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Chapter 7

James nearly stumbled when he left the fireplace with Harry in his arms but luckily was Lily there to catch him. Slowly he sat Harry down on the ground to take a closer look on their new home. He recognised Lily's style in decoration and some furniture he even new was from their old house.

But before he could take a closer look Harry stepped up to him, took his right hand and happily said:

"Daddy, I even have my own room. You wanna see?" And without waiting for the answer her ran to his room, dragging his father with him.

A happy smile showed in Lily's face. She hadn't been sure how Harry would react to this new person he had never seen in his life before. Most of the time Harry got really shy around foreign persons and it took usually a few minutes for him to warm up. But, now that he wanted to show his dad his own room, she knew that he had accepted James as his father. This knowledge took a great deal of her uneasy feeling from her and she knew now, that they both had the needed strength to help James to make a quick recovery. But she also knew, that he would never be the same man she got married to or she fell in love with. But she would get used to it and this fact didn't change her feelings towards James at all. She still loved him with all her heart and she sure would let him know that.

Lily could hear the boys talking while she went into the kitchen to start on their lunch. She had planed to cook James favourite meal: spaghetti with tomato sauce, the same as Harry's. She always was astonished about how much these two people had in common even though they had never seen each other. The future would get pretty interesting to find out how much alike they really are.

Lily was so caught up in preparing the lunch that she didn't hear James entering the kitchen. Lily jumped when suddenly two arms where wrapped around her waist and James pecked her on the cheek.

"Sorry, Lils, I didn't want to scare you!" he whispered into her ear and a chill run down her spine.

"No big deal. I probably just have to get used to it. Usually it was only Harry and he would always come running into the kitchen with as much noise as possible." she explained.

"Lily, can I ask you something?" James asked after spinning her slowly around to face him.

Lily heard in his voice that it would be a serious question that had been troubling him for some time.

"Yes, sure. What do you want to know?"

"Well, I .. I don't really know how to ask and I really hope you won't get mad at me and …"

"James, just ask me and stop rambling!"

"Well, I wanted to know whether you saw someone … somebody …. another man I mean."

His eyes looked everywhere in the kitchen but not to her. It troubled Lily a little to know that he didn't trust her love as he used to but on the other hand she understood that it was something he needed to know.

"No, I have never been with another man than only you, James Potter. You are the one I love and I have never failed this love, I promise!" her voice showed the honesty behind her words and she saw that her answer was a relieve to James.

He looked her in the eyes for a moment and than hugged her tightly.

"Sorry, I had to ask this but I wanted to know it if …" his voiced was cracking slightly and Lily felt salty tears on her neck. She hugged him back as tight as she could and it scared her to feel his thin body shape. She wondered where all these muscles he once had from playing Quidditch were gone and she could only imagine the answer. The pain in her grew with the changes she saw and recognised in her husband. It pained her to no end that he had to endure something so terrible and she escaped. Somehow she felt responsible for his condition.

"I love you James, and only you!" with that she pushed him off her a little, looked him in the eyes and kissed him tenderly. It was a kiss meant to show him her feelings.

They broke apart when they heard the water boiling. Lily turned around to finish the lunch and James started his tour through his new home.

From the kitchen he entered the spacious living-room which was colored in a bright yellow. The colour fitted perfectly with the dark red couch and chairs. The furniture mostly was a dark brown and the walls where lined with pictures of her and Harry. Stepping closer to the wall he found a picture that made his heart speed up a little: it was a picture taken at their wedding day. Both of them where smiling happily into the camera. It was a day he had remembered so many times during enduring the torture. It had been the most priced memory to keep him alive and sane and it made him happy that Lily obviously thought the same.

James heard Lily stepping behind him and encircling his waist.

"I used to look at this picture everytime I entered that flat and Harry would always ask if this man on the picture was his father. He used to ask so many questions about you and where you had gone off to. Sometimes it was hard for me to find answers to his many questions but I couldn't tell him the truth. He wouldn't have understood. I'm so sorry that you had to go through this and – if I could – I would turn back time to never let it happen. I really wish I could do that."

James turned around in her arms and looked into her eyes deeply.

"I know that, my Lily-flower, but I also know that it will never happen. I'm just so thankful that I can see you and Harry again and this makes me the happiest bloke alive." In his dark brown eyes she saw the sparkling that she was used to. Recently his eyes had been dull and full of pain.

"Lily, I know that there will be a hard time coming upon us but I want to make it through with you and Harry. I want us to be the family we once used to be. I love you guys so much I can't even describe it and seeing your face again made me so happy. I know that we have to talk about what happened – probably more for my sake than yours – but please, give me some time, okay? It's already as hard as it is but I promise, I'll tell you sometime, just not now."

"James, I want you to take as much time as you need to get used to your new life and I promise I won't push you. But please, don't wait too long, okay?"

"Yes, I promise I won't. But let's not think about what was but what is going to come." James said. He now was sure, that he would make a good recovery with the help of his lovely wife, son and friends. And one day, he would turn into the James Potter he once was.

"Will you get Harry please?" Lily asked him returning to the kitchen.

"Yup!" he answered, smiling happily.

During their lunch they chatted happily. Since James had been held in captivity he craved to know what had happened to his friends and to the rest of the magical world. And so Lily and Harry had to tell him many things.

After their lunch was finished, James brought Harry into bed for his daily nap and left his room quietly after Harry fell asleep.

Meanwhile had Lily cleaned the table and put the dishes into the dish washer. It was a comfort she wouldn't want to miss in the world even though of her magic skills. She had never been able to let go of the muggle ways she grew up with.

Since they weren't able to finish their round in the flat earlier they started again. James went directly into the bedroom, but before entering he send one last glance towards Lily to ask for her permission. It still was her room and he didn't really knew what to expect. A silent nod was all he needed and he opened the door slowly.

He recognised the room at once: it was the exact same room as they had in Godric's Hollow. The walls were painted in a deep scarlet with white furniture. Even the furniture was the same! Slowly he made his way towards the part of the closet that used to be his and to his biggest surprise it contained his clothes and everything they were able to rescue from their home. Even his broom had been saved.

With a happy smile he turned around towards his wife. She was smiling back at him.

"You've kept this all these years? But why?" he asked her in astonishment.

"Because it belonged to you and I never gave up hope that you would eventually return. So I thought it would be a nice welcome present. And it reminded me as lot of you and me. There were so many memories I just couldn't let them go." she simply answered.

James still couldn't believe what he saw. Silently he laid the broom on the bed and took a few steps towards Lily. When he reached her, he silently encircled her in his arms and their lips met in a loving kiss. James wasn't able to say anything. He didn't trust his voice right now to firm coherent words.


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Thx a lot!

Love, Lilian85