A/N: This story was inspired by a Harry Potter story that referred to Peter Pan. If someone tells me which one, I'd be happy to cite it. This is my twist on things for different Harry Potter characters. I do not these characters or stories.
It Only Hurts
It only hurt when his eyes were still open. One of his best friends had betrayed him. His friend had betrayed his wife. He had never thought he was a perfect man. He was Eustance. He knew that he and Jill had not started off with the best friendship. But he had grown up and so had she. But to have them turn aside from their friendship to leave King Peter to the wolves? To leave King Edmund all alone? He had not realized that his "friend" would go to such levels.
He had trusted his friend with the most important things to him, his wife and his son. His friend had betrayed them both. He had thrown their other friends to the wolves. The White Witch was coming in a new form. His son would be protected though. He had grown up hearing his mother read about Narnia. It had been a depressing moment when he realized that he had the most similarities with the character that he had despised as a boy. But like Eustance, he matured. Unlike Eustance, he had had friends around him the entire time. Also unlike Eustace, he had been trying to be helpful do the right thing. It was dark times they were living in, a laugh or an attempt at protection were not bad things. Unfortunately, he and the Kings fell short. Sometimes they messed up and people got hurt instead.
Eustance had been reminded that Aslan had the power instead. So he also learned that while he should and could help others, he was not Aslan either. The door swung open and there stood the Witch ready to try and take his son. He yelled once more for her to run, then turned to face Jadis. He had no weapon, nothing to cause damage to the person that had caused his friend to fall away. This was the person pulling the strings that had caused the ruin of his life. And all he could think about was Narnia, Jill, his, and that his poor friends who needed him. His friends who would miss him when he was gone. Who would guard King Peter's back? Who would remind King Edmund that traitors could mend? But clearly, not all traitors could for his "friend" had betrayed him for the very last time.
A/N: James' being betrayed by Peter is one of the most heartbreaking things to me in the series. But that may be my Hufflepuff showing. James in this story is Eustance while Lily is Jill. King Peter is Sirius. King Edmund is Remus. Jadis is Voldemort or Bellatrix or just evil embodied.