As he sat deep in his favorite armchair, Roger Wallenby could hear the hurried footsteps of his daughter flitting about in her room. Since returning home from Hogwarts a week ago, she had been buzzing with impatience. Roger had ensured his end-of-year letters were perfectly clear about Katie's return home. The Muggle bride her mother had been working with had been increasingly demanding as her wedding date neared, coming round daily and sending post nearly as often, and Roger could tell his wife would need Katie's help ensuring things went off without a hitch. Of course, it also provided him the perfect excuse to ensure some small amount of time with both the other members of his family. The patriarch of the Wallenby clan looked longingly at the picture of his wife and daughter on the mantle. He remembered the moment like yesterday.
Up on the hill behind their simple cottage, three-year old Katie had draped herself around her mother's neck as Mary sat with Roger on the picnic blanket their spirited little girl had long forgotten. Happily, he had his camera with him, and most importantly ready. The firm, craggy bark of the old oak lay in the background, a contrast to the barely perceptible yet elegant motion of its smooth leaves swaying in the gentle summer breeze. In the foreground were his wife, strong and still, and Katie, arms wrapped tightly around her neck, both smiling widely.
Back in his chair, Roger nodded. It was hard to believe his little girl was nearly of age. Before he could blink Katie's own daughter would be featuring in a picture with her. He pursed his lips tightly. He could already feel her slipping away. Something inside made him fight against it with all his might, though he realized it was a battle lost the moment she was born. He had protected her. He had raised her, along with Mary of course. But soon, the time would come for him to be replaced. Roger castigated himself for the thought. As Mary was so fond of assuring him, his little girl would never truly replace him. Deep down he knew she was right. But all the same it was still his duty to protect her. To make sure that the man who stepped into the role he had occupied for so long was up to the task.
Katie's feet were quiet upstairs. The pipes groaned. Roger shook his head. She had showered before helping her mother with the centerpieces, but here she went again. As if moving thirty vases and their accompanying decorative accessories had truly caused her to break the faintest of sweats in the surprisingly mild weather. The mustachioed wizard stroked his chin thoughtfully before glancing at his watch. Things were not looking good. It was nearly noon and she hadn't even begun to dress. A knock on the front door interrupted his trip upstairs to remind her of the time. Roger could sense it. His quarry had arrived. Straightening himself and sticking his wand in his front pocket where it could be easily seen, he unlatched the wooden door and flung it wide, fixing a thin, cautious smile on his face.
Immediately he was greeted by a black-haired boy in a crisp white shirt and trousers. His bespectacled face exuded a quiet confidence that his nervous smile disguised. In the crook of one elbow was a simple vase full of assorted summer flowers. Roger had to give the boy credit. He at least looked the part, aside from his absurdly messy hair anyway. Had the man not known better he would've looked around for a broomstick. Alas, such a style of grooming was typical of young wizards these days. Thankfully this one still saw fit to shave. With an outstretched arm, he beckoned the boy into his home, taking the flowers immediately to the nearby kitchen table.
"Katie's still getting dressed. She had to–"
"Help her mum with a wedding. Yeah. She owled me last night," James finished.
Roger fixed the upstart with a firm stare.
"Sorry," the boy said, looking away for a moment with a hint of a frown. "You were probably about to–"
"Say that?" Mr. Wallenby interrupted. "Quite right." Slowly he gestured toward the chair next to his in the living area.
Roger quickly took his seat, leaving the boy awkwardly standing. He was pleasantly surprised to see him fix himself with a quick intake of breath before sticking out his hand. "Mr. Wallenby, I'm James Potter."
The older wizard offered a half-smile. "Roger Wallenby. You can sit."
"Sure."
James sat on the edge of the smaller chair, watching for a reaction.
"So you've been seeing my daughter since November?"
"Yes, sir."
"And?"
"I mean…she's brilliant. Course you already knew that. But the way you've taught her quidditch…it's really something."
"Says the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Couldn't find a space for the girl I trained so well?"
"Right. Well…we've had loads of talent recently. Bad luck for her really. I mean, she passes and shoots well. And her tactics are spot on, it's just–"
Roger chuckled. He was pleasantly surprised that the young wizard was genuinely trying to stick up for his daughter, despite her obvious shortcomings. "It's just the flying bit. I tried for years to get her more comfortable with the quick movements on the broom. Never quite took."
He could see the boy waffling on how to respond. "She's gotten loads better this year," he offered. "You should see."
"I have. She tells me I have you to thank for that."
"Well," James smirked, "I am the Quidditch Captain," he said confidently.
Roger reverted to a neutral expression. He had been quite correct. The boy needed to be taken down a peg.
"And the name I've heard most in reference to injuries and ill-discipline from other parents."
James frowned briefly before offering a hopeful glance in Roger's direction. "Yeah. Katie's been helping with that. Good reason to stay out of detention."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I mean, she's sort of insisted."
"But you'd rather be free of all that?"
"I never said that," the young wizard replied, his voice laced with a defiant undertone. "It's been…different. But definitely worth it."
"So…expecting good marks then?"
"If all goes well."
"Slacking off?" Roger asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"No, sir," James defended. "If anything Katie's kept me more on task than ever. I don't think I've studied so much in my life…"
"Glad to see she's been able to keep your interest."
James looked down, his brow creasing deeply.
"You know that's my main worry about you and my daughter. She's not just some prize to be won. She's too caring sometimes. Gets taken advantage of by clever blokes with grand ideas. I've heard about your reputation and I don't like it," Roger said seriously, his eyes boring into James.
"I'd never think of Katie like that."
"You'd best remember you said that," Roger warned, fixing James with an icy stare.
As he finished speaking, the older wizard looked at the top of the stairs.
James turned quickly, taking great care to keep his mouth shut. Katie looked better than he'd ever seen her. At Hogwarts she mostly dressed down, but today she was in a simple blue and white sundress with a small bow tied at the back. Her hair, which had been growing steadily throughout the year, was done in a tiara braid that wrapped around the front of her head, stretching behind her ears. The remaining hair was secured loosely in a simple bun. Her make-up remained simple though and James smiled broadly as the sunlight dancing through the window behind her played across her freckled face.
"You're not giving James a hard time are you, Dad?"
"Of course not, wonder," Roger replied smiling, crossing the room to hug his daughter tightly and kiss her cheek.
Katie shifted her weight to one leg, placing her hands on her hips. "Not even a hello? I've missed you, James!" she pouted.
The young wizard rapidly stood approaching and giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.
With her father looking away, Katie rewarded him with a flirtatious glance and small smile. She twisted around slowly, causing the skirt of her dress to flare out slightly. "What do you think?"
"You look lovely," Roger responded, noting with irritation the look in the Potter boy's eye as he happily drank his daughter in.
"You look…he–…err…exceptional," James finished lamely, catching himself before speaking coarsely in front of Mr. Wallenby.
"Take my hand then!" she insisted, smiling as her boyfriend gladly obliged. "We're going for a walk before lunch," Katie announced. "Mum owled she'll be late back from setting up for that barmy woman's rehearsal dinner, so we should have plenty of time."
"Not further than the hill," her father said firmly.
"Of course, dad," Katie answered, rolling her eyes as she dragged James toward the front door.
As the young wizard exited, he locked eyes once more with his girlfriend's father. The message he received was clear. James would be on his best behavior.
As they crested the hill that had been marked as their westward barrier, Katie disengaged her hand from James's and sat. Rising briefly to smooth her dress out under her, she angled her knees toward him and patted the grass beside her. She returned her boyfriend's easy smile as he plopped down carelessly next to her.
"So you missed me did you?" he asked cheekily.
"Don't get me started. If I didn't know better I'd think my dad somehow arranged this extravagant wedding I had to help with just to keep us apart for the week."
James chuckled nervously.
Katie's eyes narrowed. "He gave you trouble didn't he?"
"It was nothing," James said dismissively.
"What did he say?"
"Really, Katie–"
"No. I want to know."
James sighed. "Well he's clearly not thrilled about my reputation. You know between the pranks and my past and all."
Katie frowned. "Mum says he's unhappy I'm growing up. As if he didn't know it was going to happen."
"Parents, right?" James joked, trying to lighten the mood once more.
"I suppose. I'm happy we're here now though. I've been thinking all week, we've hardly been properly alone since we started dating. Aside from the flying and studying and…well…and then winter was far too cold."
"Hogsmeade?" James offered.
"Well of course then too, but it's not the same. Everywhere there was always the prospect of getting interrupted. This is different. It's really just us."
"And your dad with a telescope I'll bet…"
"James!" Katie yelped, smacking her boyfriend playfully on the arm. "Stop!"
"Fine, fine! We're finally properly alone," he said dramatically, lowering his voice to a deep tone that was reminiscent of the current Minister for Magic, Liam Lockerbee. "What use would you like to put that to?" he asked, winking.
Katie rolled her eyes. "Maybe later. For now I just want to talk."
As she finished, she stretched out slowly, laying her head in James's lap.
"What do you think of home?"
"What?"
"All this," she gestured. "Home."
"I already told you once I think it's brilliant. All this land. Nothing in your way. It must have been great to grow up with."
"It was. I've had a lot of great memories on this hill. In the meadows. Down by our pond."
"Yeah…most of my memories are away from home. I mean…it's great and all. My parents gave me…anything really, but it's mostly been lonely. Sirius moving in has been the busiest the place has been during the days in ages. He's moving out before we start seventh year though."
"Moving out? Where?"
"Flat. Back in London. Some rogue Uncle left him enough gold to swing it. He's just got to wait until he's officially of age to claim it."
Katie exhaled loudly. "Must be something…"
James stroked her arm gently as he looked down at her. "Sorry. I shouldn't have."
"No. It's fine. It's just…hard to imagine people with that much. I mean, I know your family's the same, but you never really talk about it."
"Yeah. Well, I prefer not to throw it about. Leave that to the Slytherins."
Katie paused.
"What do you think of the house?"
James stopped his fiddling with an errant strand of her hair.
"Why are you bringing this up?"
Katie eased herself up and turned to look at him.
"Hey…" he prodded.
Katie looked down slightly, biting her lip.
"I just…I wondered if you…nevermind."
"Not nevermind."
"I just wanted a sense of how you felt about it."
Katie felt the intensity in his gaze as James stared directly into her eyes for a moment, as if searching her, pressing her to say something more. She fought to suppress the warmth she felt rising under his scrutiny until finally he relented.
"I've already answered that," he said evenly. "Our first date. It wasn't just some fluff I was trying to sell you. And you should know that by now."
Katie looked away from James's uncharacteristically stern face. "I'm sorry…"
"Don't."
"No, I am. You're right. I…I shouldn't have brought it up."
"Don't do that," James said, grabbing her arm gently before she could stand. "I get what you're asking me, okay? Are you hearing me when I tell you the answer's still the same?"
Katie nodded, a smile crossing her face again.
"Lay back down," James said softly, helping ease Katie back onto the grass as she complied.
Leaving his arm under her neck, James lay down beside her.
"You know what I like best about being out here with you?" he asked.
"What?"
"This," he said simply. "You were right when you said it was different. Finally being properly alone."
As the sunlight shone done on the couple, broken only by the occasional passing cloud above, Katie closed her eyes and smiled. She edged herself closer to James, laying her head on his chest and exhaling appreciatively as his arm wrapped around her, coming to rest comfortably on her waist. Finally she opened them again. A gentle breeze blew over the pair as they lay comfortably atop her favorite hill. In that moment, Katie hoped desperately that it could really be this easy.
A/N: Yes, I can already hear the grumbling now…more James/Katie fluff. But I promise it's necessary. Hopefully as the chapters roll forward you'll see more of why.
I also hope you managed to enjoy the bit with Katie's father. I wanted it to be clear that he's not just an overbearing troll, but that he really cares deeply for his daughter and is struggling with her growing older. I also wanted him to come to the realization that maybe James isn't the nightmare he expected, but still be able to put a fatherly foot down during the scene with their interaction. Hopefully that came across believably.
In the way of a short preview, the next chapter will be from Lily's perspective, followed by a shorter bit focused on Sirius (both with and without James), before we reach the middle of summer and another inflection point in a longer chapter that will cover quite a bit of ground from at least three perspectives.
As always, thanks for reading! If you're enjoying the story, please leave a like if you haven't already and review below!