A/N: This is my take on what was happening before and during each of the Marauders' deaths. There will be a chapter for each of them. I hope you like it.

Prongs

"James Potter, you put that baby down right now!" scolded Lily Evans, a beautiful redhead witch of 21.

"It's time for Harry to go to bed," she said, smiling at her husband and son.

James laughed and complied, setting Harry down carefully into his crib.

"Good night, little Harry," he cooed.

"If the guys knew you had such a soft side, they would never stop teasing you," observed Lily laughingly.

"Good thing you're the only one who gets to see it," James murmured, hugging his wife close. Ever since the death of the McKinnons, James had spent every free moment with his small family. He knew there was always a chance that he wouldn't live to see the next day, especially with Lord Voldemort on the hunt for their family.

James sighed, tired of holing up in their cottage in Godric's Hollow. All he wanted was to live freely with everyone he loved.

Lily seemed to know what he was thinking as she said, "Everything will work out in the end. Harry, one day, Voldemort will be defeated. We'll live together as a family. Momma, Poppa, you, Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, and Uncle Peter."

James smiled at his wife sadly.

"We can only hope," he said, picking up Harry, and leading them down the stairs to the living room.

"James! Harry needs to go to bed now," Lily protested.

"Relax, Lils. It's Halloween! Let Prongslet live a little," he pleaded.

She relented, and James grinned, picking up his wand. He conjured up a few colorful fireworks, shooting them out of his wand for Harry's entertainment.

Lily laughed with Harry at James' display. She went into the kitchen and came back with a plate of her delicious chocolate cookies.

Harry squealed and batted at them with his small, chubby hands.

"I thought you were saving those for Sirius?" asked James, tossing his wand to the side carelessly and stuffing a cookie into his mouth.

"I can always make more. After all, we should make the most of every day," Lily said, shrugging.

James' smile faded on that grim note.

"Everything will be okay, James," Lily said quietly.

"As long as we all make it through this war," James responded.

Lily gave him a small smile and said, "Hand me Harry. I'm bringing him to bed."

He complied. All of a sudden, he heard a strange noise outside their living room window. Turning around, he caught a glimpse of a pale white figure cloaked in black before the front door blasted apart.

In the split second between that moment and action, James' and Lily's eyes met and conveyed a feeling of love, desperation, and fear.

It's all over, James thought frantically as he ran into the front hallway to confront Voldemort.

Peter betrayed us. It should have been Sirius.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" he shouted.

He needed to give them time to escape. Lily and Harry had to live. Peter had to die. And he, James, would die. He knew it. It was the only end for anyone Voldemort set his eyes upon.

James Potter was not ready to die. He didn't want to leave this world. He had too much to live for. He needed to protect his family.

James Potter was not scared of death. He was scared for his family. He was not ready.

James Potter was not ready for death.

He saw rather than heard Voldemort say the dreaded words. Avada Kedavra.

The green light flashed before his eyes.

Ready or not, death had come.

A/N: Please review!