It was the end of summer and James Potter was at his family’s mansion. He was sleeping soundly in the heat of the late night. The entire house was silent.
“BLOOD TRAITORS!”
James awoke sharply as he heard the unfamiliar voice, harsh and filled with hatred. He jumped out of bed, grabbed his wand off of the nightstand, and ran out into the hallway. There cowered the terrified-looking House Elf, called Blinky.
“It’s the Death Eaters!” She squeaked, her eyes twice their normal saucer-size. She was shaking, and James realized that he was too.
He bounded down the stairs two at a time. In the living room he saw his father standing in front of his mother, protecting her. There were four Death Eaters standing before them, wands brandished. One man James recognized as a semi-recent graduate of Hogwarts, some foul Slytherin called Crabbe. The three others were strangers. All of them were wearing black cloaks with the sleeves rolled up, to show off the grotesque tattoos on their forearms.
James’ father sent him a darting glance, obviously telling James to go back and save himself. But James was a Gryffindor. He would stand and fight. He would be brave. He ran into the room shouting hexes at the Death Eaters.
“Well, well, well… the junior mudblood-lover!” a Death Eater sneered.
James sneered right back, hitting the offender easily with a well-placed Body Binding Jinx.
Soon there was a war going on. Hexes and curses flew everywhere, showering the room in brightly colored, highly lethal fireworks.
“We’re here for only one reason!” a female Death Eater shrieked. “We’re supposed to dispose of the blood traitor!”
Crabbe sent an unforgivable curse towards James, who dodged it. “But we’re just having a bit of fun!” he whined.
James’ father angrily sent a hex at Crabbe. “No one hurts my son!” he shouted, enraged.
Then Crabbe sent another unforgivable at James. “Crucio!” he said, laughing. This time he hit his target.
So much pain...it seemed like it would never stop...it was horrible! James writhed on the floor. Everywhere! Everywhere it hurt! It was as though someone was soaking him in boiling oil, slicing him with millions of long sharp swords, jumping on his chest. James could barely breathe. He wished he were dead.
James screamed in extreme pain as another voice rang out. The female Death Eater. “AVADA KEDAVRA!” she shouted. James could do nothing but watch as his own father fell, lifeless, to the cold, stone floor.
“Dad, help me! Dad! Dad, come back! Dad… help him mum, help me… please…”
______________________________________________
James woke up in a cold sweat. Remus, Peter, Sirius, Frank Longbottom, and Dan Hopkins were looking at him, clearly almost as shaken as he was. If they had seen what he had seen, they would have been much, much more worried.
“James, mate, you were having a funny dream or something. You kept shouting for your dad and mum and for help. You all right?” Remus asked nervously.
“Yeah, I’m fine. It was just some weird dream,” James said slowly. He sounded quite unconvincing, but Peter, Sirius, Frank, and Dan seemed to fall for the lie. Remus didn’t look like he believed James at all, but dropped the subject. James hoped his friends wouldn’t bring it up again.
The rest of the early Thursday morning passed quickly, and relatively without a hitch. James and his friends hurriedly got dressed so they wouldn’t miss breakfast. When they reached the common room, Lily, Andy, and Cassie were waiting for them. Sirius and Cassie walked off together. Andromeda, Remus, and Peter walked together, and that left only two- Lily and James.
It was surprising to him how little he wanted to talk to her this morning. Usually, if she was willing to walk with him, which never happened, James would be ecstatically happy. Not so today. He was still reeling from his dream and the very real memory of pain he could still feel all over his body from the Cruciatus Curse.
She looked nervous and bit her lip. “James, I have to talk to you.”
“OK, shoot.”
“Alone.” She looked even more worried now. Concerned. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into an unused classroom. James went with her willingly, not even realizing the “opportunity” because he was feeling so off.
“James- I have to just say this.”
“What, already?”
“I know what happened to you this summer. And I’m so sorry.”
“What?” James said, dumbstruck.
“I know what happened to your dad in July. I am so sorry.” Tears were running down Lily’s face quickly now. She looked at him, staring hard.
James’ face darkened. Thoughts of the terrible night when his father had been killed, anger at the Death Eaters, filled his mind. “Dad.”
James hadn’t realized it but his eyes were damp. Under any other circumstance he would have blinked the tears back or wiped his eyes. But now he just let them fall. He slid down against the wall and buried his head in his arms.
Lily sat down next to him and half-hugged him. “James, it’s OK. It’s going to be all right,” she said soothingly.
“Lily, it’s not going to be OK. It’s never going to be OK again! I’LL never be OK again! My dad is gone!” He sobbed, his heart broken yet again.
“James, we can help you. It’s really sad, losing a loved one. My grandmother died last year. I was devastated. You can’t hold it all in James, you’ll explode.”
They sat together like that for a few minutes before James started trying to pull himself together. “Thanks, Lily. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I’m sorry.”
“That’s OK, James. I know you didn’t mean it.” Lily wiped at her own eyes. “We must look like a messy pair!” she said. Her mascara was running a little and James’ eyes were all red.
“I really mean it Lily- thanks. Thanks for caring.”
“Anytime.” Lily smiled at James. Surprisingly, he smiled back, even though he was still overwhelmed with emotion. They walked together out of the classroom and into the hall. As they walked, Lily tentatively reached out her hand to James, who he took it. He was glad for her; right now, Lily's small, soft hand was the only tether keeping him from drowning in his own grief.
In the Great Hall they found Lily’s friends and James’ friends sitting together in a big group. It seemed to James that that was what they would be from now on-- real friends, and each other's support. That was just what James needed then.
He really, really needed to tell the Marauders soon.