Ch. 25 This Boy's Life

"Can I not be here?" I asked Lily the next day in our house in Turlock. We were standing in the kitchen with Nina coloring a picture of Harry and herself on brooms on the kitchen table.

Lily tilted her head to the side to give me a look that told me for sure, if I had any doubt, I was a certified idiot. "You are not leaving me alone with those people."

"Those people, my love, happen to be your sister, her dearest husband and your dearer nephew," I said sweetly, going to sit by my daughter, and watched her color her masterpiece. Ever since this kid was born, like her brother, I think she does everything ten times better than other children. I kissed her temple at the thought and turned my mind towards the argument that was ensuing between Lily and I.

"Yes, but if you're not there, I'm liable to attack them with my bare fists," she pointed out.

I grinned, "see, then who's going to keep me from ripping Vernon Dursley apart?" I asked in the same sweet, unbelievably annoying voice. Dumbledore had contacted the Durlsey's a few days ago to tell them not only had Harry just escaped death, but that Harry would not be returning to them…ever again because his parents were alive. This had led Petunia to demand information Dumbledore had readily given, and Petunia had used the information and called Lily, informing her that she and her husband and son were traveling, via magic surprisingly provided by Dumbledore, and would arrive at our house today at about 4 for lunch. No doubt there would be fighting.

She frowned, "I am not seeing those people alone James, you can't leave me with them."

I looked deep into her eyes, letting me read the hatred that had taken its root in my heart since the first day I met the two idiots. Vernon, I had disliked immediately when I'd met him when he and Petunia were just engaged. He had looked at Lily as though he'd jump her bones in two seconds, and he had totally offended my race in its entirety. Then Petunia had made such a spectacle by not coming to our wedding, and making Lily so upset…I hated her with a deep passion. I hate her as much as I hate Voldemort. She hurt her own sister, at least Voldemort kills strangers, it hurts a bit less. Trust me, the voice of experience talking.

But in those green eyes I could see she wouldn't face those bastards alone, because I could see that Lily still loved her big sister like a little sister admires her big sister. I'm an only child, but I'd seen the way Regulus used to look-up to Sirius, the way Piper used to look up to her older sister, Paige. And I saw the admiration and deep set need for approval in my own daughters eyes as she'd looked at her older brother. Lily still loved Petunia despite everything, she still wanted her sister's approval and consent and acknowledgment. Even after what Petunia had done.

I sighed in surrender, knowing I would rather die then let my wife fight any battle, "fine," I murmured, "I won't disappear off the face of the earth for a few hours. I'll stay here."

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully, I sent a wink at her.

"Who's Petunia?" Nina asked, coloring idly.

"You're mother's sister, that makes her your aunt," I answered, leaning back in the stool and toying with her curls.

She frowned and looked me, "I thought Piper was my aunt."

"Well," I explained, "she is, but Piper's your godmother therefore technically your aunt, Petunia is your mommy's sister. That makes her your aunty by blood, if not by anything else."

Still frowning, she turned back to her drawing, "when will Harry come home?" she asked.

"A few weeks," I answered, as anxious as she was to have him home at last. Sirius and I had already started on detoxifying Number 12 Grimmauld, the place as stingy as expected since no one had lived there for the better part of a decade. We cleared the hall, the kitchen and a dining room so the Order could immediately meet there. Molly and Lily had said they would tackle the rest of the house with the kids in tow.

"They're here," I heard Lily breath a few hours later. She stood by the window in the living room that looked out to the street, "oh my God James, they're here."

I walked up behind her and saw a ministry car standing in front of my driveway with Petunia Dursley, looking more like a horsey, Vernon, looking more like a pig, and their son, looking like a pig as well, standing there. "Looks like the ministry made a mistake and dropped off a Goddamned manger."

I received an elbow in my side for that as she walked swiftly towards the door.

I could tell she was nervous, "screw 'em sweetheart, don't even get your pretty little head in a cluster over those animals."

"She's my sister James," she said quietly.

"She's the same sister who turned her back on you," I reminded gently as she opened the front door and the heavy metal screen in front of that one.

"She also took Harry under her wing when she didn't have to," Lily murmured as we waited for them to make their way up the path between the grass to the house.

"She also mistreated Harry, Lily," I reminded.

Petunia came and stood in front of Lily, just stared at her sister like she was seeing an alien. She didn't hug or scream with the enthusiasm I would've associated with a sibling finding out that their sibling was still alive after 13 years of thinking they were dead. Bitch.

"Well, this is fun," I said eyeing the three "people" standing on our doorstep, "would you guys like to come in and have this intriguing reunion or shall we just stay out here?"

Without a word, they came into the house. I made a choking gesture behind Vernon as he entered the house behind his son and wife. Instead of actually carrying out the choking, I just shut the door behind me and leaned back against it. It seemed Lily and Petunia were having a staring contest.

"Wow," I breathed going towards the kitchen to get a drink of something so I wouldn't have to hit three of the four people in the living room, "good to see your social skills improving," I said, tapping Petunia on the back as I passed by them.

Apparently that roused my sister-in-law because I heard her breath Lily's name, "oh God Lily, I thought you were dead."

"You and the rest of the world," Lily murmured, I could tell she wasn't breathing normally just from her posture, her back was towards me. And I couldn't look away as tears appeared in my sister-in-law's eyes. Wow, the realization shocked me, Petunia may be human after all.

"I can't believe it," Petunia was saying now, "the old man…Dumbledore? He told me you were killed by that evil man looking for James and Harry."

"He was right about Voldemort being after us, he just never killed us, we just made a deal to disappear so he wouldn't kill Harry," Lily explained mechanically, her voice hardened, "and we just saved him from one hell and let him enter another one as we watched."

And now, ladies and gents, is the part where there are waterworks, pains coming to the surface and confrontations. "How could you do that Petunia?" Lily whispered, her voice quivering with tears and anger and every other emotion she'd locked up inside her beautiful heart for all this time. "He was my son! My flesh and blood and you treated him as if he were dirt! I'm your sister for Christ's sake, your flesh and blood, so technically Harry's your flesh and blood too and you treated him like you would treat a lowly servant. No, something lower then that! How could you do that Petunia?"

"Lily…I---" she began as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"What? You thought I was dead and I couldn't come back and kick your ass eight ways from Sunday for mistreating my son?" she asked harshly, I've never seen her like this. Sure, she's lost her temper with me more then once but always with a chilling coolness that was more terrifying then anything. But she's livid now, on fire with a rage I feel as well.

"Remember that night you sent Harry out at night to the park? He was exhausted from the heat from working in the garden and this man named Atticus Evens brought him in? Took him to the park the next morning?" I asked, still standing behind the mini bar in the living room.

"Yes…How do you know about that?" Petunia asked, dabbing her tears with a handkerchief.

"Was he one of …one of you?" Vernon asked, sounding outraged as though he had every right to.

"He is me you idiot," I said staring at him. God, how can a man resemble a pig so much and manage to give the poor creature a bad name? Poor pigs. "I'm Atticus Evens. Figure it out! Never mind, no brains to do it. I bet you don't remember but my middle name is Atticus. And I used your maiden name Petunia," I looked back at Vernon who was staring at me like I was a penguin who just declared I had come off a spaceship from Neptune and wanted to take over the planet and put it under the penguin army's charge. "You do not know how bad I wanted to strangle you, Vernon. Still do actually."

I lost it. There was no way to get it back. The emotions flooded me immediately and I couldn't stop from toppling over the edge. The image of my son crammed into a goddamn broom closet under the goddamned stairs just made me wild. The image of him being picked on by that Irish asshole in the dead of night…say good-bye to control Jimmy.

"What the hell were you thinking Vernon?" I stalked him now, my movements as precise and as purposeful as a tiger stalking it's prey. "You know for a fact that if you were in our situation, if, God forbid, we had to take of your kid, we'd treat him like he was our own. Not some stranger, not so piece of shit we scraped off our shoes!" I yelled grabbing his collar, "I've wanted to kill you ever since I met you Vernon. And when I was told my son had to live with you because his life was in danger, I actually thought you and Petunia would have the decency to at least pity the infant and treat him with respect. But when I saw how you worked him, how you forced a 5-year-old boy stand out in the blazing heat and trim the garden, I wanted to strangle, to torture you and watch you suffer. Kill you then revive you to kill you again."

Yep, no getting it back now. Might as well push the arrow through.

Then I turned to Petunia, who was staring at me like I was going to kill her. Lucky her, I can hold my temper from that part. "And you," I said, "how could you treat your own sister's son like that? How could you allow him to be treated like he was?"

"James, please," she whispered, clasping her hands in front of her like she was praying.

I looked over her shoulder at Lily who looked back at me with terrified, hurt eyes, "this was a bad idea Lils. I'm gonna take Nina to Hogwarts to see Harry, I need to talk to Dumbledore anyway, make sure he hasn't lost his mind having suggested these two to come here."

She nodded, "ok," Lily whispered. She knew if I stayed here for a few more minutes, I would kill someone.

"Before I go," I said and went back to Vernon and punched him.

Feeling smug, having knocked Vernon over, I went upstairs to get Nina and we Floo'd to Hogwarts.

I had wanted to punch him like that for such a long time.

When we brought Harry home a few weeks later when the term ended, it was a day none of us would forget for a long time. Standing at the station like the other parents, waiting for our baby boy to come off the train was something monumental for Lily and I. And for him too. The light in his green eyes had never been brighter, and I don't remember his smile ever being as clear or as wide when he hugged his mother. Lily, Sirius and I escorted him home, using a port-key of course since driving to America isn't exactly optional.

When we arrived in front of the house in 'burbs, Harry just sort of stared at the house, with the rose bushes in front, the lemon tree and fig tree. His eyes got misty and Sirius and I decided not to tease him about it as Lily wrapped her arm around his shoulders and took him to the house via the very little used front door.

Inside, Piper and Nina had been waiting with "Welcome Home Harry!" banners all over the place with ballons sticking to the ceiling. Lily had tears in her eyes as Harry had knelt down to hug Nina, kissing her cheek and saying thank you.

God, he's home again. After all these years, he's home, and he's staying!

I would never have thought I would ever be happy again, never know the feeling of absolute satisfaction again in my entire life. But I knew I had jumped the gun as I lay on my back in Lily and my bed at home. She was draped on top of me, the flimsy white sheet barely covering her long legs as she tried to escape the torturous summer weather of Turlock, California. She was wearing one of my shirts that went down to her mid-thighs, leaving me to stare and drool at those legs like a hungry wolf.

I couldn't believe Harry was in the house, across the hall from us in his own room in our house. I think Sirius, Remus and I had broken a few thousand world records converting the room we used as a guest room to a room a boy Harry's age would enjoy. He had loved the room at first glance with all the Quiddich posters, the pictures, everything about it had been custom-charmed for HP just like Nina's room was costumed for NP.

My God, happiness feels good…or maybe that's just Lily…

My thoughts were broken when I thought I heard a moan, then dismissed it as my imagination running away with me. I heard it again, this time louder and first I thought it was Nina. Then I recognized Harry's light scream, calling out for Cedric in his dream. I nearly hurled Lily to the floor as I got up, knowing he was having a nightmare about that night. But seriously, how could he not?

"Harry?" I asked as I got into his darkened room, turning on the lamp that was by the door as I went in. He was thrashing on his bed, a fine sheen of sweat covered his face as he kicked his sheets away. I tried to gently wake him up by calling his name, then started to gently shake him when he didn't respond to my calls. "Harry, c'mon, wake up kid, it's only a dream."

At last, with a final gasp, his eyes cracked up and we nearly butted heads as he sat up. He looked hazy for a moment, the look clearing when he recognized me as being his father. "You alright?" I asked, forcing him to look at me.

He nodded absently.

"You sure sweetheart?" Lily asked from behind me, she was standing in the doorway, her robe on clumsily.

"Yeah, just a nightmare," he said and threw himself back against his pillows, "it's ok, really."

"Ok," Lily said coming into the room and bent down and kissed his forehead, "call us if you need anything, alright?"

He nodded, I could tell he was a bit hazed about his mother back all of a sudden. I patted his leg, "get to sleep kid, big day ahead of you tomorrow."

Harry raised himself on his elbows and cocked his eyebrow at me the exact way I used to at my own dad, "why?"

I grinned at him, "we're going to go to the Noble and Ancient House of Black to clean up."

"Oh great," he muttered.

"Should be fun, everyone'll be there," I assured him and stood up, "night Harry," I said, advising him to holler if he wanted something. Wrapping my arm around my wife's waist, I escorted her out of our teenage son's bedroom. I lay on my back, one arm around Lily, the other under my head as I kept my ears open for any other noises from Harry.

"I hate this place," Sirius muttered the next morning as a small army of Witches and Wizards stood outside the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black.

"It doesn't look like the cheeriest of places," commented Remus standing next to him. Us, the three Marauders, were standing in front as thought to protect the people behind us.

I bent over to look Remus on the other side of Sirius, "you've never been here?"
Moony cocked an eyebrow at me, reminding me that he had been the smartest out of the lot and had gotten through a year of Hogwarts with my son as one of his students. The man is brave. "I'm a werewolf. The Black family is very picky about pure-bloods. Sure James, I've been here a thousand times and welcomed with open arms."

I narrowed my eyes at his sarcasm and straightened to look at the imposing building. "In a house where their own son isn't welcome, what the hell makes you think Remus would've been, you idiot?" Sirius asked me.

"Since when do you correct me?" I asked him sounding as offended as I was.

"Since I've been declared a free man and given back all the compensation," he grinned. That's right, we tied Padfoot up yesterday and dragged him to the Ministry. After being given Vertasirum, he was declared free and all compensation paid and he was again a member of society. What was most fun about this was Fudge had publicly apologized. Muahaha. And, we are going back to our posts as Aurors this Monday, which is in two days. Again, muahahha!

"Could you guys stop arguing so we can get inside?" Harry asked coming up to stand behind me.

We gave him a look, "anxious to get cleaning are we?" Sirius teased.

"Hey, the sooner we start, the sooner we finish right?" he asked looking at us.

"Oh Jesus, my son's teaching me lessons about life," I grumbled, "I need a drink."

"It's ok dad, you can give me plenty of advice later," he said, tapping my shoulder and walking back to stand next Ron and Ginny Weasley.

I laughed and looked at the others, it was our task to go in first because of the danger of the curses set around the house. Pure-bloods are safe to go in but we were scared for the mixes in the group, like Remus, Harry, Lily, Nina and a few of the Order members.

"Let's go," I said. Raising our wands we went through the house and Moony did encounter a couple of curses that would ward off mixes but we disbanded and took them down immediately.

"Holy f…" Sirius gasped as we entered the hall of the great house.

My apartment, before Lily when Sirius and I lived alone in London, had never looked this bad on its worse day. And our apartment had been pretty horrendous. "WOE!" Piper yelled, nearly jumping on my back when she entered the house.

"What?" I asked.

She pointed towards the far corner of the hall, "that spider is the size of my fist," she said.

"Actually, the size of James's ego, which is a bit bigger," Sirius commented before killing the spider with a specialized insect-killer curse. Thousand times better then those Muggle sprays for insects and bugs and creepy-crawlers.

"Go to hell," I told him before Molly and Lily got in and began to make inspections. The two women came back with the report that the cleaning would have to start in the basement kitchen and the dining room and a group would have to start in the bedrooms in case we needed them.

"I don't wanna clean!" Remus grumbled, following Sirius and I up the stairs to the library.

"Too bad," Sirius snapped.

"At least you don't have a wife who's on your back about it!" I said loud enough for Lily to hear me.

"I heard that!" she yelled.

"I know!" I yelled back, "I don't wanna clean!"

Ah, life is good again.

AN: Sorry for the delay but life kickstarted again and knocked me on my ass for a while, i'm still down but i'm gettin' up. I promise. I'll try to get over another on-coming block and post sooner then this update. Thank you all for reviewing! It means soooo much and keep comin'! LOVE YOU!

-Mav