Magic of the All Hallows Eve

The Fateful Night

31st October 1981

Lily Potter was gently rocking the crib back and forth musing about the past. The past where she was free and safe.  But now she, Harry and James were stuck inside this house for ages. Why did that stupid Trelawney had to make the stupid goddamn prophecy? She didn't believe in Divination anyways, but that self-proclaimed so-called 'Lord' Voldy believed it, and here they were — stuck inside this prison.

Now she was staring at the window outside at the half-magic village celebrating one of the magical days of the year. She remembered herself and Petunia roaming around the streets like those kids dressed as fairies and angels when they were small. Oh, how times had changed! Now her sister couldn't even stand taking her name. She called him and James freaks for god's sake!

It was slowly getting late in the night when suddenly she felt the wards shift. Based on what could she sense, it seemed like someone was added on the Fidelius. But who? Moony and Padfoot were there already and anyone else couldn't be trusted enough. She went to tell James to take precautions for someone's arrival till. . .

BOOM!

James started emitting lights and sparkles from his wand and the suddenly awake baby adored his father's strange lights and sounds. He started giggling and clapping while Lily, who was utterly shocked at James berated him badly.

"James Charlus Potter! You scared me out of my —", but she stopped when she looked at the cute and happy face of Harry which removed all the tension from the room. But again. . .

BOOM!!

This was definitely not James. He too shared a look with her and went to see downstairs. He went to the living room and kept his wand on the couch — but in a split-second thought better of it and took it in his hand instead. An idea crossed his mind instantly. In all this panic, he started the incantation of the spell Lily had created upon her mastery — the doppelganger spell.

Sometimes it was good for having your Marauder subconsciousness within you. The wards finally broke and James disillusioned himself non-verbally and sat on the very same couch he kept his wand a second earlier and directed his clone.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!", he called when he saw Moldyshorts coming through the door.

"Oh ickle James Potter. It's my pleasure", he said and shot the green light straight at the clone which fell down like a marionette whose strings were cut down.

Voldemort went — or rather glided upstairs to Harry's room. James, quietly, sped upstairs behind the ego-filled monster. 'Man! Moldyshorts smells so terrible!', he added as another useless thought.

Voldemort — for whatever reason, offered Lils to live. But brave as she was, she didn't and when that evil bastard raised his wand at her — rage flowed through each vein of his body and he pointed his wand at his back and shot —

"REDUCTO!!!"

The dark lord burst into dust by the sheer force of the spell. But consequently, the room burst and James got thrown down the stairs as a big part of the house fell down upon them.

A few moments later. . . 

Sirius Black apparated as soon as he heard the words 'James' in a shocked tone. Seeing the state of the house, he couldn't help but dread his worst nightmares. Somehow convincing himself that it couldn't happen, he carefully stepped in the rubble. But seeing the lifeless body. . .

"JAMES!!?!", he cried and checked his pulse. Nothing. Shit!

"Hey. . . Paddy", he heard groaning from underneath the rubble. James somehow managed to cancel his disillusionment spell to make him visible.

"JAMES!", he cried again but in such a happy tone as if a five-year-old got his favourite candy.

Carefully removing the rubble from top of him, he helped his best mate stand up. He hugged him so tightly that Hagrid would have a run for his money.

"Oi! Idiot — Can't Breathe", he said breathlessly.

"Where's Harry and. . . ", he trailled off uncertainly.

"Let's check", James said and they ran through the stairs — or what was left of them — and went to find an overly scared Lily Potter covering the crib of her child as a large chunk of the roof's wood had fallen upon her.

"Lils!", James said and quickly levitated the plank off her.

"Oh my goodness! James — you saved our lives", and she pulled him to snog him senseless.

Sirius cleared his throat to cut them off their act. They glared at him when he shrugged and said, "Marauder's rule 7 — There shall be no restrictions for any Marauder in any circumstance to be a cockblock"

They were cut off from saying further when they heard the loud thundering of Sirius' motorbike soaring across the sky and the loud wailing trying to compete against the noise.

The quad quickly went till the gate — afraid the house would withstand Hagrid's weight and were again subjected to a bone-crushing hug from the teary half-giant.

"Oh I was so 'fray 'bout y'all! Couldn't stan' it. Firs' time 'm glad that Dumbledore sir was wrong!", he said in between sobs as he let them go.

"Oh Hagrid, it's alright. We're safe now. Now let's go to Hogwarts —", but Lily was cut off when Sirius shouted —

"No way! I'll kill the rat first and stomp it to pulp and piss on his remains before burning it in Fiendfyre!"

"Sirius, we'll sort that out later. For now, let's. Go. To. Hogwarts", James said in his low yet commanding voice.

"Fine!", he sighed and they apparated to Hogwarts while Hagrid went on the bike.

Little did any of them know that the fate of the whole Wizarding World was changed in that very hour.