L Disclaimer: I have no stake in the Harry Potter franchise. If I did, I would be rich beyond my wildest dreams.
Author's Note: Hello all HP fan fiction lovers! This is my big HP fan fic debut and I am most glad that you all decided to stop by my humble ficlet and read it. I wrote this story a while ago, with other characters. But I felt it needed a second chance at life and decided to tweak it to fit HP. The original story was inspired by a quote from an article called "Child Cares" in the Sept. 2001 issue of Seventeen magazine. Hope you enjoy the story!
P.S. The song verse that James sings is from the Beatles White Album and the song is called "Good Night".
"Nothing before this prepared me for having a child of my own 24 hours a day. Being a father...friend...is very stressful. Still, all I have to do is look into my daughter's eyes. The love I feel for her makes everything else fade away" - Michael (the father), "Child Cares" Seventeen Sept. 2001
My Son's Eyes
by Orliey
"Hello?" I call out, shutting the door behind me. I was coming home from another meeting with Dumbledore about moving to Godric's Hollow. "Hello?" I call out again, a little louder. Silence. I glance at my watch. Two o' clock. No wonder it's quiet! It's Harry's nap time. Nap. That sounds like a good idea myself.
"WHAAA!" The sound of Harry's crying interrupts my thoughts. I run to the nursery as fast as I can, barely missing a collision with an end table, his crying growing louder and louder. Slightly out of breath, I pick him up from his crib and walk over to the rocking chair, whispering soothing words, trying to calm him down, to no avail. I start rocking him back and forth hoping that will work. Nope.
"How would you like daddy to sing to you?" I ask, only to be answered by more crying. Taking a moment to choose a song and find the right note, I start to sing.
"Now it's time to say goodnight. Good night sleep tight. Now the sun turns out the his light. Good night sleep tight. Dream sweet dreams for me. Dream sweet dreams for you..."
No sooner I finish the first verse, Harry's cries slowly subside to whimpers then silence. He looked up at me with his emerald green eyes, hanging onto every word I sang. Meeting my brown eyes with his, at that moment I felt true happiness. Happiness to me is no longer money, Quidditch glory, popularity. It is sitting here in a rocking chair, singing to my son. MY son.
Amazing, isn't it? Who would have thought that me, James Potter, would settle down and have a family so soon? I mean, with the War going on and me and Lily being a part of the Order of the Phoenix, I know I didn't see it coming.
Finishing the last verse, Harry's eyes slowly closed and his breathing evened out. Rather than put him in his crib, I continued to hold him, rocking back and forth, back and forth.
Like I said, I didn't see it coming. I remember when Lily first told me. I flipped out, yelling at her, saying we can't afford to have a child right now. The War against the Dark Lord was just beginning and Dumbledore had recruited us to a part of the Order. And I knew once we joined, our lives and the lives of those closest to us would be in jeopardy. I kept going on about how it wasn't a good time. How I wasn't ready to start a family yet, never once thinking about how Lily felt. I'm sure she was no more ready than I was. But when I looked into her green eyes, much like Harry's, and saw sadness and fear, I broke down in tears, she soon followed. I apologized, saying we will would get through this. Together.
Our family and friends were really supportive of us. That made it easier to bear. And the Marauders, man, they were so happy for us. Excited about becoming uncles and Sirius started calling me Big Poppa. I chuckle at the thought; sigh, leave it to Sirius.
I remember the day when Harry came into the world. I was at Hogwarts, discussing with Dumbledore what might be Voldemort's next move when I received an owl from St. Mungo's that Lily was there and in labor. Dumbledore knew that I had to leave NOW and wished me luck. I Iused a Portkey(made from drinking goblet) that Dumbledorecreated for meand I arrivedat the hospitaljust as Lily was taken to the delivery room. Everything was a blur, the Healers were yelling and bustling all over the place. Lily was screaming "Get this thing out of me!" Me trying to stay calm amidst the chaos.
On final push and there he was. My baby boy. While the Healers tended to Lily, I followed the Healer who was handling Harry and watched as she cleaned him.
"Mr. Potter, would you like to hold him?" Taking Harry into my arms, those green eyes met with mine. And I cried. Not from sadness, but joy. No word, no song, no story, nothing can describe the joy one feels when holding your child for the first time; human life you helped create. In order to understand it you have to experience it for yourself. Not even the Prophecy that Dumbledore told me about concerning my son could dampen the joy I felt.
There was something calming about that first time I looked into Harry's eyes. It was as if nothing else mattered. His eyes still have that effect on me, nine months after birth. Full of wonder, blind happiness, innocence. Sometimes I envy him, my own son. He doesn't have to deal with the stresses of life, at least not yet. But when I'm feeling stressed out, feel like giving up, all I have to do is look into my son's eyes. My son has become my strength. He gives me a sense of purpose in this world. A reason for doing what I do.
"James? James?" I hear Lily calling my name,
"Yeah love?" I said getting up to put Harry back in his crib.
"What were you thinking about?" She asks, wrapping her arms around me from behind, kissing my neck.
"Just thinking about my son's eyes."
Author's Note: Well, what do you all think? If you have any opinion at all, please put into a review. Thanks!
