Come Back...Be Here

It's Nice To Have A Friend

"C'mon Harry! We have three hours before our flight leaves and we still have to pick up uncle Pete." James yells up the stairs to his son as he grabs his suitcase to bring out to their car.

"Yeah coming!" Harry shouts back. He does not come however, because James ends up sitting out in the car for 10 more minutes.

Normally, he would be more relaxed about this. He's not the uptight sort, truly, he's generally very chill. But this trip was filling him with so much anxiety he was afraid he'd start breaking out like a teenager.

"Blimey Haz, how long does it take to fix your hair?" James chastises as his son gets in the passenger seat.

"A long time, since I got your genes," Harry shoots back, doing up his seatbelt.

"Touché," James chuckles as he pulls out of their driveway.

"So, mum's meeting us at the airport, right?" Harry asks.

"Yep, she texted saying Mary and her had just arrived about five minutes ago," James replies.

"Right, Mary," Harry slouches down in his seat.

"Haz," James scolds, "be nice to Mary, at least for the trip. She's good for your mum and she’s always treated you like her own."

"I'm not her own," Harry rolls his eyes and huffs. "Her and mum have only been dating for a few months. I don't know why I'm expected to act like she's all of a sudden part of the family."

"If Lily wants her to be part of the family, then she's part of the family. You don't have to pretend that she's your step-mum or anything just don't be rude."

"Fine, whatever."

They fall silent for awhile and James thinks about how Harry must be feeling. It's true, Mary is new to Harry’s life. Though she’d met him when he was a baby, he didn’t know much about her until she moved back to town and started dating Lily. It'd been a year and a half since the divorce, and James had thought for awhile that Harry was accepting it and moving on until Mary came into the picture. Now it seemed, he had an attitude about everything. It wasn’t like him, and James was fully unprepared on how to handle it.

Remus had assured him it was normal for a kid Harry’s age, being only 13, to lash out. That soon he’d come around to his old self again. James figures that's true but still feels bad that he can't do something to take the hurt away. He’s never had to experience what Harry is going through and he wishes it didn’t have to be this way for him. Especially not at such a confusing stage in his life.

It had been hard for James and Lily to end things, but their marriage was practically non-existent by the time they split. In truth, he had been relieved when Lily handed him the divorce papers. He’d been fighting the split for years, insisting that they could make it work. Had to, for Harry. Eventually he realized, with some reassurance from his friends, that staying in a broken marriage would be more harmful for Harry than ending it would. Not having to pretend everything was fine anymore, was a huge weight off everyone. Harry said he understood but James knew he didn’t, not really anyways.

Mary and Lily are perfect for each other, and he wishes them all the best, but he can’t help feeling like they rushed into things. When Lily told James about her relationship with their old school mate, he’d been admittedly hesitant to congratulate her. Their divorce was still so recent, and he told Lily Harry wouldn’t take it well. She’d agreed and waited a bit. But even waiting for a few months until almost two years had gone by was still too soon it seemed.

James hates to think what it would do to Harry if he found out his dad had also moved on with someone else. For the time being, he's decided to not go looking for anyone. Despite Sirius and Marlene’s best efforts to convince him otherwise, and just focus on his career and son instead. Perhaps by the time the right someone comes around, Harry will be more inclined to welcome them in.

"I didn't know Uncle Pete had a girlfriend." Harry points out the window to where Peter is snogging the face off some poor woman. That was enough to snap James out of his mind wandering. They’ve already arrived at Peter’s flat, unbeknownst to him despite being the one in the driver’s seat.

She’s a pretty girl from what James can see of her. Her pink curly hair blocks half of her face but when she briefly pulls away from the snog, he can see her wide smile that make two little dimples in her cheeks. She looks to be wearing an entire jewelry shop on her person. Her nose is pierced, she’s wearing about a hundred necklaces and her hands, cupping Peter’s face, are covered in rings. She is about the same height as Peter which is honestly surprising because he usually goes for girls shorter than him. She's wearing a long skirt that has swirling black and purple designs on it that reaches her ankles and a dark purple knitted vest top. It was safe to say that the woman looks absolutely nothing like Peter’s usual girlfriends.

"Neither did I," James says in genuine astonishment.

Peter normally can’t help telling them all about the new girls he's seeing, even before he takes them out. He always thinks they’re 'the one'. They never are. He sadly has very bad taste in women.

"Is he trying to climb inside her mouth?" Harry asks, face twisting in mild disgust.

"Looks like it, doesn't it?" James chuckles, cringing a bit as Peter pulls her closer by her ass.

"Alright! That's enough of that." He honks at them several times. "Oi wanker, you coming with us or you gonna shag the poor girl on the stairs?"

Peter jumps a little, obviously not expecting to be caught in the act like that. He recovers quickly and flips his mate off.

"Very funny Jamie!" Peter scoffs as he walks towards the car, pink haired woman in tow. "I would never. I’m a gentleman, unlike you."

"What about that one time-"

"James!" Peter turns red immediately and then laughs awkwardly trying to play it off. "That was a joke, he's just joking."

James cackles as he leans out the car window, hand outstretched to the woman. "Don't mind me, I just like to make him look bad in front of the women he's trying to impress."

She takes his hand in a firm shake as she smiles, a twinkle in her eyes. "So, I’m not the only woman you’re trying to impress Petey?"

"Ooh she’s great!" James grins at his mate who was looking very much like he wanted to shrink and crawl into a hole.

"Let’s go, shall we? I don't need you chasing off my girl before we even start the trip."

"I would never dream of it, you seemed to enjoy sucking her face off far too much!” James smirks cheekily at her, and she blushes, smiling bashfully at Peter.

"Dad gross," Harry mumbles from beside him. James just ruffles his hair without looking back.

Peter mumbles something about not knowing why he puts up with this, as he walks around the car to heft their trunks into the back.

"I'm sorry about that, what an awkward first impression. I’m Valentina Valdez, though most people call me Tina. I don’t usually snog people on the street," She laughs vibrantly. Her laugh is contagious and makes James’ smile widen. "I told Petey we shouldn’t but he’s just so irresistible! I feel like a randy teen around him. You're James Potter I presume?"

James is a bit surprised by her animated personality. She is so much different from the women Peter usually brings home; they were all very drab and serious. He doesn’t let his surprise show, though he would definitely be asking Pete about that later.

“The one and only," James grins proudly. “What gave me away?”

"You're cocky smile." She winks before getting into the back seat with Peter.

"Ooh I like her Pete!"

Peter glows brightly and kisses her on the cheek. “I know, me too.”

“And you must be Harry, right? Peter’s told me so much about you.” She holds out her hand to Harry.

“Yeah, nice to meet you,” Harry shakes her hand politely. “So, what do you find so irresistible about Uncle Wormtail?”

“Oi!” Peter exclaims in fake offence, flicking Harry’s forehead. “Many things about me are irresistible thank you very much.”

“Yeah? Like what?” Harry asks, dodging another swat as he rubs his forehead.

“Why couldn’t you be more like your mum?” Peter grumbles. “I would’ve loved another Lily; I can’t handle two James.”

“Hey! I was your friend first.” James pouts through the rear-view mirror.

“Well, I like Lily better,” Peter sticks his tongue out at his friend.

James nods in defeat, because fair enough.

“Petey tells me you lads have been friends since primary school?” Tina asks.

“Probably even before that, our families have been close since forever,” James replies, shoulder checking before turning right onto the freeway. “I think we even took baths together in our nappies, eh Wormtail?”

Peter coughs and turns a little red.

Tina bursts into giggles and rubs her boyfriend’s chest comfortingly. “I think that’s adorable! You better show me your baby pictures sometime mister.”

“Uh maybe,” Peter shifts in his seat obviously uncomfortable with that idea but he tries to play it off and kisses her on the forehead.

James suddenly realizes his mistake. He frowns, glancing in the rear-view trying to make eye contact with his mate. Peter smiles briefly at him, reassuringly, letting James know he's fine and isn’t upset. James lets out an imperceptible sigh. He shouldn’t have been so careless or assumed like that. Peter obviously is very enamored with Tina but that doesn’t mean he is fully trusting with her yet. He’d been hurt too many times to let his walls down so easily.

Harry and Tina were blissfully unaware of the sudden tension in the car and were now chatting away. He would talk to Peter later if he needed it but right now is not the time.

“How come we haven’t heard anything about you Tina?” Harry questions, rather forwardly in James’s opinion but he’d probably do the same thing.

“Don’t be rude Haz,” James tells him. “Maybe they didn’t want to jinx anything.”

“That’s true actually,” Tina nods, expression serious. “We didn’t want to tell any of our friends too early in fear of cursing the relationship before it had any time to flourish.”

“She believes pretty strongly in all that voodoo witchy stuff,” Peter explains. “The stars and planets apparently have a big impact in how we live our lives.”

James raises his eyebrows in surprise and Harry looks like he’s trying not to laugh.

“It’s not ‘voodoo witchy stuff’ Peter,” says Tina exasperated. “I’ve told you; it’s very real, not to be taken lightly. Quite useful when you take the time to understand it.”

“Sirius is going to love you,” James tells her.

“Oh, is he interested in the supernatural as well?” She asks sitting forward in her seat.

“He loves talking about stuff like astrology and crystals. It drives Uncle Remus mad,” Harry tells her.

James grins and nods. “He won’t say anything though, keeping the peace and all that.”

“Petey doesn’t much like it either but since he’s such a selfless person he lets me talk his ear off endlessly.”

Peter shrugs like it’s no big deal to him. “As long as it’s none of that creepy seance stuff I don’t bloody care what she believes in. And I won’t lie, some of it makes a bit of sense. Every once in a while.”

“You’re wearing off on him already Tina,” says James.

“I know!” she runs her hand through his hair lovingly. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

They are adorable. James understands what Peter sees in her. He hasn’t shared those kinds of adoring looks with anyone in…years. He would be lying if he said he didn’t miss it, but it isn’t a good time. Besides the Harry thing, frankly, he is a bit scared to get back out there. Afraid that the true love of his life had slipped through his fingers too long ago and he’d never be able to love anyone else that way again.

“So, what do you do for a living Tina?” James asks, ignoring the way the two lovebirds had to physically pull themselves away from each other to talk to him.

“She’s a teacher for primary school kids!” Responds Peter enthusiastically. “A bloody good one, too.”

“He’s full of rubbish, he hasn’t even seen me teach.” Tina grins, obviously loving the praise despite her words.

“It’s still the truth,” Peter puts an arm around her shoulders, gazing proudly at her. “You’re wonderful with kids.”

James, who was looking in the mirror at them, looks back at the road. He feels a pang in his chest and his hands tighten on the wheel. An image of Regulus flashes through his mind from when they were 16. He had put his arm around his boyfriend and pulled him in, kissing the top of his head. They were laughing like all the problems in the world didn’t matter in the least when they were together. He shakes his head and snaps out of the memory. What is wrong with him? He hasn’t thought about those days in several years. It must be the anxiety about having to face Reg again after so long.

“How long have you two been dating?” Harry cuts in suddenly.

“Oh, about six weeks I think now?” replies Tina looking at her boyfriend for confirmation.

He nods in affirmation.

“Six whole weeks? You managed to keep this a secret for that long? Damn Wormy, I am impressed.”

“Okay Prongs, thanks for the vote of confidence,” Peter rolls his eyes. “I am able to keep a secret you know.”

“Those nicknames you call each other, what do they mean?” Tina asks in intrigue.

“Ah, Wormtail didn’t tell ya?” James raises a brow in amusement. “They’re a rather stupid thing we came up with in secondary school. We were about 13 at the time, same with Sirius and Remus. We had this assignment in arts where we all got paired up and had to draw an animal that we thought fit our partner best.”

“Sirius drew me as a bloody rat, the wanker.” Peter crosses his arms in feigned annoyance. Truthfully, Peter had gotten over that pretty quickly since Sirius had explained in defiance that it was indeed a compliment. James remembers that day like it was just last week.

***

“Mate, I’m telling you, rats are some of the most intelligent creatures there are! They’re quick, cunning, and most of all, survivors.” Sirius told his friend earnestly. James had never seen him look so sincere, so passionate about something. This rat picture obviously symbolized more to him than just a grade.

“No one is better at surviving than you.” Sirius stared into Peter’s eyes unblinking, trying to convey all his unsaid meaning into those words. Peter stared back frowning slightly, unsure, and untrusting. They hadn’t been friends for very long. The pair took a while to warm up to each other and James knew Peter was trying to work out if he could trust Sirius. Finally, it seemed as though he understood what Sirius was trying to do and he softened.

“So, what I’m getting is that basically, you think I’m the smartest person here and will outlive you all.” Peter grinned cheekily.

Sirius, James, and Remus all heaved out laughs in relief. They had all been a bit afraid that Sirius’s drawing would offend Peter past fixing and they’d all end up having to choose sides, since that’s the only natural response to conflict in any 13-year-old friend group.

“Thank God, I thought I really hurt you there for a minute.” Sirius ran a hand through his hair.

“Well, you did at first, I thought you were trying to make fun of me. For you know, what I told you…” Peter’s cheeks flushed pink, that happened a lot given how fair he was. The implication of what he meant hung in the air. Sirius gulped, Remus stayed quiet as ever just waiting, and James glanced back and forth between the two.

“I- I didn’t, I wasn’t,” Sirius rushed out, face draining of blood. “I promise. I’m sorry it looked that way. I really was trying to mean the opposite, show you how brave you are.”

“I never really thought of rats as smart or brave creatures. They’re skittish.”

“Well, sure, but that’s how they stay alive. They run to the next place that provides them with the best food and shelter and they grow into massive rats who rule over all the mice and insects and-“

“Sirius, you’ve lost the plot, mate.” James interrupted him with a hand on his shoulder. “I think he gets your point.”

Peter nodded and twiddled his fingers in that nervous way he does. “Thanks Sirius, it’s a good picture.”

That was that. Sirius didn’t say anything else, and he didn’t need to. The silent understanding fell between all of them. The four sat there in their school’s common room laughing and talking about how bad James and Peter’s drawings were. Remus’s was not the best, but it at least resembled an animal.

***

Surprisingly, it had been Remus who was the first to use a nickname. As they were all heading up to their respective dorms, he commented that the animals really did represent them all quite well. He said, “You know, I think we should call Sirius padfoot from now on, he’s always sneaking up on everyone without them hearing.”

“Padfoot… like a dog’s foot?” Sirius scoffed in annoyance. “Fine, then if I’m padfoot, we’re calling James prongs. He can never go anywhere without clonking around on those big feet.”

Peter and Remus cracked up in agreement. James crossed his arms.

“I do not.”

“You do.” They all chorused.

“Whatever, at least I’m a strong buck.”

“Sure James,” Sirius patted his back. “Definitely a strong buck and not a clumsy moose.”

James gaped in indignation but before he could defend himself, Peter cut in.

“What’s my name then? If you guys say it’s whiskers or twitchy or something, I’ll chop all your nuts off.” Peter threatened them with an accusatory finger.

“We’d NEVER do that to you Pete! Who do you think we are? A bunch of cruel lowlifes? Nay, we are gentlemen, isn’t that right lads?” Sirius swung an arm around Peter and looked expectantly at their two other friends. Remus rolled his eyes and James smirked back.

“You’re going to give me a real awful nickname now just because I asked you not to, aren’t you?”

“Too right you are, whiskers.”

“His tail looked quite worm like in that picture," James commented innocently.

Sirius grinned deviously. “Ahh and there we have it, history is made; you’ve done it again Prongs! Wormtail it is.”

“Please no.” Peter groaned, closing his eyes in defeat. He knew he’d already lost.

“Wormtail, don’t look like that. You know you love it.” Sirius squeezed Peter’s cheeks and Peter rolled his eyes but grinned a little anyways.

“All that leaves is Remus,” James said, knocking shoulders with his mate.

“If you three are picking the name then no thanks. I’m fine with Remus.”

“Let’s see,” Sirius blatantly ignored his friend. “We can’t very well go based off his animal, no offence James but that was bloody stupid, Remus is too much of a softy to be a wolf.”

“I disagree, Remus has untapped rage beyond his years I reckon.” James winked at Remus. “We should all stay off his bad side.”

Sirius waved a hand of dismissal at James and continued to think, pacing as he did so. “No, no Remus wouldn’t hurt a fly he’s too wholesome.”

James shook his head at Sirius and glanced back at Remus. The boy was looking rather uncomfortable, or no, that wasn’t right. He looked annoyed at Sirius. James wasn’t sure why. Being called ‘wholesome’ wasn’t exactly an insult, was it?

“He can be pretty moody sometimes though, like if he doesn’t get a good night’s sleep. It’s like he becomes a wolf at anyone who even looks at him wrong,” Peter pointed out.

Sirius considered this.

“You might be onto something there Pete.” He continued to think, as he stroked his chin like he was an old man with a beard.

Remus sniffed loudly and rubbed his nose seemingly more annoyed now. He crossed his arms and sat down on the steps leading up to the dorms. James now knew he was upset for some reason but couldn’t figure out why.

“What’s wrong Lupin? Did we do something?” James sat down next to him, nudging their knees together.

Before Remus could say anything, Sirius snapped his fingers.

“That’s it! Wolves, Lupin, the MOON, right? Riiight?”

Everyone stared at him blankly.

“Remus’s last name is Lupin meaning something or other about wolves in some language, and you drew him as a wolf so that works, but what do wolves do? And what can Remus not get enough of? The moon, because he has a lot of bad sleeps, wolves are up howling at the moon. We’re calling him Moony.”

They all blinked at him not entirely understanding his explanation or thought process but nonetheless didn’t challenge him. Remus sighed and nodded once. He got up and went towards his room.

“Oi! Moony! You don’t like the name?” Sirius called after him.

“It’s great Padfoot,” He called back but didn’t stop or turn around.

That was good enough for Sirius and he grinned.

“It’s not very fair that Sirius got to name three of us,” Peter grumbled.

“I can’t help that I’m so creative and imaginative Wormy,” He pulled his friend up the stairs after Remus.

***

Though that had been a weird time and he’d felt like they were all constantly tiptoeing around bigger issues, James looked back on it fondly. He missed those days sometimes. When they were all just boys mucking about with no consequences. Before hormones and heartbreak got introduced into the mix.

“So… Wormtail?” Tina giggles. “You got the short end of the straw, love.”

“It’s not so bad,” Peter says, shrugging with a smile. “I’ve gotten used to it.”

They all talk more about random things from their childhoods and what they do for work as they drive. After about ten more minutes, James pulls into the long-term parking lot for people flying and turns off the car.

“Alright lads and lady,” James announces, “lets catch our flight.”

Mary and Lily are waiting by the gate, having arrived much earlier than them. Luckily the flight doesn’t board for another half hour.

James hugs both women in greeting and so does Peter. He introduces Valentina and they immediately get on well with her. Mary especially loves her style and doesn’t stop giving her compliments.

Harry on the other hand, gives his mum a hug before sitting down in a seat, completely ignoring Mary. Lily knits her eyebrows together and looks after Harry before turning to James. He gives a helpless shrug.

“I thought he’d be better with the excitement of the trip to distract him,” Lily says sadly, pulling James away from the others to talk in hushed tones.

“I know, me too,” He sighs and runs a hand through his unruly hair. “I told him he needed to be nice to her, at least for the trip. Seems ignoring her is his idea of nice.”

She nods and bites her lip in worry.

“I just didn’t think he was going to take it this hard. He’s usually so welcoming to new people.”

“Give him time,” He squeezes her shoulder in comfort. “I’m sure he’ll soon see Mary for the wonderful person she is.”

“Thank you, James,” Lily gives him a small smile. “Thanks for being so understanding and supportive through all this. I know it’s not common for divorced parents, but I truly don’t think I could do this without you.”

“I wouldn’t want to be a divorced parent with anyone else.” He grins cheekily at her.

They both laugh at the ridiculousness of this situation as they go to claim some seats next to their family. If someone had told James two years ago that he and Lily would be laughing at the fact that they were divorced parents struggling over dating again and supporting each other through it, well he would have smacked them across the head. Now, he couldn’t be more grateful that that was the truth. He was so happy he could be there for Lily, and he knew she’d do the same for him when the time came. That wouldn’t be for a long, long time though.