Disclaimer: Own nothing!
James always struck me as a guy who grew up in a house full of brothers and sisters in Potter Mansion of course. The only thing was I couldn't figure out was what exactly happened to them, why Harry had no relatives on his daddy's side. This is my version of what happened, and why James Potter was so dead set against the Dark Arts.
Helpful Family Tree:
Lucas and Gia Potter (James's mother and father)
Michael Potter and Sophie Potter (James's oldest brother,24 years old, and sister-in-law)
Adela Potter (James's niece, Michael's daughter, 6 months)
Elizabeth Newcome and Randall Newcome (James's oldest sister, 24 years old (Michael's twin), and brother-in-law)
Daniel Potter and Elise Macready (James's brother, 22 years old, and future sister-in-law)
Charles Potter (James's brother, 19 years old)
James Potter
Cecelia Potter (James's sister, 14 years old)
There was a deafening roar, the mansion exploding into bits of wall, stone, and wood and Lily found herself sailing through the air. Crashing into something hard, she cried out as she crumpled to the ground, her ears ringing, black spots dancing across her vision. Vaguely she could sense Mr. Potter, Michael, and Elizabeth shouting over the groaning of the collapsing mansion, but her ears felt as if they were stuffed with cotton. She furiously scrubbed at her watering eyes, bringing the hem of her shirt up to cover her mouth in an effort to protect against the cloudy white dust that now swirled everywhere. She herself was covered with the stuff, her clothes, face, and hair all the same shade of gray, and she drew in a rasping breath.
Before she could do much more than heave herself up on one knee there was another explosion, and rafters from the ceiling came crashing down on top of her with a terrific noise. She screamed, the sound piercing through the thick dust.
"Lily!"
That was James's voice, somewhere to the right of her! She scrambled to her feet, trying to make sense of the situation. It was utter chaos, figures darting through the dust, bursts of colored light arcing every which way. She could hear more yelling, but the voices were drowned out by the hissing of spells and the crashing of falling walls. There was a thud at her feet and Lily looked down and screamed for the second time in as many minutes. Daniel Potter, recognizable even through the thick layer of dust, lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes open and glassy as his shockingly thick blood slowly seeped over the carpet toward her boots.
She dropped to her knees, fingers trembling as she vainly tried to feel for his vital signs. "No…Daniel…Daniel." Nothing. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own though, frantically feeling for a heartbeat, a pulse at his neck even though logically she knew he was gone. Tears flooded her eyes as she stared dumbfounded at her blood smeared hands.
There was a sudden hissing in the air and Lily instinctively threw herself to the side. The hardwood floor where she had knelt only moments before splintered into a thousand flying fragments, and Lily automatically raised her arm to shield her eyes.
Rough arms grabbed her and she cried out, thrashing about until the person spoke in a raw voice. "Lily, Lily, its me! It's me!"
"James!" Her voice came out as a squeak, but she couldn't care less, throwing her arms around him. A strangled mewling came from her as she struggled to calm down, James's arm wrapping around her securely. She didn't realize how terrified she was until she saw how she was shaking in his arms.
He rubbed her upper arm frantically. "Its okay Lily, everything's going to be fine…" He broke off in a short sob, and it was then that Lily realized James was just as scared as she was, having seen Daniel's body. He wiped his eyes furiously, his own hands shaking slightly. Figures darted past them in the confusion, not noticing the pair pressed into a corner. "We…we have to get you out of here Lils." Suddenly his eyes widened. "Look out!"
He brought up his wand just in time to deflect a jet of green light, the force of the spell knocking them both back into a half collapsed wall. James let out a grunt as they hit the broken cinderblocks with an audible thud, his body providing a cushion between Lily and the unyielding concrete. She bounced off his chest onto the ground, stunned.
The crashes seemed to have the opposite effect on James, for he immediately shoved his way up from the wall, wand held in an offensive position. Whipping his head around, he sighted on Lily and hurried over, kneeling beside her. "Can you move?" His voice, though stressed, was no longer quavery. It was like someone had thrown cold water on him, and he was now set in business mode, his eyes dark and dangerous. Before Lily could answer a woman's scream rose above the explosions, James's face growing pale. Jumping to his feet, he shoved Lily firmly to the ground before bounding over piles of rubble. "Stay here! Mum!"
Any thought of obeying James's order went out the window when stone inches from her foot exploded, showering her with dust and fragments. Lunging to the side, she took cover behind the shattered fireplace mantle, struggling to think. Focus! She screamed at herself. Focus!
She looked around frantically for James, zeroing in on one corner of the room. Both James and Charles were there, kneeling next to a woman's figure Lily recognized as Mrs. Potter. However, another cry drew all their attention. Cecelia was huddled under what had been the dining room table when the meager cover was blasted away by a Death Eater, three of them bearing down on the youngest Potter.
"No!" James and Charles bellowed, their voices united in horror. Cecelia jumped, a jet of purple light just missing her, and landed, her hand flying to her wand. A second blast of light hit her squarely on the chest, sending her soaring into the air where she landed in a crumpled heap several yards away.
Charles let out an inhuman scream as he watched his little sister fall to the ground, charging forward though James reached out to stop him. James raised his wand, but ducked when a spell shattered it in his hands. To Lily's astonishment, Charles dodged the spells sent flying his way plowing into the man who had struck down Cecelia. There was a struggle, a pop, and Charles Potter tumbled off the Death Eater to sprawl awkwardly on the tile. James surged forward, knocking the Death Eater back and taking a defensive stance over Charles's body.
The Death Eater's wand rolled across the floor, knocked out of his hand by James's blow. Several facts flashed in Lily's mind in a split second. James was crouched over his brother, wandless and essentially defenseless. The wand was equidistant from her and the Death Eater. The man was already moving, and if he recovered his wand, James would die. Simple as that.
"Lily!" came James' hoarse yell as she dove for the wand, colliding with the Death Eater. Blackness exploded across her eyes, and three things crossed her mind in quick succession. The wand had discharged some sort of spell. Something warm and sticky was oozing across her chest, and the mansion was suddenly, incredibly quiet.
"I was so scared…"
"Shhh, its over Lily, its over."
James rocked her gently as he had done for the past few hours as she curled up next to him. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped him tighter, trying in vain to forget what had happened at the Potter mansion.
James had pulled her off the dead Death Eater, killed by his own spell after Lily had pointed it toward his chest in their mad leap for the wand. She couldn't forget him, the wide staring eyes, and the rough stubble on a face that was still youthful, only a few years older than her. Taking her in his arms, James twisted on the spot, the pair emerging into what Lily now knew was Fabian and Gideon Prewett's apartment. With a staggering motion, James had collapsed.
Everything had been so hazy. She remembered the surprised exclamations, two tall figures rushing up to them, the shouted, demanding questions. Somehow they had gotten Potter Mansion from her disoriented ramblings, one of them disappearing with a loud crack, the other…well she didn't quite remember what happened after that. Lily assumed she'd passed out, because the next thing she remembered was waking up in a bed at Dorcas Meadowes house, the place in absolute chaos. She had crept down the stairs, managing to stay unnoticed, and found James slumped on a stool in the kitchen, eyes haggard and exhausted.
Catching sight of her, a light sparked in those dull lifeless eyes and he slid off the stool toward her. He was as weak as she felt though, and they both just slid down the wall and into each other's arms. They'd stayed like that for what the past few hours.
Wiping several tears off her cheeks, she studied James's face. As terrified as she was feeling now, for him it had to be a thousand times worse. They hadn't let him return to Potter Mansion with the rest of the Order, and he refused to leave the kitchen, waiting for some news of the rest of his family. Everyone that had returned so far refused to give them any details, and Lily could sense James was about to lose it completely.
Finally Sirius walked in, his face more, well, serious, than Lily had ever seen before, and crouched next to where they sat against the wall. James surged forward, one arm still clamped around Lily. His voice was hoarse. "Did you find the others? Where's Elizabeth, Mum…? Dammit Sirius! Tell me!"
For a moment Sirius couldn't speak. When he finally did, his voice was quiet. "It's not good Prongs."
Silence hung between them as James stared at Sirius. Seconds ticked by until he spoke in a hushed whisper. "…What?"
Sirius took a shuddering breath, his eyes brighter than normal "Elizabeth and Adela are at St. Mungo's. They don't know if they're going to make it," Sirius's voice went impossibly soft. "James…they were the only other survivors."
James never changed his expression, staring blankly at Sirius for so long Lily began to feel an unpleasant twisting in her gut. "James?" she ventured, brushing her fingers against his cheek. He didn't respond, still staring at his best friend, his mouth gaping slightly. Now Lily was panicked. "James!"
"Prongs. Prongs." When James didn't respond, Sirius motioned Lily back, scooting up next to James. Clapping a hand behind James' head, he drew him closer until their foreheads touched, rapidly speaking words in a low voice that Lily couldn't catch. Whatever he said, it must have worked, for she saw reason slowly return to James' eyes along with the tears.
Sirius pulled him into a rough hug, James' face buried in his shoulder as he shook. His sobs were muffled by Sirius' tshirt, but each one pierced through Lily like physical pain and she reached toward him with tears in her eyes. It seemed like an eternity had passed when he finally drew back from Sirius, his eyes puffy and bloodshot. Sirius wouldn't let him go, not until a look passed between them that Lily didn't quite understand. Only then did he relinquish James to her.
"Come on." His voice was ragged, quiet. "Let's go to St. Mungo's"
"James, listen to me." Elizabeth drew in a raspy breath, her eyes bright despite her broken body. "You'll be fine, okay? Dorcas, Edgar, they'll look after you."
"I don't need anyone to look after me," James retorted fiercely, though he clutched at his sister's hand. "I can take care of myself."
"I know." Elizabeth Potter gave a half smile before grimacing in pain. Tears filled her eyes though they remained unspilled. Her voice was no more than a whisper. "I'm sorry for leaving you all alone."
James shook his head, though his shoulders went stiff. "Don't. Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine."
Elizabeth smiled tiredly. "Always the joker," she whispered. A second wave of tremors wracked her abused body and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. Her voice was almost too soft to hear. "…I love you so much James."
"Love you too Elizabeth." Lily didn't have to look at James to know he was crying. He drew his wand, and, after a moment's hesitation, tapped Elizabeth's oxygen supplier. Minutes ticked by as they watched Elizabeth's slow, even breaths grow slower. James never let go of his sister's hand, eyes firmly locked on her face as Lily cuddled up to his side, her arms wrapped protectively around his chest.
Elizabeth's eyes fluttered open. With a slow movement, she winked at James, her body going limp, breathing ceasing.
She never moved again.
James bowed his head, but slowly stood, clutching Lily's hand tightly. His voice was quiet. "Let's go."
"Where?" Lily asked nervously.
James's eyes glittered dangerously. "We're going to kill Voldemort of course."
Ahhhhh James is about to go kill bitches! I'm considering expanding this into a full fic, I've got a lot of ideas I'd like to explore about the Potter family. Let me know!