Semper Fidelis

Chapter 15.1

aere perennius
more lasting than bronze

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Chapter 15

Night turned to dawn. Harry only lifted his head from the photograph when sunlight danced through the window. The hours felt like mere minutes to him and he was numb all over. The flood of memories had stopped, but now his mind was filled with so many questions he had no answers to.

Why would she do this?

Did James know?

No, he couldn't have...

Was she ever going to tell me?

Was she ever going to tell him?

What had she been doing all these years?

How could she keep this from me?

How could she leave?

How could she leave me?

How...

How...

How?

It felt as if a heavy weight had been placed on his chest and was constricting his heart. He felt so much disbelief, pain, and anger. All these years he had wondered what had happened to her. Some of his darkest days were spent thinking she was dead, all alone and forgotten. He never gave up hope that she was alive but he had almost come to terms that he would never see her again.

His heart was almost healing. He was finally letting go.

And now... now he found out that she was alive. Now he found out that she had been living like a Muggle underneath his nose this whole time. They lived in the same city for God's sake!

And James. God, James. She had a son. He had a son. How could she have kept that from him? How could she have denied him the one thing he wanted most in the world? Did she think he was inadequate to be a father? She knew all he ever wanted was a family of his own. How could she do that? More importantly... how could she have denied James a father?

James never knew his dad.

Harry never knew his son.

"Mate, you look like shit."

Harry's head whipped to the side to see a person he hadn't seen in months. The tall, lanky figure of his best friend stood by the entrance of the room. Harry didn't hear him walk in but seeing his smiling face and familiar red hair made Harry breathe a little easier. In two long strides, Harry was embracing his best friend.

Ron Weasley and Harry Potter made a striking contrast. Ron was a couple inches taller, his head a vibrant shade of red. He was paler too, his face speckled with freckles he never did outgrow. Blue eyes were shining as he looked at the man he had long considered a brother. He was bright, the glow of fatherhood evident on his face having just come from being at home with his children. Harry, meanwhile, was dark. His hair was like black ink and he hadn't quite lost the tan he got from his mission before Hogwarts. He was more muscular than the redhead even though he was shorter. His face was grim and it looked as though he had been to hell and back.

They ended their embrace and sat side-by-side at the foot of the bed. There was silence. Harry's head bent to look at the photograph still in his hands while Ron took time to survey the room.

"So it's true, huh?" The redhead mused softly. "I didn't believe Lupin when he told me but I see that it's all... true." Ron whispered, his eyes locking on to the photograph Harry would not let go.