All I can breathe is your life
The woods outside Godric's Hollow; July 28, 1980 9 AM
James shook off Prongs and stood on two feet for the first time all night. He looked around at the rest of the marauders spread asleep around him in the clearing. They had finally dropped off around sunrise when the wolf had curled up. He reached into his robes and grabbed the old mirror he and Sirius had used in detentions to call his wife.
"Lily?" He whispered into the mirror. James moved out of the clearing into the nearby shade to give his friends a chance to rest. He prayed that Lily, who had been having contractions the night before when she ushered the four of them out the door, would answer the call at their home. He didn't know what he'd do if he had missed any part of his child's birth.
"Good morning James." Lily smiled at him. Even through the tiny mirror, James' heart stopped at how beautiful his wife looked. He was so lucky she'd chosen him. "All ok with the boys last night?" She asked.
"They're all knocked in a pile behind me." He said, angling the mirror over his shoulder so she could see them. "Are you and the fawn ok?" Lily rolled her eyes at his comment but knew there was no point in reprimanding him as the boys had all been calling the baby 'fawn' since they had announced the pregnancy.
"They kicked my ribs all night long," She said, rubbing her eyes. "I think they missed you and their uncles."
"And the contractions?" James held his breath as he waited.
"Still only once every six hours. Alice said their little boy did the same last month and only the department at St. Mungo's stopped him from coming so early." James' face whitened at that. "But our little one is ready, it's been nine months already."
James heard stirring noises from the pile of his friends and bid his wife goodbye, promising they'd be home within the hour.
"Oi! You've been married for two years now mate!" Sirius's voice grumbled from the middle of the pile of limbs.
"But he's about to become a father!" Peter argued, detangling himself.
"A little fawn to join us on our monthly outings." Sirius grinned, shaking leaves out of his wild mane. "Once they're old enough...." He trailed off at the look on James' face. Remus yawned and stretched, looking as drawn as he usually did on these mornings.
"Still keeping the gender a surprise?" He asked while checking himself for injuries. James shrugged and reached down to help him up.
"Lily and I don't really care whether it's a boy or girl, and we have names for both anyway." Seeing Sirius open his mouth, he continued quickly, "Which you'll only find out when the fawn is born."
Peter cleared his throat and spoke, "How are you so certain the baby's going to be an animagus anyway Prongs?" James and Remus both started to answer,
"Animagus traits are passed--"
"Because, even though--"
Sirius laughed at the two of them, "Our Lily did a ton of research when she found she was pregnant so she'd know what was coming." He wrangled his hair into a bun and stuck his wand into it. "She said it's about an 85% chance of them being the same form as Prongs, but we'll only know for sure if they transform or show characteristics in the first month."
James nodded along, "And Minerva gave us a spell to lock the ability away until he's older if it becomes a problem." He started walking out of the forest, trusting the other marauders to follow him. "In case they're as much a trouble maker as we were before they're out of their nappies."
"How'd you get that out of her without spilling the beans?" Remus asked.
"Lily has her ways," James shurgged, "and ol' Minerva has always been fond of her best student" Sirius shoved him playfully.
"You're so full of shit Prongs!"
The four friends linked arms and headed back to the Potter Cottage, excited for a delicious breakfast and a long nap.
Potter Cottage, Godric's Hollow: July 31, 1980, 5:30 PM
Sirius, Peter, and Remus waited in the living room of the cozy cottage for someone to come and tell them what had happened upstairs. The midwife had been summoned early that morning when Lily's water had broken. The three had received word via Patronus from James an hour earlier, and had been waiting since. All three men tried to ignore the loud screams that echoed down the stairs, as none had really been present at a birth before. They clung to each other's hands in between bouts of pacing and nervous tapping. Finally, James walked down the stairs and beckoned them to follow him.
"Mate, are Lily and the baby ok?" Sirius asked, the shell-shocked look on his friend's face making him nervous. The four reached the second floor to see James and Lily's bedroom door open. James walked inside and the other three, after exchanging terrified glances, followed.
Lily, sweat-soaked and flushed, sat upright on the bed. She gave them an exhausted smile and gestured to the midwife. A chorus of whoops and cheers sounded as Sirius, Peter, and Remus saw a little blue bundle in her arms. James and Lily held hands and smiled at each other.
"His name is Harry, and we want you to be godfather Sirius!" James said, grinning from ear to ear.
Sirius was floored, even as the midwife handed him the tiny bundle. He cradled the little one and peeked at his tiny face. Harry's eyes were open, the same green as Lily's, and he already had a shock of black hair. Sirius felt his eyes start to water as he cradled the little miracle in his arms. Peter and Remus peered over his shoulders.
"He's a toe head!" Peter exclaimed.
"Excuse me?" James said, floored.
Lily patter her husband's hand, "It's a muggle expression," she said "just means he was born with hair." Sirius smiled at the little boy in his arms. Remus leaned over and Harry caught one of his fingers in his tiny fist. Sirius couldn't think of a better thing to have happened to his friends than this. He sniffled and tried in vain not to cry.
"I'll do it," Sirius said, smiling at Harry. "For the fawn, I'll be his godfather."
At that moment, Harry's eyes went from bright green to the large black and brown of a fawn. Little ears popped out from under his hair, and Sirius laughed. "Looks like he got your animagus after all Prongs." He said, passing Harry off to Lupin. "I say we call him Fawn until he sprouts antlers."
Remus stared down at the little squishy baby in his arms. "He can be Prongslet after that"
"You two will give him a complex." James scowled, but couldn't help the grin on his face as he saw his half-shifted son.
"Welcome to the family, Harry Potter."
None of them knew that the spell that would be performed on young Harry a year from then wouldn't be taken off until 13 years later.