Resolving Problems
"I can't take this anymore," The older Lupin yelled. "You both are acting stupid. Just get over it. He was being influenced by the freaking necklace. Why can't you understand that?!"
Harry and Sirius were sitting side by side, tied to a chair in the dinning room. Lupin was pacing back and forth yelling at them, "It's been almost three weeks, the horcruxe still isn't destroyed and this hasn't gotten any better! What have you got to say for yourselves?"
Harry and Sirius looked at each other and then to at Lupin. They didn't even dare say anything.
Lupin started pacing again, "You have nothing to say? I can't believe you two would be this immature to let this go on this long."
"Well you really underestimated our maturity level cause- " Sirius tired to say.
"I'm not done," Lupin yelled. "Padfoot, he's your best friend. Nothing has ever gotten between you two before."
"That's because-" Harry tried to say.
"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking to you," Lupin glared at Harry. "And Harry, for Merlin's sake. He's your father. You can't do this to him right now. Neither of you should be! Don't you think it's bad enough that he loses both of you forever?"
"He shouldn't-" Sirius tried to say.
"No," Lupin yelled over him. "I'm not done yelling at you. We have baby Harry's birthday in two days and I want you two to be nice."
"Only if James-" Harry started to say.
"No, Harry, this isn't about James," Lupin said still hotheaded at them. "I want you to apologize for your behavior and I never want either of you to act like this again! Do I make myself clear?" Harry and Sirius didn't say a word. Lupin crossed his arms, "I will cruse you two into next year. Do I make myself clear?"
Harry took a breath, "Are you going to yell at us for talking this time or do you actually want us to talk?"
"Answer my question," Lupin said taking a step towards them.
"Are you going to talk to him?" Sirius asked.
"Does it matter?" Lupin asked.
"Yes," Harry replied. "He has to meet us half way. This is his fault also. I'm only going to apologize if he does it first."
Lupin put his head in his hand, "Harry, if you didn't have to fight Voldemort when we got back, I might consider killing you at this moment. You're pissing me off."
"Like you could, Uncle Padfoot would kill you," Harry pointed out.
Lupin sighed, "That was wrong of me to say, Harry, I'm sorry. But you both will say sorry to James today. Do you understand?"
"Why do we have to?" Sirius asked. "James is the one that said it."
"But you reacted, Sirius," Lupin replied, pacing in front of them. "You punched him in the face. That was uncalled for."
"He was being a jerk to Prongslet," Sirius said in a 'you-got-to-be-kidding' voice.
"It was the necklace," Lupin repeated. "He was channeling Voldemort through the necklace."
Harry rolled his eyes, "Are you going to talk to James?"
"Yes," Lupin replied.
"When?" Harry asked.
"Now," Lupin replied, crossing his arms and smiling. He walked out of the dinning room yelling, "James!"
"Hey Moony! Untie us!" Sirius and Harry yelled.
Lupin walked up the stairs, "Prongs, where are you?"
James walked out with baby Harry in his arms, "Right here. What's up?"
"Let's talk," Lupin said opening Baby Harry's bedroom door and stepping in. "Please Prongs, it's highly important."
James sighed and walked in. He placed Harry on the floor with some toys and sat in a chair.
Lupin smiled and with a quick swish of his wand James was tied to the chair, "Harry and Sirius made that mistake also. I actually had to knock Sirius out so he wouldn't kill me. Now, James, I'm sorry but I need you to listen."
"What, you couldn't ask?" James asked.
Lupin took James' wand from his pocket and set it on the table, "I'm sorry but I'm killing myself over this! Just listen."
"Fine," James said in a neutral voice.
Lupin was pacing back and forth once again, "Prongs, mate, look this is getting out of hand. I understand that you only said the things you said because of the necklace. Harry and Sirius are acting retarded because they're mad, which I understand. I just spent like an hour yelling at them."
"I heard," James smiled. "It woke Harry."
Lupin smiled, "You have got to talk to Harry. You have to tell him how you feel and what's on your mind."
"But Sirius-" James started.
"Harry and Sirius will always have that relationship," Lupin said. "That's something no one can ever change."
"But he's my son," James looked away. "What's the point in saving us if he isn't ever going to try to form a bond with us? I thought that's why he came back. I thought he wanted to get to know us."
Lupin sighed, "He wants to. I can see that."
"Why won't he?" James asked.
"I don't know," Lupin shrugged his shoulders. "My advice is that you should say sorry to both of them, separately. They influence each other greatly."
"They won't listen," James said.
"I'll make them," Lupin smiled.
"This isn't ever going to work," James replied laughing a little.
Lupin was starting to get angry, "Why won't either of you believe me? Just trust me, Prongs. Your son's birthday is coming up and I won't let anything ruin that special day. Trust me."
James shrugged his shoulders, "If you say so."
"Okay I had it with you Potters and Harry," Lupin picked up baby Harry and with a swish of Lupin's wand James' chair levitated and followed him.
Harry and Sirius were still sitting in the dinning room, tied to their chairs.
"Why did he leave?" Harry asked, his head all the way back so he was looking at the ceiling.
"Why would someone do something like that to us?" Sirius whined his head hanging down so he was looking at the floor.
"Moony! Help us," Harry called. "We're going to die."
"We only have a little longer, Prongslet," Sirius said, dryly. "I don't think I'm going to make it."
"No, Padfoot, you have to hang on," Harry said with out any energy. "We need to get through this."
"No, I can't," Sirius' eyes closed. "I'm going into the light." Sirius fell over to the side with a thud.
Harry looked over at him, "No Padfoot. Don't go into the light. Don't leave me!"
Sirius didn't respond. He just laid there. Harry pretended to cry, "No! Padfoot come back to me!"
"Shut up, Harry," Lupin said coming into the room with James trying to balance in the chair in mid air. Lupin waved his wand and James' chair took a place by Harry. "Sirius get up."
"I can't," Sirius replied. "I'm tied to a freaking chair!"
Lupin waved his wand once more and Sirius was upright, "Thanks. The view wasn't good," He saw James and glared. "Not, that the view in this room is any better."
"What did I say?" Lupin asked pointing his wand at in Sirius' face.
"Hey, hey, hey," Sirius and Harry both yelled. "Put the wand away!"
"Are you going to cooperate with me?" Lupin asked.
"I guess," Sirius mumbled.
"I swear Sirius," Lupin threatened. "I will cruse you."
Sirius just glared at him.
"Now," Lupin began putting baby Harry down. "We have a problem."
"Uncy Padfoo'," Baby Harry said standing against Sirius' legs for support. "Uppy, Uncy Padfoo'."
"Yes, we do," Sirius agreed. "I'm tied up and can't hold my godson."
"To bad," Lupin said. "You can hold him later."
Sirius' mouth dropped open.
"Look," Lupin started. "This is getting out of hand. You haven't said one word to each other in over three weeks. We have got to fix this."
No one spoke.
"Uncy Padfoo'," Baby Harry began to cry. "Uncy Padfoo' uppy!"
"I can't Prongslet," Sirius replied. "The mean werewolf won't let me."
Baby Harry looked at Lupin with tears in his eyes, "Uncy Moon, Uncy Padfoo' uppy."
"Uncle Padfoot is in trouble," Lupin said. "Uncle Padfoot's in timeout. Sorry."
Baby Harry started crying, "I want Uncy Padfoo'!"
Lupin picked up baby Harry, "I know but he's in trouble."
"I want Uncy Padfoo'!" Baby Harry screamed and reached for Sirius.
"Just untie me," Sirius said. "He wants me, so untie me."
"Untie him," James demanded. "He is my son. What I say goes. Unite Sirius, Moony. If Harry wants him then let him have him."
"I swear if you go anywhere, I'll hunt you down and murder you," Lupin said. He waved his wand and Sirius stood up.
Baby Harry almost jumped out of Lupin's arms, "Uncy Padfoo'."
"Shh, it's okay Harry, Uncy Padfoot's here," Sirius kissed his forehead and rubbed his back.
Baby Harry cried into Sirius' shoulder, "I want Uncy Padfoo'."
"I'm right here, Harry," Sirius said taking a seat next to Harry.
"Well now that that's taken care of, we can continue," Lupin said sitting in a chair.
Harry took his eyes away from Baby Harry and Sirius, "James, I'm sorry." Everyone looked at him, surprised. Harry was looking down not meeting eyes, "I'm sorry for the way I acted."
James was staring at him, "It's my fault, Harry. I shouldn't have said what I did."
"I shouldn't have put the necklace on you," Harry replied, still not looking up. "If you didn't wear the necklace then we wouldn't be in this situation. I'm sorry."
Lupin stood up, "Padfoot, I think they need a moment alone."
Sirius' mouth dropped open, "What? Are you serious?"
Lupin sighed, "No, I'm Lupin, you're Sirius and we should let them have a moment to themselves."
"No," Sirius complained. "The only other time I've seen Prongs have an emotional meltdown is when I told him Lily was going to break up with him. He was like crying over it all Christmas break and James Potter never cries. And I haven't seen Harry have an emotional break down yet."
"You died remember?" Harry pointed out.
"You're mental if you think I'm missing this. They're both going to have an emotional meltdown," Sirius said seriously.
"I wasn't crying," James muttered.
"You're right," Sirius eyed him. "It was some weird liquid pouring out of your eyes every time I said her name."
"Come Sirius," Lupin said. "Or I'll tell everyone about that one time when you cried."
Both James and Harry's head snapped over to Sirius, "You cry?"
"I thought it was impossible," Harry said. "When was this?"
Sirius got up, mumbled something and then left with Lupin, who untied Harry and James first.
James turned towards Harry, "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Harry smiled.
"No it's not," James replied. "I should have talked to you sooner. I shouldn't have said any of that."
Harry looked at him, "It's true then?"
James sighed, "You and Sirius are so close. I see and understand that and nothing can change that. I just don't understand one thing. Why would you go through so much trouble to save us if you don't want a bond?"
"It's not that I don't want one," Harry looked away. "I always wanted to meet you. I wanted to hang out with you."
"Then why?" James asked.
Harry just shook his head.
"Harry, please," James begged. "I'm begging you."
Harry shook his head again.
James got on his knees and made Harry look at him, "You're my son and nothing can change that. I won't force you to do anything. I just see you with Padfoot and it kills me. I want what he has."
Harry smiled, "James Potter is jealous?"
James laughed, "Like Moony said I turned green a long time ago."
Harry took a breath, "I just don't want to go through all this, develop a bond with you, and then find that I can't save you no matter what. It would kill me. I don't want to go through that."
"I understand," James said quietly. "We'll just have to take one thing as it comes."
Harry smiled, "Just be careful. I don't want to lose you again."
"You shouldn't have to," James replied.
"But I still won't grow up with you," Harry looked away. "I know that. I can't change that. That has to stay the same but still. Just going back when this is over and knowing you're waiting for me, alive. It makes me happy and I know that it makes Uncle Padfoot and Moony happy."
James half smiled, "It shouldn't matter if it makes them happy or not. You should be the main concern. If it makes you happy then it should make them happy, which is probably true."
Harry smiled but didn't say anything.
James stood up and brought Harry into a hug, "We love and care for you so much, Harry."
"I know," Harry replied.
"Aw, I see hugging."
James and Harry broke apart and saw the younger Sirius peek around the corner, "Are we all better now?"
"I think so," James smiled at Harry.
"It's all good," Harry said.
"Good, let's go destroy us a horcruxe," The younger Moony said coming around the corner.
James, Harry, both Lupin's and both Sirius' (older Sirius still has Baby Harry) walked to the back yard.
The older Lupin the put the necklace on a table as Harry pulled out the Sword of Gryffindor and turned to James, "I think you should do it. The necklace put you through the most trouble."
"You do it Harry," James backed away.
"I want you to do it," Harry shoved the sword into James' hands. "If you don't then it will never be destroyed."
Harry opened the necklace and inside was a giant eye ball looking back at them. "Just stab it, Prongs. We don't know what else it can do."
Without hesitation James raised the sword and shoved it into the eye, which erupted into a cloud of smoke, "Did it work?" James asked.
The cloud disappeared and all that was left of the necklace was scattered pieces.
"I think so," Harry replied picking the necklace up. "Two down one to go."