Supposed to Be
One.
“Want to stay over for a week during summer holiday?” James S. Potter prompted his fellow fifth year. “My mum insists, since I’m always over yours.”
James Potter and Eli Cerin have been the best of friends since first year. Having both been sorted into Gryffindor, the pair shared classes, a room, and, as was eventually discovered, interests.
James and Eli shared an affinity for Quidditch—James being a Chaser and Eli the Seeker for their team—as well as an affinity for trouble. The pair had been inseparable from the start.
James Potter had his mother’s brown eyes and his father’s dark and messy hair. James grew up with two siblings and an extensive extended family that was constantly loving and constantly around.
Eli Cerin had his mother’s searching eyes of amber and her wavy light brown hair. Eli grew up with no one but his mother, his uncle, and his aunt.
The two boys grew up in completely different homes but were strikingly similar in personality. Except Eli had a secret.
At night, as James slept soundly in the four-poster bed next to Eli’s, Eli was awake with a diary in his lap. Night after night, Eli sat awake rereading the words of his mother. His eyes traced her neat cursive on page after page as he read the story of his mother’s school life. His father’s name had been harshly blocked out but Eli did not lose hope. He read her words again and again as he searched for some hidden clue about his father.
I met a boy today. He’s kind of awkward, but it’s cute. There’s something about him.
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being silly. I don’t know, but I just can’t get him off my mind.
Eli’s mother didn’t mention the boy’s name in the first entry. Eli could tell, however, that his mother was falling for this boy, even at the age of eleven. He thought that, maybe, this man could tell Eli more about his mother’s life.
OOO
“Uncle Neville, James asked if I can stay over his house for a week during the holidays.”
“James Potter?” Neville Longbottom shared a glance with his wife. “Have his parents agreed?”
“Yeah,” Eli said as he speared a potato with his fork. “His mum insisted since James is always over here and I’ve never been over there.”
“When?”
“Next week.”
“I’m not sure if—”
“Come on, what’s the harm?”
Neville hesitated as he refused to meet his charge’s gaze. On one hand, Neville had made a promise to Eli’s mother that he would perform the spell every evening. Eli had to be in proximity for the spell to work. On the other hand, Eli’s mother had passed on four years ago. Although Neville and Hannah cared for Eli as if he was their own, nothing could compare to the connection Eli could have with his father.
Neville sighed, “Alright, you can go.”
Eli did not expect how much this week would change his life.
OOO
Eli arrived at the Potter home shortly before six o’clock. He was greeted with a hug from Mrs. Potter and a handshake from Mr. Potter.
Soon, they sat down for dinner.
“What does your father do?” Mrs. Potter asked Eli.
“Never knew him.” Eli replied, no longer uncomfortable speaking about his lack of a father after years of practice.
“I’m sorry.” Mrs. Potter replied as a light pink decorated her cheeks.
“It’s fine.” Eli sent her a reassuring smile.
“Do you have any idea as to what you want to do after Hogwarts?” Mr. Potter asked, hoping to dispel the awkward air that had settled on the table.
“I want to be a healer and work at St. Mungo’s.”
“Why is that?” Mr. Potter asked curiously.
“My mum inspired me too. I want to help people live, I guess.”
“What is your mother’s name? I never caught it from James.” Mrs. Potter asked.
“Katherine, but everyone called her Kat.”
The harsh sound of a fork clattering against a plate gathered everyone’s attention.
“Your mother is Kat Cerin?” Mr. Potter was staring at Eli intently now—searching the boy’s face for traces of Kat.
“You knew her?” Eli asked in surprise through a mouthful of food.
Harry Potter was clearly avoiding his wife’s sideways glance. “Yes.” The man swallowed hard. “We went to school together. H-how is she?”
“She’s dead. Died after my first year. Cancer.”
Mr. Potter’s pulse was pounding in his ears. “Dead?” he replied in disbelief. “I--…I’m sorry.” he muttered.
“It’s fine. I miss her, of course, but I live with my Uncle Neville and Aunt Hannah and I have a good life. Well, they aren’t my real aunt and uncle, but my mum left me in their care when she died.” Eli explained.
“Ah.” Mr. Potter replied but was too lost in his thoughts to focus much on the rest of the conversation.
OOO
After dinner, Eli and James went up to James’ room to talk about Quidditch while Lily and Albus went off to play together. Ginny was in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes.
Harry Potter sat alone at the dinner table with his head dropped in his hands.
Kat Cerin was dead.
How many years had it been since he spoke to her last?
Fifteen? Sixteen?
Sixteen years since—
Her sixteen year old son was in his house.
Her sixteen year old son was upstairs with his own son.
Her sixteen year old son was best friends with James.
Sixteen. Sixteen. Sixteen.
It couldn’t be true. The boy looked exactly like his mother. Not a trace of his father in Eli’s face. The thought was impossible.
Guilt, none the less, clawed at him.
Harry knew what he had to do. It was crazy but it was the right thing to do.
Standing up, he pushed through the swinging door of the kitchen and gathered his thoughts as he watched his wife move.
“Gin…” he began quietly.
“No.”
“Gin, come on. Neville is on a teacher’s salary and Hannah only makes what she brings in at the Leaky Cauldron. We can afford to—”
“It’s not about the cost, it’s about her—”
“It’s about our son’s best friend.” he insisted.
“It’s about Kat. Everything is—”
“She’s dead, Gin.”
“She’s dead and you’re still in love with her.”
“Ginny—”
“Why do you want to take him in?”
“Because he lost his mother and he doesn’t…he doesn’t know his dad. An aunt and an uncle—even ones who are as great as Neville and Hannah—aren’t substitutes for parents. He’s alone. Eli is like…Teddy. He’s—”
Ginny sighed, “He’s like you.”
Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I just think we can give him a loving home.”
“Let’s just…see how the week goes and go from there. Okay?”
Harry pulled his wife into his arms.
Harry didn’t want to think about the possibility of Ginny being right.
He wasn’t in love with Kat.
Kat was gone.
OOO
Harry did not sleep that night. How could he?
Kat’s son was sleeping in the next room. How could he close his eyes even for a moment?
Harry was in a daze at the breakfast table; it was only when James spoke that Harry broke out of his trance.
“Eli, what happened to your eyes?”
“What do you mean?” the boy asked as he turned to his friend.
“They were amber yesterday and now they’re…”
“Green.” Harry muttered as his stomach wrenched. He knew those eyes. They were the very ones that stared back at him in the mirror.
He stood up forcefully from the table. “I’ve got to go to work.” he muttered before quickly leaving the house.
James Potter and Eli Cerin have been the best of friends since first year. Having both been sorted into Gryffindor, the pair shared classes, a room, and, as was eventually discovered, interests.
James and Eli shared an affinity for Quidditch—James being a Chaser and Eli the Seeker for their team—as well as an affinity for trouble. The pair had been inseparable from the start.
James Potter had his mother’s brown eyes and his father’s dark and messy hair. James grew up with two siblings and an extensive extended family that was constantly loving and constantly around.
Eli Cerin had his mother’s searching eyes of amber and her wavy light brown hair. Eli grew up with no one but his mother, his uncle, and his aunt.
The two boys grew up in completely different homes but were strikingly similar in personality. Except Eli had a secret.
At night, as James slept soundly in the four-poster bed next to Eli’s, Eli was awake with a diary in his lap. Night after night, Eli sat awake rereading the words of his mother. His eyes traced her neat cursive on page after page as he read the story of his mother’s school life. His father’s name had been harshly blocked out but Eli did not lose hope. He read her words again and again as he searched for some hidden clue about his father.
I met a boy today. He’s kind of awkward, but it’s cute. There’s something about him.
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being silly. I don’t know, but I just can’t get him off my mind.
Eli’s mother didn’t mention the boy’s name in the first entry. Eli could tell, however, that his mother was falling for this boy, even at the age of eleven. He thought that, maybe, this man could tell Eli more about his mother’s life.
OOO
“Uncle Neville, James asked if I can stay over his house for a week during the holidays.”
“James Potter?” Neville Longbottom shared a glance with his wife. “Have his parents agreed?”
“Yeah,” Eli said as he speared a potato with his fork. “His mum insisted since James is always over here and I’ve never been over there.”
“When?”
“Next week.”
“I’m not sure if—”
“Come on, what’s the harm?”
Neville hesitated as he refused to meet his charge’s gaze. On one hand, Neville had made a promise to Eli’s mother that he would perform the spell every evening. Eli had to be in proximity for the spell to work. On the other hand, Eli’s mother had passed on four years ago. Although Neville and Hannah cared for Eli as if he was their own, nothing could compare to the connection Eli could have with his father.
Neville sighed, “Alright, you can go.”
Eli did not expect how much this week would change his life.
OOO
Eli arrived at the Potter home shortly before six o’clock. He was greeted with a hug from Mrs. Potter and a handshake from Mr. Potter.
Soon, they sat down for dinner.
“What does your father do?” Mrs. Potter asked Eli.
“Never knew him.” Eli replied, no longer uncomfortable speaking about his lack of a father after years of practice.
“I’m sorry.” Mrs. Potter replied as a light pink decorated her cheeks.
“It’s fine.” Eli sent her a reassuring smile.
“Do you have any idea as to what you want to do after Hogwarts?” Mr. Potter asked, hoping to dispel the awkward air that had settled on the table.
“I want to be a healer and work at St. Mungo’s.”
“Why is that?” Mr. Potter asked curiously.
“My mum inspired me too. I want to help people live, I guess.”
“What is your mother’s name? I never caught it from James.” Mrs. Potter asked.
“Katherine, but everyone called her Kat.”
The harsh sound of a fork clattering against a plate gathered everyone’s attention.
“Your mother is Kat Cerin?” Mr. Potter was staring at Eli intently now—searching the boy’s face for traces of Kat.
“You knew her?” Eli asked in surprise through a mouthful of food.
Harry Potter was clearly avoiding his wife’s sideways glance. “Yes.” The man swallowed hard. “We went to school together. H-how is she?”
“She’s dead. Died after my first year. Cancer.”
Mr. Potter’s pulse was pounding in his ears. “Dead?” he replied in disbelief. “I--…I’m sorry.” he muttered.
“It’s fine. I miss her, of course, but I live with my Uncle Neville and Aunt Hannah and I have a good life. Well, they aren’t my real aunt and uncle, but my mum left me in their care when she died.” Eli explained.
“Ah.” Mr. Potter replied but was too lost in his thoughts to focus much on the rest of the conversation.
OOO
After dinner, Eli and James went up to James’ room to talk about Quidditch while Lily and Albus went off to play together. Ginny was in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes.
Harry Potter sat alone at the dinner table with his head dropped in his hands.
Kat Cerin was dead.
How many years had it been since he spoke to her last?
Fifteen? Sixteen?
Sixteen years since—
Her sixteen year old son was in his house.
Her sixteen year old son was upstairs with his own son.
Her sixteen year old son was best friends with James.
Sixteen. Sixteen. Sixteen.
It couldn’t be true. The boy looked exactly like his mother. Not a trace of his father in Eli’s face. The thought was impossible.
Guilt, none the less, clawed at him.
Harry knew what he had to do. It was crazy but it was the right thing to do.
Standing up, he pushed through the swinging door of the kitchen and gathered his thoughts as he watched his wife move.
“Gin…” he began quietly.
“No.”
“Gin, come on. Neville is on a teacher’s salary and Hannah only makes what she brings in at the Leaky Cauldron. We can afford to—”
“It’s not about the cost, it’s about her—”
“It’s about our son’s best friend.” he insisted.
“It’s about Kat. Everything is—”
“She’s dead, Gin.”
“She’s dead and you’re still in love with her.”
“Ginny—”
“Why do you want to take him in?”
“Because he lost his mother and he doesn’t…he doesn’t know his dad. An aunt and an uncle—even ones who are as great as Neville and Hannah—aren’t substitutes for parents. He’s alone. Eli is like…Teddy. He’s—”
Ginny sighed, “He’s like you.”
Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I just think we can give him a loving home.”
“Let’s just…see how the week goes and go from there. Okay?”
Harry pulled his wife into his arms.
Harry didn’t want to think about the possibility of Ginny being right.
He wasn’t in love with Kat.
Kat was gone.
OOO
Harry did not sleep that night. How could he?
Kat’s son was sleeping in the next room. How could he close his eyes even for a moment?
Harry was in a daze at the breakfast table; it was only when James spoke that Harry broke out of his trance.
“Eli, what happened to your eyes?”
“What do you mean?” the boy asked as he turned to his friend.
“They were amber yesterday and now they’re…”
“Green.” Harry muttered as his stomach wrenched. He knew those eyes. They were the very ones that stared back at him in the mirror.
He stood up forcefully from the table. “I’ve got to go to work.” he muttered before quickly leaving the house.