"I don't know what I'm going to do when he goes to Hogwarts." James mumbled into his arms, knowing she didn't need him to speak up. "How am I supposed to cope being here alone?"
“You’ll have Padfoot,” Lily said, giving him a sad smile, “you’ll be fine.”
He lifted his head and turned to look at her, his eyes swimming. "But I won't have you. Or the closest thing I have to you…"
“He’s not going far. You could visit him, he’d hate you for it. But you could.” She said, looking back at him.
"Maybe if he gets on the Quidditch team, I could go to his games." He chewed on a hangnail as he looked at her face. "See Hogwarts again…"
“He’s seven, you’ll have to wait a few years.” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Dad! Uncle Sirius is outside!” Harry said, hanging on the door handle as he looked into the room.
"Hey, buddy." James grinned, turning in his chair while rolling up the letter from Dumbledore. His arm brushed the tears away from his eyes with his sleeve as he looked at his son. "Come give your old man a hug real quick, yeah?"
“So old.” Lily smiled before walking out of the room.
Harry ran over and wrapped his arms around his dad’s waist. “Are you sad again?” He asked, looking up at him.
"I'm trying not to be, Harry." James gave him a weak smile, hoisting Harry up onto his lap before hugging him tightly. He always made sure to be open with his son about emotions, that it was okay to be sad sometimes, to cry and to grieve. "But I'll get better."
Happy birthday James Potter! Enjoy an only one of them lives AU where James still sees Lily and learns how to live with grief on this happy day!
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