Disclaimer: All characters are owned by J K Rowling.
Mnemosyne.
James Potter.
31st October 1981
Godric's Hollow
The fire in the grate flickers, and dies.
The whole house shakes, the whole world is shaking, burning.
He's here.
I can hear curses, explosions, screaming.
Our guard is dead.
Our location betrayed.
He betrayed us.
It's over.
I scream for her to run, "Lily, take Harry and go! It's Him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-"
My voice dies in my throat as the door is blasted in, exploding in a stream of red sparks and dusty rubble.
It's Him.
This is the End.
I stare forwards, wand raised, I'm going to die, but I'm sure as hell not gonna let this bastard touch my wife and son.
I'll die like a man, like a hero.
And I'm taking this piece of shit with me.
I look forwards into his eyes, scarlet, burning, like the devil, like blood set afire.
And I can see death.
My death.
It is time.
The very first thing James Potter can remember is being three years old, when he cried for an hour, non-stop, crying so hard that his very soul ached with each sob, because his Daddy wouldn't read him a bed time story.
He remembers crying and pleading, until eventually James Potter Senior looked down into glistening hazel orbs, and his heart melted. Smiling half lovingly, half exasperatedly, he bent down and scooped up his son, and whispered, "Alright then, my little Champion. What story shall it be?" And as always, little James clapped his hands and squealed delightedly, and crowed the name of his hero. "Ar-tur, Ar-tur!" James Senior chucked, and tossed his son into the air, catching him at the last second. "Kind Arthur it is."
Once Little James was tucked securely into his little bed, James Senior sat beside him, and in the light of a softly glowing candle that floated by the head of the bead, summoned a thick, leather bound story book. "Well. Once upon a time, back in the days when Merlin himself walked the Earth, there was a young Wizard by the name of Arthur. He was a very normal boy - not extra powerful, not extra good, not even extra loved. For Arthur had no Mummy and no Daddy. He lived with his Uncle, Cousin Kay, who did there best to be good to the boy. Despite having no parents, Arthur grew into a strong young man, courageous, and brave. However, he was always left in the shadow cast by his Cousin, and was no more than a lowly Potions Apprentice.
"Until one day, Kay asked Arthur to fetch his sword from the lodge, so that Kay could participate in a Wizard's Duel. Arthur readily agreed to assist his cousin, and flew for home as fast as his broom would carry him. However, time was short, and Arthur was passing over a cemetery when he saw a glint of silver. He landed, and hurried over to the source of the light. It was a sword, long and silver, with a ruby in the hilt the size of a phoenix egg, embedded in a large stone. Arthur decided to borrow the sword, and return it later. He grasped the handle, and the sword slid smoothly out of the rock, like a mermaid leaping out of water. He hurried to the battle ground, and as soon as all the Wizards saw him, they knew. Arthur was the rightful King of Briton. It was his destiny.
"For the legend said that only the heir of the late King Uther Pendragon could remove the sword from the stone, and though many Kings and Princes and Lords had tried, only young Arthur, a mere Apprentice, could wield the mighty Excalibur.
"King Arthur went on to perform many heroic deeds, and save many lives, but at the end of his days, he cast the sword deep into a lake, where it was taken to the magic isle of Avalon, to be cared for until the next rightful owner should emerge, worthy of carrying the Sword of Arthur.
"And one day, a man was deemed worthy. Godric Gryffindor, one of the founders of Hogwarts… Brave, courageous, a hero. That's the type of people that get put in Gryffindor, Jamie Boy. Heroes." James Junior immediately (albeit sleepily,) demanded to be put in Gryffindor. James Senior laughed, and told him only the worthy go to Gryffindor, and it was up to fate, destiny, and an old Hat to decide. James was puzzled, but James Senior just laughed, and told him to wait until he went to Hogwarts. "Jamie, on your first day at Hogwarts… You'll understand. I promise." Little James just blinked at him sleepily, and sucked his thumb, and thought to himself, I'll be a hero. I'll make you proud, Daddy. Whatever it takes. I'm a Gryffindor. Then his dark haired head hit the pillow, and he was asleep.
Eight years later, and young James Potter was standing in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, under the bewitched ceiling, all lit up with candles and stars. However, the eleven year old boy had no patience for the beauty and splendour of the night sky. Instead, he was hopping up and down impatiently, desperately searching for the Hat. Eventually, after what seemed like agonising years of waiting, the dark haired, severe faced witch known as Minerva McGonagall called his name. "Potter, James!" James grinned, and impatiently hurried through the throng of First Year Students. Gryffindor, here I come! he thought, ignoring the flutter of uncertainty in the pit of his stomach as he raced up to the dais. He scooped up the Hat, and plonked it on his head, the expectancy at what he would hear almost unbearable. Well now, here's a face I always knew id see again. Little Jamie Potter. Come back again, have we? Its nice to see you following the conventional route this time…
James flushed, at the use of his pet name, and at the slight rebuke in the words. Im sorry! He thought defensively, remembering the time he had crept into Uncle Dumby's office, seven years old, and tried the Hat on. I wanted to know… But you already did! laughed the Hat. James Potter. You are courageous, loyal, and you will grow into one of the best men I've ever sorted. But be careful. A man is judged not how he teaches his equals, but how he treats his inferiors. Keep your friends close, James. A mental HUH? reverberated around the eleven year old's mind, and the Hat laughed again. Don't worry, James. You've always known where you'd end up. It's time James, time to go home.. For you are, and always will be, "GRYFFINDOR!"
James leapt up with a whoop, throwing the Hat high in the air in pure ecstasy. "YEAH!" He shouted happily, and was rewarded with a chuckle from Dumbledore, and a severe frown from McGonagall, who carefully levitated the precious Hat back to its stool. James flushed guiltily. "Sorry." he muttered, partially to McGonagall, and partially to the chuckling Hat. The he grinned, and sat at the Gryffindor table, his heart singing as he gazed at the red and gold banner, the lion roaring proudly. Here he was home, amongst heroes.
The very worst thing James can remember, is the day he realised that he had failed everyone. It was June, and he was fifteen years old - practically a man. It was the day of his Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL exam, and it was also the day that he realised he completely hated the person he was growing into. He woke up late, and ran to the Great Hall, knocking people over, never once stopping to apologise, or help them up. He wolfed his food, and snatched the biggest rasher of bacon, and knocked pumpkin juice all over Alice's revision notes - and then laughed at her for being dumb enough to think revision notes are gonna help a hopeless case like herself.
Then, after the exams, he went down to the lake, and chatted with his gang about the exam - dismissing Peter's worries, dismissing Peter full stop. He started playing with the practice Snitch that he had nicked, basking in the hero worship bestowed on him by the same chubby boy that he practically ignored earlier. He rumpled his hair, constantly showing off, preening, and generally thinking he was King of the world. Then it happened. He had bullied Severus Snape, humiliated him. Just because he was a Slytherin. Because he was different. Because he was weaker. Because he existed. Because James could.
James could never again think back on this without shame. Lily Evans. She had been the only one to stand up to James, to deflate his conceited head. She was the only one not afraid to tell him that he was an arrogant, bullying toerag. Consequently, she wouldn't go out with him if it was a choice between him and the Giant Squid.
That night, he lay awake, listening again and again to Lily's rebukes. It was that night that he realised what a mess he was making of his life, of everything. It was that night that for the first time in many years, James Potter cried himself to sleep.
Three years later is one of the happiest moments of James' life. There are still similarities. He still woke up late. The only person he listened to was still Sirius. He still ran around and knocked people over. But he always apologised, and well he did have an excuse. After all, it was his wedding day. He dressed in his brand new Dress Robes, and attempted to flatten his wild black hair. It was hopeless. He sighed, and was just about to go into a full scale Potter panic, and just leg it out of the window, when Sirius burst into the room. "Right, Potter, let's get one thing straight!" He barked, "You are going to CALM DOWN! Merlin knows I have always hated that red-headed bint, but d'you know what, James? Today, I LOVE her, because she is giving you the one thing I never could. She is going to make you the happiest man alive, James. You are going to let me fix your hair, have a shot of Firewhisky, and then we are going to go out there, and show everyone what you're made of!"
James buckled under his friends fiery gaze, and succumbed to the hair treatment, but refused the stiff drink. Sirius had several. "Seriously, though…" His friend grinned, but refrained from any comments. "No really, what… What if I'm making the biggest mistake of my life? don't get me wrong, I love Lily. With all my heart. But what if I'm wrong… I just… Sirius, I'm scared." It took a lot for him to admit that. It took every ounce of his Gryffindor bravery to continue. "I'm scared that it will come between us. I mean, it'll be me and lily. Lily and James, Sirius and Remus. And… Well what happened to Siri and Jamie? The first Marauders. We're best friends. You're the brother I never had. I would trust you with my life, and I just don't want my marriage to come between us, and change that."
Sirius nodded, smiled, and embraced James, like a brother would, without the awkward manly back slapping or verbal exchange the usually accompanied such displays of affection. James then followed his Best Man out to the Lake, where the ceremony was to take place, and said his vows with not a single tremor or split second of hesitation. He whispered "I love you." She smiled, took his hand, and swore to love him forever. And whenever he looked back at the wedding photos, Lily in his arms, Sirius by his side, watching his back… James realised just how right it all really was.
James can also remember the moment his son Harry was born. He had been nervous, and received many pep talks from Padfoot, who was ecstatic about the whole thing. Lily was so overcome with his enthusiasm and attempts and helpfulness that she agreed to name him Godfather. Then when Harry was born, a bundle of black hair and green eyes, and a smile as bright as the sun, James had felt like his life was complete. He had a son. He would tell him bedtime stories, raise him to be a hero. His son would look up to him, love him. He had a son.
James had apparated his wife back to Godric's Hollow, his son Harry in his arms, and the look on Padfoot's face… It was a strange expression, a kind of crumpled delight. "James…" he choked. "He looks like you."
James had nodded, beaming, and as Lily received compliments from "Uncle Remus, yes he is…" James had taken Sirius to one side.
"Padfoot, Me and Lily would be honoured if you would be Harry's Godfather. Y'know, buy him presents, look after him if anything happened to us…" Sirius had astonished him then, by actually crying. Well, he had let out a choked whimper, and a single tear had escaped, and before James knew it, he was trapped in the fiercest bear hug of his entire life. When he was released, there was no sign of the tear, but Sirius' eyes were shining with delight.
"Prongs," he said, "Prongs, I swear on my life that I will love that boy like my own, and if, Merlin forbid, anything should happen to you and Lily, then I would protect him with everything I have." James nodded and smiled, and handed the overcome man his Godson. "Hey kiddo…" whispered Sirius. James grinned, and clasped Lily's hand in his own.
"Thank you." He whispered to his wife. She smiled back, her green eyes glittering.
"I love you." She whispered.
"I love you too." he whispered back. "I always will." He will always remember the feel of her in his arms. He will always remember holding his boy close, and seeing her eyes gazing back.
He will never forget them.
They are his family.
His life has passed before his eyes in a matter of seconds.
This is it.
He knows he can't survive an encounter with Voldemort.
But he doesn't wasn't his last thoughts to be of fear, of cowardice and darkness.
He looks to the floor, where a photograph lies smashed, crushed by a Death Eaters boot, the glass glittering in the moonlight.
But it doesn't matter, because he can still see his darling, darling Lily smiling and waving up at him, his one year old baby laughing happily, his green eyes dancing.
He smiles, and though his soft brown eyes are blurred with tears, he doesn't cry, doesn't beg.
Its just his time.
He is protecting what he loves.
He is a hero.
The last thing James Potter sees is a flash of green.
Green like fresh cut grass, like candlelight bouncing off an emerald.
Green, like his son's eyes.