Harry Potter and the Death Awakener

Chapter Twelve: Us

   With each day that passed, James noticed more and more how much Harry was like Lily. He could see it the very first night James saw him again. It wasn't just Lily's stunning eyes Harry had, it was also her face.

   He didn't look like her. No, Harry looked like James, but every expression that crossed his face was Lily's. His whole face lit up when he was happy. When he's became upset, Harry tried to hide it, but not well. Harry's face flushed red as a tomato when he was embarrassed. His anger absolutely terrified James and Harry's self doubt broke James's heart, just like Lily's did.

   From the stories Harry told them about Hogwarts, he was great at school. Even though he wasn't the top in his year, he had gotten good marks. McGonagall practically raved about him and it seems he was a few teachers' favorites, just like Lily was.

   He speaks like her too. Harry uses phrases that Lily would use. Though his voice is very similar to James's, Harry speaks with the same simple elegance. He enunciates and forms his mouth just like Lily.

   Harry even had some of the same habits. He picked at his nails or occasionally touched his neck when he was nervous. When he reads the paper, Harry sits hunched over it with his mouth slightly ajar, just like Lily.

   James couldn't help falling in love with Harry all over again. The day he was born was possibly the best day of his life. The fact that he and Lily had a family all their own made him smile. But that family was taken away from them. There was nothing they could've done. That prophecy had ruined their lives.

They died because of the prophecy. James's chance of being a parent was taken away because it. The minute Harry became the Chosen One, Voldemort came after them and that scheming rat, Petter Pettigrew, helped him. He was their friend and he betrayed them. It was a good thing Pettigrew was dead, because if he wasn't, James would've killed him.

It was his fault Harry grew up without parents. It was his fault Harry was sent to live with Lily's awful sister. It was his fault Harry had to face He Who Must Not Be Named by himself. It was all his fault.

James thought about all of this as he sat with Lily and watched Harry and his friends celebrate. They all laughed at something Ginny had said. James had noticed they were all fiercely protective and loyal of each other.

Though he laughed now, Harry sometimes looked sad, usually when he thought no one was looking. Harry's friends had told James and Lily about the war and how Harry hadn't been quite the same. They had told them that Harry believed each and every death was his fault. It had affected him deeply.

Again James blamed Pettigrew. James blamed him for not being able to be there to support his son when he most needed it.

Lily took his hand and startled James from his thoughts. "You look angry. What are thinking about?" She asked him.

"I'm thinking about how Pettigrew betrayed us," James said plainly.

"That coward," Lily agreed. Her face hardened into a scowl. "If our positions were swapped, we would never have given him up!"

"He was probably working for You Know Who long before he gave us up. I bet he was with him back when we were in Hogwarts."

"Can we not talk about this, James? It feels like a sharp slap to the face talking about him," Lily said.

James asked, "What do you want to talk about then?"

"Let's talk about Harry," she said, her facing softening. "He's exactly like you. Harry's smart, funny, and charming. He loves quidditch and his friends. He broke quite a few rules during school. Not to mention, he hated Snape for a long time too"

"You think so?" James quirked an eyebrow. "I think he's exactly like you. He definitely didn't get his smarts from me. He wears his heart on his sleeve and has many of your bad habits."

"He looks like you," she argued back.

"Harry has your eyes," James countered. "He's more like you."

"No," she said, "He's like the both of us. Harry's not only like me or only like you. He's both us."

Lily continued, "I know you're angry about Pettigrew, but we can't change the past. We need to focus on what's in front of us and that's Harry. We need to focus on us as a family."

"Why are you always right?" James teased.

"Because I just am," Lily smiled and then kissed him.