10 Goodbye James

"Come on Chudley's come on!" Harry said, knee bouncing up and down.

James sighed.

"Harry, the Chudley Cannons are the worst team."

"And? They're still the best team."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Shut it."

"Puddlemore is destroying them, even if they caught the snitch two times they wouldn't win."

And of course James was right. Puddlemore's seeker caught the snitch not even two minutes later bringing the game to its expected close.

Not even the Chudley's fans in the stands complained too loudly, knowing it was a forgone conclusion from the beginning, but Harry pouted and stomped away.

James chuckled.

"You said you liked Quidditch, but I didn't expect it to be to the point of delusion."

Harry glared at him.

"Drink your potion girlie."

James scowled, taking a swig of the Polyjuice. He didn't know how Harry had gotten ahold of it, man couldn't brew to save his life. James was currently in the body of an eight year old girl that Harry had taken the hairs from. According to him he thought it had come from the girl's mother, but the shit eating grin told James that was hogwash.

He took Harry's hand and they dissaparated, appearing back at the campsite. Only now could he appreciate how much power it took to apparate across the globe. James thought he could maybe get to Spain if he put everything into it, but Harry went back and forth non-stop.

"It's still pretty early," James said, annoyed at his high voice.

"Yeah don't worry, we're not done having fun yet," Harry said, heading into the tent and rummaging through his trunk of endless things.

Standing back up Harry took out two brooms. Two incredible brooms, beyond anything James had ever seen.

"What are those!" James asked in awe.

"Firestars. Fastest broom ever made. I brought three just in case you ever needed them in the future. And no I don't mean to win Quidditch matches. These are for business. The brooms are not even in regulation in this age."

"Can I?"

Harry tossed him one.

"Get a feel for it, then we're heading off to a pitch."

James was in love. Lily was gone from his mind forever. He was going to marry this broom. Make a bunch of little broom babies, and create an empire of beauty.

James spun around whooping in joy and Harry joined him, damn the old man could fly better than James could! It had to be experience, no way should someone that old be that good at flying.

After an hour, with James thankfully back in his normal body Harry took them away.

They appeared in a forest… a familiar forest. 

"Are we in the Forbidden Forest right now?" James hissed.

"Yup. Gonna use the Hogwarts pitch."

"What if we get caught?"

"We run, we are on the fastest brooms in the world."

James groaned, but followed Harry onto their brooms and rose into the sky, shooting off toward the pitch.

Thankfully Hagrid, or anyone else in the castle wasn't in sight.

"How are we going to do this? I am a Chaser after all."

"Hmm, we can do both. Lets compete to find the snitch first then I'll show you something cool."

James nodded.

Harry took out a shrunken box, opening it to let bludgers and the snitch out.

"You let the Bludgers out!" James yelled.

"Obviously, this makes it more fun," Harry replied, easily dodging both as they came for him.

James groaned. And for the next thirty minutes they sped across the pitch, trying to make the bludgers following them go after one another, all while keeping an eye out for the snitch.

Harry found it of course, James hot on his heels, but the old man was a natural, snatching it from the sky lazily.

The bludgers were stopped and Harry put them away.

"Now for the fun part."

Harry took out his wand, pointing it at James before muttering a spell in what sounded like Arabic.

A second James appeared next to him, flying on his own broom, they looked at one another in shock.

"What in the bloody hell!" they both yelled.

Harry then did the same to himself.

"Old spell I found in a ruin. Hermione was able to decipher it for me. Makes a perfect copy of you for one hour, but you share injuries, and it takes a load of magic to use."

"Can you-" James cut off, remembering this was the last day.

Harry smiled, and James felt the Legilimency probe. James let him in, and the information of the spell was planted in his mind. Ready to be retrieved when needed. And after briefly scanning the information James realized it would take a long long time for him to be able to use the charm, if ever.

"So, old versus young or mix and match?" a second Harry asked.

"Let's do old versus young," the other Harry said. "Just Chasers."

"Im dog at Keeper anyways," James said, shrugging.

"True," other James said.

"Oi!"

They played until the spell lapsed, and surprisingly team James won. Harry might be the better flier, but he wasn't as experienced as a Chaser.

After that Harry cast the spell again, and he paired up with one of the Harrys, he didn't know if it was the real one.

This time the game was closer, but Luckily James beat Other James, who pouted and stuck his tongue out after James and Harry did a victory lap.

The spell lapsed again, and both of James's opponents disappeared. Harry flew up next to him, nudging him in the shoulder with an elbow.

"Guess the OGs are better huh?"

James laughed.

"True enough."

"OI! What're ya doin here!" a familiar voice yelled.

The both jumped, looking down at the image of Hagrid, scowling up at them, then rummaging in his pockets.

"Hagrid…" Harry whispered, just loud enough for James to hear the emotion in the word.

James remembered what happened to Hagrid from Harry's memories. Like some cruel joke he had been crushed by giants while defending a school full of muggle children.

The huge man took out some binoculars and looked through them at the two of them.

"James Potter?! I thought you were missing? OI James!"

"Run!" Harry yelled, laughing.

James froze for a second seeing Harry's rapidly disappearing form. Looking down at the man James waved before dashing off.

They reached the edge of the wards and Harry grabbed James by the shoulder. Then they were back at the campsite.

Harry was laughing, and after a moment James laughed with him.

"Ah, I was not expecting that. Bet Hagrid has never seen anything move that fast before," James said. "Can't wait for him to ask about it in a few weeks."

"That'd be a sight to see."

Harry twisted, his back cracking dozens of times before twisting the other way to do it again.

"Lets start on dinner huh?"

"Yeah," James said, swallowing the lump that formed.

Since their return after the burger joint Harry had begun to show James how to cook. At first James had been reluctant, but Harry had said any man that could cook could pull a girl. So of course James had jumped into it with gusto.

While he was a lifetime away from Harry's level he could now take care of himself, and even cook a few choice 5 star meals.

They cooked Chicken Cordon Bleu, Harry showing James what to do every step of the way and writing it down for future use. James found he did somewhat enjoy it, even if he was being handheld the entire time.

He imagined him bringing plates to a dinner table, a certain green eyed girl smiling and a small child on her lap with black hair and green eyes.

Yes… he could see the joy of cooking for family.

After their meal, and they finished cleaning they exited the tent.

"James."

"... I know."

Harry smiled, taking out his wand and waving it a few times. The tent, along with everything else was packed in a moment and the small layer of snow was shooed away from the ritual circle Harry had made yesterday. He took out a letter pointing his wand to it.

"Portus Potentia Duo."

James looked at him in confusion, the letter disappearing.

"Its a Portkey that will go to your parents then take them here. They'll most likely take it, if not you can fly on the broom across the ocean and find someone to help. Now follow me."

Harry had them both change into a simple pair of t-shirt and shorts, James leaving his wand outside the ritual circle.

"What does this ritual do?" James asked.

"Well, it helps solve one of the biggest issues you have. Magical power. Sure you're way above average, but not to the level of Voldemort and Dumbledore. This ritual will give you a portion of my magic power. It'll take some time getting used to your new reserves, but you'll get it eventually."

James stared at the ritual in shock. Why couldn't anything Harry do be normal?

"Yeah, go ahead, compliment me."

"I can't even…"

Harry snorted.

"Sit here."

James sat in one of two empty circles, he wasn't good enough at Runes yet to know exactly what was everything said, but could tell by a few of the directional Runes that yes. Something from Harry was indeed meant to go to James, but he couldn't decipher that it was magic power.

James's heart was beating, not in fear that Harry was instead going to do something like take over his body, but of never knowing the answer to the question that had been plaguing him.

"Harry?"

"Hmm? Yes James?" the old man asked, checking over the runes again.

"Can… can I see your real face?"

Harry looked at James.

"I don't think-"

"You're my kid aren't you?"

"I-"

"No! I don't need platitudes. You've told me from the beginning you think there is a chance you may never be born now. I- I've accepted that too I guess, even if I'm hoping I'm right about something. But I don't want you to leave before I know who you are."

Harry said nothing for a minute, just staring at James. The tension was there, but James knew in his gut Harry would agree.

"Okay."

His wild hair changed slightly, still unkempt, but in a more familiar way. His beard disappeared to show a familiar jaw and cheekbones. His nose was also familiar but not from James. It was the eyes that took his breath away. Green as emeralds, glowing with love and power.

He looked like James's father, only a bit taller, less old, and body riddled with scars.

"My name is Harry James Potter… Son of James and Lily Potter. I never knew my parents, but I always knew that they loved me, and that they were people I could have relied on no matter what," Harry said, voice quiet.

"That's why you gave Lily your wife's purse."

"Yes…"

"And why you chose me to do this mission."

"Yes… You are everything I heard from Sirius and Remus. A leader, kind, compassionate, strong. I can trust you and Lily more than anyone else. After all, you both gave your life for mine… Even if you two don't work out I still love you both. Love you beyond the bounds of time and magic."

Tears streamed down James's face, and he quickly rubbed them away, standing and running to Harry, throwing his arms around his son.

Harry hugged him back, it felt so natural. Just as natural when he would hug his own parents.

After a minute he looked up to see tears streaming down Harry's own face.

"I- Thank you James, thank you for letting me have this time with you. Letting me eat a meal with my mum and dad. Make sure to thank Lily too, but maybe not in those exact words," Harry said, wiping the tears from James's face.

"O-of course."

After a shuddering breath Harry pushed James away.

"Now, we need to do this now, before the Portkey brings your parents here to interrupt us."

James nodded, a scowl forming on his face even as he continued to silently weep.

He sat down in his circle, Harry standing in his own. Wand ready.

"Goodbye James… Dad."

Magic, boundless magic came from Harry, his son! He chanted in Old Latin, wand moving slowly, but with the weight of the world behind it. Above them lights formed, reacting to the magic being thrown around. James could feel it building. Feel it rise and rise and rise.

Then it hit its peak, and James looked at his son, the strongest wizard to ever exist, and he looked back, a familiar lopsided grin on his face.

"Ut fiat fiat."

James fell to the ground as an ocean of power filled him.