My friend Kai (Kerryl on AO3, go check her out!) and I, in one of our many conversations (incidentally on 4th of May), broke our hearts by her mention of a tumblr post which said that James and Lily never got to see the last instalment of the Original Trilogy of Star Wars. Then my mind went into overdrive, we bounced ideas off each other, and it snowballed into the five chapter story you're reading now. We spent way too long writing this, and hope you enjoy it!
The calm that prevailed in the Gryffindor common room was shattered as a red-headed hurricane descended upon the students enjoying their last weekend in Hogwarts before their Christmas holidays. People raised their eyebrows when they noticed who it was, before shrugging and returning to their previous activities as their esteemed Head Girl squealed and jumped around like a little girl.
"Guess what!" Lily half-shouted, waving her hands as she ran to where her boyfriend and friends were sitting. She greeted James with a quick kiss before twirling to face them, Peter looking terrified of her sudden change in demeanor.
"There's a Muggle thing called the cinema, and –" she excitedly began, when Sirius interrupted her, his normally bored features twisted into glee.
"The cinema is brilliant! Movies are fantastic and Muggles do a smashing job with this technology thing!" he said, ignoring the death glare Lily directed toward him.
"Yeah, we've all been to the cinema," James said, smiling fondly at his girlfriend. "Remus told us what it was and we sneaked in to watch The Godfather."
Lily paused, staring at the four boys in front of her with disbelief. "That explains a lot, actually."
"If you can't stop them, join them," Remus shrugged, an amused expression on his face.
Lily shook her head, bringing herself back on track. "ANYWAY. So, there was this movie released in America in the summer, that was apparently excellent, and people everywhere are talking about it. It's about an adventure in space with gun battles and swords and spaceships."
All the boys leaned forward, eyes lighting up in interest.
"What's a spaceship though?" asked James.
"It's a transport that can travel in space," Remus explained, grinning wildly.
"Exactly," Lily said, nodding, "And it's getting released here just after Christmas. Do you fancy watching it?"
"Of course!' said Peter, bouncing in place. "That sounds wicked!"
"I agree," James said, exchanging excited looks with Sirius. "We're in."
"What's the name of the movie though?" Remus asked in interest. Lily beamed.
"Star Wars."
"That was so good," Sirius said in awe, eyes gleaming brightly as they exited the cinema. Remus and Peter nodded frantically, while Lily just grinned weakly, supporting a large portion of her boyfriend's weight, who appeared to be in shock.
"Obi Wan died, but Luke heard his voice!" James said faintly, as though having trouble believing it.
"I know, it was brill!" Peter said. He was the most enamoured with the Force, and the star struck look in his eyes indicated his excitement at the idea.
"I really loved Leia," Lily interjected, relieved when Sirius helped her boyfriend off her. "It was about time a woman was given a personality and something to do in movies."
"Darth Vader, though," Remus said, and everyone nodded solemnly.
"He was… imposing," Peter said slowly, shivering slightly when remembering the beginning of the movie and the conversation between the Imperial officers.
"Yeah, but so cool!" Sirius said, throwing James off himself and imitating a one-sided lightsaber battle. James swayed in his spot, still looking shell-shocked.
"He just dies, though! Obi Wan was supposed to be a great Jedi, at least the way Leia says it, so how can he die like that? Even if Darth Vader is this powerful and evil person? And what did he mean, 'if you strike me down I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine'?" James burst out. Everyone stopped and stared at him as his arms flailed wildly.
"You know what, that's a good point," Remus said thoughtfully. "I wonder what he meant?"
"And why do you think Darth Vader is obsessed with Luke?" Lily said. "I mean, he killed Luke's father, why would he want to kill Luke so badly? Does he have something against the bloodline or -?"
"That was really messed up," Sirius said, distaste twisting his features. "Who could ever betray their friends like that? Or for that matter, a fellow student?"
The air suddenly felt colder and weighed more heavily upon the Hogwarts students as they contemplated the horror.
"Not a loyal person, that's for sure," Peter said quietly, frowning to himself.
After a moment, Remus broke the silence. "Well, this was a good movie, I have to say. I'm looking forward to the next one. When do you think it'll come out?"
"Movies take time to make, so it'll be a couple of years at least," Lily said, smiling in sympathy as all the boys groaned loudly.
"Well, I for one can't wait for the next one," Sirius said with finality. "I hope there's more Han Solo and Chewbacca, they were the coolest. I like them."
"You would," James snorted, earning a withering look from Sirius as Lily lit up.
"I know! And Harrison Ford is so handsome," she sighed, and James shot her a disgruntled look. "Mark Hamill too, obviously, but in a different way from Ford."
"Alright, that's enough swooning," Remus said, laughing at James' expression. Lily winked at him, laughing, as he stuck out his tongue at her. "Your boyfriend is insufferable enough and I don't need his jealousy right now."
Sirius seemed to be lost in his thoughts as he contemplated Han's role in the future movie when Lily suddenly said, "I wonder if anyone will end up together?"
"Ooh, I think Luke and Leia will be a couple," Peter stated confidently, and was met with three sets of raised eyebrows and one thoughtful expression. "What? Did you not see Luke's reaction when he first saw her? They're totally setting them up together."
"I don't know what you're on about, Pete," Sirius said in disgust. James, on the other hand, said, "Well…."
"Oh stop it James, didn't you see Leia and Han's chemistry?" Lily said, staring at James.
"Obviously, but I think they'll have some love triangle situation and there will be some drama, but it'll finally be Leia and Han," James said, and the others except Peter nodded slowly, absorbing the logic.
"To be honest, I think they'll all end up with other people," Remus said, and everyone scoffed. "I'd like them to have platonic relationships! Not every friendship has to end in romance."
"Honestly, I sort of agree with James," Lily said thoughtfully. "That would have everyone on the edge of their seats till the end. But I still stand by Leia and Han being together, with or without a love triangle."
"You're all mad," declared Sirius. "Luke and Leia are totally siblings!"
"What."
"You wait and see," Sirius said stubbornly while the others burst out laughing at the thought.
"Yeah, alright, mate," James said, chortling. The others joined in.
"I'm right, I know it!" Sirius said. "Leia and Luke are siblings and Han and Leia will end up together! You know what, you if you lot find it so unbelievable, let's bet on it."
"You're on," Remus said, wiping a tear from his eye. "Easy money for all of us."
"Each person gives five galleons to the winner," Sirius continued as his friends' laughter started dying down. All of hem voiced their agreements, and hands were shaken to seal it.
"May the Force be with you," Lily smiled, eyes twinkling at the reference. Everyone instantly became solemn, and repeated the phrase in unison, and as their voices faded, a new promise took their place, binding them together.
"IT'S HAPPENING," Sirius shouted as he burst into the Potters' modest home. James, who had been talking to Lily's swollen belly, stood up in panic. Lily herself barely glanced up from her book.
"What's happening, Sirius?" she asked, sounding bored. In a voice that barely contained his excitement, Sirius said, "There's a new movie coming out – and it's called The Empire Strikes Back."
"I'm waiting for your point."
Sirius huffed at Lily. "The point, dear mother of my godson, is that it is Star Wars."
"WHAT?" James and Lily said loudly, scaring the cat napping on the armchair.
"Is it really coming out?" James asked in elation.
"Yeah, it's out next week," Sirius declared proudly.
"Next week? Why didn't we find out earlier?" Lily asked indignantly as she stood up with mild difficulty. Sirius just shrugged in response as James jumped around the house, swinging an imaginary lightsaber in excitement.
"I can't wait to watch this movie!" he said loudly. "I love these characters and I want to see this now."
"Just a week more, James," Lily laughed, kissing his cheek as he stopped next to her, breathless.
"All I know is that I'm going to beat you all in the bet," Sirius said, munching on the bread Lily had laid out on the dinner table.
"Yeah, that's gonna happen," James scoffed, before jumping straight into discussing theories, as had become increasingly frequent as the longer the wait between the two movies grew.
"Apparently the first one got a new name and it's not the first one at all," said a new voice from the door, and the three occupants turned to the door to see Remus and Peter walk in.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked in confusion.
"Star Wars got renamed Episode IV – A New Hope," Remus said.
"Where did the first three episodes go then?" Sirius wanted to know as Peter joined the discussion.
"I don't know about that, but Empire Strikes Back is being called Episode V," he said, making himself comfortable on the couch.
"You know what I care most about?" James said as he poured his mates Firewhiskey and Lily Butterbeer while patting her belly. "Introducing this one to these movies."
"YES!" Sirius spoke loudly. "We need to introduce the next generation of Marauders to the right things in life!"
"Hear hear," agreed the rest, clinking their glasses together.
"That was….." Remus said in shock as they entered the Potter home. James, however, was loud in his horror.
"He's Luke's FATHER?" he asked loudly.
"Han is in carbonite, he's probably dead!" Sirius cried in dismay.
"OH FORGET HAN, DARTH VADER IS LUKE'S FATHER!" Peter shouted, making everyone jump and glare at him.
"We can't forget Han! He's my favorite and he might be gone," Sirius said, despair etched on his face. "That scene with Leia….. SHE SAID SHE LOVES HIM AND HE SAID 'I KNOW' AND IT WAS SO ROMANTIC AND HE MIGHT BE DEAD!"
Lily wordlessly handed him a tissue in which he blew his nose as James started ranting, looking stunned herself.
"Han being frozen in carbonite was bad enough, and then you tell me Darth Vader is Luke's father?! And then HIS OWN FATHER, who's so evil by the way, cut off his hand? What kind of father would do that?"
"Families are difficult James," Sirius said softly, looking at the ground. "Sometimes fathers are horrible."
"Sorry, mate –" James started, looking apologetic, but Sirius waved his hand and went back to being upset about Han's fate.
"Dear Merlin, Darth Vader is Luke's father," Remus said in wonder, still in shock at the twist.
"I know," Lily said soothingly, shock still present on her face, and everyone let out loud gasps. Sirius began his lament again.
"Lily Potter, how dare you quote the frozen Han Solo – UGH!"
"Too soon?" she asked sheepishly as they glared at her.
"Yes it bloody well is too soon!"
"Why aren't you more shocked?" James asked her accusingly. She raised her hands in defence, and said, "One of us has to keep the calm in here or this house will descend into panic. I am shocked, but I'm just tring to have some semblance of order here."
"Do or do not, there is no try," Remus said with a faint smile. Lily winked at him and went to make some tea.
"I don't know what they're planning to do but Peter and Remus are more likely to win the bet right now," Lily said a moment later in an effort to rouse the traumatised group of boys in her living room.
The words had their intended effect as James and Sirius vehemently opposed her and started debating with Remus and Peter, who looked smug as the topic was brought up. She turned back to the tea, smiling as she heard the arguments going on behind her.
"Han and Leia kissed, I'm sure they're involved! And they said they're in love with each other!"
"Only she told him that, he didn't say it back! Luke had his hand around her, they're gonna be together!"
"We'll see who wins this bet!" Sirius' voice rose up over the cacophany. "Wait until Revenge of the Jedi comes out, and then we'll talk!"
When Star Wars Episode VI – Return of the Jedi was released, millions of people thronged to the cinema to watch the culmination of a story that began in 1977. They witnessed Han unfreeze, Leia kill her slaver, the heroes defeat the Empire and Luke save his father from himself.
When the last movie in a beloved trilogy was released, Peter was in hiding after betraying those he once called friends, an idea he had scoffed at a long time ago.
When the third movie is an infamous saga was released, Sirius was in Azkaban, abandoned by his friends, by choice or death, atoning for sins he didn't commit.
When the finale of a rare franchise was released, Remus was alone is a world that was too large in the absence of those he had loved, forced to survive where he once would have lived.
When favoured characters won their battles and emerged victorious, James and Lily lay side-by-side six feet under the ground, having suffered as jarring an end to their lives as the movie they had loved, doomed to never know or experience a joyful resolution to either.