𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 - 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

73 - 𝙤𝙝 𝙣𝙤

Sirius mentioned that Aquila was ready to bite his head off too, considering Frank wanted Regulus to be their secret keeper.

James read that line again and again until he could perfectly imagine Aquila fuming about this.

"Hey, James?" Lily said, popping her head in the doorway of James' room. "Are animals supposed to get past the charms?" she asked, her face scrunched in a frown.

James immediately got up with his wand. "No, why?"

Lily's eyes widened in horror. "A rat got in."

James' shoulders relaxed slightly. "It could be Peter?"

"Why would he enter as a rat?"

Oh right. She didn't know.

"His Animagus form. It's a long story," he said, noting the confused look on her face.

She shook her head. "Anyway, even if it is his Animagus, why would he enter in that form?"

James did grow worried then. Because Peter was supposed to be in hiding, and if he was here, that meant something bad had happened.

A loud crashing sound came from the gate. They shot alarmed looks at each other, and James carefully approached the window to see what had happened. All he saw was a dark cloaked figure approaching the front door of the house.

Dread creeped up James' spine. This was it, then.

"Lily, grab Harry and run," James said calmly. Lily furiously shook her head.

"Lily, grab Harry and run!" he shouted at her.

"Are you mad? I'm not leaving you here to die!" she shouted back at him.

James went and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Would you rather three of us die tonight or just one?" he said, glaring at her. She let out a sob, but nodded and ran to fetch Harry.

James quickly summoned his Patronus and sent a message. One last message.

With that, he ran down the stairs to confront the Dark Lord.

- - -

Help.

Help.

James' begging voice through his Patronus echoed in Aquila's mind. She'd never heard him like that. She thought she forgot what his voice sounded like, but, all it took was one word before she left a small message for Regulus, who was over at Frank's, and ran outside to disapparate to Godric's Hollow.

One look at the ruined house was all it took for Aquila to break down.

It was completely ruined, a Dark Mark in the sky above casting a green halo around everything. She quickly rushed into the house, and for the first time in seven months, she saw the face of the beautiful boy she had fallen in love with. His mischievous smile, his twinkling and bright eyes. Now dull and lifeless as he lay on the staircase, holding his wand in a defensive stance.

Here he was.

Dead.

And Aquila couldn't remember how to breathe. All the memories, all the times in the past seven months when she had cursed his name and screamed at the memory of him, it choked her neck and refused to allow any air through.

A child's cry broke her out of her shock.

She turned into her Animagus form to avoid going over his body to go up the stairs and changed back at the top of the staircase.