Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me! I own nothing! Sue me not!
A/N: HIYO PEEPS!! I'M BACK!! *shies away from angry villagers – er, reviewers – with pitchforks and torches* Don't kill me! I have several very, very good reasons for not updating! a) my special muse-flower pen (don't ask) ran out of ink, so I had to find another one, b) week before Thanksgiving, my class when to DC and I had just finished the chapter, but I couldn't type it or update, c) after DC, my family and I went to Banff, Alberta, and I couldn't type it or update it there, either, d) I moved my computer so the internet didn't work until now when my dad finally fixed it and e) 8th grade is a lot harder than 7th grade!! (my friends can vouch that!)
Anyway, there were some things peeps noticed that I will clarify: I know everyone thinks James died first, but he came out of the wand first, yes? James and Lily died on Halloween, but Midwinter fits my story better. And I am using the veil Sirius fell into as Heaven-ish place, so not to offend anyone.
THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!!! I feel oh so loved!
Carmel March: I so glad you love it! Getting reviews like that from awesome authors makes me all warm and fuzzy!!
North*Star4: Of course I remember you!! And yes, I made Lily's watch like the Weasley clock just because it was a kool idea of Ms. Rowlings'.
Phantom Panda: *munches candy corn* Thanks for the candy corn, Jenny. I hope by the next time I update, it isn't candy corn season again! Hehehehe, jeez, I hope not, but, anyway, thanks for the, er, enthusiastic review!
singingvalentine: very deep stuff me gotsis, yes?
Jamfase: Mon historie est très populaire, non? Ton historie est très populaire, aussi!
Mistress Hermione: Thank you so much!! For reviewing and putting my story under your favorite stories!! I feel très warm and fuzzy right now!
mystic-grim: Here's more! Has anyone ever told you that you have an awesome pen name!
Waterfreak(a.k.a.- you know who): Voldemort is reviewing my story, and … liking it?? Sorry Bee, had to put that in there. I'm glad you like it! You should read some more fanfics, but I don't think they have any by Mercedes Lackey!
DumbledoresQuill: Don't die! Here it is! And thank you for inviting me to join Meeting of the Minds!! That was très chouette!
Seto Forever: My first reviewer!! You should have seen me when I saw that I have a review already! Wow! And I agree, there is virtually nothing on Harry's past! I read something the other day about his past, but of course, now I'm drawing a blank…
Anyway peeps, in the immortal words of Seto Forever, read on!
*This chapter is dedicated to Seto Forever, my first reviewer, and singvalentine, Phantom Panda, DumbledoresQuill sexyJ, and Mistress Hermione, for putting me on their favorites list*
Chapter 2: James
James was sitting in his favorite armchair, reading a book written by a Muggle author, Sun Tzu, called The Art of War. Dumbledore has recommended it to him, saying that it might help him and the other Aurors with their strategies. He was so involved with the book that he didn't even notice that Lily had come down form putting their son to bed until she called his name.
He looked up from his book and put his glasses he was gnawing on back on his face, saying,
"Yes, Lily-of-the-valley?" using an old nickname of Lily's, one she wasn't particularly fond of. James knew something was bothering his wife when she didn't respond to his choice of title for her.
"Does it seem too-" Lily broke off, hesitating, then continued, "I don't know, too quiet to you?"
Pondering this, James replied, "Not really, m'dear, but it is more serene and quiet than usual."
Lily then said, "Well, doesn't it seem, oh, I'm not sure, rather like quiet before the storm?"
At this, James snapped his book shut and hurriedly walked over to Lily, crossing the room in two strides. He knew that something was about to happen. Lily's ability as a Seer, mixed with her natural 6th sense that detected uneasiness and wrongness, made her very fine-tuned when it came to sensing danger; James knew this and always took her seriously at times like these. All he could say was, "Look at your watch."
Lily did so, gasped, then showed it to James. When he saw what the clock-face read, James could feel the blood draining out of his face. Pulling back the curtains, he got, if possible, even paler at the sight just outside his window.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him!" James shouted as he felt the wash of magic of the Fidelius charm disappearing, "Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"
Turning away from Lily dashing up the stairs, James took out his wand and prepared himself for battle. Voldemort soon broke the door down, blasting it to pieces. He laughed a high, cruel laugh when he saw James standing there; ready to defend his home and his love.
"You fool. You and your precious mudblood wife may have escaped the Dark Lord 3 times before, but now your luck has run out," Voldemort hissed.
James spat at the man in front of him, "Don't call Lily a mudblood, Tom. You're a halfblood, yourself. You managing to get into Slytherin with a father like yours is only possible because of Slytherin himself, and you know it."
His foe's eyes flashed an even darker red. "Never mention that scum for whom I was named for again, not insult the might Salazar Slytherin!" With that, the battle began.
James and Lord Voldemort dueled, with James having the upper hand. Suddenly, Riddle shot a dark curse James could not block at him. Flying back into the wall, with his living room crumbling around him, James knew no more.
*
James' eyes sprang open. Judging by what he heard from upstairs, Lily and Voldemort dueling. 'So she hadn't gotten out in time,' James thought as he climbed out of the rubble and bounded up the stairs. He had just reached the top when he heard those fatal words and saw the flash of green light. Feeling his watch change, James glanced at it and saw that Lily's hand was gone. His darling Tiger Lily was dead. With a sudden rush of adrenaline, James burst into the room to avenge his wife's death.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" he roared, wand pointing at Lily's murderer.
Dodging the curses James was spitting out faster than lightning, Lord Voldemort shouted, "Morsmordre!" A huge, glowing green Dark Mark appeared over James' house, or rather, the half that hadn't collapsed in.
Circling, James and his opponent began to duel, picking up from where they left off before.
"So, I see you survived," Voldemort's lip curled into an ugly sneer, "I will have to kill you properly now. Don't worry; I'll enjoy that much, much more."
Sensing what was about to happen, James bellowed, "Avada Kedavra!"
But Tom was faster. Before James was half done, a colossal flash of green light from his foe's wand and James sped away from his body
*
What seemed like a few seconds and a lifetime combined brought James behind the veil. There stood Lily, her family, her best friends, and – could it be? – James' parents, Vivien and Jacob Potter. James ran to them and gave his parents each a bone-breaking hug; Mrs. Potter was an Auror and had been killed in battle in James' 7th year, and Jacob Potter had followed his wife a few months later.
Feeling a tap on his shoulder, James turned around to look into the tear-rimmed eyes of his wife. He took Lily in his arms, and they stood there, surrounded by loved ones, drawing strength from each other.
After a while, Lily stepped back and looked James in the eye, with tears running down her face. "James," she whispered.
Vivien Potter stepped forward and put a gentle hand on her daughter-in-law's shoulder. "You know what your son's fate is," she said in her low, husky voice.
James nodded. "We won't be able to truly help him until he started Hogwarts," he said with regret and certainty, though James wasn't sure how he knew this.
Lily understood, but she buried her face in James' shirt. Stroking her hair, he looked at his watch. Harry's hand had moved from "mortal peril" to "Godric's Hollow."
"Lily!" James whispered urgently, "Lily, he's done it! Harry's defeated Voldemort! Our little baby boy has bested the darkest wizard since Grindelwald!"
Lily looked up at her husband, eyelashes spiked with tears. "Wha-wha-what?!"
Rose Evans stepped forward, next to James' mother.
"Come, see for yourself."
Lily clutched her watch with an extremely tight gripe as the Potters, the Evans, Faye and Yvonne led her away to watch The Boy Who Lived.
A/N: There ya go! I have the next chapter just waiting to be posted, but not without some reviews first! So review! And if anyone wants to beta – read for me, I'd love it! –Mlle. Jennifleur