AU where James doesn't give Dumbledore his Invisibility Cloak, and only Lily dies.

Warning for implied/referenced canon death.

He's too young. Too young to have seen death.

James holds his son in his arms, humming a tune that makes his heart ache — Lily used to sing this same song to put Harry to sleep — and it's not the same, and Harry senses it. He squirms uncomfortably in James's arms for a while before he falls into a fitful sleep.

Setting him down in the (broken) crib (only the bed is intact), James silently shuts the door and slides to the floor, tears pricking his eyes.

Unfair. That's what this is. He and Harry are alive because of Lily's sacrifice. The worst part is that James can understand it — he would've done the same thing in a heartbeat. There is nothing he won't do for his wife and son — even if it is running to the store to pick up some groceries under his Invisibility Cloak. He should've given the cloak to Dumbledore, as the man had requested. Stupid.

Stupid.

It's nights like these that are the hardest, with the thunder rumbling and the rain pattering the patched roof. Lily had always loved the rain — she said it was soothing, lulling.

Now James seeks its comfort, closing his eyes and remembering a rain-drenched day, dark red hair plastered to her face, eyes shut and her arms wide open.

Merlin, she'd been gorgeous then, even more so than usual. The water cascading down her her face, collecting in her hair like crystal beads, he couldn't believe the sight before him.

"James," she'd said joyfully, "come here. You've got to feel this."

"I don't want to get wet," he'd said childishly. "Besides, classes start soon, we need to get you dry."

She'd cracked open one eye. "Who are you, and what have you done to James Potter? The boy I know would've never passed up a chance to skive off classes. We've got all the time in the world. Come here."

He'd heeded her then, taking one tentative step into the rain, and flinched as the icy water hit his skin. "I —"

"Come on." Lily had tugged on his arm until he was fully out in the open, at the mercy of the downpour. "See, it's not so bad."

"...Yeah," he'd half-lied. It had been easier to lie when he'd seen the light in her eyes.

It had been so much easier when she'd been around.

Now, James tucks his head between his knees and lets his tears fall, his sobs echoing every clap of thunder.

He'd known Lily then, but Harry would never get to; he'd only have the memories his father could give him — he'd never know about her childhood, her sister, her parents, anything. Only stories James could remember. He'd never know Lily.

But James would be damned if he let Harry grow up without even having those memories.

478 words

Hufflepuff Fight Club - Fight - (Genre) Hurt/Comfort

Assignment 5, Quidditch Lessons Task 4 - Write about being affected by something happening to a friend/significant other.