A/N: OMG! THANKS EVERYONE! In around 13 hours later… I received 20 emails from Fanfiction, more or less about this story. Main point: they were all positive!
Btw, this story is told by both James and Harry… at the same time so it might get a little confusing. I'm just warning you in case it does.
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Chapter 7
The Visual
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'You'll be OK, Harry?' Hermione quavered.
'Hermione, I will be back before you'll know it,' Harry reassured her, checking the map one last time.
'But what if someone sees you? And tells McGonagall? Or worse, McGonagall sees you?' she panicked.
'Hermione, calm down. If it happens, then it happens and we'll worry about it then, OK?' he asked her. She sighed but nodded. 'OK, the coast is clear. Just keep watching just in case.'
'Will do, mate,' Ron said, looking around for anybody. 'Get his autograph for me, will ya?'
'I'll try,' Harry smirked, tapping the one-eyed witch. 'Dissendium' At once, the statue's hump opened. 'See you guys later.'
'Be careful, Harry,' Hermione urged.
'I will. I'll be back in a couple of hours. Good luck at the tryouts, Ron,' Harry said as he hoisted himself into the hole headfirst and pushed himself forwards. Man, I am way too old to be doing this again, Harry thought heading into the cramped space.
O – o – O
It was ten to one when Harry arrived at Honeydukes, under the invisibility cloak. He made his way to the Three Broomsticks, keeping his eye out for any teachers or anybody that would turn him in. Harry could feel his heart beat underneath his skin, his stomach churn at the possibilities of what could happen… he could turn back.
He could run. He could just make up an excuse like he got caught sneaking out of the castle, but Harry's legs carried him closer to the Three Broomsticks. Harry found himself a table, near the back of the pub… just in case. Tucking in the cloak into his pocket, he knew he would just have to hope that Jason could find him… and recognise him before someone else does.
Harry didn't have to wait long though. It wasn't long until he saw someone smile at him and walk up to him. Harry managed a weak smile back, hoping that this was the right person.
'I'm glad to finally meet you, Harry. Jason Parker, at your service,' he greeted. Harry shook his hand and recognised him as the man on the platform at the beginning of the term. Jason had sandy blonde locks and silver eyes hidden behind a pair of rectangular glasses. Again, just by looking at him, Harry had the weirdest feeling that he knew him from somewhere else. Not just from the platform but for so much longer. 'I figured you would get a seat at the back.'
'Oh yeah.'
'Sneak out of the castle, then?' he questioned but his eyes looked very amused.
'You told me to,' Harry replied.
'True. Like father, like son I suppose. Oh, speaking of which, I brought something for you. To apologise for not showing up last time… my wife got into my plans, unfortunately. Take your time before you make that lovely girl of yours a wife… they can be very demanding.'
'How do you know about Ginny?' Harry questioned.
'Oh… I saw you and her together on the platform… and you mentioned in your letters that you had a girlfriend,' James said quickly. Harry relaxed a bit more, no longer thinking that the man was a stalker of sorts. 'Anyway, this should really belong to you.' He took out a small box from under his cloak and placed it on the table. Harry looked at the box.
It was an old wooden box and was painted with several snitches and the letters JP stood out on top of the lid. 'Did this belong to my dad?'
'No, the box is mine. What's inside belonged to your dad,' James admitted truthfully. It was true, because at the bottom of the lid was a date saying it was made in 1983, two years after he had "died". Harry ran his hand over the box.
'You have the same initials,' he said meekly.
'Oh. What do you know? We do,' James let out a nervous laugh. Of course they had the same initials… that was the original plan of their fake names: to have the same initials but different names. Not many people had realised that – then again, why would they? 'Open it,' he urged on.
Harry held a breath as he carefully lifted the lid of the box. A lot of dust came flying out of the box, which made Harry glad that he was holding his breath. He could see something glisten in the dim light inside. Harry let the lid go back onto its hinges, allowing him to get a better view of the contents within.
Inside were two cufflinks, shining in red and gold and bearing the Gryffindor lion on them. Harry was almost too afraid to touch them, to ruin something so beautiful. Although they came in an old, worn down box, they were so well preserved. 'Wow' Harry breathed.
'Been in your family for generations. Going back to before that ring, which I see you wear,' he said pointing at the glistening ring on his finger.
'Yeah, don't go anywhere without it,' Harry told sheepishly.
'That's nothing to be a shame of, Harry. Your dad really did love that ring, he would be proud that you have it now and that you take it everywhere. It would mean a lot to him,' he said, fighting back his own tears.
'I guess you really did know my dad then?'
'Oh, we were very close,' he spoke seriously. More than you know.
'How come I've never heard of you before? I mean Sirius and Remus never mentioned you, I'm afraid,' Harry continued.
'Oh you know about Padfoot and Moony?'
'Well… they were my dad's best friends. And they helped me… before they died,' Harry mumbled the last past. James was well aware that his friends were now dead, but at least his son knew of them. Hell, he was glad that they helped him. He just wished that he got a chance to say goodbye before it was too late.
'I see. Well… your father and I were close… but not as nearly as close as his friends at school,' James made up on the spot.
'Weren't you his friend at school?' Harry asked suspiciously.
'We were… but not that great of friends. It was after we graduated that we got to know each other better. I already knew all about the whole Marauder thing but I didn't feel right to intrude on it. Your father and I were neighbours for a brief period of time before I – he went into hiding,' James continued to lie. He had already known what he was going to say, to stop himself from revealing too much. But this question was one that he wasn't prepared for.
'Oh, ok…'
'Do you want a drink?' James asked desperately. He really needed a firewhisky to kill his nerves because he was afraid that he would expose too much information.
'Uh… no thanks,' Harry refused. 'Just curious, though. How come my dad left you with some of his belongings and Sirius and Remus with nothing?'
'Part of his will. He gave stuff to Sirius and Remus but for them personally, he just left me with belongings that he said would be passed down to you once you were older.' James could feel himself sweat with fear and panic. The room was unusually hot for such a cold autumn day. He really should change the subject.
'So these cufflinks… they were really his? He wore them when he married mum?' Harry asked, having a thirst for more knowledge.
'Sure did. Your mum loves them very much,' James answered. And she will freak when she gets back and realises they're gone from the memory box.
'What?' Harry asked suddenly
'What?' James jumped.
'You said mum loves them very much… and that she would freak when she finds them gone when she comes home.' James's eyes grew wide with fear and alarm. Busted.
'Did I really say that out loud?'
'You sure did. What do you mean by that? That my mum is alive or something?' Harry looked at him as if he were some sort of madman.
'Uh... no…' James could feel his Adam's apple bob up and down, as it normally did when he panicked like this. 'O-of c-c-course... I think I'll go get a drink,' he said hurriedly.
'No,' Harry growled grabbing his sleeve as he got up. 'You were stuttering, your Adam's apple was bobbing up and down so fast it makes the Firebolt look like a kiddie ride, and you changed the subject. You're hiding something.' Harry examined him with his emerald green eyes. Damn it, James thought. Why does he have to be so much like his mother?
'Harry…' James started
'What do you know?' Harry demanded.
James gulped. 'I… I…'
'"I…"' Harry pushed on.
'I'm…' How the hell was he supposed to say it? He couldn't just blurt it out. Not to Harry at least. Think James! He thought desperately. Think!!
'C'mon out with it,' Harry spoke dangerously. Harry's eyes looked a lot like Lily's when she found about the letters. He could feel the words form in his throat but he kept swallowing them down. He didn't want to blurt it out to Harry… these things to be told gently.
'Harry…I'm…'
'Spit it out!'
'I'm James,' he babbled. Silence. 'I'm your father.' Apparently James could just blurt it out to Harry.
A/N: Another cliffhanger… wow… I'm really getting into these cliffhangers: they're fun to write but not so fun to read, I know.
Thanks for all the supportive response I got from my faithful readers. I was just so shocked about how many people were reading this and reviewed that I just had to write this chapter soon.
So by that, I'm gonna say: the more reviews I get, the faster I'll update the next chapter. That I will promise to you all. I'm gonna base it on the first like 15 hours after it is posted, OK?
I would like to thank: yolapeoples, writingqueen13, Athenian Grace, panther73110, LazyBoyGilmore, heartproof, Nymphatrix, StarsInTheSky123, SongxOofxGlory, Fiona-Potter, choirsinger, Richard Cypher, EmmahLeo, weheartdumbledore224, GryffindorGal87, MdnightRose, moonrabbit04, SmallChatteryOne and Spiro Tiger, for all their support in reviewing!
All the ones in bold reviewed the last chapter. I'm not picking favourites or anything…
Keep reviewing because you know I love it.
Lots of Love,
Creative Touch
