Marlene’s head appeared from behind the door. James stood up from where he had been sitting against the wall in the hallway, his heart beating like a storm inside his ribcage.
His anxiety rendered him unable to finish his sentence. His hands were shaking. Marlene nodded a little faintly and let out the smallest of laughs.
“She’s fine; they’re both fine.” She held out her hand, inviting him into the tiny bedroom, her smile widening. “Come say hello”
Sirius put a hand on his shoulder.
“We’ll wait here,” he said, his voice unusually gentle.
“Good luck,” added Remus, as James moved towards the door.
His chest swelled at the sight of Lily. She was propped up on several pillows and there were tearstains lining her cheeks. Her dark hair was tied clumsily out of her damp face, though a few stray strands were still clinging to her cheeks. She looked exhausted but she wasn’t letting that stop the smile on her face as she gazed down at the bundle that had been carefully folded into her arms. As he pushed the door open further she glanced up.
Somehow her smile grew even more when she saw him. Her eyes were brimmed with tears as he walked towards the bed. His heart was leaping and somersaulting as he knelt by her side and softly pushed the stray hair behind her ear. He looked into the blankets in her arms and saw his son for the first time. His eyes were closed tight and his face was as red as a quaffle. James blinked and tears raced down his face before he even realised he was crying. He let out a breathy laugh and wiped them away with the back of his hand. Lily laughed too, careful not to disturb the baby in her arms.
“Are you crying too?” Marlene asked from behind him, and he nodded, his smile unwavering.
“I told you he would.” Lily said weakly. “He hasn’t even said anything yet,” she added humorously. James just wiped his face again and put his arm around her, kissing her temple.
“I’m so proud of you,” he whispered, looking back down at their baby. He couldn’t quite comprehend how huge this feeling in his chest was. This small life in her arms bound them closer than they had ever been; they were a family.
“He’s a boy,” Lily said faintly. She carefully pulled back some of the blanket to reveal a little black tuft of fluffy hair. James stifled a surprised laugh. “He’s also inherited your good looks” At that moment, the baby’s eyes began to scrunch. He frowned a little as he began to open his eyes. Immediately a glimpse of green appeared from behind the eyelids. James grinned widely.
“The lucky thing, he got your eyes.”
“So he did,” Lily gazed down at him as he looked up sleepily.
“He’s beautiful,” James said quietly. He looked back at his wife and kissed her temple again. “You both are.”
7.53pm 31st October, 1981
“Lily, take Harry and go! It’s him! Go! Run! I’ll hold him off!”
James’ heart was pounding hard, desperately grasping for the blood that flowed through it. He knew he was going to die, even before he’d said these words. Lily was holding Harry tight to her chest, her breathing heavy and strained. She couldn’t move away from James. Her eyes were pleading, suddenly brighter than he’d ever seen them. She looked so beautiful. Maybe it was because he knew it would be the last time he would see her again.
“James-“ her voice broke, and tears were pooling in her eyes. Harry began to cry, confused about why his parents were no longer laughing and smiling. James looked at him with a pained expression as he insisted to Lily:
In these few fleeting seconds they had left all he could do was hope that his eyes, desperate and loving, were telling her all the things he would’ve said out loud if they were given enough time.
Lily looked like she wanted nothing less than to leave James, gripping his hand as she backed quickly away towards the stairs. The look of grief that was already on her face was breaking his heart. When she could no longer reach him, their fingers parted. Tears falling down her cheeks, she finally dragged her eyes away from his. She turned and sprinted up the stairs, her arms clutching Harry close to her chest.
The door crashed open. James’ chest ached and his heart was beating heavily as he turned to face Tom Riddle for the last time.
“You keep away!” He yelled, a lion protecting his pride, “Do you hear me?”
He had no wand. He didn’t have time now. But it didn’t matter. Wand or not he was going to do anything he could to stop this man: the man who had caused them so much pain, the man who had come here to hurt them, the man they had been hiding from for so long. James stood with his arms held out, blocking the stairs, his face fierce and unbending. He was not going to cower or run. He owed it to his family, his small, young, beautiful family, to face his fate with as much strength as he could pull. Voldemort laughed; the sound made James’ blood pump furiously in his ears with rage; with fear; with the terrible realisation that he didn’t stand a chance. Voldemort glided forwards and James saw his white hand appear from beneath his cloak, flicking his wand. Suddenly there was only a dazzlingly green light in James’ vision. Everything seemed like it was moving slowly, as though time itself was wading through honey. As the green light blinded him, James couldn’t help but see a haunting beauty in it. He could only think of one thing as that sharp, bright, beautiful green light came surging towards him.
He had always thought her eyes would be the death of him.
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