Time for Family by luukjn



Summary: After his father died, James abandoned his family. Only when Albus is dying does James realise what happened. By accident, James travels back in time and is given a second chance to save his family.
This story is part of my 'Family of Harry Potter' series.
Rating: R starstarstarstarhalf-star
Categories: Post-DH/PM
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: Family of Harry Potter
Published: 2012.07.11
Updated: 2013.06.05


Time for Family by luukjn
Chapter 1: Abandoned
Author's Notes:

Chapter 1: Abandoned

Quidditch

"POTTER, TURNER, CORNER, POTTER AND POTTER SCORES! 10 — 0 FOR UNITED!"

It's all I can do.

"AND POTTER GRABS THE QUAFFLE, DODGES ONE, TWO BLUDGERS AND SCORES! 20 — 0 FOR UNITED!"

It's all I have left.

"O'HARE GRABS THE QUAFFLE AND THROWS, WOOD SAVES THE GOAL!"

I don't even enjoy it.

"WOOD THROWS TO POTTER, TURNER, POTTER, CORNER, POTTER AND POTTER SCORES! 30 — 0 FOR UNITED!"

Not any more.

"THE KENMARE KESTRELS ARE GETTING SLAUGHTERED BY PUDDLEMERE UNITED IN THIS GAME!"

But only when flying can I forget.

"AND POTTER SCORES YET AGAIN! 40 — 10 FOR UNITED!"

In the air I'm alive.

"WILKINS IS DIVING, HAS HE SEEN THE SNITCH? FINNIGAN HAS SEEN IT TOO, AND THE TWO SEEKERS RACE FOR THE VICTORY!"

More alive then usual at least.

"AND WILKINS CATCHES THE SNITCH, PUDDLEMERE UNITED WINS WITH 190 — 30!"

We won the game. The rest of the team wants to celebrate the victory, but I don't join in. I never join in. I practice, I fly in the match, I go home. That is the life of James Sirius Potter. It is all I have left.

~O~

I trudge back to my flat. I have lived here ever since my father died. Away from family, away from friends. If I return they would ask me to look after everyone, but I can't. I can't look after mum, my brother Albus, and my sister Lily on my own. They would expect it of me since I'm the oldest. They would see me as a surrogate dad. I just can't do that.

As I enter the flat, my eye falls on the pile of letters in the corner. They are letters from my family. I never opened them. I don't want to read how I am irresponsible. I don't want to read that they need me. I don't want to read that I have to take care of everything.

Mum stopped writing about a year ago, right around the time her death was announced in the Prophet. Not that I believe that rag. Lily never wrote to begin with. Now I only receive letters from Albus. I guess I can be considered lucky he hasn't started on the howlers yet. The Daily Prophet is lying next to the letters. Headlines blaring about 'The Dark Dryad'. Some new dark witch who seemingly controls all kind of animals, magical or normal. I even read something about a village being overrun by rampaging unicorns. The things they come up with! It is all rubbish if you ask me.

I pick up the Daily Prophet and look over the Quidditch reports. They have gone down in quality ever since my dad died. Mum used to write them, but I guess she stopped doing that when dad died. Frustrated, I throw the Daily Prophet in the fire.

I stomp to my fridge to see if I have some firewhiskey. Before I am even able to open it, a silver Patronus appears. It has the form of a boar. It starts speaking in the voice of my brother Albus. Of course, he is able to produce a corporal Patronus and speak through it. I can't even produce mist. Once again a reminder of what a failure I am.

"James, I'm dying. Visit me at my flat. You know the one, above Ollivanders in Diagon Alley," are the words the boar speaks.

It takes a while for the words to penetrate my melancholy. But when they do the words chill me to the bone. Albus is dying? I grab my cloak and quickly Apparate to Albus's flat.

~O~

When I arrive at Albus's flat I see Albus leaning on the kitchen counter next to an empty potion vial. I clear my throat to announce my arrival.

"You came, James? Only now you take some interest in your family?" Albus asks scathingly.

"I'm still you're brother, Al," I say warily, not recognizing Albus's mood. According to his message he is dying.

"Are you? Where were you when mum died? Where were you when Lily went all 'Dark Dryad'?" Albus asks in a loud voice while turning around to face me. His words are like a punch in my gut. Mum dead? Lily the Dark Dryad?

"You're lying! You actually believe that tripe the Prophet is printing? I mean, rampaging unicorns? Even the Quibbler would not print that!" I say, trying to convince Albus, but mostly myself that it is not true.

"Figures, you never opened my letters did you?" Albus asked sighing. Only now do I see the sorrow in Albus's green eyes.

"It's true?" I ask, shocked.

"Of course it is true! Merlin. James, you really lived under a rock!" Albus exclaims. Well, I have been living in the air, but I decide not to say that.

"Why did you ask me here if you are just going to yell at me?" I ask, getting annoyed.

"Cause you might be the last hope. I tried to fight her, James, but now I'm dying," Albus says while he slumps down against the kitchen counter. I run towards him, by the time I make it to him he is on the ground, his back leaning against the kitchen counter.

I kneel next to him and take his hand. He looks at me, and I'm shocked to see that his green eyes are now very dull. With what seems a lot of effort, Albus lifts his other hand and puts something cold in my right hand.

"Save... Her..." Albus says before he closes his eyes for good. I can't even summon any kind of emotion to his passing. All the recent revelations are too fresh on my mind.

I open my hand and see Lily's old locket. It was a Potter heirloom worn by Potter women, or at least that is what Lily said. It was given to her on her eleventh birthday, seeing as Lily was the first true Potter girl in at least three generations, but that is about all I know about the locket.

Before I have the chance to open it, I suddenly feel dizzy and feel a big headache coming up. I try to stand up, but soon fall to the floor, and my world turns black.


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