Chapter Text
James arrived home exhausted, his shoulders heavy and the scent of Firewhisky still clinging to his skin. The happy hour with Sirius and the other Aurors had dragged on far longer than it should have. He hated to admit it, but part of him hadn’t wanted to come back. Lily and Harry were probably already asleep for hours.
He climbed the stairs in silence and went first to his son’s room. He opened the door slowly, leaned over the small bed, and placed a gentle kiss on Harry’s forehead, breathing in the scent of children’s shampoo and innocence. The boy murmured something in his sleep and turned over.
James closed the door carefully and paused in the hallway. He glanced at the door to the master bedroom and felt the familiar weight of routine settle over him. He walked straight to the guest room. That space had practically been his for over a year now, ever since he and Lily could no longer stand sharing the same bed.
In the bathroom, he washed his face with cold water, trying to clear the alcoholic fog. The bitter taste of Firewhisky still burned in his throat. He took a quick shower, letting the hot water beat against his tense shoulders. When he stepped out wrapped only in a towel, he found Lily standing in the doorway of the guest room. Her green eyes glittered with rage.
James let out a deep sigh. He was far too tired for another fight.
“Where were you?” she asked, her voice low but razor-sharp.
“I went out with Sirius. Just a quick celebration after the shift. Nothing serious.”
Lily made that familiar face, nose wrinkled, lips pressed tight. The same expression Severus used to make whenever something bothered him. It had been almost eight years since James had last seen Snape, yet… any small gesture still brought the man’s image rushing back.
“Look, James,” Lily said, her voice rising. “You’re still a married man, for fuck’s sake. At least try to hide it! I don’t want to be known as the Ministry’s resident cuckold.”
James looked up at her, exhausted and furious.
“I didn’t cheat on you. And honestly, if I had, it wouldn’t be any of your business. Our marriage has been a façade for a long time, Lily. We both know that.”
Her face flushed the same color as her hair, fists clenched at her sides.
“I don’t give a damn if you’re seeing someone else!” she shouted. “I just want you to respect me, James. At least pretend there’s still an ‘us’ for the outside world!”
James ran a hand through his damp hair, trying to control the irritation rising in his throat.
“Lily, we’ll talk tomorrow. Please, get out of my room.”
Lily crossed her arms, her green eyes burning with rage.
“Try to come home earlier tomorrow. I don’t know if you remember, but we still have a son.”
James looked up at her, his jaw clenched tight.
“Harry is the only reason I still come back to this hell.”
The words came out cold and cutting. Lily turned as if she had been slapped, her face red with fury.
“You think you’re the only one miserable in this shitty marriage?” she exploded. “Fuck, if it weren’t for Harry, I would have left a long time ago, you idiot!”
“Same here, Lily,” James replied, standing up from the bed, exhausted. “I only stay in this hell because of Harry. Now do me a favor: get the fuck out of my room.”
Lily stood there for a second, breathing heavily. Then her eyes fell on the dresser. She picked up the magazine lying there, her thumb running over the name on the cover.
Severus Snape
The Best Potions Master of the Decade.
Lily let out a bitter laugh.
“Even after all these years, you’re still obsessed with Severus like a fucking psychopath, James. Impressive.”
James snatched the magazine from her hands with a sharp motion, his heart hammering.
“I was just reading some articles, damn it! I don’t give a shit about Snape.”
Lily stared at him with pure disdain, her jaw tense.
“Keep your fucking magazine then. Do whatever you want, you miserable man.”
She stormed out, slamming the door hard, the sound echoing through the silent house.
James was left alone in the guest room, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He sat on the edge of the bed and opened the magazine again. The photo of Severus on the cover was recent, that serious expression, black hair falling over his shoulders, that intense gaze that always managed to destabilize him.
The next morning, James woke up with a heavy body and his mind still trapped in the previous night. He spent several minutes staring at the ceiling of the room, trying to pinpoint the exact moment his marriage to Lily had ended. He couldn’t name a specific day, it had been a slow accumulation of fights, silences, and buried resentments.
He rubbed his face with both hands, took a deep breath, and got up. He dragged his feet downstairs to the kitchen.
Lily and Harry were already at the table. The smell of breakfast was inviting and stirred his appetite, but the atmosphere was ice-cold.
“Good morning,” James murmured, sitting down.
“Good morning, Dad!” Harry replied with a wide, cheerful smile, his glasses crooked on his little face.
Lily said nothing. She just kept stirring her tea, her face closed off and indifferent.
James grabbed a piece of toast and spread butter on it in silence for a few minutes. The weight of the previous night still sat heavy in his throat. Finally, he broke the silence:
“Today I’m going to Sirius’s place. We have some unfinished cases to deal with.”
Harry immediately made a face, his shoulders slumping.
“But Dad… you promised you’d stay with me today! You were going to teach me those new flying maneuvers in the garden…”
James tried to smile, but it came out weak and tired.
“Another time, champ. I really need to finish this work. It’s important.”
Lily slowly raised her gaze, her green eyes flashing with irritation.
“Then take Harry with you. After all, he’s your son too and he just wants to spend some time with his father.”
James pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache starting.
“Lily, these are criminal cases. It’s no place for a child. I can’t take him, you know that.”
Lily snorted loudly, rolling her eyes in contempt.
“You can never do anything, James. What a fucking joke.”
Harry looked back and forth between them, confused and sad, not fully understanding what was happening but clearly feeling the tension in the air.
James opened another report, his tired eyes scanning the cold lines of ink.
105 victims.
85 had died in their sleep.
The others remained in critical condition at St. Mungo’s bodies alive but minds empty, frozen smiles on their faces as if they were still dreaming.
The investigation pointed increasingly toward an organized crime syndicate. The most curious element was the use of a djinn in the criminal activity. A being capable of creating perfect, personalized illusions that fed on the victims’ deepest desires until it drained all their vitality.
James closed the file with a heavy sigh. The irony wasn’t lost on him.
Sirius, sitting on the other side of the messy office desk, crossed his arms and watched him for a long moment.
“Are you really going to stay quiet like a zombie instead of telling me what’s going on?” he asked, his voice mixing concern and impatience.
James shrugged, not lifting his gaze.
“The usual. Nothing new under the blue sky.”
Sirius rolled his eyes, tapping his quill on the desk.
“James… why don’t you just end things with Lily already? That way you could both move on. You’re killing each other slowly, and Harry ends up suffering in the middle of it.”
James remained silent for a few seconds, his fingers gripping the edge of the desk.
“No,” he replied at last, his voice low and firm. “I’m not going to let my son grow up away from me.”
Sirius sighed, running a hand through his long hair.
“I know, Prongs. But living like this isn’t life either. Not for you, and not for him.”
James didn’t answer. He simply opened another report, pretending to focus on words that no longer made any sense.
In the dark office of the Auror Department, the air was thick with cigarette smoke and tension. Maps, victim photos, and reports covered the large table. Sirius, James, Alastor Moody, and several other experienced Aurors were finalizing the plan.
Sirius crossed his arms, serious.
“Whoever acts as bait needs a lot of willpower to be able to get out of that illusion. This is no joke.”
Alastor Moody slammed his staff on the floor, his magical eye spinning restlessly.
“It’s not just willpower, lads. The longer you stay inside the illusion, the more real it becomes. The harder it is to realize it’s a dream. Even though we know it’s fake, the djinn gives us everything we want. Our deepest desire, the perfect life… We end up trapped by our own will. And the longer you stay in there, the weaker you become. Your vitality is slowly drained. The bait will have to be extremely rational and keep a cool head at all times.”
James picked up one of the victim photos, pale faces, empty eyes, frozen smiles even after waking up. They looked like empty shells.
“I can handle it,” he said, his voice firm.
Sirius turned his head quickly.
“James, this is a fucking huge risk. You have Lily and Harry waiting for you at home.”
James held his friend’s gaze, a tense smile on his lips.
“And that’s exactly why I’m perfect for the job. I have strong reasons to come back. It’ll be a piece of cake.”
Moody grunted in approval, nodding, but Sirius still looked worried.
James leaned over the meeting table, tracing the plan with determination.
“We can use one of my mansions. We’ll spread the word that I’ll be there alone, taking a year-long sabbatical. We’ll make the bait very attractive: an exhausted, vulnerable Auror, isolated from the world. I’m sure it will catch the attention of the criminals and the djinn.”
Sirius crossed his arms, his expression worried.
“I still think this is fucking risky, Prongs.”
James gave a confident half-smile.
“I’ll handle it, Padfoot. We already have this watch. I press the mechanism, wake up in reality, and we arrest the criminals. It’ll be easy.”
Alastor Moody slammed his staff on the floor, his magical eye spinning rapidly.
“Alright. Let’s get started. The goal is to draw their attention. Potter, you’ll be completely alone in the mansion. Give an interview to the Prophet. Make it seem like you’re doing badly, that you need some time by yourself. The more vulnerable, the better.”
James nodded, his jaw set.
A few days later.
Everything was ready. The news had been carefully planted, and the mansion was isolated with security deliberately reduced. James lay down on the large bed in the master bedroom, the old watch safely tucked in his pocket, always within reach.
Almost two weeks alone.
He waited. And waited.
The silence of the mansion was oppressive, broken only by the wind outside and the occasional crackle of the fireplace. It was isolating, but he felt a twisted relief at not having to go back home even while the guilt over Harry gnawed at him. There had been no visitors. No sign of the djinn.
James felt the accumulated fatigue weighing him down. His eyes slowly closed, his exhausted body surrendering to sleep despite the constant tension.
He slept.
James stood in front of a door and entered the apartment, confused. This wasn’t his home with Lily. He knew it was an illusion, but the moment he crossed the threshold, he froze. The walls were covered with framed photos: him and Severus married, smiling on trips, at Hogwarts, in intimate and everyday moments. They looked absurdly happy. It was a cruel joke, he thought, his heart tightening as he looked at each one.
Then he heard light, quick footsteps. He turned his face just in time to see Severus running toward him and jumping into his arms with a smile. James instinctively caught him by the waist, nearly losing his balance from the impact, but steadied himself. The kiss that followed was hot, hungry, and so real that James could taste the mint and smell the soft green apple shampoo.
“I’m so glad you’re home, Jay…” Severus murmured against his lips, smiling in a way that made his eyes sparkle. “I was dying of missing you. Come on, let’s have dinner. How was work? Did you catch many dark wizards today?”
James stood completely still, utterly confused, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of his chest. He let Severus guide him to the table, sit him down in a chair, and then settle comfortably on his lap as if he did it every day. Severus carefully removed James’s glasses, cleaned the lenses on his own shirt, and put them back on. He gave him a quick, affectionate peck before picking up the fork, cutting a piece of juicy meat, and bringing it to James’s mouth.
“How was work?” he asked again, his dark eyes full of admiration.
James chewed and swallowed. The rich flavor exploded on his tongue, so real it was terrifying.
“We managed to arrest a gang of Muggle murderers,” he answered, his voice hoarse. “It was… difficult, but we succeeded.”
Severus’s eyes shone with pride.
“You really are a hero, my superhero. So brave…” He leaned in and kissed him again, deeper this time, his tongue sliding slowly against James’s while offering him another piece of meat.
James tried to focus, to remember that this was an illusion. But it was hard. The warmth of Severus’s body on his lap, his scent, the way those slender fingers caressed the back of his neck… everything was perfect. The food tasted real. The touch felt real. The love in Severus’s eyes was so genuine it hurt.
Severus pressed his forehead to James’s, whispering:
“I love you so much, Jay. You have no idea how much I waited for you today…” His hand slid down James’s chest, slowly unbuttoning the first button of his shirt. “After dinner… will you let me take care of you? I want to feel every inch of my husband. I missed you so much.”
James swallowed hard, his body reacting despite his mind screaming that none of this was real.
Severus leaned in and captured James’s earlobe between his lips, sucking slowly, his hot tongue tracing wet circles. James shivered all over, a hoarse sigh escaping before he could stop it.
“Sna… Severus…” he murmured, his voice faltering.
Severus pulled back just enough to look at him with infinite affection, his dark eyes soft as velvet.
“Is everything okay, Jay?”
James swallowed hard, nervous, his heart beating so fast he could hear it in his ears.
“Mhm… I’m fine.”
Severus caressed his cheek with his thumb, a small, genuine smile curving his thin lips. That touch was so tender that James closed his eyes and tilted his head to feel more of it. What kind of dream was this? He had thought his dream would be a life where he and Lily were happy together, but he was wrong. The djinn fulfilled the desire of his heart… exactly the deepest desire of his heart.
Severus made a worried face.
“Jay, are you really okay? You’re acting strange… Did you get hurt on the mission? Is that it?”
James shook his head quickly. He couldn’t let the djinn realize he knew. He kissed Severus, trying to disguise it.
“I’m fine, love. I didn’t get hurt. I’m very strong, you know?”
Severus let out a laugh a low, husky, and incredibly beautiful sound James had never heard before. His world stopped for a second. He didn’t know Severus was capable of laughing like that.
“I know. Why do you think I married you?” Severus gave him a light peck and continued, his voice playful and full of desire: “Just because you’re really rich? Really handsome… strong… intelligent… and have a really big cock.”
James smiled, his chest tight.
“Actually, I thought that was exactly why.”
Severus’s gaze changed. It wasn’t just a smile, there was something in his eyes, passionate, tender, gentle. The love shone so clearly in his dark eyes that James felt the air leave his lungs. Severus pulled him into another kiss, slow, their tongues tangling unhurriedly.
“Let’s go to the bedroom… I want you,” he whispered against James’s mouth.
In the bedroom, things heated up quickly. Severus was lying with his legs spread open, scratching James’s back and moaning softly, while James fucked him with deep, fast thrusts.
“Ahhh, Jay… oh Merlin, that feels so good…” Severus moaned, his voice broken with pleasure.
James sped up, hands firm on the narrow hips, driving deep, feeling Severus’s hot, tight walls pulsing around him. Severus rolled his eyes in pure ecstasy, clutching the sheets, his ass clenching deliciously with every thrust. James growled, leaning over him:
“Fuck, Sev… you feel so good…”
Severus turned his face, seeking James’s mouth. James kissed him, sucking on his tongue while stroking Severus’s hard cock. The moans grew louder, more desperate. Severus came first with a long, hoarse cry, his body shaking, hot cum spilling over both their stomachs. The strong contractions around James’s cock made him lose control he buried himself to the hilt and came, biting his lip to stay quiet.
Breathless, Severus pulled James on top of him, hugging him tightly. He kissed his forehead with tenderness.
“I love you… Jay.”
James felt his heart warm dangerously. It’s just an illusion… only an illusion, he repeated to himself, even as he held Severus’s warm, pliant body against his chest.
Severus fell asleep shortly after, nestled in his arms, breathing calmly. James stared at the ceiling for long minutes. He needed to get up, grab the watch, and use the artifact to break the illusion and catch the criminal by surprise.
James reached out, picked up the watch from the nightstand… but Severus shifted slightly in his arms, sighing and murmuring something unintelligible against his chest. The scent of green apple and sex still hung in the air.
He put the watch away again and pulled Severus tighter against him.
Just a little longer… I’ll live this dream just a little bit more.
The next morning:
James woke to a soft kiss on his cheek, another on his nose, and a sweet peck on his lips. Severus smiled, beautiful and disheveled, his black hair falling over his eyes.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”
James smiled, returning the little kiss.
“Good morning…”
Severus picked up James’s glasses from the nightstand and carefully placed them on his face.
“Shall we take a shower? I was waiting for you to wake up.”
James stepped into the shower stall and turned on the valve. Warm water cascaded over his skin, relaxing the tense muscles from the day. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the spray run down his body.
The glass door slid open smoothly. Severus entered completely naked, his pale body contrasting with the steam. James couldn’t help himself: he looked him up and down several times, feeling his cock react almost instantly at the sight of his wet husband.
Severus closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting the water thoroughly soak his long black hair. He grabbed the shampoo, poured some into his palm, and massaged his own scalp. Then, with a small, affectionate smile, he pulled James closer and repeated the gesture on him, his long, skilled fingers working carefully, spreading the lather.
It was an intimate shower, yet strangely domestic. Just closeness, natural touches, as if sharing the shower was a comfortable, long-standing routine between them.
James found it dangerous. Far too dangerous.
He decided to test the limits. He pulled Severus by the wet waist and kissed him deeply, slow and intense, their tongues sliding together. Severus sighed against his mouth, his body relaxing instantly, hands sliding over James’s broad chest.
When James pulled back to breathe, Severus gave him a shy smile, his cheeks flushed from the heat of the water. James couldn’t resist and kissed him again, more intensely, his hands sliding down the wet back.
Severus placed a flat hand on James’s chest, gently interrupting him even though he was breathing faster.
“No sex in the bathroom…” he murmured, his voice low and embarrassed.
James frowned, confused but amused.
“Why not?”
Severus smiled, turning even redder, water streaming down his pale face.
“Because your boss complains that you’re always late for work… When you get home tonight, we can shower together again and then… well, you know…”
He stopped, clearly too embarrassed to continue. James was enchanted by this shy, domestic version of Severus. Everything felt so real.
He decided to tease him a little more.
“No… I don’t know. Tell me what happens.”
Severus bit his lower lip, smiling despite the embarrassment.
“James, stop being such a pest…”
James chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
“You just said the word and now you’re too shy to say it?”
Severus rolled his eyes, still flushed, and turned off the faucet with a decisive motion. The water stopped.
“Come on…” he said, pulling James by the hand out of the stall and grabbing a large towel for both of them. “Or you really will be late again."
At breakfast, Severus sat right beside him, as if he needed to be close all the time. He poured coffee for James exactly the way he liked it and asked gently:
“Jay… do you think I should wear the black suit or the red one today?”
James blinked, confused for a second, not knowing what Severus was talking about.
“James Fleamont Potter!” Severus looked at him seriously, but with a playful sparkle in his eyes. “You forgot our dating anniversary, didn’t you?”
James felt a sharp pang in his chest. For a moment, the air seemed thin. He forced a smile, trying to hide the turmoil inside.
“Oh, right… I mean, no, I didn’t forget. I just have a lot on my mind.”
Severus smiled affectionately and squeezed his hand across the table.
“I’m just teasing, love. If you’re too tired, we can celebrate another day. It’s no problem.”
James looked at the framed photos covering the living room wall, huge pictures of their wedding, the two of them smiling happily, hands intertwined, eyes full of love.
“Sev… why do we still celebrate our dating anniversary if we’re already married?” James asked, his voice low.
Severus tilted his head, gazing at him with tender sweetness.
“Because you said you would always celebrate the day we realized we loved each other, Jay. It was the most important day of my life. Even after the wedding, I still want to honor that moment when you looked at me and said you wanted me forever.”
James swallowed hard. Every word was perfect. Every gesture, every look, every little tradition… all tailored exactly for him. The djinn hadn’t missed a single detail.
He squeezed Severus’s hand tighter, feeling the real warmth of his skin, and smiled despite the guilt growing in his chest.
“Then let’s celebrate tonight,” James murmured, leaning in to kiss his forehead. “Just the two of us.”
Severus smiled radiantly and rested his head on James’s shoulder.
“Just the two of us.”