~*~*~*~ Authors Note: This is going to be emotional ladies and Gentleman get out your tissues.

It was very difficult for me to write. ~*~*~*~

Harry Potter

The Aftermath

Chapter 4

We've Lost

December 6, 2017

Nearly a week had passed since the Fidilus Charm was cast to protect the Potters from Voldemort. It's October 31st Halloween on a Saturday and it was a typical start of the day for the small Potter Family. Lily had gotten up and made breakfast for them all.

After breakfast James and Lily had taken Harry out side into the back yard out of eyesight of the muggles around them to play with his broom and snitch in a more safer environment. The day progressed as it normally did.

It was late James had been in the living room playing with his wand entertaining Harry but now the little guy was yawning and James had decided it was bed time. He laid his wand down on the coffee table then picked up his one year old son. "Come on Harry bed time." he said comfortingly as he rubbed his son's back and carried him out of the living room. "Lily I'm taking Harry up to bed." he called into the kitchen where his wife was cleaning up after dinner.

"Alright James." Lily said softly with a smile as she turned to look at him.

James smiled as he headed up the stairs carefully and into his son's room to lay him down in his crib comfortably. "Good night my little man." he said softly as he kissed Harry's forehead before turning and leaving the room.

Lily met James just inside the living room and wrapped her arms around him. "You're such a good father." she said lovingly as she stood up on her tippy toes and kissed him.

"And your a wonderful mother." James said happily as he spun her around then kissed her again. He heard a noise in the entry way so he stopped and walked back out into the hallway to figure out what the sound was. Shock and horror crossed his face as he stood there staring at Voldemort who had just opened their front door. "Lily go run it's him. Get Harry and run I'll hold him off!" he said urgently as his wife sprinted up the stairs.

Lily took one last look at her husband once she reached the second floor landing just as an awful laugh broke the silence. Her husband was disarmed his wand still laying in the living room on the coffee table. James had been no threat nor had he been an obstacle for the Dark Lord to overcome. "JAMES!" she shrieked as she watched her husband fall to the floor lifeless.

Another piercing laugh broke the silence as the Dark Lord mounted the first step over the dead body of James Potter.

'Harry!' Lily thought frantically as she tore her eyed from the body of her now deceased husband and ran to her son's room slamming the door.

The door burst open moments later to more laughter this had been ridiculously easy the fools had underestimated him. "Move aside and you shall not be harmed." Voldemort said as he raised his wand assuming that the fear of death would be enough to move her. His servant Severus Snape had asked him to spare Lily so he could make her his. Voldemort was willing to do that but he would give her only one chance that was more than he ever gave any enemy.

"No not my baby! Not Harry, have mercy he's only a baby! Harry's no threat to you! Kill me but spare my son I beg you spare my baby!" Lily begged as she stood between Voldemort and her one year old son Harry.

"Avada Kedavra." Voldemort said stoically her life meant nothing to him. The room filled with green light and Lily Potter fell to the floor dead just like her husband. Voldemort turned his attention to the one year old in the crib and smiled wickedly. 'Useless to protect him from me.' he thought.

Voldemort brought his wand up and pointed it at the baby before him. "Avada Kedavra!" he said viciously this one he wanted dead more than anyone else he had killed before. But the curse rebounded on him striking the Dark Lord instead and in the process of destroying the Dark Lords body since he couldn't be killed due to his Horcluxes it blew apart the second floor of the house with his wand clattering to the floor.

Voldemort himself zoomed away as fast as he could that was the most horrific and terrible pain he had ever felt. He had to get away far away from this boy and his powers. So in terror he had never known he fled to parts unknown.

Minutes after the collapse of the second floor. "M...Mmm...Master..." a muttered voice said as it's owner scampered into the house cautiously. "Serves you right Prongs for defying the greatest Dark Lord to ever exist." Peter said with a laugh then he looked up the stairs to the second floor curiously why had his Lord not rejoined him James was obviously dead so he scampered up the stairs and to the room with the most damage to see with wonder the baby still alive and Voldemort gone. Scared he picked up the wand and fled.

It is early morning November 1st when Hagrid arrives at the house to retrieve Harry on Dumbledore's orders. Dumbledore being the amazing wizard he is and not being the one to rely solely on one way to protect the Potters had secretly placed a charm on the house that would tell him instantly that there was trouble at their house.

"Oh... James..." Hagrid said sympathetically once he entered the house and spotted his fellow Order of the Phoenix member. He heard a baby crying up stairs. 'Dumbledore was right young Harry did survive.' he thought as he managed to get up the stairs to the second floor. "S'all right Harry." he said as he picked the boy up making sure to keep Harry's back to his dead mother on the floor trying to keep him from seeing the awful site at such a young age.

Harry for his part continued to cry like he knew something was seriously wrong. Hagrid picked up a baby blanket and a small stuffed animal. He gave the small stuffed dog to Harry who quieted down a little then wrapped the boy up in his blanket. "S'all right Harry. Dumbledore will know what to do." he said comfortingly as he made his way down the stairs and out of the house.

A roar of a loud engine could be heard and Hagrid looked up to a familiar site of Sirius' motorbike. Once it landed two figures disembarked and made their way over to Hagrid. "Oh no James and Lily." Marie said worried as she took off into the house.

"S'no use their gone." Hagrid called after her but she ignored him and went in anyway.

"Their dead." Sirius said as he closed his eyes trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. His double bluff had failed he had unknowingly handed his best friend and his wife over to the Dark Lord. Peter would pay with his life for this Sirius had already decided that. "I'm Harry's godfather hand him over please." he said once he opened his eyes again looking up at the half giant before him.

"Can't do it Sirius. Order from Dumbledore. I'm to take him to Hogwarts then to Dumbledore himself." Hagrid said sympathetically.

"James wasn't even armed..." Marie said as she came out of the house holding two wands not her own. She had collected James' and Lily's wands to keep them out of Muggle hands. "His wand was in the living room he died defenseless at the bottom of the stairs...Lily was in front of Harry's crib protecting him no doubt." she said as tears slid down her face making her way over to Sirius.

"My god..." Sirius said as he looked over at Marie then held her to him. Peter would pay dearly for this if it was the last thing he did. "Hagrid take my bike it will be easier for you with Harry. I'm going to go find Peter. Marie go find Remus." he said seriously looking up at Hagrid then down at Marie in his arms.

Marie wiped the tears away from her eyes and nodded up to Sirius in agreement. "Right I'll take their wands to our place then find Remus. We'll hold on to them for Harry." she said as she backed away form Sirius.

"Good idea." Hagrid said gruffly as he looked at Marie then over to Sirius. "You sure about the bike?" he asked curiously. Since Sirius had graduating that bike had been a constant companion for him and James during their missions together for the Order and the Ministry.

"I won't need it anymore. Go on get Harry to safety before more bloody Death Eaters show up." Sirius said as he waved impatiently at Hagrid to go.

"Sure." Hagrid said then brushed past the two then did a two finger salute to them before taking off heading back towards Hogwarts from Godricks Hollow.

"You to Marie I don't want to hear about you getting cornered by these little rats." Sirius said wondering if she would catch on to what he was saying.

"Right. You stay safe and good luck." Marie said as she walked over to him and hugged him tightly then kissed his cheek. She pulled back then turned on the spot and was gone.

Sirius sighed then walked into the house kneeling beside James. "Mate this is all my fault, if I hadn't pushed you into choosing Peter..." he said softly then died off as he laid a hand on James' cold shoulder as he finally let a few tears slide down his cheek. "I'm sorry will never be enough for you and Lily...I'll make him pay dearly for this you have my word!" he said as he looked at his dead best friend conviction in his tone. He squeezed James' shoulder tightly then stood up and left the house once on the sidewalk he turned on the spot and was gone. Muggles were starting to stir as Police, Fire, and Rescue made their way to the house to search for survivors of which were none.

~*~*~*~ Marie ~*~*~*~

Marie had placed Jame's and Lily's wand in her's and Sirius' house at the end of Diagon Alley. As she stepped out of their house the celebrations of Voldemort's down fall had already started to spread. How these people had found out so soon was beyond her it was barely getting close to sun up. 'Remus. Hope he's alright.' she thought after looking around at everyone being stupid at the death of her friends and the orphaning of a child. Then she disappeared.

Remus heard his alarm charms go off and rushed to stand behind his front door. The apartment he was staying in near Hogsmead was courtesy of James Potter. "Remus... Remus open the door!" he heard Marie say as she knocked on his door.

Marie waited a moment curiously the full moon wasn't until tomorrow night so she knew he had to be here so that wasn't a problem and Dumbledore avoided giving Remus missions this close to the full moon. He had to be home. "Alohamora." she whispered then opened the door quietly lighting the end of her wand and stepped through into the apartment.

Remus watched silently as Marie stepped into the apartment cautiously he heard her call out to him softly a few times as she walked farther into the living room. He slammed the door hard and stood in front of it aiming his wand at her with of all things anger in his eyes. He had heard of James and Lily's death Sirius was their Secret Keeper so if he betrayed them so had this woman he had called friend or so he had reasoned.

Marie screamed and jumped almost out of her own skin as she spun around pointing her wand at the door to defend her self. Then lowered her wand recognizing her friend. "Gods Remus don't scare me like that." she said releasing a sigh and the pent up tension the night had caused. "Why didn't you answer when I knocked or called for you?" she asked curiously with her wand down at her side then she noticed he hadn't relaxed. "Remus... what's wrong?" she asked tentatively as she took a step towards him holding out her wandless hand to him.

"Don't you traitor!" Remus said angrily as he jabbed his wand at her slightly to get his point across.

Marie jumped slightly at the anger and the hatred in his voice. She pulled her hand back covering her heart and took a step backwards still not raising her wand against him. Remus was her friend they had been friends since first year at Hogwarts. "Remus... what are you talking about I'm no traitor I came to make sure you were safe. Remus, James and Lily..."

"Are dead I know that! No thanks to you and Sirius." Remus cut her off angrily how dare this woman say their names to him.

"Wh...wh...what?" Marie stumbled out confused as she took another step backwards his anger seemed to suck the life out of the room.

"You heard me traitor!" Remus said angrily as he now advanced on her a few paces and watched as she backed away.

"Wait Remus Sirius and I didn't do this. Voldemort killed them. We went to visit them after we couldn't find Peter..." Marie said as she backed away then bumped into a wall. She looked around looking for an exit route quickly then returned her attention back to Remus with panic in her eyes.

"Sirius was their Secret Keeper only he could have told Voldemort where they were!" Remus said angrily as he stopped halfway across the room to Marie. She had no escape she was back against a door and windowless wall.

"No wait..." Marie said throwing her wandless hand out in front of her palm facing him. "We just got back from a mission for the Ministry Remus. We went to check on Peter and he was gone so we went to check on James and Lily..."

"Enough of your lies!" Remus bit out angrily cutting her off she dared to say their names again in his presence. "Stupify."

"Protago!" Marie screeched as she finally pulled her wand up to defend herself. "Stop Moony please! I'm not your enemy, I'm your friend!" she said trying to reason with him keeping her wand in front of her now bur not pointed at Remus.

"You're not my friend, you betrayed James and Lily! Probably all the other Order members we've lost too." Remus said as he shot off a few more stupify spells at her all of which she protected herself from.

"REMUS STOP!" Marie cried out at him as teared fell down her face he had to be under the control of the Imperious curse. "You must stop Moony! I'm your friend we've been friends for ten years! Please stop...please...Moony please..." she said as she lowered her wand unwilling to fight her friend.

"Stop calling me that! That's for my friends only!" Remus said hatred in his voice and it snapped something in the back of Marie's mind as she charged at him switching her wand from her right hand to her left.

Marie stopped just inches from him within his outstretched arm width and she pulled her hand back and slapped him hard across the face. "I came here to make sure you were safe Remus! I saw them, James and Lily, laying dead where they fell! How can you say such things? How dare you! We've fought by your side these past three years! We helped you through your transformations! We've kept your secret for nine years! We didn't betray our friends we would never have sided with Voldemort. Sirius would die before he betrayed James and Lily or you or me or Peter!" she said angrily with tears streaming down her face.

"Maybe you didn't know Sirius betrayed us to Voldemort." Remus said as he looked down at her shocked.

"Ugh!" Marie said as she slapped him hard again across the face before shoving him out of her way and making her way to the door. He had brought up worrying facts, Sirius was the Potter's Secret Keeper. Their must be something else to explain this, something both her and Remus were missing. She knew Sirius hadn't turned to the Dark Arts, he hated the Dark Arts and he hated Voldemort. Her loyalty to Sirius never wavered for a moment, there had to be some other way Voldemort had found the Potter's last night.

Marie left Remus intent on finding Peter who Sirius had went after the one among their group who had been missing for four days now. They had gone to check in on Peter Wednesday and he was gone so they had returned Saturday, he was still gone that's when Sirius had decided to check in on the Potters. 'Peter.. "You to Marie I don't want to hear about you getting cornered by these little rats." he must have been the actual Secret Keeper all along. That's why Sirius got worried and wanted to check on James and Lily...That has to be it, unless Voldemort found away around the charm which is supposed to be absolutely impossible. More like it was some kind of double bluff like Sirius said he was the natural choice... but why lie to me and Remus?' she thought fitting the pieces together confused as she appeared outside of Peters small one bedroom flat in the village of Ottery St. Catchpole in the large county of Devon in the south west part of England.

Marie watched Peter's house all day from the shadows of the buildings around his small flat. She was intent on finding him or Sirius to learn the truth of what had transpired over this last week since the Fidelius Charm was cast. She continued to watch all night when neither of her targets showed themselves during the day.