Summary: One-shot. After a busy evening, James goes to Sirius's house to collect his son.

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: None of this is mine.

By the Fireside

James Potter stepped out of the fireplace into the tiny kitchen. He looked around for a moment, his eyes taking in the overturned pots and pans, the potatoes that had rolled from their bowl to all corners of the room, and the broken glass littering the floor.

His lips curved up in the merest hint of a smile.

Silently, he exited the kitchen and made his way to the bedroom. The door did not make a sound as he pushed it open.

He could not hold back a chuckle at the sight that met his eyes. A very small child was on the bed, fast asleep, his arms wrapped around the neck of a huge black dog that also seemed to be sleeping.

James did not try to enter the room, knowing that his friend would not have let down his guard without placing a few well-chosen hexes on the door. Instead, he took several steps to the side, pulled out his wand, pointed it at the doorway, and whispered, "Expelliarmus!"

A jet of light shot from the end of his wand, hit the doorway, and bounced off an invisible barrier before fizzling out harmlessly against the opposite wall.

His smile widening, James reached into his pocket and drew out a little golden ball. He had worked on the Snitch for days, charming it to get past all but the very strongest magical barriers. This seemed like the perfect time to find out how well it worked.

He flung it at the doorway.

The Snitch sailed into the room without incident. Once inside, it soon identified the two figures on the bed as the only living things in the room, and zoomed down to get their attention.

For a moment the Snitch hovered over the child's head. James held his breath, afraid it would wake him. Then it changed course and began to flutter around the dog's ears. The dog snorted and buried his snout under a blanket, but the Snitch, undeterred, continued to zip around his head, pausing occasionally to land on the black fur.

One paw emerged from the blankets and swatted pointlessly in the direction of the golden ball. The Snitch dodged easily and settled down to bouncing from one side of the dog's head to the other.

Finally, with a low growl, the dog opened its eyes and raised its head.

For a moment it looked up at the Snitch with an expression so like disbelief that James could barely contain his laughter. Then its eyes went to the figure in the doorway, and it bared its teeth in a threatening gesture that only made James laugh harder.

Gently, the dog disentangled itself from the baby without waking him. It leapt to the ground. After a moment's pause, as if for thought, it turned into a young man with dark hair and grey eyes.

"Hello, Padfoot," James said cheerfully.

Sirius, with another growl and a baleful look that would have struck terror into anyone else, picked up the baby, pulled his wand from his pocket, and came out of the room.

"So the spells only keep people out," James said, backing away hastily. "Very clever."

"People," Sirius muttered, "but apparently not Quidditch balls. What do you mean by it, eh?" He waved his wand threateningly.

"Padfoot, if there are going to be curses flying I'd rather you put my son somewhere safe first."

Sirius snorted.

"Not being a clumsy oaf like you, Prongs, I am perfectly capable of taking care of my godson while also fending off your pathetic attempts to jinx me and exacting due vengeance for your earlier appalling behaviour."

"He'll wake up!"

"Some father you are! Haven't you noticed that he's already awake?"

James looked at the baby in astonishment and saw that he was indeed awake, snuggled happily up to his godfather's shoulder, watching the proceedings with a toothless grin.

"Hello, Harry," James said. "Did you miss Daddy?"

"Oh, no, you don't!" Sirius snapped, backing away with his wand pointing at James. "Harry is on Padfoot's side this time. Harry, do you hear that? We like Padfoot. Dad's an idiot who throws Snitches at people who are trying to sleep."

"Defaming me to my son, are you? This means war!"

Several minutes later, James and Sirius were sprawled exhausted on the couch, watching Harry crawl about on the hearthrug.

"How does he have the energy?" James gasped.

"He's your son, isn't he?" Sirius glanced at his friend. "How'd it go?"

James shook his head.

"It was terrible. We were hopelessly outnumbered; it's a miracle we all managed to get out alive. Wormtail was so traumatized Lily and I decided it was best not to send him home. She's given him a sleeping potion. And with the news about Lily's parents last month…"

"Does Dumbledore know what happened to them yet?"

"The Muggle authorities are insisting it was a regrettable but not inexplicable accident, and of course Lily's sister thinks so too. Dumbledore thinks there must have been Death Eaters involved." James shuddered. "I've asked Mum and Dad to go into hiding, but I don't think it'll do any good."

James stared into the flickering firelight, his eyes darkening with worry and grief.

"It'll be all right, Prongs. We've fought this long and Dumbledore seems to think he's close to finding something."

James let out a mirthless laugh.

"Dumbledore thinks Harry is involved in some way, all because that fraud Trelawney made some ridiculous prediction!"

"Have you ever met Trelawney?"

"Haven't you? I saw her when I took Harry to Hogwarts to visit Hagrid. Going by what she said, I should have died last month and Harry is going to meet with a fatal accident soon… Although that might actually happen, if I have to leave him with you when Lily and I are away."

"Incidentally, have you told Lily about that day last week when you took Harry to Diagon Alley and –"

"That's a minor detail," James said, flushing.

"I thought not. I'll just have to enlighten her, then. I take my responsibilities as godfather very seriously, and I cannot have my little Harry gallivanting around London with someone who can't be trusted to look after him."

"Your little Harry?"

"My little Harry." Sirius bent and scooped Harry up. "You like Padfoot better than Dad, don't you, Harry? Didn't we have fun making mashed potatoes today?"

"Oh, that's what the mess in the kitchen was. I thought you'd been dueling Death Eaters in there."

"Don't be ridiculous. No Death Eater could possibly break in here. I have the very latest protective charms –"

"Which can be broken by a well-aimed Snitch –"

"Excuse me if I didn't know I had to guard myself against someone who's supposed to be my friend. Next time I change the password on my fireplace I'll just tell Lily and Harry, and you can come by the door like everyone else."

"You do that, and I'll tell Lily you were the one who scared all the neighbours that day –"

"You wouldn't!"

"And I'll tell her how you did it."

"Prongs!"

After a moment's silence, James chuckled.

"Shall we call a truce?"

"I think so."

James stretched and got to his feet.

"I should go now. It's late, and Lily will be worrying." Sirius nodded and reluctantly handed Harry to his father. "You're coming to Mum and Dad's tomorrow, aren't you? Mum's looking forward to seeing you."

"Of course. I wouldn't miss one of your mum's Sunday lunches for anything."

Sirius followed James into the kitchen and waved his wand at the potatoes. A few of them rolled over unenthusiastically, while most did not move at all. James laughed and Sirius grimaced.

"I don't know how your mum does it."

"I think it helps if you don't let the potatoes leave the bowl in the first place."

"You do it if you know so much."

"I have to go home," James said hastily. "Harry needs his sleep."

"He was sleeping until you and your Snitch barged in."

James grinned, but his expression quickly sobered.

"It was a close call tonight. Padfoot… You will take care of Harry, won't you, if something happens to us? I don't even want to think about him growing up with Vernon and Petunia."

Sirius stared.

"Of course I will – did you even have to ask?"

"I'm sorry; it's just that with nights like tonight it's difficult to believe that we'll ever live in a peaceful world."

"We'll be fine – and as for taking care of Harry, I'll start right now if you leave him here. Anyway I'm a much better influence than you could ever hope to be, and I'm sure Lily would rather have him grow up like me."

James threw a handful of Floo Powder on the fire and said, "Godric's Hollow." Then, without missing a beat, he turned, pointed his wand at Sirius, muttered a jinx, and dived into the fire.

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