A/N

Prompt: #31 Rotten

Song: Talking with the Wolves by Glen Hansard

Disclaimer: Not mine. All hail The Queen!

Talking with the Wolves

Dearest Lily,

I hope your summer has been satisfactory so far.

Okay, this is really embarrassing but my mum has insisted that we have your parents over to tea soon. I told her I haven't even met your parents yet but she thinks that will be a perfect time to do so. She wants to know if you could come around at two o'clock on Saturday.

Now that I got that out. I hope you are well. Not much has happened here since I saw you last. Sirius is insisting on finding his own flat this summer. He's convinced that he's a burden no matter how much we tell him he's not. Mum loves having someone else to dote on.

Write back soon. I miss you already.

Love,

James

Dear James,

Even though it's only been three days since we said goodbye I'm already missing you terribly. Life has been pretty dull around here since I've been home. Petunia has moved out and found a flat in London. Mum spends most of her time with Da. He's doing okay, better than I expected, but he's very weak. Most days he doesn't get out of bed. I don't think he would be up to travelling to your parent's house. Mum suggested you come here instead. Would your mum be alright with that? Either way, you have to come see me soon, I'm already going stir crazy with Marlene in France and Mary spending all her time with that Hufflepuff boy.

Sorry my life is so boring.

Love,

Lily

James stood at the fireplace in the library, still trying to calm his hair.

"Might as well give it up." His mother smiled at him. "I've been trying to get that mane to behave for seventeen years now."

James sighed and looked to her. "Okay, Mum. Now remember that Lily's parents don't know what's going on in our world with Voldemort and all that. She doesn't want to freak them out unnecessarily. And please don't do that thing where you try to embarrass me. Oh and Mr. Evans is very ill so don't be surprised if he doesn't look well or he doesn't even come out at all."

"Yes, dear. You've told me all this many times."

"Right. Sorry." James took a deep breath, trying to slow his heart rate. He smoothed down his shirt and brushed a little lint from his pants.

"Calm down, James, dear," his mother said with a giggle. "It's not like you're about to walk into a den of wolves."

"That's exactly what it's like, Mum!" He took several deep breaths. "Okay, let's get this over with." He took a handful of Floo powder from the urn on the mantel and ducked into the fireplace. He threw the powder into the hearth and gave the place to which he was traveling. Emerald green flames enveloped him and he spun around quickly, fireplaces speeding past his vision. He stopped suddenly and stepped out into a nicely decorated parlor. On the floral sofa directly across from the hearth sat Lily clothed in a white sundress. She stood when James stepped into the room and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"I've missed you," she sighed.

"I've missed you, too." He breathed in her smell like it was his dying breath. The familiar scent of her apple shampoo and rose perfume sent his heartrate through the roof. They broke apart at the sound of flames crackling in the hearth.

His mother stepped out carefully. "You have a very clean flue," she remarked as she looked at her clothes.

"Yes, ma'am. My father has it cleaned every spring." Lily held her hand out to her. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Potter."

She clasped Lily's hand gently. "Please, call me Dorea, or Mum. All the boys call me Mum."

"Okay." Lily glanced sideways at James who nodded slightly. "Please sit." She gestured to the sofa. "Mum is in with Da. She'll be out in a bit. Would you like some tea?"

"That would be lovely, thank you dear," Mrs. Potter replied taking a seat on a floral armchair.

Lily disappeared into the kitchen and returned soon after with a tea service. She poured four cups, dropping one lump of sugar in the cup meant for James. "Mrs. Pot- erm, Dorea." Her eyes flew once more to James. "How do you take your tea?"

"Just a splash of cream, if you please."

Lily did so and passed the cup and saucer to the older woman. Lily add sugar to her tea and the left over cup and had just settled herself on the sofa by James when her mother entered. James stood up very quickly, almost spilling his tea down his front.

"Ah, I thought I heard new voices." Mrs. Evans smiled warmly at her guests. "You must be James," she directed at the blushing boy.

"Yes, ma'am." He round the couch and offered a hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Evans."

She took James's offered hand lightly and he relaxed a bit. She then turned to Mrs. Potter, who had also risen.

"Dorea Potter," the witch introduced with another handshake. "You have a very lovely home, Mrs. Evans."

"Thank you," she replied. "And it's Violet, please." Mrs. Potter nodded and returned to her seat and Mrs. Evans turned to the teenagers on the sofa. "Lil, your father would like to meet your Mr. Potter. Why don't you take him upstairs while the two of us become better acquainted?" she suggested speaking of the other woman.

Lily nodded and took James's hand in hers to lead him through to the hall. He stopped short at the top of the stairs, a look on his face that Lily couldn't remember ever seeing.

"What's wrong?" She brushed a strand of hair from his forehead.

James swayed a little on his feet and stared down at the floor. "What does he think of me? I mean I'm sure you told him all about me already. All about me from before last year." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, still watching the carpet.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did," Lily admitted. James sighed. "But I also told him about last year, and all the things I chose to ignore before then." She put a hand on his cheek, warm with worry. "I think you'll find my da can be very forgiving. He likes to form his own opinions. Just show him who you really are and you'll be fine."

Lily placed a soft kiss on his cheek and his posture softened slightly. She led him down the hall to the room that had once been Petunia's. She knocked gently and entered after a small reply. James steeled himself as they stepped into the room. Lily had told him on several occasions about her father but he still wasn't ready for how drawn he looked, how pale and weary. Even meeting as an ill man, James couldn't help the anxiety bubbling in his stomach. Lily hurried to the bedside where her father was reclining against a stack of pillows and knelt to take his hand, pressing it gently to her lips. She looked up at James as if to call him over but his legs had failed him.

"Don't be shy, son." Mr. Evans beckoned weakly.

James did as he was told and approached the bed to stand by Lily.

"Da, this is James," she introduced warmly, standing and grasping James's hand tightly.

The older man held out a hand which James took carefully. "Mr. Evans, wonderful to finally meet you, sir."

"And you, young man. My Lily has told me so much about you." He grinned but James blushed. "Don't worry, lad," he chortled. "Lil, do you mind? I want to talk to James alone for a while."

Lily nodded. "Of course, Da." She bent and kissed his forehead before giving James's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Please sit, lad." Mr. Evans motioned to a chair by the bed. James did as commanded. The men were silent for a moment before Mr. Evans started. "So, Lily tells me you have made quite the change in the past school year."

James shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Yes, sir, but let me explain."

Mr. Evans held up a hand. "No need, my boy. I was a rather spirited child in my time. I can understand somewhat the mind of a young teenaged boy."

"I was quite the rotten prat."

"We all were at some point. Even my dear Lily has her moments of silly behavior." Both men chuckled. "Now, in all seriousness, son, Lily is most precious to me. I cannot deny the portrait formed of you early on is not a pretty one." James's eyes fell to his hands clasped tightly in his lap. "But as I said before, she began painting a very different picture last September. What happened?"

James took a deep breath. How to broach the subject? "Well, sir, something happened. Something- something that changes you- maybe for the worse- may-maybe for good." He sighed. "You know- somethings happen that make you realize you can't be the same- make you realize you have to step up…"

Mr. Evans sat patiently while James stuttered along. Finally he said, "It's okay, James." He placed a hand on James's. "I already know."

"You know? Know about what? I don't know what you mean?" He stumbled quickly over the questions running through his mind.

"I know what's going on in your world. I may be ill, son, but I'm not blind."

"Y-you already know?" James stammered.

"Well, I can guess at some of it," he conceded. "The rest I picked out from hushed whispers and bits of newspaper Lil didn't hide very well."

"S-so you know about Voldemort and his propaganda and his feelings about people like- like Lily?" Mr. Evans closed his eyes and nodded feebly. James bit his bottom lip uncertainly. "So, my father, he was a great man, a really great wizard and well, Voldemort didn't like some of the things he was saying. People at our newspaper used to go to him for opinions quite often, our family has been influential for centuries, and so they respected what he had to say. Well, he was getting more and more outspoken against Voldemort and his ideas, and, well, one day middle of last summer some people supposedly from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but we didn't recognize any of them and Dad built that department before he retired, well they came and took him away to Azkaban, that's our prison, him and the guy who had been writing the articles. Well, anyway he only lasted about three weeks in there. He wasn't a young man anymore and the guards at Azkaban, well, they really take it out of the young and vital ones so imagine what they do to a tired old man…" His voice trailed off and he cleared his throat to try and stop the tears threatening.

Mr. Evans allowed the silence to linger a moment. "A young man doesn't experience something like that without effect."

James shook his head. "Mum wasn't right for a while after that. I even considered not returning to Hogwarts." His hands fidgeted in his lap and he fixed his gaze on the drawn curtains. "What was she to do in that house all by herself? How could I leave her alone when it was still so fresh?"

"But a mother would never allow her child to make such a sacrifice for her?"

James let out a short laugh. "No, my mum would never admit such weakness. But still, I became the man of the house overnight. In charge of the estate and legacy. But more important, Voldemort gave me something to fight for."

Mr. Evans nodded understanding. "And where does my Lily fit into this fight?"

James stood and walked to the window. He pushed the curtain open slightly. The bright blue sky revealed nothing of the storm of war simmering in secret places. How was it possible for there to be such beauty in the midst of such pain?

"Lily is my anchor. I never wanted her to put herself in a compromising position, but, well," he turned to face Mr. Evans, "you know Lily."

The other man agreed. "She's always been that way, the just defender."

"I was going to say opinionated, dominating, and independent, but yeah." Both men laughed. "But in seriousness. Sir, I've loved Lily from the moment I set eyes on her. Sure, I was eleven and didn't know that was what it was, but looking back later, yeah, I loved her from that first meeting. She has a fire that nothing can put out that is at once captivating and infuriating. Her mind works in such a brilliant way I could never begin to understand. The more time I spend with her, Godric, the more I realize I could never be apart from her. Sure, the deal with Dad altered me in ways that I can never change, but she makes me want to be different. She drives me to work harder because I can't stand to be shown up. She makes me more empathetic and understanding because I never want to make her cry again. She makes me better in every way possible because all I want to be is who she need me to be. And, sir, I've tried to keep her from stepping into the fight, from drawing negative attention to herself, from standing up against those who wish her dead, but you know that's not who she is."

Mr. Evans nodded solemnly. "Yes, I know."

James held eye contact for a long moment. "I promise, with my dying breath, I will protect her."

"I know you will, son." Mr. Evans clasped James's hand tightly. "Now, why don't you rejoin Lily and the others? Who knows what turn that meeting may have taken."

James chuckled. "I'm sure it's far worse than I could even speculate." He stopped in the doorway and turned to face the sickly man again. "Does Mrs. Evans know?"

"About the trouble in your world. No, it would only serve to frighten her."

James nodded and shut the door gently behind him.