Always Armed

"I immediately regret my decision," James thought, he felt like a house fell on him as he slowly moved his arm trying to roll over and stand up. "Okay let's go over all this one more time," he flinched as he glanced up to see the stars twinkling overhead. "That's new," he admitted his fast twisting in pain.

James suddenly heard the door burst open he grabbed his wand of the desk. "Get upstairs, take Harry I'll hold him off!" he shouted at his wife his want was out transfiguring the bits of wood into birds blocking the series of green curses that would have dropped him had they so much as grazed his skin.

"Out of my way boy!" Voldemort hissed at him as James backed up the stairs throwing magical blasts, kicking up dust and pictures and anything that was or was not battened down.

"Lilly have you found it yet!" he roared back at his wife as the sounds of his child screamed from the noise.

"The child will not escape!" The red eyed figure cursed. James raised a brick wall on the stairs taking blocking another killing curse.

"Over my dead body!" James shouted back his breath hitched as the wall shattered the explosion slamming him into the wall he slumped to ground his wand still clutched in his hand, he stared forward through blurry vision as he realized his glasses were missing. He watched the cloak rush forward his wand outstretched as James sent a stunner at the man but missed, he turned into the baby's room, as James forced himself up slamming into the wall as he used at support. "No, no, no!" he reaped.

"avada kedavra!" came a cold voice, James slammed into the door frame his wand out, only to see his wife lying on the floor. James squinted only for the "avada kedavra!" and then and explosion.

"I failed," he realized then he thought no more.

James picked up a piece of wood and turned it into a new pair of glasses as he shifted them on his face when the sound of crying finally was hitting him. Hope bloomed into his chest as he scrambled forward finding the one-year-old, he quickly picked the child up, glancing the hair only to see a lightning bolt scar. Bouncing the child,

"Daddy is here, it's okay," he repeated, putting his wand into his back pocket as he glanced around, his house in Godric's hollow missing a fourth of off its roof. when suddenly a large frame of a man rushed into the ground. "Hagrid!" he called out waving his hand, he would recognize the gamekeeper anywhere.

"Blimey James, that you?" he asked rushing forward waving at James who was standing in the exposed room. James paused as he glanced back he thought he saw something move but his worry was cut off when he got a slap on the back scaring the child as even more, crying erupted, he cursed his luck, when the sound of motorbike started to grow.

"Hagrid I think that's Sirius, we need to get to St. Mungo or someplace we need to check up and make sure-," he was cut off as Sirius parked his bike and rushed James hugging him James pushed the man back a bit as to not harm the bundle in his arms but Sirius was almost in tears.

"Oh when I saw the house I thought the worst, where is Lilly?" Sirius asked looking around, as James glanced over at the body of his wife have obscured by rubble as he bit back tears.

"Hold on I need to talk to Dumbledore," Hagrid said as he pulled out a mirror.

"Could you," James choked looking away from Lily he didn't want to think about it, he saw a lot in the current war but that might just break him.

Sirius pulled back as he went to go take care of the body. James considered his options, he would have to take the night bus he didn't feel comfortable apirating in the state he was in, he felt magically exhausted and the only thing keeping him on his feet was that he was a parent and needed.

"Dumbledore wants to talk to you," Hagrid said holding out the mirror

"Albus," James wheezed out as he took the mirror to see the old wizard looking back at him.

"James, oh thank heavens your alive, I feared the worst when I suddenly saw your house in a picture I had on my desk. I sent Hagrid to investigate, I had called on the Aurors they will be tracking down Black."

"No Peter was the Secret Keeper, Sirius is with me, we, Lily, she is dead," James explained but his attention was split in so many ways. Why did you send Hagrid?" he asked, he didn't mind the man, in fact, they were on good terms but if his house just got blown up it seemed a bit odd to send one man to investigate such an attack knowing that Voldemort was going to attack personally.

"James I will talk to you I have my concerns. I am not sure what do but I figured Hagrid would be able to handle seeing everything better than most, besides I trust him with my life, not to mention if something did happen to Hagrid well, no offense,"

"None taken Dumbledore, I know I am not as skilled as the others," he admitted James glanced up at the Giant he seemed a bit hurt at the understanding. James felt a ping of guilt not considering that possibility.

"We need to get out of here, James take my bike and get some place safe," Sirius said staring at James.

"Sirius," James warned, as he locked eyes with the man. "I want Peter myself," he stared back as Sirius glanced away. James glanced at Hagrid, "Can you take my wife to," he stopped he couldn't he didn't want to admit it out loud, as Hagrid nodded.

"Come to my office Madam Pomfrey can look after both of, you and we need to talk," he said looking into James's eyes. James nodded, as he headed over to the bike, he got himself situated as he placed his Daughter into the side cart. "I am sorry, Holly," James apologized, he pulled out his wand and with a calming and sleep spell revved up the bike.

Au:

I have had a big harry potter fan fiction kick and I noticed a lot of stories I ran into having a habit of making Albus and/or James out to be a bunch of dunderheads. Many stories while good and entertaining often make these two out to be bad, and if not that James seems to always be short changed. So I am writing a story that will give James a bit of spotlight as well as him and Holly a female Harry, why?" Why not, so to clear some things up Holly will not be a side character she will be the main character and I will just jump to James to avoid retelling everyone who had read these books old information.