Title: Living on through Harry
Ratings: PG-13
Warnings: few quotes from JKR´s Prisoner of Azkaban, death mentioning (don't worry – it´s not Jack or Kate)
Summary: The release of the new in the series of HP books reminds Jack of a boy that influenced his life few years ago
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Lost or HP. They are the works of their genious creators.
Author´s note: This is for all of you HP fans. I planned to write another Jate+HP one, but the storyline somehow dragged me in this directions, but I will write soon happy/fluffy Jate HP one.
Living on through Harry
˝Perfect. ˝said Jack, putting the kitchen cloth back on the table. He straightened up and looked around. The table was set, the fresh orange juice was in the fridge, together with 2 bottles of baby juice; and the lasagnas were in the microwave. Throwing one last glance around the kitchen to see if everything was on its place, he turned off the kitchen light and slowly made his way into the living room.
He went to the cd box and, after rummaging a bit through it, pulled out the one with navy colored cover and big golden letters spelling the title. He slowly bent down and put the cd in the stereo. Setting the ´repeat´ function, he pressed the play button and soon enough, the soft tunes of the enthralling melody filled the room. Jack closed his eyes. Just like in old times. – he though, going around the room and placing himself on the big white couch. He took off the shoes and lifted his legs on the couch too, pulling up the blanket and spreading it over his legs. The central was on, but it was comfortable to be wrapped in the fluffy fabric.
Finally settling himself, Jack reached to the commode and gently picked up the book. Finally it was here. Harry Potter 7. Slowly, he traced his fingers over big golden letters. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. His eyes traveling across the dark cover, he touched the smaller title with his fingers. The Deathly Hallows. – he mumbled quietly. Deathly. – he repeated, staring at the word below.
Faith or something else, it was precisely ´death´ that introduced him to the unique world of the boy wizard and his friends. Even now, 5 years later, he would never read the books without remembering the small, light-haired boy with over-sized glasses. Justin Collins. He even remembered the name.
Justin Collins had been an 11-year old boy. He´d enjoyed playing basketball, hated math and had a burning passion for planets and universe itself. His parents had left him when he was still a little boy and he had been living in the orphanage since. Still, he was a very bright boy and adored by the whole hospital staff. One thing that differed Justin and the other kids from his orphanage was that Justin had had a spine cancer.
Jack used to spend a lot of time with the boy. They would play cards, watch Red Sox games or simply talk about everyday stuff. Justin had really been an extraordinary kid. The one with whom you could talk about everything. Including his sickness. Extremely mature for his age, Justin had known that he hadn't had much time left.
So one day, when Jack had come to visit him, he´d asked him if he could do him a favor. After Jack agreed, the boy asked him if he could buy him the newest, just published, Prisoner of Azkaban. Jack still remembered the conversation vividly.
The boy´s condition had been getting worse and worse, and Jack had known it was only a matter of time.
˝…and I wanna read it before…before I…before I…˝the boy´s voice trailed off as he looked down.
˝Jamie, you don't know…˝
˝Don't, Jack. ˝the boy cut him off, raising his head. ˝I´m not stupid. My leucocytes are too high, my heart is not good and I´m getting weaker with every day passed. ˝he explained. Slowly, his eyes met Jack´s and he was looking at him with some new determination in his voice. ˝I know I´m going to die. And I know it´s gonna be soon. ˝he swallowed, but startled himself out of it quickly and continued. ˝But before that happens, I wanna know what happened. At least in this one. ˝
Jack looked at him, his eyes drowning in boy´s blue ones. He had known the boy was right. They had tried everything, but the illness was stronger that time. As much as he wanted, he couldn't fix him.
˝Okay. ˝said Jack, placing his hand on top of the boy´s.
˝Okay? ˝Justin asked, excitement flickering in his eyes.
˝Yeah. ˝said Jack, smiling at him. ˝I´m gonna buy you that book and I´m gonna personally read it to you. ˝he finished.
˝Really? ˝
˝Really. ˝Jack promised, the smile on Justin´s face telling him exactly how much the boy was happy.
So, the next few days the two of them would read excitedly in the hospital room; Justin half-sitting in bed, supported by pillows; and Jack sitting in the chair next to him. Skeptical at first, towards something he had always considered to be a children´s book, Jack had come to love the book, admitting that he had been getting ´into it´ more and more with every day passed. The storyline was interesting, the writing astonishing, the humor funny and smart, and the story itself was radiating with some genuine warmth and familiarity.
Jack remembered the last day. Justin had been so physically exhausted from all the medications and illness that he couldn't sit upright anymore, so he was lying in the bed, his eyes closed and his forehead tense in concentration. Jack had reached the last paragraph, amazed by how the time had been passing quickly while they were reading. He had never been much of a book-type of person; well, at least not since he started puberty, but he had had to admit that that book had found its way to his heart.
˝Harry set off towards the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last. ˝Jack finished, closing the book. He looked at the boy. ˝You liked it? ˝
˝Y-yeah. ˝the boy mumbled; his voice barely above the whisper.
The strength was slowly abandoning his young body, but Jack had caught a glimpse of that old excitement he had seen in the boy´s eyes after he had promised him to read him the book. He smiled.
˝Did you like it? ˝Justin asked him, bursting into cough.
˝Yeah. ˝he replied sincerely. ˝I did like it. In fact…I loved it. ˝Jack said, more to himself than to the boy. ˝And I want to thank you for that, Justin. For reminding me of the joy of reading. ˝he said quietly.
Justin´s lips broke into small smile. He started coughing again. Jack quickly got up, lifting him a bit, so he could cough it out easier. He could feel the boy´s fragile body crouching in spasms, and he would give everything to know a way to help him, but he knew there was no help. The attack passed, and Jack gently placed him in laying position again. He let the boy regain his senses as he got up and checked his vital functions on the monitor. Suddenly, he heard the boy telling him something.
˝Sorry? ˝Jack asked, hurrying to kneel next the boy´s bed. ˝What did you say? ˝
˝R-read that part…again. ˝Justin managed to pronounce. ˝P-page 312. Dumble…Dumbledore´s. Words. ˝he finished, every word taking a great effort.
Jack looked at him; then lowered his eyes on the book again. He opened it slowly, listing through pages. 354…332…312. He finally found it. ˝Which one? ˝he asked; his eyes scanning the page.
˝The…t-the one about death. ˝Justin replied quietly.
Jack´s eyes quickly rose up, looking at him questioningly. Justin just smiled, encouraging him. Jack looked at him again; then, clearing his voice first, continued in hushed, but calming tone, the one he always used when reading Dumbledore´s parts.
˝ You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night. ˝
Both Jack and Justin had remained quiet after that, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Justin shook from it first.
˝I…I need you…to…t-to promise me…something…J-Jack. ˝he started, barely talking.
Jack looked at him. He could have told him that there was still hope, he could have told him to save the strength for later, but he had known, as well as boy had, that there wouldn't be ´later´, so he quietly moved his chair closer to the boy, nodding him to continue.
˝I want you…to promise m-me…that…that you´ll continue with…with the b-books. That…that you´ll finish the series…till…till the end. B-because…˝ the boy started, shifting in bed, trying to find more comfortable position. Jack got up and lifted the limp boy, putting one additional pillow and then placing him back down. ˝Tnx. ˝the boy mumbled, smiling slightly; then continuing. ˝…because that way…t-that way I´ll be able to go…to go through them with you…in spirit…just like…just like Dumbledore said. ˝he finished with a sigh.
Jack looked at the fading boy in front of himself. His eyes wandering across the childish blue ones; the flicker of life slowly fading away from them.
˝I promise. ˝said Jack, feeling a tear escaping his eyes. Justin saw it too.
˝D-don't cry. ˝he said, raising his hand with great effort and gently wiping away Jack´s cheek. ˝I want…I want this to be a happy m-memory. That reading will be happy for…for…you in the future. ˝he said quietly. Jack felt himself leaning in the boy´s touch. He closed his eyes, nodding slowly, as another tear escaped his eyes. And then it was over. Jack felt the boy´s hand sliding down. He was dead.
He has kept his promise. Every year, when the new book was published, Jack would take 2 or 3 days of vacation and wouldn't leave the house until he finished it. It was his time to be alone and to completely relax himself, honoring at the same time the boy who taught him so much in so little time.
Jack was startled from his thoughts by the sound of the door opening. He raised his head and saw Kate entering the apartment, carrying the two year old on her hip.
Kate closed the door behind her and put the little one down.
˝Daddy! ˝the girl squeaked, running into his arms.
Jack put the book down and got up in a seating position, picking up his daughter and raising her to tickle her on the stomach with his head. The girl laughed, happy giggles escaping her mouth. Jack put her down, giving her one loud kiss before sitting her on his knees.
˝Hey, there, Princess. ˝he said, kissing the girl´s cheek. ˝How was at the day care? ˝
˝It was gleat, Daddy. ˝the girl replied, her eyes shining. ˝We lealned about the beals. ˝she said, playing with his fingers.
˝About the bears, huh? ˝Jack asked, starting to tickle her. The girls giggled again.
Kate watched them from the kitchen. She knew what day it was and she knew that Jack needed his time alone. She grinned once again at the sight of the girl laughing; then opened the microwave, taking out the lasagnas and putting them in separated plastic dishes. She went to the fridge and took out two bottles of juice, putting them in the big portable bag. She picked up some napkins too, two forks and a spoon; and placed it all in the bag. She looked at the two of them again.
˝Come on, sweetie. Say goodbye to Daddy. ˝she said, entering the living room.
She leaned over the couch, her lips finding Jack´s and giving them a small, yet sensual kiss.
˝Hey. How you´re holding? ˝she asked compassionately, stroking his hair.
˝Hey yourself. ˝he said, pulling her down into another kiss. They pulled away. ˝I guess I´m fine. ˝he said sincerely, smiling sadly at her.
Kate smiled too.
˝Come on, Abby, let´s go. ˝she said, leaning down over the girl.
˝I wanna stay with Daddy. ˝the girl said, playing with the buttons of Jack´s shirt.
Kate sighed. She knew that the little one would like nothing more than to spend the day with her Daddy, and she also knew that Jack wouldn't deny it to her either; but this was Jack´s day and she wanted to enable it to him. He had told her about Justin and, by the time he had finished the story, Kate had had tears in her eyes.
She kneeled in front of the couch and gently turned Abby, so the girl was facing her now.
˝I know you want to, sweetie, but…Daddy needs some time alone right now, okay? ˝she said, and Jack glanced her a grateful look. She smiled at him; then turned the attention back to her daughter.
˝I´ll tell you what: we´re gonna go in the park, we´re gonna have a picnic there and we´re gonna drive those little boats down the lake, okay? ˝she suggested, knowing how to draw the girl´s attention.
˝Okay! ˝the girl replied, jumping off of Jack´s knees.
˝Give Daddy a kiss and then wait for me by the door, okay? ˝said Kate and the girl wrapped her arms tightly around Jack´s neck, giving him a big kiss on the cheek.
˝Bye, Daddy. ˝she said, jumping off of couch again and running in the corridor.
˝Thanks. ˝said Jack, looking at her adorably.
˝I know how much this means to you. ˝she said, leaning down and kissing him on the forehead. ˝Besides, Claire said she might stop by with Aaron, so…we´ll have company. ˝she said as she lifted herself from the couch.
She leaned down again and gave him one last kiss; then pulled away, throwing the bag over her shoulder.
˝Enjoy the book. ˝she wished him, before disappearing behind the corner.
Jack left staring at her, small smile playing on his lips. He could hear them discussing excitedly in the lobby, and then the sound of the door closing. He smiled again. He was happy to get this kind of family. He had never thought before he could be this much happy. And he knew Justin was happy for him too.
Lowering his look, he took the book and traced the title with his fingers again.
˝For you, Justin. One last time. ˝he said as he slowly opened the book…