Two Halves of the Same Whole

"There he is!"

He grinned at the wizard who strode up to him and ruffled his hair affectionately. Uncle Alfie rummaged inside his robes and pulled out a rather large, weirdly-shaped pouch.

"Something for my Slytherin nephew to share with his Slytherin mates," his uncle said quietly, handing him the pouch with a cursory glance over his shoulder. "Don't tell your mum."

"But I haven't even been Sorted yet, Uncle!" Sirius said with a laugh, although he took the pouch and quickly hid it under his robes.

"It's only a matter of time, my boy!" Uncle Alfie replied jovially, beaming as he clapped Sirius on the shoulder. "Go and make me proud, eh?"

Sirius nodded, grinning wide, as they made their way towards where his parents and little brother were waiting. Unable to contain his excitement as he watched the large, red train come to a stop before him, he patted the hidden pouch and laughed quietly to himself. He couldn't wait to open the present his uncle had given him in front of his new friends.

-oOo-

"A witch, you say!"

Her father exclaimed in delight as him and her mother stared at the letter in their hands.

"That's what it says here!" her mother said, waving the letter excitedly. "Oh my, Lily! A witch! Can you imagine? We have a witch in our home, darling!"

Her dad laughed as he picked her up and twirled her around. "A witch! Blimey, Lils! You're a proper magician!"

"I thought witches were bad?"

They turned to watch as her sister entered the room, a look of curiosity on her face. "Aren't witches bad, Daddy?"

"Now don't be silly, Petunia!" their mother admonished gently, ushering the older girl into the room. "Congratulate your sister! She's done good, don't you think?"

Petunia stared at Lily for a long moment, and just as she thought her sister would say, "I don't," the brunette finally smiled and nodded.

"I'm proud of you, little sister!" Petunia said, pulling Lily into a hug.

She grinned as she hugged her sister back, feeling excitement replace the former sense of trepidation. "Thanks!"

"Can you do magic?" Petunia asked, and Lily shrugged.

"I'm not sure—"

"Oh, come on! I'm sure you can!"

Not wanting to disappoint her eager family, she held her hands together and frowned, concentrating hard. Just when she thought nothing would happen, there was a pop, and the buttons on all their shirts flew off. She stared, startled, but her family exclaimed joyfully and hugged her, yelling with excitement. Grinning, she jumped around with them, their happiness contagious. She couldn't wait to go to this magical school and make friends with other witches and wizards.

-oOo-

"There he is!"

He forced himself to smile as his uncle took off his cloak and walked towards him, beaming. "There's my boy!"

Uncle Alfie pulled him into a one-armed hug as he looked around, probably in search of Sirius's mum, and then quickly slipped him a small package.

"What's this?" he asked quietly, staring at the package.

"Just a little something for you to enjoy with your friends while you watch the Giant Squid from your dorm window," his uncle whispered, clapping him on the back.

"But Uncle," Sirius began, but the wizard was already walking off, calling for his sister.

"Walburga! Walburga, I say!"

But I'm not in Slytherin, he thought desperately as a lump formed in his throat. He looked up when he heard his mother's voice, and slowly walked towards the room they were in, intent on returning the package and telling his uncle the truth.

I was Sorted into Gryffindor, Uncle Alfie, so I can't take this. Sorry to disappoint you, he repeated over and over again in his head as he watched the two adults converse.

Just as he pushed the door open, his mum and uncle looked up, and he froze as he saw the expression on their faces.

Disappointment.

He spun around and ran, barely noticing that he'd dropped the package his uncle had given him.

This was not how it should have been.

-oOo-

"A witch, you say?"

She looked up as Petunia stormed up to her, red in the face. "More like a freak!"

"Tuny!" she gasped as Petunia reached over and grabbed her textbook, throwing it to the side. "Why did you do that?"

"Why?" Petunia scoffed. "I'll tell you why, you little—"

The brunette grabbed a hold of Lily's long hair and tugged, hard, causing the younger girl to yell out in pain. "Ow, Tuny, you're hurting me! Let go!"

"Make me!" Petunia sneered, shoving Lily.

Angry, and alarmed by the way her sister was behaving, she got to her feet and dusted herself off, glaring at the brunette. "What's wrong with you?" she yelled.

"What's wrong with me?" Petunia hissed, her eyes wide and cold. "What's wrong with you! You can do magic? Are you a circus act? Are you a circus act, Lily?"

"Petunia, stop!" she yelled as the older girl lashed out at her. "Stop it!"

Petunia screamed, high-pitched and shrill, and Lily slapped her hands to her ears. She didn't understand why her sister was being like this. She didn't understand why she was so angry. It was almost as if Petunia was disappointed that Lily was a witch. Angry and hurt, she joined her sister in her screaming, and it took her a moment to realise that Petunia had shut up. Looking up, she froze at the sight of the plaster stuck over her sister's mouth.

"Oh my gosh," she whispered, hurriedly pulling off the tape. "I'm so sorry, Tuny, I didn't mean—"

"You freak!" Petunia screamed, slapping Lily's hand away, her eyes full of tears. "You're a freak, Lily! I hate you!"

A lump forming in her throat, tears spilling down her face, she spun on her heels and ran, barely hearing her sister's angry insults.

This was not how it should have been.

-oOo-

"James!"

The boy in question spun around, a huge grin on his face. "Sirius! You made it!"

"Of course I did. What, did you think I wouldn't come?"

James smiled sheepishly and clapped Sirius on the back. "Well, anyway, now that you're here…"

He motioned towards the house in front of them with a flourish, and Sirius couldn't help the excitement and anticipation that filled him. He would be living here, in this house, with James and his parents, from now on. He never had to go back to that wretched hovel ever again. He was free.

"Sirius! Good to see you, lad!"

"Good to see you too, Mr Potter!" Sirius said jovially as he shook the older wizard's hand.

"Come in, come in," Mrs Potter said, hugging Sirius and ushering him inside. "Oh, I'm so excited to have you here! I've always wanted another boy, but James was such a handful…"

"Mum!"

They laughed as James went red in the face, muttering curses under his breath.

"Now, now, Jamie," Mrs Potter said, pinching her son's cheeks, and James immediately slapped her hands away.

"Don't call me Jamie!"

They joked around some more as they settled around the dining table, and as Mrs Potter brought over the turkey, James leaned over and whispered, "Welcome home, Sirius."

He grinned as he dug into the scrumptious food, feeling, for the first time in a very, very long time, that he was really and truly home.

-oOo-

"I love you."

She turned a bright crimson as James Potter stared down at her, his hazel eyes wide and earnest. 'He's serious.'

"I—I know," she blustered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Although he'd always proclaimed his love for her before, this was different. This time, it was for real.

"Lily," he said softly, moving closer, and she held her breath, unable to tear her gaze away from his intensely honest eyes.

"Yes?" she whispered as he took another step closer. Reaching backwards, she felt the cool wall brush against her fingertips. He'd cornered her, yet again.

"I love you."

Her breath caught in her throat, and her stomach fluttered as he reached up and caressed her cheek. His palm was so warm.

"Lily…"

He said her name like it was a prayer, and she couldn't help but give in to his heartfelt love. She felt feverish as he leaned forwards and pressed his lips to hers. It was as though her entire world—her carefully and precisely constructed world—was spiralling out of control and falling apart, only for James Potter to build it up from scratch, with him at its core.

To her, he was a hurricane, uprooting everything and throwing them out of her reach—just so that when she stretched her hand out, he'd be there to grasp it. And as their fingers intertwined, she was filled with a single thought: he was now her world. Her everything.

-oOo-

"James!"

He dug through the rubble, his ears ringing, his panic rising. "James, where are you?!"

He didn't expect an answer, but he couldn't help but hope.

Groaning as he picked up the shattered door, he threw it to the side, his eyes going round at what he found. James was lying there, just beyond the front door, his bruised body twisted awkwardly, and his unseeing eyes wide and staring at nothing.

His knees buckled, pain shooting through him as he felt to the ground, hard. "James?" he whispered, a lump forming in his throat and choking him.

Behind him, he could hear Hagrid's muffled words as the half-giant tried to pacify the wailing infant in his arms, but the only thing Sirius's brain was currently able to process was that his best friend was dead.

Dead.

James was dead. Lily was dead. Peter had betrayed them. Harry had no parents.

Harry has no home to return to.

A sob escaped his lips as he gingerly caressed James' face, pressing his forehead to the other's. "You weren't supposed to die," he choked out as tears spilled down his cheeks. "You promised you wouldn't die, you git…"

He knelt there for what seemed like years, muttering to himself, trying to process the fact that he would never hear James' boisterous laughter or have his best friend clap him on the back… he would never joke around with James, and be told off by Lily, or return to a roaring fire and warm smiles… he'd never eat another meal with James and Lily, with baby Harry gurgling contently in his crib… he'd never be able to come here again… this place that had come to be a home he could return to…

Harry's shrill wails rang clear through the darkness that was settling over him, slowly suffocating him, and he knew what to do. Rising to his feet, he stumbled forwards, wiping the tears from his face. He walked up to where Hagrid was, barely hearing what the half-giant was saying.

"He's my godson," Sirius whispered hoarsely, reaching for Harry. "I should take him…"

Hagrid pulled the child away, saying something about Dumbledore and taking Harry to safety. Sirius nodded slowly, the gears in his head clicking into place as he stared into Harry's emerald eyes. He knew what he had to do.

He would go after Peter Pettigrew—the vile, lying, treacherous rat that he was—and he would kill him. He wouldn't rest till he saw Pettigrew's mangled form at his feet, staring up at him with dead eyes.

Harry cooed as Sirius brushed his cheek, making the latter smile. He strode over to his bike and patted it. "Hagrid, take this." He nodded as Hagrid looked from the bike to Sirius.

"But—"

"Take it, it'll be quicker. Besides," he looked up at the starless sky and snarled, "I won't be needing it anymore."

He bid them goodbye and watched as they made off into the night, his mind filled with a single thought.

He no longer had a home to return to, but he would make sure Harry did. Even if it killed him.

-oOo-

"I love you."

"James, please," she begged as he pulled her into his arms. There were shouts from outside and she felt her heart begin to race.

He had found them.

There was a crash and a shattering sound from the garden and they snapped their heads up, listening intently.

James frowned, his expression grim, his grip on her arms tightening. "He's here."

"I'll come—"

"No."

"James—"

"No, Lily. Stay here with Harry."

She stared up into his hazel eyes, overwhelmed by the intensity of the emotions swimming in them. He's serious. She started to shake her head, but he caught her face and kissed her, long and slow, only pulling away when another crash sounded.

"I love you, Lily. Always," he whispered, smiling lopsidedly.

"I—I know," she said thickly, trying and failing to keep her tears at bay.

"Promise me that you'll stay here."

"I promise."

He watched her for a moment longer, and she held his gaze, unable to look away from the pain and fear in his eyes. He doesn't want to go.

She reached up and pressed her lips to his one last time as a blast sounded from below. He touched her cheek, giving her a final look of longing, before turning and running out, slamming the door behind him.

Harry whimpered and she rushed to his crib, cradling her child in her arms as she stared at the door, listening intently. She heard James shout, and a high-pitched cackle, before there was a flash of green light and the sound of someone crashing to the ground.

Placing Harry in the crib, she cooed and whispered to him, kissing his hair as the door to the nursery was blasted away. Whipping around, wand brandished, she screamed spell after spell, only to have them easily deflected by the gruesome-looking wizard standing before her.

"Fruitless! Useless!" he cackled. "Step out of the way, woman, and I shall spare you!"

"No!" she yelled, moving closer to the crib. "Please, not my son! Please!"

She would not let this madman have his way. She would not let him destroy her family.

The Dark Wizard snarled, raising his wand, his teeth bared. "Then you will have to die, just like your fool of a husband did."

Her heart thudded in her chest. No no no no NO! James! No, it's OK, he's OK, I'm sure he's fine—

But this madman wouldn't be here if James was alright. The Dark Lord wouldn't be standing before her if James was alive.

Dead.

Her husband was dead. James was dead. The man she loved was dead.

Her world was gone. Destroyed. Decimated. She had nothing left.

Harry started to cry, just then, and she pulled herself together. No, I still have Harry.

"I won't let you kill Harry," she said, her voice clear.

The Dark Lord cackled, and it was as though she was watching in slow motion, as the burst of green left his wand and flew towards her. She spun around, deciding that, if she was going to die, the last thing she wanted to see was her son's face.

Harry.

She would protect him, no matter what. Even if it killed her.

A/n: This was written for Round 4 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Challenge. As Keeper for the Falmouth Falcons, my prompt/taboo word for this round was "sadness" where I had to depict the emotion without using the word. My aim was to draw parallels of particular events in the life of Sirius and Lily- things that brought them happiness inevitably turning into things that brought them sadness.

Thoughts and comments are highly valued and appreciated.

Lots of love~

Arty.