Last Moments

Author: Ron's Secret Admirer

Rating: PG

Genre: Angst

Summary: A dark, hooded figure stepped up the drive to Number 3, Godric's Hollow. The date was October 31, 1981…

Author's Note: Summary is fairly self-explanatory.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., and various publishers. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Ron's Secret Admirer





James Potter rested comfortably on his living room couch, his wife curled up next to him, sleeping.

He wasn't entirely comfortable, though. They were currently in hiding from the most wretched, evil wizard to ever walk the mortal earth. He went by the name Lord Voldemort.

James wasn't sure why Voldemort was after Lily. He himself was a wizard from a respectable, not to mention powerful wizarding family that had been around for thousands of generations. Lily was a rather powerful, clever witch, but her family was entirely muggle- save Lily herself, of course.

Lily stirred slightly in her sleep, resting her head on James's chest, and fell back into her light nap.

James was listening intently for a noise outside. His best friend Sirius Black was supposed to be here soon, checking on them.

At the last moment, they had switched Secret-Keepers from trustworthy, obvious Sirius to quiet, stuttering Peter Pettigrew.

Sirius claimed it was the perfect diversion, but James couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps it wasn't so wise.

He looked at the clock resting on the mantle, which read 8:48 PM. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of James's neck stiffened uncomfortably. Everything outside had just gotten silent. There were no owls hooting, no Muggle cars driving by on the road a block away.

Lily arose sleepily. "I'd better go check on Harry." She said, referring to their perfect, 1-year-old son asleep upstairs.

James nodded absently, still unable to shake the creepy feeling.

Lily padded quietly up the stairs, and James heard their infant's bedroom door open. Suddenly, the front door burst open, and a dark-cloaked figure loomed in the doorframe.

Voldemort had arrived.

"LILY! IT'S HIM! TAKE HARRY AND RUN!" James shouted upstairs to his wife, praying with all his heart that she would be able to escape in time, with Harry bundled in her arms.

Lily's scream echoed throughout the house, but James paid it no heed. He was busy concentrating on the figure.

"So you've finally arrived." James said icily, his sea-blue eyes glittering maliciously. "Took you long enough. Who gave us up?" He managed to say this calmly, but inside he was shaking with anger, wondering, yet not wanting to hear the answer.

"Your little friend Pettigrew. He was ecstatic when you made him Secret-Keeper. Thought you could keep me away, eh? I guess not. I'm here to kill you and all of your little family, and you can't stop me." Voldemort said in a sing-songy voice, as one might hear from a childhood bully on the playground.

The figure pulled back his hood to reveal Voldemort- a good-looking, healthy man in his thirties. His shoulder-length hair was pulled back into a small ponytail.

James was now shaking with fury. So Peter's pride had gotten the better of him again? How idiotic! I never should have even met him, ignored him when he came into our cabin on the Express-

However, James stopped himself here. No use crying over spilt milk. What's done is done. He thought grimly.

Then, he turned to face his attacker. Voldemort rose to his full height, a towering 6 foot 5 inches, and pulled out his wand.

"Always the respectable, proper wizard, aren't you? I was hoping you would let me get on with it, but I was foolish to expect such a thing." Voldemort said, his calm voice greatly disturbing James.

"Duel, now. How dare you think I'd let you go without a fight? I will beat you, or die fighting for my family. " James retorted.

"CRUCIO!" Voldemort pointed his wand as an ice-blue jet of light shot out.

James fell upon the wooden floor, writhing in pain. His whole mind and body was screaming, telling him to stop the pain, that they couldn't endure it.

Suddenly, the pain stopped. James began to sigh in relief, then thought better of it.

"Now, will you surrender?" Voldemort asked.

"NEVER!" James screamed, hoping against hope, he knew, that Lily would have been able to retrieve Harry and get out of the house by now.

"Then you leave me no choice. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

James felt the life draining from him, could almost see it. It swooshed out. But even then, he thought, Harry cannot die. He will. Not. Die! My son will carry on the Potter name…"

Voldemort, hooded once more, glided up the stairs, cackling.

Then, the body formerly housing James Potter wilted to the floor, never to take a breath again.