"Very true," Harry agrees. He spends another few moments in silence just looking at James, how tortured his eldest son looks. Those tears, even if they haven't fallen, don't go unnoticed either. He's been trained to see things others miss. And right now, he sees everything. The tenseness still etched into James's posture, the sag of his mouth even when he tries to joke, the wipe of tears.

Harry can't help it. He pulls James up off the arm of the couch and into a hug, squeezing him tight.

"It's all right, though, honestly," he says, keeping James close. "Please don't ever think I'd throw you away over something like this."