Chapter 41 Harry's Godfather
Around seven in the evening, a young man strolled with a paper bag clutched to his arm, his eyes fixed on the ticket that read "Potter's Cottage" in Godric's Hollow, a countryside town named in honor of one of Hogwarts' founders. His designated meeting point was specifically the church.
The local decor was relatively ordinary, a quaint chapel with traditional British stone architecture, a well-maintained square adorned with beautiful camellias. People came and went, all calm, creating an aura of serenity. As a hybrid place, bridging the Muggle and Wizarding worlds, the location was undoubtedly more than it appeared – a seemingly typical countryside town with many secrets and stories.
Tom Vegas (Vincent) grew bored of observing the surroundings and decided to sit in the square, waiting for his host. He checked the gifts he brought with uncertainty: a round, colorful plush lion and a box of Firewhiskey. After all, he had no idea what to bring, and perhaps bringing alcohol to a children's party wasn't the best idea.
"Good evening, Tom," a passerby called out. It was his friend James, who stood out among the locals, particularly due to his attire, which featured Acromantula silk in shades of brown and red, and black formal shoes. In contrast, Tom had dressed in less distinctive clothing, a simple shirt and trousers.
"James Potter, how could you leave me here, waiting for half an hour? Where's British punctuality?" Tom complained.
"Sorry, Tom. Lily and I have been busy getting everything ready, and it took longer than expected. But let's go, take my hand."
In front of James, Tom rose and extended his hands, followed by a firm handshake. In doing so, he experienced a sudden but expected spatial distortion – an Apparition. Magic transported them directly to the exterior of Potter's Cottage in an instant. Of course, he couldn't see anything; to his eyes, it was merely an empty place, but James had written it in a note, and as Tom read it, he experienced a magical scene unfolding. The barren ground was now revealing a house.
The house was simple, following the local architecture with thatched roofs, stone walls, and lattice windows. In front, a well-kept garden with flowers and an apple tree laden with fruit. It was very welcoming.
Both of them made their way inside with James leading the way. The interior was adorned with some party balloons, and there were a few people, all wearing peculiar attire. But Tom could recognize some familiar faces: the Longbottoms with a baby in the mother's arms, Sirius, the Weasleys, Marlene McKinnon, Peter Pettigrew, and, last but not least, Lily Potter with her little one.
Tom walked over to Lily, greeted her with a nod, but directed his attention to the child. "Hello, Harry."
Harry was only two and a half months old and didn't seem quite comfortable at the party. He looked at Tom briefly, with mild curiosity but not much of a reaction. Tom took a gift from his bag and handed it to Lily.
"I wasn't sure what to get, so I hope he likes it," he said.
Lily accepted it, unwrapped the package, revealing a colorful and soft plush toy. After some careful inspection, she handed it to Harry. It came as no surprise that the first thing he did was put it in his mouth. Lily thanked him, saying, "I think he likes it. Thank you, Mr. Vegas."
"You're welcome," Tom replied. He then opened his bag and took out a wrapped bottle of alcohol, handing it to James, grinning and speaking in a teasing tone. "You get a gift too."
"Firewhiskey, nice," came a distant voice that surprised everyone with its sudden arrival. It was Sirius Black, who conjured glasses with a skillful Transfiguration spell, unabashedly taking one of the bottles from James and pouring himself a drink. "About time, you've saved the night. I don't think I could face this sober."
"It's not that bad, Padfoot," James chimed in.
"I only came for Prongs' little cub; I hate these kinds of parties," Sirius complained, taking a hearty gulp and ending it with a loud burp, much to everyone's horror.
Harry laughed at Sirius's pig-like noise, but no one paid it much mind; they were accustomed to the man's carefree, irresponsible nature.
Another of James's closest friends, Peter, appeared strangely charming but with a neutral expression, clearly not feeling well.
The party was lively, and everyone chatted while feasting – one thing that stood out among wizards was the abundance of food. A variety of dishes was available at the buffet: mini burgers, roast lamb, cheeseboard, pie and mash, and fish. For dessert, there was sticky toffee pudding, treacle tart, and spotted dick.
Once everyone was satisfied, James and Lily called for everyone's attention.
James waited until there was silence, his gaze sweeping over everyone with gratitude. "I'd like to thank all of you, my friends, for being here. We've shared difficult and joyful moments, and your presence today is deeply appreciated."
Lily took the floor, her voice soft and filled with emotion. "As you all know, today we've chosen Harry's godfather. James and I debated long and hard to reach a decision. Peter is a great friend of James, always courageous and by our side. Marlene, my friend, is also considered Harry's godmother, as she means a lot to us. It could have been Remus Lupin, but unfortunately, he's not here. However..."
James continued with a smile, but his eyes were moist. "We've reached the conclusion to name Sirius Black as Harry's godfather. He has always been like a brother to me, and I want him to care for Harry in the same way he cared for me as a godson."
Sirius couldn't contain his emotion. His eyes shimmered with restrained tears as he embraced James and took Harry into his arms. "I, Sirius Black III, declare in the name of magic that I will care for Harry Potter as his godfather, accepting him as my godson and promising to be by his side in every moment of his life."
Everyone applauded, and it wasn't a surprise given how close Sirius and James were, except for Harry, who didn't quite understand what was happening and continued to gnaw on a little lion plush toy.