Who: Gideon Prewett and James Potter
What: Gideon's got something to ask James.
Where: Order house, April 15th, 1979. Totally should have been posted months ago.
Rating: PG.
James was going to think he was some sort of mean spirited joker or probably punch him out, Gideon was sure. He was pacing one of the rooms in the Order house, skipping practice – well, he’d had an appointment with Gleny at St. Mungo’s, which was the original reason and also the reason for the small picture in his back pocket which lead him to why he’d asked James to meet him here in the first place. But no one would question him, really, because they all knew Gleny and would probably figure Gideon was just seeing to her or something.
Gideon didn’t know how he’d come to this decision, really it had been a passing joke, but being a godparent was ridiculously important, at least to Gideon. He took his duties as uncle and godfather incredibly serious, so when discussing potential godparents with Gleny, Gideon hadn’t been able to get the idea of James and Lily out of his mind, no matter how ridiculous it seemed. He had hated James Potter at Hogwarts, but now he was working alongside him in the Order, and of all his mates that he could consider… no one had James’ qualifications. Well, in the dedicated, knows-what-its-like-to-be-married and in the Order kind of sense.
But Gideon had to come up with a way to ask James without coming off as pitiful or…something like that. Which of course, coming from him, he definitely had to. Gideon turned to re-start his pacing cycle and jumped when he saw James standing there watching him. “Bugger, you shouldn’t do that.”
"Maybe you should become one with your senses," James joked, feigning a karate move with his hands he'd learned from some movie he and Sirius had slipped into a while back. He had no idea how to really do any martial arts, but it looked intimidating. Of course, when you had a wand none of that really mattered, but it was fun to play around. Not that he was sure why Gideon had called him to the house, having left a very vague patronus on his doorstep, but either way, it was something to do. Maybe he was going to offer up some quidditch tickets for the blokes and they'd have box seats for a match with him and Fabian.
Hmm, maybe he shouldn't be threatening him with his fantastically bad karate gestures.
His hands fell to his side and James sniffled slightly; it had been bloody freezing these days, and he'd forgotten his hat. Lily absolutely hated his hat (it had ears and a big tassel on top but it was the only hat that didn't make his head hurt), so James assumed that there was foul play involved with its disappearance this afternoon.
"What's up."
"Uh." Now that James was here, Gideon had no idea what to say. He shrugged his shoulders and fidgeted in place. This shouldn’t be that hard – maybe if they had alcohol, or something. No, Gideon didn’t want to taint this with something like that.
"Well, I sort of have something to talk to you about," Gideon shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels while trying to come up with the words. "I have to say that this is going to sound completely ridiculous and I would like you to listen with an open mind before saying anything and making a decision.”
He shifted from foot to foot a few times, wondering if this would be easier if it had been anyone but James Potter. "I…know we haven’t been friends at all, but with the Order, I would like to think of us as, well, at least cohorts. And not with just that, you’re in a unique position to understand my situation more so than say my brother, being married so young. I mean, there’s Molly, but anyway. I do respect you, and I know it hasn’t seemed like it in the past because well, I didn’t before, I do now and,” Gideon shook his head to keep his thoughts straight, even though they were all jumbling up.
"I think you’re a strong and daring character and although I don’t really… approve of some of the antics, I realize what them for what they are, just an outlet or something, at least now, and I don’t disprove of them entirely because everyone has their outlets, Fabian and I have quidditch and Frank has beating up Willy Nine Fingers, and Caradoc, well he has generally being weird, but you get what I’m saying. I hope." He ran a hand through his hair and looked at James with a hopeful expression, "You do understand what I’m saying, right?”
"Not a word," James responded honestly, sitting down in a chair at the kitchen's table. He looked up and over at Gideon with a perplexed expression, wondering if this was going to be some sort of strange, run around apology or something along the lines of that. Not that, well, Gideon hadn't exactly been the nicest of people to James and vice versa, but James knew he'd always attempted to be nice to Gideon because of Fabian. There was a certain loyalty you never lost for your former captains, so James had tried his best to keep his mouth shut around Fabian's little brother.
Of course, it was just so easy to rile Gideon up that it usually didn't last long, but honestly. James was good friends with Smeth now, so...well, no, no he still didn't understand where this was coming from, and he shrugged lightly.
"I...respect you too?" he responded, still unsure of how to take all of it. It wasn't a lie, James respected everyone in the Order (save for maybe Dearborn, but he trusted the Slytherin for some unknown reason), but was getting a little worried with where Gideon's spiel was leading. Usually people rambled because there was something important or bad to say, and James wasn't sure he could handle any more bad news. "What's this about?"
Gideon scratched his nose, "Um, thanks. That’s not quite what I was getting at but I just wanted to say that was one of my reasons. I mean, one of the main reasons at least. Along with that you know what it’s like to be a family man and that you’re daring and courageous and I trust you completely, to do the right thing. Implicitly even and I know you to carry that trait in every facet of your life."
He pulled out the picture and held it close for a moment, "Gleny and I have both talked about this, uh, a fair bit. She actually thinks I’m a bit loony for taking the suggestion seriously, but with all of the other options, it makes the most sense in our situation."
Gideon reached over to James, handing him the ultrasound picture, "We - I want you to be his godfather. I-you’re the best at pretty much everything, you’re generally kind and you put your heart into everything you do. You do your best to…keep the world safe. He’s going to be a part of this terrifying world and I want the best for him. I…I want you to be a part of his life and to help keep him safe."
James took hold of the sonogram gently, holding it out in front of him across the table as he rested his chin (and half his face, really, his fingers were shutting his left eye) in his hand. Holy shit, this was not what he had been expecting from Gideon. He'd thought there might've been some wards or something he wanted to work on their home with, but to literally be asking to become a part of his son's life forever was nothing something he ever could have imagined.
Of course, this brought upon thoughts of the fact that the baby in the sonogram wasn't his or Lily's, but James found that it wasn't as painful as he had imagined it to be. The Prewetts trusted them enough to ask them to take on this duty, this honor, and that was the kind of feeling a parent felt, right? James' hand slipped from his face and to the back of his neck, rubbing it for a moment before looking up at Gideon with a lopsided grin.
"Mate, well---I'll have to talk to Lily, but I mean---yeah, of course." The fact that Gideon Prewett had thought James Potter fit to be his son's godfather, well, fuck, that should be reason enough.
Gideon nearly fainted when James said yes – he’d been holding his breath, expecting James to say no or to storm off. A yes was definitely unexpected, but he gave an uneasy grin, "Yeah?"
When James mentioned Lily, Gideon nodded vigorously, "Of course, I wouldn’t want you to not talk to her and well that’s the other part of it. You and Lily can talk and then you can come over. We have a few names and stuff and well yeah. You and Lily should come over for dinner, after you guys talk.”
James let out a laugh and nodded, handing back the sonogram. He'd never thought of being someone's godfather, which was odd, seeing as he'd been quite keen on being a father, but it was a new sense of responsibility that James believed he'd been craving. The Order took up most of his time, but there were only so many things they could do without decent leads and with the ministry tightening things up, it was getting rather difficult. So while James knew that he, Lily, and Gideon were going to be busy with the Order, there would be more than enough time for the four of them (couldn't forget Gleny--ha, she suggested it first? Good ol' Gleny, James had always liked her) to take care of the baby.
"Yeah, all right, that sounds good," James said with a grin. His grin turned into a playful smirk as a thought occurred, "That baby shower is going to be insane, you realize?"
Gideon waved James off, "That’s your copy. That’s your godson there," he beamed proudly. Despite being absolutely terrified and nervous about it all, this was definitely a good ending. "I am well aware. Gleny threw one for Ryan Turpin’s girlfriend and son, and that was pretty crazy. First Order baby, I assume will be exponentially so. I just wonder how Caradoc will take the diaper games."
