When James talks to Harry

Summary - Sitting down, he rubbed his hands together. 'So, not going to sleep, are you? Now that we're alone, just you and me, let's have a "son-to-father-talk", shall we?'...pls R/R!

Author's Note - This is a fic that I've been thinking about for a while now and finally decided to write it. It was a lot better in my head but oh, well, I like it this way too! Now, I've searched and searched for a story like that, cause I don't want to be accused of plagia! And anyway, everyone's idea may be the same but at the same time differ...I'll stop talking now...Read and Review pls!

Disclaimer - Anything you don't recognise is mine and anything you don't is not mine...

-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-

James leaned over the craddle and peered at Harry. He was wide awake and it looked as though he was not about to sleep. The worst thing was that each time he was left alone, he would cry. Lily had abandonned her post since long and had gone to bed.

'This boy,' she had said, 'has taken onto Remus, he does not sleep on nights of Full Moon.'

James smiled to himself and pulled over a chair in the darkness. The moonlight was their only source of light. What surprised him was that he could see the brightness of Harry's green eyes through the night. They were so like Lily's.

Sitting down, he rubbed his hands together. 'So, not going to sleep, are you? Now that we're alone, just you and me, let's have a "son-to-father-talk", shall we?'

He waited for an answer from Harry, or a sound, but Harry just continued to play with his feet, delving into them and trying to unlock the mystery of them. He's still a kid, James told himself.

'I'll take that as a "yes",' James said. 'Good! Now, boy, you're still a baby and I doubt you even understand what I'm going to say to you. But listen to me anyway and try to remember it when you're bigger. Okay?

'I want you to appreciate the best things of life, you've heard me? And to do that, only one advice: Live! Don't ever go around thinking you're a loser...' James shut up and thought for a second.

'Actually, I forbid you to ever think that you're a loser. James Potter's son will never be a loser. You'll be the best. The best at everything.

'And oh yes; by the way, you're going to Hogwarts and no other school than that. It's the greatest school you know, I've gone there myself. Your mother went there. Your Godfather went there. Your uncles went there...Your –' James stopped. 'Well, you see what I mean, huh?

'And you won't believe how much fun we had there. All the secret passages we've found out and all the mischief we've been up to...I can't wait for you to grow up so I can tell you all about the secrets of this school! I bet Dumbledore, himself does not know about most of what we've found!' James smiled at that thought.

'Anyway, you'll be in Gryffindor, of course, and be top of your class, right Harry?' James asked him. 'You're going to be the first one always, and make Daddy proud,' Harry looked up at him briefly, and then continued to play with his feet.

'Oh and Quidditch, Harry!' James exclaimed, leaning his arms onto the craddle and smiling down at his son. 'You'll be the best Quidditch player! It doesn't matter what position you have on the field...well, I am Chaser...take that as a hint...You'll fly like no one has ever flown. Like I said before, you're going to be the very best!'

James stayed silent for a second, at lost of things to say. Nothing he said seemed to interest Harry. Hell, the boy found his feet was more interesting than what he was saying!!

Then he got an idea.

'Of course!' he said loudly. 'Girls!'

At that, Harry jumped and looked at him curiously. Must have been the schock of his shout, but James seized the opportunity. 'Harry, we have to talk about girls, you have to know....because you'll be surrounded by them always. You're going to be the best, see? And it also means the best-looking guy.'

James pulled his chair closer to Harry and thought hard. 'Now what can I tell you about girls that won't traumatise you?' James looked down him. 'You're still young; I can't reveal to you everything that I know. Fortunately...or unfortunately, some of these things, you'll have to discover by yourself.'

Harry stared at him and James nodded. 'Well, yeah, don't look at me like that! But here is what I can tell you: girls are the most complicated creatures of this universe. It took me a while to figure them out...I think I'm still trying to figure them out. Here is my advice to you: don't try to argue with them, okay? I've tried with Lily and she always wins and I mean it: always. So don't bother, okay?

'Then, know that when they say something, it sometimes has different meanings.' Harry gurgled and James looked at him. 'Right, you don't understand, do you? Let me give you an example: take the word "nothing" for example, when you ask your guy-mate what's wrong and he says "nothing", it means exactly what it means: nothing. But this same "nothing" means "everything" to a girl.

'And when they say "yes", it means "no" and "no" means "yes".' James sighed. 'I know, it's difficult, but hey, that proves I was not lying earlier when I said complicated.'

James stiffled a yawn. 'Oh and when they say "maybe"? Take it as a "no". "You never listen" means....well, "you never listen" actually...

'Fortunately not all girls speak in codes. Take your mother for example, she always speaks her mind! You'll see that when you become bigger, too, that there are many types of girls. Sweet and gentle, passionate and wild, beautiful and caring... You just have to know what is your type of girl.' James chuckled. 'I got lucky, I got all I want in one woman.'

'It was not an easy thing to get her, Harry, believe me,' James told his son, who was now listening to him. 'Went through a lot because of her. I even got on the edge of hating her to death. But...well, the Potter Charm worked yet once again,' James shrugged. 'What can I tell you? Oh yeah, don't worry, it's in you too; you're my son afterall.'

James looked at Harry again who had not decided to sleep yet. 'I hope you'll get all that you want too, Harry. Try to figure girls out, but don't try too hard. I tried...and perhaps failed... but I guess my mission is completed, I got to marry to the most complicated of these complicated creatures!'

Harry tilted his head to the left and gurgled something.

'Yes, Harry. Your mother.' James said smiling. 'Between her and I, it was not always what you'd call, "perfect understanding and love". I hurt her loads of times, I know I did and I'm not too proud of it. That's just another of those things I have to tell you about: Never hurt those you love - you'll end up hurt yourself. Believe me, Harry, I regret every single hurtful thing I said or did to your mother.

'But I was in love with her...' James frowned. 'I think that was the only way I had to show it to her: being annoying and teasing her, arguing and shouting till our throats got sore..' James paused and looked down in the craddle.

Harry was looking at him.

'No,' James said. 'How we got together is another story. Just remember that pretending you hate someone is really hard, especially when you really love them.

'How do you know when you love someone? Well, I guess you'll just know! I'm not gonna go into an endless speech about how you know when you're in love!' James said, smiling at him. 'You'll just know. Just be sure to tell her that you do.

'I've missed my chance once with your mother, but by some miracle, I was given another chance - that, my little boy, does not happen often. So don't miss yours and tell those you love that you love them.

'Now, "love" is a very powerful word and feeling. Don't tell people you love them if you don't mean it, okay?' James yawned. 'It can hurt people when you lie to them about that. But let me tell you something, Harry. Apart from you, my boy, the only other person I have ever said these words to is your mother.

'She has always been the only one,' James said. 'She knows it...But don't tell her I told you and try to keep that a secret between you and me, because she'll be very sure she has power over me then.'

Harry's eyes were closing shut and James smiled, 'Good night Harry. I love you.'

Then he felt his own eyes closing shut...'And I love you Lily,' he said in the darkness before falling into a slumber.

Just outside the door, Lily Potter watched the scene in front of her and smiled as she watched the two men of her life sleep. 'I love you too James,' she whispered.