Flowerpot

Drabble 61

Lily smiled to herself as she looked around the large table at the small group, all of them there to celebrate her little boy’s first birthday. It was Dumbledore’s idea to hold the celebration at Hogwarts, rather than at Godric’s Hollow and risk the secret getting out, and so had set up a small room opposite the Great Hall to hold their guests.

Due to worries of their assembly getting out to the enemy, they’d kept the guest list short, only inviting Harry’s Godfather and honorary uncles, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, as well as the Longbottom family, who the Potters had easily befriended and grown close to during their time in Dumbledore’s Order of the Phoenix. And finally Dumbledore himself, who it seems had begun to live at Hogwarts, even during the Summer holidays.

Sadly, not all the invitees could come, as Peter had nervously rejected his invite, citing his need to take care of his mother, who’s health seems to be declining by the day. Lily thought momentarily of Peter's seemingly nervous turn down, though just chalked it up to his normal behaviour, the man had begun to drift away from their small family ever since they graduated from Hogwarts, their joining of the Order only bringing them together during important meetings.

Lily and Alice were seated opposite each other at one end of the long table, with Harry and Neville sat shoulder to shoulder between them at the head. James and Frank were sat beside their wives, again opposite, with Sirius and Remus at the other end of the table, beside James and Frank respectively. Dumbledore himself sat at the other head of the table opposite the infant boys, a warm smile on his face as his twinkling eyes watched the group of friends eat and talk and laugh, for what felt like the first time in years.