From inside their small cottage in Godricās Hollow, it was hard to tell what was going on in the outside world. They hadnāt been in touch with anyone in days. They hadnāt left the house in days. It really felt like they hadnāt done anything in days. For some, it might have been easy to forget about the war outside. For the Potters, though they tried, the war was not so easily forgotten, despite their current lack of participation.
No, the war continued to rage on without them, and though James was relieved to know that Lily and Harry were safe, he couldnāt help but wish he could do something to help. Something besides sit around the house and wait. What they were waiting for, James wasnāt exactly sure. For Voldemort to turn his attention to someone besides Harry? For him to ultimately be defeated? For the war to be over? All of the above? Either way, they werenāt likely to get out of here anytime soon. Though James knew it was worth it- Harryās safety was worth any price they had to pay- that didnāt stop it from nearly driving him mad. Heād never been one to sit around. At Hogwarts, it had always been Quidditch or mischief at the full moon or something else that kept him from having to sit still for too long. And after school, it had been the Order that kept them constantly busy. This constant feeling of being stuck was taking a toll on him, much as he tried to pretend otherwise when Lily was around. He didnāt need to worry her more than she already was. They both tried to pretend otherwise, but they also knew each other well enough by this point to see right through the act.
But maybe, if he got good enough at pretending it didnāt bother him, it eventually wouldnāt. Doubtful, but what choice did he have?
Harry, however, was the perfect distraction from it all. He was the reason theyād gone into hiding in the first place, and the reason James was temporarily content to sit here and let others fight the war. At the moment, he was seated on Jamesā lap, giggling happily as James waved his wand to create the colored smoke Harry loved so much. Jamesā laughter mixed with Harryās as Harry tried desperately to catch it somehow, failing but still delighted nonetheless.
Jamesā amusement was soon interrupted as Lily walked into the room. A grin lit up his face when he caught sight of her. Despite dating and being married for years now, heād never stopped being the idiotic schoolboy who fell in love with someone out of his league. āI need to put him to bed,ā she said, brushing back the hair that had fallen in her face. James stood and picked Harry up in one fluid motion, handing him to Lily with an even wider grin. āGood night, Harry,ā he said, kissing his sonās cheek before giving Lily a quick kiss as well. She smiled in response before turning to take Harry upstairs for bed. James, on the other hand, set his wand on the sofa and sprawled out on it, trying to figure out what to do to amuse himself until Lily returned. Fighting back a yawn, he stretched a bit in an effort to get more comfortable. Maybe heād just take a nap. Sure, it was evening time already, but it wasnāt as if they had much else to doā¦
The front door suddenly burst open, and Jamesā heart all but stopped.
No one was supposed to check in on them anymore. Not with the Fidelius Charm in place.
That could only mean one thing.
Voldemort. Here. Heād found them.
Without a second thought, James immediately jumped up and bolted into the hallway, his worst fears confirmed when he saw the tall figure looming in front of him. He reached for his wand, but with a jolt of horror, realized heād left in in the sitting room.
āLily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"* The words came flying out of his mouth before he could truly even process them. He had no way to hold him off. No wand- nothing. But he had to try. The longer he could delay, the more of a chance Lily and Harry had to escape. Heād known from the moment Harry was born that heād gladly give his life for his son. Now was the time to fulfill that sentiment. He didnāt have a chance in hell at getting out of here- but they did. A cold laugh resounded throughout the hallway, and James saw the fatal flash of green light leave his enemyās wand.
Green. Years ago, it had been his least favorite color. The color of a House he despised, the color of the Dark Marks that lit up the sky far too often. It had never meant anything good. But now? It was the color he couldnāt imagine his life without. The color of life itself.
First year. Heād seen her for the first time. Sheād had a fire in her eyes like none heād ever seen. Lily Evans had piqued his interest. Despite his idiotic younger self fouling up their first meeting, that didnāt stop James from noticing those bright green eyes that glared at him before she stalked angrily out of the compartment, Snape in tow.
Third year. Heād had his first civil conversation with her, in Transfiguration class. It hadnāt lasted long- no longer than fifteen seconds, perhaps. It probably couldnāt even be called a conversation, but James would remember it as such. It was the first time heād seen the kindness in those eyes even briefly directed at him- and he wanted to remember that for the rest of his life.
Fifth year. She was yelling at him after the Defense OWL, back when Snivellus had called her that unforgivable name. James had tried to stand up for her, but sheād proven to him that she didnāt need it. Sheād gotten her own revenge and finally severed that friendship, once and for all. As angry as James was at the whole situation, particularly at Snape, that didnāt stop him from being impressed by her fiery temper and a bit terrified of the anger in her eyes.
Seventh year. By some miracle, sheād agreed to go out with him, and James hadnāt thought it was possible to be more elated. He didnāt think heād ever love anything as much as he loved Lily, and the grin she gave him when he told her that made his heart swell. Her eyes had lit up, and James hadnāt been able to keep himself from grinning like an idiot. Nothing would ever make him as happy as she did; he was certain of that.
And then, only a year ago, one pair of those beautiful green eyes had become two, and James had once again been proven wrong. Harry was perfect. He was the best thing that either of them had ever made. He was theirs. Theirs. It was unbelievable; and yet, with Jamesā hair and Lilyās eyes, there was no denying it. And James knew that nothing could ever compare to the love he felt for his wife and son- the same love that was driving his actions right now.
As the green light drew closer and closer, the only thing on Jamesā mind was Lily and Harry. Green. Truly his favorite color. The only color that mattered. They just needed to get out in timeā¦ He just needed to stall a little longer to give them the chanceā¦
And then the green light hit his chest, and James Potter crumpled to the floor, motionless.
*Quote from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as is the general plotline of this oneshot.
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