James nearly had a heart attack when he walked into the Hogwarts kitchens to get dinner for himself. It wasn't everyday he walked in on people kissing, and it definitely wasn't everyday that he walked in on a redhead and his own son making-out in the Hogwarts kitchens. James staggered backward when he saw the sight. Oh, the memories the scene brought back—memories that James wasn't ready to deal with, memories that he had run from for sixteen years; memories that he was being forced to relive with the realization that he had a son. Harry and Ginny were so wrapped up in one another, however, that it took a timid house elf tugging on the hem of Harry's robe for him to turn around and notice. Harry turned around and blanched.
"Oh erm, Professor, we erm, were just erm," Harry stuttered, then gained some control of himself, "Ginny uh had some dirt on her nose and I was just going to wipe it off." Harry finished lamely. If James hadn't been so shocked by the wave of memories that had attacked him when he walked into the kitchen, maybe he could have thought of something witty. Maybe he could have done something more than just stand there in utter shock while Harry asked if he was feeling all right. The fact of the matter was, he couldn't because he was so shocked by the wave of memories. Yes, all of those terrible yet wonderful memories…
Flashback
James sat on the couch in the living room to his flat, cuddling with and watching the fire with Lily. He really couldn't be happier than he was at that moment.
"I love you, James. You love me right?" Lily asked, though the question wasn't serious, and James knew it. He smiled down at her.
"Of course I love you, Lily," James replied, giving her a kiss on the top of her head. Lily snuggled up against him more.
"Good. So one day we'll get married and have children. I want three, unless you have objections," Lily said with a contented sigh, but James' body tensed. Lily felt it and looked up at him questioningly. "You do want children, don't you?" James sighed.
"No."
"No?"
"No, I mean no that's not what I…never mind," James mumbled. Lily looked indignant now and stopped cuddling him.
"What is it? Do you want children or not? What's wrong James?" Lily asked. James ran a hand through his messy hair.
"It's not that I don't want children, Lily, it's just that…" James trailed off.
"It's just that what, James Potter?"
"It's just that, well, my parents…they, they love you Lily but…" James stopped. He shouldn't go there. Why had he even brought the topic up?
"But what?" Lily exclaimed, looking offended now.
"Well, they…they don't want…they don't want me to marry you, Lily. They…want me to find, you know. A Pureblood witch to continue the line with and--," James began, but he was cut short right there.
"James Potter, are you seriously considering believing in those terrible pureblood prejudices? I can't believe you! That's all just like…like, I don't even know what! Horse breeding or something! Whichever horse has the purest line is the best of the breed or whatever. You want to be a horse, James?" Lily asked, enraged.
"No, I…this isn't coming out right, Lily. I still want to marry you Lily, but I have to…marry someone else first I guess, and have kids, and then I could get a divorce and then--," James began, thinking rapidly. Why had he brought this up? Why had he given in to his parents? Lily was in tears now.
"You can't do that James! I'm a living, breathing person, and that wife and those children would be too! Why can't you just marry me and have children with me? Wouldn't my children be just as good as some pureblood's?" she asked anxiously. How could this be happening to her? James had always been so good to her—why was he turning on her now?
"Lily, it's just that, you know how my parents are. They don't want the blood being mixed and such…it's a matter of--," James started. Nothing was coming out right.
"Prejudice!" Lily sobbed. "The prejudice against muggleborns your parents and now you harbor! I thought you'd changed James! You promised me you had. Why couldn't you just tell me that before we started dating? Was it lust? In that case you got out of me what you wanted you jerk, you snake! You're no better than—no, you're worse than Severus Snape and the rest of those Slytherins! How could you James Potter?" Lily ran from the room in tears and apparated with a pop before James could even say, "wait". That was the last time James ever saw Lily Evans, or ever even heard a word about her again, save the day she died. Of course, also save now. It was later that day that Sirius found out about what he had said to Lily and had thoroughly beaten him up. James learned quickly that you simply didn't mess with one of Sirius' friends. Lupin, surprisingly, had also gone on a rant to him—James suspected he had had a crush on Lily in their seventh year, and his suspicions were confirmed in Remus' rant. Dumbledore, too, was disappointed in James. Yet, it didn't take all of their chastising for James to figure out that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.
End Flashback
"Professor? Professor? Should I go and get Madam Pomfrey?" Harry was standing over James, looking concerned. It occurred to James that he had slumped against the wall and was sitting down, looking dazed.
"What? Oh, no Mr. Potter, I'll be fine…I'm afraid I haven't been feeling very well today," James said, then he left abruptly regarding the look of confusion on Harry's face to his teacher acting so oddly. When Professor Potter left Harry turned to Ginny.
"Did you…did you hear what he said?" Harry said in bewilderment. Ginny shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, yes," Ginny said. With comprehension dawning Harry gave her a curt nod and then left as abruptly as his teacher—he had a bone to pick with the Headmaster.