Chapter Text
She was beautiful. She was his. His little princess and whatever happened, he would protect her. She was his to protect, his to die for, and his to love.
Georgia Potter was 1 year old, and currently whizzing round the living room on her toy broomstick which her father had thought would be hilarious to buy the young tot. Her mother, on the other hand, was not so in tune with her father's way of thinking and had promptly berated her father for his lack of safety awareness when it came to their children. Harry, her twin brother, had been given one as well but he was currently being bathed by their mother, which left James in charge of Georgia.
He laughed wholeheartedly as his daughter giggled and went about on her merry way. His eyes following her every move with his wand in hand, ready to spring into action, after all he wasn't going to let harm come to his little princess, he sat down on the sofa wondering if his daughter was to become a talented Quidditch player like her father, following in his footsteps of being a chaser or whether she'd be more like her mother, reading and loving books and knowledge with her whole being.
So far, the little tyke had shown love of both flying and books - having an hour to fly around the house under the watchful eye of her protective father before being read to sleep by her loving mother. Harry, on the other hand, just loved flying. James would laugh every time Harry appeared to turn his nose up at the book his mother was reading.
James and Lily Potter loved their children dearly, but were especially surprised when they found out that they were to expect two from the pregnancy. Upon telling Sirius, he'd gasped and insisted that he was sure the Potter's had only ordered one child. But still, people couldn't help but fall in love with their children once they set eyes upon them. The hair was the same on both children, black like midnight but the skin and eyes were different. Harry had taken after his mother, with olive skin, fair and smooth with the greenest eyes you could think off. Georgia, on the other hand, had tanned skin, like her father giving the impression of a suntan with her father's hazel coloured eyes.
James had instantly declared Georgia his little princess, and in turn she became the world’s biggest daddy's girl. Whenever she cried or demanded attention, it was always her father she would seek. Whenever she wanted someone to play with, her father would be given the puppy dog eyes that he just fell in love with. Lily often complained that Georgia had James wrapped around her little finger, but James had just laughed it off saying, "She's my daughter, Lily! Of course I'm going to do stuff to make her happy, if that's me wrapped around her finger then Harry has you doubly wrapped around his!"
Lily had laughed and promptly agreed. It was no secret that Harry was a mummy's boy. He loved his mother fiercely and had shown jealousy numerous times when his sister was being cradled by her. He had taken to using Georgia's love of her father against her, insisting on cuddles from daddy to which the little had had not shown a keen liking.
Of course, they tried not to think about the dangers which faced their children. Even if it was getting harder and harder each day to ignore the tell-tale signs that Voldemort was growing stronger and stronger. His forces were growing everyday and James and Lily had been placed under house arrest to protect not only themselves but their children, by none other than Dumbledore himself. They knew the prophecy, knew what it meant. Their children would be the ones to defeat Voldemort, which meant that he would be coming after them to defeat them before they defeated him, even if that meant killing innocent children who do not know about such a prophecy yet.
They can't even eat their food correctly yet, James thought to himself as he continued to watch his daughter. Lily had been hysterical when Dumbledore had delivered the news; James hadn't known how to react. A tonne of emotions hit him at such a force, he struggled for breath. The anger had been like a volcano - how dare Voldemort threaten my children. Despair and worry over the thought that someone could actually harm his children, kill his precious Georgia and Harry. He'd not been able to bring himself to comfort his sobbing wife in that instance; instead turning to face the two little people had been napping in their cots. They were just babies, just innocent little babies who didn't want to defeat or destroy anyone or anything right now. Couldn't they at least have a chance at happiness before being thrown into this war?
James knew that was not realistic, nobody gets happiness in a time of war. These children were brought into a major war which marked the turning point for the wizarding industry. Both sides weren't backing down and people were choosing sides each day. The numbers grew and grew, the auror academy had never been so full, but then James knew that whilst the forces grew on his side, Voldemort was getting even more.
"James, darling? Are you okay?" A voice broke James out of his focused view following his daughter and glanced towards his wife, who was now staring at him intently with a look of concern, bouncing Harry on her hip. James smiled, "Of course I'm okay, love. Just thinking about the future."
Lily placed Harry down in the playpen, smiling as he went about playing with his stag and dog - another funny present from Sirius - before glancing up at her daughter, still giggling to herself as she rode round in circles on her broomstick. She sat next to her husband, placing a hand on his before rubbing her thumb against his knuckles.
"James, it will be okay. I have faith. Our children are strong, we are strong. As a family, we are strong. Nothing is going to happen to our children. I will not allow it," Lily concluded, the determination and strength in her voice unwavering. It reminded James was he fell in love with her; she had always been strong in the face of danger and death, never backing down, never giving up. She was as fiery as her hair, but as gentle as her eyes, fiercely protective of those she cared and loved whilst bitter towards those that stood in the way of freedom and equality for all.
He grasped her hand tightly before giving a firm nod, "That makes both of us then. Sirius is worried just as much as we are. Remus too, he keeps saying that he won't allow anything to happen to his goddaughter."
"I think that's the best thing we ever did. Making Remus Georgia's godfather. Sirius is a little worrying for Harry," Lily giggled, watching her children. Leaning her head on her husband shoulder, she breathed a sigh of relief that they had made it through another day, they were alive, they were together, and they were united. James laughed, "Now, now, my darling. Sirius loves Harry as if he were his own. Remus, well Remus just adores Georgia and she adores him. She snuggles up to her little werewolf teddy every night."
"That's worrying, James. One year old children are not supposed to cuddle up to werewolves! They are supposed to be sources of nightmares for children," Lily stated, remembering the way her daughter would insist on sleeping with the brown teddy every night. Remus had thought it strange and horrific at first when Sirius had first bought it for Georgia, but upon seeing her so insistent at night and so damn happy with the toy, he smiled and let the subject go, instead choosing to just sit and watch the infant in her slumber.
That had been one of the few times Dumbledore had allowed Remus and Sirius to come for a visit. It had been so long since then and James and Lily missed their friends terribly, knowing they were out there fighting for freedom, fighting for them, for their children, beyond the wards that had been set up to protect the Potters. It frustrated the Potter's to know there was nothing they could do to help but knew they were in the right place, knew they were where they needed to be, if not for their own sake then for their children's.
"Since when did you know Remus to be a nightmare? He leaves food outside his front door for stray cats and dogs Lily, if that is a source of a nightmare then I am obviously dim-witted," James replied, leaning his own head to rest against his wife's. "Don't answer that!" He warned causing Lily to giggle. "My point is werewolves are not often the way they are by choice. Remus would rather die himself then hurt anyone. What is that muggle saying that you always used to say? Ah! Never judge a book by its cover!" James declared, looking down at his wife who in return smiled and nodded.
"You're right James. I never meant anything against Remus. I just find it odd that our child isn't the least bit terrified of them. Harry cries every time he sees that thing," Lily sighs, causing James to laugh once more. Looking over at his son who seemed content on playing with his stag and dog toys, he replied, "Harry is just more wary then Georgia. Takes after his mother!"
"Whatever you say, James!" She laughed before placing a kiss on her husband’s temple. Picking Harry up, she declared it was time for bed and proceeded to ask James whether he would bring Georgia up. He nodded and turned round to his daughter, catching her as she tried to fly past and promptly starting a tickling assault. Walking into the bedroom, he placed his daughter down into a cot watching as she yawned.
"Oh yes, my little sweetheart! Flying is such hard work isn't it?" James cooed, tickling her little stomach once again, causing her to laugh aloud. He grabbed her toy off of the shelf before placing it into the cot, where Georgia was making grabby-hands. He pulled the blanket up over her body and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"Goodnight my little princess. See you in the morning or in the night if either you or Harry decides you wish to wake mummy and daddy up," James whispered, stroking the hair off her face. Turning towards Harry's cot, he leant down and whispered, "Goodnight my little rascal. Try not to wake your sister up in the night; you know how moody she gets in the morning."
Harry just giggled and tugged his stag and dog teddy bears closer to his body before closing his eyes. James watched as Lily said goodnight to her daughter before turning the nightlight on, walking out of the room quietly and into their bedroom, where James and Lily Potter prepared themselves for bed.
"James, it will be okay, won't it?" Lily questioned, turning to her husband for support. James sighed before moving to lie underneath the blanket. He thought long and hard about the prospect of their future, which could go either way. Voldemort could find them and kill them or James and Lily might actually make it out alive and be able to watch their children grow up.
"I don't know, Lily. We can only hope, for our children's sake," James replied before closing his eyes. I hope so.