It already had been seven years since the night Lily asked his husband about getting into the Dark Lord service and protection. They had done so many things to really gain the Lord's trust and now that they had they didn't want to lose it.
It had all happened so gradually that James and Lily never realized they had really changed their Magic with that leader change.
The first night they met with Lord Voldemort, they were nervous about it. Lily was paler than usual and James felt like a bludger was inside him.
James remembered that night just as much as he remembered the day he married Lily or the day his parents died and almost as much as how he felt when Harry was born.
James and Lily were sitting in their living room talking softly and mostly in whispers, drinking linden tea and eating biscuits to help stop their nerves. It wasn't resulting, but they felt normal. It probably was the last night they would felt like they were normal.
After this, they would be killing machines along with the other Death Eaters. Or so they thought.
As soon as the clock gave the eleventh hour of that night, they heard the sound of someone apparating. They stood up and Lily turned to see James.
There could always be something wrong with their negotiations, so James kissed his wife and Lily mouthed the words 'I love you'.
There was a knock at their door.
"Come in" said James with a voice full of faked confidence.
The door opened quickly, so the Potter marriage prepared to leave the House. They seemed to be in a hurry.
"Lily" greeted Severus once he was inside the living room.
"Severus" greeted back the woman.
"As much as I would like to drink tea and socialize, this isn't the time, Snape, Potter" said Dolohov, once again showing his dislike for the Potters and his like for business.
"Take this portkey outside of the wards" said Snape in his usual tone. "It will get you to the Lord's Manor"
"Wait!" said James. "How are we sure you're not going to ambush us or kill us when we leave the wards?"
Snape smirked and Dolohov sneered.
"If we kill you, the Lord will murder us"
They didn't know if that helped.
Ten minutes later, they were in a Victorian looking ballroom, waiting for the Dark Lord.
Surrounding the Main stairs they were a lot of Death Eaters in their Masks and Robes.
Lily wondered if she would have to stand there, dressed like them one day.
Soon, they were lead to a small chamber when they met some other aspiring Death Eaters and a well-known family.
There were the Weasley father and two of his children. They were sleeping in the arms of their father and looked no more than one or two years old. The rest of the men and women leaved them alone wondering what were those children doing there.
"Arthur?" asked James.
The patriarch of the redhead family saw them and attempted to smile but failed.
The look in his eyes made Lily and James approach and ask what was he doing there.
Arthur looked at his two kids and sighed.
"They inherited my mother's magic"
At the confused looks of the younger couple Arthur explained.
"My mother was Cedrella Black" he whispered. "When my sons were born and tested, they showed her magic. Molly wanted them gone"
Lily gasped. How could a mother want to get rid of her children? No matter what kind of magic his child got, she would never want him or she gone, even if her child had an affinity for Blood Magic.
"I'm sorry, Arthur" said sincerely James "What are you going to do?"
The redhead sighed again and James could see some fear in his eyes.
"My mother was disowned by her family and mine and Molly's family are Light" Arthur's words were impassive but there was no doubt of the sadness he felt. "I want someone to take them and care for them, but I know if some random Death Eater took my sons he would kill them"
"So you came to ask the Dark Lord himself" said Lily.
Arthur looked at her.
"I love them too much to just get rid of them easily, and even if I have to beg for Voldemort to take them in, I will"
They kept in silence after that, until another masked Death Eater came and took Arthur and his sons with them.
They waited for almost an hour in which the rest of the men and women came and went.
"Potters" said a voice they now recognized as Dolohov. "Follow me"
They did as he said and walked behind him, Lily's hand between James'.
Just as they entered the ballroom, the saw him standing next to a small table with beverages and some snacks.
The Dark Lord was expecting them with an amused expression on his normally impassive face. His eyes showed them he was not playing with them; he really wanted them at his service.
"Good night, James, Lillian" he said with a hint of respect in his voice. After all, they had faced him three times and the three they escaped alive. "Please, take a sit"
They sat in silent and for the first time noticed that the rest of the Death Eaters had left the place. Only Snape and Dolohov remained.
"So" began the Dark Lord. "My servants tell me you want my protection. Why should I care about you? Why do you think I will help you?"
Lily fidgeted on her chair.
"You are prophesized to kill our child" said James "we don't want that"
The Dark Lord smirked.
"So you know about the prophecy" he said "Then why do you risk coming in here?"
"Because" said Lily this time, "if our child were to grow knowing your ideals and learned from the cradle to look up to you, he wouldn't need to kill you. And you wouldn't kill a faithful servant because of a prophecy that never became reality"
Once again, the Dark Lord smirked, but this time, he did so while thinking about the possibilities.
This could work.
"I accept" he said.
James and Lily were surprised by the declarations of their new Lord.
"I won't take the Mark" said James quickly.
"I didn't think you would want it James" said the Dark Lord. "After all, why would a proud pureblood of two great and old families submit his Magic to another wizard, no matter his power?"
"Lily won't take it either" said again James.
"Do not worry and do not fear my Mark, Potters" said the Dark Lord. "But no, Lillian will not take it" he paused. "I have grater plans for you"
His smiled froze the couple.
James took a look at the clock. Two fifty eight of the afternoon.
He left his study room and went to the parlor, where he knew his wife must be, teaching his first son some History.
Surprisingly, that uncertain choice he did so much time ago resulted in the best thing for his family.
After the Dark Lord accepted them, he asked for some things to prove their loyalty; James and Lily convinced Sirius and Remus to join the Dark Lord.
It had been so easy to do it. They just told them about their Lord's protection to their child and that did it.
A month after the first meeting with the Dark Lord, James met with him again, this time with Sirius and Remus there.
They were inside the Dark Lord's Manor in the same chambers that James and Lily had been the last time, waiting for Lord Voldemort to come.
James felt a little guilty of having to make his friends join his Lord, but it was worth it, he was sure.
"If it isn't my dearest cousin Sirius" said the baby like voice of Bellatrix. "Look at him, so little and scared of my Lord, and yet he is here to ask and beg to him"
Sirius tensed, but remembered why he was there. This would help the little Marauder. He ignored the taunts of his cousin while he waited and instead began thinking of how his life would change. His Mother would be so proud of him.
Remus was a bit nervous. There they were, three of the four Marauders, about to join the Dark Lord's cause. They were between six of the more powerful Death Eaters and he could smell a werewolf near. If he wasn't mistaken, Greyback was just outside the property.
The Dark Lord interrupted everyone's thoughts with his sudden arrival and even Bellatrix looked more composed.
"James, it is nice to see you accomplished your task" he said looking at the two friends of Potter. "Now, Sirius, Remus you should be honored your friend decided to obey me"
The mentioned men felt a shudder.
"Your life will get better now" continued the Dark Lord. "With Sirius assuming his Lordship over his family and Remus accepting his darker side with our help, you will be… happier"
It was such a long time ago.
And just as their Lord said, they were happier.
It was difficult at first with Lily being a muggleborn and he coming from a Light family, but after Lily cursed Bella that time she made her angry, everyone started to respect his wife.
He smiled fondly at the memory. Not only because it made the Death Eaters think twice about attacking them, but because that also marked a beautiful friendship with the Lestrange marriage.
James found it funny to think about his muggleborn wife being friends with Bella Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy.
He himself had a few friends within the Death Eaters. Of course, Sirius and Remus were his best mates, but surprisingly, Snape, Dolohov and Rodolphus Lestrange were also his friends.
They never took the Mark and neither did Remus and Sirius. They were part of a little spy game and everything that Dumbledore did was dutifully reported to the Dark Lord. They laughed about it whenever they mentioned the Order of the Phoenix.
James stopped his thoughts about the matter by the time he reached Harry's room.
There, on the door, was a sign made of red and silver that read "Harrison".
He opened the door and just stood there in the hallway. The room was impeccable, no doubt thanks to Dipp, their house elf, but there was some parchment lying on the bed and desk along with various books and a quaffle. It looked like any kid's room, but James knew of some differences.
First there was one door near the bed. It lead to a small gallery with Harry's paintings. That kid was such a good artist it was incredible. Then, there was another door besides the big window. Beyond the door was a small cot where Harry kept his brooms. He had started a collection a few months ago and already had seven brooms. Harry was a great chaser, just like him. James laughed softly and closed the door.
He kept walking until he encountered another door. This time, with a red and black plaque, he found the words 'Charlus' room'.
He repeated the procedure and opened the door to his second son room.
This was a little messier, but that was to be expected of a three years old boy. Charlus had a smaller room than Harry and it was full of toys and different colored pencils. He had his small toy broom on his bead and had a few empty boxes of candy.
While Harry was a mixture of his parents' likes and personalities, Charlus was just like James when he was a boy.
James closed the door once more until he reached the stairs. Making sure his wife wasn't near, he slid down the banister of the staircase.
No matter if he was on the Dark Lord's service, some things never changed.
He reached the parlor just in time to see Harry run out the 'classroom' and smiled.
"Bye, dad!" said his son as he passed by his side.
He entered to find his wife and second son sitting on their couch.
They always preferred to sit together, while Harry and James were more independent in that sense. Harry sat on a smaller couch and James in a comfortable grand chair.
"Hey, love" said James, bending to kiss Lily's lips. "Hello, little lion" he said to Charlus.
"Harry was a bit excited today" she said. "He wanted to go and visit Cepheus and Cetus"
"I don't know if they are a bad influence on him or he on them"
Cepheus and Cetus Lestrange were the once Fred and George Weasley. They had been the adoptive sons of Bella and Rodolphus since Arthur leave them with the Dark Lord.
"I think it is Harry the bad influence" said Lily.
"Cepheus and Cetus are wicked!" said Charlus with a sleepy smile.
The couple laughed at their son. It took him a while to learn to pronounce their names and now he used them in almost any sentence.
"Well" James said to his son "Cepheus and Cetus sleep their naps, maybe you should too, little lion"
"Yes, dad" He said as he climbed down the couch and went to his room.
"They are both very independent James" said Lily with a fond look.
"I know, Heka" said James using the name Bellatrix gave to his wife when she was 'adopted' by the Black family. "They are weird"
"James!" said Lily.
"What? They are!" responded James, smiling at his wife.
"They're not!"
"They are!"
"You, are a half-witted, mutton-headed fool James Potter!"
James smiled. Some things never change.