Tour of the Castle [Harry, James]

[Lily Potter]

Lily was having the time of her life showing her dad around the castle. She had decided just to start on the first floor and make her way up to the Gryffindor Common room. There was more of a chance for them to run into one of her brothers. She wasn't going to hold her breath though. Even if they did, it could end in disaster. It was possible at least, especially if Harry decided he wanted to tell them that he was gay as well. Lily didn't know how they would take it but she didn't think they would as well as Lily did.

"Here's the Charms classroom, daddy." Lily walked right in, knowing the no one was here. There was no class in session right now. "This is my favorite room, I love Charms class." Lily smiled up at her dad. She was going to miss him when he had to leave for however long.

[James Potter]

James had decided to go on a walk to clear his head. He wasn't sure why, but he had been a little down lately. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen his siblings in a while, his sister mostly. He loves his little sister dearly and despite being in the same house, he doesn't see her near as much as he wishes he could.

He was walking down the Charms corridor when he heard voices. He hadn't run into anyone so far so he was a little surprised that he did now. It was then that he realized how familiar that voice was. It was Lily.

He ran down the corridor to find where she was. He found her in the Charms classroom with, to his surprise, their father. "Hey Lil. I was just taking a walk when I heard you." He walked over and gave her a hug. "How have you been baby sis?"

[Harry Potter]

Harry watched as his son gave his sister a hug. "What? Too old now to hug your own dad?" Harry teased as James asked Lily a question. "you guys live in one castle... In one common room, and you don't get to see each other often? Strange..." Harry thought out loud. His Auror senses were working again.

Then he thought of another problem, "Will James understand like Lily? Will Albus too?" he whispered to himself. He was still recovering from his precious daughter's acceptance of him. He was planning to tell his sons when he was about to leave. To give them space to think and access if they would still accept him as their father despitehim being gay. And attracted to their school governor.

Harry sighed. This was going to be a lot harder than Lily's. He was sure of it.

[Lily Potter]

Lily was a bit surprised when James came into the classroom, but the surprises continues when he gave her a hug. Sure they didn't talk very much, and Lily hated that. But she didn't think James even cared. She figured he cared more about school and quidditch and his friends than her.

"Hey, Jamie." Lily used his nickname, she didn't use it often. "I've been good. You know. School and whatever. What about you."

Lily could almost hear the sadness in her dads voice. She knew it probably hurt him having James hug her, whom he lives with, and not him. He was probably thinking about what he would say if he told him he was gay. It made Lily sad.

"We're on different schedules, daddy. We don't see each other often." It was the truth, but they probably could see each other more....

[James Potter]

James looked at his dad and tried not to glare. He loved his dad a lot, but he was still trying to get over his dad leaving. "I should just tell him that I want him to spend more time with us. I know he's busy, and we are in school, but still..."

He walked over to his dad and gave him a hug. He was here now, he might as well get a little out of it. "No, I'm not too old to hug you." He stepped out of the hug before continuing. "I'm real busy don't always spend a lot of time in the common room. When I am there, Lily isn't always there."

He turned to Lily. He had seen the shock on her face when he hugged her. He knew that he didn't exactly show his love for his sister. He walked back over to his sister and hugged her again. "I know I don't show it often," he whispered, "But I love and care for you."

[Harry Potter]

Harry smiled at his son. "After this mission I'm going off too, I promise I won't take another job for at least the whole summer so we can all hang out at the new house. Your mother is also staying for a few days there with us until her team leaves for another tour overseas." He told James.

He wanted to spend time with his children too. It had been toolong since the last time they all just spent the day lazily sitting back and/or eating food without thinking if it was too much or now. He missed the pick-up quidditch games they did at the Burrow with Ron and George.

Then Harry was wondering how he was able to break the news to his eldest son. He turned to look at Lily first, trying to smile. He wondered how she managed to just accept that he was gay. He knew that it wasn't an easy thing. But he wasn't going to complain. He appreciated how mature his daughter had been about his revelation.

[Lily Potter]

Lily was glad that James had hugged their dad. He needed that encouragement right now. Lily knew he wanted to tell James, but he didn't know exactly how. That was understandable. Lily was again surprised when James hugged her again, this time whispering to her that he loved and cared for her. She thought back, and couldn't remember the last time he told her that.

"I love you too, Jamie. We should really talk more. I miss my big brother. Both of my big brothers really." Lily rarely saw either of them, and she didn't like it. Especially since she really didn't have many other people to hang out with. Lily semi wondered if James or Albus even noticed how shy she was. How she barely talked to anyone. Probably not.

Lily knew her dad wasn't going to tell James on his own, so she decided to prompt him a bit. Move along the process. "James, what would you do if dad was gay?"

[James Potter]

James took in what his dad said. He really wished that he could believe him but he had been hurt so many times. He wanted so much so spend time with his dad, his siblings and, if at all possible, the whole entire family. "I'm sorry dad but you've said that so many times before. I will just have to wait until it happens to truly believe it." He didn't want to hope too much, but he really did want what his dad said to come true.

He turned to Lily. "I miss my little sis too. I miss Al too but I have a little special place in my heart for you. You're my only sister and I have to protect me. And don't think I don't notice that you don't talk to many people. I think we need to work on breaking you out of your shell."

He thought about what Lily had asked him. "What? Where did this come from?" What would he think? "Um...where is this coming from Lil?"

[Lily Potter]

Lily wanted her dad and brother to get along, for James to forgive their dad for splitting with their mom. But she didn't think that was going to happen anytime soon. James was really torn about the entire divorce, and Lily could tell why. She was too, but she loved her dad too much to be completely mad at him.

"Hey. What if I'm comfortable in my shell... I don't... I don't need friends." Lily looked down as she said it. She wanted friends. She wanted to break out of her shell. But she was afraid. She didn't know if she could. She looked over at her dad, whom she didn't want to tell she was as shy as she was. She didn't want him to think she was unsociable.

Lily looked over at her dad and saw that he was completely frozen. She decided to just step in and take over.

"Well. Dad's gay, Jamie.... He's afraid to tell you and Albus. Was afraid to tell me too. He just told me before we came in the castle." Lily hoped he would take it alright, but it was James.

[Harry Potter]

Harry wanted to die right then and there. If it was possible that he could cast a Killing Curse on himself, he would have done so. Lily's way of telling James was something Harry did not think of at all. He turned to look at her then at James. This was what Harry was fearing after Lily.

"Yes, James. I am what Lily just said. I hope that it woun't change anything at all. I... I have known about this for after I married your mother. She knew it too. But we both hoped that it was a passing phase for me. We thought it was gone when he had you, Albus, and Lily. But then after a few months, the truth hit me again."

Harry looked out the window, "I told Ginny about it and she finally had a solution to it. A divorce. But it proved advantagous for both of us. She got to play quidditch again to her hearts content and I got to be the real me." he turned to look at his son again. "James, I know that I haven't been the best father but I did everything I could to raise you three well and provide for everything we have. I hope you would understand..." Harry said with a saddened tone.

[James Potter]

James was saddened for his sister. She didn't think she needed friends. Everyone needed friends. He knew Lily had it in her to break out of her shell, she just needed a push in the right direction. "I won't force you Lil but everyone needs friends. Even my crazy little sister," he said with a chuckle.

He thought about what his dad said. He was surprised to say the least when he heard the news. "Dad...gay? How? Well, I mean I know how, but... I'm so confused. I don't know what to think. On one hand, I'm happy that dad can finally be himself but at the same time, a part of me hoped they would get back together." James sighed, he knew what he had to do, though it might surprise some.

He looked at his dad. "I won't say that this is easy to accept. It will take some time for it to sink in. I just want the answer to one, well two questions. One, are you seeing anyone that I should know about? Two, are you happy?"

James knew everyone expected him to explode and not accept his dad for who he was, but he really wanted to fix his relationship with his dad. It would take a while, he knew that, but it was his hope that he and his dad would be close again. He missed him.

[Lily Potter]

Lily was proud of her dad for telling James the story behind it. She thought that maybe it would help him accept it. And that was all Lily wanted. For her family to be a family again. She missed the family meals where everyone would be laughing the entire time. Or when she knew she had at least 4 other people in the world that would help her. Now she barely had one.

"I know, Jamie. But people scare me." She said it with a small voice, almost childlike. She meant it. It scared her to talk to people. She was nothing like her brothers. Either of them. She wondered how she had this personality, when theirs were so different.

Lily smiled when James basically said he accepted him. It was exactly what Lily wanted to hear. The best thing she could hear. Without thinking, she ran into James yet again. Hugging him tightly, so proud that he hadn't screamed and yelled. That was the brother she missed. The one that was caring. "Thank you, James." She whispered it to him. She knew it was her dad that was getting the acceptance from him, yet she couldn't help but feel grateful toward him for this.

She even couldn't help but wonder about James' first question. Was he seeing someone. He had asked him about Draco Malfoy, but never told her they were seeing each other. He would have told her.... wouldn't he?

[Harry Potter]

Harry was amazed at how mature his children were taking his revelation well and he did his best to gather whatever amount of courage he could find within his body and faced his children. "Why am I more terrified of facing my children than facing a herd of Death Eaters?" He thought to himself, gasping for air before he had to give an explaination.

"I... I am seeing someone." Harry began as he turned to Lily, "Remember when I was asking you about your thoughts about your school governor?... Well, Draco Malfoy and I have began a truce and I believe, that he has had feelings for me long ago. However, since I didn't embrace the real me back then, I simply dismissed him and the theories of him actually fancing me." Harry tried to breathe for air.

"Imagine my surprise when I saw him again and whatever emotions I had of him from our younger years had blown me away just as he turned to look at me." Harry paused then smiled warmly at his two present children, "Yes, James. I am very much happy. Your mother was simply happy for me as well when I told her. Your Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermion have yet to find out and I wish that you would let me handle them when the times comes." he told his children.

Harry couldn't ask for anything else. Understanding children, a supportive ex-wife, best mates, and now a, hopefully, partner in life. And for keeps this time.

[James Potter]

James was a little surprised when Lily hugged him like that. She seemed almost happy that he had accepted his dad's sexuality so easy. "She probably is. She, like dad, probably expected me to explode or something. Well, I guess with how I handled the divorce, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for me to react the same way now. I'm glad I proved them wrong."

"No problem Lils. And people are scary, but I'll be there for you to help make them not so scary. Okay?"

He turned to his dad. "So dad's dating Mr. Malfoy huh? That's something no one expected. Seems to be the theme of the day."

He gave his dad a small smile. "I'm glad you are happy dad. I never would have thought Mr. Malfoy was the person that would do that, but I'm happy all the same." He was really interested in his dad's relationship, he found, so he decided to ask some questions. "So how serious is your relationship with Mr. Malfoy? Are we going to have a big family meal with him and his son? As your oldest son, I need to give him the "hurt my dad and I'll kill you" talk." He smiled. He missed this, his dad being there for him and them talking.

[Harry Potter]

Harry laughed as he processed what his son just said. “As for your questions, Draco or Mr. Malfoy as you call him, we are still in the process of getting to know each other again. You know we weren't the best of friends when we were students here. It wasn't a secret that he and I were practically mortal enemies. He was cocky, arrogant, and down right brattish when I first met him in Madam Malkin's dress shop. He didn't know who I was and just started to say mean things about your Uncle Ron and the Weasleys.” Harry began as he sat on a table.

“I knew that he knew more about the wizarding world than me and that he knew who were to be close to and who to stay away from. I thought he was right about the Weasley's being mean and just down right worng but when I met Ron at the train to Hogwarts, I knew then that Draco was wrong. He was the one I should stay away from.” Harry sighed.

“But things are different now. That's why we are getting to know each other again. For the family dinner, well... We haven't talked that far. I haven't met Scorpius yet or his daughters but I would like to meet them when Draco is ready for that. And when we do have that 'big family dinner' you speak of, you can give him you talk.” Harry assured James.

Harry was glad that his son was taking interest with his relationship with Draco. He just hoped that Draco will be man enough to face his sons soon when they do actually have an official relationship. All they did was have dinner at home. And it didn't really go all that smooth as Harry wanted.