IF

James Potter had been given a gift. He had been allowed to visit his boy, and not just for a few seconds, but first he must view flashes of his whole life up until this very second.

What he saw shocked him.

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

James watched in horror as flashed of Harry's life with the Dursley's was shown to him, Harry constantly blamed for everything, even things that could not possibly have been his fault.

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

The fools! They were either staring at his boy, with wonder or trepidation, he'd never even been to the alley before. How could they treat him like that? He was just a boy.

And the school was no different, every blasted child wondering how much of what they'd read or been told was true, and instead of asking, they stared and doubted.

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

His boy was waiting, every summer he waited, no one ever came to get him. Albus would be getting some very strong words when he got hold of him. The papers kept printing the presses kept rolling they lied, they told the most horrendous of lies, and called Harry a liar while they were at it, another lie.

Weight was falling off his boy, he bore the hatred of his family, he bore the hatred of the world, how much more could this boy take before he broke?

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

The dreams his boy suffered through, he saw things no grown man should have to see let alone a child. And yet he was resolute he studied and fought to win, and taught others to fight too.

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

James shed fresh tears as he watched his friend fall, at least he knew where he was now, he could be retrieved. His boy had stopped the monsters even after... everything.

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

Albus had been cursed so many times by now, James was sure he was going to get in to trouble when he got back, but who in their right mind told an emotionally distraught teenager he had been bred to die. Stupid old man, the explosion had been impressive. And the look of defeat on Albus's face had made up for a little of it, not, by far, enough.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

The last Horcrux was hidden in Gringotts, of all places, it really could go horribly wrong, James waited on a baited breath he no longer needed.

And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

James watched in horror trembling as his boy walked to the forest, drawing secondary images of his loved ones, he saw himself promising to stay with him. He watched as the green light shot towards his boy and slumped sobbing into his hands.

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

He watched in wonder as his boy stood, slowly to his feet. He yelled at the man walking away from him, and struck his deadly blow. He waited with the rest of the world for Harry to awaken, and mourned his lost friends and family. And he admired the way his boy never once thought to give up.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
'Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,

Several years after the war ended he watched his boy walk down the alley, it hadn't changed much in all those years, some shops had changed. People, morons, still stared at his boy as if he were a god walking among them, but his boy just smiled and walked on.

if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

He watched a family gathering, the marriage of a blonde and a red head. The blonde teased his boy who, just grinned and teased back. It can be hard to tell the difference between friends and foes at times, sometimes all it needs is one event, a life threatening one if at all possible, to make you see what was truly there.

If all men count with you, but none too much;

He saw many men, too many for his liking, not one was good enough, all wanting his boy, because he was The boy. But his boy dismissed them one and all.

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

He saw far more than he ever wanted to. Two dark haired bodies rushed towards completion, whispering crying and yelling words of love and devotion, words he'd never expect from a man his age who'd never truly been in love, until now.

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

James realised he did not need to go back, he was the past, the future was yes unwritten, and for the loving couple it could contain anything.

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

James left with a smile. He left his boy, no he left his Son, to live life as the man he'd become.

IF by Rudyard Kipling

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!