get better. Sirius blinks rapidly, asking hopefully, "Godson?"

"Of course," James replies cheekily. "A deal is a deal, Padfoot. Come on."

Sirius' eyes are wide with wonder and excitement as they approach the door, James nodding encouragingly. He watches with his own feelings of joy as his best friend enters the delivery room, chuckling to himself as he steps outside to give the Veela and her chosen brother some privacy.

Sirius stares, taken aback by the sight of Phoebe Potter holding a child in her arms. She looks tired, her grey eyes slightly more dull than normal, her hair lacking it's usual luster. But her smile is brilliant, as pure and happy as Sirius had seen her. His eyes flicker down to the dark haired baby nestled in her arms, his legs carrying him closer.

His features are every bit James, down to the unruly dark hair and furrowed brows. But then he opens his eyes and Sirius' sucks in a sharp breath.

Grey.

His eyes were grey.

Sirius feels his smile wobble, feels his cheeks grow wet. He quickly wipes away the tears and stares at the eyes that were just as clear and light at Phoebe's. It's her. This child is her's, and Sirius feels so proud he can barely keep it contained, his voice just above a whisper as he says,

"I see you."

Phoebe smiles at the words, her own eyes stinging with unshed tears. He saw her. And now, he saw her in Harry.

She quickly reaches out and grabs his hand, saying excitedly, "Do you want to hold him?"

Sirius glances up at her, and her own heart sings at the grey in his gaze. They weren't related, not really. But she was grateful that Harry's eyes were grey, because they reminded her of Sirius. They reminded her of Regulus.

"Really?" Sirius questions, looking slightly nervous at the offer. Phoebe nods her head up and down, saying warmly, "Don't worry, I was scared too. But James is a natural."

Sirius wants to tell her that all of her worrying was pointless. She was a natural too, he could see it in the way she gently strokes her fingers over her child's furrowed brow until the wrinkles ease and his eyes close, lulled to sleep by his mother's touch.

He hesitates when Phoebe leans forward, carefully outstretching his arms. His eyes grow wide again when the swaddled boy is placed in his arms, carefully cupping the back of his head. He lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head in amazement as he says, "Pheebs, you have a baby!"

"I have a baby," She agrees, settling back into her pillows to watch Sirius hold her son. Her affection for her friend grows tenfold at the wonder filled expression on his face. Sirius was her soulmate, from the first drunken night they'd spent chatting on the astronomy tower, he had been her soulmate. James was secure enough, loving enough to accept the connection she had with Sirius, because the love they shared was something else entirely.

Sirius had been the first member of her family. She couldn't think of anyone better to be her son's godfather.

"What's his name?" Sirius wonders, eyes locked onto the baby snoozing peacefully in his arms. He was warm, innocent. The future. Sirius chuckles at the thought, lifting his head when Phoebe says,

"Harry. Harry James Potter."

Sirius just laughs, teasing, "It's no Elvendork, but I suppose it will do."

He looks up when James enters the room, grinning broadly and congratulating his best mate, "He's brilliant James. A bit of a shame he doesn't look more like Phoebe."

James laughs and gently nudged his friend, careful too not disturb his son resting in his arms. His eyes twinkle with something new, something Sirius hadn't seen before. Or maybe he had. Maybe it was the look that Mia and Fleamont Potter shared when James dragged Sirius to their home for Christmas one year. A parents love. It was good to know that James had inherited his parents love of children. Sirius could only hope he'd somehow learned it too along the way.

"We'll just have to make another."

Sirius grimaces at his friend's suggestive tone, grunting, "So long as you don't have sex on my table—"

"No sex," Phoebe interrupts, eyes set in a glare at James as she says, "Not unless you're the only carrying the next child, James."

"C'mon, Bee," James scoffs, "You were great. What's one more?"

Phoebe rolls her eyes, repeating again, this time louder, "No sex!"

James just grins and leans against the wall behind Sirius, sharing a sly look with his friend. He shrugs, and Sirius knows that James will win this one. He's certain of it.

"Harry," Sirius says warmly, looking down at his godson. He feels a strong protective pull, a determination that this boy will never know pain the way that Sirius had. He'll never long for family, for his parents. Not if Sirius had anything to say about it.

"Hopefully his godmother will approve."

Sirius lifts his head, confusion twisting his features. He glances down at Harry still resting peacefully before looking up at Phoebe as he says, "I'm sure Evans—"

He stops short when Phoebe just shakes her head, her smile growing. She laughs at his confusion, waiting for her mirth to pass before she says simply, "Marlene."

Sirius blinks at her silently, lips parting, but he can't speak. He's not sure what to say. He peers over his shoulder when James pipes up, his expression solemn as he says, "If there's ever a time where Phoebe and I—"

"Don't," Sirius says firmly, cutting his friend off. He quickly shakes his head, refusing to hear more. He can't imagine that happening. Can't picture a world without Phoebe and James. Can't picture being able to breathe in a world without his other half.

Phoebe speaks up, voice soft as she continues James' thoughts, "We trust you and Marlene to take care of Harry. To do what you think is right. And if the worse should happen, we have everything planned to who Harry will go on to. He won't ever be alone, thanks to all of you."

Sirius prays it won't come to that, prays he won't ever have to read the will and testament that he knew Phoebe and James had created. It hurt his heart, hurt him physically to think of a world without the two of them in it. He holds Harry a little tighter, blinks back tears that threaten to escape as he looks down at the brand new baby. Pure. Full of life. Full of James and Phoebe.

He won't ever be alone.

{{sorry for the delay!! Super busy couple of weeks coming up—thanks for being so patient and letting me take my time. Hopefully it's worth it! And yes—things will get sad relatively soon, but dont worry. I promised i would write two endings (: }}