black coffee | remus lupin [2]

114. all hallows' eve

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FOR A VERY LONG TIME, James and Lily Potter had been in hiding with their dear son Harry. It was the safest way, at least according to Dumbledore, for the family to stay away from the Dark Lord and his followers.

They were, after all, both members of the Order of the Phoenix. Being in danger was something that they had expected. Although, when Harry was born, it felt all the more real.

And so they ended up in hiding in Godric's Hollow, using the Fidelius Charm with Peter as their secret keeper and Sirius as the decoy so that the Dark Lord would assume that he was the actual secret keeper.

In the beginning of their hiding, it wasn't so bad. Since Sirius still knew where they where, just unable to tell anyone, he'd send them gifts and he'd even come over one or twice. As the war got worse, however, it started to become quite impossible to find any joy in being there all the time, stuck in that house without their friends and with a son who was growing older everyday.

But they tried to always make the most of it. For example, on All Hallows' Eve 1981, they had made the night special for little Harry.

Celebrating it like a proper Halloween, they were dressed in costumes that Lily had made herself - Harry was dressed as a quidditch player, James as a pirate and Lily as "what Petunia thinks my friends look like" which she depicted by wearing a tall black witch hat and creepy black clothes.

James made Harry laugh by putting on sketches about pirates starring himself and only himself, of course.

They had made a lovely dinner, some fun snacks for Harry and James was playing with him so that he could tire the excited little boy out so that he'd eventually fall asleep. Lily was watching the two with a happy smile, sitting at the kitchen table knitting.

That's when they heard a noise.

At first, it was just the sound of wood creaking and footsteps from the outside. But then they heard it come closer and closer.

And suddenly somebody tried to open the door from the outside, and as soon as Lily and James understood what the sound meant, they got to their feet.

James picked Harry up, handed him to Lily and whispered very quietly.

"It can't be Peter," he said, a certain fear laced over his words that not even he could hide.

They had both been expecting this for a while. They just didn't think that it would be so soon.

"Are you sure?" Asked Lily, holding onto Harry's little hand as she tried to remain calm for his sake.

"He'd tell us if he'd come to visit," said James, flinching slightly as the person on the outside tried to open the door once more, this time more violently.

And then they saw it. A flashing light, which most certainly came from a wand.

"It's him," said James, the most unusual and almost frightening look of seriousness taking over his face.

Lily had as a young girl always hoped that she'd see him like that; stern and decisive. Now it was the last sight she wanted to see.

"Take Harry and go upstairs," James continued, his eyes flickering around the living room in pure panic.

Because where was his wand?

"No," said Lily. "Not without you."

"Go," said James, pushing her gently towards the staircase. "Go and find your way out! I'll be right behind you. Just get Harry away from him."

Lily didn't believe him. He wouldn't be right behind them. But as she looked down at the little boy she had dreamt of for years she couldn't stay.

It had always been about Harry, really. All of it.

She nodded, watched James kiss the head of the little boy and walked towards the staircase.

And with one last glance at each other, Lily and James parted.

James walked into the kitchen. He saw one more flash of light from outside, this one a different colour. His heart was racing and all he could think about was his wife and his boy who he knew he would never see again.

He couldn't find his wand. He had no idea when he had last used it. How could he be so stupid? How could he think that he'd be able to defeat the bloody Dark Lord without a bloody wand?!

All he could do was hope. And breathe. In and out.

Harry. Lily. Breathe. Wand. In. Out. Sound. Closer. Breathe. Harry. Lily. Breathe.

And as the sounds of the lock magically being picked and a person walking in was all his ears could focus on, James Potter closed his eyes, welcoming death in the most cowardly and stupidly way he could think of.

At least Lily and Harry might be okay, he thought to himself, the thought of them two giving him some motivation to at least attempt to distract the Dark Lord from going upstairs.

And so he did it. He practically leapt out of the room, instantly colliding with somebody right by the staircase.

He looked up at the person before him, and jumped about a decimetre up into the air at the sight of a familiar face that was both scary and comforting at the same time.

"Wouldn't want to leave your wand laying around, now would you, Potter?" Nicolas Clarke said in his same old slightly amused, slightly annoyed tone.

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