"James, I'm sorry about last night."
He glanced up distractedly from the dancing flames, taking a moment for his gaze to settle on his wife, to think of what she was referring too. She crossed to him, reaching out a hand, settling it gently against his chest in a manner that was gentle, but proprietary, the same way she had done in their seventh year when the girls had still hung off his arm and tried to sneak time with the popular quidditch player. With one simple touch, Lily had let them know, and him as well that she would have none of it, and no one would dare risk getting hexed by Lily Evans. A lifetime ago.
He folded his own hand over hers, feeling the familiar chill that seemed to have set into her skin long ago. He reached out and tucked a long strand of red hair behind her ear, running it through his fingers, looking into her emerald eyes. She was anything but absent now. He leaned down very slightly to kiss her, to taste her.
Harry's cries startled them both and they broke apart like two teenagers caught in the act by an angry father, which made them both laugh, share in a moment of normalcy. James crossed the room and removed his son from the bassinet, brushing tears from the young boys face as his crying ceased instantly with the attention. He buried his face in the dark shock of hair, breathing in the baby smell, as always calming. He turned back to find Lily watching them, eyes lit softly. She pulled her hands up inside the sleeves of the long flannel shirt, the look on her face one of pure and simple love.
"We've been stuck in this house for weeks and it's like we've forgotten how to talk to each other" he offered as an opening, nudging her as he passed, bringing Harry to sit on the couch, the little boys blue pyjamas bunching around his diapered bottom.
Lily pushed her red hair back from her face. "I can't stop thinking, I can't get all of this out of my head for a minute." She drilled a palm against her forhead.
Her frustration was obvious, like him she was hanging by a thread, trying to keep herself just above the level of despair when she would have to give in. She had almost surrendered the night before but he hoped that he had managed successfully to bring her back. Nothing could last forever, which meant that someday, hopefully sooner than later they would have their lives back, they would be happy and free, and best of all safe. Until that time, they would do anything to protect their son.
"I bet I could help with that" he said with a grin, wagging his eyebrows up and down suggestively, earning a laugh. It had been days since he had heard the beautiful sound, years since he had heard it without the note of stress and fear hovering just below the surface, but making it no less appealing to him.
She crossed to the window and pulled back the curtains to look out at the dark street. The branches of the trees swayed in the wind and he could see the dampness clinging to the leaves and grass even in the dark, and yet the muggle children seemed quite pleased as he watched them briefly, making their way in small groups, in their ridiculous costumes, bags full of candy hanging off arms and shoulders like treasure.
"Muggles are so strange" he commented lightly, watching Lily closely.
"Maybe I'll take Harry out next year if it's not too cold" she said as if she had not heard him.
He smiled just picturing the idea.
"I never have turned down free sweets, but do you really think he needs all that sugar?"
Lily shrugged and he came to realize why she had suggested it. She wanted to believe that she would have the option of dressing Harry in a ridiculous outfit and parading him around town without concern. She wanted to believe that at the same time in the next year, the order might have accomplished it's goal. Maybe they would no longer be living in fear. Personally he could not imagine it, he could not remember a time when he had not heard tales of what Voldemort had done, he could not remember a day when parents let their children wander off on their own. And he could not imagining it happening anytime soon. Even if the dark lord did fall they would have no way of gathering all his followers, no way of knowing whether the little old lady at the end of the street was looking for a cup of tea or a whole lot of revenge. The repercussions of the war would last for years. He definitely did not want to think about it.
"Hell" he said, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe I'll come with you." Lily beamed.
****
"Oi" James scolded his son, crossing the room in a few short strides and removing his own wand from his sons tiny fist. But Harry was not upset to give it up, clapping his hands together in anticipation of another of his father's magical displays.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked in a mysterious voice, waving his wand between them. Harry laughed and James found it to be contagious. He let a puff of colored smoke erupt from the end of his wand. "More! More!" Harry shouted happily, using his favorite word.
James obliged willingly, watching as Harry tried to catch the puffs of colored smoke with his tiny, bare hands.
James? Will you put Harry to bed now?" Lily called from the next room, her voice sounding lighter and more carefree than it had in days. He hoped that she would be alright, that they all would be.
"Sure, just a minute."
"More" Harry shrieked, waving his arms.
"Patience, buddy" he said, manipulating his wand once more out of the small fists and returning to their game.
The kitchen door swung open and Lily entered, a smile playing at her lips. "Alright children" she said mockingly, "Time for bed." She pushed her hair back again as it fell across her face.
"Sorry kid" James told Harry, with a conspiratorial smile, "Mom says." He lifted the boy, gave him a quick hug and handed him off to Lily, brushing his hand across the back of her neck as she turned away, impressed with himself as she shivered involuntarily.
James threw his wand back down on the couch, making a mental note not to leave it lying around anymore, there was no knowing what Harry might have done with it if he hadn't been there. He yawned and stretched, feeling another day of sitting around the house aching deep in his bones. He knew that Lily felt it too. If it went on too much longer he would have to move them all just for a change of scene, or maybe get Sirius to move in, liven the place up a little. It had been a while since he had last seen his friend.
A sudden crash sounded from the front entrance and a gust of wind came rushing through to the sitting room, extinguishing the flames in the fireplace.
James felt his blood run cold. Where was Lily and Harry? What was happening?
He was running for the door before he had even a second to think, dreading the very thing that he knew he would see. No friend of his would come bursting through the door. Years of fear and waiting had brought him to this moment and yet he wasn't prepared for it. He realized too late that his wand lay beyond reach still, useless on the couch. How could he have been so stupid after all he had gone through? Or was his luck simply running out?
He was face to face with lord Voldemort. It was not the first time but he already knew that it would be the last. They both knew it.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-" he cried, panicked. The words were chock full of empty hope, impossibilities. Lily was trapped on the upper floor, she would die, they all would. If only he had had a chance to get a message to Dumbledore, to buy them time, to save his family if not himself. He was going to die. Lily was going to die. Harry. They were all too young to die, but it would happen, he could feel it.
He heard the high pitched laughter. He felt the hatred and andrenaline flowing through his veins, useless without a wand to defend himself.
"Avada Kedavra!"
He heard Lily scream as a jet of green light lit up the hall.
And this brings us to the end. Thank you all for coming and do feel free to leave a comment on your way out.