After the meeting with Sirius and Remus, Harry spent the rest of the day more withdrawn- if that was even possible. The adults weren't sure what to make of this. Harry had handled everything beautifully, he even took initiative in speaking to them! He looked so scared now though. They hoped it was because he was starting to realize that they've been telling him the truth, but he obviously didn't know how to process it all.
Harry, in fact, couldn't process anything. His mind was wired with thoughts, worries, and foreign ideas that kept flitting through his mind. He was starting to like these people, he wanted to get to know them, for them to get to know him. But the second the thought surfaced, he realized how absurd it was. Who would want to get to know Harry the Freak?
That night everyone ate dinner together. Lily, as had become the norm in the past week, piled a plethora of food onto Harry's plate and told him to eat as much as he could. Lily and James decided to act as they would normally with Sirius and Remus, wanting to show Harry what normal really is. The three men told tales of Hogwarts, Lily explaining concepts that Harry didn't yet have knowledge of. Harry couldn't help the tiny smile that graced his face, the stories were quite funny. It felt foreign on his face, but he decided he liked it. "One day, Harry, you'll go to Hogwarts and make as many happy memories as possible." James said.
This wiped the smile off of Harry's face, he didn't deserve to be happy and he probably wasn't smart enough to get into the school. "What's wrong Harry?" Remus asked. "Nothing...I just probably wouldn't be admitted to such a great place, I probably din't have the talent." Harry mumbled. "Oh sweetie, your name has been on the list ever since you were born. Every child with magical ability is automatically accepted." Lily explained.
Harry flinched a bit at the mention of his being magical, remembering how Uncle Vernon reacted. He knew now that magic was real, but didn't know how to feel about it. Uncle Vernon said it made him a freak, but these people were magical and they definitely weren't freaks. Maybe he didn't have magic, and he was a freak because he did and his parents didn't? He was always confused when his Uncle brought up magic, he never clarified to Harry what about magic made him mad, just that it did.
"How do you know I'm magical?" Harry asked the table. "I remember when you were just a tiny baby and it was meal time. It started around the time you had to start eating the puréed and mashed stuffed, you hated it. Whenever it was time for us to feed you, all the bottles would suddenly disappear and you would get this impish grin on your face," James smiled nostalgically, "that's magic Harry! Has anything weird like that ever happened that you remember?"
Harry thought about all the times his Uncle ranted about magic. It was usually after something, like his hair regrowing overnight, happened without him doing anything. Harry nodded his head slowly. "See, you've been doing magic since before you could say Mama-which was your first word. You are magical Harry." James explained.
Harry, though inexplicably happy about sharing something with his parents, was still troubled. "Why did they punish me for it? They said magical people were freaks. I believed them because Im a freak, but you guys aren't freaks." James sobered, "You are not a freak. Magic is not something bad. Those...people they just didn't like what they didn't know. But they had no reason to treat you that way, no reason at all." Harry didn't believe, he must be a freak for another reason. 'That's it,' Harry thought, 'something else. But what?'
After dinner the family retired to the living room to talk a bit. "Do you have any questions for us Harry?" Lily asked. Harry thought, there was one question which had been nagging at him since he got here. "I know you guys say I'm not a freak, but I know I am. I am the scum of freaks. So why are you all acting so nice to me?" All the adults hearts' broke into tiny jagged shards. It took a moment for them to responded because they all had to get their rage under control.
James suddenly fixed Harry with a very serious stare, the most serious he had ever been in his life. He gazed right into Harry's eyes, pleading with his boy to believe the words he was about to say, showing him that he had had no doubt or hesitance about the impending speech. "You are not scum. You are not a freak. You are Harry Potter, the most wonderful boy I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. You are my son, and I must have done something immensely great in my life to have been rewarded with such an amazing son. I care about you. We care about you. I love you. We love you."
Everyone had tears in their eyes when James finished talking, even Harry. Harry wanted to believe him, so so so so badly wanted to believe him. They were all looking at him nodding in agreement. Harry would give anything to believe it, but it just didn't make sense. "Why would they hurt me if I was all that great?" Harry asked in a small voice. James responded, eyes still boring into Harry's, "I have no clue Harry, no inkling at all, as to how anyone could ever hurt you. There is something wrong with them, something very very wrong with them. But I promise you Harry, there is nothing wrong with you." When he finished he took Harry into a gentle hug, ignoring the way Harry stiffened at the contact.
James was trying not to break down crying as he felt Harry's silent tears on his shoulder. Who could ever do such terrible things to this boy, his boy, his baby boy. He was so small, but had the haunted look of an 80 year old Auror who lived through too many wars. James wished he could take away all the pain his baby had ever felt. He wished he could've been able to raise his child the past four years. But he couldn't change the past, all he could do was give harry the best future possible.
Everyone was still for a long time, watching the father and son hug. After about an hour James noticed that Harry had fallen asleep in his arms. The elder Potter of the two gave the younger one a watery smile before carefully standing and taking Harry to his room. He tucked him under the covers and gently slip of his glasses. He gave Harry a soft kiss on the forehead, "You'll be ok Harry. I promise."
AN: Another chapter! Next one should be up soon, it's written out by hand it's now just a matter of typing it. See, I didn't have access to an electronic devise to write on, and I wanted to write, so I took to pen and paper. Thank you to all who favorited and followed, but I'd really love some more reviews. They make me so happy! Anyway, hope you like the father-son moments in this! Tell me your thoughts, feeling, ideas! Sorry for any mistakes btw.
