Writer: Azure K Mello
Title: A Bond Never Dies
Part: 72?
Words: 291
Warnings: Angst. Non-canon.
James watched his son and mother as the older woman held the little boy in the swimming pool. He stirred his tall glass of Pimm's with a slice of cucumber. He dropped the fruit into the glass and placed some mints leaves in as well before he drank the fizzy alcohol.
His father came and sat next to him and said, "James?"
"Hmm?" James asked looking up from his reverie.
"Is there. . . is there?" The man didn't seem to be able to bring himself to finish his question.
"Is there what?" asked James.
"Is there something wrong with Harry? Only, he doesn't speak much and when he does it isn't at the level a child of his age should be speaking."
James tried not to be angry. After all, his father wasn't in the wrong. "No, there's nothing with him. He hasn't been spoken to his entire life. He was ordered about, spoken to. And they let him talk. They didn't want to hear him. By the time he's at school age he'll be fine. All he needs is for someone to talk to him."
The man looked at his tense son for a moment before pulling the boy into a hug.