James Potter slowly rubbed his eyes as he awoke to the shrill cry of an infant. He threw off his duvet and ambled down the hall to his son's room. He peered into his son's room and saw those bright green eyes glistening with tears as he let hell be released from his lungs, but as James made his way towards his son, his heart ached. Cause as James picked up his son and began soothing him all he could see were Lily's eyes staring at him.

Lily.

There were so many what ifs that ran through James' mind about that night. What if he'd stayed. What if he'd taken them both with him. What if the Longbottoms had been targeted first. All of these and more raced through James' mind but it was Harry who kept on bringing him back down to Earth. He looked at the now sleeping boy in his arms and gave a small smile; Harry needed him. Harry needed him to be strong, to be there for him and that's what James was going to do, no matter how hard it will be.

James laid Harry back down in his cot and stayed for a few minutes to make sure he was settled before heading back to his own room. But, when he laid down on his bed, James couldn't sleep, his thoughts trailed to six months previously.

October 31st 1981

How did it end up that way? How did it end up with him discovering the body if his wife being cradled in the arms of Snivellus Snape as Harry sat in his cot crying. James had screamed at him to get out but it was the harshly whispered words that stayed with James: It's all your fault. In James' opinion, this was true because it was on that fateful evening that James had figured it all out. It was while James thought about his son's first birthday, as he slept in Lily's arms, where Remus and Sirius couldn't stand the sight of each other that James quickly realised who the rat was. Peter had barely been around the Potters for months and if he was he was almost scared and never staying for long. James had grabbed his wand and shot out the door telling them that he would be back. He found Sirius and told him what he thought and when he had his brother on board, they headed back towards the Potter house where pure chaos met them.

James rolled over and shoved a pillow over his face as if he was blocking out the memories. Yes, Peter was in Azkaban and Voldemort was dead and a vast majority of his Death Eaters were locked up but Lily was gone. Harry had lost is mother. James had lost his wife and numerous people had lost a friend yet, all this was forgotten by a scar that sat on his son's forehead that give him the title of Boy-Who-Lived.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Morning soon rolled around and what little sleep James had received was interrupted by a call from down the hall.

"Dadda?"

The voice continued to call getting a little louder each time. James smiled and got out of bed, heading down the hall towards his son.

"Hey Harry." James said with a smile as he picked up his son. "You're seeming a lot happier now you've had a bit more sleep. Should we get some food?" James asked looking down at his son as he balanced him on his hip as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Num Num." Harry said looking towards the kitchen. James placed Harry in his high chair and rummaged through the cupboard.

"Ok, Harry, we have either porridge or porridge?"

Harry let out a shriek.

"Porridge it is then." James said closing the cupboard door and beginning to make the porridge. James sighed as he grabbed a spoon and turned towards Harry.

"Right, let's see if you feel like eating today, shall we?"

"I'll take that as a no, then." James announced 15 minutes later as he stood covered in porridge before a giggling Harry. James put the bowl and spoon in the sink and picked Harry up out of his high chair and placed him on his hip. "Looks like it's bath time for everyone."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Once Harry had been bathed and dressed with James managing to clean himself as well, James mused to himself about what the two could do today when a voice from the living area decided for him.

"Spend time in the company of his fabulous godfather."

James rolled his eyes as he turned the corner to see Sirius standing there with a grin on his face.

"Woof!" Harry called out leaning towards Sirius who quickly got his wish as Sirius grabbed him out of James' grip.

"Not quite, pup, but nearly there." Sirius said with a chuckle at Harry's nickname for him.

"I don't know, I mean, Woof sounds a lot better than Padfoot." James said with a grin.

"Don't you dare, Prongs!" Sirius said. "The only person who can call me that is Harry here."

"Woof!" Harry called out clapping his hands together.

"Exactly, girlfriend!" Sirius said giving a pointed look at James.

James shook his head, smiling, and headed towards the kitchen.

"He's still not eating properly?" Sirius asked taking a look at the carnage that James was currently using his wand to clean.

"He's eating a few mouthfuls but not as much as used to." James said as he began to wash up the spoon and bowl. "Lily was so good at getting him to eat." James said mournfully.

"Why don't you take him to St. Mungo's?" Sirius suggested quickly. "They might be able to help you with his eating problem."

James thought for a little bit as he dried up. "Alright, I'll take him later, but, why don't we go to the park first? What do you think, Harry, do you want to go and play at the park?"

"Plaaaaaay!" Harry said bouncing up snd down in Sirius' arms and clapping his hands together.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

James smiled as he chatted to Harry as the two made their way towards St. Mungo's. The two had fun at the local park with Sirius taking on the role of the 'family pet'. Harry laughed until he was red in the face and it was at times like this when James genuinely smiled. Usually, he put on a smile for Harry so that he knew that everything was better than it really was, but James could still see it. His son longed for his mother. When he cried. When he was hungry. When they were playing. He was always looking around for his mother, but she wasn't there. She wasn't coming back.

And it was his fault.

James shook that thought from his mind and focused on the boy in his arms. Harry looked around wide eyed with curiously as the two stepped through the window and appeared in St. Mungo's. Ignoring all the stares snd whispers that started, James made his way to the front desk.

"Ummm, hi," James began to the Welcome Witch, who looked up. "I wondered if there was a Healer free to have a look at my son, he isn't eating properly."

The witch gazed at Harry, with her eyes lingering on his scar, before she nodded. "Of course, I'll see who's free. Please take a seat while I look and I'll let you know when I find someone suitable to look at your concern."

James nodded his thanks and made his way to the rows of rickety wooden chairs and sat down in one with Harry on his lap. He picked up an out-of-date copy of Witch Weekly and began to flick through with Harry contributing various words and sounds at random pictures and soon the Welcome Witch made her way towards him.

"A Healer is free in ten minutes, Mr Potter." She said with a bright smile.

"Thank you," James said in response as she walked away, glad that she didn't ask to hold Harry or interact with him in anyway, but now, he had to wait until the Healer was ready for them and he didn't know if the members of the public had the same restraint as the Welcome Witch did.