Work Text:
The Last New Years Eve as a family
James was looking forward to New Year's Eve. It would be the first one since his parents died but the first time with his new family. He knew it was going to be a good one.
James looked around the living room at Potter Manor and smiled. Everything was how he wanted it to be.
Recently his best friend got married to the love of their life and the wedding was amazing. He never thought he would see Eli get married but they did.
On Christmas Day, Eli tried to give James the Manor but James refused. “Leo, Mam and Dad gave this to you because I’m sure they knew you were going to have a family before all of us" he said.
Eli shook their head before giving up. Even if the house belonged to his parents and when he thought he would get the manor, he didn't care as it went to someone who needed it plus he got the cottage and James loved the cottage.
Through the years his family got bigger. At first, it started with him and his parents and then the next thing he knew his family was massive.
When James first met Sirius, he thought “Well this guy is brilliant, I hope he is in my house” and Sirius was.
When James met Peter, bless him was being harassed by Slytherins. Maybe this is why people think Peter is weak because from day one he had people helping him well, mainly his friends.
Remus god damn it. When James first met Remus, he never understood why Remus had scars all over his face and was concerned that he either did it to himself or someone did it to him. Later on, James found out it was both of those things.
Lily-Flower. Merlin did James think he was going to end up with her. To him, Lily was the only person he wanted to be with until he realized Lily was more focused on his best friend and when his feelings started to show for Regulus Black.
Bloody Leo. That weird, loveable, traumatized person. When James met them, he thought Eli was cool especially when they stuck up for Peter on the train. Now yes, Eli is a handful but James wouldn't want that any less.
Now for some unknown reason, James is friends with two of his old Professors. Why because Eli is friends with them and spends a lot of time with each other causing him and the others to hang out with the two Professors. James wouldn't confess this to anyone but James loved having the company of the two Professors.
James didn't know why he was thinking about all of this, maybe because he was happy and it's always nice to remember the good times no matter how many times the bad times have tried to get in the way.
When it got bad, it got worse. It's a miracle none of them are dead due to the sheer amount of shit they have all done. The first time James thought he would be dead was November 1974 when Professor caught him and the others drinking.
James has acknowledged he was supposed to die on New Year's Day in 1976 because of death eaters but he had a guardian angel on him and that angel has stuck with him at the moment. Even the missions he goes on are supposed to kill him but they don't.
He can't think of anyone who hasn't almost died because of one thing or another. The gang are pranksters for god sake at one point they could have been killed by their own pranks.
Eli and Lily have almost died the most. But that is what they get for being lovers really, always getting each other almost killed.
James always hears the pair laughing and swapping stories about almost dying and shit like that and he has no idea why they do that. There are two stories that he, Eli and Lily talk about and that is based around Eli and well yeah.
“Oi Prongs, why are you sitting in the corner?” a voice shouted to him. James came out of his memories and he saw his old friend Peter Pettigrew standing in front of him.
“Just thinking Wormtail,” James replied, shrugging his shoulders.
Peter placed his hand on James’s shoulder “Well enough thinking, I'm pretty sure Padfoot and Leo are going to set off some fireworks soon and Leo will get a bonfire going as well” Peter informed.
“Really we are letting someone who is obsessed with fire be in charge of the bonfire. Well at least this time, we are all of age, though none of us will be drinking and Professor Sinistra and McGonagall will be here as well along with the Weasleys and the Tonks” James responded.
“Yeah, at least we won't have Professor Sinistra and McGonagall telling us off for having a bonfire now. Leo insisted on doing the bonfire because they said it apparently relieves stress when they do it and, to be honest, it does sound like a good stress reliever” Peter said.
“Prongs, Wormtail, get out of that fucking corner before I drag you out of there myself” Eli shouted to them from the back garden.
“We’re coming Leo, keep your flaming knickers on and also you shouldn’t swear you have a baby in the same house as you” Peter shouted back.
Peter then grabbed hold of James’s arm and dragged him into the back garden.
James just chuckled to himself as all of this went on. While everyone was close to each other, there were times Peter and Eli were close and that was more evident during 7th Year when Alexis was about but they have still kept that bond. Peter is the only person Eli can tolerate shouting at them over something.
“Finally, I thought you were going to spend the whole fucking night in that corner. Now Prongs I have no idea why you were just sitting there in the first place but that didn't give Wormtail the right to stay there after I told him to come and get you and ask you why you were in the corner” Eli scolded as they saw James and Peter come their way.
“We were only talking Leo, what is wrong with talking?” Peter replied, grinning.
“Fecking everything Wormtail” Eli sarcastically said back.
Peter laughed before responding “Hey just because you don’t like talking to people doesn't mean everyone else can't talk”.
“Fuck off you cheeky rat,” Eli said sticking out their tongue.
“Wormtail get your arse over here and stop bothering my sibling” Sirius shouted. Peter sighed, shook his head before walking over to Sirius who had Remus with him.
“When do you think Wormtail will get fed up with Padfoot treating him like a dog?” James asked.
“Never. Peter is too loyal and nice to get fed up with Padfoot or any of us for that matter,” Eli said.
James saw that Eli may have disagreed with something but he didn't want to question it.
“You know that you and Lily have almost died the same amount of times. There's no doubt in my head that the pair of you will die together from old age hugging each other. Me and Padfoot well that's a different kettle of fish, we may die during an auror mission. Moony may die during his transformation as he gets older and Peter well I have no clue about him as he is so careful” James info dumped.
“Prongs, for someone who says they ain't obsessed with death you sure as hell think and talk about it a lot. I think we are all going to die from old age surrounded by our family. There have been so many times when any one of us could have died but we didn't because our life is written in the stars and it says we live for a long time. Both the Blacks and the Potters live in the 100 Prongs so it will be very hard to kill us” Eli responded, placing their hand on James' shoulder.
“Fucking hell Leo, there is one thing I don't understand about you and it's your state of mind. One moment you want to die and drink into self-loathing and the next you are telling me that we are going to live well into our 100. Since the age of 11, you have told me that you ain't going to live for long, that you will be the last out of the Marauders to have a child and get married but the first to die, the first to join an army, the first to develop a problem. Now look at you, while yes you were the first to join an army and develop a problem, you were also the first to get married and have a child” James replied.
“Hey, it's not my fault I found the love of my life first,” Eli said.
James chuckled “I know it's not but I have seen you grow into this wonderful person who yes have made some mistakes and has a massive problem with something but you are still a kind person who even in their darkest of times helped people they loved and never took their anger out on someone else minus that bit with Lily but that's in the past. Mam and Dad were so proud of you El which is why they gave you the manor because they knew something like this would happen”.
“Jamie, can you believe how much everything has changed? How when we were younger the war wasn't as bad or people weren't being killed left right and centre? I think that if I and Siri never met you and the others, we would have either died or joined Voldemort and his army because you and I both know that Walburga would have forced us or killed us as we have already seen her do that. I still can't wait for that old bat to fucking die” Eli said.
James nodded “With everything that you said El, things have changed but we can't do anything about it. Yes, I agree Walburga would have done something to you and Pads if you stayed with her longer and defined what she wanted you two to do and lastly I think we are all waiting for Walburga to die”.
James then saw Lily come over with baby Maya sleeping in her arms. “We are going to set off the fireworks soon along with the bonfire which for some unknown reason E is in charge of,” she said gently.
“It's because I know how to make a bonfire, it's my favourite pastime,” Eli replied like it was nothing.
Lily and James gave Eli a look “E love, you do realise that if you were from the muggle world you would be considered a pyromaniac for your love of fire. I have seen what you do when you set something alight, you laugh and giggle and you have this look in your eyes saying that if you could do this to a person you would” Lily responded.
“Lilys’ right Leo, you do get that look in your eye and I'm scared that if a death eater ever gets on the wrong side of you, you would set them alight without a second thought whether it would be by a spell or with fucking fire itself,” James said.
“Oh well” was all that Eli responded with before walking off to join Sirius outside.
James and Lily just stood there in silence like they were too stunned to speak. Only Maya waking up made them come back to the real world.
“Leo scares me more than anything but anyway, hey Maya did you have a nice nap, come to Daddy and let Mummy have a little rest from holding you,” James said and he reached over and took Maya out of Lily’s arms.
Lily gave James a look of amazement “Where the bloody merlin did Daddy come from?” she asked as her arms felt weightless after not having Maya in her arms anymore.
“I have no clue at all but it just felt natural. I mean with you and Eli trying for another baby with the help of me, I feel like I'm like a second Dad to Maya even with Moony as her Papa” James replied like he already thought of the answer.
“Understandable but I wonder what E would think when they find out you just called yourself Maya’s Daddy,” Lily said.
James thought as he made faces at Maya. “Nothing, I am Maya’s godfather after all and I think Leo would be happy with Maya having so many parental figures in her life because I'm sure Leo doesn't want Maya to have the same life they did”.
Lily nodded and before she was able to open her mouth Eli shouted from the back garden “We are about to set off the fireworks if you two want to come and watch, everyone is already outside waiting for you”.
“Looks like that is our cue to go outside but it's freezing, I don't understand how the twins like the cold,” James said as the two walked out shivering.
“I don't understand it either” Lily replied just as the first firework went off.
James saw Eli move toward the unlit bonfire “Oi Leo I thought we weren't going to light it until after the fireworks have been set off?” He shouted over the fireworks.
James saw Eli grin before they took out their wand and pointed it at the unlit bonfire. “That was before I thought it would be better to have the bonfire going while the fireworks were going off” Eli replied.
The next thing James knew the bonfire lit up in flames and Eli started to dance around laughing like a maniac which caused him to run over leaving Lily and Maya.
“Merlin Leo, if you don't get away from that fire it's going to burn you like I don't know what,” he said as he pulled Eli away from it.
“You're no fun Jamie” Eli replied with a sad look on their face which caused James to laugh.
Aurora Sinistra and Minvera McGonagall started walking to James and Eli. James notices the two professors walking over. “Evening Professors, how are we this evening?” he asked politely.
“Very well thank you, James, and now that you are not in school you don't have to call us Professors, you can call us Rory and Minnie like we have told you before. Eli gets away from the fire and doesn't make puppy dog eyes at anyone else okay” Rory said.
Eli huffed and walked over to where their wife and child were standing leaving James, Rory and Minnie.
“It looks like Eli is coping well then, I thought for sure something was going to happen before the wedding day but nope here we are on New Year's Eve celebrating and not one person is drinking which is remarkable” Minnie passed a comment.
James thought against telling Minnie and Rory about what happened the day before Lily’s and Eli’s wedding as he didn't want to worry them and jeopardised Eli’s teaching career. “Aye Leo is doing good considering everything that has happened this past year what with Mam and Dad dying, Regulus dying, Maya being born, Padfoot being an arse to them as usual and Snape turning up the day before the wedding with a bunch of death eaters making Eli almost lose it. Shit, I shouldn't have said the last bit” James said with regret.
Rory looked taken aback “James, what happened the day before the wedding? Why did Snape turn up? Why did Eli almost lose it?” she questioned.
James took a deep breath in before he told them what happened “Snape turned up after hearing about Lily getting married to someone but as he thought it was me and Lily as all us Marauders were dressed the same he started and as I left my wand in the treehouse that made him think that even more. Eli threatened to kill him and just cast a spell on him and we were all surprised at how Eli didn't seem bothered about the cold or the snow but looking at both of the twins now it is understandable. And yeah that what happened nothing else”.
Minnie knew James was leaving something out but didn't push. “Right then let's go back to the others because it is almost time for the countdown,” she said as she grabbed hold of both James and Rory and pulled them to the rest of them.
Once the three reached the others the countdown started. All James could think about was New Years Eve 1975 which lead to New Years Day 1976. He prayed that another attack would not happen because he didn't know what he would do or how he would cope. James remembered that he almost died that day and how scared everyone was about losing him.
James was brought back into the world when everyone minus him shouted “Happy New Year” and cheered as the last firework was set off.
James had plans for the next New Year because hopefully by then Lily may have had another baby or Eli for that matter.
James wanted this new year to be better than the last. For the war to be over. For his family to spend more Christmases and New Year together. For his family to grow even more.
What James did not expect was what was to come in the coming few months or for this New Year to be the last New Years Eve as a family.