December 20, 1977

"James, are you keeping something from me?" Dorea Potter asked her son at the dinner table that evening. He had been far quieter than usual the past few days, and Dorea was worried.

"Of course not, Mum," he responded quickly, looking down at his peas. The older woman exchanged a glance with her husband and then returned her stare to her son.

"James... I know when you're hiding something. I'm your mother. What is it?" she asked as she set her fork down on her plate. James nervously met his mother's eyes and fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I've just been... I've been thinking lately and I was wondering if maybe..." James glanced desperately at the clock.

"Spit it out, son," Charlus Potter warned.

"Can Lily visit us after Christmas for a few days?"

Charlus and Dorea exchanged looks of surprise at their son's request. Sure, they had known about James's fixation with Lily Evans for years, but they hadn't realized that James and Lily's relationship had progressed so fast.

"No, James..." Dorea protested and patted down her greying hair.

Now that James had "spit it out," he felt more confident and switched tactics. "Please, Mum? Lily doesn't like being home at holidays because it feels weird without her mum around and her sister hates her, and I figured that you could be like a second mum to her and, well, I can't be like a brother to her, but we'd at least keep her distracted!"

Dorea's expression softened, and she hated herself for it. Charlus always said she was too soft with James. Then again, so was he. But the poor girl's mother died! She couldn't say no to that. It was completely justifiable.

"What do you think, Charlus?" she asked, trying to avoid the hazel, hope-filled eyes of her son to look at the tired, hazel eyes of her husband of nearly thirty years.

"I don't see a problem with it," he replied with a shrug and Dorea could have sworn she saw a conspiratorial wink in James's direction.

"Fine, Lily may stay with us," Dorea sighed in defeat. There was no winning with these two. James let out a whoop and got up from the table to hug his mother.

"Mum! You're the best!" he yelled in her ear. With a small smile, she hugged him back, savoring the feeling of her son's love while she could. After all, it wouldn't be long until he moved out completely.

"Sit down, we have things to discuss, love," she laughed.

"If you say rules, just know that I'm going to break them," he threw a wink in his mum's direction when he was sitting.

"If you break the rules, just know that I'm going to ground you," she tossed back at him. Charlus laughed at their antics and reached for his wife's hand.

"But, Mum..." he whined.

"Rule one: One of us must be home at all times."

"Fine."

"Rule two: Lily sleeps in the guest room. You sleep in your room."

"Really, Mum? Do you seriously not trust me to be alone in my bedroom with my very beautiful girlfriend?"

"James Potter!" Dorea glared and looked at her husband for support.

"I am not getting involved in this, sweetie," Charlus laughed.

"Fine, fine, I'll sleep in my room and Lily will sleep in hers," James agreed finally with a pout.

"Rule number three: You must both keep your doors open at all times," Dorea said and looked at her son.

"Geez, Mum, are you trying to ruin my relationship?" James looked put out.

"No, I'm trying to prevent grandkids," Dorea deadpanned.

"Your mum just knows what we were like at your age and she's concerned for you," Charlus told his son with a wink. Blood rushed to Dorea's cheeks as James hooted with laughter and her husband's eyes crinkled in the familiar way.

"Charlus!" she shrieked.

"Darling, you know I couldn't resist," he said in response. One corner of his mouth lifted up into a crooked smile and she felt like a teenager all over again.

"You're so irritating," she said fondly and leaned over to kiss her husband.