Hello all to all new and old readers. This is my second Harry Potter Fanfiction and is done in a significantly different manner from my first one. The first one was complete, or nearly complete before I even published the first chapter. I don't know if this was fear of writer's block or another compulsion but I have changed. I am brimming with impatience and I want you to read this as fast as I can write and post it. This is the first chapter of a new story that may span several fics but it will be posted as I complete chapters. So, I beg your patience, enthusiasm and general words of encouragement, they are fuel for the fire.

Several small warnings: 1) I am a student and school will, on occasion, take precedent over this work. 2) this is currently rated T but at any point I deem necessary I will change the rating, this may be down and this may be up, (who knows, I certainly don't.)

Internal summary: A story of when James survives the fateful Halloween night and the consequences of his continued existence on the final defeat of Voldemort. Harry grows up under the influence of his be-grieved father, goes to Hogwarts, and learns of his prophesied destiny.

Disclaimer: I will repeat this once only: I do not own Harry Potter.

Harry Potter: When James Lives

Chapter One: The Night

Weight and darkness crashed around him. The sound briefly loud in his ears before it vanished completely. When James woke, pain was the first thing he sensed. His leg crushed and his breath was agony in his chest. He opened his eyes. His glasses were crooked on his nose and the room was dark with only a dim glow to his right. Breathing grew easier but his leg continued to throb; he found moving it was beyond him. Comprehension was growing though. James found himself pinned beneath a heavy wooden beam, his view of his legs obstructed. He worked an arm free and set his glasses straight on his nose. What had happened? His brain felt cloudy, his focus dragged around by the pain in his body.

Lily! Merlin, Lily! He shouted her name. James thought he did, he couldn't hear his voice as more than a croak. He struggled trying to get out from under the beam. A clatter met his ears. His eyes dropped to it. His wand lay close by; he stretched for it and just got the tip of it under his fingers. A small summoning brought it back to him. Armed again, he felt better. "Lily," he tried to shout.

Unsure of the damage he might do, he aimed his wand over his shoulder and said, "Wingardium leviosa." The weight lifted from his back. Carefully and slowly he dragged himself from beneath it, leg useless to him. He wasn't sure he dared look at it, but he would have to. He lowered the beam again. He recognized the fairy carvings on its spell burnt side. The heavy oaken beam had once rested across the fireplace. He looked at the brick chimney, the only source of light at the moment. It was crumbled. A chill wind howled down from the gaping hole in the side of the house.

"Lily," he called. His voice was a little clearer, louder now. He gathered his nerve and looked at his leg. It wasn't so bad; Sirius had done as bad on auror assignment one time. A few spells and he would be patched up. They weren't ones he could perform though. He gritted out the only one he knew that would help: a field spell that cut the pain signal from the limb. It was dangerous because he was likely to stress the injury and would have no way of knowing. Eventually, the spell would wear off, leaving him in pain with no recourse.

It allowed him to get to his feet, though. He was at the stairs and then up them before he had even thought of being cautious. He slowed on the landing and went to the room with the only light left: Harry's nursery. There was a child crying, and a softer, much more desperate noise. James crept closer, put his hand on the door, wand ready.

"Snape!" the name was a gasp in James' throat. On the floor before him was his school yard nemesis, dark haired, hook-nosed and shockingly, disturbingly thin. In his arms was James' beloved Lily. Snape had hauled her half into his lap and was rocking her against his chest unheeding of Harry's wail behind him.

He looked up at James and scrambled to his feet, defenses if not his composure returning in a flash.

"What the hell, Snape?"

"I… I…" Snape took a steadying breath. James saw the tears on his face. "You must know that I have loved Lily from the moment I met her."

An emotion James couldn't put a name too welled in him, "How dare you? You support Him!" His voice broke on the last word. He found it impossible to say Voldemort even though he never had in the past.

Anger flashed in Snape's eyes. "You know nothing, James Potter, and never will." Snape stepped back and then disappeared with a pop. James fell to his knees, collapsed sideways against Harry's crib. He pulled Lily close, his tears falling on her copper hair. He reached a hand up over his shoulder to comfort Harry. He felt his son take his hand and press his fingers to his face. James didn't know how long he stayed like that; he would have stayed like that forever if he could, because that ache in his heart was all he had left of Lily.

Eventually the pain returned to his leg, numbed now, a little, but still painful. His heaving sobs had subsided, and he had run out of tears. Lily was cold.

"James! James!" The sound was frantic, there were crashes below in the blasted out part of the house.

"Up here." His voice was a rasp; he doubted it was audible across the room let alone downstairs. Regardless he heard someone leaping up the stairs. A wizard in dark robes ran into the room and skidded to a halt before him. It was Sirius, whose handsome face changed from worry to shock, then remorse and settled on guilt. "James," his voice was low, "James, what have I done, I'm so sorry, James." Sirius bent down over his best friend and grasped the front of his robes. "I am so sorry. I'll kill him, James; I'll find him and kill him." Sirius was pulling away but James grabbed at him. The man was hot headed and he couldn't let him throw away his life for revenge. James needed Sirius to stay, though for what he didn't know.

"No, help me up." Sirius did; James clung to him, leg unable to support him.

"Don't be daft, you can't stand on that." Sirius hauled him over to the rocking chair and lowered him into it. Sirius went to pull away but James held on to him.

"Don't you dare go after the rat." James didn't loosen his grip until Sirius had met his gaze and nodded.

Sirius transfigured a splint for his leg but James would have to see a medic for it to be set right. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to re-grow the bone. A little cry came from the crib. Sirius whirled on the noise and then lifted Harry out of the crib and held him close, rocking him back and forth. James looked at Lily and found that he did have tears left. Sirius stepped next to him, still cradling Harry and laid a hand on James' shoulder, squeezing to let him know it was okay to cry.

Author's Note: Thank you all for reading. I hope you will stick with me to the end, whenever it might come.

Regards,

Shifted Illusions