A/N: Hello! This is the story of the Marauders after-death. It explains what they found in the afterlife and how things changed. It will be a short chapter fic. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: All the Characters belong to JK Rowling.

Voldemort was laughing. Laughing. And all James could do was hope that Lily and Harry would escape. He knew there was no hope for him. There would be no savior coming. They had been betrayed. Little Peter had handed them over to the Dark Lord. It was over. James looked defiantly at Voldemort and vowed to haunt Peter in the afterlife.

James tried to stun Voldemort but the wizard just walked towards him curiously. He threw off the spell without even a twitch of his wand. He raised his arm and pointed it at James. He was rendered speechless for a moment. He knew what was coming and he wouldn't let Voldemort see him scared. He wouldn't beg for his life.

"Noble as always James," Voldemort said before screaming, "Avada Kedavra!"

And James' world went black.

The next thing he knew he was laying on something soft. He breathed in the smell of grass and groaned. He sat up dazed and opened his eyes. Before him stood Hogwarts tall and proud. James looked down at himself and realized he was wearing Hogwarts ropes. He couldn't remember why he was at the school or where Lily was.

Suddenly it hit him and he jumped to his feet. He looked around wildly expected to see Voldemort before him but there was nothing. Nobody was there. He breathed in deep trying to calm himself down. It must have been a dream.

"It wasn't a dream James," came a relaxed voice from behind him and he whipped around to look at the face of his father. His dead father.

"Dad?" James asked.

"Yes son. It's me."

James stared at his father in confusion. Charlus Potter looked young. Much younger than James had ever seen him. His once graying hair was black and he looked remarkably like James did. James guessed he was in his mid-20s.

"Where am I?" asked James slowly.

"Hogwarts. But you are dead son. I am sorry this happened to you. Sorry your life was taken before you truly lived," his Father said sadly.

Dead. He couldn't be dead. He needed to protect Lily and Harry. The Dark Lord was coming for them. He needed to get back to his family.

"Where's Lily?" he asked cautiously.

His Father shrugged. "It is my job to introduce you to the afterlife James. Relax my boy. Everything is going to be all right. There is no Voldemort here. And if Lily and Harry are to join you they will finally find peace here."

James heart stopped. Lily and Harry couldn't be dead. He wouldn't accept it. Lily was so beautiful so perfect. And Harry had barely lived. It wasn't fair.

"Come with me James. There is much for me to explain." His Father said. James followed him slowly and they made their way to the Lake. "James you were killed by Voldemort. Trying to protect your family. You did your best and in time you will move on. In the afterlife there is no pain, no danger. But your emotions are still as vulnerable as they were in life. I know you are mourning. Mourning for your life and the life of your family. But in time you will move on. And eventually you will find great happiness and peace here. It is a magical place."

"So… heaven is Hogwarts," James asked.

"It is whatever you want it to be. You are the age at which you were happiest in life. You look about sixteen to me. But you have all your memories. And if you wish to visit Godric' Hollow you may do so. If you wish to stay at Hogwarts forever that is fine as well. I frequently find myself here but I also go to Potter Mansion. There I find your Mother."

"If I'm at Hogwarts are all my friends here as well? I know they're not dead but… will I be able to hang out with them like we used to at school?" James asked curiously.

"No, only the dead are here. There is no phantom Sirius or Remus here. Just as there was no young James for me at Potter Mansion. When they die they may join you. But until than you will only have the company of those that have died before you."

"Ok," James said simply. "Since Lily isn't here does that mean she has lived?"

His Father looked at him sadly, "No it doesn't. She may be somewhere else being introduced to the afterlife. It is unlikely she or Harry lived through the attack. I'm sure you will shortly be reunited with them. But for you now you must hang out with your old Father as I teach you about this new world."

James sighed. "Is there a way to see if they are dead?"

His Father nodded. "In a way, yes. If you look into the lake you can watch the living you have left behind. If you look into the lake and cannot find Harry or Lily than they are no longer on Earth."

James stared at the lake longingly but before he could move forward and look into it his Father stopped him. "You may look James but be warned: You can not change what you see. And you shouldn't get lost in the life and people you have left behind. Many wizards spend their deaths staring at the living. You don't want to do that. You can find happiness here. And I am sure that what you see in the Lake will be unpleasant."

James nodded and moved forward he gazed into the Lake and gasped when pictures began to move before his eyes.

There was Harry crying in rubble. He smiled. His son had lived. Yet there was no Lily with him. She was gone from the world. And Harry was left alone. He watched as Hagrid picked up the crying baby and carried him out of the ruined house. He saw Sirius standing outside with his motorcycle looking distressed. "Sirius," James said and with a jolt he realized that his best friend was doomed. They had told no one of the Secret Keeper switch. He would be arrested and sent to Azkaban. His best friend, happy and joking Sirius, was doomed to an eternity of pain and imprisonment. He watched helplessly as Sirius corned Wormtail and confronted him. He wanted to reach out to his brother. To tell him not to attack Peter. It would only make his situation worse. And with horror he saw was Wormtail kill all of the Muggles and disappear into the sewers. He wanted to cry as he saw Sirius being carted away to Azkaban and sentenced to life in prison.

The scene disappeared before him and he was watching Harry again. Baby Harry being discovered by Petunia Dursley and taken in. He knew the Dursely's would treat Harry poorly. They feared and resented magic.

Once again the scene before him swiveled and he was watching Remus. His heart ached for his best friend. He felt like he had betrayed Remus. How could he ever believe the thoughtful young man would be a spy for Voldemort? He watched as Remus opened the door to his flat and saw Dumbledore before him. He saw Remus' face fall as he realized what must have happened.

And then in an echoed voice he heard Remus say, "No," and Dumbledore nod.

"I'm sorry Remus. Lily and James are dead," Dumbledore said sadly.

"No. They can't be. Sirius wouldn't betray them. He couldn't have been working for Voldemort. You're lying," Remus whispered. But James could hear his voice break. He knew that Remus believed Sirius had done it. That he was just in denial.

Dumbledore looked sadly at his friend. "It is true Remus. I have seen the rubble. I have seen their bodies. Sirius handed them over to the Dark Lord. I'm so sorry Remus but I must tell you… Peter is also dead. Sirius murdered him and more than a dozen Muggles earlier this morning. "

James watched helplessly as Remus' knees gave out and he fell to the floor. "Gone," he heard his friend cry, "They're all gone. Sirius, Sirius. He killed them all. I can't believe it. I can't believe he would do that… What am I going to do without them?"

He saw Remus was crying silently. James' heart cried for his friend. He was alone again. The Marauders were all gone and nobody was left to take care of Remus. James knew he would be ok but he also knew his life was going to be a lot harder without his friends. Who would run with him on the full moon? Who would lend him money when he couldn't find work? Who would he share his secrets with? Remus was on his own for the first time in more than ten years.

Remus was still crying when Dumbledore led him to the couch. He was looking at the werewolf sadly. "I am truly sorry for your lose Mr. Lupin. I know how close you all were. I am sure this hurts as much as when you lost your parents. But you may find comfort in the fact that young Harry Potter lives."

Remus looked up and James found himself hoping he would find more out about the fate of his son. "Harry's alive?" Lupin asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "It is quit extraordinaire. The wizarding world is celebrating in the streets. They are ecstatic. You see young Harry did the unthinkable. He lived Remus. He lived when Voldemort used the killing curse on him. He was left with only a small scar on his forehead. But most impressive is that he seems to have vanquished the Dark Lord."

Remus was staring and James couldn't believe his ears. Slowly Remus asked, "You are telling me that Harry, baby Harry, defeated the Dark Lord?"

Dumbledore looked thoughtful, "Some people hope so. I feel that, for the time being, Harry has ripped Voldemort from his body. He is weak and unable to continue to lead his War. He is gone from our lives for now. But I believe he will eventually come back. .. They are calling Harry The Boy Who Lived. His name will be known to children across the Wizarding World. At one year old Harry has done what no other could do. He will be infamous."

Remus sniffled again and looked at Dumbledore, "Where is he Albus? I could take him in. James would want me to take care of him."

Dumbledore smiled sadly at Lupin. "Oh young Remus. I wish that I could do that. Harry has gone to live with his Muggle relatives. There he will be safe and he will not know how famous he is until he heads to Hogwarts… I know you want him Remus. But it is simply not safe for him here. Please don't fight with me on this."

Remus looked like he was going to argue before he sighed and put his face in his hands. "I wish I could have saved them," he said softly.

Dumbledore reached out a hand to grip his shoulder, "As we all do Remus. But they died heroes. Their names will be in books and Harry will live on to adulthood because of their sacrifice. And you will find peace one day. You will move on."

The scene before him swiveled and James pulled his eyes from the Lake. He was breathing heavily and looked at his Father who was frowning slightly. Charlus grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the Lake. "So there you are James. I told you it would not be pretty. But Harry lived and he is safe. I am sorry about your friends and about Lily but in time you will come to peace with what has happened."

James nodded sullenly. He was looking around the grounds trying to understand everything he had just heard. Remus was alone. Sirius was wrongly imprisoned. Harry was an orphan. Lily was dead. And Peter had escaped. October 31st was a really bad night for the people he had cared about.

He felt his Father's presence next to him and looked into his steely eyes. "I don't know what to do Dad. I feel helpless. All I want to do is fix everything that when wrong last night. How am I supposed to be happy knowing what has happened to everyone I care about?"

His Father looked at him carefully, "You are very attached to the Living World, James. Once you find a new life here it will be easier to find happiness. For now you will mourn for the life and people you left behind. They will be ok. It is not an easy road ahead of them but they will all find justice and happiness in time. And you need to find that for yourself."

James nodded. He knew his Father was right. He should be sad but it would do him no good to dwell on the people he left behind. They had to find their own way and he had to find his.

Just than James heard the most beautiful voice speak his name in front of him. He looked up to see his stunning wife before him. She looked just as she had the night before. Not a day older, not a day younger. He jumped up and hugged her. He took in the smell of her hair and the warmth of her skin. He never wanted to let her go but he did just so that he could look at her. "Lily," he said happily. He looked behind him but his Father had disappeared.

She was smiling warmly at him. "Did you see what happened to Harry?" She asked.

"Yes," he said sadly, "And Peter, Sirius and Remus as well."

She was frowning, "I'm sorry about that James. I'm sure everything will work itself out one day. At least Harry lived."

"Yeah. I know. Thank you for saving him Lils," James said earnestly.

She was smiling at him now. "Oh please James. Don't thank me for that. You would have done the same thing. You tried."

He nodded and took her hand in his. "Well Lily. I suppose we get to start all over now. And it's a dream come true for you! We're at Hogwarts but there is no Sirius Black to distract me and cause me to get into trouble."

She laughed, "James. I'm married to you. I know that Sirius wasn't behind all those pranks like you claimed."

He feigned offense, "Lily are you accusing me of being a good for nothing toerag again?"

She smiled, "No James. I'm accusing you of being a Marauder."

(Well there is Chapter 1: James. Next up Chapter 2: Sirius Black. This story will be about four chapters long with the potential for an epilogue. PLEASE REVIEW!)