Chapter 3:

James grinned as he sent another set of sparks off. Harry laughed and clapped his hands, while Hermione's little brow wrinkled. James laughed and stood in front of his wife and the two children. He cast the bird conjuring charm next, looking to the perplexed toddler who finally smiled.

Lily scooped up her cat who purred contentedly in her arms. Hermione smiled and reached to pet the kitty who just head butted her hand.

"So our Hermione likes animals?" James grinned at Lily.

"It would seem so," Lily smiled as Harry sat watching the birds.

"Alright Hermione," James grinned, stepping back and turning into his stag. Hermione looked up, and then she looked between Lily and James. Slowly she held her hand out to the giant animal, and Lily laughed as James nuzzled her hand before turning back.

Hermione's laughter rang through the house, and Harry giggled too seeing his Daddy.

James kissed Hermione's chubby hand before tossing her into the air. "Padfoot hasn't shown you that trick yet hmm?" He grinned.

Lily took that moment to pounce on Harry and tickle him listening to his laughter happily. The witch and wizard laughing along with the children, until they all fell into a heap on the couch Hermione curled into James, the remnant of her giggles still sounding, and Harry curled into his mother's lap.

"I think we could do it ya know. Might have to argue with Remus and Sirius, but we could take both the kids to Potter Manor," James looked at Lily. "I'd go work in the ministry,"

"As an auror," Lily rolled her eyes.

"You'd be Minister of magic," James grinned at her.

"Oh please," Lily laughed, cuddling Harry close to her.

"We'd have our perfect son, and daughter, and if we have any more they'd be just as welcome," James' fingers traced lazily along Lily's arm.

"No. We are not having a whole quidditch team."

"Fine," James pouted, "There goes Gryffindor's chance to win the cup," he teased.

Hermione yawned listening to the two adults talking. She moved into James's lap.

"I think it's time for two very sleepy toddlers to be in bed," Lily laughed. "At least for a few hours until Sirius and Remus get here to move us."

James nodded, grabbing Hermione and his wand as the light outside flashed. Someone was coming. James glanced out the window, seeing the black cloak, and the tell tell flash of red eyes.

"Lily, get upstairs," James turned to his wife as the figure opened the gat outside. Grimacing, James barricaded the door, flicking his wand and moving anything he could to the front door as he ran upstairs behind his wife clutching Hermione tightly. They once again attempted to Barricade Harry's nursery. James set Hermione down into the closet. "Shh, okay Hermione stay in here until we come to get you."

Hermione nodded, thinking this a rather boring game. The front door crashed open and James shut the closet door. He looked at Lily, "Go out the window with Harry. I'll fight him off," James promised.

"I'm not leaving you! We can fight him together." Lily reached for her wand, but remembering it'd been left downstairs she flinched.

There was a hiss of laughter from the other side of the nursery door. Lily knelt down in front of the crib . "Harry, remember you're so loved."

James stepped in front of them as the door was blasted open catching James in the blast and knocking him back into the closet that hid Hermione.

Lily didn't have time to look at her fallen husband. She instead stood and looked at the eyes of the monster who was there to take her son.

"Step aside you foolish girl, you need not die." The hig whining voice came from inside the cloak but Lily only planted her feet and glared.

"I won't allow you to take him. To kill him."

"Then you will see him soon," Voldemort raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra."

The flash of green sent Lily toppling to the floor. Voldemort slowly made his way to the crib savoring the moment of his victory. He looked down at the child's face, a slow twisted smirk making it's way onto his face. He raised his wand, the child having caught a glimpse of the stranger's face started to tear up.

"Avada Kedavra." The second the spell hit the child there was a blinding reaction and the room exploded behind him as the curse rebounded catching Voldemort inside it.

Sirius finally set the final piece to Harry's nursery and looked up at Remus. "I think we're ready to go."

"I hope they're ready," Remus grinned, "you know how Lily tries to pack everything."

"I'm sure James has it all ready to go," Sirius laughed.

The two wizards went downstairs, and quickly with practiced ease they instantly apparated. It was a short walk through the village to the Potter's house. Even with the people that were out for Halloween. Remus and Sirius each tried to behave naturally until they saw the explosion of green light at their destination. At the light Remus and Sirius took off bumping into anyone who dared to get into their path. Suddenly the top right side of the building exploded right as Sirius and Remus got to the cottage.

"Hermione, James," Sirius yelled, running into the cottage and up the stairs to Harry's nursery. There was distinct crying coming from the room and Siriu burst into it, with Remus right behind him.

The room was a mess, Harry was crying in his crib, while James lay in front of a closet door trying to open. James was face down with a cut in the back of his head.

"No," Sirius cried, "No, no," He fell to his knees turning James over and moving him away from the closet blinking as Hermione pushed open the door. "Please mate, please wake up Prongs." Sirius begged, his voice cracking.

James quietly groaned at the movement and Sirius fell forward over him. Tears falling rapidly as he held onto his unconscious, but still alive best friend. Quickly he grabbed Hermione into his arms placing kisses on her face. "He's alive," Sirius's voice choked out.

Remus went to Lily and crouched in front of her and blinked away the hot tears. She was staring up at the ceiling, unmoving, unseeing. She was gone. Remus's eyes traveled up to the crib where Harry sat wailing a dark cut on his forehead, bleeding freely.

"Hi Harry," Remus whispered to the orphan. "Sirius, Lily's gone."

Harry looked up at Remus and sobbed, reaching for the familiar man. Remus swept him up in his arms as a very shell shocked cat staggered into the room. Remus looked at Sirius who wasn't really crying other than the few tears that trekked down his face.

Sirius set Hermione down by James and went to check on Lily as well. "I'm sorry Evans, if we had just moved you sooner," Sirius whispered.

"Padfoot," Remus's voice choked on the words, freezing as they heard the footsteps creeping up the stairs.

Remus scooped up the alarmed cat not flinching as it dug its claws into him and stepped behind Sirius who immediately stood his wand out as Harry cried.

Remus could make out the lanky shape of the man who lifted his hands in surrender. Of course, it wasn't until he could make out the hooked nose that he realized.

"What are you doing here, Snivellus?" Sirius spat.

"Could ask you the same Black, and Lupin, looks like two traitors who came to see their master defeated."

Sirius barked out a hollow laugh, "No, we were supposed to move them tonight, because the real traitor, someone I suspect you already knew about, had been avoiding us."

"I'm just here for Lily," Snape snapped.

"Well we're here for all three of them," Remus rolled his eyes.

"I could care less for Potter or his brat," Snape snapped.

"That's unfortunate seeing as how they're the ones that survived." Remus crossed his arms.

"Why should you care, Snivellus? As I recall you and your death eater friends are the reason this happened. Wasn't she just a mudblood to you?" Sirius snapped, stepping forward and grabbing his wand. He was quiet, but there was a look to him, a type of madness as he swaggered forward.

Snape's hand tightened on his wand. Sirius's hand clenched into a fist, before he could make a move Remus was there.

"Sirius," Remus put a hand on his shoulder, "Harry's bleeding, we need to get him out of here before others show up."

Sirius turned and looked at his godson for the first time since they'd stepped into the room. Remus was right his godson needed him, more than he needed to beat the shit out of the death eater scum in front of him.

Sirius took the cat, and set it down to grab Hermione handing her off to Remus. "Take the kids, I've got James, and the bloody cat."

Sirius put the cat in his shirt and grabbed James. He shot a hateful look at Snape. "I don't know how, but I do know this is your fault, and someday I'll make you and Pettigew pay for it."

Snape didn't realize what was happening until the two apparated. He looked at Lily, his eyes pricking with tears, but quickly he knew he had a duty to report to Dumbledore first.

Sirius was clutching the bloody cat tightly as he landed in the front hall of Grimmauld Place. He was right behind Remus, feeling James's pulse. Kreacher was immediately in front of him about to scold him for being so loud, when Kreacher saw Harry's face and the blood on his forehead, then he looked down at James. Then Kreacher took off with Harry, and Sirius took Hermione.

"Another beastie?" Kreacher frowned.

"No. This is Harry Kreacher, he's James and Lily's son," Sirius sighed.

"Give the half-blood to Kreacher, Kreacher will clean his cut."

"Kreacher, also," Remus showed him the cat and Kreacher's eyes narrowed before he nodded somberly.

"Kreacher will set up food and water and a litter box for the new beast."

"Kreacher," Sirius knelt down to look the elf in the eyes. "You cannot tell anyone we are here. No sissy, not Bella, not Andy, no one. That is an order, if you do, Hermione could be taken from us."

Kreacher's eyes widened before he nodded somberly. "Kreacher will tell no one, Master Sirius." He bowed before taking the sniffling boy with him.

Remus set the cat down, "Sirius, we need to get James a healer."

"I have some healing potions, I made them for you and Hermione," Sirius sighed, rubbing his eyes. He held Hermione tightly and took out his wand. "Levicorpus," he said and James' body floated up. Sirius took him to the bedroom h and Remus had cleared. He set Hermione down beside James and walked to his bedroom. Quickly he pulled out the vial of healing potion and walked back o the extra bedroom.

"Owie?" Hermione asked as he walked back in.

"Yeah 'Mione, Uncle James has a couple of owies." Sirius nodded, taking off the stopper and gently pouring the potion into his mouth letting James drink.

It was a few minutes before James's eyes blinked open to glance up at Sirius. He saw his best mate's face and a small smile appeared, before his breathing evened out and he seemingly went back to sleep.

Hermione laid down beside James, setting her head on his chest, and James's hand went up to her back.

He was so angry he was ready, ready to actually kill someone, and yet the second that head of curtly brown hair came into sight he sank down to his knees. She was so peaceful, she'd no idea that she now had an official brother. No idea at the pain her surrogate fathers felt. She was innocent in this war, and yet that hadn't stopped Greyback from killing her parents and turning her.

Harry was innocent too, just a boy with no clue who Voldemort was. They tried to kill his godson for being born on a specific month. Voldemort killed Lily, and would've killed James too because they were in his way. Sirius sat down looking at his friend and the child who lay beside him.

The realization that hit him next was enough to make him want to puke. The Marauders had all been innocent in this war, and still they were forced into fighting. Well that wasn't exactly true, they'd chosen to fight to save lives. It all felt so arbitrary now. They hadn't been able to save anyone, not Hermione's parents, not Lily, and maybe not even James. They were all seen as necessary sacrifices by Dumbledore.

"Papa?" Hermione peaked a sleepy eye open and Sirius smiled softly. She couldn't say Padfoot, she settled on Papa, and Sirius had no heart to change it.

"Shh," he said softly, his heart hurting as he looked into Hermione's brown eyes. It was true she'd lost two more people who loved her.

Hermione saw the tears and frowned, moving off the couch, "Owie?"

Sirius's tears were falling freely now as he laughed, "Yeah 'Mione."

Hermione looked up at him with a tilt to her head, "Where?"

"My owie is in here," Sirius whispered, touching his heart.

Hermione frowned and crawled into his lap hugging him as tightly as her little arms could. Sirius's whole body shook as he sobbed holding onto the child in his arms.

Hermione placed a gentle kiss on Sirius's chest, just as he'd done to her head to make it all better. The action only caused him to have heaping gasping sobs. "Thank you," he sniffled.

Hermione patted his heart and laid her head on his shoulder "Shh," she replicated his exact actions from earlier. She kept shushing him until the tears were silent, and slowly she fell back asleep in his arms. Sirius held her there until he could hardly feel his legs from sitting on them, and his knees were screaming in protest. Gently he carried her to her bedroom, and tucked her into bed.

Sirius placed a gentle kiss on Hermione's temple before walking out and going downstairs. "Remus," Sirius called as he went to the kitchen.

Remus was sitting with Harry in his lap nursing a cup of hot chocolate. "Shh, he's just gone to sleep."

"We need to do the charm, you're right Dumbledore will be here in the morning if we don't. Where's Kreacher?"

"I asked him if he'd go check on Dorea and Fleamont," Remus murmured, taking a pull from the mug.

"Moony, are you okay?" Sirius asked, sitting across from him.

"Are you?"

"No, I want to punch something and scream until my voice is hoarse, yet if I even tried to, Kreacher would be on my back for waking the babies," Sirius cracked a smile that was soon replaced with him laying his head on the table and closing his eyes against the onslaught of tears threatening to escape.

"He's going to be so upset," Sirius croaked, "If we had just moved them sooner."

"I know," Remus said softly.

"How are we going to protect them?" Sirius whispered. His mind couldn't settle on one thing. It went from anger, to fear, to grief, to hopelessness."

"Master Remus," Kreacher croaked a young teary elf at his side.

"Kreacher said he was to check on Sooky's mistress and master. Bad wizards took them," Sooky whispered. "Mistress and Master fought back, and they," Sooky's large green eyes watered as she held her cloth.

"They're gone?" Sirius whispered and slowly the little house elf nodded big tears falling from her huge eyes.

"Remus," Sirius croaked, "Let's do the charm now."

Remus nodded gently, handing Harry to Kreacher. The Fidellius charm was simple enough for the two to perform, and as it finished they felt safer, at least for the night.

"We need to do the same for the Potter Manner, it's rightfully James's, and Fleamont had several properties."

"Tomorrow then, but for tonight let's try and rest."

Hello, I appreciate the response to my story, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter. Chapter 4 will have a time skip, and I believe so will chapter 5 and 6. If you feel like it, please leave a review. If not just thank you for reading.