Disclaimer: I know! I know! I do not own Harry Potter and related items! (Man! For the hundredth time already!)

This chapter is dedicated to none other than the magnificent Talon! You are a true Marauder! Forever cause trouble. And be Forever my Friend.

Annnddd... To the late Sirius Black. Though many years go by, your memory shall live on... Lest we forget... But we shall never forget... For we shall look to the stars!

... Forever look to the stars...

Chapter 7 Last Prayers:

James watched Peter with fury until he was out of sight. He didn't know which feeling to let in... Anger... or sadness...?

That liar... that murderous traitor! That lying filthy RAT!

James felt strange... he understood what was happening, yet, he felt so confused. How could Peter have done this to him? Not just to him, but to his family? Everything seemed hazy.

"...James...?" Lily whispered beside him. Her voice was shaky and unsure.

Death was coming for them. And there was no way to stop it. Was this it? Was this fate?

James just continued to stare out the window in shock.

"...Can this really be happening...?" James said in a faint whisper.

Lily's hand touched his shoulder. Suddenly, James filled with anger, terrible anger.

"That traitorous rat!" He yelled. Pulling away from Lily. "That murderous betrayer!" James kicked the wall.

"James..." Lily tried to comfort. But James wouldn't listen.

"THAT FILTHY, OUTRAGING GIT!" And with that James knocked over a table, shattering a lamp.

"James, please!" Lily pleaded. There was a great tone of sadness in her voice.

Harry started to give out little sobs.

"IF I EVER SEE HIM AGAIN, I'LL KILL HIM!" James roared, smashing dishes.

"James, James please stop..." Lily's voice cracked.

"IS THIS WHAT I'VE LIVED FOR! IS THIS ALL MY LIFE HAS BROUGHT ME!"

"James, it's not your fault..."

Harry began to cry as James turned over another table in fury.

"Stop it! You're scaring him!"

"I WON'T LET THIS HAPPEN! I'LL KILL THAT RAT! YOU HERE THAT PETER? I'LL KILL YOU!"

"James, we can get through this! Please, just stop!" Lily pleaded.

"How Lily! How! How do we get through this! I don't know what to do! I don't have all the answers!" James's voice cracked. He turned and looked at Lily. Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears. He had never yelled at her before.

James's back slid down the wall as he took a seat on the floor. He kept his eyes down to the ground, unsure what to think or do. They had nowhere to go. Nowhere to run, for the house was surely under watch. Even if they tried to run, they'd be caught. For Voldemort watches all...

Lily slowly walked over and kneeled down in front of him. Harry's cries slowly subsiding, she set him down.

James felt overwhelmed and couldn't stop the corners of his eyes from stinging.

"It wasn't supposed to end this way." James managed to whisper. He felt Lily's hand touch his cheek.

"It's not the end." Lily whispered back.

James looked up into her bright green eyes. His heart ached terribly as he saw a single tear fall down her cheek. Her long red hair falling across her shoulders. She had never looked so beautiful.

She continued in a shaky voice. "For death is but the next great adventure."

James looked at her sadly.

She gave a small, sad smile, "And you've always loved adventure."

James gave a sad smile back, and pulled her into a tight embrace. For what he wished could have been eternity, they hugged. Lily sobbed into his shoulder. This was one of the few times James allowed tears to fall from his own eyes. And he knew it would be the last. For fate knows not how to forgive.

Harry tugged at the hem of James's robes. He pulled away from Lily and looked down as his only son. What tore at James was that Harry had no clue what was happening. No clue that in what could be a matter of minutes, they could all be dead.

And poor Harry, who barely was given a chance to live.

James picked him up and gave a small smile. Harry smiled back and one small hand reached out and touched James's cheek.

For a split second, James almost felt as though Harry understood what he was feeling. But as Harry's little hand slid away from his face, James knew that Harry would never understand how badly inside he hurt. How sad and depressed he felt. How James's heart yearned to burst in agony. How his soul screamed and wallowed pity.

He and Harry just gazed at each other as James held him, for what he feared would be the last time.

James hugged Harry tightly and kissed him, causing more tears of sadness to run down his cheeks. He loved Harry... more than that boy would ever know...

Lily then took Harry in her arms and gazed at him.

"I-I fear..." Lily whispered, "For other mother's are going to get to raise their child and see them grow." Silent tears ran down her face. "They'll get to teach them how to write and play games..." She started to sob again. "A-And I can't help but feel I'm never going to get to do those things..."

"Time will teach him..." started James.

"Perhaps. But time was stolen from us... and it's not fair."

She kissed Harry and set him down. Then she turned to James, "I'll never get to see him take his first step... I'll never get to here his first real word..."

It tore at James's heart. But not as badly as Lily's. A sound was heard from outside. Lily sat transfixed in horror with her eyes looking out the window. Scared.

James stood up and pulled Lily to her feet. Her touched her cheek to pull her gaze from the window. She looked at him. He didn't want her to have to worry. Not yet.

James pulled her close and held her tightly, facing her away from the window. He didn't want her to panic. He didn't want her to see the flash of green light emitting through the window. The Dark Mark.

But Lily seemed to sense the end was near.

She spoke, but as she did, her voice was scared and shaky, "It's been a wonderful adventure, hasn't it...?

"The best..." James managed to say. His throat felt dry. He could hardly speak. Tears streamed down both their cheeks.

After a long pause Lily slowly, shakily whispered, "...I don't want it to end..."

James thought his heart would tear into pieces.

His voice cracked as he whispered back softly in her ear, "...It won't...not really..."

And with that, they gave what they knew to be their final kiss. Yet, it was the saddest, most passionate one they ever had.

Hearts breaking, hopes dying, dreams shattering, James whispered, "I love you Lily."

She looked into his eyes, "I love you to James...More than you'll ever know..."

James thought to himself. Why were they giving up so easily? Why? They had come so far. But, James felt, that they had both known deep down, since the day of the first meeting of 'The Order of the Phoenix' that they wouldn't make it.

It was true. For now, there was nowhere to go. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. But they had to try.

Suddenly, a blast came from outside. Lily scooped up Harry. James pulled out his mahogany wand and pointed it toward the front door.

A bright light flashed through the keyhole. The door was being unlocked…

"Lily," whispered James, "Run..."

Lily looked at him.

"Take Harry and lock yourselves in the spare bedroom. Understand?" he added urgently.

"No James! I won't leave you!" She shrieked.

"You must! Go now! And no matter what you hear, keep quiet and don't come out!"

"James..." She tried to argue.

"Do it for me Lily! Do it for Harry!"

She looked at James in horror.

"Go Lily! I'll see you again... I promise. Now go!"

Lily held Harry tight in her arms and ran to the bedroom door. Before she closed it she took one last look down the hall at James.

He looked at her. "Listen to me, it is not the end."

She gave a tearful nod and shut the door. As she turned all three locks, she sealed it even tighter with the strongest charms she could think of. Then she sat on the bed and tried to calm Harry. There was no more to do than wait until it was over.

And while she sat there singing softly to Harry, crying all the while, she heard the front door blast to pieces...

She whispered softly to herself, "James, please return to me... I'm scared..."