The Marauders sat in the Potter's backyard, having a competition to see who could find the most shapes out of the clouds. There were flowers and vases, balls and racquets, dogs and bunnies. It was a bit overcast and slightly chilly, not that anyone cared.
Suddenly, over the forest, the sky began to turn black with hints of green running through it, almost sparking. A hissing noise filled the air, and the Marauders shot up from their positions on the ground and turned to face each other.
"Bloody hell." Sirius Black gaped at the scene in front of him. "What's that shape forming up there?"
James Potter squinted his eyes, trying to see the figure that Remus Lupin was pointing wildly at.
"Is that a… skull?" Remus asked.
"Merlin…" Sirius said in a whisper, "that's the Dark Mark."
James gasped and walked closer to the forest. There, in all its infamous glory, was Lord Voldemort's Dark Mark, cast high in the sky. A lump formed in the seventeen year old's throat. His grandparents lived there, in the forest.
"Prongs." Sirius rushed up to his best friend; Remus and Peter Pettigrew were hot on his heels. "We have to go see if they're okay."
"Right," James replied after a moment, visibly shaken. He pulled out his wand, cast lumos like the others, and together they set out into the dark forest.
The trail was marked, specifically to make it easier for James and Sirius - the latter had moved in with the Potters that summer - to visit Mr. Potter's parents, but it was filled to the brim with smoke.
They coughed, trying their best to keep sight of the trail. Peter, who hadn't spoken the entire time, squealed and shot a red beam at the ground. Sirius glared at the plump boy.
"Are we close?" Remus asked. He'd only been down the trail once, so he wasn't positive how long it took to get to James's grandparents' house.
"Yes," Sirius answered. He knew James was too worried to reply.
Moments later, they reached a hut, rivaling that of Hagrid's. It was small, of course; Granny and Papa Potter were very, very old, even in the Wizarding World.
The fog had cleared mostly, so the Marauders could see clearly again. James looked up. The Mark was right over the hut.
"Oh bloody hell, no…" he muttered and ran into the hut. There were pictures shattered, bookcases overturned, and the table was on fire.
"Aquamenti," Remus cast quietly.
The four boys separated, determined to find James's grandparents.
Sirius walked into the bedroom, the only one in the house. He gulped back tears at the sight of James's grandparents - two people more like grandparents to him than his own - lying in their bed, dead. They were wearing matching yellow robes and had graying black hair; their mouths were opened slightly in a perfect O.
"Prong-g's!" Sirius called and his voice cracked. Instantly James, Remus, and Peter appeared.
"What, Pads?" James asked as he entered the room. Remus and Peter both gasped, as did the raven haired boy, once they saw the sight in front of them.
"They can't be…"
"James, it'll be okay," Remus soothed, but it didn't help.
"Moony, no it won't."
"Prongs, everything'll be fine. Wormy, go get Dorea and Charles. Tell them it's urgent," Sirius said. Peter instantly fled the room.
Sirius began barking orders at Remus. "Go scout the area. Make sure whatever Death Eaters were here are gone."
Once it was just James and Sirius, James began to talk. "Siri, I can't believe it. What if we were here? Or my parents? Would they be alive, or would we all be dead?"
"It's hard to say. We weren't here; your parents weren't here, so it's nothing to concern yourself with, Prongs."
"Could we have saved them?" James asked, his framed, hazel eyes brimming with tears. The only person who'd ever seen James cry was Sirius, so he was glad his friend had made the others leave.
Sirius decided to be honest. "James, what if it was Voldemort? If he had wanted to kill us… There was nothing we'd have been able to do. I'm sure your grandparents didn't go down without a fight, you know that?"
James smiled lightly at Sirius.
"Jamesie, Sirius, are you both alright?" James's mother walked into the room, her hazel eyes frightened, followed by an older man identical to James.
"Yeah, we're fine," Sirius replied.
Mrs. Potter wrapped the two in her arms. Mr. Potter stood near the bed, look down at his parents.
"Avada Kedavra," he said sadly. That had been the curse used; it was obvious.
Mrs. Potter frowned slightly. "Where is Remus? Peter is back at the house."
"Moony went to go make sure the Death Eaters responsible are gone," James told her.
"He's out there by himself?" Mr. Potter, an Auror, asked. When Sirius nodded, the man dashed out of the room. James smiled to himself. His dad was an amazing man; he was worried about Remus, even though his parents were dead.
James's mum, on the other hand, was fretting around the hut.
"Oh Jamesie," she kept muttering. "Boys, go find your father and Remus. Then return to the house with Peter and wash up. I'll have Wobbly make dinner for you. Dad and I will probably have to run some… errands." They immediately did as they were told.
The minute they walked out of the front door, Remus and Mr. Potter appeared. Both were frowning.
"No sign of anyone," the sandy-haired boy said.
"That's good, I suppose," James replied.
"Or bad," Sirius muttered under his breath, ready to kill the damn idiot who put his family in pain.
"Pads, no need for any of that."
"Fine…" Sirius groaned, and the three boys set off in the direction of the mansion. It took them slightly longer to get back than it had to get there, but that's because they weren't running. Once they arrived, Peter rushed up to them.
"Did you fine the… Death Eater-r?" he stuttered as normal.
"No," Remus replied. "No one within five miles of the hut, anyway."
"Oh. That's for the best, though."
"Let's wash up," James suggested quietly.
"Alright," Sirius agreed, clapping his brother on the back, and the four left the room together.