Chapter 3: James

"Sirius, go get Dumbledore," James said, not daring to take his eyes off Lily. Her breathing had become ragged and she was staring determinedly at the ceiling. There was fear in her eyes and her vibrant red hair clung to her forehead in strands.

Sirius, however, was not all that convinced.

"Mate, d'ya not think you are over-reacting," he asked James in barely a whisper.

James turned furiously on his best friend and fixed him with a deadly stare. "Are you having me on, Padfoot," he spat, "Do you not recognise her behaviour? Three times you have seen her like this, Sirius. Three times! And each of those times, she has been right. Each of those times we have fought with Voldemort. He must have gotten to Peter…"

"James, seriously, think logically. Lily is upset. And who wouldn't be," he added quickly. "She has had a very hard few days. What with everything you have just found out, and having to perform that magic herself, well she is probably just exhausted."

James stood up quickly and went to Lily's side. He rubbed her back and pulled her face down to meet his. He penetrated her gaze, attempting to read her mind. Lily was a mess, and could not be read. James hung his head - Lily never held back from him with her thoughts, and it troubled him to know that his beloved was in such a state that she could not organise her thoughts. He lifted her onto his lap and held her protectively. Lily was still in shock from what she heard - she couldn't see anything, all was in darkness but she heard Peter's voice. She tried desperately to convince herself that she was just recalling when they spoke earlier, but she couldn't help but think that Peter sounded different somehow. His voice sounded menacing, victorious…

Sirius ambled around the room and stopped in front of the fireplace. On the mantelpiece was a picture from Lily and James' wedding day, not so long ago.

"Who is that silly looking sod there, Harry," Sirius asked, pointing at James. In the picture, James looked happy, and smiled and waved and made funny faces at his little boy, while Sirius pointed and laughed with him. Lily, on the other hand looked the picture of supreme elegance in her long, white gown, her shining red hair flowing in gentle curls around her face. Harry laughed with such innocence as only a baby can have.

James, noticing his little boy, sighed loudly. He had not looked at him the same since Dumbledore's grim news. To think, if all went badly, that his little boy might die. He had only just turned one; he had never gotten the chance to live his life.
James swallowed hard, the lump growing large in his throat forcing its way upwards, hot tears stinging his eyes. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes roughly, not wanting to upset Lily. He reached out, wrapped an arm around her and she buried her face in his shoulder. Holding her like this, he remembered simpler times. He thought of when this place was first their home, a comfortable house he inherited off his parents. This time last year, they sat on the porch swing with their 3-month-old baby in their arms.

"Can you imagine, in just a short few years time our little boy will be in Hogwarts," James exclaimed to his beaming wife.

"Oh stop James, that is so far away! I'll be an old lady then," she said, though by the excitement in her voice, it wasn't the first time she thought it.

"I'm so mad the map was confiscated, I would have given it to him on his first day," said James, a trace of bitterness in his tone.

"Hmm, a fine way to start school, getting into mischief," Lily said, in an impeccable impersonation of Professor McGonagall.

"Well he is obviously going to be an honorary Marauder, Lily, just look at him! Spitting image of his old man," said James, grinning wickedly.

"Well lets hope that in his mother's eyes he sees more sense, darling," she chided.

James remembered that night so well. The last of the October sun setting illuminated Lily's flaming red hair and she glowed with a look of pure serenity, the look that had made him fall in love with her all those years ago. 'Pity she didn't return the feeling sooner, we could have spent longer together,' James thought to himself. The hollow pit in the bottom of his chest widened and he felt as though their every minute was precious, as though it was numbered.

He kissed Lily on the forehead; she smiled appreciatively. Her smile, however, did not meet her eyes and James could tell she was feeling the same as he. He turned her towards him and gazed lovingly into her eyes, searching.

Lily complied, and James saw her greatest fear - Harry, dead. James blinked and looked away, murmuring, "Over my dead body." Lily sobbed quietly on his shoulder.

Once more, James fixed his gaze on Sirius. He was dancing around the room with Harry in his arms. Harry was laughing heartily and Sirius was positively beaming. James kissed Lily on the forehead once more, then rested her back onto the chair. He signalled to Sirius to get his attention and walked into the kitchen.

"She seems calmer now, but I would still really appreciate it if you went to find Dumbledore," James whispered to Sirius, "She is never usually wrong about this sort of thing. And what if Peter is injured? Voldemort could be torturing him right now and it's all our fault."

"James, you do realise that Lily hasn't actually said anything? It may just have been a bad dream," Sirius said reasonably.

James shook his head and shifted his gaze through the door to his wife. She was standing at the writing desk reading the spell book she had used earlier. James sighed at the sight of her. Every moment he wasn't by her side was a moment wasted. He didn't know why he was so worried, but he had always understood Lily's moods, her feelings, and he had an ominous feeling about her behaviour. He couldn't bear the thought of putting her in danger. She never approved of Peter, he shouldn't have forced her to use him. Why couldn't he just have been the secret keeper himself? 'Bit late for that now, isn't it,' he thought to himself.

"Please, Sirius," James uttered without looking at him.
Sirius noted the tone of guilt in James' voice. Peter may have been a snivelling little toe-rag, but that didn't mean he deserved to be tortured. Suddenly that same feeling of guilt overcame Sirius. It had been his idea after all. He felt responsible for Peter. Sirius ran a free hand through his long, sleek black hair. He kissed Harry on the forehead and handed him to James.

"If it's cold out there, you owe me one, brother, oh and while we are at it, get any of your funny business outta the way before I come back," he insisted in a sulking tone while make overly elaborate gestures from James to Lily. James smiled coyly and gave Sirius a hug.

"Thanks Sirius," James exhaled loudly. Merely having Sirius agree to this was enough of a load off his shoulders. Dumbledore would soon be with them; surely he would be able to add a few extra charms for protection.

"Right, where is he again," Sirius inquired, rubbing his hands
together. He was a man on a mission - he looked just as he had always done when the Marauders were going on another one of their wild adventures, that same boyish look of mischief carved on his face.

"Leeds, though he didn't say where specifically," said James.

"Right, well that leaves out Apparating and Floo, the bike it is," Sirius exclaimed, getting very excited now. He would use any excuse he could muster just for the chance to take out his flying motorbike. James laughed in spite of himself. Sirius would never change, he would always be the same kid he met that first day on the Hogwart's Express.

"Oh go on then," James exclaimed, patting Sirius on the back and guiding him through the living room. Sirius stopped at Lily to give her a bear hug from behind and kissed her temple in a feeble attempt to lighten the tense atmosphere and make James jealous. Usually, Lily would react to Sirius and flirt with him to tease James, but this time she merely grasped his friend's hand and looked him in the eye.

"Be careful Sirius, we don't want anything bad to happen to our son's Godfather," she said seriously.

Sirius was a little bothered by the importance Lily placed on these words. It felt as though they would be their last, but rather than make the most of them, Sirius just nodded in understanding and smiled at her.

"Won't be long," Sirius said to James before reaching the door.

"Mind that you're not," James said in a mock-motherly tone, "Or your dinner will be gone cold!"

"There's food," Sirius exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"Oh you dog," James remarked slyly.

"Oh you great big dirty stag," Sirius retorted before wrestling with James, they way they always did when they were in the Gryffindor Common Room. It was the best way to get through a boring day, watching all the smitten girls shriek and gasp over the two best-looking, most popular guys in the school.

"Watch the face," said Sirius in a girly voice.

"Bonjour! Don't mess my hair," James mimicked.

They laughed heartily until Lily came to the door with Harry in tow. She stared disbelievingly at the pair of them.
"I don't know who is the bigger baby, Harry or you two," she scolded.

"SORRY, MOM," they replied while Sirius climbed onto the bike. He revved the engine loudly and growled along with it.
"Don't miss me too much," he shouted over the roar of the engine, before pulling a wheelie. On normal motorbikes, this wouldn't really get you anywhere, other than looking like a prat. However, on flying motorbikes, this was the action that pulled the bike from the pavement to the sky.

"Ya'll come back now, ya hear," James shouted after him in a southern accent, smiling broadly. Sirius had an innate way of making James smile, even in the most desperate of situations. James closed the door and took Lily's hand, walking back to the living room.

"Alone at last," he muttered, before pulling her towards him. He pressed every inch of his body against hers and engaged her in a long passionate kiss. He pinned her against the wall and kissed her deeply and lovingly before she pulled back. She gazed lovingly into those deep hazel eyes and felt her heart flutter.

"I love you, Potter," she said, smiling at James.

"I love you too… Potter," he replied and kissed her again.

James pulled away from her and picked up Harry. He held him in his arms and sighed heavily.

"I would do anything for this boy Lily. Anything," he said sincerely. But Lily didn't answer him. When James tore his eyes from his son he saw that Lily's breathing had become quicker. Rage was painted all over her face and she was shaking violently. Although she was visibly upset, she seemed to radiate energy. She reached into her pocket and grabbed her wand.

James followed her gaze and suddenly felt as though his heart had stopped beating in his chest. His mouth became dry and every breath he took was shallow and irregular. His grip tightened on Harry, and he kissed his forehead before passing him to Lily.

"Take him. Go," he commanded. Lily answered without removing her gaze.

"I can't leave you," she said quietly, but fiercely. From outside their living room window, they saw him. He was walking slowly across the road, taking his time, savouring the moment. His crimson robes billowed in the wind and his high-pitched maniacal laugher echoed through the quiet neighbourhood. Only one Death Eater in full-length black robes accompanied him - it seemed to him that taking out a baby was no need for an entourage.

"Lily, please, you have to go. Protect Harry. I will fight him off as long as I can. I'll kill him if I have to. Just please. Go," James said. He found the words hard to say, they stuck in his throat. He knew this was because they were quite possibly the last he would ever say to his beloved wife. A solitary angry tear rolled down his face and he could hear Lily choking beside him. She turned to the writing desk and ripped out a page of the book that was left open. She felt as though her feet were glued to the spot, but for Harry's sake she summoned the courage needed to make those crucial steps. James turned to look at her one last time. Seeing her emerald green eyes glistening with tears, and his baby son cooing in his mother's arms as though there wasn't a trouble in the world, he realised that this indeed was the last time he would see them. This was the end. "Pedetemptim," he said, and as a result time slowed down, and James could say everything he had wanted to say since the first moment he saw Lily.

"I love you Lily. More than you will ever know. I have loved you from the day I first saw you and I only wish that we could have spent our entire lives together. I wanted so much to grow old with you, to have more children, to watch Harry grow into a young man, to have grandchildren," he confessed, glancing at the window every few moments to check the Dark Lord's progress while holding Lily's hand, "This could be the end of everything, Lily. I love you, I'm so sorry I could be such a prat but I do, I love you."

He pressed his lips against hers quickly, feeling her tears dampen his cheeks. He lifted his head and kissed her forehead. Voldemort was glancing in through the living room window, surveying them like animals in a zoo. Lily and James stared at each other for a moment, reading each other's thoughts and in silent agreement both understood what needed to be done.

"James, darling, I am so sorry I denied you for so long. I didn't believe your efforts were sincere, but I am so glad that we have had these years. They have been the most exciting, happiest and saddest years of my life. We have been through so much together, and if anything I love you more for it. I love you more with every passing moment. You are my soul, my life, my everything. You should know, I could never go on without you. I love you," she said, streams of tears flowing from her eyes. They kissed once more, and knew it was over.

"Times up," said a high, cold cruel voice from beside them.

"Go, quickly," James said to Lily, and with one last heart wrenching glance, she apparated out of sight with Harry in
her arms.

"How very touching," Voldemort said, a cruel smile stretched across his thin lips, "True love. It is a pity that you two had to be obstacles in my way…"

"Shut your foul mouth," James spat. His wand was pointed directly at Voldemort, and followed him as he circled around the room.

"Now, now, James, is that any way to treat a guest," Voldemort hissed, enjoying the drawing out of this moment.

"You are no guest. You are uninvited! What did you do to Peter," James shouted, his fury getting the better of him.

That evil grin broadened and something in Voldemort's eyes
flickered.

"ANSWER ME! EVERTE STATUM," James bellowed, knocking Voldemort off his feet. This spell normally threw the victim into the air, but Voldemort merely brushed it off and fixed James with his cold, mirthless stare.

"Oh no, James, no, that wont do… You will have to be taught some manners… Crucio," Voldemort muttered, cackling menacingly as James fell to his knees, pain engulfing his very being. White-hot pokers jabbed his body, he felt as though his skin was being peeled away slowly. When the spell ended, he hung his head limply, struggling to breathe.

"That's more like it Potter," Voldemort spat, "Now, as to your question about your dear friend Peter. Well, I rather thought you would like to see this yourself."

James lifted his head, even though it caused him much pain to do so, to see the Death Eater remove his hood. Peter Pettigrew stared back at him, although James barely recognised his face. He looked confident, self-assured, and wicked. James stood up gingerly, barely believing his own eyes.

"You were my friend, Peter. I trusted you," he said slowly.

"Ha! Some friend! You and Sirius did nothing but make my life a misery, and now its time to pay the piper. Your day is up, Potter," he shouted.

"That will do, Pettigrew, you may leave now," Voldemort said shortly.

Peter looked crestfallen; he had so much he wanted to say to James, he wanted to watch him being tortured.

"Er… Are… are y..you sure, my Lord," Peter stuttered. James recognised him now - this was the whimpering coward he had known all these years.

"I think the Dark Lord is more than a match for a baby and his weak parents," Voldemort yelled, cursing Peter while he was at it, "You will however have the great honour of producing the Dark Mark." Voldemort's eyes flickered and although James was willing to lay down his life for his wife and child, he wasn't going to go down without a fight. Peter scurried for the door, but he didn't get past James.

James swore loudly at him, and punched him in the nose. Peter was knocked backwards; James pointed his wand directly at Peter's chest and said "infindo!" causing a large gash to appear there. Bleeding profusely, Peter received further blows from James, until Voldemort separated them by administering the Crucio curse on James again. Peter limped to the door like a wounded animal and the last words James ever heard him say were "Mosmordre!"

With a blinding green flash, the living room was illuminated by the Dark Mark floating outside the Potter's home. James knew that he had mere seconds to live, and that this murderous despicable excuse for a Wizard was going to go after his family, so he rose valiantly to his feet and stood at his full height. If he was going to die at the hands of this pathetic excuse for a human being, he would do it straight backed and proud, like a man.

Not caring to waste manners on the one who threatened his life and the lives of the ones he cared about, James administered the first blow.

"Suffodio!" he roared, and with precision, many large stab wounds carved Voldemort's body. He was bleeding heavily and thoroughly upset at his condition, but nonetheless, Voldemort was impressed by how valiantly James fought.

"You are indeed a great fighter, James," Voldemort hissed, "Your passion reminds me of how I used to be."

"Don't you ever, EVER compare yourself to me! I would never murder a child," James shouted. Any inhibitions James had were flouted, and though he was merely postponing the moment when Voldemort would utter those deadly words.

"Pity, James, I could have spared your life if you joined me," said Voldemort in a conversational tone, "But if death is what you choose, death is what you shall receive."

The corners of Voldemort's lips curled into a malicious grin as he rubbed his wand between his fingers. James wasted no time sending many curses his way - most of them bounced off with no effect, but Voldemort still bled heavily from the stabbing curse.

"Potter, when will you ever learn? I have made many precautions to ensure my immortality. I may be bleeding now, but it will cease, and I will be strong. And you…," he said, letting his words linger in the thick tense air, "You will be dead. You and your Mudblood wife. Crucio!"

James shuddered, his body writhing in agony. White-hot pokers burnt his eyelids, his fingers bent backwards and he dropped his wand. James was in too much pain to even scream, to catch his breath. His neck seized up and he felt as though he was going to explode with agony. When the curse was lifted, James fell to a heap on the ground gagging and choking. He rolled onto his back, groping for his wand, but Voldemort snatched it from his grasp and snapped it in half.

"No more fair play, Potter, your time is up and you are delaying me from achieving what I came here to accomplish," Voldemort spat in impatient tones. His expression was suddenly curious however, as James Potter struggled to his feet. James knew that, at that moment with no means of defending himself, his time had come. He rose nimbly to his feet and stood up straight, staring directly into those pitiless eyes.

"A worthy foe," Voldemort whispered as he rose his wand and aimed it directly at James' chest, "Avada Kedavra!"

"LILY," James managed to scream before he fell once more to the ground, never to rise again.

Upstairs, Lily felt her heart shatter into a million tiny pieces. Her breath caught in her chest and she dropped to the floor. Her head was spinning as she trembled with despair - James Potter was dead.