Not been on here for a while (very busy!) but thought it was about time to publish again. The end of the era with the last film has stirred my creative writing side again because I just need more! To those of you who have read other James stories, this continues a little later on than the the last one! For those who haven't this follows on from: James Potter and the Hidden Girl and james Potter and the Jealous girl.
Would love to hear reviews if anyone has the time!
Chapter 1
James Sirius Potter stared at the moving photograph in his hand and smiled at the family waving up at him. It was a picture in which he was sat in the middle on a picnic blanket with his arm draped over the shoulder of his beautiful wife, Holly, who he thought he was more in love with now than the day they had got married. Standing behind James with her hands on his shoulders was his first born daughter, Isabella, who had been seven when the photograph was taken two years ago. Kneeling beside his mother with a gentle smile on his face was their second born, Daniel, who was now seven. Finally on the carpet in front of them all were their triplets, Millie, Ellie and Arthur. After discovering she was carrying triplets just over three years ago, when they decided to have another baby, Holly had been adamant that there were to be no more and after they had arrived James fully agreed.
They were toddling about in their terrible twos at the moment and James missed them so much that his heart ached; he missed them all so much that his heart ached everyday and he wasn't sure if gazing at the picture of them all looking so happy was a help or a hindrance. He had been out on assignment for nearly six months now and had had only a days leave to see his family in all that time. Before this assignment was given to him he had only been back from a three month stint for two weeks and so he felt as if he was missing out on so much of his children's lives. Of course he was working hard and capturing various wizards who had evaded the ministry for decades but he was getting rather tired of being a senior auror as it took him away from those he loved too much. When Isabella and Daniel had been born his missions were usually shorter and he had had more time between them but in the last two and a half years since the triplets were born it just seemed to be one thing after another and he knew that Holly was baring the brunt of bringing up their children alone.
Holly had been patient with him for so long and he appreciated every minute she put into caring for his children; but on his last day's leave he had noticed something different about her. She had seemed quieter than usual and keen to avoid him which had made him worry. He had tried to joke that the last time she was like that with him it was because she was pregnant and her blunt response had been, "Well that's hardly likely to happen with you never being here is it?" He had not tried to push the topic knowing he was only there for the day but in the last couple of months as he had missed them all more and more he had decided to ask Beerney for some leave so he could spend time with them all. His boss had granted him two months leave but could not afford to spare him any longer so he had jumped at the offer deciding not to let his family know as he wanted to surprise them when he got home. Now he was counting down the days as he stared at the photograph knowing it was getting closer and closer by the minute.
The assignment was still ongoing and Beerney had had to organise an auror to take over for the two months stint; Jordan Knight, who had become a senior auror a few years ago was to take his place but the paperwork needed to be completed first and then James had to spend a couple of days catching him up on their movements so far. It was necessary so he was being as patient as possible but even four more days seemed like an eternity.
It was late at night and he was settling down to sleep in a bunk above his brother in law, Raulph Krum, who was also missing his small family. He and Lily had married seven years ago and had only had one child, Roberto who was now almost four. In another bunk nearby two other aurors were sleeping and James listened to them snoring as he concentrated on his family picture once more. Behind the waving happy people he could see his home in the background on top of Tan Pit Hill; once Daniel had arrived they had needed a bigger place than the flat and had found a crumbling old mill on the hill and turned it into Mill Cottage. It was quaint and made of seventeenth century stone cut in different shapes and sizes and he and Holly had enjoyed lovingly restoring it and extending it into a seven bedroomed home. They had decorated it cosily and turned it into a real family centred place where the children and their cousins could play and be safe, always.
Looking at it now he could hardly wait to be there again and take a stroll around the large walled garden with Holly, which they had planted with their children over the years. They grew many of their own fruits and vegetables in it but also had splendid flower beds which his wife tended as often as she could; it was beautiful and he loved it as much as he loved the six people waving up at him from its forefront. Sighing deeply he placed the photo down and turned onto his side to try and sleep; thoughts of sharing a warm bed with his wife helped him drift off eventually into a sleep filled with dreams of her and their children.
"So you're all set on everything Jordan?" James asked, "I can sign it all over to you?" he added excitedly three days later. Filling in the adept auror had not taken very long and James now felt like an excited child on Christmas Day because he could leave earlier than planned and surprise his family not only be turning up before they had expected him but also with the news that it was for two months this time.
"Go James," Jordan replied with a smile, "enjoy some time with Holly and the tribe!"
"Cheers!" he answered clapping his colleague on the back and apparating out with a huge smile on his face.
After an hour filling in more necessary paperwork at the auror department he was free to go home and with a handshake from Terence Beerney he was ordered to take a well earned rest and not to visit the ministry unless they called him on an emergency. "Which we will try not to," he added walking him to the department entrance and seeing him onto a lift. Deciding to approach the house from outside, rather than the floo, he apparated to the gate in the high wall which surrounded it all, and slowly opened it with a creak.
He could see the triplets running around on the grass with Daniel and marvelled at how much they had changed since he had seen them; at the sound of the creaking gate a long crop of dark brown hair turned to face it and James saw Isabella's face light up. "Daddy," she squealed jumping up from the blanket she was playing on and bounding across the lawn in his direction; at her words the triplets and Daniel, who had been kicking a ball around, turned to look and then ran after her in the direction of the gate.
"Hey Flower," he replied with a wide grin lifting Isabella up in his arms and swinging her around before enfolding her in a tight hug, "Oh Daddy missed you so much," he added as she giggled and he kissed her forehead.
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy," Arthur chirped as he flung himself at his father's leg and James dropped Isabella back on her feet so he could hug them all in turn and squeeze them lovingly.
"Have you three grown again?" he asked looking at the three toddlers who giggled back.
"We're nearly three Daddy," Millie explained with a proud expression, "Mummy says we are growing up."
"And you are," he replied ruffling her hair and then turning to Daniel who was holding onto Ellie's hand. She had always been the shiest of his children and whenever he came home from a long assignment had generally taken a couple of hours before she remembered exactly who he was. "And so are you Daniel," James went on gently nipping his cheek, "you could almost be the man of the house!"
"Mummy says I am when you are away," he answered in the same proud tone that Millie had used, "but now you're back I can be a little boy again."
"You can," he chuckled. "Where is Mummy?" he asked them all and they turned their head simultaneously in the direction of the house where he could see the side door into the kitchen wide open.
"She's baking bread," Isabella explained, "come on," she added tugging on her father's arm excitedly and dragging him in the direction of the door. She was old enough now to sense when things were affecting her parents and she knew her mother had been sad for a while, Isabella was hoping that once their father was home she would be able to cheer up a little and she was desperate for him to see her.
"Shhh," James whispered to them when he saw Holly had her back to the door and was humming a tune as she kneaded some bread. They all nodded at him and hung back as he crept on his tiptoes into the house and over to their mother.
"Isabella?" Holly called as she heard the footsteps but she did not turn round. Assuming it was just her daughter she continued to knead the dough on the counter top and gasped when a pair of hands slid around her waist.
"Hello Pretty girl," James whispered in her ear as his arms tightened their hold around her and he felt her jump.
"J…James," she faltered lifting her hands up to his and releasing his hold on her, "what…what are you doing here? I thought you weren't due home until tomorrow."
"I got away early," he replied as she turned around in his arms to face him. He couldn't wait any longer to kiss her and placed his lips gently against hers as the children cheered from the doorway. She pulled out of the kiss when they had barely touched each other and he frowned at her but Ellie used that moment to come toddling into the room and Holly slipped out of his arms to pick her up.
"Have you said hello to Daddy?" she asked smiling at her daughter and turning to look at the other children still hanging in the doorway; they all nodded their heads at her, "Good, isn't it a surprise that he came home early?" she asked and they nodded again enthusiastically.
"Can we go back outside and play now?" Millie asked tapping her mother's leg and smiling serenely at her.
"Of…of course," she replied with a smile. "Just stay where I can see you," she added as she put Ellie back on her feet and walked over to the sink to wash her hands. "Isabella, make sure they don't wonder off."
"Yes Mummy." She smiled sweetly before running to give her father another crushing hug and then skipped out of the door with an extra spring in her step; she was happy when her Dad was home and hoped her mother would be happier now too.
"So, what happened?" Holly asked turning from the sink and heading back to the counter where she dropped the kneaded dough into a bread tin and placed it into the oven.
"It didn't take me long to hand over to Jordan; he's been following the case anyway from the ministry so he knew most of what was going on."
"Hand over?" she asked quizzically finally turning to face him but standing at the opposite end of the kitchen, "Why did you hand over? I thought this was just a quick visit."
"I asked Beerney for some leave," he explained taking a step in her direction, "Jordan has taken over so I can spend some time at home, with you," he finished slipping a hand gingerly onto her waist and pulling her forwards.
"How…how long?" she asked stepping into his embrace which he folded around her so she was close to his face.
"Two months," he answered with a smile.
"Oh," she responded looking away from his face; it wasn't the reaction he had expected her to give to the news but then he had sprung it on her unexpectedly. "That was good of him," she went on as he pulled her closer and pressed his lips against hers again. She kissed him back this time but drew away before he had chance to deepen it by pushing his tongue into her mouth. "I should…I should get on," she said quietly gesturing to the mess in the kitchen made by the bread she had been preparing, "that lot will want feeding soon and I need to tidy up."
"Do you want me to do anything?" he asked feeling a little sloughened that she wanted to clean up and not spend some time with him but he remembered how strange it usually was when he came home after a long assignment. As his father had done before him James always felt a little like an intruder in his own home for a couple of days as the rest of his family went on with their everyday lives in the house.
"No, I'll be fine, thanks," she replied pulling out of his arms and setting about the mess, "why don't you go and sort out some of your things? I suppose I'll have work robes to wash?" she went on with a small smile.
"Well…" he admitted thinking about the full bag of dirty laundry he had left at the gate when Isabella ran up to him, "there are a few things!" he chuckled and she offered him a small smile.
"Drop them in the laundry basket," she said as she picked up a cloth and started to wipe down the counter top where she had been working.
"I missed you," he whispered in her ear as he passed by and squeezed her waist.
"I know," she replied stopping for a second as he moved to kiss her cheek; then she watched and sighed as he set off into the back garden for his kit bag, kicking the ball away from the children as he did so and engaging in a short game with them.
From the blanket Isabella watched them and chuckled at her strong and loving father who was the most important man in her life; then she jumped up and left the toys she was playing with to join in the game which turned into a low height quidditch game when James found his broom in the shed.
From the kitchen window Holly watched them as she washed the pots she had used for baking; the children were so happy to have their father back and were enjoying playing with him in the garden. One at a time he sat them on his broom and took them for a whizz around the garden while they threw the quaffle back and forth; every so often he would get them to throw it at a goal and he would help the child on his broom to stop it before they could score.
Ellie seemed to relax a little more when he picked her up and held her on the broom; Holly saw her chuckle with a wide smile when James whizzed her to the bottom of the garden and stopped Arthur from scoring by catching the quaffle with her hands in his. She looked happy and comfortable with him already and Holly was glad about that; they all looked to be having fun and she smiled at her gleeful children before dropping her mouth into a frown when she looked up at her husband. James Potter had been the love of her life, the man who had made her happier than she had ever thought it possible to be; he had given her the five amazing people out on the lawn with him now and she would always love him for that. The problem was, she didn't know how she felt about him at the moment,;as he played out there making the children happy she wondered why the scene was only making her smile because of them and not because of him.
