Chapter twenty one

'Alright mate, first you disappear with my brother, but you said you were horny. This is a new you we have to get used to.'

'Yeah, sorry Ron, but I wanted your brother. He started it though, he kept giving me looks. Okay, while we were shagging I made a decision so nothing will be confusing anymore. I'm going to let everyone know, James is going back to being called Harry and I'll be James. That way everyone will know who I'm talking about when I mention something, either as James or my other self as Harry.'

'You sound different, very positive, assertive, Harry was never like that.'

'He had a shit life, he didn't have time to find his real self, he lacked any self-confidence because of the way he was treated. It's there, inside him, but with everything he always felt a little unsure of himself. See it's easier for me to think of me James and Harry as the other person. It doesn't take away my feelings for you or any of my thoughts or memories.'

'Yes, I suppose it would be easier being James as that seems to be the dominate personality.'

'So I thought we could start with your family Ron, but I'll tell Minerva tomorrow that way I can speak with Albus' portrait.'

'Adult James has arrived, Minerva and Albus, not McGonagall and Dumbledore like Harry always said,' Charlie said, 'I know what you meant about assertive Hermione, James took control before, he was very domineering in the bedroom. Hey, were you like that with Lily?'

'Lily and I had our times when I was the dominate and she played submissive. She was a strolled willed woman and had one hell of a temper, she used to make Sirius and I behave, that's why we had our games in the bedroom. But I'm going to need to buy a few supplies, I wouldn't mind tying you to the bed next time Charlie.'

'Oh I really don't want to hear any of this Harry, sorry James. Harry wouldn't talk about anything so private, but you don't seem to mind.'

'I don't Hermione, neither did Lily, we had a very open relationship. Actually Sirius caught us shagging more times than I can count, usually in front of the fireplace, or on the dining room table.'

'Please, no more okay, because those pictures are stuck in my head,' Ron said. 'Anyway, Hermione feed James his lunch, then read to him before putting him to bed.'

'Great thanks, normally I wouldn't just leave Harry like that, but Charlie turned me on. Thank you Hermione, you are a very clever, talented and beautiful woman, glad you're my friend, or Harry's friend.'

'Thank you um James,' Hermione stood up, 'Normally I hug Harry, but your James, so I don't know what to do.'

James laughed then hugged Hermione, 'It's still me in a way Hermione, but James is the one I want to be from now on. But we're still friends, best friends, the golden trio, blimey that's a shit name. Anyway, go spend time with your boyfriend, thank you again.'

'Okay mate and I'll tell mum and dad you'll be over for dinner tomorrow night.'

'Yep, see ya Ron,' James waited until they left, 'So Charlie, did you think I would take you up on that offer or was it a way to take Harry's mind off everything by embarrassing the little virgin?'

Charlie chuckled, 'You are so very different, but no, I never thought Harry would take me up on my offer, I wasn't expecting you to drag me upstairs straight away either, but I can't say it wasn't good.'

'Neither can I, but now let's get something to eat, I'm starving.'

Charlie followed James into the kitchen, 'I think the magical world is going to be shocked at all this, mainly how quiet unassuming Harry Potter was and is now so out there, so self-assured, so confident.'

'Yes, I think you're right Charlie,' James stared at the elf, 'Thanks Kreacher, but that's hard to believe, I remember going to the Black house quite a few times. His mother never liked me, she never liked anyone. The thing is Regulus was a death eater but he treated me okay, not sure why.'

'Master regulus liked master James, he thought you were amusing,' the old elf said.

'Oh, well I used to see him laughing, now I know why.'

'So you invented that map of Hogwarts?'

'Sure did, took me a while and there were times I was frustrated, so I'd pin Sirius to the bed in Gryffindor tower and just fuck him to the mattress.'

'Blimey, this new you is going to take some getting used to.'

'Probably, this is me, this is who I want to be. I liked the Harry part of my life, I had some great times with your brother and Hermione, but it's not who I am. So they will be my friends, always will but I need to be me, James.'

'If that's how you feel mate, then yeah, you do. I'm not sure how everyone will be though. I think you're going to need to give them time.'

'I plan to Charlie, let everyone get used to me.'

'Since I heard about this, I've been curious about something that only James Potter could answer.'

'Go ahead.'

'That night, you turned into Harry, your father was there as you so Voldemort wouldn't know anything was going on and Lily was up with Harry. Was it that night, or did you take the potion earlier, days, weeks?'

'Eight days before Voldemort turned up, I sent Harry here, took the potion then we waited. I still see it, Lily, even though she knew who I was, she couldn't help reverting to Harry's mother when she cared for me, she even called me Harry quite a few times. You see Charlie, I used to get these feeling in regards to Harry, I could sense things about him. When I was working, I would know when he was upset or if he hurt himself. I went into the other room and I asked Lily what happened before anything else was said. She was so used to me doing that, but she couldn't help laugh. Harry had been flying around on his broom, laughing as he did, he was watching Lily and not where he was going, flew straight into the wall, cut his head before falling and bruising his backside. So a week before, I just knew something was about to happen, I had no idea what, I just sensed Harry was in danger. We had the fidelius charm, Albus was there quite a lot, making sure we were okay, my dad was there all the time. Since mum had died, dad just lost the will to go on, but he loved to spend time with Harry. So Lily and I asked him to live with us, then we told him this plan. He instantly wanted to become me so he could help. I knew if Voldemort turned up it meant my father would die, I would have liked to keep him safe, but I knew he was giving up anyway, this way he could go out fighting trying to protect his only grandchild. Lily was in tears constantly before I sent Harry away, I had to pry him from her arms, then dad held her while I performed the charm. So if she fussed over me as Harry, I didn't care, it gave her back her baby, at least for a while.'

Charlie sat there listening to James explain, he couldn't imagine how hard it would have been to send their child away even if it was to keep him alive. His mother fussed over them all, it drove them crazy, but at least they had been together. James and Lily lost their son even before they died.