[August 22, 2013]

James had only ever heard Lily cry—really cry—once in her life, behind a closed door where she likely figured no one would overhear. Except he had, but he kept walking as if he hadn't all the same. That was about a year ago now. That was the day, James assumed, that she figured out exactly what it was Death had stolen.

But that Lily was nothing like the dry-eyed child in front of him, ear pressed to the door, tongue stuck out the side of her mouth as she strained to listen to the discussion on the other side.

"Here. I nicked these from Uncle George's shop," James said as he pulled some Extendable Ears from his pocket and passed them out to his siblings. Albus took his, but not before giving him a disapproving glare. "What? It's not like they'll be missed. Besides, you want to hear what's going on, don't you?"

"Stuff up. I can't hear over your mouth," Lily whispered. She already had the Extendable Ear connected to her own with the other end slid under the door. James and Albus followed suit without another word.

"...don't know what we should do," Mum was saying by the time James got the damned thing in place in his ear. One would think they'd make technology aimed at children a bit more, well, child-friendly.

"We're not even sure of anything yet. She's young still. Maybe she's, you know, a late bloomer." Dad's voice was louder, closer, and interrupted by intermittent footsteps as he presumably paced the width of the room.

"But what if..."

"What if she's a Squib?"

The pacing stopped, and the room fell quiet as if it were in mourning for the lost possibilities. When Dad spoke again, his voice sounded more haggard, more resigned, but firm just the same.

"Even if she is, she's still our daughter. There's not a thing wrong with it. In case you forgot, my family's full of Muggles."

"That's not what I—" Mum's voice was shaky and weak.

"I know it's not. It'll be fine, honey. Really."

"Maybe...maybe we should send her to a Muggle primary."

"Out of the question." The response was sharp and pointed, and the familiar beat of pacing closely followed it.

James shared a look with Albus, whose face was scrunched up and overrun by worry lines. They had all known it. Of course they had. Only, it wasn't something that had ever been voiced, because once an idea was given credence, there was no way to take it back. Oh, but they were all aware. There was no doubt Lily was a Squib.

"Listen, Ginny, I don't know what's going on, but it's dangerous. We're on high alert at work. Some group that calls themselves Shadow-Speakers. Dunno how many of them there are or where they came from, but they're causing quite a stir."

"You don't think...I mean, it's not going to be like..."

"No. No, of course not. Don't even think like that. I won't let our kids suffer through a war like we did."

While the concern was admirable, and the words were tinged with fierce paternal instinct, the thought was perhaps misplaced. Live through a war? Hell, two out of three of them had started wars and the third wasn't altogether innocent, either. Across from him, Lily rolled her eyes, though James wasn't sure what part it was that she objected to.

There was nothing but unnerving silence sitting on the other side of the door. One minute. Two minutes. Then three. What could they be doing? Finally, the bed groaned in time to Dad's heavy sigh.

"We need to keep them close. Watch them. All of them. And if Lily doesn't have any magic, we'll just have to teach her other ways of protecting herself."

"You think that'll be enough?" Mum's voice was meek, hesitance drawing out each word.

"We've got some of the best Aurors on the case. They'll handle it. We just have to give it time."

There was the rustling of clothes and bedsheets and then approaching footsteps. They all yanked their Extendable Ears from under the door and hurried down the hall, careful to avoid the squeaky floorboards. Lily's room was first, and they all packed in there, with James at the rear, closing the door just as Mum and Dad's door opened.

"What kind of name is Shadow-Speaker?" James scoffed as he rolled up his Extendable Ear and returned it to his pocket.

"I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm assuming they're people who speak to shadows." Lily wadded up her Ear and threw it at him before she plopped onto the bed, hands behind her head, and stared at the ceiling. "Besides, what kind of name is Death Eater?"

"It was a metaphor," James snapped. Ungrateful little Squib. He grabbed her desk chair and took a seat.

"Sounds like Dark magic to me," Albus said, staring out the window. James knew that look. He couldn't imagine exactly what it was Albus was seeing, but it was a safe bet that it had nothing to do with what actually lay beyond the windowpane.

"I'd say you're right, though none that I've ever come across." Lily rolled onto her stomach, crossing her feet behind her back. "What about you, no-nose?"

"What'd you call me?"

"It was a metaphor."

Albus turned further towards the window so his body shielded his face, but James could see his reflection grinning in the window. Let them laugh while they still could. At the very least, he could take comfort in the fact that he'd been the one to voice the final curse that had severed Lily's ties to the mortal world—for a while, anyway—and it had been his genius behind Albus' death, as well, if not his hand.

"Jokes aside, the real question is what we intend to do about this," Lily said as she twirled her hair around her finger.

"Nothing. That's about all we can do." Albus forsook his view of the dreary, overcast world outside to turn back to the room. He crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall.

"You can't really expect us to leave Dad to do this himself. Put our fate in the hands of that incompetent git? He couldn't even defeat a fly."

"That incompetent git, as you put it, managed to kill you, if memory serves."

"Well, he certainly didn't do it on his own, did he?"

"No, and he won't do this alone, either. For now, all we can do is trust in his generation. This isn't our fight. Not this time. Remember, we're just a bunch of little kids."

James studied his siblings—really studied them. They did make a pitiful lot, with Lily magicless at five and Albus only seven. At nine, James was better off than both of them, but without a wand and with meager control over his powers, there wasn't much he could do. As much as he hated to admit it, Albus was right. They had no choice but to put their faith in others. James had a major problem with that, especially when the man he was supposed to trust his life to was Harry Potter.

...(X)...

[August 19, 2014]

The sizzle of bacon was like music to his ears, and James' stomach growled in anticipation.

"Then what happened?" Albus asked, leaning forward on the edge of his chair to the point where it teetered dangerously on the two front legs. James had already missed the majority of the conversation—not that he was really missing out. They'd all heard Dad's stories ad nauseam. Nothing ever changed about them, and he never told the good, juicy ones about the war, so what was the point?

"Well, Uncle Ron took his wand and shoved it right up the troll's nose."

"Ugh, gross!" Albus said, but he laughed just the same.

"How come you didn't get expelled?" James asked, eyeing the stack of bacon sitting mostly unattended on the counter. As tempting as it was, he didn't dare risk it. Mum was attentive as a hawk, and her fury was swift.

"Pure dumb luck." Mum slipped an egg onto his plate as she spoke, making her way around the table before reaching Dad. He gave her a sheepish grin and a shrug, pecking her lightly on the cheek before she walked away. Albus and Lily giggled; James' stomach churned.

"Funny. That's what McGonagall said, too."

Mum returned the pan to the stove and brought over the rest. Finally! James' stomach released one more low grumble as his plate was heaped full of food.

"Y'know," Lily started with her mouth full of food, but a sideways glare from Mum silenced her, and she finished chewing and swallowed before continuing. "School starts soon."

"That's right. I already talked to Mister Elway, and he's ready to go soon as September rolls around," Dad answered between mouthfuls.

That house-elf was a bloody menace. James still hadn't figured out exactly how Mister Elway had managed to earn his freedom, but it wouldn't have surprised him in the least bit if it was underhanded and involved some sort of poison. He certainly seemed the type—agreeable on the outside while plotting beneath the surface.

"I don't want Mister Elway to teach me this year."

"Hrm?"

Dad was only half-listening as he chomped on some bacon, but James had heard the implications loud and clear. A sausage dangled from his fork, but he weighed the options, ultimately returning it to his plate. No, this was far more interesting than breakfast.

"I want to go to primary." The tone was matter-of-fact and straightforward, as if the decision had already been made. Well, it clearly had been; Mum and Dad just didn't know it yet.

Dad started mid-swallow, spluttering as he fought to dislodge the food stuck in his windpipe. His face turned pale and then a lovely crimson, and James thought just maybe...

No such luck. With a swig of milk, Dad gasped for air and finally cleared his throat a few times for good measure.

"Sweetie," his voice croaked with the words, "I thought we talked about this..."

"No, you and Mum talked about it. Nobody asked me."

"I know you might not understand, but we just want to make sure you're safe." Dad adjusted his glasses once, then again, eyes flitting towards Mum, who was leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. It wasn't time, yet, for her to offer her two knuts.

"But Muggles don't have magic. How can they be all that dangerous?"

"Trust me, they have their ways."

"Then I'll learn karate!"

Lily's voice was taking a shrill turn, making it apparent that she was losing her patience. That was never a good sign. With or without magic, she was a force to reckon with when she wanted to be. James had had the misfortune of learning that first hand.

"What's karate?" Albus asked as he nibbled on a sausage, head propped up on his free hand.

"It's Muggle fighting," Lily said without elaborating. Albus shrugged and returned to his breakfast.

"You know, fighting isn't always an answer." Finally, Mum joined the conversation. Not that she really added much to it.

"Grandma says you used to fight with your brothers all the time." Lily shrugged as she said it, shoving some eggs in her mouth. Mum frowned, uncrossed her arms, and then crossed them again.

"Not all the time, and that's different. No one got hurt."

"That's not what Grandma says. She said you always used to use the Bat-Bogey Hex to teach them a lesson."

"I think I need to have a word with Grandma and what she tells you."

Mum pushed off the counter she was leaning on and walked around the table, kneeling down beside Lily's chair. She pushed a loose strand of hair behind Lily's ear and looked at her closely for a few seconds before speaking.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Mmhmm." Lily nodded hard enough to make her pigtails bounce against her shoulders.

"Then, I guess it's fine with me."

"But Ginny..."

Mum silenced Dad with a look that clearly said 'not here'. The decision was settled. Whatever discussion they had behind closed doors, later when they thought no one was listening, wouldn't actually change anything.

When Lily looked across the table at him, James nodded. He still had his stash of Extendable Ears. They wouldn't miss a word of it.

...(X)...

[September 30, 2014]

"There's been another one, you know," Albus announced as he barged into the room without knocking and flopped down on the bed.

"Hi to you, too." James didn't look up from his paper. He wasn't even learning magic yet. How could there possibly be so many things he was supposed to know at this point? All of it, useless. "I'm busy. Scram."

"You're not even going to ask?"

With a heavy exhale, James deposited the quill in the ink bottle and slung an arm over the back of his chair as he twisted around. Albus wasn't even looking at him. No, instead, the boy was sprawled out on his back staring at the ceiling, tracing invisible shapes in the air with his index finger.

"Well, what is it?" James asked.

"Another murder. Dad's left already."

"Who was it this time?"

"Dunno. Didn't catch a name. But it was definitely them."

"Huh."

James turned back to his desk and brushed his homework aside. Where was it, now? Somewhere under all the junk. Ah, there! He pulled out the calendar and traced back the days. First one this month. The one before that was three weeks ago. Before that, three months. Either they were finding what they were looking for or they were getting desperate.

"Did you learn anything new on them?" James asked as he dug through his mental archives. They were attacking wizards who were historians, who kept Dark artifacts, who were skilled when it came to Dark magic. That in and of itself wasn't a very prolific discovery, nor did it really pique his interest. But the rumors. Now there was something to be excited about.

Eyewitnesses, the few that there were, mentioned a legion of shadows behind the attack, solid enough to do damage, but how do you stop something that isn't actually alive? James just had to know how it was done. Imagine the things he could do with an army of shadows.

When he glanced up, James realized Albus had his head off the bed, hanging upside down, green eyes studying him.

"So, uh." James cleared his throat and shuffled the papers on his desk again to cover up his calendar. "Have you managed to find anything?"

"I was waiting for you to ask that." Albus rolled back onto his stomach and pulled something from his pocket. James didn't even get a glimpse of it before Albus said, "Take a look," and flung it across the room.

James fumbled with it a minute before managing to steady the thing in his lap. It was a book, or it had been in its past life. The hard leather covering was weathered, pockmarked with ragged holes and frayed at the edges. The pages crinkled as he leafed through them—yellowed and stained by time and Merlin knew what else. As far as he could tell, it was a diary, judging by the dates every few pages or so, but the rest was written in ancient runes.

"I can't read this." With a thud and a flurry of dust, he snapped the book closed and tossed it back across the room. "What's it say?"

"It's a research journal. Dark magic, like nothing I've ever heard of before. There's a lot of technical jargon, lots of failed attempts." Albus leafed through the pages as he spoke, not pausing to read any of them. "But here, this is the real interesting part." He stopped on a page and held it up. The symbol there was familiar: a triangle within a circle with a line bisecting the two.

"They're after the Hallows?" James was almost disappointed. How unoriginal.

"Not quite." Albus closed the book and slid it back into his pocket. He stretched out on the bed, resting his head on his hands, before continuing. "They're just a means to an end. What they're really after is Death himself."

"To kill him? I mean, can you kill Death?"

"No idea, but they don't want to kill him. They want to overthrow him."

But to what end? It was a dangerous game they were playing. Even he had enough sense not to take on Death. Even if they were to succeed, what would they gain? They were foolish if they believed Death would ever willingly take orders from anyone. James didn't exactly know the being, but he was sure of that much, at least.

"How'd you get that thing anyway?"

"Well, you see, there's this phoenix..."

"Albus! Time to get ready for bed!"

They started at the sudden voice. Mum had brilliant timing, as always. Albus shrugged and rolled off the bed and onto his feet. It wasn't like he would've shared much more than that anyway. James had been aware of the pesky bird in his previous life, but not that Albus had made contact with it again.

"Albus!" The voice was shriller now, more impatient.

"Coming, Mum!"

When he was sure he was alone, after Albus' footsteps disappeared down the stairs, James fell back against his chair. Things were about to get interesting, and there he was, too young to properly do anything at all about it. Not even a wand to his name. Pitiful.

There was, however, something he did have. Something they'd eventually come for. James reached into his desk drawer and popped out the false bottom, extricating a small package wrapped in brown paper. It'd been the safest place he could think of, but it wasn't safe enough. He shoved the package under his arm, poked his head into the hall to make sure no one was coming, and crept down to Lily's room.

Everything was dark and still, given that she'd been put to bed an hour ago. Perfect. No one would come looking for him, or at least not until it was his turn. James slipped into the room, closing the door behind him without a sound. He stood still for a minute, waiting for his eyes to adjust. Everything was a mess of shadows, but he could identify Lily as the lump in the bed toward the middle of the room. She seemed to be sleeping, but James knew better.

"Hey. Get up." James slapped her feet to get her to move them as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"What do you want?"Lily pulled her legs into her chest and sat up. There was no trace of sleep in her voice; James figured she intended on being up for several hours still.

"Your birthday's not over yet, right? Well here. This is for you." James shoved the package into her arms, and she let out a soft oof in response. The paper crinkled as she grabbed it, and James forced himself to let go before he changed his mind. To let something like this slip between his fingers...No, it was for the best. Things had to happen this way.

"What's this?"

Lily eyed the package, and James had to admit she had plenty of reason to be suspicious. That didn't make her reluctance any less annoying, though.

"Just open it."

Tentative fingers tore back the wrapping. What spilled out shimmered even in the darkness, as if it was made of light itself.

"But this is..."

"That's right. Who would suspect a mere Squib to have the Cloak of Invisibility?"

"How'd you get it?"

"Wasn't that hard. Dad had buried it in the closet. Probably forgot about it years ago."

That wasn't exactly the truth. In fact, it had taken months of planning, a bit of lockpicking skills, and Dad's utter carelessness to get the job done. James had managed to slip a normal invisibility cloak in the box in its stead, and so far no one had noticed. It wasn't like anyone ever used the thing, judging by the condition of the box it was kept in. If anything, he was liberating an important wizard artifact. What was so wrong about that?

"But why me?" Lily asked as she pulled the Cloak around her shoulders, leaving her just a floating head on the bed next to him.

"You might be utterly useless when it comes to actual magic, but I figure you can at least manage to keep this safe. You've got your Muggle fighting—whatever the stupid thing is called—right? And the element of surprise. Or are you saying I've overestimated you?"

"But I..." Lily paused as she stared at the silvery cloth in her lap. With a shake of her head, she continued, "Of course I can. So maybe you got the magic, but I've got more brains than both you and Albus combined."

"That's rather what I'm counting on."

James was relieved that it was dark and there was no one to see the smirk that betrayed him. Cheeky little Squib that she was, Lily still may serve a purpose after all. He might just keep her around.

...(X)...

[January 1, 2015]

The Floo flared in the study. They could hear it even from the living room, and Albus was the first to jump to his feet, scattering Lily's blocks as he did so. She pursed her lips and glared, but as it went entirely unnoticed, she eventually started setting them right again.

A moment later, Dad stepped into the living room.

"Happy New Year, Potters!"

James figured it was nice of him to notice, given how much he'd been working lately now that he was Head Auror and assigned to the Shadow-Speaker case. It sure made gathering information easier, but it also meant late hours and meager family time.

"Mister Elway says you're supposed to make resolutions. Did you make any?" Albus asked as Dad swept him into a hug.

"Resolutions, huh?" Dad ruffled James' hair in passing but left him to the model he was working on. Instead, he went and sat next to Lily, planting a kiss on her forehead and starting to build something with her blocks. Lily looked none-too-pleased about the attention, nor did she seem to particularly want to share, and it was all James could do not to laugh at her misfortune. Better her than him. "I suppose my resolution would be to spend more time with you guys. Look at how big you've all gotten. And James'll be starting Hogwarts this year. When did that happen?"

Merlin, if he launched into a "they grow up too fast speech," James figured he'd hurl. The past eleven and a half years had been slow as far as he was concerned, the slowest eleven and a half years of both his lives.

"You remember our first years at Hogwarts, honey?" Dad asked with a laugh, but the smile slipped right off his face when he realized Mum was glowering at him. "Erm, well, I'm sure your first year will be nothing like ours."

James was certain that meant something, but he had to really search his brain to remember. At some point, everything bled together; he was both Tom and not Tom while still being James. But yes, there it was. Dad's first year was that mess with the incompetent duffer who couldn't even handle taking on an eleven-year-old boy. And Mum...Now that was an interesting first year. Of course, it had cost him a basilisk and a horcrux, which was a rather high price to pay. But no, he had no intention of replicating his parents' first years.

"What house do you think you'll get?" Lily asked, smiling sweetly. Innocently. As if. James knew better than to trust that look. Did she really imagine he'd be foolish enough to fall for that?

"Who knows." James shrugged as he spoke, pretending to focus on a difficult part of his project. "Probably Gryffindor like Mum and Dad, I s'pose."

"I'd be a Ravenclaw like Aunt Luna."

James scoffed. "You'd probably be a 'Puff."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Now, now, there's nothing wrong with any of the houses," Dad interrupted. That didn't stop Lily from sticking her tongue out at James when no one was looking.

"Before you know it, our babies will be all grown up." Mum sniffed as she swept her gaze around the three of them. If she started crying, so help him, James would abandon ship and seek sanctuary in his room. But she didn't. She plastered a transparent smile on her face, even as her eyes grew watery. James appreciated the effort. Anything to avoid the waterworks.

"I can't wait to grow up. I'm going to be a Healer," Albus said with a shrug. It was a horrible profession, a disgraceful waste of his abilities, and James couldn't imagine his reasoning for it, but he seemed certain. "What about you, Lily?"

"I'm gonna be the Minister for Magic."

"A Squib can't be Minister for Magic," James said, rolling his eyes. Sometimes—OK, most times—it was taxing being part of this family.

"Of course they can. There's nothing that says the Minister for Magic has to have a wand. They just have to know about the magical community and be able to lead and work with the Muggles."

"What happens when someone decides to assassinate you? It's not like you can protect yourself."

"I'll carry a handgun."

James made a mental note: find magical protection against bullets. Someone had to have considered it, since most magical barriers were intended to prevent magic and slower projectiles. Just in case. He wasn't about to let Lily have the upper hand.

Dad started, nearly toppling half of the tower of blocks he was building, but he managed to catch them just in time. "Honey, we don't shoot people."

"Not even if they're trying to kill us first?"

Dad shot Mum a pleading look, but she just shook her head and sipped her tea in silence. She wasn't touching that one with a ten-foot pole. It was obvious which one of them had the brains in the relationship.

"Er, what about you, James? Any idea what you want to be when you grow up?"

It seemed inappropriate to say, "A Dark Lord," given the circumstances, so instead he said, "An Auror, I suppose." Having insight into the inner workings of the government would certainly be useful, not to mention having the right to legally kill others for the sake of the "mission." It was a position he could get used to.

"Just like your old man, huh?" Dad chuckled and mussed James' hair.

"'Course, Dad," James grumbled, waiting for his father to look away before smoothing his hair back into place. What was his obsession with looking like a disheveled dog anyway?

There was a rush of sound from the hallway; the Floo was flaring up again. Dad stood as he slipped his wand hand into his robes, but he relaxed when Minister Shacklebolt rounded the corner. He looked older than James remembered, with more wrinkles and sporting bags under his eyes the size of galleons.

"Ginny," he said, though his voice came out more like a deep sigh, as he bowed his head in her direction. "I hate to interrupt, but do you mind if I borrow your husband for a few minutes?"

"I won't be long, honey. Promise." Dad bent over the couch, kissed her lightly on the cheek, and flashed what was probably meant to be a reassuring smile. It didn't work. Mum smiled and nodded, but she said nothing. They all knew he was lying. If he even returned at all that evening, it'd be a miracle.

James glanced across the room to Lily, who was busy convincing Albus to play dolls with her. Not that it took much coercing at all, the way he doted on her. What if she was right? What if, after everything, she could become the Minister for Magic? Once upon a time, their causes hadn't been all that dissimilar. Perhaps, if he played his cards right, this could all work out in his favor yet.

...(X)...

[June 15, 2015]

Flashes of light. Thunderclaps of sound. The house rocked.

At first, James thought he was dreaming, but as he opened his eyes, the sensations became clearer rather than fading away. He leapt out of bed, cursing as his feet met the cold floor. At least it was enough to shock him awake.

James yanked the door open and stopped. The hall was littered with shadows marching along the walls and ceiling, moving as if they were alive, like little soldiers. It was almost intimidating, almost impressive, if it hadn't been such a bloody nuisance.

James poked his head around the corner. Lily and Albus were already in the hall, Albus shielding his sister with his body and Lily holding a wooden stick for some Muggle sport she played. What was it called? Ah yes, a bat. He wasn't sure whom was protecting whom, but even if a bat could physically stop them, it wouldn't last for long. You can't wound shadows, after all.

"Mum and Dad's room!" James shouted at them and braced himself for the response. It was immediate. The shadows nearest to him whirled around. One grabbed his ankle, one grabbed his wrist. He drove his free foot into the head of the shadow on the ground, and it squealed as it released its hold. With a well-placed left hook, he freed his hand and dove deeper into the hall. It was like navigating a minefield, and as much as he tried to rush, he had to stop every so often to fend off the shadows that clawed at him.

"Hurry up!" Lily hissed, taking three shadows out in one swing as they attempted to force their way into the room. They'd already made it, leaving the door ajar just enough for him to slip in. James kicked off a shadow that clutched his leg, and Lily took out the one on his back. The moment he was in the room, he fell against the door and slammed it shut. There was a shrill howl from the few shadows that were foolish enough to get caught as it closed, but it wouldn't slow them down for long.

James felt along the wall for the light switch, but when he flipped it back and forth he received only a gentle click. No power. Just great.

"The dresser! There's a wand," he said as he fell to his knees and pulled out a bottom drawer. It had been years since they'd found it. There was no guarantee it was actually still there, but it was the best plan they had so far. James could barely see his hands as he threw clothes aside, and the rest of the room was little more than amorphous blobs, but there was no mistaking the way the darkness surged around them. They were running out of time.

"Got it!" That was Lily's voice, though James could only see her faint outline. Of course the Squib would find it. The only one of them who couldn't actually use the damn thing.

There was scuffling. Something tugged at his clothes, and he swung at it.

"Do something with that bloody thing already!"

A few squeals and then the dresser rocked, but James couldn't properly see what was going on.

"Lumos Maxima!"

Finally! White light poured out of the wand, illuminating Albus' sweaty face. The shadows shrieked as it vaporized them, washing over the room until they were floating in a sea of white.

"Took you long enough," James grumbled as he stood.

"Sorry. Was a bit preoccupied." Albus switched the wand to his other hand, fretting a moment as he gave Lily a once-over with his eyes. She was fine. They all were, as far as James could tell.

"You still have it?" James asked, and Lily nodded without further explanation. "Good. Put it on, both of you. Make sure she gets to the Floo, Al. Go to Grandma and Grandpa's. They'll know what to do."

"What about you?" Albus seemed unsure. There was almost a softness in his tone. Was that concern James heard? Such a foolish wizard.

"I get to be the decoy."

He thought Albus might argue, not that it would have done any good, but the younger boy just nodded and disappeared under the Invisibility Cloak as Lily draped it around them. The light faded bit by bit, and by the time James wrapped his hand around the doorknob, it was gone completely.

His breathing was rushed, regardless of how he fought to steady it, and his racing pulse and pounding heart were just further accelerants to the flame that burned in his gut. The sweat that slicked his palms and the slight tremor in his hand? Excitement. It drove a smile to his lips. Maybe he had lost his mind after all, but after all this time, the chance to fight was exhilarating.

One more sharp inhale. On the count of three. One. Though he couldn't see them, James knew his siblings were in place at his side and ready to move as soon as he did. Two. The shadows weren't acting of their own accord; there was a puppet master somewhere in the house. There had to be. Three.

James yanked the door open and rushed into the hallway. He was halfway to the stairs before the shadows had a chance to descend on him, and they were more determined than ever. James clawed them off of him, threw punches and kicks when he could, but there was too many.

He stopped at the top of the stairs, wobbling on the edge when a shadow hit him from behind and latched onto his back. They were weightless, mostly, even if they had semi-corporeal forms, but their touch was cold and clammy and reminded him too much of the grave.

There was a distant whoosh from the study and a dull green that leaked out into the hall. Half the shadows broke away to investigate, but it was too late. Lily and Albus had made it out.

James half-stumbled, half-scooted down the stairs. Below him, the living room flashed an array of colors—white, then red, then green, back to white. The shadows there were denser, more corporeal, and seemed to have taken on almost a life of their own. But they were still just shadows. It was the human in the room James was concerned with, if only he could find it.

James stopped three-quarters of the way down and pressed himself against the stairs. Dad had been backed into a corner, and across the room, Mum was just barely holding her own against a pack of rabid shadow-dogs. But all he saw were shadows. Damn it, where was that bastard?

A shadow wrapped its arm around his neck, and James gasped against the chill that suddenly paralyzed his lungs, as if he was being frozen from the inside out. He slammed his back against the stairs, and the shadow fell away—for now.

A flash of white. There! It was a nonverbal spell, but James hadn't missed where it'd come from. Another flash of white, then another. The third hit its mark, and Dad's wand skittered across the floor, coming to a full stop just a few feet from the bottom of the stairs.

Dad was defenseless as the shadows closed in on him. It was almost too good. It'd be easy, right then, to struggle back up the stairs and Floo away. He'd have to pretend to mourn for his parents, of course, but then...Well, then, he supposed, he'd be adopted by the Weasleys and forced to live in that disgusting house that smelled like barely edible food and dirty clothes. No, that would never do. Death, the bastard that he was, was right. James couldn't let Harry Potter die. There was only one thing to do.

James flailed his arms and managed to wrest himself free of the shadows. He dove down the stairs, hitting the floor in a roll, and grabbed at the wand. It would obey him; he was sure of it. After all, its twin had been his once, not so long ago, and it was bound to recognize his soul.

James raised the wand toward corner where he'd seen the spells originate. There. It was hard to see, beyond the tricks his eyes played in the darkness, but there was a person there, wearing all black. It'd been a while, a whole lifetime, but the words still felt familiar, dancing around his tongue eager to come out. The magic welled up in him as he gripped the wand tighter.

"James, no! Run!" Dad screamed as he fought a losing battle against the shadows that were all but smothering him. Even from that distance, James could see the way fear contorted his face. That wasn't how it was supposed to be. Harry Potter should fear him, not fear for him. Damn it, it was all ass-backwards.

James smiled. Likely not a reassuring one, given the way Dad hesitated, but then it was never meant to be. He could feel his power surging through the wand; it had accepted him. Two shadows latched onto his legs, and one was around his neck, pulling at him. Time to put an end to it all.

"Avada Kedavra."

The room flashed green. Time almost seemed to slow as the spell found its mark. The moment the body crumpled, the shadows evaporated. The whole house fell still.

Their eyes met—one pair hazel, the other green—but one set was decorated with fear and wide-eyed realization. James grinned as he lowered the wand. Finally, after all this time, he got to watch the truth dawn on the face he had come to both love and loathe, and the transformation was glorious.

Harry recognized his soul.

Author's Note: This is the last chapter, but I've had a lot of fun with this. :3 Thanks to all of you who have read so far and those of you have reviewed. I appreciate you all and the support you've shown me! As always, I really appreciate your comments and thoughts on this!

Looking for more next-gen to read? ChatterChick has some excellent next-gen fics. For something a bit more lighthearted, I recommend, "How to Charm a Witch."

Edit: There will be no sequels to this, as this was never meant to be some epic story. Just a fun idea to explore. However, there will be a complimentary one-shot collection that will pick up from this cliffhanger and describe the moments afterwards as well as have little moments in their lives that I think would be fun to write. :)