Incognito

✑ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓.𝟗

𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚗'𝚜 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚖
𝟾:𝟶𝟹 𝚊.𝚖. I

"What are you thinking about?"

He had something on his mind, she could tell and she also couldn't blame him. They went through a lot these past couple of days and it may take them some time to get back to normal, but they'd go through that time together.

"I can't help remembering her– before she changed, that is," James admitted. "She was so different but so similar to how she was now. She didn't let Harry fall, that's the old Evelyn. The new one was the one who thought she could. And if she did let him fall, I'm not sure what would have happened."

"Hey, hey, hey," Lily spoke softly, placing a hand on his cheek and wiping a runaway tear. "You couldn't have known we would reach this ending. You couldn't have known that she'd be... like that. You couldn't have known any of this, James. You aren't a seer, you're just a man. The future isn't in your hands, only the choices you make. You always make what you think is right for not only you but for everyone as well. That's what makes you... well, you."

"But—"

"—No buts, love," Lily shook her head, pushing herself to sit up on the bed. She watched as James took her hand from his cheek and held it tight, placing it right beside his chest. "This happened and there is no way you can go back and change it. If you did, maybe we wouldn't be here. Who knows where the fuck would we be?"

Harry grunted, bringing both his parents' attention. They looked down at him as he twisted and turned until he felt comfortable enough on his stomach, closer to James. Both James and Lily had a smile on their faces as they watched him.

"As long as we have this little dude back, I'll get better," James used his other hand to sit up on the bed. He placed on hand on Harry's back and let himself feel his son breathing. That was a good sign that all of this was definitely not a dream.

"Let go of all that guilt you've carried in your chest for years," his girlfriend brought his attention back to her. "You're going to get the closure you've wanted for years now. Whenever you're ready, you can finally look at your parents' fate. I brought their files and placed them in the highest drawer in the kitchen."

"How did you reach that?"

"I'm a spy, I found a way," Lily winked, which caused James to chuckle.

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𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚗'𝚜 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚖
𝟸:𝟻𝟼 𝚙.𝚖. I

Lily was out of the room, taking their son to have a little playdate with Neville. That's why he thought now would be a great time to read the file that has been rotting in the cupboard for a week now.

He had wanted answers most of his life, ever since the fateful night. So, he didn't know why now, when he did have the answers just a few feet away, he got scared. He wanted to turn back time a little bit every time he thought about the file.
But now there was no running away. He waited all his life for this and he was going to force himself to get the answers he wanted. Right then, right now.

He reached the cupboard his girlfriend had mentioned and opened it. He grabbed the files, a little thought coming in the back of his mind wondering how his girlfriend put it up there. She probably had to climb the counter, he thought, which brought a small smile to his face.

This afternoon was the time when he would finally get the answers he have wanted for a very long time.

He opened the files and read every word, every letter until he was done. The truth came out with a big shock.

"He killed them," he said to himself quietly.

He finally had the closure he had always wished for. He finally knew who killed his parents. It would be a long time to catch him since no one has ever been able to track the man himself. His parents must have gotten close and that cost them their lives with the outcome of a miserable life for their son.

But, no, it isn't miserable. James has his friends, he has his girlfriend, and he has his son - a new addition that has James wrapped around his tiny, cute finger.

He noticed that there was also a location disclosed in the file, a place where he can visit and finally give a long-awaited proper goodbye to his parents.
Maybe he'd visit them one day, the proper graves where their bodies were hidden and buried six feet under.

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𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚗'𝚜 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚖
𝟽:𝟶𝟻 𝚙.𝚖. I

They were back from playtime with Alice and Neville. James leaned his head back against the kitchen counter as he watched his girlfriend stop their son from crashing into the table.

"Do you want to help or would you rather watch your son get a scar?" she looked over her shoulder, a smile on her face.

"Come on, Bambi, let's not have a bleeding forehead," James shook his head as he grabbed his son and flew him to the ceiling. He caught him just as he fell back down.

"Would you rather he gets a deflated head?"

"I'd rather he had a little fun and his mother wasn't a worrywart."

"His mother will always worry about him!" Lily defended. "Now, give her back her child. She needs to get him ready for the late-birthday photos."

James handed her the child and she placed him on a crib at the kitchen table before bringing out the little cake Mary baked for this occasion. Instead of inviting their friends and celebrating Harry all together, Lily and James kindly asked them that they allow a quiet night for the couple and child.

His cat jumped on top of the counter and James quickly caught him before Lily could shout at him to do so. He knew Lily didn't want anything to ruin their son's already-late birthday.

James started shooing so she didn't notice when he told Lumos to go get something. When he stood up, the video was already rolling and his girlfriend was beckoning him over. They kissed their son's cheek, which made him burst into laughter. And they laughed when Harry punched a hand through his tiny cake...

"I have a surprise for you," he whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist as she closed the dishwasher.

"Harry'll sleep magically tonight?"

"That or he'd annoy Remus and Sirius."

"What?" she turned around in his arms, facing him and placing both her hands on his chest. "What do you have planned, Mr. James Potter?"

"A proposal," he was straightforward with it. "Lumos!"

The cat walked into the room and jumped on the counter behind James. He stopped when he was on James's side. There was a stick in his mouth. On the end of that stick, there was a box he had dragged with him all the way.

James reached back and grabbed the black box.
"I know people would rather a huge proposal with a big meaning behind it, but at least this one has a meaning behind it. In the time we've known one another, this has been the place with most of our memories. And I don't mean only this room, I mean all of Hogwarts. This establishment is where I met you and this establishment is where I will propose. You know, the start of a new chapter starting in the place as the first chapter? They say it's exciting. So, Lily Serenity Evans, will you marry me?"

Lily took his hand and helped him stand up, nodding the entire time. He wiped a runaway tear that the redhead will later claim was because of something in her eye.

"Is that a yes, Lily Potter?"

"Of course, it is, James Potter."

And a ring was placed on that night, bringing two people even closer than before.

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