Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I can still write about it! Score!
A/N: Yes, yes, I know, this story was supposed to be finished, and it is, but I've had a couple of requests to write a few chapters from James' perspective, and I'm thinking of doing like five? Anyway, this one is from chapter 32/33, the attack on Hogsmeade, and if anyone wants to request any specific chapters or moments or whatever, go ahead! Thanks!
PS: All of these chapter titles (all of the ones I've got in mind anyway) are named after songs by a band called Daughter, who are AMAZING, so check them out! Each chapter will correlate with the song choice, so check out No Care if you want a soundtrack for this chapter!
Enjoy xx
"Come on, come on, come on, James! We have to go to Honeydukes!"
Lily's hanging onto my arm, hair spinning out around her, her face lit up with excitement as she starts dragging me towards her favourite shop. Every so often it hits me, how ridiculously lucky I am to be with Lily Evans, and right now I feel it deep in my gut.
"Yes, but I want to go to Zonko's!" I pout, laughing, and sticks out her light pink tongue.
"Too bad!"
There's a strange humming in the air all of a sudden, like I'm underwater, and I feel the heat of the explosion before I see it or hear it. The air's full of smoke and curses and Lily screams beside me, her hand slipping out of mine as she's blasted backwards. I hear her hit the cobbles and I shout blindly, whirling around, staggering forward. A second of eerie silence fills the street, and then a shrill, creepy, high laugh echoes and reverberates through the road, mixing with the screams.
"Lily!" There's no response to my desperate yell, and a bright green curse flies over my shoulder as I snatch up my wand and Lily's which is next to mine by my foot.
She hasn't got her wand.
The next few minutes are a blur of dodging and shouting and firing jinxes like my life depends on it, which it does. There're robed figures everywhere, lining the alleys and blasting out the windows of shops, and I sprint across the road and up towards the Shrieking Shack, fingers clenched around my wand, cramping.
"James!"
"Sirius!"
We collide almost painfully, and I drag him by the collar of his shirt into an alley, against a wall.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Have you seen Mar? Remus? Where's Lily? Is she not with you?"
"No, I lost her after the explosion, I hoped she might be with you-"
I'm cut off by a scream, and a group of third-years come running around the corner, shouting in fear.
"It's okay, it's okay, shh! Is everyone okay? Are you all okay?"
They're all panicking, wands drawn but useless, but a few of them nod, trying to stay calm.
"Okay, good." Sirius' voice is quiet but authoritative as he approaches the group. "James is going to take you all up to the school, okay? And I'll be right behind you."
"Mate, why don't you take them, and-"
"James, you're Head Boy," He whispers, turning his back on the students to mouth at me. "They'll listen to you. Take them up to the school."
"Alright." I jog forwards and address the students. "Whatever happens, stick together. If I get hit, keep going up to the school. Are we clear?"
They all mumble assent, and I nod at Sirius, a promise.
"See you later Padfoot."
"Dinner's at five." He winks at me, and smirks.
"And if you can-"
"I'll find Lily for you, lover boy, now get those kids up to the school before one of them Slytherins wets themselves."
The path up to the gates is slippery, coated with snow, but the anxiety in the air is enough to silence the usual complaints as Professor Eihwaz comes hurrying out.
"Thank goodness! Is everyone alright?"
I leave the third years in the Entrance Hall as Madam Pomfrey rushes up to check them for injuries, and pull off my glasses; there's a long, thin crack in them, splitting the world in two.
"James!"
Remus jogs up towards me, jumper ripped, and Peter follows close behind him.
"Are you alright? Where's Sirius? And Lily?"
"I thought they might be with you..." I frown at him, and he furrows his brow, looking anxious.
"At least we're all alright. McGonagall will want to know you're here."
"I'll go and tell her." Peter rushes off into the Great Hall, where all of the students are gathered, milling around, all of the houses jumbled up and joined in their relief.
"But there's been no word from Sirius or Lily?"
"No, not as far as I know, but I'm sure they're fine, they probably just got caught up in the snow..."
"Probably," I say, but I don't believe the word as I speak it.
Professor McGonagall calls for silent, and orders everyone back to their common rooms, so the rest of the Prefects and I organise ourselves to get everyone to their respective houses, but our commands aren't punctuated by the spirit lifting lightness of Lily's tone that usually brightens up the Prefects' meetings.
The common room is full of students, too jittery to do anything but sit and talk quietly, and Peter, Remus and I are sat by the door to the portrait hole in silence, staring into space, each of us too caught up in our misguiding and morbid thoughts to bring ourselves to do anything but glare at the walls with a furious vengeance that promises anger. When the portrait hole swings open and Sirius staggers in, leg bandaged, breathing heavily, we all jump to our feet and, masculinity going out the window, engulf in a massive bear hug that threatens to steal him of his ability to breathe.
"Sirius, Sirius, Sirius, thank god you're okay."
"Couldn't miss dinner now, could I?" He tries to sound nonchalant, but his eyes are tired and glazed, like he's been crying.
"What's wrong? Did you find Lily? Is she back yet?"
"She's...she's in the Hospital Wing at the moment."
"Why? What's wrong with her?"
My voice goes dangerously high, steely, impatience giving it an edge, and he holds out a placating hand, though his voice wobbles.
"She was hit by a curse, she passed out, but I carried her back here, Madam Pomfrey said I should come back here. She's pretty bad, James."
My blood thunders in my ears. "I'm going to see her."
"Madam Pomfrey said no visitors."
"Don't care." I storm out into the corridor, broken glasses propped wonkily on my nose, cut forehead bleeding, arms aching.
I don't care.
I'm going to see my girlfriend.
What did you think? Did you like it? Let me know what you thought, and what other chapters you'd like to see!
Thanks a million,
She-who-lives-fanfiction xx
