A/N: Written for the Ultimate Battle Competition. Prompt: (era) Marauder Era.

"Harry," I said in a slow, stern voice. My child blinked up at me with wide, innocent eyes. "Eat. The. Peas."

Harry smiled mischievously and the mashed peas in question rose up from the spoon and flew against the wall, joining the rest of their kin in a mushy green smear.

I sighed and set the spoon down, putting my head in my hands. "James," I moaned. "Your child is a menace."

"Don't be so hard on him, Lily," said James, grinning as he glanced over at the two of us. "I wouldn't want to eat that mush either."

I glared at him through my fingers. "Well, what would you suggest feeding him?"

"Oh, the usual," said James airily. "The things every child should be brought up on: chocolate frogs, cauldron cakes, acid pops –"

"I will not let my child grow up on sweets alone!" I nearly shouted. "And I swear to Merlin, James Potter, if you come anywhere near my baby with an acid pop I will hex off your –"

James laughed, cutting me off mid-threat. "Oh, come on, Lils, lighten up," he said, tickling Harry under the chin. Harry went into peals of laughter, and I worried for a moment that he might fall out of his chair, as much as he was squirming. "Babies can't eat green stuff all the time, or they'll go mad."

"Babies can't eat sugary stuff all the time, or their teeth will rot," I countered as Harry began to calm down again, kicking his feet excitedly.

"Mm, that's true," said James carelessly, as though he wasn't taking the idea of his child's teeth falling out seriously. "Besides, I wouldn't want Harry turning out like that nephew of yours – Dumpy, or whatever his name is."

"It's Dudley," I corrected him, although I knew he was just saying it to nettle me.

"I like Dumpy better," James decided, and I sighed, scooping up another spoonful of pea puree.

"Come on, now, Harry," I cooed, and he smiled up at me, drooling slightly. "Here comes the broomstick!" I moved the spoon towards his face as if it were flying, hoping to entertain him enough that he would laugh, but his mouth remained resolutely closed. "Please, Harry?" I coaxed. "Just one bite for Mummy?"

He let out a bubbling giggle, and the next thing I knew, the opposite wall was covered in peas.

"Harry!" I groaned, but it seemed that he wasn't quite done making a mess yet. Small scoops of peas began lifting themselves out of the bowl and flying across the dining table. James caught a faceful and I burst out laughing for a moment before I received a large dollop across my forehead.

Two minutes later, the bowl was empty, James and I were covered in green goop, and Harry sat, pristinely clean, in the middle of it all, smiling in satisfaction.

James and I glanced at each other through the dripping muck. "Not it," I said immediately, and he groaned.

"Come on, Lils, you know I'm no good at this," he grumbled.

"It takes two seconds," I reminded him.

"Oh? Then why don't you do it?"

"Because," I said, annoyed, "I did it last time!"

James muttered something under his breath and picked up his wand. "Scourgify!"

There was a flash of pink, and the room was suddenly clean again, the surfaces sparkling. "Happy?" said James, tossing his wand back on the table.

We both glanced at Harry, who was gurgling happily in his chair. "He's definitely your child," I said as I lifted him out of his chair.

"What makes you say that?" said James. "I mean, besides the fact that I fathered him, and all."

"He's got the same look you always did when you pulled off a particularly impressive prank," I said, surveying my son.

James laughed and tousled Harry's small crop of black hair. "Yeah, well," he said, "I still think we've let Sirius babysit too many times."

I laughed and took Harry up to bed, kissing my husband on the cheek as I went.