Potter cottage

James Potter II - December 28th

James was upstairs when his mother and father returned. He could hear them quietly moving about, they probably thought he was asleep. The past two days had passed silently. James had kept to his room, too afraid to leave it and see the faces of those he knew he had disappointed. His mother was the only one that had understood him and who hadn't judged him.

He did know that Fred had been around twice, but both times James had refused to see him. He knew that he would apologise and James didn't want that. Fred had meant every word he had said and James did not want an apology, especially not as he felt that he owed his entire family one.

Still, Fred's words had cut him deep. He didn't know if they would ever be back where they had been before. This year had broken their friendship in a way that James believed could never be fixed. A smashed mirror glued back together would forever show the cracks. It could never be the same.

Lily and Albus, he hoped, would forgive him as they were joined by sibling loyalty and love, which was an unbreakable bond. James rationalised that the Weasley's had forgiven Percy, and his own family would do the same.

Albus and Lily were staying with friends for the time being, they had both tried to speak to him but had perhaps realised that it wasn't the time. Lily had hugged close, but said nothing. Guilt and love rose within him at that.

Albus, sweet Al, had a steely flint in his eye but his face had been pale with worry. They were both concerned about him, James had realised with a sick jolt. They were not supposed to worry about him, it was his job to worry about them, to protect them from anything and everything. It hurt more than James could ever explain that he had let them both down in such a way.

Fred's words had hit him hard. He felt floored, rolling around in virtual agony as the words continued to echo around his head. The words had wormed their way in and there was no way of stopping them now. James sank back onto his bed, his arms crossed beneath his head as his mind wandered. He had always felt like a failure. He'd never voiced these concerns to anyone other than Fred, who James knew could relate. They both had the impossible task of living up to their namesakes. James had always felt like a disappointment, the most normal, the least clever of his brighter, better siblings. He'd always held onto the fact that though he wasn't as charismatic, clever or perfect, he was a good brother and a good friend. Now he realised he was neither of those.

As he sat alone in his room, with only his troubled thoughts for company, James began to doubt everything, his relationship with Allie, his trust in her and who he was as a person. The more he thought about it the more sure he was that Fred was right, that she'd used him and then told her family everything they needed to assassinate his father. His angry thoughts drowned out the meek voice inside that knew that wasn't who she was.

She'd paid an interest not in James but in Harry Potter's son. It certainly wasn't the first time, but it was the most painful.

James heard soft voices floating upstairs, the acoustics in his room amplifying even the most hushed of voices. Curious, he couldn't help but silently head down, using his wand to silence the creaky steps. James sank down on the bottom stair, the kitchen was to his left, the stairs sat in a small alcove and as such he was hidden from sight. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Ginny asked.

"I'm fine," his dad sighed, obviously fed up with all the fuss. "The kids?"

"Al is at the Malfoy's and Lily is at Ron's," Ginny answered, the movement suggesting she was putting the kettle on the stove.

"And James?" there was concern now colouring Harry's tone, enough to make James bristle slightly.

"Upstairs," Ginny said softly, the kettle then began to whistle and didn't stop for a good few seconds. James could imagine her staring up at the ceiling, worrying her lip.

"Is he okay?" It was a simple question, one his father had probably asked daily, but this time felt different.

"No, he's not." His mum had never been one to mince her words. There was a long pause. James felt his heart clench tightly in his chest.

"George said Fred was beside himself."

"Hmm," his mother said, James knew she wanted to say more, probably insult his cousin, but Weasley's didn't insult other Weasley's.

"What could he possibly have said to cause James to run away?" James was a little startled to hear the weakness still in his father's voice, and he was flooded with guilt for worrying him when he was still sick.

"I think we all heard," His mum said shortly, putting her cup down with force.

"But James wouldn't react like that." James coloured, well obviously he bloody well would.

"James is sensitive!" James' mouth dropped open and he had the urge to burst in and show her just how un-sensitive he was. "He always has been."

"How'd he react to him being in danger?" Harry asked in both interest and worry.

"He didn't react, at all. I think it's all been a bit much."

Harry sighed, "I worry about him, they've decided to target him, and these are full grown psychotic wizards."

"He's the same age as you were when you killed Riddle," Ginny chided.

"It's not the same. You know it isn't. I'd been fighting, we'd all been fighting, for years by his age, we were forced to become warriors. We'd had to learn to protect ourselves."

"James can protect himself," Ginny said firmly, "he's had defence training for six years."

"It's not enough. It won't be enough if they decide they want him gone, you know it won't be." There was silence in the kitchen and James' breath was suddenly coming in a little gasps, the threat his mum was talking about hadn't seemed real at the time- he'd had far too many other things to worry about-, this though, this felt real. Too real. It felt like his dad was falling all over again and James knew that if they could get to his dad, the best Auror to ever live, then they could get to him with ease. "I think we'll lose him, Gin." His dad choked, and James knew that he was crying. His dad never cried. James couldn't wait for his mother to respond, he had to escape. He went quickly back to his room, heart hammering in his chest as he swallowed gulps of air. He sank against the closed door to his room..

His dad was right. What chance did he have against full grown wizards and witches? He'd surely die in any sort of confrontation. But what if they couldn't get to him? What was stopping them from going after Al or Lily? Teddy was in the field with the Aurors, he'd be an easy target, and he couldn't exactly hide like James could. James could cower behind the walls of Hogwarts and let others die in his place. People would die. His big brother might die, or his siblings. Anger flooded into him as he pushed himself away from the door and back to his feet. He furiously wiped at his face. When they came for him, if they came for him, he wouldn't die quietly, or without a fight. His father wouldn't do that, and neither would he. He would fight with everything he had- he still had a few tricks up his sleeves. Better they come for him, rather than let anyone else get in the way. He wouldn't go easy.

Even with this new determination racing through him he felt hollow.

Fred Weasley

Diagon Alley 30th December

Fred was a shit sometimes, often his mum would correct. But nothing he'd ever done had been quite as vindictive as the words he'd thrown at James.

He'd talked to his dad who said they would most likely sort it soon, and that he wasn't to worry. But Fred knew differently, you couldn't say what he'd said and expect to walk away firm friends.

He'd deserved Lily's slap.

They were all, except his dad, furious with him.

He hadn't told them the truth, that he thought Alison Higgs had sold them all down the river. He owed James that much.

He'd talked to Dan, who'd urged him to make up with James as soon as possible. But James hadn't left his room, so Fred was failing in that area. Fred had never been as scared as when James had gone missing. Aunt Ginny though had been a wreck. He'd later learnt via Extendable Ear that Ginny was terrified because James' life had been threatened. The eldest son of Harry Potter was a wanted guy, not just by the ladies.

He had been sure that James was gone forever. That parts of James would start arriving one by one through the post. "That's it, my last words to my best mate were stupid, cruel and led to his death. Awesome."

Before that argument he would never have described himself as cruel or nasty, but now he had no choice but to consider it. At least James was okay, if he hadn't been Fred knew he could never have lived with himself.

Fred hoped that they would get through this and he was sure they would do so one day, he wasn't sure how long it would take. But despite everything, Fred was still fuming, James had put a girl ahead of his family and friends. James had abandoned them all, and James had been wrong about her.

He hoped that James would finally see in her what the rest of them had all along. When he did, all would be forgiven. James wouldn't hold it against him, he knew James.

It'd be fine.