Chapter 10: Desperation, hope and terror
James didn't think he'd ever been as relieved in his life as when he heard Lily's voice. Still, he didn't let it show and kept his eyes on the boy, who'd stood up when Lily had called.
The longer he spent with the boy, the less he looked like a threat – especially now, clean, pale and engulfed in clothes that were too big for him, he just looked like a kid playing dress-up with his father's clothes.
James froze with his cup of tea halfway to his mouth, hardly believing what he'd just thought. Thankfully, before his brain could get any more scrambled, Lily stepped through the door.
The boy's face was almost painful to look at. Never before had James seen that amount of desperation, of hope, of terror kneaded into one expression.
James's eyes flickered to Lily who stood, hand on mouth, by the swinging kitchen door. She was staring at the boy in shock. James could see her taking in his features as he himself had done earlier that morning. Her eyes roved over the boy's messy black hair; his hands, clutched tightly around his glass of water; his bright green eyes, hidden behind wonky glasses. James's hair. Lily's eyes. His cheekbones. Her chin. His voice…
"Hello," the boy croaked before clearing his throat.
Lily removed her hand from her mouth and advanced into the room, stopping a step away from the table.
"Hi," she said softly. "I'm Lily Potter."
The boy closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, they looked somewhat misty.
"I'm Harry," he said, his voice barely audible.
And James felt like he should be angry, furious, enraged – here was someone impersonating their long-lost son. Their first born. Their baby whose loss had left them broken, him and Lily… But looking at the boy now, he didn't think even the best actor in the world could fake what he could see on his face. As quickly as it had started, James's anger dropped to be replaced with confusion and something else – could it be hope…?
"Hello Harry," Lily said. "Shall we sit down?"
With a jerky nod, Harry sat back on his chair, his eyes never leaving Lily's face. She glanced up at James. Picking up his wand, he joined them at the table.
"So, Harry, why don't you tell us how you came to be here?" she asked.
She reached across the table and took James's hand. He could feel her fingers trembling in his. Still her voice remained level and her face calm after the initial burst of emotion.
Harry cleared his throat. He looked down at the table, frowning.
"I…" he said, and hesitated. "I met Sam in my dreams for the first time about two months ago I think…"
A/N: Just a (very) short chapter for you today, but there will be more soon. Thank you all for reading!