For The Sake Of
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does!
Harry Potter had everything. At 40, he had a successful job, a lovely wife, three wonderful children and a big loving extended family. He was finally happy, or close to it anyway. That was until-
"You didn't tell me."
Harry looked up in confusion from the morning newspaper he had been to reading to see his eldest son, James, who was going to start his sixth year at Hogwarts in the coming September.
"Excuse me, what?" Harry asked, confusedly.
"The Dursleys." James replied, looking pained in remembering whatever it was that he was remembering. "You didn't tell me the whole truth about what they did to you when you lived with them."
"What do you mean, James? I have told you, and your siblings for that matter, everything about my life at the Dursleys." Harry assured his son. "Everything worth knowing." He added quietly in his mind.
"DON'T LIE TO ME, DAD!" James shouted, angry tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "YOU DIDN'T TELL ME, OR AL AND LILY, AND I DOUBT IF MUM KNOWS TOO! YOU DIDN'T SAY A WORD ABOUT WHAT THEY DID TO TO YOU WHEN YOU DID ACCIDENTAL MAGIC! YOU-" His voice broke. "They used to starve you for that. Starve you for something you didn't have any control over. Peṭunia was Grandmum's sister. She should have known. Heck, she would have known! What they did, what she did was horrible, Dad. It was plain torture."
Harry sat frozen at the sofa he had been sitting on, looking at his son with the same sadness that was present in his eyes.
"Not to mention all the other things the did. You deserved better, Dad. Anybody would have." James finished.
Harry, seeming to finally have come to his senses, motioned for James to sit down next to him which he gladly obliged. Putting a hand on his son's shoulder he resignedly said, "There is no point in hiding now, I believe. Where did you find out?"
"Your pensieve." James replied hastily while trying to control the waterfall of tears which was seconds away from being ensued from his eyes.
"James Sirius Potter," Harry started sternly, "You know you aren't allowed to enter my office without permission. How many times do I have to tell you to not go in there? And you very well know that sometimes I keep confidential information about the Ministry in that pensieve and-"
"Yeah, Dad." James interrupted. "I know and I am sorry but in my defence, I wanted the Marauders Map back. I hadn't expected to come across the pensieve. I just became curious when I saw it. Anyway, that's not the point right now. The point is that why didn't you tell us?" James looked up at him, hurt shining in his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.
Why? One simple question he had no answer for.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to form a coherent response. "First of all, you don't tell me what to do and what not to do at what time. Second of all, you are never to enter my office again without permission. Third, James, I don't know. I guess I didn't want to burden you with all this information about my past. I mean you already have a lot of stuff to deal with, with all the fame and all. Besides, I thought that if you knew, you would never be able to look at Petunia, Vernon and Dudley in the same way again."
"How could you even expect me to?" James interrupted indignantly.
"James, no interrupting." Harry said sternly. "I know that they have done bad things. But the thing is, they have changed. I mean, I don't love them a lot or anything all of a sudden but I have forgiven them. It took time, but I forgave them. Because, you know, life is really too short to bare grudges against people."
"They bloody tortured you, Dad!" James interrupted again.
"Language, James. And I said no interrupting. Listen, I know what they did was bad. I know that. But they have apologised, she has apologised a thousand times. Even Uncle Vernon has. So the next time we see them, I don't want any misbehaviour on your part." As James looked ready to butt in again, Harry continued firmly, "No son. I don't like them all that much either but there is a mutual respect between us now and I would like for it to be that way. After all, for Petunia, I was a living reminder of her broken relationship with her sister. That's not an excuse, I know. But it's been years since all of that. I don't want to get into the past now. It's way too painful."
"I am sorry you had to go through all of that, Dad." James said softly leaning in to hug his father.
"What's done is done. We should be thankful for the lives we lead now. You should be thankful. You and your siblings have much netter lives than your Mum or I James. Appreciate that." Harry replied returning the hug. "Your mum knew about this too. But listen, don't tell your siblings just yet. If you want to talk to somebody about it, somebody not me or your mum, Teddy knows too."
"You would have to tell Al and Lily someday, Dad. They have to know it too." James said.
"I know."
He knew and he dreaded that day he would have to repeat this conversation again but for now he had the best life he could have asked for. He had his family, the whole Wotter family with him. No matter what happened, he would be all right.
"I love you, Dad." James said no longer crying.
"I love you too son." Harry replied.
All was in all ways really and truly well.
Okay! So hello everybody! This is my first fanfiction story ever so forgive me for any mistake I might have made while writing it!
Please read and review!
Thank you!
~charlovespotter