"He has your eyes," Lily murmured, looking proudly on as Jareth cuddled and inspected his newly born heir.

"He has both of our eyes," Jareth responded with a smug grin. He couldn't help himself. Even had he not already been certain, the bright green eye coupled with the blue eye whose pupil was slightly distended proved it. Nobody else, save Jareth's own father, had eyes like that. This child was his.

"Well, he has my hair," James Potter pointed out petulantly.

Jareth somehow managed to keep his expression curious, rather than triumphant as he combed his fingers through the tuft of blood red hair atop the babe's head. "Has he?" he asked innocently as the light picked out the wine colored strands against the pale fingers of his temporarily ungloved hand. He would not wear gloves to touch his own son—the child needed to feel his father's magic around him.

The hair on the baby's head might look black or even dark brown from a distance, but the inky dark silk was most definitely red. Jareth knew that, as the boy aged and his hair grew, it might lighten somewhat at the ends, just as his own hair had done. He wouldn't mention it now, though. It would provide much entertainment later, simply by touching it and glancing at the other man, the so-called "other father".

After their marriage, Lily and her annoying husband had spent what amounted to three years in the Underground, though Potter had returned to the Above periodically, during some of that time. Eight months had come and gone before the couple was ready to begin trying to conceive. The fact of Potter's sterility combined with the low birth rate among the fae, Lily included, meant that it was an additional two years Underground-time before conception.

Worse than the waiting before the conception, and possibly after, in Jareth's opinion, was ferrying Lily's husband to work and home every thirty six days, which was the passage of time per single day Above. Thankfully, he only did it for what amounted to two weeks Aboveground time, but still, the man had annoyed Jareth no end. Having him close at hand was irritating. Having to transfer his seed to him and then provide transport as well...that was almost an insult.

A furtive movement at the door drew both Jareth's and James' attention.

"Snape," James all but spat, eyes narrowed.

"Surely you can be polite to our son's godfather?" Jareth murmured mildly, not glancing up.

"Godfather!" James exploded. "I'll be damned if I name him godfather!"

Slowly moving to his feet, Jareth drew his newborn son close against his chest, dropping his dark feathered cape around the child as he let his power flow.

"Indeed you shall," he growled, his anger filling the room, touching everyone save the babe in his arms.

James dropped to his knees as Lily struggled to sit up. Before she could say anything, James began to crawl forward toward Jareth, spewing apologies as he approached.

"I'm sorry Your Majesty, I didn't mean it! I…"

"Were you not informed of the fact that Severus Snape must be this child's godparent?" Jareth demanded in clipped tones, freezing the wizard's body in place so that he could crawl no closer. He retained full control over his head, however, in order to answer Jareth quickly.

"Yes, Sire, Lily told me…" At a glance up toward Jareth's stormy gaze and arched brow, he added, "You also told me, Your Majesty." After a brief pause, he blurted, "It's just that I wanted Sirius to be his godfather!"

"And you thought you could…what? Fool me? Lie to me and pretend to play along?" Jareth snarled. "You care so little for your child's wellbeing that you treat it as a prize to be gifted to whomever wins your favor?"

"Sirius is my best friend," he whined. "Besides, that death eater scum can't possibly be good enough for my son," James barked, looking at Snape.

"I'm beginning to believe that you are most definitely not good enough for any son of mine," Jareth said calmly, waving a hand to release James. Turning to Lily, he began, "Lily, I shall return for you in…"

"No! Wait! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Sire, please!" James begged, apparently beginning to appreciate the position he was in. "Sirius can be Snape's backup. I'll be nice! Sire! Your Majesty, please!" He crawled forward and then dove toward Jareth's knees, wrapping both arms around Jareth's legs, tears streaming down his face as sobs wracked his body. "Don't take them, please, don't take them," he implored between gasps and sobs.

Jareth rolled his eyes in disgust. He could only imagine the various fluids collecting on his dragon hide breeches. Thankfully, they were quite thick.

After studying the repentant, crying man for several long minutes, Jareth glanced at Lily, who seemed to be holding her breath. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that Severus Snape had dropped to one knee just inside the door and was tightly clutching what appeared to be a bouquet of pale yellow calla lilies with plumeria and a stuffed owl.

"Rise, gentlemen," he ordered, lowering his squirming son to the bed and into the arms of the infant's greatly relieved mother. Turning back to James, he curled a lip in distaste. "I will suffer no more of your tantrums. I owe you no courtesy and yet, I have afforded you many. This is your last warning."

"Yes, Sire," James sniffed, swiping at his eyes with the heels of his hands like a chastened toddler. "My-my apologies, Snape," he choked out, somehow managing to look subdued and defiant at the same time. When Jareth arched an expectant brow to him, James flushed, dropping his eyes and shooting Snape a quick glance. "C-come in. Come meet our son," he mumbled, stepping aside and moving around the bed to Lily's far side.

Severus stepped forward warily. "Congratulations, Your Majesty," he said with a bow to Jareth. "Congratulations, Lily, Potter," he said with a nod. Turning back to Lily, he carefully laid the stuffed toy on the bed next to the baby and quickly conjured a vase, moving to place the flowers into it.

"Wait, Sev, wait! Take the baby and let me smell the flowers!" Lily cried, stopping Severus before he could put the flowers in water.

For one moment, Severus froze like a deer in shining light. Jareth bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing when Severus plucked the baby from under James' reaching hands, handing Lily the flowers, and then froze again when he realized he was holding a baby, unsure of what to do next. Moments later, he had adjusted the shifting bundle, eyes transfixed on the child as if he'd never seen anything so precious and awe inspiring.

"What will you call him?" he asked absently as he stroked the baby's soft cheek.

"Iarfhlaith?" Jareth queried, brow arched as he looked to Lily for verification. He pronounced the Celtic-Gaelic name as YAR-lah.

"James," a pouting voice insisted from the corner on the far side of Lily's bed.

"Iarfhlaith James, then," Lily agreed, accepting the baby back from Severus. "Hello little Iarfhlaith," she crooned.

"I'll probably just call him Harry," James mumbled sulkily.

Jareth glared at the other man. "Tell me again why you married that one?"

"If he keeps his mouth closed for awhile, maybe I'll remember," Lily answered, anger tightening her voice.

Severus quickly busied himself with the flowers. While he seemed completely immersed in his task, Jareth could see him smirk from behind the bouquet.