Chapter Text
There was a baby crying somewhere in the house.
Mine?
Wait… was he in a house? It seemed entirely too drafty and cold to be inside.
Where’s the roof?
There was something sticky and warm on his head.
Why am I wet?
The baby was still crying. It was definitely coming from nearby. He had a baby right?
If I have a baby then I must have… LILY
Lily! Evans! She was definitely with him before he fell asleep. James (That was his name!) was sure of that. But… he hadn’t fallen asleep.
Harry
His baby was crying. His baby Harry. His son. Where was his son?
Harry? Lily, where’s Harry??
Was he speaking aloud? He was pretty sure he meant to. But… his mouth was full of cotton. Opening his eyes was a challenge. And even when he managed it, the world around him was about as focused as if they were still closed.
I have glasses, don’t I? Where are my glasses?
James flinched when his hand found something sharp, and unmistakably glass. Now there was blood on his hands too.
“Fuck… Lily?!” His voice was raw and scratched, but still he could speak again.
“Lily!” His mind was coming back into itself now, and he was vaguely aware that he was on the floor underneath something heavy. Did I do that?
“James??” Her voice was ragged with the same fear and confusion he felt. But it was there. She was there.
“Lily! Where’s Harry? Where are you!? I can’t see for shit-- Agh!” He had tried to push himself up, but collapsed when pain streaked through his arm. It felt crushed.
“I hear him! But, James, the nursery’s blocked up and I can’t find my wand…” He heard her straining to move some unknown obstacle. She was muttering, “It’ll be alright dear, Mummy and Daddy are coming…”
He’s coming.
It was starting to return. Voldemort is coming. That’s what Peter had said. Peter-- HARRY.
“Harry, mate, we’re here! We’re gonna get to you!” He yelled from the floor, blinking tears away. “Argh, Lily, help me get this off--” But the weight was gone. He froze, thoughts of the Dark Lord still running circles around his mind. But it wasn’t him.
“PRONGS”, Padfoot’s voice boomed. James whipped around just in time to be yanked to his feet into a bear hug.
“Harry…” He muttered, dazed still.
“Moony’s got him” Sirius said against his shoulder. Sure enough, James heard Lily and Remus a little ways away.
“Bombarda!”
“Harry!” Lily’s voice echoed strangely as she ran. James extricated himself from Sirius and dashed in right after her. Immediately he could see why it was windy. The boy’s room no longer had a roof or one of its walls. There, in the middle of the wreckage, was Harry in Lily’s arms. He was crying, and so was she. The baby’s forehead was bleeding. James’s stomach lurched, and he turned just in time to vomit. He felt a hand on his back, and he looked up to see Moony, eyes blazing with fury and fear. He was shaking, but not as badly as James. He straightened up, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.
“Is he… is he okay? How bad is it?” He reached out to touch Harry’s arm, and the baby wrapped a pudgy hand around his father’s finger; Prongs let out a strangled sob. Beside him he could hear Remus muttering under his breath, and he watched as the blood lessened around the wound.
“Let me see,” his tall friend said, leaning forward to examine the cut. Moony’s harsh eyes softened as he gazed at the child. He brushed back the tuft of jet black hair as Harry began to calm in his mother’s arms. James watched with bated breath while Remus worked, muttering healing spells as he stroked the baby’s hair.
“Remus… what’s wrong?” Lily whispered, holding their son tight in her arms. Moony wore a dark expression that, if James didn’t know him, would have been frightening. But Prongs knew better.
“Moony,” He managed, looking up into his friend’s scarred face. Moony closed his eyes, and took a steadying breath.
“Harry’s fine. Well at least I think he is. I’m not actually a healer, and I’ve stopped the bleeding, but…” he paused and took another breath, “its magical. I’m so sorry James but he’s going to have that scar forever. Whatever he did-- whatever happened to him, it left a mark.” Lily sobbed, hugging the boy even tighter. Harry started to cry again, and James rushed over to take him, squeezing Lily for as long as he possibly could before turning his attention on Harry again.
“I’m-- Lily I’m so sorry,” Remus muttered, stepping back. Evans flung herself at him, reaching up to kiss his cheek.
“Remus, I don’t care about a fucking scar! Thank you, thank you, thank you” she cried into his chest.
“Yeah, thanks mate,” Prongs sniffed, “neither of us have our wands”
“About that, James…” A small voice said from the door. He turned to look at Sirius’s tear streaked face, “He snapped them. They’re broken”
Despite the creeping dread he felt, James shook his head, “Fuck the wands. Harry’s safe. You’re safe. We’re all here.” He wrapped an arm around Lily as he said it. But wait-
“Peter! Has anyone checked on Pete??” he demanded. Everyone went quiet.
“Last I talked to him he was staying in a safe house in Hogsmeade…” Remus said, voice strained.
“We were talking before--” Before he attacked, “we talked earlier today. He said… said Voldemort was on his way here. He saved us” But even as he said it, he realized what this meant. Pete knew we were here.
Padfoot did too.