REPUTATION • [j.p.] ✔️

[40]

Chapter Forty:
Harry James

•••

AFTER THE DEATH of his mother, James babysat his pregnant wife. She was no longer allowed in Order missions (according to him) and if she was ever going to be alone, Sirius or Remus or both would come watch her. If the boys were all gone, Jessie stayed with Andromeda who now kept her company with little Nymphadora who was growing up so fast.

Jessie sat at the kitchen table with Dora, cutting up her pancakes. She smiled as Dora put her hands on Jessie's three month pregnant belly. She mimicked her uncle James, kissing her aunts swollen belly with a giggle. Jessie sat back down once she finished cutting her pancakes. "Eat up, Dora," she smiled at her niece.

Andi came back inside from getting the mail, tears running down her cheeks. Her hands trembled as she clutched a letter in her hand.

"Andi? Andi, what is it?" she demanded, standing up, grabbing her sister's arms. Andi handed her the letter.

Andromeda,
I regret to inform you that mother has passed away earlier this week.
She left you, Jessica and I a small portion of money. Apparently she never crossed you out of the will.
Love,
Bellatrix

Jessie looked up, frowning. "Andi we hate mum. What's wrong?"

"Bellatrix knows where I live," she whispered.

Hardly a week later, Andi and her family were moved into James and Jessie's old place. Jessie and James moved into a new home in Godric's Hallow to start their new life as a family in just a few months.

Jessie was awoken from her nap one day in the new house to James's muffled sobs in the bathroom. She hurried to his side, pulling him close as he clutched a picture of his mother, missing her terribly.

"Everyone keeps saying it'll get easier," he choked out, "but what if it doesn't?"

"Baby..." Jessie shook her head as she held him. They both fell asleep on the bathroom floor that night.

•••

It did, however, get easier as the baby kicked for the first time, and Jessie's baby bump grew. James focused on the good, his beautiful, pregnant wife. He went on few missions for the order.

They'd barely gotten settled when Jessie finally gave birth to their beautiful son, Harry James Potter. Jessie cried as her son was laid in her arms for the first time. She apologized to James for all the mean names she'd just called him as he held Harry.

"Bloody hell, we make beautiful children, Jess!" he grinned, gently rocking his son. He sniffled hard, trying not to cry.

"For Godric's sake, James! You're holding your son in your arms. Cry if you need to!" Jessie laughed softly, watching her husband cry as he caressed his son's cheek gently.

"He's perfect," Jessie whispered. James nodded in agreement.

Once they had collected themselves, the invited in Sirius and Remus. Peter never showed up, which upset Jessie greatly since they hadn't seen much of him lately. Even Sirius teared up as he held the boy in his arms.

"We'd like for you, Sirius, to be his godfather?" she asked softly.

Sirius' head snapped to Jessie and James. He stared at them in shock before he nodded quickly. "Yes. Yes! I'd love to!" he cried out, hurrying to give Jessie a side hug.

"Hey! Be careful with him!" she cried out, carefully taking her son back.

•••

Over the course of the next year, the Potter's switched secret keepers from Sirius to Peter. It less the obvious choice. Especially since Peter was mostly MIA. He visited occasionally but not often enough.

Lily helped the Potter's with taking care of Harry since neither of their mothers could help them now. Jessie smiled as Harry grabbed Lily's finger as she fed him.

"Feeding him is the easiest part, I think. He's quiet and relaxed. Easy right? Here, Jess," she smiled and Harry and the bottle out to her. Jessie hesitated before taking her son to feed him.

When they'd been in the hospital, Jessie tried breastfeeding him but he refused. He would only drink from the bottle. Jessie cried for a whole day and refuse to hold Harry; she was devastated. But they had bigger things to worry about: the prophecy.

Harry James Potter was almost certainly the one Voldemort was after. James and Jessie were under strict lockdown by order of Alastor Moody. Of course, Sirius and Remus visited nearly everyday. Peter once in a blue mood and Lily frequently to help with baby things. She claimed it was her righteous duty as god mother to little Harry.

The year flew by quickly and before they knew it, they were celebrating Harry's first birthday. Sirius got him a broom; Jessie screamed at him about how much danger he was putting her son in. Later that night she learned it was probably because she was pregnant with her and James' second child.

They wanted to go out and celebrate, but simply knew that if Voldemort didn't kill them, Alastor would.  So they waited until the perfect opportunity had arrived: Halloween. They could wear costumes and only Lily, their babysitter, would know a thing. It was perfect.

(But they didn't see the rat creeping around in their pantry that morning.)

"This is going to be so much fun," Jessie grinned as she slipped on her mask.

"Lame, but very fun!" she smiled.

They were heading out to a bar, though Jessie wouldn't be able to drink any alcohol, they still intended to have an amazing time. Just the two of them.

And they did. It was an enchanting night. It was a celebration of their unborn child and Harry's birthday and their anniversary.

However, the enchantment was broken when they arrived home to Lily Evans dead on their son's bedroom floor, Harry crying for his aunt Lily to get up. They knew instantly who was here. It was Voldemort. But Harry was perfectly okay, except for the lighting bolt carved into his head.

When they asked Dumbledore, he had other news to tell them as well. He first said that Voldemort was dead, Harry survived the killing curse and killed Voldemort. Then, who had betrayed them. Sirius Black.

Sirius got the information he needed from Peter, then proceeded to kill him and tell the Dark Lord everything. Jessie's arm burned at the thought of bearing the Dark Mark. It would have been her fate if Regulus and her married. She felt dizzy, her brain a whirlwind of thoughts.

Jessie felt like she couldn't breath as she tucked in Harry between herself and James that night.

"Do you really think he did it?" James asked softly at one in the morning.

"Peter's dead, isn't he? Sirius did something, James. I know he's practically your brother but Lily and Peter are dead and our son almost died too!" she said with tears in her eyes.

"It...it hurts so much, Jess. I-I want to try that muggle therapy you mentioned when mum passed...? It's too much for me," James whispered, crying now.

"Focus on the good. We have Remus and we have Harry. And each other," Jessie smiled, caressing his cheek.

"Let's invite Remus over tomorrow. I don't think he should be alone right now. Imagine how he's feeling. Sirius was his boyfriend..." James frowned deeply.

"It will all be okay," she promised.