A/N: SIYE is a strictly H/G site. This is what is called a filler chapter. It has H/G. If you aren't an H/G Ship, then please do not comment on the H/G. It is a requirement for the other site, and I feel no need to alter the story. If you really can't stand H/G, then I suppose you could skip the chapter. There isn't any major plot point in this that you won't find in the next chapter, so whatever.
James' gift to Harry proved to be useful, as did Harry's gift to Ron, as Gryffindor was well on its way to taking the House Cup. So far they had pummeled Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and now only had Slytherin to take on, who had also pummeled Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Now, the match for the Quidditch Cup was approaching, as was Valentine's day, which no one could deny. There were fat little cupids flying around the school again, singing ballads quite badly. Harry was, to put it mildly, stressed out. Not only did he have a team to organize but he also had to think of an amazing surprise just for Ginny
He had decided that he would make her dinner himself and set the date up in the Room of Requirement. Unfortunately, Harry also had the Quidditch game on Valentine's day, which would most likely end up being from five to six, which was when he would need to start making the dinner. He supposed that he could just let the House Elves do it, but then it wouldn't be as personable or as surprising. So, on Valentine's Day Harry set off for the room of requirement and began to bake a red velvet cake. He put it in the oven and then ran to the Gryffindor common room to get changed for the game.
"And we're here folks with the Quidditch Cup Championship! This year the brave, fantastic Gryffindors face the slimy, smelly Slytherins! Ow, hey Professor McGonagall I'm only telling the truth. Anyway, it's Katie Bell with the quaffle, and now she passes to Johnson," Seamus was emceeing the event. Harry had to smile. Yes, now that Lee Jordan was no longer the announcer it seemed fitting that a Gryffindor with just as much personality should take up the stand. Harry went back to concentrating, looking for the snitch and periodically looking at the score. He spotted the snitch once, by Angelina's ear, but there was a bludger coming right towards her, which luckily she spotted and got away from, but unfortunately the snitch got away as well before Harry could even say "Quidditch".
The game was running longer than Harry thought it would. It was fifteen minutes over what Harry had thought it would run when he spotted the snitch. He and Draco had a short face off, but Draco's Nimbus was not match for Harry's firebolt, and he quickly took the snitch. Not only, Harry reflected, had they just won the Quidditch cup and he was the captain, but now he could get back to the room of requirement.
Unfortunately for Harry, the over-enthusiastic team was not just about to let him go anywhere. They'd raised him up above their heads, cheering and carried him all the way to the Gryffindor common room where an impromptu party began. The party was great, and Harry had had his fill of butterbeer before he could sneak away with Ginny to the room of requirement. Ginny was giggling all the way there.
"But Harry," she'd said more than once, "there's a perfectly fine celebration in there. You really don't need to surprise me even more!" Yet Harry insisted upon it. When they arrived at the Room, Ginny gasped. The room must have covered every inch in red roses, or, for on the floor, red rose petals. "Oh, Harry," she said. Harry grinned and went into the little kitchen. "That's not all, Gin. I baked you a cake!" he said. He stopped grinning when he got there and frowned. The cake sure did smell funny…he opened the oven and, just to show Harry's luck, the cake exploded in his face. Harry wiped the cake from his eyes and looked at Ginny apologetically.
"I'm sorry Gin. I tried to bake the cake, but I guess it overcooked," he said, sounding depressed and got a towel to wipe off the rest of his face. Ginny just cracked up in laughter.
"Oh, oh Harry!" she laughed. It sounded like she was going to say more but she was too caught up in laughing to be able to do so. Harry looked at her in confusion.
"What's so funny?"
"You should have seen the look on your face! Or just your face in general, all covered with cake batter!" Ginny grinned. She walked over to him smiling. "Harry, don't you know that I don't need all of this? All I need is you. That's the best Valentine's present you could give me." She kissed him. "I love you, Harry."
"I love you Ginny," Harry said. They kissed again.
About a week after Valentine's Day, James was sitting in his office grading papers when he heard a slightly timid knock on the door.
"Come in," James called. He was surprised to see Sirius walk in and sit down across from him. Their friendship had been strained ever since Sirius discovered that Harry was James' son. It was only strained in little ways, but the slight tension was definitely there. "Haven't come to beat the crap out of me, have you?" James asked jokingly. Sirius shook his head, and James realized that this was going to be another serious Sirius moment. James put down his quill and gave his best friend his full attention. Sirius didn't say anything for a moment and then he began to speak.
"Around the beginning of the school year I asked Harry if he was happy. It was just a simple question, but I think he and I both knew that it was more serious a question than either of us would let on. He took a moment to think, and then he answered me quite frankly, 'no'. I thought I knew for the longest time. I thought he wasn't happy because of you. Now I think I get it. I don't think that that was the reason. James, I think there are just some things that Harry needs a father for. I think there are some things you just need to ask him about," Sirius got up. "You know James, Harry is a lot like me. He might not understand you, but at least he tries to. You should extend the same courtesy to him." Sirius got up and left, leaving James with his thoughts.
Sirius, James knew, had felt doubly betrayed when James left Lily. Not only had his friend gone dumped the girl that Sirius himself loved like a sister (and more, if it had ever been allowed), but he had also thrown away all of the values Sirius held so dear. Sirius had loathed his Pureblood family. They beat him, they starved him. They tried to make him into a Slytherin, but despite all of their attempts to turn his heart black, his heart of gold stood strong. It was so strong that he had left his own parents and taken refuge at James' house. James could see the many parallels between his best friend and his son, and knew that Sirius understood Harry better than James could. It was that that was the reason that James knew Sirius was right. He and Harry needed to have a little talk—James even knew what about. James needed to talk to Harry about that oh so sore and tender subject—where he'd taken up residence for the past 15 years.
"Dobby!" James called. Dobby was the house elf that had been assigned to James when he began teaching. Dobby suddenly appeared.
"Yes, Mr. James sir?" Dobby asked eagerly.
"Could you tell Harry Evans to come see me, please?" James asked. Dobby squealed.
"Mr. Evans, sir? Of course! Dobby will tell Mr. Evans right away, sir!" and with a pop Dobby was gone. James shook his head, smiling. Dobby was an odd little elf, but he was definitely one of the sweetest elves he'd ever met. James waited a while and sure enough Harry came in a few minutes later.
"You wanted to see me?" Harry asked. James nodded and gestured to a seat.
"Yes. I just wanted to talk with you," James said. Harry smiled—how James so loved to see that smile now.
"What about?" he asked. James shrugged.
"Well, you know almost everything about me. I can't even number how many stories I've told you. Yet, I don't know all that much about what's happened in your life Harry. Why don't you tell me?" James asked. Harry shrugged.
"There isn't much about my life that you couldn't read in The Daily Prophet," Harry said. James looked Harry in the eye.
"I don't want to hear about it from a tabloid. I want to hear about it from my son," James said. Harry sighed and shrugged.
"Well, I guess I could tell you about it," Harry said. "Where do you want me to start?"
"Why not with your Hogwarts letter?" James asked. Harry was reluctant to tell him, but he did it anyway. He was slightly surprised and James' outrage about the Dursley's. Once Harry had told him about them, Harry couldn't even go on with the story. James wanted to know every awful thing that they'd ever done to him. So, Harry was stuck with telling James stories of the Dursley's. Harry was pleased as James got madder and madder with each new tale.
"Wait here for a moment, Harry. I need to have a word with the Headmaster," James said. He left the office and Harry couldn't help but smile. After all of these years it was finally out in the open. The Dursley's were something that Harry never even talked about, not even to Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Yet here he found himself talking freely to his father about their terrible sins against him. Harry waited for perhaps forty-five minutes for James to get back. He came back looking pleased and even a little smug. He took off his wizard's robe to reveal the muggle clothes he always wore underneath. "Harry, go get changed. Remember to bring a jacket—we're going on a little road trip."
James' 'little road trip' turned out to be to Number Four Privet Drive. They had gotten there via side-along apparition, making Harry feel slightly queasy, but he held up all right.
"What are we doing here, James?" Harry asked. He didn't feel frightened anymore, like he would have had Snape or some other teacher brought him here. He trusted his father wholly, and he knew that he would never lead him into danger or bring him back to this awful place with the meaning of leaving him there.
"Exacting due revenge, my boy. I'm sure you've always wanted to play a trick or two on these awful people," James said with a malicious glint in his eye. Harry smiled cynically.
"Oh yes," Harry said. "I've wanted to for a very long time." Harry and James snuck around to the back of the house. It was nighttime, and the Dursleys were sleeping. Harry and James had much fun setting various magical traps along the house, even one that included Spell-O-Glue, chocolate syrup and lots and lots of chicken feathers. When they were finished, James smiled smugly at Harry.
"We'll come back in the morning," he said.
"Yes," Harry said. "You know, I really think that revenge has been exacted, James." James grinned.
"Yes, and I've never been so proud of my son, coming up with all of those pranks! I didn't know you had it in you my boy." James said. This time, Harry grinned.
"You never should have doubted me, Pops." With that, the two apparated back to Hogsmeade.