[ he knows what it means. somewhere deep in his gut, he knows what goes unsaid. knows what that look says to him. but he can't think about it. he can't wrap his head around how it still happened, it still followed through, even after he talked through it with these...people. there were specific agreements that were made, your loved ones are safe, but then how....?

but it's easier, to move passed it. to worry about the next steps rather than how past ones even happened. what james needs to care about now is finding harry, making sure their son is safe. find sirius.

lily steps forward and sets her forehead against his chest, and james lets out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding in, some of the lingering tension leaving his shoulders as he does so. he lets go of her hands, then, to wrap his arms back around her shoulders and buries his face back in her hair. this time, it helps ground him more than trying to comfort her, but it helps. ]

You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?

[ but it falls a bit short of his usual joking tone. he takes another breath, pulling her just a bit closer to him as he does it. ] They told me you'd be safe. [ he doesn't want to say they have no reason to doubt them, as that trusting bit is something he knows could get them in trouble, so he lets the unsaid words hang for a moment. ] We just need to find him. Find all of them.

[ he pulls away at that, barely a few inches, but enough to turn to look down at her. to cup her cheeks and turn her to face him. there is a moment there where james considers saying something - something reassuring or something inspiring - but the moment passes and nothing is said. instead, he leans forward to press his lips to her forehead, running his thumbs over her cheeks as he does so. ]

He's safe. [ and then he pulls back away, smiling back to her. ] I know he is.