Prompt: comforting after nightmares
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." ––Albus Dumbledore
He was sitting in the living room of their home in Godric's Hollow, playing with his toddler son. A sense of dread washed over him and the smile fell from his face.
A man burst through the door, and James just knew it was him. The man who wanted to kill his only son. Voldemort. He shouldn't know where they were. How did he find them? Something must have happened to Sirius. His soul ached at the loss of his brother, but he needed to protect his family.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" he shouted to his wife. She picked their son up off the ground and rushed up the back stairs. With one last look he tried to convey everything to his wife: the love he had for her and their son, how much he wished they'd had longer, and his hope for them to survive.
He turned to face the evil man intent on murdering his innocent child. This evil dark lord. But where was his wand? Desperately he patted his pockets and looked all around him, but could not find it anywhere. The man burst through their door, but before James could even call out a warning, he was met with a flash of blinding green light.
He was dead.
He knew he was dead.
He'd heard the spell, and felt it's blow, but he remained. How?
James watched as the man started up the stairs to where Lily had escaped with Harry. No. This man would not hurt his family.
With great effort, James wrenched himself off the floor and put himself directly in the dark wizard's path again. But Voldemort stepped through him as if he were no more than a ghost and continued up the stairs. James forced himself out of his shock and sprinted up the stairs after him. He ran to Harry's room and felt his heart stop dead as he heard Harry's muffled cry. He was still here. Why was he still here. Why hadn't he and Lily left yet?
He desperately tried to move through the door as Voldemort had walked through him, but couldn't. The door felt as solid as ever, and James could do nothing about it. He could not speak. He could not warn them. He said the words, but no sound came out. He banged helplessly against the door, silent sobs ripped from his throat at the fate that awaited his wife and son.
Voldemort reached the door and blasted it open, James rushed in as soon as he did so. Lily let out an anguished sob, knowing what his arrival had meant for James. "Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" she begged the dark wizard, and James' heart broke all over again for his beloved wife.
"Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside now!" Voldemort hissed in an inhuman voice.
Lily didn't listen. Never faltered. She put herself between the dark wizard and their son in his crib. She spread her arms wide, as if hoping the expanse of her body could spare their son from a madman's ruthless agenda.
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead–"
James sobbed silently, hoping his presence– however intangible– might be felt by his family in their last moments.
"This is my last warning–"
"Not Harry! Please… have mercy… have mercy… Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything–"
"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"
The green flash of the killing curse filled the room and his wife dropped to the ground, her eyes lifeless. James threw his head back and wailed. He felt her loss like a part of his soul.
Voldemort aimed his wand a final time. Pointing his wand in Harry's face. Harry began to cry, his little eyes– Lily's eyes– searching the room for his parents.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The blinding green light flared once more.
Then it was gone. James sat up, gasping for air and ripping the sheets off his body. Blindly, he fumbled for his wand, snatching it up off of the bedside table. With a wave, he lit every lamp in the room.
"James? What is it? What's wrong?" came Lily's sleepy voice.
He almost didn't want to turn. He didn't want to know if it had been real. It had felt so real.
"James?" she asked again, concern coloring her voice.
He gave in, and turned to face his wife where she now sat up in their bed. She looked confused, and a little concerned. Her belly still swollen with their unborn son.
He let out a sob of relief, pulling her close to him and peppering her face with kisses.
"James, what–"
Relieved tears flowed down his face as he sat back and told her his dream. Her face grew horrified, and she pulled him against her, cradling his head against her neck. She ran a soothing hand through his hair, the other resting on her belly.
"Don't worry, my love," Lily soothed, "It was just a dream. Harry and I are safe and sound. You're not going to lose us. I promise."
"It was just a dream. It was just a dream," she whispered again. He wrapped his arms tighter around her– placing a protective hand over her stomach where their unborn son grew, safe, in his parents' love.