Not in my Job Description

Broken men

The room was too bright for the setting of this conversation. It was difficult to process the information being told, gruelling information that stung and angered the young man sitting across Dumbledore in his decorated office of muggle fairy lights and floating candles that sparked pink, blues and purples. The air was tense and weighed James down as he sat slumped in the chair opposite his old Headmaster, the dark bags under his eyes aged him and the frown that sunk deep into his lips foretold the nature of this conversation.

"James, I know this must be hard for you my dear boy but you must remain strong. You cannot let this get you down" the old man sat forward in his chair, ready to boast the moral of the supposed young man in front of him.

James looked at Dumbledore with heavy eyes and sighed, "My life is over" he muttered harshly under his breath. He looked defeated."Even if I had Harry I'd been hopeless. Let Snivilous keep him".

Dumbledore was shocked. He had thought the recent scandal of Severus taking Harry to a remote location would force James to fight but, it seems not. Lily was gone and it had crushed the once adventurous, brave young man he used to be. It seems Azkaban broke him more than he had hoped.

"You should have just left me rot" James mumbled has he pushed himself out of the chair and stumbled his way back to his room, dragging his legs with difficulty to the room of requirement.

Remus stood by Severus as they took one last look across the forest that stretched far as the eye could see. Harry seemed excited enough to go back home, sadly Severus didn't feel the same. Anxiety took control over his body at the thought of facing Black and Lucius again, he had turned tail and ran like a foolish school boy. He was embarrassed. And facing them again turned his stomach. Remus grabbed his arm and apparated to the front door to his house.

When Severus opened the door two large figures came running. The first was Lucius who pulled him into an uncomfortable hug and Sirius stopped and stared at Remus. The two stared each other down with harsh glares, who knew friends could turn to enemies over a boy, one they hated and bullied no less. Harry stood and stared as his Batman and new Batman had their gaze fixed on each other, he was confused and he really didn't want to be apart of this so instead of staying Harry ran further into the house to find Gordon.

Severus was released from Lucius' hold, he patted his friend on the back and walked to Sirius. His breath was shallow as he grew nearer, time felt slow as he came up to the smaller male. They locked gaze and leaned in close, Sirius caressed Severus' face and drew him into a hug. Sirius may have not been happy with him but when he saw Severus' anxiety his anger melted and drifted away. Lucius looked pleased that the two were ok so he winked at Sirius and apparated away. Remus on the other hand was not as pleased as Lucius and glared at Sirius' attempt at soft affection, Sirius never deserved Severus and he never will and with that he too made his leave by apparation.

"You don't hate me?" Severus asked, his tone growing more firm at the end.

"Hate? Nah just angry but I know a good way to get rid of that anger" Sirius wiggled his brows as he took the older man up to their room. Severus rolled his eyes and looked to the living room to see Harry curled up next to the dog in a peaceful slumber, he smiled and followed Sirius up.

James lay on his bed, expressionless. Pain fell deep in his brown eyes, his glasses where thrown haphazardly on the nightstand next to the Marauder's map which Dumbledore had gifted back to him. He sighed deeply and sat up with great effort, his once muscular body had withered and left him gaunt and sickly. Those years in Azkaban were... tuff to say the least, the screams haunted his days and the image of Lily dying lived viciously in his mind and kept him up at night. Her once beautiful porcelain skin rotted and thick ginger hair tangled and thinned, laying next to their sons crib lifeless. But the most terrifying of the recurring nightmare was alway her eyes. Colourless, as dead as the rest of her is.

Tears no longer fell. Years in hell and getting ones soul licked more times he could count did that to a man. He was betrayed by his friend, the love of his life stolen from this world and his son was never confirmed dead or alive to him. Slowly his spirt drained from his body and mind. He no longer had any fight in him. But now he had something to fight for. Harry. God James just wanted to see his little face, even if it was only once.

James stumbled over to the desk adjacent to the bed and scrambled for parchment and a quill and began to scribble plans to see him again. The list was short, there was only so much he could think of by himself. He knew Harry was with Snape. But Snape is smart he knows how to stay out of sight, if he finds him how would he persuade Snape to give him his son?

A scream of frustration fell from his lips and then it hit him. Make him fall in love with him! It was ingenious really, he always knew Snape was a poof why not use it to his advantage. James went back to bed with a small smile on his lips, mischief was always the way. And this time it helped him and he could finally get his revenge on the Death Eater bastard.