Just some mates
"Lily," James began, as he played with his baby, Harry. "I'm going out today, do you think Moony and Padfoot would be able to babysit Harry? I dunno cause they've got a kid his age, I'm just worried that it'll be a lot for them if they do."
Lily stopped eating her breakfast as soon as she heard the words 'going out'. "Where are you going?" She said in a harsh tone.
"Out. To the pub," James replied. He was staring at the wall behind her, avoiding eye contact.
"With who? And why are you going to the pub during the day?"
"With friends. I don't get why you're being so... Defensive?" James questioned, his eyes squinting as he looked at Lily for once.
"I'm just defending myself!" Lily argued, her eyebrows furrowing as she threw her toast in the bin.
"Honey, nobody's attacking you..." James replied gently. He had a small smirk on his face as he looked at Lily.
"Yeah... Right. Uhhh... Yeah, Sirius and Remus should be able to babysit. I think Remus has the day off today so it'll be fine..." Lily said, backing down.
James bit his cheek to prevent a wide grin slipping onto his face. "Thanks, I'll drop him off at twelve. You go get yourself to work, 'kay?"
Lily nodded, forcing a small smile to appear on her pale, freckled face.
About an hour later, Lily popped off to work - she was doing an extended apprenticeship for an engineering company. Which company? James had no clue - why would he?
James dropped off Harry at Grimmauld Place. Then, he went back home - not to the pub like he said. But why? Did he just want a break from parenting?
There was a knock at the door, and James got up, with a huge smile on his face. He rushed to the door, and struggled with the key for a bit before unlocking it.
"Oh, hey Lily," James said, attempting to keep his grin from dropping. "You're back early..."
"Yeah, forgot I had a day off. Thought you'd be out by now? Where's Harry?"
"Oh... Yeah... Um- almost everyone cancelled so... Yeah. But... Harry seemed pretty happy to see Remus' boy so..." James hesitated.
"Right..." Lily replied, entering the house and taking off her UGGS, putting them in the shoerack.
James scrambled into their shared bedroom and scrambled to ring Regulus.
James kept dialing Regulus' number into the home phone, but he wouldn't pick up! What if he was already on his way?
James kept ringing, but Regulus just wouldn't answer. His palms were sweaty as he continued trying to reach Regulus.
"Hello?" A voice came from the phone.
"Reggie! Reggie! You can't come! Lily has a day off and she will find out! She'll find out about us and our thing!" James whispered urgently, making sure to not be heard by any eavesdroppers.
"Uh... Mate, I think you've gotten the wrong number..." James heard whoever was behind the phone say. But it was definitely a Black! That voice is exactly like a Black's voice. "James, what are you doing with my brother?" The voice said sharply.
Oh shit.
The realisation hit James - that wasn't Regulus on the phone... It was Sirius. How could he have been so stupid?! He knew Sirius would go rattle on him now...
James' heart was pounding. He gulped. "Aha...! Just- just prankin' ya, Sirius! You know how I am with my stupid pranks," he tried to play it off.
Sirius slammed the phone down.
James threw the home phone at the wall, causing a massive dent. He began throwing a massive strop - like Harry when he doesn't get what he wants. James waved his middle finger at the telephone, before kicking it a little bit more. He destroyed his and Lily's bed, throwing all the sheets and blankets off of it, and chucking the pillows at the Polaroids of the couple, that Lily had hung up. He stomped his feet a little and tipped over Harry's cot.
Lily could hear all of this from downstairs, but she didn't want to deal with it, so she left it. What she didn't know though, was what was happening with Regulus and James... Until she got a call.
The telephone downstairs rang. Lily picked it up and instantly recognised the voice to be none other than Sirius Black's.
"Lily..." Sirius said gently.
"Is Harry okay?!" Lily asked, panicking.
"Harry, Harry's fine. He's just playing right now. But, when you come pick him up, we need to have a chat..." Sirius was trying his best to not worry her, while sounding sympathetic at the same time.