Once Sirius was finished with his hasty letter, he changed into Padfoot, grabbed the letter in his mouth, left Dumbledore's office, sniffed the air, and started following his godson's scent. He followed Harry's scent all the way to the Astrometry tower. 'Figures' Sirius thought as he began to clime the stone steps that led to the trap door that would bring you out onto one of Hogwarts tallest towers. As he was still a dog, opening the trap door was out of the question. Thinking, or knowing rather, that Harry would not be leaving the tower for some time, Sirius had to make Harry aware of his presence. Setting down the letter, he gave off one short, yet reasonably loud, bark, picked the letter back up, and wait for his godson to respond.
Sirius didn't have to wait long. He looked at his godson's face as he pulled the trap door open. Harry had been crying. Looking at him no one would be able to tell, his face in fact looked quite impassive. But, very few people were aware that tears had a smell to them, and, through experience, Sirius had learned what tears smelled like. They had a kind of salty smell to them, faint, but very distinct. He would not let on that he knew though. Instead of transforming back into the teenage boy's godfather, who for a short time period tried to serve as a father figure, Sirius gave his tail a small wag.
"Sirius I really," Harry started to say, but Sirius couldn't let him finish. He couldn't be aloud to keep running away from this. Before Harry could finish, Sirius placed the letter at Harry's feet. Harry didn't move to pick it up; he had to pick up this letter Sirius thought as he watched Harry stare at the letter. Nudging it with his snout, Sirius looked back up at his godson. 'Come on Harry. Read the damn letter. You gotta read it kid come on.' Knowing that Harry wouldn't be ready to talk until after he read the letter and had time to sort through his thoughts, Sirius turned around and went back down the stone steps, heading back to Dumbledore's office.
As he made his way down the steps, a memory, which had been close to being forgotten forever came bobbing to the surface of his mind.
Flashback
It was nearing midnight, and it was the first time ever that James, Sirius, and Peter would be keeping Remus company during his transformations. Sirius, James and Peter had used James invisibility cloak to get through the castle undetected. The very second that they had reached outside Sirius had thrown the cloak off and transformed into a great black dog. Laughing, James followed Sirius lead and transformed into a grand stag. The stag brought its head down so its antlers were level with the dog, who at the time was chasing its tail, and gabbed the dog playfully with it's antlers. The dog spun around and began to growl, also playfully, at the stag who was snorting in what could only be called laughter.
"Guys," said a panicky whisper that seemed to come from thin air, "be careful. What if we get caught?" Peter asked, his voice squeaking a little. The dog and the stag looked at each other and seemed to roll their eyes before the stag took off down the steps. "James, wait for me!" Peter's voice said. Sirius moved to follow James and Peter but after putting one paw on the first step he stopped and stayed where he was. When James saw that Sirius wasn't with them, he transformed back into a teenager.
"Sirius, what the hell's the matter with you? Come on, we gotta go!" James yelled up to his best friend. Sirius also transformed back, and to James surprise, ran down the front steps. James watched on in wonder as his best friend reached him.
"Bloody steps are really steep when you're a dog. Kinda freaky trying to go down them. Feels like your gonna fall down them." Sirius said. As he was Sirius' best friend, James started laughing hysterically as only a best friend could. The thought Sirius felt going down steps seemed "kinda freaky" brought tears to James' eyes, and not in the sentimental kind of way. After his confession Sirius transformed back into a dog and ran as fast as he could toward the Whomping Willow so that he wouldn't hear James laughing at him. It was a useless though, his canine hear let him hear ever gasp for breath James took.
Present
Sirius wasn't even aware that he had reached the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office; he had been so lost in his memory. A Memory that should have been shared with Harry years ago, Sirius thought sadly. 'But he'll hear it soon. He'll hear all of them soon,' Sirius thought to himself, the thought seemed to be more of a demand then anything else. It was as though he were telling himself that everything would work out. After taking a quick look around Sirius transformed back into a man, said "Ice Mice", then transformed back into a dog as the gargoyle sprang to life and move aside. Slowly, Sirius made his way onto the moving stairs. True, Dumbledore's office was ten hundred times better then Grimmauld Place, but Sirius hated being stuck anywhere for long amounts of time. Even more so when he was anxious about something. And boy was he anxious about this whole situation. Outside of Dumbledore's office Sirius stopped and listened carefully for the sounds of voices inside. After hearing none, Sirius scratched the door with one of his paws. Even if they weren't talking, there could still be someone in the room. The door opened on its on accord.
"Ah, Sirius. I took the sight of Harry running from my office as a sign that all did not go well." Dumbledore said from behind his desk, which was, as usual, covered with pieces of parchment. "You may show yourself, we are alone." He added.
"Yeah, Harry didn't take it well." Sirius said sitting none to gracefully into one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. "I wrote him a letter telling him to come whenever he felt comfortable, that we still had to talk. Whenever meaning at anytime. I hope that's alright." Sirius said, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Yes I do believe that is fine. I shall continue my work in my bed chamber." Dumbledore said as he started to gather some of his parchments together.
"Oh no, your good for now. I don't think that Harry will be coming anytime soon. I was thinking at like maybe two in the morning or some time like that." Sirius said.
"I do believe that I have really reached old age when I find myself wondering how on earth a child can stay up that late." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
"I'm glad to see that you're taking this whole thing well." Sirius said dryly.
"I am sorry my boy," Dumbledore said. "But, I have been watching Harry grow since he first arrived at Hogwarts. And I believe it is safe to say that he will come around. There will be hesitation around James for a short time it pains me to say though. But it will pass, and I am finding it hard to find any other students that have walked through these doors of Hogwarts, who deserve this more than our two Mr. Potters." Dumbledore said calmly. Sirius could only nodded at the truth in Dumbledore's words.
"I'm gonna head back into your little sitting room and get some much needed shut eye." Sirius said rising and stretching.
"Would you like me to transfigure the couch into a bed for you?" Dumbledore asked.
"No thanks, I think I'll be fine." Sirius said with a small chuckle as he thought that since he was able to transform his body into a dog he better be able to transfigure a damn couch. Sirius made his way slowly to Dumbledore's sitting but stopped when Dumbledore called out to him.
"Sirius, I was just wondering if Harry spoke with you at all about anything to do with last June before you told him that James out of his coma state?" Dumbledore asked lacing his long white fingers together. Sirius' brow furrowed.
"No, we really didn't talk before I told him. Why?" Sirius asked moving back over to Dumbledore's desk.
"When he came to me yesterday asking to speak with you he said that he need to speak with you about last June, he said that he had been having dreams about Lily and James. It did not seem as though he were lying. I was merely curious." Dumbledore said stroking this long white beard thoughtfully. Sirius frowned slightly.
"I'll ask him about it when he comes round." Sirius said, wondering what Harry would have to talk to him about June and his parents. Just as he was about to head into the sitting room again when he stopped, a sudden thought came crashing to him. "Sir, I'm going to have to send some kind of word to James so he wont be waiting up all night." Sirius said, the image of his friend sitting up all night to see his son flashing, painfully, in front of Sirius' eyes.
"Of course. You can use Fawkes to send your letter. He does seem to want to see James very much." Dumbledore added as Fawkes flew right over to Sirius at once and settled himself on Sirius' shoulder. Sirius gave a nod of good night to Dumbledore and continued his way into the sitting room. When Sirius first walked into the sitting room it was completely dark except for the flickering light that was being given off from the roaring fire in the fireplace, which must have been set soon after he left the room. Sirius opened his mouth to call out to Dumbledore to ask if there were lanterns or something in the room, but before he could make a sound, the room became a light. Torches lining the walls, the almost ceiling in the case of the walls with the bookshelves, had all lit just as he thought about lighting them. Shaking his head at how Hogwarts still amazed and surprised him, Sirius made his way over to the desk to write a letter to James.
Remus had arrived very shortly after Sirius had left Grimmauld place. When he entered the kitchen, he found one of his best friends a nervous wreck. Five minutes could not pass without James running a hand through his hair and gazing at the fireplace. He would continue to talk to Remus has usual, but the pattern went on and on.
"Prongs, calm down. Everything is going, and is fine." Remus said calmly when he finally couldn't take it anymore. Sirius had left around six thirtyish. It was now nine thirty. James who had been again staring at the fireplace turned to face Remus.
"Yeah I know. I just, I mean this whole thing is just so weird!" James managed to get out. "Things were not supposed to be like this. I mean, just look at us Moony. You're what thirty-five? I'm scarcely out of my bloody teens. My son is seven years younger then me! If I'm ever able to leave this bloody place, when we go out in public you know what people will say? 'Gosh young man, you look so much like your brother.' I'll be taken as his brother. And what if he starts to see me as his older brother? Not as a father? I don't want that!" James spilled out, letting most of his fears and worries be known to Remus. After his little rant, James was left a little breathless. As he sat there trying to get his breathing rate back to normal, Remus just watched him.
"Any better?" Remus asked once James seemed fully calm. After James gave a small nod Remus continued. "I know that this is not how thing are suppose to be James, believe me, I know. And yes, the age difference is odd all around. But maybe it will help Harry talk to you." Remus said.
"But that's what's killing me most of all," James said with a small sigh, rubbing the grubby table's edge with his thumb. "Harry shouldn't need help in talking to me." Before Remus could respond there was a burst of fire in the air and a piece of parchment fell onto the table. Along with the parchment, a beautiful phoenix was gently beating its wings in the air just where the fireball was. But, at the sight of James, he flew right over to him and settled himself on James' knee.
"Fawkes?" James asked the phoenix as Remus got up from his seat to retrieve the parchment. In answer, Fawkes gave off one beautiful note. That was enough for James. He started gently stoking the phoenix's feathers while he looked up at Remus.
"Here, its for you. Its from Sirius." Remus said handing over the parchment, which James nearly leaped out of his chair to get.
James,
I talked to Harry, he knows that your back. Or he thinks he knows that I'm nuts. Before I could fully explain everything he ran. And cause he ran, I don't even know what he's having a hard time accepting. I don't know if he believes me and is having a hard time coming to terms or if he doesn't believe me at all. I'm going to have to wait till he comes round. Which will hopefully be soon. I'm really sorry James, I tried. But try to see it from Harry's way and have patience's. He'll come round.
Sirius.
James must read the letter through five times very quickly before he really grasped what Sirius had written. Harry had flipped, just like Sirius said that he would. Having already put himself in Harry position he understood it and respected it, but he was still upset that he wouldn't be seeing his son that night. Not even thinking about it, James mutely handed Remus the letter to read. Remus read the letter silently, while James returned to stroking Fawkes.
"Well this was expected wasn't it?" Remus ventured after a few moments pause.
"Expected, yes. Wanted, not a chance." James said dryly. Remus opened his mouth to say something but stopped when someone came bounding into the kitchen.
"You two should be right proud of me. Didn't trip over that damn umbrella stand this time," Tonks, who had decided on a orange hair color today, said as she made her way to the table, competently unaware that the man sitting at the table wasn't Sirius. But her unawareness didn't last for long though. At the sight of James she jumped back and started to say "Harry, what are you-" but when she realized that it wasn't Harry sitting there she pulled out her wand and pointed it at James. James and Remus both watched the whole thing in silence. It wasn't until she pulled out her wand that Remus spoke up.
"Tonks, I'd like you to meet James Potter. And James, do you remember Sirius' little cousin Dora?"
He wasn't sure how, but somewhere between all the thoughts that were running through his head, Sirius had some how managed to fall asleep on the couch. Yes, the couch. Once he had sent Fawkes off with his letter to James, Sirius had turned to the task of transfiguring the couch into a bed. Which, did not go as well as he had hoped. As the key part of transfiguration is concentration, Sirius found that he shouldn't have laughed when Dumbledore offered his help. With thoughts so full of, well everything, Sirius only managed to make the three separate cushions of the couch, one long cushion. He was thank full that he didn't have to attempt to conger up a blanket and pillow as a House-elf came in and left him some just as he raised his wand. But, all in all, the real surprise for Sirius wasn't that his magic was off, or that the House-elves were seemingly watching him, it was that when he awoke (quite unexpectedly) he found that he wasn't alone.
"James what the bloody hell are you doing here?" Sirius said, voice heavy from tiredness. James was sitting on top of the desk watching the sunrise out of the window. Even though James' back was to Sirius, Sirius could see that James was sitting with his legs cris-crossed on top of the desk, a typical James sitting style. Sirius tried to sit up, but ended up just laying back down. Being up for sunrise was something that Sirius only liked to do if he was up all night doing one of his three favorite things. One, talking about what just happened during the full moon adventure of that month, two, pulling a prank, and three, having… well lets just say that he hadn't done any of the three in a very long time. When James didn't answer him Sirius spoke again.
"Look, Harry just wasn't ready to see you yet. I told you that he probable wouldn't be." Sirius said while lying on his back and trying to keep his eyes open. Once again, James didn't answer him. Peeking one eye open, Sirius looked at his friend. "There's nothing that I can do know you know. I can't go and fetch him for you. All he needs is some time to think it over." Sirius brought a hand to his face and rubbed it, hopping to rid himself of some of his tiredness. James, still, didn't respond. This was very unJames-like. Sirius pulled himself up off the couch and started to make his way to his best friend. He stood to the side of the desk and joined James in looking at the sunrise. He opened his mouth and turned to talk to James some more but leaped back when he saw that it wasn't James. Just as he turned to look at him, 'James' turned to face him as well. But it wasn't hazel eyes that Sirius met it was green. "Bloody hell Harry!" Sirius yelled, clutching his heart, which was beating a hundred times per second.
"So you do then." Harry said, gazing at his godfather. Sirius, who was bent double trying to get his heart rate back to normal looked up at Harry.
"So I do what?" Sirius asked. He hoped that he hadn't given off that he wasn't glad that Harry was there when he yelled. He really was glad. It was just that he thought that he had been speaking to James, and, well he wasn't.
"You do get me and my dad mixed up. You do have a hard time in whether I'm my dad or not. And that's why you think that he's back." Harry said as calmly as someone would explain that one and one is two. Sirius slowly shook his head.
"No Harry, no. I mean, yeah I just mistook you for James but not, you know you look so much like him. And sitting like that," Sirius tried to say but stopped when he realized that he wasn't being informative, he was being confusing. "Harry, yes I mistook you for James just now but, not for the reason your thinking." Sirius said.
"Hermione says that you're really lonely, and that's why you don't know the difference." Harry said, returning his gaze to the sunset. He spoke as though Sirius hadn't said anything.
"Harry stop." Sirius said, placing his hands on Harry's knees and spinning him around so that Harry was facing him instead of the window. "Please, Harry listen to me, alright? I'm not nuts. I'm not saying that James is back because I want him to be, or I think he's you. If I was nuts and making this all up do you think that Dumbledore would let you speak to me? Do you think he would have let me going on believe that? What about Lupin? You think that he would let me keep thinking that?" Sirius said looking into Harry's eyes. "Well?" Sirius pressed lightly when Harry wouldn't answer. Not meeting his gaze, Harry let out a small sigh and gave and equally small nod of the head. "Then why wont you believe me?" Sirius asked.
"Because…" Harry started, looking out of the window instead of at Sirius. Sirius could see that there were circles under Harry's eyes from lack of sleep. "Because things like this don't happen. People don't come back from the dead." Harry said finally.
"You're right Harry people don't. James didn't though, I told you that last night. Voldemort didn't kill him. He just put James into a coma." Sirius said softly, Harry was starting to come around. He was running out of reasons to fight this, Sirius could tell.
"But why? Why didn't he kill him? Voldemort isn't the type to take prisoners." Harry said meeting Sirius' gaze. 'Got him' Sirius thought.
"Your dad was a threat to Voldemort. And believe it over not, Voldemort wanted him to be a death eater." Sirius said. Harry's eyes widened at the last part. Sirius gave a humorless chuckle. "Yeah, stupid thought right? Well he did, for whatever reason. So it seems that Voldemort asked James again that night to join him, and become a death eater. James of course said no. Then Voldemort got the idea that James' decision might change if everyone James cared about was killed. You gotta remember Harry that he went there that night not thinking that you would stop him. He thought that some time after he kill you and your mum, that he would get Remus and me. Then, some time later, the rest of the order. You heard over the summer how Voldemort and the death eaters were picking the order off one by one. Everyone that James would have cared about Voldemort was planning on killing." Sirius said. Harry listened, looking at Sirius with wide eyes. They were both silent as Harry searched his godfathers face. Finding nothing but hope and truthfulness, Harry looked back out of the window.
"I can't believe this." Harry emitted softly. Sirius smiled, just as softy as Harry had spoken.
"Yeah I know kid." Sirius said watching Harry closely. There was again silence between them.
"Your really, really sure that its him though right? He's not gonna turn out to be a death eater right?" Harry asked, voice going back to sounding how it usually did. Sirius chuckled a little.
"Yes Harry. I'm sure that it's him." Sirius said. Harry just nodded. Then,
"But, I mean, couldn't Wormtail have told some death eaters how to act like him?" Harry asked.
"Yes, he could have," Sirius started and Harry's head snapped up. "But he didn't. James was asked things that only James could know the truth about. Believe me. Only James would have known that…" Sirius trailed off thinking now was not the best time to get into more of his relationship with his family.
"So, now what?" Harry asked after seeing that Sirius was not going to carry on with whatever James knew that no one else would.
"Well, I was thinking that maybe we could go to Grimmauld Place and see him." Sirius said, trying to sound casual. Harry's eyes widened.
"Now?" Harry asked.
"Well, it doesn't have to be right now." Sirius said, unsure of what Harry's wide eye reaction was implying. "You could get some sleep cause it looks like you didn't get any last night. Or you and me could talk some more about anything you want. Or you can go down to breakfast and come back up here around lunch, or" Sirius said, rambling on and on.
"Can we eat in here?" Harry asked. He was starving and breakfast wouldn't be in the Great Hall for another hour or two.
"Sure." Sirius said looking around the room. "Now last night the House-elves just came in when I wanted a blanket so maybe now," He stopped when none other then Dobby appeared out of thin air in front of them. Harry slid to the edge of the desk and hopped off, having a feeling of what might be coming.
"Would Sirs like some breakfast?" Dobby asked bowing to them before seeing Harry and yelling "Harry Potter!" and running straight to Harry and hugging him around the knees.
"Hello Dobby," Harry said as he tried to keep standing after being hit by the sudden force that was Dobby. "Can you just bring us up a whole bunch of breakfast stuff?" Harry asked the elf. Dobby nodded his head violently and said,
"Of course Harry Potter." Then with a snap of his fingers, the desk that Harry had been sitting on was filled with food. "If Sirs need Dobby again, just call for him, and I will come." Dobby said with one last bow before Disapparate. Sirius watched as Harry grabbed one of the plates that had been left also and started loading it up with everything.
"Hungry?" Sirius asked. Harry only nodded as he had just stuffed some toast that couldn't fit on his plate into his mouth. Having completely filled his plate, Harry moved to the side so Sirius could get some food. Walking carefully so not to spill any of his food Harry made his way over to the couch. He seemed to be doing everything in a sort of surreal state. A state of shock maybe. Cause, this was all just too much. James Potter really was back. He had a father now.
Yet, there was a state of Harry's mind that was still unsure of this all. This was just a childhood wish and dream. And, those never really come true for Harry. 'That's not true. You got away from the Dursley's. You got away and came to Hogwarts.' A voice in Harry's mind said. Which was true. It was a wish of his to leave the Dursley's, but had he really accomplished that? Harry believed that this summer was proof that he had not. As Harry sat, still trying to sort through his thoughts and emotions, Sirius studied his godson from the spot he had taken in one of the armchairs after getting his own food. Then suddenly, a thought came to him.
"Harry," Sirius started. "When you came to Dumbledore yesterday or I guess by now it would be two days ago, you told him that you wanted to speak with me about last June. He said that you told him that you had been having dreams about your mum and dad." Sirius said. Harry looked at him for a second before he remembered what Sirius was talking. Was it really only two days ago? It felt so much longer then that.
"Yeah. On the way to his office Ron, Hermione and me had came up with a reason to give to him but I forgot it. And that was the first thing that popped into my head." Harry said. Then, thinking of what he had told Dumbledore, thinking about the dreams he had been having, something in Harry's mind clicked. "He never came out of Voldemort's wand." Harry said quietly, he seemed to be talking to himself more then Sirius. But Sirius heard anyways.
"What was that Harry?" Sirius asked as he bit into a sausage. Harry looked up at him.
"I've been having weird dreams about the third task. Different ones then I've had over the summer. In these, I see my mum coming out of Voldemort's wand. But, dad never does. And, and mum says that he wont." Harry said eyes cast down to the floor, but the movement that Sirius could see in Harry's green eyes showed that he was thinking fast. And so was Sirius.
"Harry how come you didn't tell us sooner?" Sirius asked. If they had known this soon, surly Dumbledore would have found it odd and looked into it. Then, they might have found James sooner, or under better circumstances at the least. Harry just shrugged and brought his gaze back up to Sirius.
"I just thought that there wasn't anytime for dad to come out." Harry said. Really, at the time, it didn't seem that big of a deal. But what a big deal it was.
Neither of them spoke again until they had both filled up as much as possible on the food Dobby had given them. Standing and stretching, Sirius started voicing the "speech" he had made up while they were eating. The speech wasn't really a speech; it was just what he was planning on telling Harry to get him to come back to Grimmauld Place with him to see James.
"So, Harry." Sirius said, raising his arms above his head and stretching them toward the ceiling. "Do you want to grab a change of clothes, come back and then we'll go see James?" Sirius asked, trying to sound casual again. Little did he know Harry had been making his own plan as well in that silence. He was still spilt down the middle about the whole situation. Yes, he accepted that James Potter was indeed alive. But his feelings were all still in a jumble. And, for now, he just wanted to put off this meeting until him could work just one particular concern. A big concern of his.
"Well, I haven't seen Ron and Hermione since yesterday, their probably worried about me. I was thinking that I should hang around Gryffindor Tower till they wake up and explain some things to them." Harry said. He saw that as he spoke, Sirius had a small frown start to cross over his face. Sirius let his arms drop to his side and gave a small sigh before sitting next to Harry on the couch.
"Harry, please, try to see things from your dad's side. He thought that you and your mum were dead. And that nearly pushed him over the edged. Ever since he found out that you're alive, all he's wanted to do is come to Hogwarts and see you." Sirius said, slowly and softly. He didn't want to let Harry know how almost over the edge James went, but he wanted him to know that it was close. "Please, you don't have to run into his arms for a hug, or anything like that. Just talk to him. He doesn't know anything about what's happened to since he died Harry." As Sirius said this, Harry's eyes widen. "Yeah, I know. That's a lot. He doesn't know about the Dursleys, he doesn't know about anything that you've done since you got to Hogwarts. Nothing Harry. He only knows that you were in the Tri-Wizard tournament and that your one hell of a Quidditch player." Sirius went on. "He knows that your brave and a great kid, but that's it. So all I'm asking is that you come with me and talk to him." Sirius pleaded slightly. The last thing that he wanted to do was pressure Harry, but, he knew James, and he knew that James needed to see his son. Harry studied Sirius closely. Sirius could see in his eyes that he really didn't want to go.
"Alright." Harry said at last in a quite voice. "I'll get changed, and just leave a note for Ron to tell him not to worry." Harry said while standing. Sirius saw that Harry wouldn't meat his eyes.
"I'll be here." Sirius said, and watched as Harry made his way out of the sitting room.
Remus had always been an early riser. It was just an odd habit of his. It was because of this habit that he was sitting alone in the kitchen on Sunday morning. After reassuring Tonks over and over again that James was really James, they had all spent the night catching James up with changes that had been made in the Ministry. And since Fudge came to power, there had been a lot of changes. Even more so recently with everything going on. James and Tonks had one particularly long discussion about changes made to the Auror sector.
From discussing the Ministry, the topic turned to the Order. Both new and old were talked of. James wanted to know what everyone from the original Order did after the war and who the new members were. It was then that James learned about what happened to Frank and Alice Longbottem. Having gone to Hogwarts with the pair of them, and then worked with them outside of Hogwarts, James was very close to Frank and Alice, and felt considerable pain upon learning of their fate. Not much in the mood for talking after that, James turned in early. Though Remus was sure that it would be hours before he really fell asleep.
Sighing, Remus rose from his seat to make himself another cup of tea. This would be his third that morning. But, just as he made to put the kettle over the fire, he heard a noise behind him and turned to face Sirius and Harry. Remus smiled at the sight of Harry. Sirius had gotten him to come. Harry, seeing Remus standing there, tried to return the smile, but nervousness only aloud for a small grin of hello.
" 'Low Remus," Sirius said, smiling as well. He took a look around the kitchen and said, "James still sleeping?"
"Yes. Want me to go and wake him?" Remus asked, as he said it, he got the feeling that maybe he shouldn't have. Harry got a look on his face as if everything was happening to fast. But, with Sirius to his side, Sirius couldn't see Harry's face and gave Remus an answer.
"Sounds like a plan." Sirius said, finally turning to look at Harry. He had still been wearing a smile when he turned to look at Harry, but after seeing how nervous Harry looked, it started to fade. He looked back up at Remus who was still standing in the same spot and gave a nod. With one last glance between Harry and Sirius, Remus left the kitchen to wake James. Once Remus had left Sirius spoke to Harry.
"There is nothing to be nervous about Harry." Sirius said softly and calmly.
"Easy for you to say," Harry snapped. His heart rate was speeding up and he felt like spiriting of to the fire and Flooing out of here as fast as he could. He still hadn't found an answer to the question that he most wanted answered. Hearing footsteps coming down stairs from somewhere in the house, Harry's panicking started to increase. "Sirius," he said quickly.
"Yeah Harry?" Sirius asked, watching Harry grow more and more nervous and half wishing that he had let Harry stall at Hogwarts a little longer.
"Sirius, what should I call him?" Harry asked quietly, looking up at Sirius with wide eyes. Sirius opened his mouth to say 'dad' but Harry carried on, talking quickly. "Cause, I mean, well, I always thought that dad was a special name and, well I don't even know him." Harry said. Sirius heard his mother's portrait started screaming and knew that James would be in the kitchen in a matter of seconds.
"Try not to call him anything for now and we'll talk later." Sirius said. He barely finished when the door opened. Harry had his back facing the door, but at the sound of it opening, he visible tensed. Looking over Harry's head, Sirius saw James standing in the doorway, staring at Harry. Sirius couldn't hear his mother's shots and assumed that Remus had managed to pull her curtains shut. Both Potter's seemed to be frozen, James in the doorway, and Harry with his back to the doorway. Knowing that something had to be said, Sirius cleared his throat.
"Harry," Sirius said, placing his hands on Harry's shoulders. Harry looked up at him with terrified eyes, knowing what was coming. "There's someone that I think you should meet." Sirius said gently, turning Harry around so that he was facing James. "Harry, meet your dad. James Potter."
James nearly fell over. He could have cried out with joy. After waiting for so long, he was finally seeing his son. His baby boy and grown up so beautifully. Just like Lily and him had wished for. From seeing the picture of Harry, he knew that Harry looked so much like him, but seeing it in person was something else. But, James was just so glad to see that he really did have Lily's beautiful eyes, the one thing that James had prayed his child would have. Beside health and happiness of course. 'Oh god Lily. You should see him. He's so grown up.' James though, eyes scanning Harry franticly. Not able to take not holding his son anymore, James moved forward to grab Harry into a hug and tell him how sorry he was for not being there for everything. And tell him that he was here now, and that he would make everything that was wrong in his life better. And that he would never leave Harry again. But, James had just moved his foot one step forward, when Harry moved one step back.
With Sirius standing directly behind him, Harry really had no place to go. And, really, he wasn't trying to get away. It was just a reaction of being in a strange, and slightly scary situation. But it was a strong reaction. When Harry took his step back, he bumped into Sirius a little, and Sirius had placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. Both movements, Harry's step away even more so, dug deeply into James' heart. 'He doesn't even know you, its nothing personal, James. It's nothing personal. He's probably scared out of his wits about this whole thing.' James thought to himself as he tried not to cry at the hurt he felt. He tried to go to his son and his son backed way and needed reassurance, which never should have been needed.
"Why don't we sit down?" Sirius asked in a slightly strained voice. This was not going well. Neither one of them had said a word. Though, Harry's step back from James seemed to have spoken a thousand words in it's self. Mutely, James slowly made his way to a chair. He took slow steps, as if to show Harry that he was moving toward the table and not him. James wanted Harry to trust him, and the only way for that to happen was for things to go slow. However much it hurt James, Harry came first. Repeating over and over in his head that this was necessary, James sat down. After watching James for a little bit, Harry took a seat on the other side of the table. Sirius sat down next to Harry, thinking that if he made a run for it, he would be able to stop him.
Again, both Potters were silent as they took each other in, each in there own way. James was still scanning Harry desperately, as though to make sure that he really was him, that the teenage boy sitting, painfully so far away from him, was really his baby. Harry however was taking James in cautiously. So this was his father, Harry thought as he looked at James. When people had told him that he looked like his father, Harry use to think that they must have had the same nose or hair or something. It wasn't until Harry saw the pictures of his parents that Hagrid had given him that he really knew what people were talking about. Even now, Harry saw that one of the few differences between them was height. Sirius looked from James to Harry and opened his mouth to say something, as he felt that nothing would be said other whys, when the kitchen door opened.
"Sirius," Remus said, poking his head in the room. "Can you come out here, Dumbledore has a message for you." Remus said, looking over at James and Harry, which only the latter of the pair seemed to have even noticed Remus entering. Even with only a head inside the room, Remus could feel the tension. When Remus asked Sirius to leave the room, Harry immediately turned to look at his godfather, pleading with his eyes for Sirius not to leave the room. It was not that Harry didn't want to get to know James; he just didn't want to be alone with him so soon. Even with Sirius in the room it was awkward, without Sirius, Harry couldn't even imagine. Knowing that both Dumbledore and Remus would not ask him to leave this situation unless it was very important, Sirius nodded to Remus and rose from his chair.
"We'll be upstairs if you two need us." Sirius said to both of them, though he was looking at Harry. James had yet to take his eyes off his son.
"There's tea in the kettle if you want any also," Remus put in, now seeing Harry's pleading eyes following Sirius as he made his way to the door. When Sirius reached the door, Remus took a step back so he could get out. With on last glance at James and Harry, Sirius stepped out of the room and closed the door.
"What's Dumbledore's message?" Sirius asked as they made their way up the stairs.
"It seems that we might have to announce James' return sooner then we thought." Remus said.
Back in the kitchen, there was still silence. Harry had given up at looking at James; he got this weird feeling in his stomach. Yet James seemed to have no problems. Being unable to do anything else, and as he hated being stared at, Harry got up and went over to the stove to get himself some tea. He had to have something to do while James just stared, who knew how long it would be till Sirius got back and made some small talk? Harry certainly wasn't going to start any, and it seemed as though James had lost either the will or the ability to talk. But, as Harry placed a hand on the kettle, he deiced that he didn't want tea, he wanted Butterbeer, so putting the kettle back down he started opening some cabinets in search for some Butterbeer. Every thing done with his back to James.
James watched his son, every step that Harry took, and every breath that Harry seemed to take, James took note of. When Harry stared opening cabinets, James briefly wondered what he was doing. Then a voice that sounded a lot like Sirius' said 'He's just like you James', and a thought came to him. Deciding to test it out, James pulled his wand out of his robes and said "Accio Butterbeer!" Two Butterbeers came out of the cabinet farthest from Harry and flew over to the table and landed in front of James. Harry had frozen at the sound of his father's voice. 'So that's what my dad sounds like when he's not preparing to die,' Harry thought somewhere, far, far in the back of his mind. The only time that he had heard James' voice was he was learning to fight dementors in his third year. James had yelled to Lily to take Harry and run, and that he would hold Voldemort off.
"Do, you, er, I mean, were you looking for Butterbeer?" James asked from behind Harry, voice sounding unsure. Harry spun around. Still sitting at the table, James had a look on his face that mingled between shock (maybe at having actually spoken) and hope. Harry couldn't place where the hope was come from, but nodded any way, wondering how James had known. He smiled at Harry's nod. "I was the same way when ever I was uncomfortable. I also had to have something to do with my hands." He said, picking up a bottle and holding it out for Harry to take. For a moment, Harry hesitated, and then he slowly moved closer. But only close enough to take the bottle that James was holding out for him. Once he took the bottle from James, Harry moved back to his seat across the table. He was surprised at how much he had to hold back a reply of "really?" when James had said that he was just like Harry. Eyes down to the table, Harry opened his Butterbeer and took a sip. He still had yet to say a word since James had entered the kitchen. And James longed to hear what Harry's voice sounded like. Knowing that the only way to get Harry to talk was by asking questions, James asked one of the many that were burning to be asked.
"So, tell me what were the tasks that you had to go through in the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" James asked. Not one of the really important questions, or a question a father should ask his son after not seeing him in fourteen year, but, they had to break the ice with something. At the mention of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, flashes of it past through Harry's mind. The first task, the second, and then the third. Looking up at James, and meeting his eyes, somewhere in the back of Harry's mind, a nasty voice said 'Lets tell him. Lets tell him the hell I went through cause he wasn't there.' While, seemingly, at the same time, another voice, just as distant as the first seemed to say, 'Tell him up to the third, and just that I did well. Leave the bad parts out for now. Maybe he'll be proud.' Whichever voice he was listening to, Harry wasn't sure, but still looking into the eyes of his father, Harry, unsure of where on earth he had found his voice, said,
"Well, for the first task, we had to get this golden egg from a dragon, a nesting mother…"
A.N- Well, there you have it. Father and Son have now met. And, a nice and long chapter too. Do you like it? Please, please tell me! I hope that it doesn't seem like a dragged it out, that's a fear of mine. What a chapter for me to feel nervous about, eh? I'm so sorry that it took sooo long to get this out but I wanted it to feel just right, so I went slow, which, I'm sorry for. And, even though I went slowly, I still have my doubts. But please, please, please, drop me a review for this chapter. I love you guys soo much for the 223 reviews, you guys have no idea what that means to me. Again, tell me what you think! I so love to see review alert in my mailbox!
Till next time! Which will not be so long this time (hoping I just didn't jinx myself).
P.S- I'm sorry if this seems a bit of a Cliffhanger, but if I got into Harry starting to fill James in, it would have taken even longer.