Chapter 1

James Potter was playing with his fifteen month old baby, allowing different colored smoke circles to come from his wand and laughing as the toddler attempted to catch them. His wife Lilly was sitting next to him and they looked like the perfect happy family. 'Too bad its a lie.' James thought, he wished that Harry really was Lilly's son,but in fact he wasn't.

It had been an accident that one night of drunken revelry with his old classmate. They had hated each other in school, until Sirius had attempted a prank on Severus that had nearly caused him his life. James had been able to save them and after that a tentative friendship had formed between the two of them. It had slowly grown until it resembled the adoration that he had felt for his wife and not wishing to upset her, he had instead gone behind her back. The worst of it was when he had gotten pregnant with his child, he had to put glammers upon his wife and make her think that she was pregnant, because the only way a wizard could be pregnant was if he was with another wizard. He ultimately even had to modefy Severus' memory and now his lover hated him again. He'd gone to Saint Mungo's to have the baby and had modified the memories of the midwife and his wife.

James stopped his musings when the front door banged open. "Lilly take Harry, I'll hold him off, just take Harry and run." He said and held his wand against the dark lord while his wife ran with the baby upstairs.

Voldemort laughed. "Expelliarmus, Why aren't you a brave man." He said derisively before pointing his wand at James. "Rather then kill you, I believe that I'll let you suffer, excito letum." James Potter collapsed to the ground, apparently dead to all that would see him. He wasn't breathing but at the same time he was aware of his surroundings and could do nothing to protect the women that he'd married and his child. He saw the green light and heard the death curse, he was powerless to do anything to save his family. He then heard his son crying and that meant, to his great relief his son was still alive. He lay there for what seemed like forever, wondering what the spell Voldemort cast on him. He watched as his best mate discovered his body and James who had never before seen his friend cry, watched as he broke down.

"James oh James, I'll kill him James, I'll kill that bastard rat." Sirius said and James tried to protest but he couldn't say anything all he could do was watch as his best mate went upstairs and came back down with Harry who was sobbing loudly, James wanted to comfort his son but there was nothing he could do as the baby was carried away from his father. James listened as Hagrid took his son from Sirius and then no one was there once more. It seemed like forever before anyone returned to the house, but someone eventually did, to his surprise it was Severus, who stared down at his body before kicking it. James felt horrible when he couldn't feel the kick. He didn't know why his eyes and ears were the only things that were working.

Severus went upstairs and James heard him coming back down a moment later, he soon discovered that Severus had picked up his wife's body. He wished that he didn't have to see Lilly, who had been so vibrant and full of life, dead. Severus put her body down and closed James' eyes and James was glad that he no longer had to stare up at the celing. He felt himself drifting, his mind wandering to a state that wasn't quite asleep and not quite awake. He didn't know how much time passed before someone opened his eyes once more, he was face to face with Peter Pettigrew.

"I'm sorry James, so sorry please forgive me, they were going to kill me and the dark master promised me that he wouldn't kill you. Oh James forgive me!" Peter said and James tried to glare at the rat but found that he couldn't. "excito vita." Peter intoned and at once James was able to move again, quick as a shot he stupified Peter. "Incarcius." He cried and took away his wand before casting ennervate. "How long was I like that?"

"Three years." Peter stated. "I couldn't get back before then, really I couldn't..."

"Three years?" James demanded and cast another stupefy upon Peter before apperating to the ministry, he stared at the ministry of magic and discovered how much it had changed in the intervening years and the receptionist stared back before fainting dead away. everyone stared as he walked by carrying the rather fat man. He went strait to the wizengamot and all the wizards stared at him from their seats. "This man betrayed me and I demand a trial by my linage and blood. I am James Potter and I demand you try Peter Pettigrew in breaking of the trust of a blood brother and as an accomplice to the murder of Lilly Potter Nay Evans and attempted murder of Harry James Potter." The room was so silent that you could hear a pen drop. James smiled winningly at the court being fully aware that sometimes it was better to enchant people towards your side, with a mixture of haughtiness and friendliness.

"Get an pardon for Sirius Black and send this man away, its the only thing to do." Albus Dumbledore said and sighed.

"You put Sirius into prison? How could you Dumbledore? I trusted you! Where is my son, I've been away long enough, I demand my son and heir as is my right." James added.

"At Petunia's relatives, they're the only relatives he has."

"You should have left him with Lupin they hate magic." James said and dissapperated at once, apperating in the foyer of Petunia's home. "HARRY!" He bellowed. "Where is my son you dam muggles, where is my boy?" A moment later a large fat man appeared and stared at Harry.

"You're supposed to be dead." Vernon Dursley said.

"Well I'm not, where's Harry?" He demands again and then he heard something coming in the direction of the cupboard. "Aloramora." James said pointing his wand at the cupboard and a child who looked very much like James himself. "Harry!" James said and ran towards the child and then he realized that something was very wrong as the boy shrank away from him. Harry's face was covered in bruises and he was very skinny, his son looked like he was three years old or younger when in truth he was four and a half. James embraced his son, the child struggled in his arms, trying to get free. "Harry its alright, Harry please listen to me." He then realized that his son was inconsolable. He sighed and pulled out his wand again. "Sominus." He said and smiled as his son collapsed against him snoring softly with the same little puffs of air that Severus breathed while he slept.

"You hurt my Harry, everything you did to him will haunt you for the rest of your life." James said and cast a curse upon Vernon. "Its okay now Harry, you'll be safe with me." He said to the sleeping child and apperated away to Diagon Ally. He walked through the street and everyone stared as he walked by, on his way to Madam Malkins. "I'd like some clothing for my child, is it possible to measure him without waking him?"

"Of course, set him down on the satee, very few children like to be measured, so I'm used to parents bringing them in while they are asleep. How is it that your alive, I heard that you had died.

"Oh no, I was just in a... Well I suppose you would call it a suspended state of animation, I couldn't get out of it for three years." James replied and watched as Madam Malkin measured Harry for his clothes, soon she was finished. "He'll need seven shirts and seven pairs of pants, silk would be best and socks as well as undergarments and three robes."

"Any particular colors?"

"For the clothes, gold, red, purple, blue, green, silver and bronze. For the robes I think that silver, gold and a nice purple would be appropriate, how much is it for the clothes?"

"10 galllons, four sickles, you haven't had time to go to the bank have you?" She asked and James shook his head. "Well I'll start on these clothes for you and you can go to the bank. If you like I'll even watch the boy for you."

"No thank you, I want to take him with me." James replied and gently picked up Harry, cuddling the child against him as he headed off towards the bank. He went inside Gringotts and smiled at a goblin. "My name is James Potter, please take me to my account." He said. "You may cut my thumb to prove my blood if you wish." The goblin nodded and cut his thumb and placed one of the drops of blood upon a piece of paper.

"You are who you say you are, I'll take you to your account at once." The goblin said and James nodded, he went to his account and was glad that everything was as he had left it. He filled two sacks with gallons and sickles before shrinking the sacks and walking back out of the bank. He walked back to Madam Malkins and gave her the correct fee.

"If you want to get a spot of shopping done, by the time your through I'll have your order finished."

"Thank you and would you mind too much getting together some things for me as well."

"Of course, I'd be glad to." She replied. "Tailored as you specified before?"

"Just something off the rack, I'm not fussed. Oh and could you make my son's robes have growing charms in them. How much for the clothes?"

"Eight gallons, as your not getting measured its easier and I have some robes that will fit you." Madam Malkin said and James nodded.

"Alright." He paid her and smiled. "How long will it be?"

"Give me an hour and a half." Madam Malkin said and James nodded. James smiled and walked out of Madam Malkin's robes and into Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Hello, I'd like a child's broom, the best you have in stock." He requested and a sales manager handed him a child's broom.

"This is the Flyby, they are quite safe and have three settings, on the low one their feet touch the ground, on the middle one, the broom flies at the height so that the child feet touch the height where their knees would be. and on the highest setting the child's feet are at at the same height as the child's hip, which is the perfect height for the young flyer's league when he's a bit older. This broom will last until he's about seven or eight, depending upon how much he grows."

"I'll take it, how much?"

"Fourteen gallons." The sales manager replied, James blinked at the price, the broom cost as much as an adult one but he paid for it and and it keyed to his signature. "To change the settings, you simply say first setting, second setting or third setting and it will adjust as you wish, would you like me to shrink it for you?"

"Yes please." James replied and the sales manager shrunk down the broom before handing it to James who put it into his pocket. "Thank you." He said and then spotted the display of snitches. "Could I have one of those too please."

"Of course that will be four sickles." James handed the money over and took the snitch. "It also can be set for younger players, the instructions are on the box."

"Thank you."James said and smiled, taking the snitch and putting it into his pocket, he then walked to a magical toy store that he remembered from when he was a small boy. He walked into the store at the same time as Severus and couldn't help staring at the man. "Hello Snape."

"Potter." Severus acknowledged. "I'm going to buy a toy for my godson, is that your boy?"

"Yes, this is my son Harry." James replied.

"He snores rather loudly." Severus observed and James shrugged, before he found a baby griffin stuffed animal that flapped its wings. He knew at once that he had to have it for Harry. He smiled and picked up the gryffin and went over to the miniature cauldron displays. He picked up some eatable potions that if done right tasted like different kinds of candy, had medicinal uses and were used to encourage kids to brew as well as being used for rewards for good behavior.

"You look like you could use my help." Severus said to James, for some reason he wanted to help Potter he was unsure as to why. He took the cauldron for James and together they moved to the register. "My godson Draco loves his stuffed dragon, they also have some blankets that have moving pictures on them, but your son seems a bit od for that."

"I think that would be perfect." James said and took one of the blankets and wrapped Harry in it. Harry clutched at the blanket with one hand, still sound asleep and James smiled. They went up to the cash register and James paid for everything before shrinking it. "Obliverate Revercium." Severus doubled over gasping and then straitened and glared at James.

"How dare you modify my memories James Potter? I loved you and you betrayed me."

"No, I protected you, if you had know Harry was your son, you would have died to protect him. I couldn't let you die I just couldn't."

"So you took away my memories and took my son from me, as well as putting glamors on him. Revelium Glammorus." He said and at once Harry's nose changed to Snape's hooked one and James knew that his eyes were the same obsidian color as Snape's. He kept James' messy hair but it became slightly more greasy. All in all he looked like a mix of both Severus and James. "He's beautiful." Severus breathed. "Can I hold him?" James nodded and handed the child to Severus. Harry protested slightly before Severus gently rocked him very slowly, until he started to snore once more. "He looks so much like you."

"And you, no guessing who's son he is. I had to cloud your memories to protect you Severus. You joined the death eaters and the prophesy..."

"I don't need to hear your excuses, because you charmed me, I've lost four and a half years with my son. Nothing you could possibly say would make me forgive you." Severus said and James sighed, knowing that he would get nowhere with Severus when he was in this mood. He paid for the things that he had bought for Harry and set them into his pockets, except for the blanket that Harry was wrapped in. James smiled at his son, who was sleeping soundly in Severus' arms. He noticed the adoring look in Severus' eyes as well, looking down at Harry and looking very paternal.

"I need Harry back now Severus, I have to get his robes." James said gently and Severus glared at James as he held out his arms and took the sleeping child into it. Harry mumbled something before snuggling into James' arms.

"Very well, it looks like the boy could use some nutrient potions and I'll have to brew them for him, you will be staying at Potter Manor won't you?"

"Yes." James replied.

"Very well, I'll be there within a day, the potion doesn't take long to brew, especially when its a child's dose." Severus said and left the store. James sighed before going to Madam Malkin's, getting his order from her. He was very happy with the quality of the clothes and the shrunken packets that Madam Malkin gave to him and told her so. She blushed and he bowed to her before fitting the packages into his robe which by now was getting quite heavy, but the robe was enchanted to hold nearly anything if it was small enough. He smiled took the clothes and disapperated away to the manor he had grown up in. He went to his old bedroom and set Harry into the bed, before gently shaking the young boy awake.

"Harry?" He said. "Come on Harry wake up now lad." He smiled down at the boy as the child rubbed his eyes.

"Coming Uncle Vernon." The boy said and opened his eyes before screaming.

"Harry, child its alright, Harry I'm your father, I'll never hurt you." He tried to calm the boy down, but Harry was now completely terrified and didn't listen to James' entreaties. James sighed and pulled out his wand. "Pertificus Totalus." James cast the hex to stop his son from inadvertently doing harm to himself. Harry looked up at him completely terrified now and James decided that perhaps using a jinx on his son wasn't the best way of calming him down. "I'm your father Harry and I'll make sure that your never harmed again, look at me, don't we look alike son?" Harry stared up at him and James smiled. "I've got you some clothes and toys, now I need you to be calm Harry you were panicking so I'll give you a calming drought and then we can have a nice talk." James said. "Accio Calming Draught." He said and a calming drought came to his hand and he unstoppered the cork, before opening his son's mouth and allowing a single drop to vanish down his throat as he disbanded the jinx.

"You're not my Daddy, my Daddy is dead." Harry said.

"No, I couldn't come to you, but I wasn't dead. I was like you were a moment before, awake but yet not able to control my body. There was nothing I could do to get to you, but I'm here now and I'll never leave again." He said and suddenly the boy's arms were around his neck as his son sobbed.

"Its a dream." He said after a while looking up at his father. "I don' wanna wake up."

"Then you don't have to, you can stay with me forever if you like." James said and Harry nodded.

"I gots toys?" Harry asked and James nodded.

"Of course you have toys." James said. "And clothes." James smiled and took out what he had bought. He found the stuffed gryffin and countered the shrinking charm.

"That's mine? I don' haf ta share?" Harry asked and James nodded.

"Of course its yours and you don't have to share." James replied and his son smiled, hugging the gryffin to him before he threw his arms around James' neck.

"Thank you Daddy." He said and James barely managed to stop himself from weeping.

"You're welcome Harry, now I have something else as well."

"Daddy why is my toy flying?"

"Its a spell to make it flap its wings. I'm a wizard Harry and so are you, in six and a half years you'll be going to Hogwarts to learn magic." James said and smiled at his son.

"Magic? Is it like what you did to make me not scared?"

"Yes Harry, that was a calming drought, from my father's stores. It was a bit stronger then usual but it worked fine." James said and took out the broomstick, before enlarging it. Harry stared at the broomstick before James handed it to the boy. "First setting." He said and smiled as the child looked at the broom in amazement as it hovered about a foot off the ground and stared at James.

"It flies?" Harry asked and James nodded.

"However you can only use the broom outside, with my supervision. I think before we try your new broom out, we should first eat something. Finxy!" He called and a house elf appeared, Finxy was in his prime and quite the looker as houselves were concerned. House elf lifespans were twice that of their human counterparts, but still Finxy and James had grown up together. Finxy's mother had been killed in the same raid on the manor that had finished off his parents. It had happened one month before the events on Halloween and as such his parents hadn't been alive to care for his son. He had loved his mother and father and they had died quite young for wizards, they had only been in their seventies when Voldemort had attacked them in the hope of discovering the location of James' family. They had died without telling Voldemort anything, protecting their only child till their last breaths. James had never been sadder or prouder when he heard of his parent's deaths.

"James!" The house elf said and threw his arms around James' knees. James knew that the bond between him and his houself wasn't a typical one, but he considered the elf to be one of his oldest friends.

"Hello Finxy." James replied, it was only then that he realized that his son was cowering. "Harry this is Finxy, he takes care of the house and grounds, which includes feeding us and seeing to our needs. However he's also my friend so I don't want you to abuse his services."

"W'at does dat mean daddy?"

"I don't want you to be mean to him Harry." James said and his son looked completely shocked.

"I don't be mean to him." Harry said. "I not be mean to others, it not nice."

"That's right Harry, being mean to people isn't nice. So what do you like to eat?" James asked and Harry looked puzzled.

"I gets to eat?" Harry asked hopefully. "It not dinner."

"How often did you eat at your aunt's house."

"She fed me twice a day if I was good." Harry replied. "But I a bad boy, do freaky things."

"Your not bad Harry and you don't do freaky things, you're a wizard and its not your fault if you do accidental magic. How about some grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup?"

"Right away James." The houself replied and James grinned at Finxy until the houself disappeared.

"Do you have any games Daddy?"

"Games? I might have a few from my childhoodod, perhaps we could play some gobstones after we eat."

"What are gobstones?"

"They are sort of like marbles that spit gunk at you, we both are wearing suitable clothes, gobstone slime is a bit hard to get off of clothes."

"Cool!" Harry said and James laughed, he had loved playing gobstones when he was younger. A crack sounded and Finxy reappeared.

"I finished with the sandwiches James."

"Thank you Finxy, are they in the dining room?"

"Yes." The houself replied and James smiled.

"Thank you Finxy." James said and threw Harry into the air before catching him and holding him in his arms. Harry snuggled against him and sighed contentedly, feeling safe and cared for for the first time since he was fifteen months old. He didn't want to let go of his dad when they went to the dining room. James smiled and sat down at the table, he didn't want to let go of his son either. Harry's eyes widened at the amount of food on the table in amazement and he looked around the table. "This is just for us Harry, go on help yourself. Finxy makes really good tomato soup." James said and grabbed two sandwich halfs before dipping them in his soup. He handed one to Harry before biting down on his own.

"Its yummy!" Harry exclaimed and ate another bite of his sandwich.

"You can dip it in the soup if you want." James said and picked up his spoon, before taking several bites of the soup.

"Ok."Harry said and together they focused on eating the meal. When the were finished Harry smiled up adoringly at James, he was suprised how quickly Harry had bonded to him. "My belly doesn't hurt no more Daddy."

"Good, does your belly usually hurt?" He asked and Harry nodded.

"It also growls, like a bear." Harry said and James had to control his temper. Those horrible relatives of Lilly had starved his boy, his little Harry.

"Well as long as your with me, your stomach won't hurt unless its for a short time." James said and hugged Harry tightly to him. He checked the grandfather clock and was shocked to realize that it was four o'clock in the afternoon. "Now how about those gobstones?"

"Yeah!" Harry agreed readily and they went to James' old room together. James put down the gobstone mat and arranged the pieces.

"Now for our purposes the point of the game is to get pieces out of this circle. Here's your caster, you flick it to cast, like this." James said and flicked his caster into the circle, only one gobstone went out of the circle and burst orange goo at Harry. Harry laughed and clapped his hands before starting to play. They played for several hours until Finxy apppeared.

"Dinner is served, I made you some ceaser salad. You enjoyed it when you were little James, sometimes kids can be picky."

"I'm not." Harry said and grinned, before scrambling into James' arms. "Carry me down again? Pwease Daddy?"

"Sure." James said and stood up. "Could you clean off the mat, Finxy."

"Of course James." The house elf replied and James took Harry downstairs. Harry smiled at James before scrambling out of his arms and sitting in the chair beside him. James smiled and served the salad and they ate together, James looked at the clock and realized that it was seven at night, his parents always had him go to bed at eight thirty until he was eleven. James smiled and stood up, Harry looked up at him before getting out of his own chair.

"Daddy carry me?" He asked before yawning. James smiled realizing that his son was clearly getting tired. He picked Harry up and carried him up to a spare master bedroom, Finxy clearly knew that he would be using this room as it was cleaned and some of his things from childhood were there, including his copy of The Tales Of Beadle The Bard. He saw a set of his old pajamas from when he was Harry's age and was glad that he had managed to save them somehow. The fabric was of good quality and the clothes were silk. He looked at Harry who was looking around the room in amazement.

"Would you like to sleep with me tonight?" James asked and Harry nodded vigorously.

"Yes pwease Daddy." Harry replied and James smiled at him.

"Do you need help getting into your night clothes."

"Yes Daddy." Harry said and raised his arms, James took off his shirt and gasped, Lilly's sister's family hadn't stopped at Harry's face.

"Accio bruise balm." He said and a jar shot out of his father's stores, Harry stared at the bottle while James caught it and too a scoop of it out, he smelled it and smiled. He knew that the balm was still good. He rubbed it between his fingers to warm it before smearing it onto Harry's chest. Harry gasped as the bruise balm started to work.

"That feels good Daddy." Harry said as James continued to doctor his upper torso, he smiled as the bruises vanished from Harry's body. He put on Harry's pajama top and buttoned it up.

"Now for your pants." James removed his son's pants and was relieved to see that his son's injuries didn't go beyond his hips. He took off the filthy underwear before putting on the pajama pants. He then found a set of pajama bottoms for himself and changed into them. James liked to sleep without a shirt and didn't even own a pajama shirt. He smiled and turned back the bedsheets before helping Harry into the bed. He took out the old storybook and sat back against the pillows. Harry snuggled against his chest and he was only midway through the first story before he realized that Harry was snoring softly. "Goodnight Harry." He said gently removing his son's small glasses, before taking off his own and extinguishing the lights. He suddenly felt sleepy and laid down in the bed before closing his eyes and drifting into sleep.