What's In A Name?

Lily Evans sat massaging her pregnant belly, waiting for her husband to return home. He was currently in Diagon Alley, buying socks for their baby.

After what felt like forever, James came through the door. Lily sprang up from her chair.

"Well?" asked James.

"Boy," breathed Lily.

James grinned ear to ear and ran to embrace his wife. "That's great!" he exclaimed.

Lily was the one to break the hug. "What should we name him?" she asked.

"James Junior," answered her husband promptly. Lily whacked him. "Ow!"

"Seriously, though," said Lily, "James would be a good middle name. What about his first name?"

"Sirius?" suggested James. "Remus? Peter?"

Lily shook her head. "Those are nice names, but they don't fit," she explained.

James thought for a moment. "I think you should pick the name, since his middle name is after me."

Lily turned bright pink. "You won't like what I've come up with," she muttered.

"Tell me," begged James.

So Lily gave in and whispered the name.

"Come again?"

Turning even pinker, Lily whispered a bit louder, "Severus."

The reaction was exactly as she had feared. James turned beet red and started shrieking, "No way, no how is my first son going to be named Snivellus! Why would you ever think of such a thing!"

"James, he was my best friend," Lily pleaded.

"I don't give a rat's ass! We are not naming our baby after your childhood sweetheart!"

Lily froze, a tear in her eye. "Fine," she murmured. "We'll name him after my father. Harry."

James calmed down. He walked over to his wife and pressed her against his chest. "I like Harry," he said gently.

"So do I," whispered Lily.

But that night, when James was asleep, Lily sat up in bed and stroked her belly. "I don't care what your father says," she muttered. "I don't care what anybody says. Your name is Harry James Severus Potter."