Chapter I: Dreams

James' PoV

James Potter was having a terrible day. Of course, he would be a despicable human being for him to be happy on this day. It was, in fact, the anniversary of his son's death. 14 years have not lessened the pain in the slightest. He didn't think that any amount of time would take away the heartache.

James and Lily always acted happy around other people. But when they were alone, with nothing other than their thoughts, they grieved for the loss of their only child.

This was the one day a year when they didn't bother to act happy. James and Lily would both take off work and they would stay in Harry's old nursery. All they would do is sit and grieve for their son, then wake up the next day, ready to act happy again.

Unfortunately, James was called into work for an emergency. According to the Auror department, there was high death eater activity around the manor. They told him that there wasn't anyone else available for the job.

James wanted to curse and scream at the ministry for hours. But then he realized that it wouldn't help his son. Though, sitting in a room all day wouldn't either.

No, nothing could help Harry now. The only thing James could do for his son now is avenge him.

And that is precisely what he planned to do.


When James got to the Auror Department he was greeted by Tonks and Sirius.

When he walked through the door, Tonks immediately bounced over to him, a large grin visible on her face.

"James! James! We get to go on a raid! It's at Kadnar Manor!"

Sirius finally caught up to her, panting slightly.

"I'm afraid Nymphie here is a little over excited for her first raid." He said dryly, resting his elbow on her head.

Tonks shook him off.

"Don't call me Nymphie!" She snapped. Her hair, which before was a bubble gum pink that reached just past her chin, turned to a spiky dark red.

"Alright Nymphie, well why don't you go flirt with Remus while I talk to Jamsie here."

Tonks' eyes darkened (literally) during the nickname but lit up when Remus was mentioned. James snickered when she practically skipped over to where Remus was.

Sirius turned to James and the smirk immediately vanished from his face.

"I'm sorry James. I told them not to call you…"

"Sirius..."

"...I told them to get some other ministry employee, but they wouldn't listen…"

"Sirius."

"I told them that we would be fine without you but…"

"Padfoot!" James shouted, his patience gone.

Sirius' eyes snapped up to meet his. James took a deep breath and sighed, effectively calming himself down.

He then said carefully, "Mr. Prongs would like to remind Mr. Padfoot that he does not like Mr. Padfoot apologizing for things that he had no control over."

Sirius sighed. "Ok Prongs." He said smiling somewhat grimly.

"Now tell me about this raid."


"Left squad take initiative." Scrimgeour's voice broke through the speaker clipped to James' belt.

He was currently in the yard of Kadnar manor. Concealed in the bushes next to the front door. James could see Sirius from where he was at. He was slinking around the house as Padfoot, trying to determine whether anyone was inside.

Sirius caught his eye and shook his head once: a sign meaning that no one alive was inside.

James reported to Scrimgeour and cautiously stepped to the doorway.

Kadnar manor certainly wasn't as extravagant as some other death eater's houses. It was a stone brick building, a little bit bigger than your average house. It had Ivy growing on the walls and all of the windows were boarded shut, except for one on the top floor. To James, it looked more like a prison than a home.

When James finally stepped through the door, he was immediately overwhelmed by the smell. He hurriedly cast a bubble head charm and told the others to do the same.

Sirius, who was now in human form, was right behind James as he stepped into the entryway.

It looked like a regular death eater house on the inside. Dark artefacts, portraits of ancestors that they hurriedly silenced, and of course your average dark wizard furniture-ranging from side tables with troll legs to house elf heads on the walls.

However, nothing was amiss, until they stepped into the living room.

The first thing that anyone noticed was the dead bodies in the middle of the floor. James stepped closer and saw that the bodies were of Aline and Dane Kadnar.

"Murdered?" Sirius asked from behind him.

James took a shaky breath and nodded, "Probably."

He looked closer at the Kadnars and saw that they must have been killed by the killing curse, as there were no visible fatal wounds.

There was also a dark mark carved into the coffee table next to them.

"Voldemort did this then?" Sirius gestured toward the table.

James nodded, his throat was too dry to speak. Why would Voldemort do this to some of his most faithful death eaters?

James finally sent Tonks and Kingsley to investigate the bodies while Sirius and James went upstairs. They checked every room and nothing was out of order, until the last room they checked.

All down the side of the door there were locks. There must have been at least 12 or 13 of them. James could also detect various arrays of spells. But they seemed to be trying to keep something, or someone, in not out.

James quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside with Sirius. The room was small, barely big enough to be considered a bedroom. There was a small bed in the corner of the room. On one wall there were old quidditch posters that seemed to be slashed through with a knife. James crossed over to them and realized that they were held up by permanent sticking charms. Someone must have tried to get rid of them unsuccessfully. Nothing else was in the room. Overall, it looked like a child's bedroom.

Sirius stood next to the open window, looking out. "You think the kid got out of here?"

James sighed. "Looks like it." He gazed out of the window. All he could see was the thick forest that sat to the east of the house. " I hope so."


James was exhausted when he got home. All he wanted to do was sleep but he couldn't stop thinking about the raid. The Kadnars murdered by their own kind? It didn't make sense. Neither did the Kid's room. The Kadnars didn't have have any kids that he, or anyone at the ministry, knew of. He only hoped that the kid was safe, wherever they were.

James strolled into his and Lily's bedroom and saw that she was already asleep. He kissed her forehead and laid down beside her.

Finally he let sleep come to him.


James was in his living room.

He found himself lying on the floor next to their burgundy colored couch. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten there…

...or how he woke up.

James looked around trying to seek out something that would tell him how he got there, but everything was in place. From the gryffin engraved chandelier, to the spell books on the slightly worn wooden shelves. The dark red curtains and rug to the pictures on the fireplace mantle. Everything was where it should be.

So then… hang on!

James' eyes zeroed in on the gold picture frames. Many of them displayed him and Lily. But with them was a boy. He had messy black hair and bright green eyes. The pictures ranged in age. Some showed a stubby-fingered toddler grinning up at him. Others showed a teenager sporting round wire-framed glasses. The boy was smiling in all of the pictures.

His smile looked so much like Lily's…

James' breath caught in his throat. So this was Harry! I must be dreaming. He thought, gazing at the pictures in wonder. This is what it could have been like. He watched Harry zoom around on a broom after the snitch. He was wearing Gryffindor quidditch robes.

If only Harry was still alive…

A soft giggle came from behind him. James turned on the spot and came face to face with a child.

He looked to be about 3 or 4 years old, with unruly, black hair and big, emerald eyes.

Strangest of all, the boy seemed to have a sort of transparent hue around him. Like he was a ghost...but not quite.

James felt like he couldn't breath. Was this Harry's ghost in front of him? But no, it couldn't have been. Ghosts appear the age that they die at. Surely, death eaters wouldn't keep Harry alive for a few years just to kill him?

James reached out to cup his son's chin but his hand passed right through him.

Harry suddenly giggled and pranced toward the door. He turned to look at James once and cocked his head to the side, like he was asking James to follow, and then stepped through the door.

All James could do was run after him.


They traveled down a dirt trail that wound through scraggly trees. James could barely see in front of him. He had to practically run in order to keep sight of his son. The entire way down, James tripped and stumbled after Harry, calling his name, desperately trying to reach his son.


Harry led him to a lake.

The moonlight illuminated the surface of the water, casting the mist above it a silvery white.

They stopped at the edge of the water. James reached out to his son again, but Harry moved away.

He suddenly pointed towards James' left, a little further down the bank of the water.

James followed his gaze and saw nothing. He turned back to his son but Harry was gone. Nothing could prove that Harry was ever there.

James took a shaky breath and turned back to where Harry pointed. He knew that his son was there. He could feel it. Ghost, or not, Harry was there, with him...and he wanted something.

James walked toward the spot that Harry pointed to. He suddenly stopped short. On the bank of the water, there was a boy. He looked to be around 14 or 15 years old. James knelt down next to the boy.

He had messy jet black hair, much like James'. His cheekbones also looked strikingly similar. Though, his nose and eyes looked like Lily's.

James breathed in sharply. Harry would be 15. James shuddered. If this boy had green eyes...

The boy suddenly groaned softly and opened his eyes. They were green. Bright emerald green. Just like Lily's.

The boy suddenly spoke. "What..? Who..?" He stuttered, unsuccessfully trying to sit up.

James tensed. He felt like he couldn't breath.d "What's your name?"

The boy blinked. "Harry." He said before he passed out again.


James woke up gasping for breath.

He could vaguely hear Lily calling his name, but he didn't respond. He hurriedly pulled on his cloak and trainers and practically ran out of the door. Lily ran after him in an attempt to stop him, but it was in vain.

James ran down the same trail that the ghost Harry led him down. He arrived at the lake and immediately stumbled toward the bank. He could see the mist, glowing silver, like in the dream. He could feel Lily next to him, but none of it mattered.

The only thing that mattered was Harry.

James stepped toward the spot where he had found his son. He wanted to hope, cry, scream all at the same time. Please let Harry be there. Please let him have a second chance.

James stepped closer, his heart beating hard in his chest. He peered around the bush and…

...Harry was there.

James sighed in relief and quickly dropped to his knees, next to his son. He tentatively brushed Harry's hair from his eyes. Harry was here. Harry was with him.

Lily dropped down next to James. Tears clouded her green eyes. "I...Is that..?" James nodded, still stroking Harry's hair. "It's Harry, Lily." He said, releasing a sob. "It's our son."

No longer willing to control his emotions, James let the tears fall, still clutching his family.


Lily's PoV

They eventually made their way back to their small cottage. James had harry clutched in his arms while Lily held her son's hand.

On the way back, James told Lily about his dream. Lily had no reason to doubt him. She knew (maybe mother's instinct) that is was her son as soon as she saw him.

Her son.

Lily still couldn't believe it: 14 years had gone by and now Lily was with her son again. She had always dreamed of having a child. Even when she was younger, she always wanted to have a child and teach them about the world. Lily never wanted to believe that Harry was dead. She never wanted to accept the fact that her only child was forever gone from the world.

And now he was here…


When they got back to their house, James set Harry on the couch and charmed the lights to turn on.

Lily glanced at her son and started, the blood draining from her face.

"James!" She shrieked, running to Harry.

James glanced over at Harry and blanched, running over.

There was so much blood. Harry seemed to have been covered in it. He had cuts on his arms and legs, along with old bruises. There was also a nasty laceration on his forehead.

"How did..? What..? Lily..?"

"It was dark." She said uncertainly. "We were shocked. Quickly James! Get everything from my medicine cupboard! Harry could die if we don't do something!"


A/N: I want to thank everyone for the support that they have had on this story. Thank you for the reviews and even just the follows on this story. I really appreciate it. I plan to continue this story and post chapters regularly. Tell me what you liked/disliked about this chapter. I'm willing to answer any questions as well.

Thanks again.

-Aroissa