One Son

"Lily," James Potter asked. "What happened?"

"Something bad," his wife answered in a small voice. "That's why we're here."

"Harry's okay." James muttered, reminding himself more than his wife. "If he wasn't, he'd be here, right?"

"Not everyone winds up where we did, James." Lily reminded him shortly.

"Bloody hell...no pun intended." James said with a wry smile. Lily shot him a disparaging glare. "Padfoot and Moony weren't as bad as all that, were they?"

"Remus is a saint." Lily declared with a fond smile. "Sirius' halo, on the other hand, is a bit tarnished."

"Do you regret the decision to make him godfather?" James asked her earnestly.

"Not in the slightest!" Lily answered too immediately for it to be a lie. "Once a month, he'd be out for the count--not that I have anything against were-wolves, mind. But what if Harry needed a parent around the full moon? And there was the fact that he was in no financial state to raise a child. As for Peter," Lily stiffened when she came to his name.

James' expression became blank and his eyes became merciless.

"I didn't know what he was, but even then, I wouldn't have trusted Peter Pettigrew to a plant I liked."

"So why did you let me ask him to be our Secret Keeper?" James said accusingly.

"Because," Lily snapped back: "you were going to talk me into it if I had said no. And besides," she added, "the plan made sense. It wasn't our fault he turned Dark. At any rate, I knew my wretch of a sister wouldn't have taken him. I was the one taking care of most of my friends, so they wouldn't have suited. Not that Sirius Black was the best alternative, of course." Lily said primly.

"People change!" James said defensively. "Wormtail certainly did." He added ruefully.

"Not Sirius Black, James," she said. "Not much, anyway. Sirius is a good man, and a good friend. Separate, you two were fairly decent. Together, you two were rotten to the core. I didn't start liking you until I found out what you were like without him around."

"So did They change Their minds and damn me to hell? Is that why you're spouting off this rubbish?"

"James! Shush!" Lily scolded him. "We don't have very long here. I want to find out what's going on."

They were in a large, dim house that looked as though it belonged to someone who delved into the dark arts.

"Twelve Grimmauld Place." James provided when he recognized the house. "The Black Mansion," James clarified when Lily raised an eyebrow in questioning.

"Harry," they said in unison. They knew him at once. He was, for the most part, a carbon copy of James with the exception of Lily's vibrant green eyes. But from what his parents could tell, looks were the only thing Harry had inherited from his dad.

"He's too skinny," James said, his brow furrowing in concern. "Can we haunt Sirius for not feeding his godson?"

"Be glad he didn't hear that," Lily scolded. "He might have developed an inferiority complex."

"Wonder why Harry needs us if Sirius is around? Hey, perhaps they wanted me to teach him ways to torment Kreacher. All you had to do was hide Mr. Black's pants. Or let Snuffles loose," James said, waggling his eyebrows.

Lily fervently wished she were solid so she could swat him.

Or better still...hug her son.

"He looks so...lost," Lily said, eyes misting.

"Handsome bloke, wouldn't you say?" James said, running his hands through his hair as though he were preening.

"Go to hell, James," Lily suggested.

"I would, Love, but I'm dead already," James gleefully reminded her.

"Your Animagus form should have been a peacock, not a stag."

"Saved by the bell!" James said when Remus Lupin walking into the room.

"What do you suppose Remus is doing here?" Lily wondered aloud. " Sirius wasn't ever that close with his family, was he?"

"I wonder if there's an Order meeting soon," James offered. "He looks so old, Lily. Has it really been that long since we--since Voldemort"

"James, nobody came to Headquarters without a reason. They'd better not be throwing my little boy into the thick of the fight," Lily said, going into full Mama-bear mode. "Dumbledore promised us he'd be safe."

Remus wasn't approaching Harry. He made sure that he remained hidden, but he wasn't leaving the room, either.

"I hate my father," Harry said in a wooden voice that wasn't his.

At once, James became silent and stone-faced.

"Don't say that, Harry. Your father gave you the best life he knew how," Lily said.

Lupin remained frozen his spot.

"Fine friend you are, Moony," James groused. "Not even standing up for me."

Harry continued his rant, oblivious to the fact that anyone was watching him.

"I spent my entire life trying to live up to what a great man everyone said my father was. And now," he said, exhaling a shaky breath, "I come to find out that dear old dad was worse than ten Malfoys."

"Oh, come on, son!" James pleaded. "Don't you think that's a bit hard on your old dad?"

"Oh, James," Lily said when the realization hit her. "That day in fifth year..."

"When the Marauders took the opportunity to show everyone what kind of underpants old Snivellus wore. And you told me off, if I remember correctly. That greasy haired git deserves every taste of hell we ever gave him. Damn...that was a while ago."

"You don't easily forget being that furious. How do you suppose he knew?" Lily wondered.

"There was a Pensieve in Dumbledore's office," James offered. "I saw it once. But how on earth Snivelly got into Dumbledore's Pensieve is beyond me. Perhaps Snivelly got his hands on one. I never thought I'd have to explain myself to my son."

"You don't get to. Not yet, anyway. Please God," Lily pleaded. "Don't make him explain it. Not for a very long time."

"I hate my mother."

"Look here, Harry." James roared, "I'm NOT going to have you talk about your mum that way. She's here because of you, you know!"

"James! Shut up!" Lily fumed.

"You shouldn't have to listen to this, Lily," James insisted. "He shouldn't talk about you that way."

"You can't exactly tell him to go to his room, James! I need to listen!" She screamed.

"Shut up!"

"I hate my Mum for dying. For giving me this bloody scar. For leaving me alone. For making me stay with the Goddamn Dursleys."

"Harry," she seethed. "Quit feeling sorry for yourself. I didn't give you the scar, Voldemort did. And my sister's raised him! He's living with Petunia and that beached whale she calls her husband? Oh good Lord! I'm surprised we're not here sooner! No wonder he looks like he's wearing clothes that don't fit."

"I hate Sirius Black!" Harry roared. "Didn't he realize I saved myself enough times?!"

"Saved himself...from what?" James asked helplessly.

"Voldemort..." Lily whispered. "The prophecy...oh no. He must have come back. I died for nothing, James. I died for him and LOOK AT HIM! And Voldemort STILL CAME BACK, that son of a bitch!" Lily was shaking with sobs now.

"It. Was. Always. Down. To. Me!" Harry shouted. "It HAS to be down to me! It was hard last year, but I handled it because I had Sirius. Sirius PROMISED I could live here! If he knew good and well that I was stuck at the sodding Dursleys for the rest of my life, why the hell did he promise me a home here?" Harry's voice was getting hoarse from screaming now. Tears were flowing freely from his face.

"Padfoot..." James said; tears were flowing freely down his face.

"Oh God...Harry!" Lily sobbed. "I'm sorry, Harry. So very sorry."

"They all...we all...did what we could," Lupin answered quietly. Harry jumped when he spoke. "I want to hate them as much as you do. But hate leaves nothing left. Love fills you, Harry. Hate drains."

"How many more people are going to have to die because of words someone wrote?" Harry answered bitterly. "How am I supposed to love people I never knew?"

Lupin audibly swallowed. "You've had to live through some awful things, Harry," he answered. "Things no one your age should have to see. No one is denying that. But..."

"CEDRIC died because I was the one Voldemort went after. SIRIUS died because I was the one Voldemort was after." Harry answered bitterly. "Professor Lupin, you'd better make a run for it if you want to live."

"Not a chance, Harry," Lupin answered. "You're all I've got left of them. I'm not letting you off the hook that easily. It might surprise you to know that it's not down to you. You're an important part. A very important part, but it's not down to you."

James' Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed hard. "What do we do, Lily?" James asked thickly.

"What we can, James." Lily said, sniffling. " Let him know we're here."