Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything concerning him belongs to J. K. Rowling.
James is getting frustrated being shut up. I felt like writing a James-centric fic, because despite having been a complete git sometimes (to Snape, especially) I like him very much. Reviews are always appreciated.
Being shut up
i.
His friends come to visit sometimes and it cheers James up, but only slightly, because they always have to leave again and always much too soon, in his opinion. Remus comes by for a cup of tea and a chat, trying mostly to keep things light, but it is hard - things are not light anymore and James wants to know what's going on in the rest of the world.
Sirius comes by and sometimes stays the night, before he in the morning says he has to return to London and to something very important he has to do. James watches him go, envious, but Lily takes his hand and leads him back into the house again.
Peter comes by sometimes but he is never really happy anymore and only seems miserable. He always stays for less than an hour and his conversations are always so empty and meaningless but James doesn't mind - at least he comes to visit, in these hard times.
ii.
"It's been raining for days now," James says, his voice quiet and tired, as he stands by the windows and stares into the darkening village outside. The skies are nearly black and every now and then they are light up by lightning and James can see how very empty the streets outside are in the evening and in the rain.
"The thunder is scaring Harry," says Lily, softly, while rocking the child in her arms, trying to calm him but it seems impossible. She continues, just as gently and quietly, "James, come away from the window."
And he does, reluctantly.
iii.
The time goes by, slowly, but it does go by and everyday is just as horrible as the day before. They wait, not knowing what will happen. They wait and every now and then they receive news on lost friends and Lily will cry for hours, making little Harry nervous and James even more anxious when he tries to comfort both of them at the same time (he had never been very good at comforting other people, that had been one of Lily's strengths) and they always end up sitting in the sofa, James holding his arms around both of them.
He's never been very good with handling sorrow.
iv.
Lily sometimes catches him half-way through the door and he knows that even though he wants to leave, he probably wouldn't have made it further down the garden than to the small gate before he'd come to his senses and return to the house.
But he wants to be out there, with Sirius and with Remus and with Peter and with everyone else, fighting the Death Eaters and fighting for what they believe in and fighting for what is right.
But he knows that he has to stay where he is and so he lets Lily take his hand and lead him back into the house and there they wait, for things to go their way.