Drinking away Reality || OPEN

[Harry Potter]

It wasn't often Harry got to go to Hogsmeade and just enjoy himself. Truth be told, he would have to say it was back when he was sixteen. It had been the one Hogsmeade Trip that had been scheduled. Then there had been an attack on a student, and all future trips had been cancelled. Since then, Harry had just been to busy to actually visit the Wizarding town. First he had been on the run for several months, Death Eaters looking for him. Then it had been his job with the Ministry. And then later, it had been fatherhood.

Don't get Harry wrong, he wouldn't change his life for anything -he had long since accepted the fact that his parents death hadn't been as tragic as it seemed. They had chose to die the way they had; honorably. But even now and then, like people usually do, he wished that he didn't have any attachments to anything. And like every single time he thought it, he felt guilt rise up inside, consuming him.

A sigh escaped him as he took another swig of his mulled mead. Harry wasn't one to drink. In all honesty, he couldn't hold his alchol. He had always found any type of liquior to be disgusting, however he wouldn't say no to a few drinks here and there. They're were rare occasions were he would get himself drunk, but they were far and few inbetween.

Harry had long ago deemed today to be a particular day to go out and get drunk. And when you were drunk, there were only always three possible outcomes. The one being that the drunk would become Very happy. The second being that the intoxicated becoming extremely violent. And the third and final outcome was that the unfortunate soul would become extremely emotional and think of nothing but their woes in life. Harry's only drunk options were happy or sad. He never was one to get violent, unless someone pissed him off while drunk in which case the only safe thing to do would be to take Harry's wand.

Today, he was being an Emotional Drunk. He sat in one of the less little corners of the Three Broomsticks. Harry didn't like all the attention that was always drawn to him, although by now, he was extremely (unfortunately) use to it. But today, he just wanted to be left alone. Left alone to drink and sulk over his thoughts. His current line of thought? His three, wonderful children.

Like all parents, Harry got the impression that his kids hated him. He'd admit, he wasn't very sure on how to communicate with them. He had never had any parents, and well... The Dursley's never cared about his feelings growing up. The only way he had known how to vent was to get angry, and he often vented on his two best friends. But Harry had soon learned (mostly from taking care of Ted) that, that wasn't how you delt with kids.

There were always thin lines that had to be watched, ones that Harry wasn't sure he could cross or not. But the one thing he knew his kids did hate him for was his over protectiveness. Which brought him to his issue.

His babies were growing up.

Harry wasn't sure how he liked this idea. Okay, that was a lie. He HATED the idea. In his mind, they were still little toddlers, happy and content with the smallest of things. But he had to admit, even though he hated it, that they weren't babies anymore. James was an Adult. He was of legal age to do as he pleased. Albus would be of age soon as well, going out into the world. And his little girl, his flower, was blossoming into a beautiful young woman. Harry saw much of Ginny in her.

But even she was growing up way to fast for his liking. Boys. Merlin, Harry never knew how complicated boys could be, and he was a guy! But to look at the second generation now... and thinking about the boy he used to be... It spun his head. He ran a hand over his face, pushing his glasses into the bridge of his nose. His cheeks were slightly pink, a content buzz sounding in his head.

Words || 739
Tag || OPEN
Comment || Harry's facing reality! Dun Dun DUNN!!!

[James Potter]

James Sirius Potter was up to no good. One of his best talents when no one else was watching. He had a knack for figuring out exactly what he shouldn't be doing, then doing it anyway. And somehow he tended to get away with it... most of the time. It was the weekend and James was bored. He finished his prefect rounds and all of his homework, Penny was busy, and no one else was around. He had been fooling around in the common room with some spells, bored out of his mind. Then he had the bright idea to go to Hogsmeade. The only problem... getting out of the school unseen

Of course James had an easy way around this problem. Lucky for him he had his Dad's old invisibility cloak and the handy Marauder's Map. He sneaked through the corridors, keeping a close eye on the map to be sure no one was coming by, even though he was invisible. James went down the old passageway under the ugly witch statue and padded his way towards the cellar of Honeydukes. It wasn't a long journey, only about twenty minutes or so. James waited patiently for the shop worker to leave the cellar before he emerged from the trap door. James then tiptoed his way up the steps and slid out the front door of the shop unnoticed. Before continuing on, he ducked down a small alley to remove him cloak which he hid in his small backpack that he brought with him along with the map. Also before venturing out into the open he took off his glasses, so hopefully no one would recognize him. James really wasn't supposed to be down in Hogsmeade, but they weren't about to alert the Headmaster as long as he didn't cause too much trouble.

He drifted down the main street of the little village, which wasn't too crowded that day. James looked around at the few passers-by, all of whom too busy to notice a student wandering through. James was relieved. He really didn't want any hassle that day. Even if something did stir up, he had his cloak in his bag.

James made it down to the Three Brooksticks, figuring a nice butterbeer would do him good. It had been a while since he last had one... sometime the previous year. It was one of his favorite drinks, and he always missed it over the summer. He wasn't sure whether or not him mum agreed with him drinking it, but its not like he was underage.

The inside, like the street outside, was rather deserted. James squinted around, having difficulty seeing anything farther than 10 feet. His glasses helped him see far away, but up close it was no problem. Now without his glasses as a disguise, he was at a loss.

"One butterbeer please," he said to the counter person.

"Shouldn't ya be up at th' school, laddie?" he asked in a thick Scottish accent. James was familiar and friendly with him, and knew he was just joking with him.

"Wanted to get away for a bit," James said, still feeling a bit guilty. He knew the old man wouldn't tell or send him away, but still James knew he was doing wrong.

"Here ya are," the worker said as he handed James his mug.

James paid and gave a smile before wandering into the the middle of the shop, looking for a seat. He saw a blurred figure in the back, but paid no mind. James sat a few seats away from the stranger, his back facing him, and started to sip his drink lazily.


WORDS: 658
TAGS: Dad!
COMMENTS: XP

[Harry Potter]

He swished the contents of his bottle slightly, staring down the hole at the top to the amber liquid at the bottom. He needed another. He looked up t to the bar and raised his bottom slightly, signaling what he wanted. A few moments later, another bottle was delivered. He said his thanks, pushing his sickles towards the bartender on the table. He finished his current bottle and started on the second.

He heard the faint chiming of the door opening, and the shrunken heads next to it complaining about the noise waking them up. Harry snorted slightly at them. Merlin they were annoying. And they had quite a mouth on them as well. His eyes sought out the person who had just entered, curious as to who would be coming in. He could sense a few of the other patrons in the pub turning as well before returning to what it was they were doing.

Harry immediately recognized who it was, even without his glasses on. He raised a brow, pushing his own glasses further up his nose. He watched as his son made his way to the back, sitting a few seats in front of him. It came as no surprise that James didn’t recognize him. He had inherited his poor eyesight from Harry after all. But James’ sight was better than his. If Harry were to remove his glasses, he wouldn’t be able to see anything unless it was two inches from his face.

Sighing, he got up and made his way over to James, sitting next to him. “I know for a fact that you, Young Man, are not allowed here at the moment.” He said to James, a smirk sitting on his face. He wasn’t about to yell at James for being out of bounds. He himself had broken every school rule at least once. He suspected that, that was one of the qualities that made them Gryffindor’s and Potter’s.

Words || 325
Tag || James
Comment || It's a bit short, sorry.

[James Potter]

What a great taste butterbeer had. James reveled in his first sip, smiling and closing his eyes as it warmed up his throat. He loved the cinnamon and buttery taste, along with the zing of the bit of alcohol. His eyes wandered around in front of him, trying to take in the people surrounding him. Alas, without his glasses, all he saw were blurred faces. He sighed contently as he took another swig. He thought of Penny, turning his cheeks red a bit. James missed her a lot, as it was hard to find time to be together, especially alone. Being a seventh year, really had him piled up with work. Of course he stayed on top of it all, but it took up most of his time. Lost in thoughts, he didn't here the rumble of a chair scooting out behind him or the footsteps approaching.

"I know for a fact that you, Young Man, are not allowed here at the moment." said a voice from behind him.

James' eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he saw his very own dad come into view from behind. He almost choked on his butterbeer that was halfway down his throat. His expression was a mix of surprise, fear, and guilt. James would have rather been found out by the Headmaster than his own father. "Hi, dad," he croaked, watching his dad sit down at the table with him. "I, er... I know I'm not supposed to be here..." he added meekly.

His thoughts whirred through his mind. Not only was he nervous for being caught doing something he wasn't supposed to, but he was also nervous. James was awkward, it was a given with him. But spending alone time with his dad, that was even more awkward. He always had this inferiority complex with him, as if he wasn't living up to the great Harry Potter's standards. James wanted to be the son his dad always wished for. And not being a Quidditch star or the most sociable person in school made him feel like he was failing to meet those standards. He smiled sheepishly and guiltily over at his dad before taking another sip of his beverage. The one thing to distract him from saying anything else. After a long, drawn out swing, James started tapping on the glass, eyes darting around landing
anywhere but on his dad, waiting to be scolded.



WORDS: 455
TAGS: The one and only Harry P
COMMENTS: Its alright, sometimes they get short XP

[Harry Potter]

Ah, the reaction of his son was priceless. Harry couldn’t help but laughing a bit at his son’s face. It was amusing really. Harry himself had never been caught sneaking out (oh but there had been so many close calls) but he figured that he’d look just as his son did now; a deer caught in the headlights. When his Son said Hi, Harry nodded his greetings, taking a small swig of his mead.

He raised a brow slightly as he looked at his son. “You know, you won’t get as much trouble if you don’t look so guilty. That, and always have a good story ready for anyone who doesn’t believe that innocent face. Just don’t use the same story twice.” He said to his son, a smirk still on his face. He chuckled at how nervous his son was. And he knew why he was nervous too. James had always felt awkward around him. Ever since he was old enough to fully understand all the legends surrounding Harry.

And Harry hated it. His son shouldn’t have to be afraid of him. He sighed lightly at his son, setting his bottle down. “I’m not going to yell at you James. I’d be nothing but a hypocrite if I did. You can at least put your glasses back on. Your going to ruin your eye sight even more. And trust me, you don’t want my eyes.” He said, his voice calm and mellow. “So, why are you out of bounds anyways?” he asked, generally curious.

Words || 255
Tag || James
Comment || I don't write well when I have lack of sleep.... stupid shoulder

[James Potter]

His dad seemed thoroughly amused, now making James feel like a prat. He suddenly tried to wipe the guilty look off his face, and looked at his dad and chuckled. James wasn't too creative, but he figured he'd have to start thinking up good stories to use. He was always prowling about, so there was bound to be a time where he got caught again.

James was relieved that he wasn't going to get yelled at. Now he really felt at ease, at least about the getting caught part. He still felt the uneasiness of being alone with his dad. Following his orders, James searched through his backpack for his glasses and returned them to his face. Seeing a couple smudge marks on his lenses, he took the glasses back off using his shirt to rub off the spots.

"Well, I," James started, finally replacing his glasses on his face. "I was bored." He paused. "And thirsty."

It was the truth. James didn't know what else to say, so he took another sip of his drink, making it almost halfway gone now. Now what? he thought. Bloody hell this is awkward. Maybe is just me. And that's probably pissing him off too... argg.... James was frustrated with himself. Why couldn't he be the confident one, like Lily? Although Lily ended to get herself in big trouble often... or at least do things that would get her in trouble if she was caught.

"How's, uh, how's work?" It was a lame question and James knew it. But else was he supposed to say. Him and his dad didn't really sit and chat with each other. Only if they had to, or passing by at home.



WORDS: 338
TAGS: Harry
COMMENTS: Muse is dead, sorry =/

[Harry Potter]

Harry shook his head, watching as James attempted to wipe the guilty expression off his face. Well, James had never been a good liar anyways. Come to think of it, neither was he. He took another drink of his mead, swishing it around slightly. He was very aware of the awkward silence that was around them. And Harry hated it. He hated the fact that he was so distant with his children. He wondered if they even knew how much he loved them.

He smiled, nodding his head. Bored and Thirsty… well, that much was obvious. However, Harry didn’t say anything about that. “Well, at least your motives are… better than mine were.” He said. Harry could remember sneaking out of the school just for the simple fact that he didn’t want to be in the castle and he could. Now that he thought about it, it was rather selfish of him. But at the time, it didn’t seem all that bad. Of course, it was always brought to his attention how serious the situation was and how much of a risk he was putting himself into. However, Dumbledore had always been kind. He had never raised his voice; although Harry would have preferred the yelling over the disappointment.

Work… It seemed all Harry did was work. Hell, he was ‘working’ since he was eleven years old; constantly thwarting Dark Wizard from gaining power. All Harry wanted was a normal life, to be a husband to his wife, and a father to his children. But his legend was even robbing him of that. “Well, it’s falling into the story of my life. Let’s just say it could be so much worse.” He said.

It seemed that Harry’s life was nothing but conflict. At times, he sometimes wondered if he was putting his family through unneeded pain. Was he being selfish, keeping them tied to him? He was already so distant from his children. They were intimidated by him, they didn’t know him. They knew only the rumors and the legends surrounding his name. “How’s classes?” he asked, turning to look at his son.

Words || 353
Tag || James
Comment || lol that's fine.

[James Potter]

Listening to his father talk about his work, James nodded. It was hard to relate with his dad, especially since he knew nothing about him and only the stories he heard. Of course James knew half of the junk he heard was untrue or exaggerated. But still, James knew nothing about the real man behind the name of Harry Potter. He wanted to ask, so badly to understand, but he was afraid. What if he didn't want to talk about it? What if he got mad or upset? James couldn't imagine how his dad would react. He was probably asked about his life all the time by strangers and reporters, anyone who sets eyes on him and his scar.

James was pretty close with his family... well mostly Lily. He loved his mom, no matter how exuberant she was. And Albus? There were times when James loved him, and when he loved to hate him. But when James thought of his dad, there was this emptiness, like a gray cloud blurring his vision. If only James knew how to change that. He was pulled out of his rambling thoughts when his dad asked him about school.

"Classes are normal, you know," James added shortly. "Studying and preparing for N.E.W.T.s and doing prefect duties... The usual."

His mind wandered again. He was loaded up with so much work this school year that he barely had any free time. That meant he rarely got to spend time with Penny. Sure they would meet in the hallways and enjoy a meal together if they could, but there was never any alone time. James frowned and took another sip of his drink which was almost gone now. He looked up at his dad, feeling self conscious that somehow he could read his mind. James was pretty sure Harry knew about his girlfriend, though James wasn't going to risk bringing up the subject.



WORDS: 364
TAGS: Harry
COMMENTS: Will Harry ask about Penny? Hmmmm...

[Harry Potter]

N.E.W.T.s; Harry wondered what they felt like, what it was like to study for them. Were they as tiring at the O.W.L. exams? Harry would never know. He had missed out on that, just as he had missed out on so much in his life. "Can you tell your Old Man what it's like, preparing for N.E.W.T.s? I never did take mine. And well, even my O.W.L.s were somewhat interrupted." he said.

It had been during his History of Magic O.W.L. exam that he had had a 'vision' of Sirius being tortured. He had been unable to finish his exams. And then he had dragged his friends recklessly to the Ministry of Magic to save Sirius... who hadn't needed saving. He felt his eyes prick with tears and he quickly reached up to wipe at them. Sirius was happy where he was. He was back with his father, and Remus was with them too. He suspected they were causing problems up there.

He unconsciously rubbed the scar on his hand, 'I must not tell lies'. That Damn Umbridge woman. It made Harry sick in his stomach to know that she had gotten off for her abuse of not only him, but so many other innocent students.

He hadn't been a Prefect either. He could remember being so upset with Dumbledore over not being made one. But at the same time, he was happy for Ron for getting it. IT was the sole thing Ron had ever beaten Harry at. But Dumbledore had explained why he hadn't been made Prefect, he had had so much responsibility on his shoulders. Why add another, pointless one?

"The usual, huh? What, not enough time for your Girlfriend?" he asked with a sly smile. Harry wasn't completely oblivious to his children's lives. He knew what to look for. And when it came to looking for small, subtle hints, Harry excelled beautifully.

Words || 336
Tag || James
Comments || He may not talk to James a lot, but he's still a dad

[/right]

[James Potter]

Taking another swing of his drink, James pondered over his dad's question. It was obvious that James knew why his dad didn't take his N.E.W.T.s, everyone knew. Unfortunately James never really heard the story from his father's own mouth. And about his dad not taking his O.W.L.s? James really didn't know anything about that. He wanted to ask, but he didn't know how...

"N.E.W.T.s are going to be hard, I know that. I've got to know so much information," James chuckled then paused. These tests were to prepare students for what job they would have after leaving Hogwarts. James wasn't really sure what he wanted to do. Maybe be a professor, or own a shop... he didn't know. Sometimes he wished he could be an auror like his dad. But James didn't have any experience in fighting the Dark Arts. He knew a ton of spells though, because of his excellent memory. Of course, also from his habitual studying habits. He wondered what his dad would say if he told him he has thought about being an auror.

Before James could say anything else, his dad asked him about his girlfriend. He clammed up. How was he supposed to talk to his dad about his girlfriend? He gulped down the rest of his drink, avoiding answering the question for as long as he could. It was stupid to hope his dad knew nothing about Penny. In a letter he sent to him, he was as vague as possible, talking about a girl he's good friends with. James knew his dad wasn't stupid. He just wished he was sometimes... at least about this.

"Er, Penny is... uh," James mumbled. "I mean, I try to see her when I can. Its hard enough we're in different houses,"


WORDS: 359
TAGS: Daddy-o
COMMENTS: Lol XP

[Harry Potter]

Harry smiled as he listened to his son. He figured they were hard. He could remember Hermione saying that they were dreadful. But she hadn’t had time to study for them either. And as sorry as he felt for his son, he was also glad that preparing for N.E.W.T.s were the only things he had to worry about. And as much as Harry detested the life he led, he wouldn’t change it for the world. It was the outcome that mattered, and Harry couldn’t be any happier.

“I feel sorry for you, Kid. But I must say I’m glad you inherited your Uncle Percy’s studying habits. If you had mine… well, I don’t think you’d have passed your O.W.L.s.” he said with a laugh. Harry was bright, don’t get him wrong. He knew what he needed and was able to study everything to scrap passing grades. But his motivation to study was extremely low. He’d rather have spent his time flying about on the Quidditch field. It was a past time that he still enjoyed greatly. Although the harmless games he had played with the Weasley men so long ago were replaced with much more brutal ones. It wasn’t uncommon for any of them to be sporting a broken limb or a bloodied nose at the end.

He studied his son’s features. He could see a question lingering there, as if his Son were afraid to ask him. And it didn’t surprise Harry. He knew the kind of impression he left on his kids. It was the same he left on most of the Magical World. His fame and legend preceded him, making him this revered figure that couldn’t be touched. Oh how Harry hated it. There was no one person above another. Wizards weren’t above Elves; Wizards weren’t above Muggles, or Half-breeds; and he most certainly wasn’t about anyone else.

He couldn’t help but laugh at his son’s embarrassment. What? Had his son really thought he wouldn’t notice? He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at that. Typical Teenage thoughts. Parents were never obvious to their children. And well, when it came to the Romance department, James was as see through as Harry had been back in his sixth year. All the subtle hints in his letters had been the same as how Harry had looked at Ginny.

“Oops, I can see you don’t want to talk about that. Sorry. What do you want to talk about? We’ll discuss anything else except your love life, how’s that?” he asked his son. Harry wanted to bond with his children. He wanted to give his kids the world. But at times, he felt as if they didn’t know how he felt; how much he loved them. It made Harry think of the mission he was currently trying to put together. He wanted to do it on his own, not wanting to risk anyone else’s safety, but how would his family take it? He’d be gone for a while. Would anyone, besides Ginny, notice?

Words || 502
Tag || James
Comments || I want Harry to get on Ben's tail, but I have to start a topic with him. See where that goes.

[/right]

[James Potter]

James felt like an arse. It was all his fault he was making this encounter so difficult. Why couldn't he just be a normal person, able to talk to people without being awkward. He had a girlfriend, so what. His dad didn't seem too perturbed by that fact. His dad wasn't even mad about him sneaking out of school. When James thought about it, Harry was a really great dad, so very down to earth. The relationship and father to son bond wasn't there though. James wished it was there. If only he wasn't such a ninny.

"Its okay, um..." James paused and tapped his empty glass. "I'll be right back," Anything to get his head clear for a minute. Picking up the mug, he made his way over to the bar area again and ordered a second butterbeer. Hopefully his dad wouldn't mind he was having seconds. There was only a fraction of alcohol in the beverage anyway. And he was seventeen, so he was legally allowed. He then carried his newly filled glass back over to the table, sitting down quietly then taking a sip.

Now what? Harry said they could talk about anything else. James didn't know. What did fathers and sons talk about? They already covered school and work, and stumbled on girlfriends. Maybe he could ask about his mum. That sounded like a good plan.

"How's mum?" the question sounded forced, monotone. There was a bit of silence. "Probably driving you nuts with holiday plans. And Ted and Vic on top of all that..." James chuckled, releasing some tension. One thing they could bond over was the typical craziness of Ginny. She was always over the top with things, James didn't mind. Though sometimes it got tiring, especially the constant letters now asking about him and Penny. In the letters she bombarded him with questions about when she would get to meet Penny and if she was coming for Christmas.... and what she should cook, and what should she buy for a gift... It was never ending female nonsense. James kept those letters to himself mostly. He didn't want to scare Penny away.



WORDS: 423
TAGS: HP
COMMENTS: That sounds like a good idea. Send him a PM if you haven't already.

[Harry Potter]

Another awkward silence. Harry wasn’t sure how to deal with it. He had never liked silences. It wasn’t in his element to deal with them. Now, if someone was screaming their head off or blaming him for something, he’d be able to get a grasp on the situation. He knew how to act then, thanks to his up-bringing. But silences… it always left Harry with the impression that he wasn’t there; as if the whole world had forgotten him. And Harry hated being alone.

When his son tapped his glass and said he was getting another he nodded his head. It wasn’t as if he were doing anything wrong. Now, if he had been drinking Meade or Firewhiskey, then Harry may have had a slight problem. But as it stood, you couldn’t get drunk off Butterbeer… unless you were a house elf. At the thought of house elves, he thought of Dobby. The elf had given his life to protect Harry. And he could remember how torn up he had been as he manually dug the elves grave. Harry even paid respects to the elf yearly by visiting the grave the day he died and placing a sock over the rock that served as his tomb. His kids thought it weird, but Harry knew Dobby would appreciate it.

He didn’t say anything as his son sat down, preferring to wait for his son to make the first move. He didn’t want to have James feel like he was being pressured into talking. No, he didn’t want any of his Kids to feel that way around him. He wanted them to feel comfortable and at ease. And then James asked his first question. Harry could tell it was forced, but chose to ignore the tone. At least James was trying; that’s all Harry asked for. At the mention of Ted and his niece, Harry groaned.

“How about you just be thankful you’re not at home at the present time? She’s bloody impossible. And then she goes on about you three; things you may have forgotten, if you’re eating your vegetables, you haven’t written to her and I better do something to make sure your okay or I’m not getting dinner, why I came home so late, is everything okay in the office. If she’s this way with Ted, I dread the time you three are getting married.” He said. Ginny was something or a worry wart; and when she got started there was no stopping her.

“But aside from Ted and Victoire, she’s constantly asking about work. I’ve been pulling a few over night shifts; getting ready for an important mission I plan on handling personally.” He said.

Words || 447
Tag || James
Comment || Yeah, I just Pm'd him to see if it was okay. We'll see what he says.

[James Potter]

Suddenly James was the number one target listener for Harry's mini rant. On the inside James was laughing, because as much as his mum drove his dad bonkers, he knew they still cared a lot about each other. Sometimes James would catch them exchanging a glance while in the kitchen, as if they could read each others minds. It all seemed like mushy stuff, but James considered himself lucky for having his family. Especially because he knew that his dad had no one for the first part of his life.

As his dad continued talking, James' cheek tinged just the tiniest bit red at the mention of him and his three siblings getting married. His mind quickly darted to Penny causing his stomach to flip flop. He knew he deeply cared about Penny, just recently telling her he loved her when they... His cheeks got redder. James ducked his head, feinting a cough. He hoped he wasn't too obvious, and he hoped to hell his dad wasn't an expert at Legilimency.

His thoughts shifted again at his dad's mention of work. Apparently he was going on a mission, which made James instantly nervous. Going on missions meant one thing: Dark Wizards. Sure there were only a few straggling wizards with their pureblood ideologies running around Knockturn Alley, ranting and raving about Muggleborns, but they never normally posed a threat. Or so it seemed, since James wasn't an auror himself to really know what was happening. He just overheard his dad talking to his mum sometimes. But now they were speaking about a long mission, and a potentially difficult one at that. It at least seemed that way, since Harry admitted to having a few long nights at work.

"A mission?" James asked cautiously, not sure if he was even allowed to be asking a question like that. He normally only scratched the surface when talking with his dad. Today it was like he was diving in head first. Or that could just be James' insecurities talking. "Is it something... dangerous?" He continued quietly, intrigued and wanting to know more. "I mean, something we should be concerned with?" Perhaps he was asking too much now, making him want to put his foot in his mouth. James was always curious about his dad's work because of all the secrecy that surrounded it. The Daily Prophet never seemed to be telling the truth either, so sometimes it felt as if the whole wizarding community was living in the dark.


WORDS: 458
TAGS: Harry
COMMENTS: Coolbeans =D

[Harry Potter]

Ginny. Merlin, could she drive someone up a wall. But Harry wouldn’t trade her in for anyone else. He loved her just the way she was; obsessive worrying and all. Harry couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have her. And at the same time, he was extremely aware to how very close he came to not having it at all. He had only realized what it was that she had meant to him in his sixth year, and even then, he came close to losing her forever. He had attempted to push his feelings off as nothing more than brotherly love. Godric was he happy he hadn’t.

When he had mentioned him and his siblings getting married, he had noticed his son’s cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. He looked at his son in a bemused sort of way. He would have thought James would have simply rolled his eyes at the comment; claiming he was too young to be married anyways. Instead, he watched as his sons cheeks turned as red as the traditional Weasley hair. He chuckle slightly, taking another drink of his Meade.

He wasn’t going to make it home tonight, that much was certain. If he attempted to Apparate home, which he probably was regardless of how much he drank or how drunk he got, he would more than likely end up splinching himself. Not that he was worried about it. Injuries were something he was quite used to by now. But making apparition difficult and dangerous wasn’t the only thing the alcohol was going to do today. It seemed it was giving Harry a loose tongue.

When his son mentioned the mission, it was with a cautious tone; as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what Harry had to say about the matter. He stared at his son, his almond green eyes staring out through his round glasses. James was by no means a child; he had already come of age. But still… he wasn’t sure if he wanted to confine what he was planning on doing with him. Not because he couldn’t trust him, no; but because Harry didn’t want him to worry. His son already had enough on his plate to deal with. But still…

He sighed slightly as he looked down at his bottle, which was nearly empty now. “James. I can’t tell you the full details of the mission. Not because I don’t want to or because I don’t think you can handle it. You’ve already proven you can handle most things. The mission I’m going on is really just an intelligence one. Gathering information and checking out a few… rumors. And you can’t tell your mother this, not even a whisper of it.” His voice had gone serious, and his demeanor had changed slightly. He was now regarding his son as a young, capable adult. He has to be ready for this. If something goes wrong and something happens to me, he’s the man of the house, he thought.

“It is dangerous, yes; and highly important. There are only a few other people I would trust with this mission, but I’m not going to let anyone else come into harm’s way. Not if I can help it, not anymore. If the mission is a success and I get what information I have to, a few things may or may not change. However, in the likelihood of something going wrong and happening to me; Ted knows all the details of the mission. He will know what my disappearance or whatever it is that happens to me,” Harry could already see his death –a flash of green light, and the sound of rushing death- “He will fill all of you in. Everything, all the small details and much, much more. And if that were to happen, I’d need you to look after your Mother and Siblings.” He said.

He wouldn’t allow anyone else to take the mission. He had told Ted what he suspected, but he hadn’t told his Godson that he was going alone. He knew how furious he would be. But Harry wouldn’t risk it. He refused to watch anymore people die for him; because of him.

Words || 701
Tag || JSP
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