Chapter 3

When James returned to the cottage, he found Lily curled up in her favourite armchair, still cradling Harry, who was wrapped in a blanket. Most of the aurors had disappeared now, only two remained, sitting on the sofa, waiting.

"James," Lily said desperately, getting up as soon as she saw him, "They wanted to take him - to St. Mungo's. But I couldn't let them take him without letting you say goodbye."

Goodbye. He felt the familiar sting of tears in his eyes again. He had to say goodbye.

Lily walked over to James, handing Harry to him. He thought back to the very first time she had passed Harry to him as a newborn, the picture of James, but with Lily's eyes, bright and full of potential. But now, those eyes were closed, never to sparkle with laughter again.

James broke down, clutching Harry to his body as the sobs shook his entire body. He noticed the aurors quietly leave the room to give him space, but he didn't care who saw.

"My boy," he wailed, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Tears dripped down his face and landed on Harry, rolling down his smooth, flawless face.

After a few minutes, he started to calm down. He pressed his lips to Harry's forehead, his entire body shaking. How could he let him go? To hand him over to the aurors and let them take his boy away? But he knew he had to. If he didn't do it now, he thought that maybe he would never be able to. He called the aurors back, and handed Harry to one of them. He heard Lily whimper, and before he could change his mind, he turned his back on Harry, and pulled Lily into his arms.

"We're so, so sorry," one of the aurors said quietly. James and Lily held each other tightly as the two men disapparated with a loud crack. Harry was gone.

The time passed slowly. James suggested that they go to bed, but Lily said she wanted to be alone for a little while. She went upstairs to Harry's bedroom and shut herself in. James could hear her sobbing, but eventually she went quiet. James crept upstairs after a while to check on her. She was curled up in Harry's cot asleep, her face stained with dry tears, her hair untamed. She held a teddy bear clutched to her chest, almost as if it was Harry.

James took a deep, shuddering breath before finally closing the door, heartbroken to see her like that, wishing he could comfort her, but also knowing that she needed her space, and needed her rest. There wouldn't be much of a chance for either of those things in the coming weeks, months or even years.

He headed back downstairs to be greeted by a tapping on the window. True to his word, Albus had sent an owl. James accepted the letter, but left it unopened on the table. It could wait.

Suddenly there was another crack, and Sirius appeared in the living room - the fidelius charm was down now. Without a word, Sirius threw himself into James' arms. He'd never been one for words, but he had a knack for throwing everything he wanted to say into his actions.

"I thought you'd be in Azkaban by now," James admitted, pulling out of the hug, "I thought you were going to kill him."

"I would have killed him, if the aurors hadn't gotten him first," he said bitterly. "I'd have spent my life in Azkaban for that traitorous little rat."

"Well I'm glad you didn't. I don't know how we would have gotten through this without you."

"Life inside with the dementors will probably be a better punishment for him anyway. Death would be too easy. Not that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named doesn't have the power to just break him out if he wants to." He looked around, noticing Lily's absence for the first time, "Where's Lily?"

"She's in Harry's room," James told him, the name painful to say, "She's asleep."

Sirius nodded.

"Good. She needs it. Now, do you want me to get you a firewhiskey?"

James thought for a few seconds, and then nodded.

"You always know exactly what I need, Sirius. I've got so much to tell you. Just the one though, Albus is calling an emergency Order meeting in the morning."

Sirius brought the firewhiskey from the cabinet and two glasses. They both sat down and James proceeded to tell him all about the prophecy, how Snape had overheard it and passed the information on to Voldemort.

"So this is all Snivellus's fault?" Sirius growled, "I'll kill him!"

"What did I just tell you?" James tutted, "I need you out of Azkaban! Me and Lily need you here, especially with Remus away on his mission. Besides, that's not the end of the story." He told him how Severus had come to Albus to confess the truth, risked his life in order to try to save the Potters, and how he had now agreed to act as a spy for the Order after realising he no longer wanted to be a Death Eater. Sirius let out a slow exhale.

"So, he's still in love with Lily then?" he eventually stated, matter-of-factly.

"Looks like it. After all this time. I thought he just had a creepy crush on her in school, but looks like maybe it was more than that."

"Have you told her all of this?" Sirius asked. James shook his head. Sirius lowered his head into his hands in disbelief.

"It just wasn't the time. She's just lost Harry a few hours ago! How could I tell her that it was Snape's fault without having her either break down to the point of no return, or worse, get herself thrown in Azkaban after performing her first Unforgivable?"

Sirius sighed, clearly also torn for the best thing to do.

"You're going to have to tell her, if you plan on going to this Order meeting. I assume Albus will tell us everything."

James pinched the bridge of his nose, speaking aloud but almost to himself.

"She's going to try to kill him, and I don't even know whether I'd try to stop her."

Sirius clapped his hand on James' back.

"I'll stop her. She would never hex her favourite dog. As much as I'd love to see her avenge Harry's de-" he cut himself off, not wanting to say death so soon, "avenge Harry, Lily does not belong in Azkaban. She wouldn't survive."

"I don't look forward to telling her. I don't know how she will take it. Even I don't know how to take it. It's Snape's fault Harry's gone but he risked his own life to try to take it back. I feel like I'm not allowed to be mad at him but then I remember… It's Harry…"

"It's going to take a lot of getting used to. I don't know how Albus can expect the Order to welcome him with open arms after all of this."

"I don't think we have much of a choice. If the prophecy was right, and Harry was the one destined to kill You-Know-Who, then we need all of the help we can get…"

Sirius just shuddered, trying not to think about the future. All he could see ahead was darkness.