Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
Okay, I must confess that I accidentally focused on Remus more than James or Harry. This is mostly because I'm not great at writing grief or babies (and because he's my favourite character :) ).
Lily was upstairs doing the washing and running Harry a bath. James was downstairs watching the football, Arsenal vs Coventry. Peter had introduced him to the sport, and he only supported Arsenal because they wore red. Harry was playing with the building blocks Wormtail had got him, at the bottom of the stairs.
Sirius was coming round that day. Peter had been invited too, but he was busy that night. It would be the first time James had seen him in over 6 months. The last time the marauders had been together was when they had all watched the 5 nations together (Peter again) . (England vs Wales, Wales won, prompting Remus to claim an obscure Welsh origin. How strange that man had become a spy.)
They were going to have dinner together, a roast that James was meant to be keeping an eye on.
It was half time, so James went to check the carrots were alright, ruffling Harry's hair as he passed his son.
The carrots were not alright. Somehow, Merlin knew how, they had congealed and were now stuck to the bottom of the pan. Everything else looked fine, so he picked up the saucepan and took it to the compost heap at the bottom of the garden.
KNOCK
Well knock was the wrong word for it, it sounded like somebody was trying to break the door down.
Lily walked down the stairs to answer it, stepping neatly over Harry.
Voldemort stood at the door.
She screamed, gathering Harry in her arms and began to run upstairs, hoping to barricade them in Harry's room.
"I will spare you if you give me the child."
"No." She turned almost in shock, there had never been a choice.
As the death curse rang out, she fell with a face of puzzlement that anyone would sacrifice their child.
The dark wizard turned to Harry, just as James came in through the back door with his saucepan still in hand.
He watched, paralysed, as a stream of green light shot towards his boy.
And bounced back.
-
Sirius was walking down the street to Godric's Hollow. His excitement at seeing James could not be put into words. He was having to make a conscious effort not to actually bounce up and down. (When he was squirming during long Order meetings, Remus had often joked that he should have been called Tigger. It still amazed him that the Remus who made Winnie the Pooh references was a spy.)
He finally gave up trying to look dignified when he reached the Potters' garden path and broke into a jog.
The door was open, which was unusual. Since the fidelius charm, the Potters always sealed the house after nightfall, windows, doors, the lot.
Sirius stopped short. Lily was on the floor. The sound barrier prevented him from hearing James screaming but he could tell from his friend's distraught expression that was exactly what he was doing. He had never hated anyone more in the world at that very moment than Peter.
He ran through the door and was hit by the most horrific sound he had ever heard. Sirius had seen people struck the cruciatus curse, seen them writhe on the floor in agony, but he had never heard anything like this.
Harry was screaming as well, a lightning bolt shaped wound on his forehead dripping blood onto his clothes.
Sirius ran to James and flung his arms round him, tears streaming down his face now as well. The hug muffled the sound and eventually James calmed down and finally lapsed into exhausted heavy breathing.
Harry was still crying, although he was less hysterical now that James was quiet. Sirius picked up the baby, and carried him into the lounge, with James following behind.
Sirius was having to try incredibly hard not to panic. Harry was injured, James was incoherent and, he realised with a jolt, You Know Who was probably extremely close by.
He needed a plan, he needed someone to explain things step by step, he needed someone level headed. He needed Moony.
But Moony wasn't Moony anymore. His friend was using his intelligence and skill to spy for the enemy.
No, that was Wormtail.
Moony wasn't the spy. A feeling of almost overwhelming relief washed over him. Followed by crushing guilt. Then more panic.
He had no way of contacting Remus because owls, the floo and apparition all required the user to know a specific location and he had no idea where his friend lived.
However there was one type of magic that might work. Once, while being pursued by death eaters, Sirius had managed to apparate to a person instead of a location. This thought in mind, he turned around to apparate, hopefully muttering "where Remus is, where Remus is."
1st Chapter complete. I've actually already written this story but if anyone has any ideas for storylines leave them as a review and I might include them (Please don't be offended if I don't though). This story will detail a period of about 2 weeks, after which I will continue it as a series of none chronological one shots about Harry's life up to the age of 5. Requests are very welcome. Hope you enjoy!