Happy Father's Day James

Summary: Father's Day is approaching and Harry is struggling as to what to get James. That is until he remembers a book that James used to own. Harry goes on a search for the book, in hopes of finding it for Father's Day. Will he succeed?

Lily stood outside the Great Hall waiting on her son. Today was a Hogsmeade day and most students were discussing what they would be getting their fathers for Father's day next week.

As she waited, Lily thought of Father's day past when Harry was small and she would be picking out James's present. She continued until Harry got older and was able to pick out his own present for his Dad. James admitted to Lily that he sometimes missed the finger painted pictures and the drawings of a stick figure James and Harry.

Harry had overheard James tell Lily that, and the following Father's day, James received a drawing from Harry. The drawing was of a younger James in his Auror uniform when he graduated from the Academy.

James was shocked by the gift and since then Harry included a small drawing with James's present.

Then she thought of how she and Harry would make breakfast together for James and when it was ready they would go together and wake him up. She remembered how Harry used to wake James up by jumping the bed and shouting for James to wake up.

Those days were long gone and now a week after they returned home from Hogwarts they would make breakfast together and then go wake up James like they usually did. But instead of jumping on the bed, Harry would just shout "Wake up!"

If there was anything in this world, Lily was thankful for, it was the relationship that Harry had with James. She was grateful for her own relationship, but she knew how important the father-son relationship was to James.

Sometimes she couldn't believe that the baby she held in her arms was now sixteen years old.

Lily was brought back to the present by her son's voice.

"Mum?" Harry asked, waving his hand in her face.

"Sorry, my mind was somewhere else." Lily cleared her throat and then asked, "Do you know what you're getting?"

"Yeah, there's a book I thought of that Dad might like and a few other things. Depends if I find it," Harry shrugged.

"Okay, as long as it's not a joke or a prank book," Lily informed her offspring.

"It's not Mum," Harry assured her. The book he was going to look for was both and Lily didn't say a book that was both a joke and a prank book.

"Do you have plenty of money or do you need more?" Lily asked.

"I have plenty of money, I'm good," he assured her. He had enough to get James's father's day present and to buy Ginny lunch and some chocolate.

"Okay, are you helping Ginny find something for Arthur or does she know what she wants?"

"She said something about a model of an airplane," Harry replied.

"Oh, the Muggle store will be her best bet," Lily told her,

Professor McGonagall announced it was time to line up for those who were going to Hogsmeade.

"I gotta go, I'll see you later Mum," Harry said, quickly kissing her cheek before anyone left the Great Hall.

Lily grabbed his arm and whispered in his ear, "Take it easy on the sweets for yourself and your Dad. I'm not happy with his last Healer appointment."

"Got it, do you want anything?" Harry asked, he always brought Lily something when he went to Hogsmeade.

"I think I'll have some truffles, the ones with raspberries in them," Lily decided.

"Okay, bye Mum."

"I'll see you later, Sweetheart."

Lily watched as Harry approached his girlfriend and they walked to where McGonagall was marking names off and they walked down the lane to Hogsmeade, hand in hand. She smiled, watching her son and the girl she thought of as a daughter. When they were out of sight, she headed off to the hospital wing.

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"Where to first?" Ginny asked as they entered the village.

"The bookstore," Harry answered.

Ginny turned to her boyfriend. "Who are you and what have you done with Harry?"

Harry laughed. "It's still me, Gin. I'm looking for a joke and prank book that Dad used to have that got destroyed and I'm hoping to replace it."

They headed to the bookstore where they met a shocked Hermione and Ron. Hermione was so shocked, she was speechless.

"I think you just did the impossible Harry," Ron laughed.

This was met with a whack on the back of the head.

"I'm just kidding," Ron retorted.

"Let's go over here," Harry muttered, steering Ginny towards the Quidditch section. Ginny vaguely heard Hermione mumble, "Of course he goes to the Quidditch section."

Harry scanned the shelves and found the book he was looking for.

"The History of the Appleby Arrows," Ginny read. "Is that your Dad's favorite team?"

"Yeah, and mine."

Ginny turned around, giving her boyfriend a questioning look.

"I like both the Appleby Arrows and Puddlemere United," Harry intoned

Ginny just nodded, browsing the selection of books until she came to the one she was looking for. She smiled and headed to the checkout, Harry right behind her.

He caught a peek at the book Ginny had selected.

"I thought you wasn't one of those girls who read romance novels," Harry whispered

"I do, you just never knew," Ginny replied. Then she remembered. "Wait a minute." She turned around, facing Harry. "You've bought me some of the romance books and remember that game we played under the oak tree and in the hammock in your backyard."

Harry felt himself blush and just simply nodded. "I remember buying a few books from that romance series. Wasn't they all about Hogwarts romances?"

"Yeah, the one before this one." She motioned to the book. "Was sad and I'll find out what happens next."

"Are you going to tell me?" Harry inquired.

"Maybe, if you're good."

After they paid for their purchases, they parted ways as Hermione and Ginny headed to the Muggle shop, where Harry told Ginny, she could find Arthur's airplane model and Ron and Harry headed to the joke shop.

Harry knew what the book looked like since it was in one of the pictures of James, Sirius, and Remus. He looked around the store with no luck in finding it.

"Found it yet?" Ron asked, approaching his best friend.

"Not yet," Harry muttered.

He scanned the shelf he passed for the fourth time in the last twenty minutes. The joke shop was the only place Harry knew that would have the book. He had passed on the non-Lily approved items and headed straight for the book section.

Harry backed up a ways from the shelf and seen part of the book sticking up one of the top shelves. The only problem now was that Harry couldn't reach it, without help anyway.

"Oi Ron!" Harry called.

The lanky redhead appeared from the other side of the shelf.

"Yeah?"

"Give me a boost," Harry requested.

After checking to see if the coast was clear, Ron bent over, taking Harry's foot in his hand. He then lifted Harry up to the shelf.

"Can you hurry up mate?" Ron grunted.

"Sure."

Using a lower shelf to steady himself, Harry scanned the top shelf he did see and smiled to himself. There in front of him was the book of pranks he was looking for.

With his free hand, Harry grabbed the book. "Okay, I got it."

Ron lowered his best mate back to the ground. "Thanks, Ron."

"Hey, I can't help it you're short." Harry's height had been the brunt of all jokes between the boys in the six-year boys' dorm. Harry was cursed with the Potter height, not that many Potter men had passed six feet tall. Harry was almost 5'7, but to his pleasure, he was taller than his mother.

Harry headed to the counter to pay for the book and requested it to be double wrapped, in case he ran into Lily on an apothecary run or James on patrol.

The boys headed to the Muggle shop in search of their girlfriends.

"Find it?" Hermione asked when she saw the boys enter the shop.

"Yeah," Harry replied, holding the book up.

"What's Lily going to say?" the bushy headed witch asked.

"Mum would never know I got it."

Harry headed towards the counter to pay for the book and followed Ron and Hermione to the Muggle shop where Ginny was browsing through the selection of airplane models.

Harry came up behind her and kissed her cheek. "Any luck?"

Ginny nodded. "Find the book?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did," he replied, holding up the wrapped book.

Ginny selected the one she kept coming back to and headed to pay for it.

"So what's the story behind the book?" she asked as they headed to Honeydukes.

Harry reached for her hand, clasping their fingers. "Dad used to have this book when he was a teenager. Most of the Marauder's pranks came from it. He had it up till I was about four and I burned it in a bout of accidental magic. Sirius has been looking for it since, but never did find it."

"And the joke shop had it," Ginny finished.

"Yeah, Mum will kill me if she finds out."

"Is that why it's double wrapped?" Ginny asked. Harry just nodded and followed his girlfriend to Honeydukes.

"Yeah."

Upon entering the sweet shop, Harry headed straight for the chocolate bars. They were James's favorite. While Lily liked the dark chocolate, James liked the milk chocolate. Harry selected two bars of the milk chocolate and a couple of the dark chocolate bars. They were how Harry survived Ginny's monthly visitor. He would break off pieces and give them to her before he would be hexed or griped at.

"Are you ready to head to the Three Broomsticks?" Ginny asked, coming up behind Harry with her hands full of candy.

"Yeah," Harry replied and headed to the counter.

Ginny watched as the clerk bagged up the candy. Her face lit up when she saw the dark chocolate bars.

"You got me chocolate, I love you!" and she threw her arms around her boyfriend.

Harry stifled the laughter that was building inside him. "No, Gin. I bought for myself," he said, sarcastically.

Ginny knew Harry was being sarcastic and asked, "Is this the same chocolate you give me when…." She trailed off.

"Yes, dear," Harry replied. He took Ginny's hand and they walked to the Three Broomsticks.

When they entered the pub, they found a table in a private corner.

"What can I get you?" Rosmerta asked.

"Two butterbeers and the lunch special for me," Ginny answered. Harry seemed to be off in dreamland, so she kicked him under the table.

"Oh, uh, the lunch special is fine with me," Harry answered.

When Rosmerta left, Ginny leaned over and said, "What?"

Harry pointed to the other side of the pub, where James, Sirius, and Remus were sitting.

"Maybe they won't see us," Ginny assured him.

To be on the safe side, Harry pointed his wand at the purchases and banished them to his mother's quarters.

"Where did you send them?"

"Mum's quarters, I'll get them before she leaves the hospital wing."

After finishing their lunch, talking about anything that came to mind, Harry and Ginny headed back to Hogwarts to spend the rest of the day outside beside the oak tree where Harry's parents had carved their names in the tree.

Harry was able to relax, know that James would love the gift Harry got him.

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"Did you find what you were looking for?" Lily asked, later that evening.

"Yeah, I found a book on the history of Appleby Arrows and got him two small Honeydukes chocolate bars. The rest of the chocolate is what I keep on hand for when Ginny's on her….." Harry trailed off.

"I knew I raised you right," Lily said, proudly.

Harry didn't reply. He had learned the trick from a book, Fred and George gave him and Ron after Ron and Hermione and Harry and Ginny started dating.

How to be the Best Boyfriend was a godsend. That and the book Twelve Fail Safe Ways to Charm Witches that James gave Harry during The Talk, Harry knew how to approach his girlfriend during that time of month….without getting hexed. His head nearly bitten off, yes, but never hexed.

Give Ginny a chocolate bar during that time, and she'll love you for the rest of your love.

"Harry!"

"What?" Harry asked.

"I asked you if you're sending Dad's present with Hedwig or wait on Oscar."

"I'm sending it with Hedwig tomorrow," Harry informed her. He glanced at the clock and seen it was almost curfew. "I gotta go, Mum, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, Goodnight. I love you and sleep tight," she recited, telling Harry what she always said when she told him good night.

"Night, Mum. I love you too."

Harry headed off to Gryffindor tower, in hopes of a good night's sleep.

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"Here, Hedwig. Take this to Dad," Harry instructed the owl. Hedwig flew off in the morning sky. If Harry did the math right, Hedwig would reach Potter's Bar in the morning, in time for Father's Day.

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James was awoken by the tapping on the window. He got up and headed to the window and seen the familiar white owl waiting for him to open the window.

"Hedwig," he breathed.

He opened the window and Hedwig flew in and perched herself on a chair.

"What have you got for me?" James asked as he petted Hedwig's head.

The owl motioned to the package tied to her leg. James untied it and sat it down on the bed.

"Go down to the Owlery and get you some water. I'm going to Hogwarts later, I'll take you back to Harry."

Hedwig hooted in reply and flew off downstairs to the Owlery. James heard the Potter's owl, Oscar greeting Hedwig with a hoot.

"What do we have here?" James pondered.

He opened the package and picked up the book, turning it around to see what it was. He couldn't believe what he was seeing in his hands.

In his hands was the book 1001 Jokes and Pranks for the Practical Joker and Pranker

He used to own this book many years ago before Harry lit it on fire in a bout of accidental magic. He and Sirius had been looking for the book for ages and now he had it back in his hands again. Setting the book aside, he looked at what else Harry had gotten him. He found his own copy of The History of the Appleby Arrows. The Appleby Arrows were James's favorite team and one of Harry's favorite teams. Then to his surprise, two small Honeydukes chocolate bars. He needed to hide them from Remus.

He unfolded the note and began to read.

Dad,

In case you didn't notice, I found the book. I know it has some meaning to you and I hope you enjoy it. Just don't use any of the pranks on me is all I ask.

Now that's out of the way, I'll start off this letter to say, Thanks, Dad. Thanks for being there, whether because I need advice, get out of trouble (I swear it finds me!) your words of wisdom when I needed it or not, and your love and support through everything.

I know I haven't made things easy, but I know, regardless of what I do, you and Mum love me. Over the years you've taught me how to fly a broom (I know it wasn't hard) all about Quidditch, and life lessons when I needed them.

You've protected me when I was in danger, you took care me when I was sick and Mum wasn't around (if you don't remember, it was when Mum was gone for a week and I got sick from taking an expired headache potion? Then the time Mum was gone on that convention and I got food poisoning. Then when I got carsick on that road trip we went on last summer, and lastly, when I was thirteen and gotten sick from too many chocolate frogs, refresh your memory?) You took care of me, and once again, sorry for throwing up all over you, twice.

I'm thankful and very grateful to have you as a Dad. I don't know where I would be without you. I know I don't say it enough, but I love you, Dad.

I hope I've made you proud. Thanks, Dad, for everything.

Love,

Prongslet

James wiped the tears from his eyes when he finished reading. He gathered some clean clothes and headed to the bathroom to get ready to head to Hogwarts. Lily told him to come to Hogwarts in the morning. She would collect Harry after breakfast and they would spend the day together.

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James entered Lily's quarters through the floo. The one benefit of the floo in Lily's quarters was the direct access to the house in Potter's Bar to Hogwarts.

James peeked into Lily's bedroom, not finding his wife in the bed. He looked into Harry's room and no was there.

So then he heads to the Great Hall, where no doubt, breakfast was just starting.

When he entered the Great Hall, he was met with a whirl of red. Familiar lips crushed against his.

"Oh for the love of Godric, do you two have to do that here?"

The voice causes them to break apart and they were met with the exasperated look on Harry's face and Ginny who was stifling giggles behind her hand. For a minute, James thought he was looking at his wife because Harry was in the same pose she used she was angry or annoyed. Hands on the hips, tapping her finger.

"Yes, we'll keep that in mind when…." James didn't finish. Harry cut him off.

"Go ahead and snog each other senseless," Harry directed.

Lily made eyes with Dumbledore and the old headmaster nodded.

"Hold on, Harry. We need to talk," Lily said.

Ginny kissed his cheek and headed on to the table.

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

"I forget to tell you that you and I are going to spend the day with Dad," Lily informed her son.

"Okay, are we having breakfast here or going out?" Harry inquired.

"Here," Lily answered.

They headed into the Great Hall, Harry headed to the Gryffindor table and James and Lily headed to the head table.

"Tell me when you're ready to leave."

"We will," James replied.

Lily and James headed to the head table as Harry slid into the seat next to Ginny.

"What are you planning?" James inquired.

Lily just smiled and patted his cheek. "You'll see."

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The first place Lily took James was the cemetery where James's parents were buried. Lily conjured some flowers and hand them to James.

Lily and Harry headed to the swing to give James some time alone.

"Are we going to the other cemetery?" Harry asked his mother.

"Yes," Lily breathed. She looked over at Harry, who was drumming his hands on his knees.

"After we're done at the cemetery, we're going to spend the day in London, going to his favorite places."

"Is the arcade on the agenda?" Harry asked. Lily nodded, imagining the air hockey game Harry and James would get into later.

Lily saw James get up from his bending position and walked towards Harry and Lily.

"I'm ready."

They headed to a shaded area and James disapparated while Lily side along Harry.

The cemetery where Lily's parents were buried came into view. Lily conjured more flowers and headed to her parent's grave.

James and Harry headed to the bench to give Lily some alone time, just like they did with James.

"You know," James began. "When I met your grandfather, he said 'so you're the arrogant git my daughter has told me about.'"

Harry couldn't help but burst into a bout of laughter. When he stopped, he asked, "Did you say that Grandpa Evans liked you?"

"He did from the moment we met." James paused, looking out at Lily, who was cleaning off the headstone. "He approved of me marrying your Mum and happy to give her to me. Then when he died, things changed."

James reached over and ruffled his son's hair. "I didn't see your Mum smile as much as she did when we learned she was pregnant with you."

Harry looked at his Dad, the surprise was written on his face. "I made her happy?"

James nodded and added, "And me." He wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders.

"It's no secret, that you changed my life and your Mum's life," James told him. "You single-handedly brought our happiness back, despite the times we were living in."

Harry listened as James recounted the early days of Harry's life.

"If it wasn't me, you would have become a Dad," Harry realized.

James nodded. "Harry, if there's anything I'm most grateful, it's that I have you."

Lily came over in the middle of the conversation and sat down on the side of Harry.

"Ready?" she asked when James and Harry ended the conversation.

"Yes, let's go."

James, Lily, and Harry headed to the shaded area and disappeared with a pop.

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"Did you have a good time today, dear?" Lily asked when they went to bed that night. James was staying with Lily in her quarters, a tradition they developed when Harry started Hogwarts.

"Yes, I did. I enjoy anytime I get to spend with Harry."

Lily crawled into bed beside James, laying her head on her shoulder. "I'm glad to see you two have a good time."

James smiled as he thought back over the day he spent with his son and wife. The games in the arcade, the lunch at their favorite burger shop, much to Lily's chagrin, and then spending the day with Harry, and flying around the Quidditch pitch and talking.

James was about to say something else to Lily but there was a knock on the door and Harry peeked his head in.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure, come in, Sweetheart," Lily answered.

Harry came in the bedroom, dressed in a Quidditch T-shirt and lightweight pajama bottoms. He walked in the room and heading to the bed, sitting down on the side where James was sitting.

"Did you like your present?" Harry asked.

James realized he never said anything to Harry about the presents he has gotten for Father's Day.

"Sorry, kiddo. Come here," James directed. Harry crawled up to James's side.

"I loved the books you got me. Thank you," James sincerely said, hugging Harry to his side.

"You're, welcome," Harry replied. "Remember what I said, though."

"I will," James murmured.

"By the way, Happy Father's Day, Dad."

James smiled and pulled Harry's head close so he could kiss the side of his head.

"Thank you, Kiddo. I love you."

Lily smiled as she headed to the bathroom to put lotion on her hands. As she reentered the room, she noticed at Harry had fallen asleep.

"Should I move him back to his bed or leave him?" James asked.

"No, leave him." Lily waved her wand and extended the bed, to make room for Harry. Another wave and a blanket floated into the room and draped over Harry. James took off his glasses and set them on the table.

"Good night, Harry," James whispered. Lily kissed her son's forehead and headed back to her side of the bed.

"Good night my boys," Lily whispered to both Harry and James.

James returned the greeting, settling into the bed, falling asleep.

That night, he dreamed of the day he spent with Harry and Lily, and Father's day past. What he said to Harry was true. He was grateful for Harry because, without his son, he wouldn't be a Dad.