I've changed the time skip to end at Quidditch world cup because I've some ideas on how to make the interesting along with different ways of handling the three tasks.
The final two years at Hogwarts had been different from what she had expected for Lily Evans. James had treated her the same way he treated the other witches of Hogwarts, that weren't blood purists: polite, but was still willing to prank them. She had briefly seen James and Bellatrix interact during the first trip to Hogsmead during her sixth year, but Bellatrix had quickly apparated them away. But come Slughorn's yule party, she was able to tell that they had well and truly fallen for each other. Lily had also seen the pair banter when Bellatrix came to one of James' quidditch games in one of his jerseys in Slytherin colours. She herself had begun dating a muggle-born Ravenclaw named Samuel in the year below who had asked to go as his date.
But it hadn't all been good news. A dark lord calling himself Lord Voldemort had revealed himself. A number of attacks happened on the same day he gave his... 'interview'. Dumbledore had been ripped to shreds by the Potters and other families that had seen the early warnings. Samuel and his family were killed that summer. James became Lord Potter as his parents died of dragon pox. The already tense rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin had become an all-out war.
But now. Now Lily's time at Hogwarts was at an end. She had been made Head Girl of her year and James was Head Boy. Something had changed when Voldemort had revealed himself. He had always done well in lessons despite his troublemaking attitude. But he to become more determined, and the simultaneous loss of his parents had rocked him to the core. The fact Bellatrix had not caught the illness was his only comfort. He had gone home for a week to recover and organize funeral arrangements. Snape had made the mistake of mocking James over his loss and had been publicly embarrassed for it by having his head turned into a that of a bat. It took a week to wear off as they couldn't figure out how to undo it.
Lily had just finished packing away her things as she shrieked her trunk and put it in her pocket.
She walked into the small common room that the head boy and girl shared. On one of the couches, she found Dumbledore. "Ah, Lily. I'm glad I caught you." He gave his grandfatherly smile.
"What can I do for you, Professor?" Lily asked curiously.
Dumbledore gently shook his head. "No my dear, this is about what I can do for you. You see, with the recent rise of Lord Voldemort, I thought it would be best if I gave you some advice."
"Move to America and don't come back!" James called. He was leaning on the doorway to his room with his arms crossed and a scowl marring his face. He looked like this whenever anything to do with the now called Blood War or Dumbledore was brought up. He blamed Dumbledore for how ill-prepared the wizarding world was for the war they now found themselves in.
"What!?" Lily replied hotly.
"What Mr Potter is trying to say is that he believes it would be best to stay out of this conflict. I am of a different opinion. You are a brilliant witch and I believe that your talents will help bring balance to our world once more." Dumbledore answered with a grandfatherly tone.
"The second they identify her they'll apparate into her bedroom that night and take her any way they please!" James responded harshly. Lily was sickened by the thought and Dumbledore gave James a disapproving look. Which the Marauder paid no attention to.
"Don't you think that is a bit extreme James?" Dumbledore questioned, trying to get James to question his own beliefs.
"It's just as extreme as Snivelus getting Simon killed for dating Lily." James answered hotly.
"There is no evidence to prove your accusation." Dumbledore argued.
"There is plenty if you bothered to look!" James yelled. "He looked so goddam smug at the beginning of the year! And let's forget how his attempt to 'comfort' Lily!"
Lily cringed as she remembered the event that James was talking. She had been devastated over the loss of her boyfriend. Her friends, the marauders and some of the teachers did their best to help comfort her. Then Severus came along. Her relationship with him was already rocky as everyone was finally beginning to push past her denial that he had done nothing wrong. Having countless muggle-borns tell you of him harassing them was a hard point to argue against. His idea of supporting her was to insult Simon's memory and say she deserved someone better. That went as well as you'd expect. Lily had slapped him and told him she never wanted to speak to him. He had tried to follow her but Alice, Malerin and Samantha had put a stop to that, as they were with her at the time.
Dumbledore knew he was defeated, so with a sigh, he tried a different angle. "We need to band together to defeat this threat, not flee."
"Those who can fight should stay, those who can't should leave before they're killed." James counted.
"Isn't it my choice!?" Lily butted in with an annoyed tone.
"My apologies Lily, it seems we both got caught up in our opinions. So, what is your answer?" Dumbledore apologized, while James gave her an apologetic look.
"James has a point, Professor, my home isn't safe." Lily answered.
"I'm sure we can work something out." Dumbledore responded in a grandfatherly manner.
"Something?" James repeated skeptically.
A silver spectral wolf entered the room. "We're outside now James." The Patronus spoke with Remus' voice, before dissipating.
Without a word, James pushed himself off the door arch and began to walk to the door that leads to the corridor.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come to your wedding, James?" Dumbledore asked. "It would be an opportune moment for The Dark Lord and his followers to attack."
"I'm not going to annoy my fiance the day before our wedding day, Dumbledore. As for Voldemort, attacking our wedding will backfire dramatically." With that James left the room.
Meanwhile with Bellatrix.
Bellatrix stood on the balcony attached the master bedroom. She surveyed the land before her as she held her niece/goddaughter. Ever since she had been cast out by her birth family, Andromeda had been living at Potter manor and Ted had soon followed her. A shotgun marriage later and Bellatrix stopped giving Ted murderous looks. They had recently scraped together enough money to by a house in the muggle world and set up some basic wards.
The field was littered with a variety status of knights and various creatures were on one side. On the other was a quidditch pitch, a clump of trees and a small lake. Around the entirety of the land was a stone wall with an obsidian center engraved with runes. It sat just inside the wards and acted as another layer of defense.
The baby in her arms began as a breeze past by and Bellatrix reentered the bedroom. James and Bellatrix had been sharing a bed for about a month before Fleamont and Euphemia passing, and it was another month before James felt comfortable moving into his parent's old room.
The couple had accepted the fact that their wedding could be targeted by Death Eaters and had prepared. They had warned all the guests of the possibility, which had caused some of the old generation to stay away as well as some of the children to be left behind. While the wedding was tomorrow, everyone would be arriving tonight and James would activate the siege wards, and they wouldn't come down until it was time for everyone to leave. Including them.
Bellatrix and James were worried about the ongoing war but refused to let that fear control them.
The next day.
James woke up groggy from last night's stag party. While they couldn't leave the house, it didn't stop the male population from celebrating. The Lord picked himself up off of the floor. Looking over to the table that had held the drinks, he saw that they had already been replaced by multiple hangover potions and glasses of water. He stepped over the other wizards lying around on the floor. He knocked back one of the potions followed by a glass of water without a second thought.
"Is there any more of those?" A voice asked gingerly. James looked to the source of the voice and saw it was Matthew Bell. Matthew, or Mat, for short, was a well built smaller than average man. He had once been a beater on the Gryffindor quidditch team during his Hogwarts days. He had wanted to go pro, but his girlfriend had persuaded him to just be a flying instructor instead. Fewer injuries and he could keep doing it past his prime. But with both of them being muggle-borns meant that they would have to pay more business tax. James had heard of this and had pointed out a loophole. If the business was put under the Potter name the tax would be lower. The following summer Matthew came to Potter manner and hashed out a deal with James and Fleamont Potter. Instead of the extra gold going to the ministry, it would go to the Potters in return for using their land which already had a quidditch pitch, wards and a house for Matthew and his girlfriend, Jessica, to live on. The fact they lived on Potter lands added another form of protection. If someone was to attack their home, it would be seen as an attack on the Potters themselves. It was a decision that was not to be taken lightly.
One by one the rest of the wizards awoke to prepare for the day.
Soon.
James was stood at the altar, in some new black dress robes. Anxiously waiting for his bride. He was stood on a runic circle engraved into marble, that had been used by countless Potters to marry their loves. It would allow Bellatrix's blood to be recognized as Potter blood, allowing her to pass the family's multiple blood wards and locks. Behind James was an obsidian dragon and obsidian wyverns stood at each side. They all stood tall with their wings spread and head looking down upon the altar. His best man, Sirius Black, was stood outside of the runic circle, followed by Remus Lupin, then Peter Pettigrew. Cassiopeia Black would be
While he waited for Bellatrix, he thought back to the morning's paper. No Death Eater attack. It had been that way for over a week. The phrase: the calm before the storm, came to mind. There was an announcement that Lucius and Narcissa were to be wed in a week, did little to comfort him. The wards around Potter manner were some of the strongest in the country. Along with that, Potter manner and its grounds were riddled with traps of all kinds. Even if they didn't repeal the Death Eaters, the attack would dam well cost them before the spells even started flying.
James was brought out of his musings when the music began to play. The first woman to walk down the aisle was Rachel Ogden. A brunet with warm amber eyes and a friendly aura. How she had been the best friend of Bellatrix-The-Ice-Queen-Black during their Hogwarts years James will ever know.
Next was Andromeda Tonks. Cassiopeia struggled to keep her expression neutral, her indifference to muggle-borns ended when one knocked up a daughter of her house before they had even graduated from Hogwarts. Let alone out of wedlock.
After Andromeda was Amelia Bones. She had dated Bradley before he left for America and kept in touch with him until his death. Amelia and Bellatrix have grown to respect one another as they were both capable duelists and wanted to be more than housewives.
And the final bridesmaid was Marlene McKinnon. Bellatrix had decided on her simply because she was seeing Sirius.
Finally, the future Lady Potter herself walked down the aisle. Her dress was made of acromantula silk, that been dyed a dark purple. It had a single strap that went over her right shoulder and only reached past her ankles. Cassiopeia was scandalized, when Bella looked to James, she saw him giving her an appreciative look. She responded with a look of her own.
Once Bellatrix was stood on the opposite end of the runic circle to James, Cassiopeia began to speak. "Fellow witches and wizards. We are gathered here today to witness the union of Lord James Charles Potter, and his betrothed, Bellatrix Druella Black. A union that will see Bellatrix Black become Bellatrix Potter in the eyes of magic! But first, some words from the bride and groom."
James opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a loud bang. Mipsy quickly appeared. before them. "There be cloaked men and giants at the front, Master Jamie!" The house-elf cried out in panic.
James met Bellatrix's eyes before looking to Cassiopeia, and back to Tipsy. "Have all the house-elves take the kids to Clay Valley, then come back for the rest of us." James ordered.
Mipsy looked even more worried. "Mipsy can not leave grounds Master Jamie."
James furrowed his brows in thought. "Take everyone to the passage in the cellar." Mipsy nodded and quickly gather everyone to lead them to the manor, while James spoke to Cassiopeia and Bellatrix. "The passage needs Potter blood willingly given to open. We should skip to the ritual." Both witches nodded and Cassiopeia handed James a silver knife. "I, James Charles Potter, with my blood, magic, and love, offer Bellatrix Druella Black the chance to join the Potter clan and be my beloved." As James said this, he had cut open his palms with the knife lightly throwing it out of the circle.
"I, Bellatrix Druella Black, accept the by James Charles Potter, with my blood, magic, and love." Bellatrix had also cut open her palms with a silver knife.
The runic circle at their feet glowed a light red as the joined hands and spoke as one. "I'll be by your side in sickness and in health, I'll fight with you and fight for you, may you forever find comfort in my embrace, and may I be forever by your side, in this world and the next." They sealed their oath with a kiss that abruptly ended as bang larger than the ones before symbolized that the wards had collapsed.
Three Giants stormed onto Potterlands alongside legions of Deatheaters. James saw that the bridesmaids and the grooms had all stayed behind and had their wands drawn. He was about to call for them to run when twelve Deatheaters appeared at the other end of the aisle. Each of their masks were highly decorated. And the Dark Lord himself appeared next. Tom Maralvo Riddle barely looked human. His visage looked more that of a ghoul with the eyes of a snake. The remaining wedding attendants felt defiled as his powerful, yet corrupted magical aura touched them. "I suppose, congratulations, are in order." Voldemort spoke slowly and in an even tone. Soaking up every ounce of attention. The Deatheaters laughed but quickly fell silent when their master raised his hand. "A son of house Potter joining the daughter of house Black is a powerful match and will undoubtedly lead to many pure and powerful children." Bellatrix simply raised an eyebrow. After being separated from the zealots in her family, she had managed to make her way out of the haze and find where she truly stood. James was only half listening as he was planning a way out of this. "I wish for you to join my army and save our world from the muggle surge and their magic stealing kin." The Dark Lord proudly proclaimed, but none of them were fooled. They could see the madness that gleefully danced in his eyes.
"Why would aid the ones who murdered my family?" James growled.
Voldemort's right gave an irritable twitch. "I have no idea what you mean." He lied.
"The Fiendfyre destroyed a lot of the evidence, but we salvaged half of one of your goons mask and the number of close casket funerals among the old families." James shot back.
The Dark Lord snarled. That attack had cost him half of his inner circle, an arm and all the American Deatheaters he had. "Then you should know that the only way you leave here alive is if you kneel before me!"
"I will defend the Potter Clan!" With the activation phrase spoken the dragon and wyverns came to life and breathed fire upon the Dark Lord and his followers. All the statues showed themselves to be golems and attacked the Deatheaters and giants. Most of the Deatheaters showed their lack of intelligence by attempting to kill them like they would a human.
"Bombarda Maxima!" James yells as throws the supercharged blasting curse into the flames, Bellatrix cast a wide ribbon cutter curse and Cassiopeia used the killing curse. The flames stopped and they saw the burned and mutilated bodies of Voldemort and his inner circle.
After a moment of silence, Amelia spoke up as she kicked off her heels, and cut the bottom of her dress. "Let's go." The other bridesmaids follow Amilia's lead and Bellatrix slips out of her own heels, before they began to run to the manner.
The sound of blasting curses polluted the air as the Deatheaters destroy the golems, as they run through the cut grass. The dying cry of the largest giant rings out and the ground shakes as its body slams into the ground. The group falls to their knees from the tremors. Each looking behind them until their eyes land on Cassiopeia who was lagging behind and saw her be struck by a killing curse. Their heads snap to the origins of the spell and saw that is was Voldemort, who was rapidly healing from his wounds. "Fuck!" James cries out and casts a barrage of spells at the Dark Lord as he continued to retreat.
"STORM THE MANNER YOU FOOLS! KILL THEM ALL!" The magically enhanced voice echos throughout the Potter land. The remaining members of the group just make it through the set of wards around the manner itself at the spells of the Deatheaters reach them.
Voldemort destroys the wards with a single curse, that quickly cracks the wards, before shattering them like glass. The Deatheaters storm the manor, only to fall prey to the intent-based spike pit at the entrance.
"Fiendfyre!" Voldemort yells, having grown tired of the Potters tricks! The Dark Lord basks in the cursed flames as the burned the manor to the ground. Beliving he had just dealt a crippling blow to his enemies, when in fact he had only killed to people today. Cassiopeia Black. And Hector Bones, who had stayed behind to hold off the cursed flames long enough for everyone to escape.
How do you like my Voldemort?