In The Shadow by hgfan1111 Storylink: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5319615/1/ Content: Chapter 1 to 1 of 1 chapters Source: FanFiction.net Summary: oing ho!e !

ight not be a"" it#s !ade o$t to be. %a!es isn#t s$re if he#d rather be at &ogwarts this Christ!as or not.

*Chapter 1*: In The Shadow

'/(: )ow* it+s been awhi"e since I posted anything here. )hi"e I+,e !ost"y !o,ed on to writing origina" fiction* this wor"d is sti"" f$n to dabb"e in. This story was written as a gift for a friend* Te-as.in-* and beta read by /01sa"!eier* another wonderf$" friend. 's a"ways* it has 2eadwoodpec0er+s sta!p of appro,a"* beca$se doesn+t e,erything in "ife re3$ire that4 56 "o" I hope yo$ en/oy this "itt"e bit of f"$ff. In The Shadow %a!es stared at the scar"et train engine* watching the big bi""ows of stea! that grew aro$nd it* !a0ing it see! to f"oat on a c"o$d* rather than r$n a"ong the rai"s* carrying the! bac0 to 7ondon. It was co"d o$tside* co"d eno$gh that he 0new if he s"ipped his hands o$t of the ho!e!ade !ittens rand!a had sent hi!* that his fingers !ight /$st free8e to the rai"ing that s$rro$nded the p"atfor! in &ogs!eade. .aybe it wasn+t too "ate. &e co$"d /$st t$rn aro$nd and !arch bac0 $p to the cast"e* c"i!b into his war! bed in ryffindor Tower and forget a"" abo$t this si""y trip bac0 ho!e. S$re"y they wo$"dn+t !iss hi!9there were eno$gh )eas"eys aro$nd at Christ!as that one "ess boy in the fa!i"y wo$"d si!p"y not !a0e that !$ch difference. &e was torn* rea""y. oing ho!e was so!ething he+d been "oo0ing forward to* $nti" he re!e!bered: that. S$re"y they wo$"dn+t sti"" be $pset abo$t it9it+d been months after a"". ;ractica""y another "ifeti!e ago. %a!es sighed and "ifted a war!* !itten<co,ered hand to r$n o,er his hair* forgetting abo$t the woo" hiding his fingers $nti" the softness rested on his head. =Co!e on* ;otter*= .itch ran past hi!* n$dging his sho$"der. =>o$ gonna stand there fore,er* or get on4 If we don+t h$rry we won+t get a co!part!ent a"" to o$rse",es.= %a!es nodded* !ore o$t of habit than act$a""y agreeing with his best !ate. &e watched as the troop of ryffindor boys herded onto the train. &e "onged to be with the!* b$t the ner,o$sness was getting bigger and bigger inside his be""y $nti" he was s$re he was going to "ose the i!!ense brea0fast he+d sho,e"ed into his !o$th this !orning a"" o,er the p"atfor!. ='"" righ+* %a!es4= &agrid+s friend"y ,oice c$t thro$gh the icy air* bi""owing a c"o$d of stea! that see!ed to ri,a" the o"d stea! engine. &is b"ac0 and grey tang"ed beard "oo0ed frosted near his !o$th* where the !oist$re was free8ing to the hairs. It a"!ost !ade %a!es s!i"e* b$t he was afraid it ca!e o$t !ore "i0e a gri!ace. =>eah*= he shr$gged. =%$st:= =%$s+ ner,o$s abo$+ goin+ ho!e*= &agrid nodded wise"y* resting his !assi,e hand on %a!es+ sho$"der. %a!es nodded and shoo0 his head no at the sa!e ti!e. &e wasn+t s$re how !$ch &agrid 0new9

probab"y too !$ch* "i0e $s$a". &agrid was a"ways aro$nd when %a!es was growing $p* sort of an $nofficia" godfather* rea""y. =I* er* heard abo$+ s$!!at tha+ !igh+ ha,e happened a few !onths bac0*= &agrid whispered. The words sti"" carried thro$gh the frosty !orning. Than0f$""y %a!es was one of the few "eft on the p"atfor!* a"ong with a co$p"e of o"der boys f$rther down the train. &e h$ng his head and sc$ffed his shoe* wincing when &agrid patted his sho$"der. =It wasn+t anything rea""y5 /$st 'i!ee %ens can+t 0eep her !o$th sh$t.= &agrid ga,e a sy!pathetic nod when %a!es sn$c0 a "oo0 at hi!5 it he"ped %a!es thin0 that !aybe he was being a "itt"e too sensiti,e abo$t the who"e thing. So what if he+d gotten ca$ght o$t of the Tower by ;rofessor .c onaga""4 So what if he+d spent an ho$r in her office before (e,9er* ;rofessor 7ongbotto!9had fina""y finished his "etter to %a!es+ parents4 It wasn+t "i0e he and .itch had been doing anything bad5 they were /$st trying to ha,e a "itt"e f$n. They hadn+t e,en !ade it far eno$gh into their p"ans to pran0 the S"ytherins to rea""y get into tro$b"e. They+d both gotten two nights detention* b$t it had been (e,i9;rofessor 7ongbotto!+s disappointed "oo0 that was the worst. 'nd the g"ares fro! ;rofessor .c onaga""* who had been forced to ta0e thirty points fro! her o"d ho$se. =2on+ worry abo$+ tha+* %a!ie*= &agrid said with a deep ch$c0"e. =>er .$! and 2ad are good peop"e. They+"" $nderstand.= %a!es ga,e a do$btf$" "oo0 and sighed* 0nowing he was going to ha,e to get on the train ,ery soon. The stea! bi""ows were growing and he co$"d hear the engine begin to c"i!b in pitch* readying to p$"" o$t of &ogs!eade station. =>o$ /$s+ te"" the! the tr$th an+ I+"" bet yer 2ad wi"" $nderstand. >er .$! !ay ha,e !ore to say abo$+ it* b$t she sti"" "o,es ya.= &e nodded and tried to s!i"e his than0s to &agrid. So!ehow* ta"0ing with the o"d ha"f<giant a"ways !ade %a!es fee" better. &e re!e!bered his dad saying so!ething "i0e that before too5 how &agrid had his own brand of wisdo! that a"ways wor0ed /$st when yo$ needed it. =I+"" see yo$ for Christ!as4= %a!es as0ed at the "ast !in$te* stepping onto the train. &e had to ye"" it o,er the screech of the whee"s that were grinding on the rai"s beneath hi!. =)o$"dn+ !iss it?= &agrid ca""ed o$t* a /o""y "a$gh fi""ing the air. 2espite what "ay ahead of hi! in 7ondon* %a!es co$"dn+t he"p b$t s!i"e. .aybe it wo$"d be o0ay* /$st "i0e &agrid said. .$! hadn+t e,en sent a &ow"er. .itch+s .$! had sent one9it b$rst into f"a!es and near"y b$rnt his eyebrows off* right at the brea0fast tab"e. %a!es had waited and watched a"" day. &e was s$re his wo$"d co!e in the !idd"e of e,erything and e!barrass hi! horrib"y. @$t the ne-t day a ,ery caref$""y worded "etter had co!e* in his father+s caref$" writing. It was repri!anding* b$t not near"y as angry as %a!es e-pected. ;erhaps that+s why he was so worried now. .aybe his .$! and 2ad were sa,ing the rea" firewor0s for when he stepped off the train and they saw hi! again. A,eryone in the fa!i"y 0new what had happened. %a!es+ chee0s b$rned fro! that tho$ght as he watched fro8en &ogs!eade !e"t into the distance. &is Bnc"es* Con and eorge* had sent hi! a "$rid orange en,e"ope that sprayed confetti into the air* sho$ted =congrat$"ations= before spitting o$t a

choco"ate frog at yo$. They+d in,ented it /$st for hi!* they said* and were now se""ing the! at their shop. ' Festi,e* they ca""ed it. 't "east it had !ade hi! s!i"e* $nti" he rea"i8ed that his parents !$st ha,e to"d the fa!i"y. If Bnc"e Con 0new* that !eant e,eryone 0new. =Co!e on* %a!es*= .itch co!p"ained* stic0ing his head o$t of the co!part!ent door that %a!es had /$st wa"0ed $n0nowing"y past* =.arc$s and Ian are winning. If yo$ don+t co!e in and he"p !e* we+"" ha,e no choco"ate frog cards "eft.= The to$s"ed head of dar0 b"onde hair disappeared again into the co!part!ent and %a!es sighed. 't "east he co$"d force hi!se"f to en/oy the ride ho!e. )hat was co!ing wo$"d co!e whether he !oped abo$t it or not. &arry hated crowds. A,en after a"" these years he sti"" hadn+t gotten o,er the fact that peop"e stared at hi!* so!e of the! e,en bra,e eno$gh to approach and as0 hi! to s$pport this ca$se or that charity. So!e of the! si!p"y wanted to 0now if he rea""y was who they s$spected he was. It was a"" so si""y* rea""y. &e+d done a"" of that st$ff in the war so "ong ago that it was now possib"e for hi! to go a f$"" day and not e,en thin0 abo$t it. (ow he wasn+t &arry ;otter* the Chosen Dne5 he was &arry ;otter* h$sband of inny ;otter* father to %a!es* '"* and 7i"y ;otter. To hi!* that was the !$ch !ore preferred tit"e. )e""* that and he was the new &ead of the '$ror 2epart!ent* b$t that was si!p"y wor0. &e+d 0nown the crowd was going to be thic0 at Eings Cross today. )ith the &ogwarts A-press co!ing in* "ots of fa!i"ies were gathering to we"co!e their chi"dren bac0 ho!e for the ho"iday. 'fter ta"0ing abo$t it for se,era" ho$rs* he and inny had decided it wo$"d be best for &arry to bra,e the peering eyes a"one to gather %a!es. ;"$s* it wo$"d gi,e the added ad,antage of &arry being ab"e to ta"0 with his son $ninterr$pted for so!e ti!e. &e sighed and r$ff"ed his hair* trying to ignore the "itt"e boy who was inching c"oser and c"oser to hi!* h$ge dar0 eyes set into a ro$nd* "itt"e b"ac0 face. Inch by e-cr$ciating inch* the boy stepped c"oser $nti" his war!* wigg"y body was right a"ongside &arry+s "eg. =>o$+re rea""y hi!* aren+t yo$4= the boy as0ed* the widest grin &arry had e,er seen sp"itting his face. &arry "oo0ed down before scanning the crowd for the boy+s fa!i"y. Seeing no one concerned with the "itt"e dra!a p"aying o$t in their !idst* &arry ga,e a s!a"" nod. =I rea""y a!*= he whispered* as if it was the greatest secret in the wor"d. The boy gigg"ed* a so$nd that !ade his who"e* s0inny body sh$dder wonderf$""y. &arry co$"dn+t he"p b$t s!i"e as he rested his hand on the boy+s head. =>o$ "oo0 different than in !y boo0* yo$ 0now*= the boy said* peering at hi!. &arry g"anced aro$nd once !ore* trying not to "et his face t$rn red as peop"e stared at the two. &e s"ow"y san0 down in front of the boy $nti" they were a"!ost eye "e,e". =&ow so4= he as0ed* c$rio$s. &e and inny had decided "ong ago9before %a!es was e,en born9that they wo$"d not b$y &arry ;otter chi"dren+s boo0s for their 0ids. &arry wanted to be their dad* not so!e !ade $p character in so!e boo0. 'nd he had eno$gh fantastica" stories for the!. =>o$+re a "ot ta""er in the boo0*= the boy shr$gged. Tentati,e"y he reached $p and "aid his dar0 hand on &arry+s chee0. =@$t yo$+re nicer "i0e this* when yo$+re rea".=

&arry ch$c0"ed and win0ed. =I "i0e yo$ better rea" too.= =.y sister said yo$ wasn+t rea"*= the boy said* pointing bac0 o,er his sho$"der to a "itt"e* wide<eyed gir" who was c"inging to her !other+s hand* /$!ping $p and down and pointing in their direction. =I g$ess yo$ showed her* didn+t yo$4= &arry as0ed* "ifting his hand and wai,ing at the gir". She s3$ea"ed "o$d"y and the !other fina""y t$rned* gasping when she saw where her son was. &arry stood and too0 the "itt"e boy+s hand in his* !eeting her ha"f<way a"ong the p"atfor!. =I+! so sorry* .r. ;otter*= she said* "oo0ing abso"$te"y horrified and co""ecting her son $p into her ar!s. =Its fine*= &arry dis!issed. =)e were /$st ha,ing a "itt"e chat. I+! &arry* by the way.= The "itt"e fa!i"y introd$ced the!se",es* b$t the "o$d so$nd of the &ogwarts A-press p$""ing $p to the p"atfor! sto"e any opport$nity to contin$e the con,ersation. 's the !other wa"0ed away* &arry co$"dn+t he"p b$t be re!inded of %a!es in the yo$ng boy he+d /$st !et. %a!es was a"ways fear"ess* wandering away to ta"0 with strangers when he was yo$ng and scaring the "ife o$t of &arry and inny. &arry+s own nat$ra" c$riosity had !i-ed with inny+s fire and deter!ination* !a0ing their son a force to be rec0oned with. The ow" fro! (e,i""e three wee0s into ter! hadn+t co!e as a shoc0* /$st a !i"d s$rprise. inny was s$rprised it had ta0en so "ong for %a!es to get ca$ght* &arry was s$rprised it was on"y being o$t of the Tower he had been ca$ght doing. )hi"e they+d both agreed %a!es needed the discip"ine* they a"so both fe"t he !ight need a "itt"e reass$rance. Th$s* &arry was a"one at Eings Cross. %a!es was one of the "ast off the train* !a0ing &arry stand thro$gh the end"ess oohing and ahhing of the st$dents who recogni8ed hi! and the ripp"es of whispers $p and down the p"atfor!. (o wonder %a!es+ "etters ho!e had been rather:"ac0ing. They had a"" the $s$a" "ines abo$t how hard Transfig$ration was and how %a!es preferred 2efense* how he was doing at f"ying9a nat$ra"* of co$rse9and how his friends were. @$t there see!ed to be so!ething !issing in the words. It was a"!ost as if the o"d %a!es* the one who was f$"" of "ife and not afraid of anything* had si!p"y fa""en as"eep. )hen %a!es fina""y stepped down onto the ;"atfor!* his r$c0sac0 s"$ng o,er one ar!* &arry was shoc0ed at how o"d he rea""y "oo0ed. ' ,ision of this yo$ng !an* who had been /$st a chi"d on"y !onths ago* as an ad$"t ca!e to &arry+s eyes and s$c0ed the breath o$t of his "$ngs. The weary "oo0 on %a!es+ face didn+t he"p &arry pict$re hi! as yo$ng. &arry 0new being the o"dest son of &arry ;otter wo$"d be hard on %a!es9the first of this generation of ;otters to go to &ogwarts9b$t $nti" this !o!ent* he hadn+t rea""y considered the weight on his son+s yo$ng sho$"ders. %a!es g"anced aro$nd the p"atfor!* !$!b"ed his goodbye to the "ast of his friends and tr$dged o,er toward &arry. =&i*= he said* "oo0ing !ore at &arry+s feet than anywhere. =&a,e a good trip4= &arry forced hi!se"f to as0* swa""owing past the "$!p in his throat. %a!es "ifted his eyes and stared at &arry* the choco"ate brown co"or* so "i0e his !other+s* swir"ing with conf$sion and hesitation. =Ar:fine. ;"ayed A-p"oding Snap.=

= ood*= &arry said* p$""ing %a!es into a rather aw0ward h$g. =)here+s e,erybody e"se4= %a!es as0ed* "oo0ing aro$nd the p"atfor!* as if a who"e horde of )eas"eys and ;otters co$"d hide so!ewhere. ='t ho!e*= &arry shr$gged. =I tho$ght yo$ !ight "i0e to ha,e it be /$st yo$ and !e for a bit.= Cather than be e-cited at the prospect* %a!es+ face fe"". =This is where yo$ "ect$re !e abo$t what happened bac0 in Septe!ber* isn+t it4= &arry co$"dn+t he"p b$t "a$gh as he g$ided %a!es toward the barrier. =(o* it isn+t. )e+"" probab"y get aro$nd to that* b$t I ha,e a few other things I wanted to ta"0 to yo$ abo$t witho$t yo$r brother and sister aro$nd.= =(ot e,en .$!4= %a!es as0ed as they passed thro$gh the barrier and into Eings Cross. .$gg"es b$st"ed here and there* a"" ob"i,io$s to the two peop"e who !e"ted fro! the wa"" and into the f"ow of traffic. =(ot e,en yo$r !other*= &arry shoo0 his head* =a"tho$gh she 0nows what I+! going to say.= %a!es "oo0ed s0eptica" sti""* b$t he nodded* going a"ong with &arry+s p"an. =)here are we going4= he as0ed fina""y* b"in0ing as they stepped o$t into the brighter* grey day. &arry /$st s!i"ed and he"d $p a set of 0eys* /ing"ing the! in the air. =I stopped by the @$rrow on the way here.= =@eca$se it+s on the way*= %a!es ro""ed his eyes* b$t the e-cite!ent &arry had been hoping for was now there. =A,erything is on the way when yo$+re a wi8ard* %a!es*= &arry "eaned o,er and !$!b"ed* earning a s!ir0 fro! his son. =2oes .$! 0now abo$t ithis4/i= %a!es as0ed* his eyes going wide at the car when they stopped in front of it. &arry "a$ghed. =She does. %$st don+t !ention it to yo$r rand!other.= &e br$shed his hand a"ong the hood of the o"d Ford 'ng"ia and gest$red for %a!es to c"i!b in. =>o$r randfather had to distract her whi"e I bac0ed it o$t of the shed.= %a!es stared at a"" the ga$ges and dia"s inside* his eyes going wide. &arry co$"dn+t he"p b$t "a$gh again* re!e!bering two other wide<eyed yo$ng boys who had ridden in a car ,ery !$ch "i0e this one so !any years ago. =Isn+t it yo$r car* tho$gh* 2ad4 >o$ bo$ght it.= &arry shr$gged and t$rned the 0ey* fee"ing the engine p$rr to "ife. =I did* b$t it was a gift for yo$r randfather. 'gain9don+t te"" yo$r rand!other that. She thin0s I as0ed 'rth$r to 0eep it for !e beca$se o$r ho$se doesn+t ha,e a garage.= %a!es snorted and shoo0 his head. &e reached $p and ran his hand a"ong the restored dash. =)i"" I e,er get to dri,e it4= &arry "a$ghed as he steered thro$gh downtown 7ondon traffic. =.aybe one day.= =@$t not when I+! twe",e*= he grinned !ischie,o$s"y* no do$bt re!e!bering the story of &arry and Con and the ad,ent$re they+d gone on. =(ot when yo$+re twe",e*= &arry agreed with a si!i"ar s!i"e. =@$t I tho$ght yo$ at "east deser,ed the first ride in it* besides !e.=

%a!es nodded and watched the cars go by. &arry t$rned the dia" on the radio* h$!!ing a"ong to an o"d song on the radio as they !ade their way o$t of the city. The 3$iet !o!ent ga,e hi! ti!e to decide how he was going to approach this with %a!es. A,en after ha,ing wee0s to thin0 abo$t what he wanted to say* &arry sti"" co$"dn+t find the perfect words. =&ow is &ogwarts4= he fina""y sett"ed on. %a!es was 3$iet for a !in$te* biting the inside of his chee0. =%$st:/$st say what yo$ want to say* o0ay* 2ad4= &arry c"eared his throat and too0 a sharp "eft* down a street that see!ed to be a dead end. Instead of stopping* howe,er* he g$nned the engine and p$nched a b$tton on the dash. %a!es gasped and c"$tched the door as they "ifted into the air. =2on+t worry* 'rth$r and I chec0ed and re<chec0ed the in,isibi"ity booster. (o one can see $s.= =It+s not that*= %a!es panted* staring at the city growing s!a""er be"ow the!. =I /$st:it too0 !e by s$rprise.= &arry "a$ghed soft"y and patted his son+s sho$"der* gent"y t$rning the whee" to "ead the! so$thwest* thro$gh the !oist c"o$ds toward ho!e. =7isten* %a!es*= he started* hating the way this was t$rning o$t to be a "ect$re. It was what he wanted to a,oid* rea""y. &e reached o,er and c"ic0ed the dia" to the radio $nti" the ,oices faded fro! the spea0ers co!p"ete"y. %a!es too0 a deep breath and see!ed to brace hi!se"f. =It can+t be easy being !y son*= &arry sighed. &e stared straight ahead* 0nowing that if he "oo0ed at %a!es he !ight not be ab"e to do this. =There are:e-pectations that peop"e ha,e of yo$. A-pectations that !aybe yo$ ha,e for yo$rse"f that are: )e"" they !ight be $nreachab"e.= =(ot:not rea""y*= %a!es shr$gged* "ying. &arry appreciated the effort. =>o$r !other and I tired ,ery hard not to "et the stories and the fa!e to$ch yo$ when yo$ were "itt"e.= =It didn+t*= %a!es shoo0 his head* =not rea""y. I !ean* we 0new who yo$ both were* b$t:= =>eah*= &arry shifted in the seat* r$ff"ing his hair in annoyance and ner,o$sness. =)hat I+! trying to say is* yo$r !other and I "o,e yo$* %a!es. )e don+t want yo$ to be anyone b$t yo$rse"f. D0ay4= =Ar:o0ay4= %a!es "oo0ed !ore than a "itt"e conf$sed and &arry had to "oo0 away fro! hi!* re!inded of the "itt"e boy who was bo"d and daring. The boy who $sed to hate getting dressed* preferring to r$n aro$nd n$de* or in on"y his .artin .iggs the .ad .$gg"e $nderpants a"" day "ong. )here had those years gone4 =This isn+t abo$t Septe!ber4= he as0ed. &arry shoo0 his head. =(ot rea""y* a"tho$gh what happened in Septe!ber !ade $s rea"i8e how !$ch press$re yo$ !ight be $nder at schoo". )e+,e ne,er wanted anything !ore for yo$* %a!ie* than to be a happy* hea"thy yo$ng boy who was gi,en the best of what we co$"d gi,e yo$.= =>o$+,e gi,en !e that*= %a!es protested. = i,en $s a"" that.= = ood*= &arry nodded. =That+s the !ost i!portant thing.= =I /$st:so!eti!es I see peop"e watching !e*= %a!es ad!itted* his ,oice softer than &arry tho$ght he+d e,er heard it. %a!es didn+t 0now how to be 3$iet5 he had two ,o"$!es9"o$d and as"eep. ='nd I 0now they+re waiting for !e to do so!ething spectac$"ar beca$se !y na!e is9=

=;otter*= &arry finished* nodding. %a!es shr$gged aw0ward"y* his chee0s going red* /$st "i0e his !other+s $sed to do. ='nd I don+t want to disappoint anyone.= =>o$+re not*= &arry shoo0 his head. =>o$+re e"e,en years o"d* %a!es.= ='"!ost twe",e*= %a!es po$ted soft"y* !a0ing &arry s!i"e. ='"!ost twe",e years o"d*= &arry corrected. =>o$+re a""owed to !a0e !ista0es* yo$ 0now4 >o$+re a""owed to ha,e the chance to grow $p and decide who yo$ want to be in "ife.= =I+! a""owed to get ca$ght o$t of bed and get detention4= %a!es as0ed hopef$""y. &arry tried not to s!i"e5 he rea""y tried. =>o$+re a""owed to be e"e,en9a"!ost twe",e.= %a!es+ who"e body see!ed to re"a- bac0 into the seat and he rested his head against the seat* a "oo0 that was co!p"ete"y the o"d %a!es co!ing bac0 onto his face. =That doesn+t !ean yo$ sho$"d be o$t e,ery night* trying to get yo$rse"f into as !any detentions as yo$ can possib"y gather*= &arry warned* a f"ash of !e!ory co!ing o,er hi!. &e was si-teen* and in another of his series of detentions gi,en by ;rofessor Snape* d$sting cards that had his father+s na!e a"" o,er the!. %a!es ;otter. Cight now he co$"dn+t he"p b$t thin0 the !an he+d na!ed his son for wo$"d be s!i"ing so!ewhere* pro$d of his na!esa0e. =It /$st !eans that !ischief and c$riosity ha,e their p"ace*= &arry finished. They were 3$iet for a few !ore !in$tes* f"$ffy white c"o$ds passing the! as the engine whined perfect"y in the bac0gro$nd. =2o !e a fa,or4= %a!es per0ed $p* b"in0ing at &arry. =>eah4= =Ceach into the bac0 seat*= &arry nodded his head to the side. =There+s so!ething for yo$ bac0 there.= =For !e4= %a!es as0ed* practica""y di,ing o,er the seat. &e ret$rned with a rather "$!py pac0age* wrapped in p"ain brown paper and tied with a string. =For yo$*= &arry nodded. =(ow before yo$ open it9= =)ait?= %a!es co!!anded* ho"ding $p his hand. =It+s not Christ!as yet. If .$! finds o$t9= &arry "a$ghed. =>o$r !other and I ha,e disc$ssed gi,ing this to yo$ "ong and hard. 'nd yo$ 0now when we fina""y decided it was the right ti!e4= %a!es stared at hi!* the pac0age in his "ap !o!entari"y forgotten. &e shoo0 his head s"ow"y. =In Septe!ber*= &arry shr$gged. =Dpen it and I+"" try to e-p"ain.= %a!es bare"y too0 a breath before ripping into the paper* strewing it e,erywhere across the f"oorboards of the car. &arry didn+t watch* b$t waited for the so$nd of an inta0e of breath. &e wasn+t disappointed by the gasp that echoed. =It+s:is this the real one4= =It is*= &arry nodded* g"ancing o,er to see %a!es eyes wide* his fingers re,erent"y "etting the c"oth s"ide o,er his fingers. =@$t:don+t yo$ need this4 For wor0* I !ean*= %a!es as0ed. &e s"id his hand into the c"oa0 and "ifted it* !ar,e"ing when his hand disappeared into the si",ery !ateria". &arry shr$gged. &e had been $sing it periodica""y at wor0* b$t the need was greater here. ;"$s* it was ti!e to carry on with tradition. =I can !anage witho$t it.=

=)hy are yo$ gi,ing this to !e4= %a!es peered at hi!. =Aspecia""y after .itch and I got into tro$b"e.= =>o$r !other and I ta"0ed abo$t it* "i0e I said*= &arry e-p"ained. ='nd we a"!ost decided against gi,ing it to yo$* b$t the way yo$ hand"ed e,erything* %a!es* the way yo$ didn+t get angry with the p$nish!ent or fight against it* showed rea" !at$rity. I+! not naF,e eno$gh to thin0 that this was the on"y ti!e yo$+,e been o$t of ryffindor Tower* or that /$st getting ca$ght wo$"d deter yo$. @$t !aybe with this* yo$+"" be "ess "i0e"y to get st$c0 in detention. &owe,er* if we thin0 that yo$+re !is$sing it9= =I won+t*= %a!es pro!ised* a s!i"e sp"itting his face. &arry co$"dn+t hide his own happiness at the "oo0 of p$re /oy on his son+s face. =That was gi,en to !e Christ!as of !y first year* yo$ 0now4= &arry as0ed* his !ind thic0 with !e!ories. It fe"t "i0e /$st days ago that he+d been sitting on the end of his bed in the dor!itory* !ar,e"ing at the fact that he had presents sitting there* /$st for hi!. =It+s sort of a:fa!i"y tradition to hand it down to sons.= %a!es+ s!i"e s"ipped off his face as he stared at the c"oth. =)hat abo$t '"* 2ad4 >o$ ha,e two sons.= =I do*= &arry nodded pro$d"y. =I+! gi,ing this to !y son now* and I+"" te"" '"b$s abo$t it Christ!as of his first year. That gi,es yo$ two years to !a0e good $se of it before yo$+"" ha,e to share it.= %a!es nodded and was 3$iet. =If yo$ want it bac0 then* I+"" $nderstand.= =(ot at a""*= &arry shoo0 his head. &e 0new that %a!es often fe"t "eft o$t beca$se &arry and '"b$s shared a sort of bond between the!. %a!es* whi"e "oo0ing si!i"ar to &arry* "oo0ed !ore "i0e a )eas"ey. '"b$s was a"!ost the spitting i!age of &arry* whi"e 7i"y was a b"end of her two parents. =I+"" e-pect both of !y sons to share that c"oa0 responsib"y.= %a!es+ s!i"e ret$rned* a "itt"e "ess bright* b$t growing by the !in$te. =I wanted to be in ryffindor to !a0e yo$ pro$d.= =>o$ 0now that I wo$"d ha,e been pro$d of yo$ e,en if &ogwarts had sh$t its gates on yo$* right4= he win0ed. %a!es nodded* his face going pin0. =@$t I didn+t !a0e the G$idditch tea! "i0e yo$ did.= =%a!es9= ='nd there ha,en+t been any tro""s* or possessed professors* or e,en enchanted boo0s. %$st boring st$ff.= &e so$nded a"!ost disappointed and &arry winced* thin0ing that perhaps the stories had been too !$ch after a"". = ood*= he nodded. =I+,e wor0ed hard a"" !y "ife to !a0e s$re those things don+t happen to yo$* %a!ie.= =I /$st want to !a0e yo$ pro$d of !e*= %a!es said. =To be "i0e yo$.= &arry swa""owed past the "$!p in his throat and p$""ed %a!es across the seat to h$g hi! with one ar!. =I a! pro$d of yo$* %a!es. @$t yo$ sho$"d want to be yo$r own person. >o$+re not &arry ;otter9 yo$+re %a!es Siri$s ;otter* and there+s ne,er been another yo$. >o$ need to "earn to be who yo$ are* and not who e,eryone e"se e-pects yo$ to be.= %a!es h$gged hi! bac0* ca$ght $p in the !o!ent and forgetting co!p"ete"y that a"!ost<twe",e year< o"d boys rare"y h$g their parents. &e nodded fina""y and !o,ed away a "itt"e* staring down at the c"oth and tracing his fingers a"ong the fo"ds and ripp"es in it. =I+"" fig$re o$t who that is* I pro!ise.=

=That+s eno$gh for $s*= &arry nodded. =7oo0* we+re p$""ing in now*= he pointed o$t the window to the ho!e that had beco!e his sanct$ary o,er the years. =&o!e*= %a!es said* his forehead pressed on the g"ass. =It+s good to be ho!e.=