Author's Note:

I love JKR, I really do. But some of her - ah - choices that she's published on Pottermore and Twitter are...let's say, questionable. (Need I say more? Please refer to the fact that adult wizards apparently shat themselves pre-modern plumbing. Puh-lease.) Therefore, I'm choosing to ignore much of the post-series content and am focusing on what we know from the original seven books. However, for convenience's sake, I have chosen to keep some bits from her online content; specifically, much of the Potter family tree.

I'm also certain that I've borrowed much from Anne B. Walsh's epic, the Dangerverse series (go check it out, seriously). Anne, if you're reading this, I'm flattered. Also, if you want me to credit you for or change anything I inadvertently stole from you, let me know and I'll rectify it immediately.


Hagrid stared at the ruins of the house.

He couldn't believe what had happened the past two hours – except the evidence was there in front of him. The house where he had eaten so many meals, attended so many clandestine meetings, shared so many laughs – gone.

And so, he was sure, were the people inside of it.

It was with a heavy heart that the half-giant made his way through the gate and up the walk to the house. He didn't bother trying to squeeze through the door; instead, he just chose the largest gap in the wall and slid through it.

It was as bad as he had feared. The home was a mess. Hagrid's heart sank as his final hopes were dashed. He knew it had been unlikely that anyone would survive You-Know-Who once he decided to find them, but then again, the Potters had already escaped him a couple times before. If anyone could have, it would be them.

He scanned the living room and his heart sank even further as he noticed a dark shape on the floor that could be only one thing. He stepped carefully over to it – him, he noticed – and bent to check for what he knew to be true.


Someone was saying his name.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been unconscious, but that was the first thing that filtered through the haze that the really nasty curses left in his mind.

"Ngh. Whozair" he said, or tried to.

"James!" Someone large was bent over him, manhandling him into a sitting position. "Wha' – wha' happened?"

"Hagrid," he said in recognition. "I don't...why are you here?"

"Yeh don' remember?" Hagrid's worried face loomed in front of him. "Blimey, yeh're bleedin', here." He pulled one of his massive handkerchiefs from a pocket and pressed a corner of it to the back of James' head. "We – Dumbledore got word that..." He hesitated. "Well, we 'eard that, that You-Know-Who was – that he came 'ere, and Dumbledore sent me to...to recover you."

"Voldemort," James corrected automatically, applying pressure to his newly-discovered head wound. Then he remembered. "Voldemort. Lily – Harry – no." He tried to stand and run for his family, but his legs failed him and he would have fallen if it weren't for his massive friend. "Hagrid, he was here, he – they–" he stammered, and then was sick, nearly choking on it. "They're gone, aren't they," he finally managed.

Tears were trickling down Hagrid's cheeks into his beard, but his voice was steady when he said "I dunno, James. I already found one person when I weren't expectin' none. Don' – don' get your hopes up though," he added as an afterthought.

James got much more carefully to his feet, with Hagrid's help. "Need my wand," he muttered distractedly. "Hagrid, could you?"

Hagrid looked startled to have been asked. He pulled out his pink umbrella and muttered "Accio." James' wand came soaring from what had once been the kitchen, to Hagrid's obvious surprise. James fumbled but still managed to catch it.

"Thanks," he said, and already looked better, more in control, with his wand in hand. "Let's – let's just go." He breathed deeply, and seemed to take on more of his Auror Potter persona. "Cover my six," he instructed, and picked through the house, wand drawn. He scanned the area constantly, and checked every corner before he walked through.

A baby cried. James nearly dropped his newly-acquired wand and would have ran through the house if not for Hagrid's quick hand on the back of his robes. He felt himself being hoisted into the air and turned around to Hagrid's glower.

"Don' go getting yerself killed," he growled. "I thought I lost yeh once tonight, yeh're stayin' smart till we're back at Hogwarts."

James' hands clenched into fists, but he breathed deeply twice and nodded. "Why don't you go first," he said, and they switched places.

Hagrid crept through the house with as much care as James had, though possibly with more speed. The wails from what had to be the nursery were getting quieter, the sounds of a baby who didn't think anyone was coming anymore. He reached the nursery and checked it, then moaned softly at the sight that met his eyes.

Lily was there, clearly dead. Harry was in his crib, snuffling softly, though he wailed and lifted his arms to Hagrid at the sight of him. James pushed past him and ran to Harry, whose sobs had wound down into a trail of "Pa pa pa pa pa.." as he nuzzled into his father's chest. Then James turned around.

"No," he gasped, and collapsed to his knees. One hand, almost automatically, pressed Harry's head to his chest, keeping the boy from seeing his dead mother. "Lily – no."

Hagrid retrieved another handkerchief – a clean one – and draped it over Lily's form. He knelt next to James and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come to Hogwarts," he said as gently as he could. "Dumbledore'll be able to – to keep her safe, for now." He winced at his own words, at the inadequacy of them, but James sobbed once and then regained his composure. He nodded and stumbled to his feet once again. Hagrid pulled an ordinary kettle from his pocket and set it on the ground, before gathering Lily in his arms. James stumbled to the kettle and laid his hand against it, waiting. Hagrid cradled the slight woman in one arm and instead of touching the kettle put his other arm around James, holding the young man to his side. James looked up at Hagrid, but placed the Portkey between their bodies just before it glowed blue and they were pulled away in a whirlwind of color.


Thanks to Shelllessturtle for the help.

This has been a labor of love for two years now. I've got a lot written in this 'verse, and I fully intend to finish it. I can't promise speedy updates, but I do promise that it will reach completion someday. Thanks for reading! If you liked it, please tell me!