Semper Fidelis

Chapter 14.6

"You mean to say you've read all of your Hogwarts books already?!" Nate asked with his eyes wide.

The brown haired boy nodded his head with a shrug. "I've always loved reading."

"Well how come you didn't know about Quidditch then?!"

James smiled sheepishly. "There was no book on Quidditch that mum and I bought."

-~-~-~-

"Bloody hell, James!" Nate exclaimed in a loud whisper, half in shock and half in awe. A series of red sparks continued to erupt from James' wand like a burning firecracker. The class erupted in applause and Harry smiled from his place at the front of the class. "How are you so good at this?"

James smiled bashfully and flicked his wand to stop the stream of red. "Mum taught me."

-~-~-~-

"You'll learn all about flying through Madame Hooch." Harry said with a smile.

"I'm most excited to learn about flying. I read all about the other Hogwarts subjects but for some reason, mum didn't have any books on flying. I reckon she didn't like to fly." James said with a small frown.

Harry laughed and gestured his head towards the castle and the two began their walk back. "Flying isn't everyone's cup of tea. It is one of my favourite things to do though."

-~-~-~-

"Good morning Professor Potter!" The boy said in greeting.

Harry dismounted his Stormbreaker and returned his wave. "Good morning James! You're up early, I see."

James walked towards an oak tree lining the side of the pitch and took a seat on the grass. Harry followed his lead and sat down underneath the tree next to the boy. He laid his broom to the side and extended his legs in a stretch.

"I wanted Athena to deliver a letter early for me. It's my mum's birthday today!" James exclaimed.

-~-~-~-

Harry didn't know how long he sat on James' bed for. It could have been minutes, hours, days. He vaguely remembered Remus clearing the room after his wolfish eyes saw the item on the nightstand.

Clouds had started to cover the moon which Harry could see through the window. He felt stranded in time as he looked at the picture frame clutched in his hands.

Then.

Now.

It was a picture divided in two, depicting the same two people from either side of a decade.

On the left there was a baby; a cute, little baby no more than six months old with a gummy smile, shining brown eyes, and a head full of wispy black hair. The baby was held by a woman. Brown strands fell onto her face from her ponytail. Her eyes were tired but so filled with love as she proudly showed her son to whomever was behind the camera. A soft curve was on her lips as she smiled.

On the right there were the same two people. The mother and the son. Only this time, the baby had grown to be a boy. He had the same shining brown eyes though his smile showed a full set of teeth and his head was covered in black hair which never could lay completely flat. He was held by his mother. An arm was slung over his shoulder as she beamed at the photographer. Gone was her bushy hair for they now fell in soft waves. Her cheekbones were more defined. There weren't so many freckles around her nose anymore and her eyebrows were sculpted and more shapely; her lips, fuller.