Authors Note: Er... oops? I'm sooo sorry that this took... well, I could exagerate and say that this took twenty years to get out but it honestly feels like that to me.
Again, so sorry! In my defense... Nah, I've really got nothing. I just hit major writers block and couldn't seem to get out of it... but worked around it eventually due to some inspiration (good or bad, you tell me)
Read and review, thanks!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR. A lot of other stuff probably belongs to other people... so let them take credit for it. I've lost count of how many obscure movie/school references I've put into this fic.
- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -
"Do you want more toast, dear?"
"Oh yes please." When the toast, along with second helpings of everything else had been placed on her plate, she murmured, "Thank you," Before digging in enthusiastically.
Of course, her portion was modest compared to that of James, and it was about one eighth the size of Sirius', whose plate could feed a developing nation.
"Twis ish gwait, mwum," James said around a mouthful of hash browns and bacon, earning himself a glare from his mother and a smack on the back of the head from Lily. The two women smiled at each other, glad to see that somebody was keeping the boys in line while the other wasn't around.
For Lily had been proven wrong fifteen minutes after the initial meeting of a certain Mrs. Potter. Following her screaming at Sirius, Elizabeth Potter had proceeded to force the boys to carry the majority of the luggage and hooked arms with Lily and Cai, talking with them earnestly as they walked to the car.
It had only gotten better from there, as Mrs. Potter had taken the girls out for the day where they had run into Ash and her mother, prompting a female bonding session that had included traveling into muggle London from Diagon Alley.
And all of this happened while she had forced the boys to stay home, cleaning the house.
- - - - -
"Don't we have house-elves for this?" Sirius grumbled as he cleaned the windows. Even with using magic, the task was rather menial and boring.
"Yes, we do," James said, "But Mum wants the task done right. And she always says that if you want something done right, do it yourself."
"So that translates to us doing it for her?"
"I feel that she's punishing you two for whatever you've gotten into during the school year," Mr. Potter put in from his seat in the living room.
"What?" Sirius exclaimed. "We haven't done anything!" When Mr. Potter walked into the room to look at him, he amended, "Well, we haven't done anything bad!"
He just rolled his eyes and looked at his son (and foster son). "Well boys, Mum will be home soon, so you can finish up and come into the kitchen for something to eat."
"Why'd she have to go out and take Lil- the girls with her?" James grumbled. Mr. Potter smiled at him knowingly.
"I think she's just excited that there are girls in the house again." He told him, but was interrupted by Sirius producing a florescent colored mess of fabric out of nowhere.
"Isn't it lovely?" He asked, putting it on hurriedly.
"Sirius, why are you putting on that monstrosity of a shirt?" Michael Potter asked curiously.
"Because I bought it during Christmas break, and due to our confining uniforms I haven't been able to wear it yet," He replied hurriedly, as if he had rehearsed that response since the purchase.
Which he probably had.
The unspoken agreement was that if he had put it on while the girls were in residence, the shirt would have ended up in the fireplace or as an adornment for the giant squid.
"Isn't it lovely?" He exclaimed again, and they cringed as they were squinting to see, for it was a fierce lime-green and orange mess.
"Oi, Sirius, could you speak up? Your shirt's too loud!" James quipped.
"I mean, really," He continued on, ignoring James as he struck a pose, "Doesn't it just scream, 'I am Sirius Black, hear me roar?'"
"Actually, the pose screams I'm a little teapot, short and stout… but that could just be my angle," Michael told him. Ignoring Sirius for the moment, for he was currently prancing around the kitchen and admiring himself in reflective surfaces, Mr. Potter continued his previous words.
"Plus, from what you said about Lily, it seems like-"
"We're home!" Mrs. Potter's voice rang out cheerfully, and the boys all ran into the entryway.
"Hello, Mum!" Both Sirius and James shouted, and she smiled.
"Now, have we learned our lesson? No more pranks, and there will be no more cleaning. And Sirius, dear, lime-green and orange are not your colors."
The boys nodded, all while crossing their fingers behind their back.
"Boys," She gently chided, "Help the girls carry their parcels, won't you? And be careful with the dresses."
James looked at her strangely. "Dresses? Why would they need dresses?"
"For the wedding, Jamie!" His mother exclaimed. "Now go help."
As they walked up the staircase, James and Sirius turned questioningly to the girls.
"Petunia is getting married, and I have to go… and Cai is going as well, because her grandmother invited herself."
Cai smiled. "Abuela's the best," She told them. "And she said that we can both stay with her." James blanched.
"When is the wedding?" Sirius asked.
"Tuesday," Cai answered, "But I think we're leaving Monday night."
"Really?" James asked. "You don't have to leave. You can stay. Really, it's no trouble."
Sirius, Cai, and especially Lily looked at him strangely.
"Well, I mean.. er… have fun at the wedding," He said with a shrug, and carried the packages into their rooms.
- - - - - - -
By the time that Tuesday had rolled around, Lily was ready to call it quits.
"I don't wanna go!" She exclaimed as she grabbed onto the doorway of the Brown family home. "You can't make me!"
"Geez, Lils," Cai said brandishing her wand menacingly. "I'm a witch. I can make you do whatever I want." She stuck her tongue out at the angry red-headed girl, and continued prying her fingers from the doorjamb.
"Why do I have to even go to this stupid thing, anyway?" She grumbled as they sat in the car. Being a muggle wedding, they were forced to take muggle transportation. Sometimes that was fun, but at the moment all it did was give Lily more time to brood. "Petunia doesn't even like me, anyway."
"Lily, sweetheart, she-"
"She invited a bunch of stuffy old relatives who only remember that there was a red-headed sister and want to see how you've grown," Cai put in. "I have a feeling she could have hired an actress. Would've saved all of us some trouble."
Carmen Brown ignored Cai's ramblings, and continued driving. "We're almost at the church, chicas. And Cailita, please try and not get into trouble."
"Trouble, me?"
"Yes, you."
"Dang."
As they pulled into the parking lot of the church, all Lily could notice was one thing.
There sure were a lot of people.
"Hmm, maybe we won't be able to find a parking spot and won't be able to go!" Cai exclaimed.
"Ooh, it would be such a tragedy," Lily muttered. Their hopes were dashed as the car pulled into an empty spot near the far edge of the lot.
They milled about among the crowd making small talk until the people dispersed into the church.
"I suppose this is it," Cai said with a grimace. "Let's go off to our certain demises!" She called out, prancing across the walk and swishing her skirt dramatically. Lily and Carmen walked at a slower pace, although they were trying to hurry in order to get a seat in the back, and hopefully be able to make a quick exit to the reception.
However, it was not to be, for most seats were taken by relatives who obviously had the same idea. Word had gotten around that Petunia and Vernon, her husband-to-be had written their own vows, and who knew how long that could go on for.
As they made their way to the front of the church, they found seats in the sixth row and sat down quickly.
"I'm placing a bet on how long this is gonna take to wrap up. Two and a half hours, my guess. Yours?"
Lily was about to answer, when a very familiar voice was heard in front of them.
"Oh, us? We're uh… Uncle John's kids!" When the man looked at them blankly, the voice continued. "You know, married to Aunt Sue. She sends her best, couldn't make it…"
"Well, I know she couldn't make it. She died three years ago!" The man exclaimed.
"Oh… she sends her best from beyond the grave. We become very spiritual after her death." Another voice said, sitting next to the first.
"And what were your names?"
"Bobby and Seamus O'Shea," The first voice answered, and it was at this point that Lily leaned forward and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Cousin Bobby," She murmured, "Could I see you out back?" Not waiting for an answer, she dragged him up from his seat and pulled him with her. When they arrived and a distance far enough away that no one could hear them without really trying, she angrily whispered, "James Potter, what in Merlin's name are you doing here?"
"Don't you mean Bobby?" He asked, batting his eyelashes playfully.
"Either way, why are you here and making me look like an idiot?"
"I'm not making you look like an idiot… I'm making Sirius look like an idiot because I left him there by himself. And I'm here because we didn't want you to be alone."
"Cai is here, you do realize."
"Yeah, I know, but we figured it would be fun. And you know Cai. First sign of a good-looking fellow, and she'll drag you around to follow him. We tried to get the rest to come, but Remus is 'confined' to his home, Peter is lost, Ash went to visit some family, and Stephanie is still in the States."
"If anything goes wrong," She hissed, "I swear, I will kill you."
"How about just Sirius, okay?" He said cheerfully, hooking arms with her and dragging her back inside.
The wedding ceremony passed by rather quickly, culminating in a fainting spell by Mrs. Dursley and followed by a multitude of tears shed by her daughter Marge at "losing" her loving brother. With a great upheaval, all of the guests made their way around the corner to the reception hall, which was garishly decorated in red, white, and pink carnations.
"Carnations, of all things!" Cai exclaimed as they walked through the entranceway. "Carnations!"
James and Lily laughed as Sirius picked up a basket of flowers from a table and proceeded to put them in Cai's hair.
"Save that for Ash!" She shrieked, hitting his hands away. "Sir- Seamus, stop it!" They all laughed as they watched various guests dodge the flailing blonde, but proceeded to their seats when Petunia and Vernon walked in.
"Geez," Sirius grumbled, "We just had to get the seats farthest away from the dance floor. I want to shake this groove thang!"
The other three looked strangely.
"Si-Seamus," Cai murmured, "Please. Never say that again."
"Besides!" James exclaimed, "We're also farthest away from the kitchens. And everyone knows that those farthest away from the kitchens get served first!"
They sat quietly talking until the waiters came out and brought their meals on covered trays. The meal was rather intricate and included a few things that none of the Hogwarts students had seen or eaten on a daily basis, prompting Sirius to ask the waiter what some of the objects were.
Or it may be known that Sirius was just being rather annoying and asking the waiter what the food stuffs were just for the heck of it.
"Oh, sir, that would be cod loins," The man replied, obviously annoyed that he had been reduced to explaining the entire meal to an exuberant teenager. Sirius immediately spit out what was in his mouth, and yelled,
"I'm eating fish genitals?"
This response prompted the rest of them to spit out their food and laugh, and had the result of the waiter walking away quickly and nearly everyone in the room staring at them.
"Er… carry on eating!" James said quickly, and dragged Sirius out of the room and into the hallway.
"Sirius, honestly, would you stop acting like such an idiot?"
"But James, I was eating-"
"I don't care what you were eating!" He whispered heatedly. "I am trying to impress Lily by being here on a very trying day for her!"
"It's just her sister's wedding…" Sirius mumbled.
"Exactly!" James cried out, and then lowered his voice. "Lily and her sister hate each other. By sticking by her through today and keeping her calm, even though Lils will probably try and kill a few people, she'll see that I'm mature and that I've deflated my head and then she'll like me!"
"But I thought you said you were okay staying as friends?"
"I lied!" James replied. "Why do you believe me when I say something like that? Every time that Lily-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Sirius said, sticking his fingers in his ears and muttering, "Nah nah nah nah… I can't hear you!"
His friend pulled his fingers out of his ears and looked him in the face. "Look, Sirius, I can't have you mess this up for me. Just please, don't act stupid. Don't be an idiot. Don't try to hit on anyone. And most of all, no magic!"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "I've got it, oh wise guru of love. And what is your plan to woo the young lady?"
"I'm gonna dance with the flower girl," The aforementioned guru announced. Sirius waited for more of an explanation, and then asked,
"Wait, that's it?"
James nodded.
"Seriously? You're serious?"
"No, you are." A feminine voice said from behind them. James and Sirius whipped around to find Cai standing a few feet away.
"How much did you hear?" James asked hesitantly.
"Enough," She replied offhandedly. "Just please try and keep her out of trouble, all right? I know its asking a lot, but I have to go and find Chris and show him off to Tuna-face."
"Isn't Chris your brother?" Sirius asked, wrinkling his nose. "Why would you show off your brother to Lily's sister?"
"Because," Cai said with a wink, "Petunia has had the biggest crush on him since forever and a day ago. And she invited him to try and make him jealous, but what she doesn't know is that he brought his girlfriend and I want to make Tuna-face the jealous one, especially on the 'happiest day of her life'." Flipping her hair over her shoulder she turned and fled in the direction of the ballroom.
James and Sirius looked at each other, and rolled their eyes. "Cai," They said together, chuckling at her plan.
- - - - - -
"You're very pretty, you know that?" James said, twirling his dance partner around.
"I know," She replied, grinning up at him.
"You're also a very good dancer."
"I know," She repeated.
"You're also very eloquent."
"I kn- what?"
James grinned at the seven-year-old as he twirled her again. She responded by standing on his toes in order to keep in time with him.
"Hey Janie," He asked, relieved to find out that this distant relative wasn't named after a flower. "D'you think you could take a message from me to someone."
"I dunno," was the reply. "Who?"
"The beautiful red-head over there," James told her, pointing over to Lily who was sitting with Cai and Christopher.
She shrugged.
"I'll take that as a yes," He responded, handing her a small piece of paper. Twirling her one last time as the song ended, he kissed the top of her hand before shooing her off in the direction if Lily.
- - -
"I do hope James realizes that he's not dancing with one of your relatives, Lily," Christopher said in a hushed tone.
Cai and Lily laughed.
"I know, it is rather funny," Lily said in an amused tone. "Especially since she's Vernon's boss' daughter. I don't even understand why they used her as the flower girl."
They made small-talk for a few more minutes, mainly talking about what was going on at Hogwarts, when they were interrupted by Janie clearing her throat. She shyly handed the piece of paper to Lily, and then stood there silently, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet.
"Am I supposed to read this?" She asked the small girl, and Janie nodded.
Opening up the paper, she chuckled at what was written.
"Hey, let me see!" Cai exclaimed, taking the paper for herself. On it was written,
'Dance with me?
Check Yes for Yes, Check No for I'll be coming over to get you anyway'.
Christopher snorted. "Rather mature of him, isn't it?"
Lily quickly scribbled something using a pen left on the table, and marched over to James leaving the siblings behind.
"Here you go," She told him sweetly, and stood back to watch his response.
In Lily's neat writing, he saw
'No, I'd rather not have a repeat of the last time.'
Ignoring her wishes, he clasped her hand in his and twirled her around.
"Why wouldn't you want a repeat of the last time?" James asked, smiling. "I rather liked it."
"I'd rather not end up in the hospital, if it makes any difference to you."
"Nope," He told her with a laugh. "Besides, Poppy fixed your toes up fine last time."
Lily just rolled her eyes, deciding to not dignify the remark with a verbal response.
They were a few minutes into their dance when someone tapped James on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, may I cut in?" They turned and laid eyes upon an elderly looking gentleman.
"Of course, sir," James replied, offering Lily's hand to the man before moving over to the table where Cai and Christopher were sitting.
"Hello Lily," The man said as he spun her. Lily looked at him closely. His twinkling eyes reminded her of Albus Dumbledore, primarily, but they also reminded her of…
"Uncle Harry?" She cried out, and when he nodded she threw herself into his arms. "I haven't seen you in-"
"Forever and a day," He finished with a grin.
"Where have you been?" She questioned, and he responded airily, saying,
"Russia, Japan, the Continent… anywhere my heart leads me. And recently it told me to come back here to you." Harry peered into her eyes.
Lily sighed. "I've been better… but my friends have helped."
"And how long did that take?" He said in an amused tone.
"Awhile," She admitted, both knowing how stubborn she was. "But they eventually got through to me," Lily added with a sigh, thinking of the expedition with Cai to the Room of Requirement and of James' insistence that she let out her thoughts and feelings.
"You know of how-" She choked out, somehow unable to finish the sentence.
"I may be a muggle," Harry said soothingly, and quietly, "But I know my fair share about the wizarding world."
"I know, I'm sorry that I forgot," Lily replied.
"No worries," He informed her, rubbing her shoulder.
- - -
"Hullo there, mate," Sirius said with a grin as he perched himself on a barstool.
"What'll you be having?" The bartender asked gruffly.
"What've you got?" Sirius replied cheerfully. Not responding, the bartender reached below the counter to slide him a muggle beer.
Opening the bottle skillfully, Sirius grinned at the man before taking a giant sip.
One would think with how many times this has happened, I might have a better tolerance for alcohol, he thought with a laugh. But I suppose not. Bottom's up!
- - - -
Lily and Harry made small talk until the end of the song, when he stopped dancing.
"I think I'll return you to your laddy love, for these old bones need a rest," He said teasingly, hugging her briefly before shaking James' hand and moving off to join a group of distant relations conversing about the weather and muggle sports.
"Who is he?" James asked bluntly. Lily, trying to ignore his borderline rude behavior, replied,
"He's like an uncle to me, but not really related."
"And…" He prompted.
"And he's my godfather and I'm surprised he was invited."
"Knowing your friends, I'd say he just showed up," James replied dryly.
Lily rolled her eyes. Before she could say anything else, however, a bodily force crashed into James and almost knocked him off of his feet.
"Lily," Sirius slurred, "Come dance wi' me…"
"Who gave you alcohol?" Lily asked wearily.
"Bob… or George… or maybe his name was Marco Polo…" He trailed off as he looked at the band.
"Si- Seamus," Lily threatened. "Do not even think about it. You are not going up there. No way in-"
She had definitely gotten across to him.
Which was why she had found herself on the small stage dedicated a love song and making a toast to the happy couple.
Looking at her sister and remembering all the pain she had put her through, Lily had the sudden urge to make a condescending speech. But as she looked around the room for inspiration, her eyes connected with James'. He was shaking his head slightly, as if telling her not to do it.
After a few moment's thought, and the realization that James might be right and it might not turn out well if she just let out her thoughts, Lily remembered a conversation she and James had had in the middle of sixth year, near Valentine's Day.
"Someone once told me," She began as she looked out at the crowd, "That I'd eventually find my true love. When I asked what true love was, he replied,
"True love is your soul's recognition of its counterpoint in another.
"And as I look out at the blushing bride and the groom, I realize what he meant. Petunia, Vernon, I'm so happy that you've found your true love. Congratulations to you both!"
- - - - -
The group pulled up to the Brown family home at about ten o'clock that night- They had finally made it out of the reception at about 8:30, but had taken a wrong turn and ended up driving towards London until they realized their mistake.
"Time was… mmmph… funny and… stuff…" Cai murmured as she burrowed her head in the space next to the car window. Lily and James laughed, while Sirius let out an almighty snore. They had tried to sober him up with a sobering charm, but when that didn't work they had just put him into an enchanted sleep and levitated him into the car, after placing muggle-repellent charms, of course.
"I'm quite surprised at you, Lily," Carmen Brown remarked from her seat in the front. "I would have expected you to say something muy malo about the… what did you call them… 'blushing bride and groom'? I know I would have. Really, all Petunia needs is a swift kick in the-"
"Abuela!" Lily admonished, quite shocked.
"Que?" Carmen asked. "I would have said it en espanol!" Laughing, she levitated both Cai and Sirius into the home before turning to Lily and James.
"I feel as if they will not be up to returning back to your home tonight, James."
"We'll just wake up Sirius and I'll double-floo with him, and Lily can go with Cai," He replied. Carmen nodded, feeling as if his response was sufficient, and after a few minutes of hustling they managed to wake up the sleeping black-haired youth and prop him up in the fireplace.
"See you in a bit, Lils," James told her, before throwing down floo powder and yelling "Potter Manor!"
"Hey Cai," Lily said, nudging her blonde haired friend. "You up for coming back with us?"
The girl shrugged. "I didn't pack anything to wear, after unpacking last night. How about I pack up a few things and then head on over in about an hour?"
Lily stared at her. The girl was surprisingly quite communicative for someone who had been as exhausted as she was five minutes earlier.
"Maybe two," Cai amended with a yawn. "I know where my room is, so it doesn't really matter. And I'd like to spend a little time with Abuela before we go back to Hogwarts… a little time just us, not the entire family."
Lily nodded with a smile. "All right, when I get through I'll let James know. If you change your mind and want to stay the night here, just pop on through the floo and let us know. Otherwise we'll probably stay up all night waited for you." Both girls grinned, and Lily waved as she grabbed a handful of Floo powder and prepared to speak her destination.
…Meanwhile, at Potter Manor…
James carried Sirius out of the hearth and threw him onto the sofa in the living room.
"When he wakes up I'll tell him not to eat so much," He muttered to himself, before yelling out, "Mum! Dad! We're home!"
They immediately rushed into the room.
"James?" Elizabeth asked, and quickly checked her son over before doing the same to Sirius. "Are you hurt? What happened?"
"Er… we just got back, that's all," James said with a curious tone. "Why? Did something happen?"
"No!" His mother's exclamation, however, was followed by the sound of breaking glass and stone.
"Oh dear," She lamented and looked towards her husband. To James, it seemed to take hours, but in reality it was only seconds while they held their own non-verbal conversation.
In that time, Lily arrived through the floo.
"Hullo, everyone," She said cheerfully. "What's going on?"
"Back through the floo," Mrs. Potter replied in the same tone. "Lets all go on back to the Brown's, haven't visited with them for ages…"
However, the sound of more breaking glass and various thumps distracted them.
"Right then. Mum, what's going on?"
"We're under attack," Michael Potter replied in her stead. "I want you three to go back through the floo and get out of here. Get word to Dumbledore-"
Shouts were heard throughout the house, and he pushed them into the fireplace himself. Throwing Floo powder in, James hurriedly shouted, "Brown Place, Surrey."
When nothing happened, he tried again. And again. And aga-
"Damn, they blocked the floo," Michael Potter said, cursing as he did so. "Probably means that there's a portkey block, as well as… well, that wouldn't matter anyway." He straightened himself up. "Right then. For the moment, we're barricaded in here. James, I need you and Sirius to cause a distraction that will allow us to also take over the kitchen. From there we can get to the basement, and follow the passageways out to-"
An explosion rocked the entire house, and they grabbed onto nearby furniture and people in order to steady themselves.
"Got it? Good," With a slightly manic grin on his face, Michael Potter gave Sirius and James a nudge in the direction of the hallway, and pulled Lily next to him.
"All right, so we're going to wait for-"
Another explosion rocked the house, but this time it was accompanied by a purple smoke.
"Well, that was quick," He finished, covering Lily and Elizabeth Potter as they ran across the hall into the kitchen. What they found, however, was a madhouse.
Thirty Death-Eaters were knocked unconscious by the most recent explosion, but there were still a few giving James and Sirius a hard time. Quickly stunning the rest, they watched as Michael muttered a password at a painting of his family and waited for it to open.
What they came upon, however, was terrifying.
It was obvious that the Death Eaters had used the passageway to get into the Manor, as seen by the obvious destruction along the way. Quickly pushing them out of the passageway and sealing it up, Michael cursed and dragged his family behind a countertop and away from the windows.
"There must be a spy in the order," He murmured, before drawing out plans in the dust at his feet. "D'you two have your brooms?" He asked James and Sirius, furrowing his brow as he looked at the designs.
"Up in my room," They replied simultaneously, and Michael nodded.
"All right then. One of you will have to double up with Lily. You need to get to a safe house. We'll fight them off, and get to another house when possible." He sensed they were about to protest, and stared them down.
"This isn't a game," He said quietly, "I- We need to know that you three are safe. The only way for that to happen is for you to get out of here."
"But-"
"No. Now get." James looked at his parents fearfully before wrapping his arms around both of them and grabbing Lily by the hand. Both she and Sirius hugged them as well before they went over to a cabinet, James and Sirius saying different phrases and dragging Lily up the stairs that appeared.
- - - -
In less than five minutes, they were flying out of the bedroom windows and were on their way to the closest safe house, McGonagall's family home that was a few towns to the west.
However, that all changed when the dark mark went up over the Manor.
James immediately stopped and hovered as he stared.
"I'm going back," He announced. "Lily, go on with Sirius to the safe house."
Lily, who was currently doubled up with Sirius on the broom, glared at him. "James-"
Without waiting for a response, he sped away in the direction of the glowing green mark.
And in return Lily hit Sirius in the shoulder, prompting him to follow.
They all arrived back at the manor in a few minutes, James making a spectacular entrance by crashing through a window (Placing a shield charm around him though, in order to avoid being cut up). What he came upon though, terrified him.
"Ah, I see that the youngest Potter has decided to join us," A haunted voice said, staring between the two males of the Potter family. James looked in the direction of his father and received a glare. A clattering indicated his mother sliding to a stop in the doorway next to the window that James had flown through.
"As well as the mother, how charming," Voldemort drawled. "It's just terrible that this family reunion will have to be cut short."
Before anyone could respond, a muttered curse came and a sickly purple light hurtled in the direction of James, who stood there like a deer in the headlights.
Time seemed to slow. The only thought running through his head, oddly enough, was I never told Lily I loved her, and now she'll have no one to take care of her.
However, the impact that he was bracing himself for never came. Instead a different weight hit him, and he slumped to the ground with a body in his arms.
His mother's body.
"Mum?" He asked softly, shaking her arm. "Mum?"
"Fool," Voldemort hissed. He made as if to send the curse again, but a bludgeoning curse sent by Michael changed his mind and the battle resumed.
- - - -
Meanwhile Sirius and Lily had entered through an already broken window a few rooms down, and came upon four Death Eaters having fun destroying the Potter Family possessions. Sirius and Lily were quickly separated, Lily barricading herself behind a sofa and a broken door that been found wedged between walls at the end of the hallway, and Sirius going from room to room distracting the Death Eaters enough so he could stun them.
However a reductor curse stopped him in his tracks, for in dodging the beam of light Sirius managed to get trapped under the rubble that fell from the ceiling.
Pushing it all off he tried to avoid the debris on his ankle, which was surely broken. However, the Death Eater was still at large and was currently laughing as it leveled its wand at Sirius.
A red light knocked the Death Eater to the ground, and a red-haired girl hobbled into the room.
"Hey, thanks Lils!" Sirius said hurriedly. "I've got a bit of an injury here. D'you think you could-" He broke off as Lily collapsed in a heap in the middle of the doorway, and instead of finishing his previous sentence he yelled, "James! Get in here now!".
- - -
"James! Get in here now!" James heard Sirius yell. He tried to make his body respond, but all he seemed to be able to do was pluck helplessly at his mum's sleeve. A vase smashing to the ground broke through his thoughts, and he carefully pulled his mother off of his lap and placed her gently on the ground. "I'm sorry Mum," He told her, resisting the urge to cry, and picked his wand up off the ground and raised it to meet Voldemort, who had just sent an orange light at his father.
A set of many loud cracks announced the arrival of reinforcements (although neither James or Voldemort could tell if they were their own sides) and the dropping of the anti-apparation shields that were thought to be in place. Looking out the window Voldemort spied the silver head of Dumbledore, and sneered at his opponent.
"I'll see you again, James Potter. Count on it," He informed James before apparating away. Dumbledore was already in the room by the time that James was running in the direction of Sirius' voice.
- - - -
Everything that happened in the next hour was a complete blur for James. It hadn't really hit him yet what had happened to anyone; he was still running on adrenaline from the battle and it wouldn't take effect until a few hours later. At the moment, his only concern was for his best friend, his parents, and his-
"Mr. Potter?" A healer in white robes asked, stopping in front of him.
"Yes?" He replied gruffly.
"We've stabilized your father, and he's expected to recover fully. We've also healed a Mr. Black, and at the moment he is resting in the trauma ward. Due to the current circumstances, we felt it would be best to place your father in a private room-"
"What about Mum?" He asked softly.
The healer sighed. "We're doing the best we can to stabilize her. The curse is of unknown origins, most likely a modified form of Dark Magic. We have the best specialists working on her now."
"And Lily?" James asked in an even lower tone.
"Miss Evans?" The healer clarified. When James nodded, she continued. "Miss Evans was hit by a spell that we were initially unsure of the effects of. However, we have stabilized her condition and she is also expected to recover-"
"Can I see her?" James asked quickly. Noticing the healer about to say no, he turned on the puppy-dog eyes. "Please?"
She sighed. "I suppose, as long as you stay quiet and do not disturb the patient."
- - -
Not disturbing the patient seemed to only last until the patient woke up, for it seemed as if as soon as Lily opened her eyes she and James got in a row.
"I'm sorry," Were the first words out of his mouth, to which a groggy Lily replied,
"Excuse me?"
The healer had come in to inform James that he could see his father fifteen minutes previous, only to find the aforementioned boy grasping Lily's hand in his and whispering to her. Smiling, she managed to check up on Lily before leaving and being spared the worst of the storm.
"I'm sorry," He repeated.
"What for?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.
James bowed his head. "I put you in danger. I'm so sorry, it'll never happen again. I'll do everything I can to-"
"James," Lily interrupted. "You can't do that. You can't promise that things will never happen to me."
"Yes I can. I can watch you all the time, I can make sure you're protected, you won't ever have to face-"
"James," She told him, seething. "You can't. It's impossible."
"You were hit by a curse, Lily," He pleaded.
"And exhaustion. So what? I want to take down Voldemort, James. How can I not get hit by curses doing that?"
"You almost died!" He pleaded.
"My parents did die!" She whispered heatedly. "Don't you think I deserve the chance to avenge the people I loved?"
James looked down at the floor, blinking back tears. Lily didn't know how close the people that James loved had come to being killed by Voldemort in the past 4 hours.
Lily seemed to not notice his hesitation, and continued to prattle on and on about how James was inconsiderate, that she had just overworked herself a smidge, and that she didn't need him fawning over her and making decisions for her left and right.
And that's when he thought, I almost lost Lily there. My Lily. No matter what, she'll always be my Lily.
Shut up, Potter, a voice said. You know that she's not yours. Never has been, never will be.
You're wrong, he retorted, once she realizes-
Yes, once she realizes. But when will that day ever come? Sirius finally decided on a quidditch team he likes-
Your argument makes no sense, he told the voice.
-and that's just about as important to him as love. That's been years in the making. And you're thinking she'll realize it in what, a matter of minutes. You stupid, inconsiderate, pr-
James Potter proceeded to shut off the annoying voices currently arguing in his head, and then proceeded to do the single most stupid thing he had ever done in his life. Even more stupid than the time he and Sirius decided to see if they could fly without broomsticks by jumping off the roof of the Potter home. Even more stupid than the time he decided to go for a swim. At night. In the Hogwarts Lake with the giant squid. In the middle of winter. Even more stupid than- Well, let's just say this was more stupid than anything else he had ever done before, and that includes selfishly pursuing a girl who, let's face it, had absolutely no romantic interest in him, along with a host of others things that would probably terrify his friends and family members (excluding Sirius) who are terribly concerned for his safety.
For at precisely 12:34 AM in the trauma ward at St. Mungo's, under the eye of many healers, and an unconscious Sirius, James Potter did the stupidest thing in the history of stupid things ever done by a man in love.
He leaned forward, grabbed her by the shoulders, and proceeded to shut her up in the only way he could think of.
He kissed her.