"Potter! A word." Master Aurora Moody ordered his apprentice. Alistair Moody had been trained by Charles Potter and was now returning a favor by teaching James. He was littered with scars from the war against Grindelwald but had so far kept all his limbs.
"Sir?" James responded.
Without a word, Alistair handed him a file. James opened it and saw it was the report of the attack on his wedding. By the time the Aurors had arrived, the Death Eaters were gone and so was their dead. The only bodies they could find were those of the giants and Cassiopeia, who had been mutilated and crucified.
Through memories, they had deduced that at least twenty five Deatheaters died in the attack, but the actual number was definitely higher. No names were on file but Cygnus Black and Abraxous Malfoy were noticeably absent from their children's wedding as well as a number of their guests.
"Anything to add?" Moody questioned.
James shook his head. "Not that I can think of." He answered as he handed the file back.
Without a word, Alastair subtlety put up some privacy wards. James felt the change in the magic around them but waited for his mentor to speak. "How are you and the misses doing?"
"Good. We're living in one of my family's old safehouses at the moment." James answered. His family had a number of properties warded throughout Britain. A family didn't live through what the Potters have without having taken precautions.
Moody nodded. "Have you gave Dumbledore's offer another thought?"
James shook his head. "Why would I?" He questioned.
"You've seen that the basted doesn't die like he should. Even if your wife and her friends find something to use against him, chances are that they will need him to hold still. Then there's his little fan club that follows him around. It would help to have Dumbledore on hand to help. That and he has a sharper mind than he lets on." Alastair answered.
James was silent for a moment before sighing. "I'll talk to Trixie about it."
"Well it's lunch now, so I'll see you in half an hour." With that, the Auror veteran dispelled his privacy wards and James left for the department of mysteries. It didn't take long as there's a passage that joins the two departments for faster communication and deployment. James walked through the door at the back of the office space obscured by shadows.
Passing through the door he was greeted by one of the Unspeakables.
"Looking for someone Trianie Potter?" The unspeakable asked.
James smirked. Unspeakable robes masked many things that could be used to identify them. Including their smell and ambient magic, but James and Bellatrix were bonded by blood. "Yeah, this witch with violet eyes, black silky hair, and an ass to kill for."
The Unspeakable lowered their hood and showed that they were none other than Bellatrix Potter. This had become a running joke between the two, with Bellatrix always asking the same question and James giving a different answer each time. Bellatrix took her husband's hand and lead him to her office for lunch, as was their tradition on days they were both working. James would never find it by himself due to the wards in the sector.
Bellatrix's office was like any other Unspeakables. It held a desk, a chair, a bookshelf on one side then a giant chalkboard at the other side it appeared blank, but James doubted that was the case. James silently conjured himself a chair on the opposite side of the desk and collapsed into it with a sigh. "Is something on your mind James?" Bellatrix asked with a hint of concern.
James leaned forward and nodded. "Is this room secure enough to discuss family matters?"
Bellatrix immediately stood up and checked her office space for listening charms and that the privacy wards as she did every morning. "Go ahead." She answered as she put her wand away.
"Moody talked to me about joining Dumbledore's 'secret' club." James mentioned.
Bellatrix didn't answer immediately. Over their years together they have helped balance out each other's Gryffindor/Slytherin nature. James had become more cautious and less likely to run into situations headfirst, and Bellatrix had become kinder to those she didn't call family and more willing to trust her instincts. "And what he said to get your attention?" The witch questioned.
"No matter how we plan to end this war, it will be easier to take Lord Flight-from-death down permanently with Dumbledore. Between his mind, his power and The Elder Wand, he could be a big help." James answered, but Bellatrix knew there was more.
"But?" She nudged.
"But, I've been raised to never trust him. I've seen memories of him butting heads with every member of our family. Including Bradley over him defending a firstie from the Lestrange brothers of all things!"
"You don't have to trust or like those you work with, James. Dumbldore might be in charge of this little group, but we won't let him be in charge of us. And if it doesn't work out, we leave. Agreed?" Bellatrtix answered her husband's unanswered question.
James nodded. "Agreed."
A few days later.
James and Bellatrix exited the fireplace in the Headmaster's at Hogwarts and were greeted by a slew of familiar faces, as well as a few not so familiar ones.
"Ah, James, Bellatrix so glad you could join us." Dumbledore greeted them with his grandfatherly persona.
James rolled his eyes, while Bellatrix scowled at him. "We're not friends Dumbledore." She warned him. The wizard had ignored her and every other student, so having him act like they were best friends irritated her. From the surprised looks of the other, she was the only one to think this.
"Of course Misses Potter, my apologies." Dumbledore placated the witch.
"Is this everyone?" James asked.
"Not quite." Dumbledore answered with a twinkle in his eye. Which had to be the strangest piece of magic that they had seen.
As if on que, the fireplace was illuminated by green flames and Sirius, Remus and Peter stepped out in one after the other. They were as surprised to see James as he was to see them. "Looks like I'm the last one." The Potter joked as he man hugged Sirius.
"Not quite." A feminine voice responded.
James looked back to the fireplace and saw the woman he had chased for the majority of his educational life. "Evans." James greeted Lily with a nod.
"Potter." The muggle-born witch answered with a nod of her own.
"Is everyone now?" Bellatrix questioned Dumbledore, saving her husband from any awkward conversations.
"Indeed it is. Now, why don't we all make ourselves comfortable?" Dumbledore questioned, and with a flick of the elder wand, conjured multiple chairs of various types for the group to sit on.
Both James and Bellatrix were slightly impressed by the subtle display of power.
"I would like for you all to welcome our newest members, James, and Bellatrix Potter." There was a smattering of applause. "Now down to business."
"Wait, that's it!?" Bellatrix interrupted. "No loyalty oaths?"
"That's what I said." Moody called from the back of the room.
Dumbledore chuckled. "No my dear. I do not believe such a thing to be nesercary, as Voldemort is a threat to us all." The Potters shared a look of uncertainty but remained seated.
...
"It is with great pride that I officially welcome the Wizards and Witches to the ranks of our fine ministry's Auror corp." Barty Crouch Senior announced to the small audience, which responded with a short round of applause. "They have gone through three years of training and are now ready to help defend magical Britain from the dark forces." As the audience clapped once more as Crouch unrolled a scroll. "When I call out their names, each one of our latest batch of law enforces will step forward and receive their badge and begin to help protect this fine community. One by one they were called forward to collect their badge and shake hands with their new boss. This included Sirius Black, the recently wed Alice Longbottom and finally, James Potter. As soon as the small ceremony ended, James immediately headed to the stands and greeted his wife with a kiss.
"Now we have two things to celebrate." Bellatrix grinned when their lips separated, but they kept a hold of one another.
"What do you mean?" James asked in confusion.
"I'm pregnant." Bellatrix announced with a warm smile.
James looked at her in shock, before giving her a smile of his own. "Well then. Let's celebrate." James and Bellatrix headed home and weren't seen for the rest of the day.
Months later.
Bellatrix was sat in her office in the department of mysteries absently rubbing her stomach, despite her robes hiding her baby bump. There was knock at her door before it was opened by another Unspeakable. "You might want to hear this." They said before placing a crystal ball on the table and tapping it with their wand.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..."
...
"There's a goddam spy among us!" Moody growled.
"Now surely Alastor, you can not believe that someone here is working for Voldemort." Dumbledore tried to placate him.
"Of course I fucking can! How else would those basterds be able to ambush the Prewitt twins like they did!?"
James nodded. "I agree, and as such, myself and my wife officially resign from The Order Of The Phoenix." He announced, before standing from his seat. Bellatrix was due in a few days and as such wasn't there.
"James, we must stick together if we are to defeat this threat and save the Wizarding World." Dumbledore argued.
"The Wizarding World is not my priority!" James roared. "My wife and child are!" With that James left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Dumbledore looked down with a tired sigh. He could easily discover if there was a spy and who it was but wouldn't. He would not lower himself to Tom's level.
Over a week later.
An exhausted Bellatrix Potter cradled her sleeping newborn son. He had already had a tuft of black hair and his eyes were a violet-blue. They would darken over he next few weeks.
"What's his name?" Nymphadora asked as she stared at her newborn cousin.
Bellatrix smiled at her god-daughter as she answered. "Hadrian. Hadrian James Potter."
"Harry for short." James supplied as he leaned over his wife and kissed her forehead. "Get some rest love. I can take over from here." He spoke softly.
Bellatrix tiredly shook her head. "Just a bit longer." She murmured.
James smirked and shook his head. "Whatever you say, dear."
Outside the room Sirius, Andromeda, and Ted were having a conversation under a privacy ward.
"Can you repeat that?"Andromeda asked her cousin. The was middle Black sister was currently in her healer's robes as she had been the one to deliver the baby.
"In return for reinstating you as a Black, I want to make your daughter my heir." Sirius answered.
"But what about Harry, he's a pureblood." Ted argued.
"So's Narrcisa's runt, it doesn't make him the right chose." Sirius responded, before sighing. "Look I already talked to James and Trixie about it, and they think two headships would be too much for him. We can all pitch in and make sure she's ready when the time comes."
The husband and wife shared a look before Ted nodded.
Andromeda sighed. "Okay, do it."
Months later.
A sobbing Amelia Bones looked over the cot that held her sleeping niece and Harry Potter.
Susan was now her only living relative. "Thank Merlin, Ryan asked you to watch over her." Amelia whispered in her currently croaky voice. Her other brother Edger had been celebrating his birthday with his family, including his wife and children, when the Deatheaters, the size of the invasion force rivaled that of the attack on the Potter wedding. Amelia's once pristine, crimson, dragon hide, Auror cloak, now looked like a piece dirty, tattered cloth, with her body covered in cuts that would have been much deeper without it.
"We're glad to have had her." James responded as he looked at his son and god-daughter.
Susan suddenly awoke and started crying, with Harry soon follow her example. Amelia tried to lean over the crib but a sharp pain from the cut on her back caused to halt.
"You should get some rest Amelia." Bellatrix said softly, as she entered the room. "Andromeda will be here soon to make sure you don't bleed to death." The mother briskly walked over to the crib and picked Susan up. "I can manage these two."
James slowly lead the beaten and broken Bones witch downstairs and onto the living room couch. It wasn't long until Andromeda flooed into the house and immediately drew her wand and cast diagnostic spells on Amelia.
"I've managed to heal some of the smaller cuts and have given her a Blood-Replenisher." James reported, to which the healer nodded in acknowledgment.
Andromeda stopped casting spells and looked at Amelia. "This is his work, isn't it?" She asked to witch Amelia nodded. Andromeda sighed and looked to James. "I'm going to need you to give me some of your magic, if we're going to close these cuts anytime soon." Andromeda mentioned as she offered him, her free hand.
James immediately nodded and accepted her hand. He slowly began to push his magic to Andromeda as she began to repeat the same spell over and over. slowly healing her cut, but they would leave scars.
Once the cuts were sealed, Andromeda gave Amelia another Blood-Replenishing potion and a calming draught. "I'm going to have you excused from work for the next two weeks. You should be back to full strength after the first week, but..." Andromeda sighed. "...But you will need the extra time to come to terms with what has happened. Amelia nodded absently.
"She can stay here for the night." James offered.
"That would be for the best." Andromeda nodded.
October 31st 1981, Godrics Hollow
The Dark Lord Voldemort slowly stalked to the home which housed his unsuspecting pray. He basked in the knowledge that he would finally ride himself of the family that had caused him so much grief and destroy his greatest threat before it had a chance to grow. He passed the gate to the house, leaving his follower on the street. With a meager flick of his wand, he raised his anti-apperation and anti-portkey wards, before destroyed the door with a bang. He prepared to step through the threshold.
BOOM!
An exploration decimated the surrounding area. Leaving nothing but smoke and dust.
Peter Pettigrew jumped back and bumped into someone. Turning around, he squeaked in shock and fear when he saw who it was. A murderous James and Bellatrix Potter.
Before OetePeter could stop stuttering, Bellatrix cursed him. "Crucio!"
James looked to the house when he heard another's screams. He watched in horror as a dirty spirit fled the scene.
"Shit."
The next day at Greengrass Manor.
Cyrus looked at the tittle of the Prophet in shock. Samantha sat next to him reading her own issue.
He suddenly slammed the paper on the table and threw his glass across the room. "FFFUUUUCK!" He roared before breaking down and collapsing into his chair, while his wife tried to comfort him.
"You couldn't have known Ci. You couldn't have known." She tried to reassure him.