James was basking in the warm morning light as rays of sun danced through a large window in their cottage. The two had moved in together after Reg finished school. James had always been a morning person from all the quidditch practices. Reg however was definitely not. James brewed some coffee for the two of them. He had it imported from France. He brought it up to Reg who was cozied under some blankets, peacefully in the warm morning light. James put down the coffee on a small wooden table beside the bed and left Reg to rest. The two lived in a quaint home far from anyone else, with forestry and botany surrounding the house. James returned to the kitchen to cut up some fresh berries from the garden. He fed them to the deer that frequented their yard each morning.
“Hello, Prongs. Hungry, are you?”
He patted him on the top of his head and went back inside. James was able to get in all of the cleaning he had hoped to do that day and then began baking just as Regulus was waking up. He sauntered into the kitchen.
“Morning James, thanks for the coffee.”
“Of course my love, how was your sleep?”
“It was alright, but I’m much better now that I’m with you.”
Reg smiled sleepily as James pulled him into a tight embrace.
“I’m making bread. It’ll be ready in 20 minutes if you’d like.”
“I don’t care about bread, I just want you.”
“Well, you already have me.”
James smiled down at the smaller boy.
“You know Reggie, it’s supposed to be a beautiful afternoon. I reckon we should invite everyone over.”
“Well James, I clearly got burgers on my mind.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
James removed his flowery yellow apron and went to the rotary phone on his wall. It rang for a couple of seconds before someone picked up.
“Hello?”
“Remus!”
“Oi James. Moring.”
“Barbeque at our place this afternoon. Say… around one? Tell Sirius.”
“He’s still dead asleep.”
“The bloody two of them. Reggie is usually the same way. Anyways, find some way to wake him up.”
“Yeah, alright. Want us to bring anything?”
“Nah, don’t worry, just bring Sirius.”
“Alright, see you later,”
James called Lily and Mary, as well as Marlene and Dorcas, and then finally, Peter. Upon checking the time, James began preparing for his guests who were to come in just over an hour.
“Reggie, can you go grab my cooking apron? I have to bring up some ingredients from the cellar.”
“No problem love.”
James brought up some ground beef, fresh vegetables, and herbs that he had bought at a local muggle market. He was always so fascinated by the way they lived, and how they got around without the use of magic. James sometimes refrained from using his wand when doing smaller chores. He found it relaxing in some sense. Arriving back upstairs, Regulus was waiting for him, sitting on the countertop. He handed James a kiss the cook apron.
“I chose this one, especially for you.”
James looked at the apron blushing.
“You-”
“You know you love me, James.”
Regulus kissed James and left to set up the exterior of the house. James stood in the kitchen, flustered for a moment before getting back to his cooking. Soon enough, just as Regulus and James had finished getting the house and food prepared and put on new outfits, their guests had begun to arrive. James was up by the front to greet them. Remus knocked on the door.
“Remus!”
“James!”
“How are you, my friend!”
“I'm doing wonderfully, yourself?”
“Never better.”
“We brought fruit for you.”
“Aw thanks, but you really didn’t have to. Uh… where’s Sirius?”
Remus turned to show Sirius trudging up the stairs.
“I got him dressed and apparated him here.”
“Yeah, that checks out.”
Sirius leaned his head on Remus’s arm.
“Can we go home?”
“No, we’re here for James and Regulus.”
“But I don’t like Regulus.”
“But you like James.”
“But I’m tired.”
Remus whispered something to Sirius, but James could only make out the words “Later” and “Good boy”. Sirius was suddenly very awake.
“James! Good to see you! I’m going to go grab some coffee, lovely day isn’t it?”
Sirius made his way inside, patting James on the back as he passed.
“He’s very chipper all of a sudden.”
“That’s Sirius for you. Try living with him.”
“One of the Black brothers is already far too many for me to handle.”
“I can relate to that.”
“Shall we go inside?”
“Please, after you.”
Lily, Mary, Marlene, and Dorcas soon arrived after the boys had come in. Lily and Mary had made some pretty pastel cakes for everyone, Peter arrived with some sweets from Honey Dukes, and Marlene and Dorcas had brought champagne. They all gathered outside.
“Hello everyone! Welcome to our lovely little cottage. Thank you all for coming, and please, enjoy yourselves!”
James went back inside to grab something from their loft. He motioned for Regulus to go with him. Back outside, everyone was enjoying the weather.
“Oh Marls, I love these little flowers, can we grow some back home?”
“Absolutely! I wanted to get some for medicinal plants too! I have a couple of ideas to make some healing teas with our garden.”
Lily sat down next to Remus after pouring herself some champagne.
“When are we going to see your house, Remus?”
“Hey, it’s my house too,” Sirius was quick to add.
“Yes, yes, Sirius, our house. Anyways, we really should plan something. Are you all free next weekend?”
“Always! I can’t wait to see your house.”
“It’s not much compared to this, though I suppose I had to expect a lot from THE James Potter.”
“I’m sure it’s lovely Remus.”
James and Reg walked back out. James was holding a microphone and speaker.
“Alright, it’s time to get this party started!”
“James what are you planning.”
“Don’t worry Reggie this’ll be great.”
“Something is telling me not to trust you.”
“Just sit, relax, enjoy the show.”
“The show?”
James plugged in the mic and cleared his throat.
“This song is dedicated to my beloved Reggie. You’re the one for me.”
Remus and the girls all melted as Regulus turned bright red. Sirius rolled his eyes. A goofy pop beat was playing over the speaker.
“I call you up when I know he's at home I jump out of my skin when he picks up the phone, Why can't I tell if he's looking at me? Should I give him a smile? Should I get up and leave?”
“Hit it, James!”
“I know it's strange I don't know what I'm thinking, but is it wrong if I see him this weekend? I really hope I can get him alone I just don't, don't want him to know.”
“Woo!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, My best friend's brother is the one for me, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, A punk rock drummer and he's six-foot-three!”
“Bfb! Bfb!”
“Best friends brother, my best friends brother!”
The music ended and James took a bow as Remus and the girls erupted with cheers and applause. Regulus kissed James passionately in the mid-day sunlight.
“James you’re such a poet that song was like magic”
Sirius scoffed, rolling his eyes.
“I don’t know, Regulus is like 4’11 and doesn’t even know how to play the drums.”
“Hey, I’m at least 5”6 you prick. It was a lovely song James, thank you”
“You know what, I can top this.”
Sirius stood up and drank the last of his champagne, slightly tipsy now. He picked up the mic, ushering James and Regulus off the stage.
“REMUS! I’M MAD ABOUT YOU! SOMEONE GIVE ME A BEAT!”
Mary and Marlene syncopated their claps in a sort of rhythm. Remus sat back, highly amused.
“ALRIGHT! HERE WE GO! WOO! OH REMUS YOU’RE SO FINE, YOU’RE SO FINE YOU BLOW MY MIND HEY REMUS, HEY, HEY, HEY REMUS!”
James ran onto the stage and grabbed a guitar, adding music to Sirius’s song.
“OH REMUS YOU’RE SO FINE, YOU’RE SO FINE YOU BLOW MY MIND HEY REMUS, HEY, HEY, HEY REMUS, HEY, HEY!”
“YEAH!”
“Hey, Remus! Last time you were here, you said you were just passing through. So what's the point of living if I do it without you? Got this quite up in my treehole, and I don't know what to do, Remus. Hey, Remus! Last time you were here, you said you were just passing through. So what's the point of living if I do it without you? Got this quite up in my treehole, and I don't know what to do, Remus…”
“1, 2, 3, 4!”
“Oh, Remus, what a pity you don't understand you take me by the heart when you take me by the branch. Oh, Remus, you're so pretty, can't you understand, It's wolves like you, Remus, Oh, what you do, Remus, do, Remus, Don't break my heart, Remus.”
“Hey, Remus!”
“OH REMUS YOU’RE SO FINE, YOU’RE SO FINE YOU BLOW MY MIND HEY REMUS, HEY, HEY, HEY REMUS, HEY, HEY! REMUS YOU ARE THE HOTTEST WOLF I’VE EVER SEEN!”
Everyone was dancing and cheering, Sirius and James giving each other fist bumps from the stage.
“So Remus, how was that for you?”
“I’d say you definitely gave James a run for his money.”
“Well, then maybe I can show you how much better I am in a… different way.”
“I might have to take you up on that offer-”
“Everyone come watch me, James the grillmaster, whip up the best burgers you’ve ever seen!”
“Sorry Sirius, I think James just won the best meat contest.”
“Oh shut it, you.”
James put a couple of burgers on a plate for Sirius.
“I give the appearance a 7/10. Looks scrumptious.”
“Rating my burgers now are we?”
Sirius took a bite, speaking with a mouth full of burger.
“Yes, and the taste is around a 5.”
“A 5?”
“I could make better burgers.”
“Not bloody likely! You’d burn down the house before any food gets made.”
“Not true! I make great food! Right, Remus?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Remus John Lupin you told me you loved my cooking!”
“Love, there’s a reason I make most of the food in our house. I only let you cook before the full moon.”
“But you always eat all of it.”
“The wolf will eat anything you put in front of it.”
James chimed in.
“Looks like he’s the same as Reggie then.”
“That’s not true, I’m a good baker James,” added Regulus.
“Actually he’s right, Reggie can make a mean cake.”
“I guess this settles the better brother dispute.”
“Reggie, you’ve always been the better brother.”
“Yeah, if you weren’t with James, who knows which brother I would have chosen.”
Sirius put an arm around Remus.
“Oi, nobody’s taking my Remus, especially not Regulus.”
“Relax Padfoot, I’m all yours.”
James chuckled.
“You’re all a bunch of idiots.”
“Yes, but you know you love us.”
“That’s because no one could ever hate you, Reggie.”
James turned back to the grill, flipping the meat.
“Hey Reg, how many burgers do you want?”
“Me? Two James.”