AN: Prompts will be displayed at the bottom to avoid them potentially giving away things.


Unconsciousness

AlwaysPadfoot


James choked awake, sucking acrid smoke deep into his lungs.

Dust and plaster coated his skin; his pyjamas were sodden because of a burst pipe that was now at a right-angle to the wall. Cold sweat set upon him fast, but something he realised far sooner was the excruciating pain in his leg.

The last thing he remembered was the gaunt face of Voldemort looming in his doorway, agonising pain, and then nothing.

"Lily?"

His voice was raspy; he coughed and then yelled his wife's name again. There was no response. There was only the ringing in his ears, the creaking frame of the house, and the crackle of fire close by. Panic rose in his chest; why was Lily not responding?

James attempted to clear some of the debris from around him, but each movement had him biting the inside of his cheek in pain. The wound looked as though someone had tore a chunk out of him. It was oozing dark blood, his skin charred, and he felt stick when he noticed a bone sticking out — he clung to the wall to keep himself upright.

Maybe Lily had escaped with Harry, and yet he knew that wasn't the case.

He called their names again, dragging himself towards the stairs, where one floor above his family had been. He was breathless by the time he reached the bottom of them — cursing himself for being so weak. He was about to pull himself up the staircase when he was interrupted by the roar of a familiar engine. It was Sirius' bike. He skidded to a halt somewhere in the darkness and then the noise cut to silence.

"James. James, Lily!"

A brief moment of relief seeped through James, before he called out for his best friend. A bright beam of light swung round onto the wall ahead, and he heard Sirius stumbling over the pieces of what was once their living room. When he stumbled into view, his eyes were wide and filled with emotion.

Dropping down beside him, Sirius exhaled and inspected James' wound. "Merlin, James."

James interrupted, his only concern being his missing family. "Lily and Harry. Please, go and find them."

He nodded. "Where are they?"

James gestured to the stairs, and Sirius knew it was pointless to argue. He stood and carefully manoevered his way up, avoiding the holes in the floor and the crumbling parts of the wall.

Hoping he was wrong, James felt fear making his chest tight. How could he cope, knowing he had failed to protect his wife and son? Listening carefully for movement, he waited, his body still throbbing with pain. He felt like he could pass out any second and yet he fought to stay conscious.

"Sirius?" he called.

Padfoot stepped into view with James' blanket-wrapped son in his arms. The familiar noise of Harry's gurgled greeting and the sight of his outstretched hand allowed James to feel some relief. But that feeling faded at the look on Sirius' face. His skin was pale, lips pressed together, and eyes glinted in the negligible light.

"I'm sorry, James."

"No," James breathed.

"She's gone, Prongs," Sirius responded. "I'm so, so sorry."

A sob broke free from deep inside James. His body shut down, collapsing against the stairs as he cried. He was barely aware of Sirius moving to his side, of Harry crying and reaching out for him. James' head was spinning; how could this be happening? His eyes were rolling in their sockets; his body throbbing as sobs wracked through him.

This time, it was easy to accept unconsciousness.


Competition: DP Comp Issue Three

Prompt: Write a short story (of between 500–600 words) focusing on the scene that you would change.

Chosen Storyline: James did not die in Godric's Hollow

Word Count: 600 (not including AN's and titles)