James sat and stared at his son. Not only was his son really talking to him in a language other then one that can only be called "baby talk", but also what he was talking about was just out of this world! Harry had just finished filling James in on the First task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. And boy was that a task! He was so wrapped up in everything that his son did and said in his story that James wouldn't be surprised if Harry would later tell him that he had his mouth hanging open through out the story. But how could he not? Even if it wasn't your child that you hadn't seen in fourteen years that was telling the story, who wouldn't be hanging on to every word a Tri-Wizard Champion said about one of the tasks they where in?
Having started a petition to the get the tournament played again with Sirius while he was in his fifth year at Hogwarts, James knew a lot about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. And he told Harry so. Harry seemed a tad interested in this. So James lunched into the story. He was doing everything that he could to keep conversation with Harry going. He asked lots of questions about the first task, some of which even led to other little stories, like those of how he became best friends with his friends for instance. He couldn't help himself. Being in Harry's company was almost like a drug to him. Even when Harry was little, James had a hard time tearing himself away from his baby boy. Harry was just addicting to him. And that addiction seemed to have heightened now that Harry could hold a conversation.
Harry, however, wasn't enjoying the conversation as much as James. He was still battling with his feelings. Some of him wanted Sirius to come back in the room, just so that he was there in case James tried to hug him again, or incase they came to topics that were hard to talk about. Then, there was another part of him that wanted to tell James all the hard topics, meaning those of The Dursley's and having faced Voldemort three times since James went into his coma, just to see how he would react. There was still another feeling, one that wanted to move to a seat that was on the other side of the table, the same side as James, and listen to his father tell a story from when he was Harry's age, and maybe, possibly, let James hug him if he tried to do it again. And those were just the top three feelings.
"So, if that was just the first task I can't imagine what they did for the second." James said after finishing his telling of the speech Sirius made, while standing on top of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, of why people should sign the petition. Harry got the hint; James wanted to hear about the second task now. After glancing toward the door of the kitchen, and then down to his watch, Harry looked up at James.
"It's getting kind of late." Harry said, a little more bluntly, and rudely, then he had intended. James face, which had just been shining with a smile, dulled very fast. Quickly, Harry added, "Well it's just that I've left a bit of my homework late. And I haven't seen my friends since yesterday, and their probably worried about me. And then there's Umbridge and she'll have noticed that I haven't been 'spreading lies' all day and go looking for me," Harry rambled on, unconsciously rubbing the back of his right hand. James raised an eyebrow at the mention of Umbridge, and his son's action of rubbing his hand. But the name grabbed more of his attention, it sounded familiar.
"Why would she think that you would be spreading lies?" James asked. "And why would she care?"
"Well," Harry said slowly. "What I have to say, the Ministry doesn't agree with, so she has dubbed it a lie." Harry said. He wanted to get back to Hogwarts. Now was not the time to start with the 'Umbridge hate's me' topic. Cause, that would lead to what had happened at the end of the third task. And he didn't want to get into that story right now; he wouldn't get back to Hogwarts till morning if he started that story. James could see that there was more to this telling lies thing, but he wouldn't push Harry. Just like when he sat down at the table, James reminded himself that he had to go slow and gain Harry's trust. So instead of asking, "what are the things you have to say?" like he so dearly wanted to, James instead said,
"Alright. Let's go find Sirius and Remus and see how you're getting back to Hogwarts." That had been one of the most painful things James had ever said. He didn't want Harry to leave so soon. Cause it was way to soon. After waiting for so long (or what seemed so long), he just wanted to stay by Harry's side forever. But, again, he forcibly reminded himself that he had to go slow. He rose from his chair and wait for Harry to do the same. He saw a sense of uneasiness over come Harry, and he had a feeling what it was about. Trying not to think that his son didn't want to be close to him, James made his way toward the door. Harry followed him, though at a distance. As they walked out of the kitchen, James tried desperately to think of something to say or ask to calm one of his fears that seemed to be consuming him.
"So," James said in a whisper as the got into hearing range of Sirius' mother's portrait. Remus and Sirius had filled James in early on about keeping quite when they past her. Harry cast a quick glance at James before, just as quickly, he returned his gaze to the steps they were now ascending. "I know that with your O.W.L's this year the teachers have got to be weighing you down with homework, but, well, you never finished filling me in on the tasks. So, on the weekend, if you're not too swamped with homework that is, if you wanted to come back here and finish the story up, well, I'm sure that it wouldn't be a problem. If you wanted to." James managed to stumble out. While he was at school, one of the things that was well known about James Potter was that he was a smooth talker. And rarely did he ever have a hard time getting his message across. But, that was until he tried to ask Lily out in his seventh year after doing some growing up, that was until he tried to ask Lily to marry him, that was until he tired to tell Sirius that he wanted him to be his first child's godfather, and that was until he tried to ask his son to come back and talk to him the weekend approaching.
Harry's brain was working in over drive, trying to come up with an answer. His father had sounded so, so, almost helpless when he asked Harry to come back to Grimmauld Place this coming weekend. 'Maybe you'll have all your feelings sorted out be then.' Harry thought as they reached the first landing. Now was another topic he was torn on. But when he realized that they weren't walking anymore, that they were just standing on the first landing, Harry looked up at his father. If Harry had thought that when James asked him he sounded helpless, it was nothing to how he was looking at Harry. And for the first time ever, in his whole life, Harry got the feeling that there was someone in this completely messed up world that needed him. Just him, not the Boy-Who-Lived, just him, Harry James Potter. It was then that Harry fully understood what Sirius had said to him about James needing to see him. His father, his father, needed to see him, to talk to him, who was Harry, his only son, to deny him?
"I'll try to get all my homework done during the week." Harry said, his voice oddly tight as he spoke. James beamed, and started back up the stairs looking for Sirius and Remus. As James headed up the stairs, Harry stayed behind for just a moment, thinking. By the weekend, surely he would have sorted through his feelings. He would have that talk with Sirius about what to call James; and he would have talked to Ron and Hermione about it. Yes, surly by the weekend he would be all sorted out he wouldn't feel so awkward aroundthe man that was his father. With those thoughts he followed James up the stairs.
When Sirius had left the kitchen with Remus, he had thought that he was going to be getting some bad news. But, really, this news wasn't so bad. And he told Remus so.
"I mean everyone was going to find out anyways. I don't know why Dumbledore wanted to wait so long in the first place." Sirius said, sitting down on the bed that James had taken to sleeping in. They were going to have to make James' return known sometime within the week. Friday at the latest.
The original plan was that Paige was just going to say that the case was still open, that she was still working on it if anyone were to ask, but as a low profile case, there should have been very few questions. And it would have gone fine had one of the Jr. Auror's that was at the scene not started running his mouth about how James Potter's body was missing. Naturally, this turned a few heads. This attention brought on a lot more questions then was intended. The Jr. Auror was silenced, but no one was sure how long it would be before word leaked to the Press. And it would like bad if the Auror's didn't have anything to givethem.Under the pressure of being removed from the head of the case, which would ruin the plan completely, Paige had to produce either a body or a death eater.
"Dumbledore wanted to wait so that we could get James set up and into position at that old couple's house without rushing and possiably making a mistake. " Remus said sitting down next to Sirius on the bed.
"Who's this lot that Dumbledore is dumping James with?" Sirius asked looking at his friend.
"In the war with Grindelwald, Dumbledore saved the life of this kid, this muggle kid, during one of the battle; but he had to use magic to do it. Well, you know Dumbledore, he didn't want to Obliviate the kid so he sat him down and explained a few things to him. The kid was so appreciative that he swore that he wouldn't tell anyone what happened and that he would pay Dumbledore back." Remus explained. During that war, the Muggle and Wizarding world's had collided with each other a few times and, before Voldemort, it had been the closest the Muggles had come to discovering Wizards since the Dark Ages.
"So this kid is still in Dumbledore's debt, only he's not a kid any more." Sirius said nodding, finishing the rest of the story, as it was so clearly placed before him now. "But, how's he going to explain this to his wife?" Sirius asked having heard the word couple.
"Well, as it turns out, they have a Daughter-in-law who's a muggle-born. When he found out that she was a witch, he asked the girl about Dumbledore and then sent him an owl reminding him that he still owed him a favor that he was will to give." Remus said. Again, Sirius nodded. They were both silent for a sort time before Sirius spoke the question that he knew Remus was thinking as well.
"How do you think it's going down there?"
"I have no clue. I want to say good since they haven't come up looking for us, but then again, it's James and his son. They wouldn't just get up and come looking for us if they felt uncomfortable." Remus said.
"Should we go back down to them? Harry really seemed like he didn't want to be left alone." Sirius said, gazing at the door, as if expecting Harry to come running through it.
"Maybe we should just go down stairs and try to listen through the door to see if their talking, if they are, we'll leave them, if their not, we'll go in." Remus said standing. Sirius started to nod his head but stopped when a better idea came to him.
"No need to walk all the way down stairs." He said, though he also rose from his spot on the bed. Remus watched as Sirius walked out of the room, pulling something that Remus couldn't see from the pocket of his robes. Remus followed him. Once in the hall way, Remus saw that Sirius was standing on the stairs next to the railing looking down, he was putting something in his ear and with a grin to Remus dropped a flesh colored string over the railing and said go. Watching as the Extendable Ear stretched and moved to glide under the door that leads to the kitchen, Remus walked over to Sirius.
"Molly would kill you." Was all he said. Sirius didn't say anything as he listened. And, in spite of himself, Remus found himself wishing that he too had an Extendable Ear. But when Sirius' face spilt into a large grin, Remus was left in no doubt of what was going on in the kitchen; James and Harry had to be talking.
"Harry's telling James' about how he, Ron and Hermione became friends." Sirius said. Remus smiled as well. That seemed to be a non-small talk topic. But then, Remus thought that after minutes of silence, James just asked the first question that came to mind, which happened to be 'so, got any friends?' Sirius, seeing Remus' smile started to fade, pulled from his pocket another Extendable Ear and handed it over to Remus so he could listen as well.
"Please tell me that you didn't buy these from them?" Remus asked as he placed it in his ear and dropped it over the railing as Sirius had done. "Go." He said to the string.
"No, I stole it from the batch that Molly was burning." Sirius said offhandedly. "I was going to slip it back to the Twins, they seemed so upset about it. But, it just slipped my mind." Sirius said. For a few seconds, Remus heard nothing. Then he heard Harry's voice as clearly as if Harry were standing next to him.
"So, cause Hermione had no idea about the troll, me and Ron went to go get her." Remus heard Harry say. "We're on our way to the girl's bathroom when we smelled something."
"The troll," Remus heard James say with understanding, and Remus could almost see a small smile on James' face as he remembered the first time he, Remus and Sirius had ever smelt a troll.
"Yeah, it was. And it started heading into this room, which, had the key in the lock. Ron and me deiced to lock the troll in. So once the troll got into the room, we locked it. Then just as we're heading back to the common room, we heard a scream." Harry went on. Remus heard James give a groan.
"It was the girl's bathroom," It wasn't really a question, more of a statement that James made. Remus assumed that Harry had just nodded his head because he continued with,
"We ran back and went into the bathroom. Hermione was stuck in a corner so we started to yell to confuse it. It worked pretty well but then Ron got stuck in a corner, so I jumped on its back and stuck my wand up its noise." Here Remus heard James give a chuckle, whether it was at his son's stuipdness, bravery or quick thinking, he would have to ask later. "Ron being the only one to have his wand now cast Wingardium Leviosa and knocked the troll out with it's club. Soon after McGonagall came in, Hermione took the blame which was the real shock of the night, lost us five points, and then Ron and me each got five points. And then, after that, we just became friends." Harry said, ending the story.
Sirius pulled the Ear out of his own and faced Remus, smile still set into place. Remus smiled as well.
"Well, sounds like all's going well down stairs," Sirius said lightly as he made his way back into the room. Remus gave a small laugh.
"Yes, I'd say so," Was he reply.
"What else do you think they've talked about?" Sirius said as he sat down, his face scrunched up in confusion, much like he use to when they were all still at Hogwarts and innocent, well, as innocent as the Marauders could be.
Remus had to admit that even Professor Trelawney had to be able to see that the future for Sirius Black was definitely looking up. Whether or not Sirius would be freed was still up in the air, but Sirius' future no longer held that he would end up dying in the house he so dearly wanted to burn to the ground. James would not allow that to happen. Remus could almost hear what argument James would make, 'If my house is safe enough for Harry, it should be safe enough for Sirius to hide out there!' Yeah, it would be along those lines. And that, Remus thought, was a brighter future.
"I have no idea." Remus said. "But, I'm sure that Harry will have to give some back round information about why the troll was let into the school, and that of course would lead to the Stone." He added sitting down in a chair that was facing the bed Sirius was sitting on.
"I don't really know if Harry's up to talking about that yet." Sirius said, his face falling slightly.
"Why? What did he say to you?" Remus asked.
"Well, right before James came into the kitchen, and I mean like right before, he asked what he should call James." Sirius said, growing more and more glum as he spoke. Remus stared. "Yeah I know. I was just about to tell him to call him dad when he started saying how he thought that the name 'dad' was for someone that had been there for a long time, or for someone special, it was something along those lines." Sirius went on, hoping that Remus would shed some light on the topic. Remus was still staring at Sirius. Yes, everyone knew that his would be hard and awkward for Harry but… Yet, Remus was reminded of what he had said to Sirius on Halloween.
"He doesn't know him yet Sirius. It is… Understandable that he would feel odd calling someone who is practically a stranger to him dad." Remus said finally.
"Yeah I know, but… I mean what is he supposed to call James? 'James'?" Sirius asked. Remus nodded.
"I guess he will. Maybe Prongs, but I think, for Harry, that would be just as hard as calling James dad." Remus said. Sirius sighed.
"I'll talk to him more about it when I take him back to Hogwarts." Sirius said, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.
"Are you gonna stay at Hogwarts?" Remus asked. There hadn't been any talk of how things were going to work once Harry had found out about James. Their number one concern was getting Harry to Grimmauld Place. But, now they had to work some things out relatively quickly, because, knowing James the second Harry left he would be asking when his son was coming back.
"Nah, I would love to, but I'll stick around here. Keep James from going insane and give him someone to gush about Harry to." Sirius said, pretending to be really upset at having to stay with James and listen to him "gush" about Harry, but Remus knew better. It was the same routine when Harry was a baby, all James would talk about was what Harry did at breakfast, and Sirius would complain that all James did was "gush" about Harry. Yet anyone that Sirius met later that day would have to spend hours listening to the latest news about his wonderful godson.
"How are you going to get him back to Hogwarts?" Remus asked.
"Ah, now that is the question on everybody's mind isn't it?" Remus and Sirius looked toward the doorway where James was standing with a wide smile on his face. He walked into the room and was followed by Harry. James looked as though he could fly without a broomstick and Harry looked, well Harry looked a little overwhelmed.
"Your ready to go back to Hogwarts Harry?" Sirius asked looking at his godson closely. Harry met his eyes and nodded.
"I've got a bunch of homework that I left and I haven't seen Ron and Hermione so they're probably worried about me by now." Harry said in a voice where uncomfortable ness could be heard. Sirius nodded and stood, Remus did the same.
"Well we're taking a Portkey back. So whenever you're ready Harry." Sirius said, and realized that saying that might have been a mistake. At his words he could see some form over turmoil going on inside of Harry, and Sirius had a feeling of what it was about. How was he going to say goodbye to James?
"While your there Sirius," James spoke up, with a quick glance at Harry. "Ask Dumbledore that, if Harry's still up to it, if he can come back here on the weekend." Smiling softly at what James had just asked, Sirius said,
"Sure thing. Ready Harry?" Harry nodded again, seemingly having a hard time talking. Sirius walked over to the bedside table where there was an empty glass and pointed his wand at it and said "Portus." Remus, James and Harry watched as the glass glowed blue, trembled and then sat still as the charm took hold. Looking up at Remus, Harry said,
"It was nice seeing you again Professor."
"Please Harry, call me Remus or your dad and Sirius will take up calling me Professor." Remus said with a smile. He seemed to be trying to make the mood in the room as light as possible, letting Sirius know that he wasn't the only one that had caught on to Harry's uncomfortable state. Harry tried to smile, but ended up with onlya grin. With a deep breath seen by Remus and Sirius he turned around to James.
"Well, er, I guess I'll see you on Friday or Saturday." Harry said, clearly unsure of what else to say or do. But, just as Harry had said Friday, an unpleasant thought hit Sirius.
"Uh, it just came to me, a small problem." Sirius said, just as James opened his mouth to say something to Harry. At Sirius' words, Jameslooked upat his best friend sharply. He knew Sirius well enough to know that there was something that was going to keep him from seeing his son this weekend. And that thought made James mad.
"What?" James asked, anger very evident in his voice.
"Well, the plan that we had to get the Wizarding World to know you've returned hit a snag. And it'll have to happen sooner then we though. At the latest Friday. And there's no doubt that the Ministry will keep you there for a few days." Remus said speaking up for Sirius. Having a way with making bad things sound, well less bad, Remus thought that it would be best if he were the one who told James that the Ministry was the reason he wouldn't be seeing Harry on the weekend.
"You mean everyone's going to know by next week? At the latest?" Harry spoke up. The adults present in the room weren't sure whether Harry was happy or terrified at this.
"Yeah, probably. But, it a way it's kind of good." Sirius said. "When your classmates start staring at you, you'll look the part of a boy who just found out that his dead father isn't really dead. If we had waited, it would look suspicious if you were to comfortable with it." Harry snorted at the idea of classmates staring him being a new thing. But, he had to agree with Sirius.
"How are you going to get people to know that he's back?" Harry asked. Remus took notice of how Harry said "he" instead of dad.
"Well it's a very long story Harry," Remus started to say but was cut off by Sirius.
"A old friend of your dad's and ours is gonna 'find' him, bring him to the Ministry, where, under her supervision, he'll be tested to see if he's really him. After they know that he's him, Dumbledore will tell them his theory about what happened and why he's here and then, bam, James Potter is officially back." Sirius said casually.
"Alright, maybe not that long of a story." Remus said once Sirius was done and Harry was nodding his head in understanding. "Well, we won't keep you any longer from you homework Harry." Remus said.
"Right," Sirius added picking up the glass and moving toward Harry. Again Harry turned to James to say good-bye.
"I hope everything with the Ministry works out," Harry said after a moment, clearly saying one of the first things that popped into his mind. James smiled.
"I'm sure it will. And, maybe after the Ministry declares me, well me, I'll be able to come to Hogwarts and meat your friends." James said. It was more of a question if Harry wanted him to come and meat his friends then that he might be able to, Sirius observed. Harry managed a weak smile and then turned to face Sirius signaling that he wanted to go.
"Bye Harry." James said, with a voice full of sadness of having to say bye so soon. Sirius raised his wand and pointed it at the glass. Harry looked back up to his father and said,
"Bye," and felt the jerk from behind his navel. Once Sirius and Harry were gone from the room, James turned to Remus. After looking at his friend for a short time, James' face spilt into a wide smile.
"It went well then?" Remus asked, returning the smile. He wasn't going to let on that he and Sirius had been spying on them, he wanted to give James the satisfaction of being able to tell him all that Harry had said and did.
"Yeah it went well," James said moving and taking the spot on the bed where Sirius had been sitting. "I just... gotta sit down." Remus laughed.
"Yes, Harry can do that to you." Remus said remembering the first time he had met Harry. James of course had heard this story. It was one of the stories Sirius and Remus felt that they could tell James. There wasn't very much in it that they felt James had to hear from Harry as most of it Harry was acting on actions set by Remus and Sirius. "So, what did you guys talk about?"
"Harry told me all about the first task." James said, beaming with what could only be pride. "When you guys keep telling me that he was a natural on a broom, I had no idea to what level. I mean he got passed a Horntail! On a broom! Man," James said, falling backwards on to the bed. "My son is amazing." James concluded. Remus laughed. Even if Harry hadn't gotten passed a Horntail on a broom, he was certain that no other remark about Harry would, or could, be made.
"Anything else you guys talked about?" Remus asked. It was important to know what Harry had told James and what he hadn't so that Sirius and Remus knew what not to say around James. This question seemed a little suspicious to James though, and Remus could tell itwhen James lifted his head a little so that he could see Remus.
"Yeah, he told me about how he met and became friends with his best friends. And how the hell did a troll get in the school? Harry said Peeves but he wouldn't have been able to pull that off. Well anyway lets see, he told me about Mad-Eye being his teacher and giving him the idea of getting passed the Dragon in the air. And to that all I can say is Merlin! He told me he was close with Hagrid. Which I'm glad to hear.Those kind of topics mostly." James said letting his head fall back onto the bed. Remus had to hold in a sigh. Harry hadn't told him anything really. Not even aboutwhy he was close to Hagrid, because that wouldlead to the Dursley's, and there was no way for James to knowabout them and not be freaking.
To James it might seem like his son really opened up to him but there was just so much about Harry that what James knew was just the tip of the iceberg. And what an iceberg it is.
A.N- Well, there you guys go. Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter; I'm really glad that you guys liked it. This chapter was kind of transition, so I'm sorry if it's a bit dull. I hope that I got the emotions across good in this chapter; I'm a little concerned about that. But, a review from you will make me feel better, they always do! So…Drop me a review and make me an oh so happy author!
Till next time!
Oh and "reviewer" I'm sorry that I'm torturing your child, but I'm glad that you like my method of torture. Thank you for the review and telling me what you're feeling.