I am so sorry for the long wait. I'm such a horrible writer, but, please, bear with me. I beg of you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor am I J.K.R.

Chapter 3: The Real Punishment

The next day for James was the worst day of his life. And if you asked him he would have gone so far to say that going to his great aunt and uncles would have been so much better, and he would not be exaggerating. The day wasn't so torturous in the way that you are probably thinking of. It was the nervous anticipation that was killing him. He knew it was coming he just didn't know when which he hated more; the anticipation or the punishment itself.

It seemed as if he would die before the actual punishment came. Albus and Lily were even worse. Harry had pulled them both aside and told them of James punishment, both real and fake. He told them to play it up a bit.

And that's exactly what they did.

At dinner that night they acted as though nothing had happened they treated James as though he had done nothing.

I don't get it when am I going to be sent to hell. Couldn't they at least ignore me or something? Shouting would be better than this-this torture.

"You're unusually quiet tonight, James," Harry noted making James jump as he was pulled from his thoughts. "Oh," James mumbles to his plate of food. "You don't seem to have touched your food," Ginny said putting on a look of false motherly care. "Are you feeling OK honey?" she asked.

"'M alright. Just not hungry," James murmured, still not looked at his parents. "Are you sure, James? You're usually the first one done," Albus said, chuckling.

"Actually I'm not. I'm going to bed."

Farewells of "Alright" and "See you in the morning" and "Goodnight" followed him out of the room.

The next day was the same. But worse at the same time, probably because James was losing more and more of his sanity by the second.

Dinner was also the same. This went on for three more days.

"I guess I'm not that surprised that he hasn't cracked yet," Harry told Ginny one night in the kitchen. "Yes," she replied, "But you can tell he's struggling." Harry nodded, agreeing. "When do think he'll burst?" he asked. "I don't know. He's a little like you, he's good at keeping his emotions in check."

Harry looked at her like she was crazy, "Were you not around me in my fifth year?"

"I meant that you were good at it when Voldemort wasn't possessing your soul," Ginny said shaking her head. Harry shrugged, allowing it. "Wow, I complemented you and didn't get any of your annoying modesty."

Harry rolled his eyes, "I can't be modest with this one, it was all me. Well sort of," he said scrunching his eyebrows together, thinking. "I have my dad to thank for that so it wasn't all mine." Ginny heaved a sigh and grabbed his face, "When oh when will you accept that you are a GOOD man? It's getting quite irritating!" Harry smiled slightly, "Sorry, love. Old habit."

Harry got up from his chair yawning, "Come on, you. Time for bed," Ginny said, taking his hand and pulling him toward the stairs. "I'm not going to argue with that."

"Good."