What kind of fool goes up against Voldemort without his wand? If I don't get remembered for anything else, James thought, I'll be remembered for that. He could have laughed at how stupid he knew he must have looked. Dressed in his pyjama bottoms and a shirt he hadn't gotten round to changing out of, hair at all angles and glasses wonky on his nose. He knew what was coming before it happened, but if he could just give Lily and Harry a chance, even a little one. It would be worth it. He'd always said he's die for her.
The face of the marauders came into his head one by one, each smiling, trailing hundreds of memories behind them. Smiles, laughs, pranks, even the occasional tears. The urge to smile in the face of the darkest wizard in a century was overwhelming. To go out knowing he'd pissed him off would have been better, he thought.
What would Sirius say if he could see him now, facing Voldemort without his wand? Laugh most likely, and then Remus would step in, telling him to shut up and giving him a look that could only say 'The one moment you're about to die and you forget your bloody wand?' And Peter would stand there nodding and chirping in with the occasional word. Peter. His chest drew tight when he thought of the rat he'd called his friend, trusted to keep their secret. This was his fault! He'll have been scared, betrayed them to save himself, James thought cursing the boy.
The flash of green was drawing closer; it will all be over soon. No more pain, no more hiding. No more life. He'd be sorry he never got to say goodbye to the Marauders or the other order members. So many people to miss.
Will it quick? Will it be easy? Will it hurt? The questions filled his mind, but he pushed them back. He found a memory, an image of when things where happy. The war wasn't something to do with them, just a thing going on. Smiling was easy and laughter was always around.
'This is it then' his mind said, the light inches away, time seemed to have slowed down around him. The image of him, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Doe, Marly, Lily, Alice and Frank stood outside by the lake at Hogwarts floated in front of him. Everyone was smiling, everyone was happy. A smile tugged at his lips, pulling them up, then the light hit him sending him backward, crumpling to the floor. A ghost of a smile etched on his face, eye's already dimming.