Since I can't cover my readers and reviewers with glitter as thanks, I'll have to settle for uploading some AtO omake writing.
This is an expansion of Harry's imaginary dinner table from Chapter 14. It's missing quite a lot of people because
Warnings: Unedited. Lots of ridiculousness, unrealistic wish fulfilment and plot holes (language barrier being the smallest of them) because of it. Not at all a part of AtO timeline.
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“Did you two go out and watch that ridiculous movie again?”
Naruto pouted. “It's not ridiculous, nee-san.”
Harry nodded alongside his cousin. “You liked it too.”
“That was the first time I saw it,” Hermione said with a huff as she pulled Naruto into a hug. “Even Ron got sick of watching it after the eight time. Why is it still in theatres anyway?”
“It gets better with every watch,” Harry said, unwilling to let his favourite movie get slandered. “Ron would have come with us if he didn't have a cold from travelling here.”
“Stupid boys,” Hermione hugged Harry.
“Stupid boys? What did you two do to Hermione to make her greet you like that?”
“Nee-san's mad we didn't take her to the movies with us.” Naruto grinned and latched onto the newcomer's back like an overgrown baby koala. “Did you bring me a gift?”
Sirius shifted into his grim form, licked Naruto's face and escaped from the blond's grip. Shifting back into human form beside Harry, Sirius shrugged, “Do I look like Jiraiya? Of course, I brought you a gift. It's in your room as always.” Draping an arm around Harry's shoulders, Sirius pulled him into a half hug. “Why don't you ever greet me like that?”
Harry glanced up into grey eyes. “Would I get an awesome gift if I do?”
“Yes! You'd get the most wonderful gift of all. A real hug from me.”
“No thanks. I don't want to smell like dog.”
“Oh? In that case,” Sirius grinned even wider as he shifted back into his animagus form.
Harry ran. He managed to escape for a grand total of five minutes before the large black grim knocked him down with a triumphant howl.
Not letting up an inch, the grim licked Harry's face leaving a slimy trail of drool.
Turning to the loud laughter coming from the sidelines, Harry yelled, “A little help, please.”
“I'm going to go set the table,” Hermione said with a snicker.
“Sorry nii-san,” Naruto said, not sounding sorry at all. “I don't want any more dog drool on me. But...”
Bright multicoloured fireworks exploded high above them and drowned out the rest of his words.
“James! Kushina!” An irritated voice yelled, as soon as the fireworks finished. Standing at the front door with her bright green apron, Lily narrowed at her eyes the two soot covered culprits who had appeared “We agreed to leave the fireworks for after dinner!”
“I thought you hid them,” Minato said, standing beside Lily.
“I did.” Lily frowned. “So, where did you two get these fireworks from?”
“Sirius,” Kushina and James said together.
Sirius rubbed his ears. “I didn't tell them to light the fireworks that Remus sent! I gave it to them to put away so that I could meet the kids.”
Lily's eyes glowed and the air crackled with magic. “You two...”
“Now, now, Lily, I'm sure we can settle this without any violence.” Minato smiled as he removed his bright blue apron.
Lily kept a firm grip on her wand. “They probably woke Ron up.”
“Why don't you go check on him and I'll deal with these two.”
Eyes still narrowed, Lily nodded and went back inside.
Minato, still smiling, turned to everyone else. “The rest of you, get cleaned up for dinner while we have a chat.”
By the time Harry cleaned up and entered the dining room, the table was crowded with food and people. Nodding a hasty greeting to Akira, Harry grabbed an open seat just as his mother entered the room.
Lily removed her hand from Ron's forehead. “The pepper-up potion seems to have done it's job. But you'll need to go straight to bed after dinner.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Potter,” Ron mumbled as he shuffled to sit between Harry and Naruto.
“Feeling better, mate?” Harry asked in concern.
Ron nodded and yawned, eyes droopy with sleep. “How was the movie?”
Before either boy could reply, Kushina said, “Naruto, why didn't you invite Sakura-chan and Sai-kun? Our table is so empty with Kakashi and Jiraiya out on missions.”
Looking around their table, with everyone squeezing in haphazardly, Harry decided to keep his thoughts to himself.
“Why would I invite them here again?” Naruto said, allowing Hermione to fill his bowl. He rubbed Hedwig's head and said, “You kept trying to set me up with them.”
“They weren't bothered by it!”
“Sai wasn't bothered because he's a weirdo!” Naruto said. “What makes you think we'd get together? At least, stick with Sakura-chan.”
“I can't choose one over the other. You look so cute with both of them!” Kushina turned to the woman sitting right beside her. “You thought so too, right?”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Don't drag me into this.”
“Nee-chan!” Kushina pouted. “We're supposed to present a united front.”
“Only when we need the boys to do their chores,” Lily retorted. “Not for this.”
“You were helping me plan the wedding! You picked out the flowers.”
Lily's cheeks tinged with pink. “I... that wasn't...”
The table fell silent as everyone stared between the two women.
“What happened to that red-headed Suna boy? The Kazekage?” Hermione asked with a severe frown. “Is he out of the running?”
“Nee-san, not you too!” Naruto said in horror.
“I'm just asking,” Hermione said. “Don't you like him?”
“Don't bother him with that stuff when he's eating,” Ron muttered sleepily.
Naruto turned to him, eyes bright with happiness at being saved from an awkward conversation.
“Besides, you're forgetting that purple eyed one who likes him,” Ron said.
“Which one? Neji or Hinata?” Harry supplied.
Beside him, Minato snorted but kept his eyes fixed on his food.
Apparently reaching the end of his tolerance, Naruto said, “Nii-san's older. He's supposed to get married before me.”
Another silence swept over the table for a moment before everyone's voices rose.
“As Godfather,” Sirius said, his loud voice drowning out everyone else. “It falls to me to choose my godson's future life partners.”
“As his father, that's my duty,” James corrected.
“Godfathers choose because they're cooler and make better choices.”
In his corner of the dining room, Akira looked heavenward with a sorrowful expression as loud conversation filled the room. “Ancestors, it looks like our great clan won't be getting a new generation...”
Harry turned to the only sane person in the room.
“Dumplings?” Minato asked with a soft smile. “I made some spicy ones.”
Harry nodded and glanced at Akira as Minato filled his bowl.
“Has Akira started praying to the ancestors?” Minato asked softly as he offered Crookshanks a small piece of meat.
Harry's lips twitched and he nodded.
Minato scratched Crookshanks' ears and turned to the corner Harry had been staring at. “I better put some more food in our offerings to him.”
From Minato's other side, Sirius said, “Why are you so nice to someone you can't even see?”
“Because he's our family.” Hedwig jumped up from Naruto's shoulder and landed on Minato's with a hoot.
Turning to the table as though he hadn't just been praying dramatically to the heavens, Akira said, “Why can't you all be like Minato? He understands the importance of family.”
“And I'd rather not get cursed with something terrible like baldness,” Minato said, feeding Hedwig some of his food.
Sirius roared with laughter.
“That's the real reason?” Akira said, his voice disheartened.
Harry grinned and bit into his dumpling.
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In case it wasn't clear, the circular seating order at this table is Lily, Kushina, James, Hermione, Naruto, Ron, Harry, Minato and Sirius.
Also, Harry's being ridiculous.
Nobody's actually sane at that table.
Can you just imagine the Naras coming over for dinner?
Polar
P.S. Sirius gave Lily and Minato similar aprons- because they're the cooks of the household. The colours are meant to match their eyes. Since it's a gift from Sirius, writing shows up on the apron's front at random times.
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