Summary: As Voldemort approaches, James Potter finds himself regretting just one thing.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N: Just a quick little thing that entered my mind that I quickly wrote down.
Regret
by Mord-Sith Rahl
It's him.
James was stricken to realise that Voldemort was striding up their front walk, knowing beyond a doubt what it meant; they had been betrayed.
Pain like a white hot blade speared his chest, causing a gasp to lodge itself inside his throat as he watched the purposeful movements of the self-proclaimed Dark Lord as he nonchalantly made his way towards their front door. Oh Peter...
Lily was still giving idle commentary on something Harry had done that day, unknowing that that would be the last day she ever saw her little boy. James was frozen staring out the window, the few seconds it took for realisation to take hold of him seeming like years. It was strange how he couldn't really bring himself to regret not being able to watch Harry grow up. In the short range that wasn't quite his fault, and he knew you were only supposed to regret your own actions, not those beyond your control.
He hoped Harry would grow up to be like his mother. He didn't deserve to take after his foolish father. In truth, he hoped Harry would just be able to grow up.
In that one moment as he saw Voldemort's sickly thin hand reach for the doorknob James knew he was finally paying for his sins. He prayed with all his heart his son would live to never make the mistakes he had, would never know this sharp but just pain of regret. If only he had been kinder, more like Lily, if only he hadn't been so arrogant or cocky and had taken more of his time to help others, to realise that all the adoration thrown his way had been mistaken hero-worship...if only he had realised his mistake before it was too late.
A tear slipped out as he finally realised how much pain he had caused, how much he had twisted one boy with his negligence to make him turn so spiteful, to make him crave any attention he could get, no matter how detriment to his own health it would most certainly turn out to be.
Heart hammering with that pain and remorse, James spun around, wand twirling into his hand with ease due to long repeated practice from when he had just been a silly boy trying to show off. "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off –"
As the door was blasted open and Lily ran to protect their child, knowing as she did so it was a fruitless endeavour, James regretted just one thing as he stared into the blood-red eyes of his opponent. I wish I had, just once, told Peter how proud I was of him...
"The follies which a man regrets most in his life, are those which he didn't commit when he had the opportunity."
– Helen Rowland