The Truth Behind the Veil ✔️

Godric's Hollow 1981

    "Take the cloak, Harry and hide!" he shouted, knowing full well this might have been the last time he saw Lily Potter alive.

   Green locked with hazel for a fraction of a second. There were no words spoken, but they knew. Their everlasting love was communicated in a single glance and that was enough.

   Lily and Harry Potter disappeared upstairs just as the door to their home came off the hinges. James felt Sirius and Peter fall into place on either side of him, wands raised, ready to face death with a fight.

   Voldemort in all his glory stood before them, sneering. He thought he had won but the Marauders knew he hadn't. Even if they went down, they knew it was only a matter of time before he came down with them.

    Sirius stood to James' right as he always had. He twirled his wand idly, seemingly bored with the break in. His face was blank and stern, matching the expression he had so carefully crafted while stuck among the walls of Grimmauld Place. This man had killed his brother and had corrupted his family one by one. His best friend's wife and child—his godson—was upstairs waiting to cast the final spell to end it all. Voldemort winning was never an option; not when the Marauders had planned this out for years.

    Peter stood to James' left, smaller and more timid but ready to fight nonetheless. His wand was raised to the snake-like man. James had always cared for Peter. James had always been the one to tell Peter jokes, give him biscuits and raise his confidence. Peter couldn't believe there was a reality where he had broken down and betrayed the men beside him. Sure, Sirius was brash and mean at time but he had always wanted the best for his friends and Peter could not see himself ever framing Sirius for murder. The Peter of the other lifetime was a coward. This one wasn't. He was still scared, terrified, but he was ready to go down with his best mates. They were the Marauders.

    "Well," Voldemort grinned, "look what we have here. A group of young boys who think they stand a chance against me."

   James clenched his jaw and stepped forward with his wand raised. "Hurt them and I'll kill you."

   The snake laughed, a cold, high, chilling laugh. "Kill me? And how are you going to do that, Potter?"

   Sirius stepped forward now, eyes shooting venom. "We know the killing curse and I, for one, am not afraid to use it."

   "You don't stand a chance," said Peter, stepping closer to the snake as well.

   "And yet," Voldemort whispered, "I broke through your wards, you had no Secret-Keeper, and I hold more power in my pinky finger than the three of you wield combined."

   "You can kill me, I'll go to death easily, but if you hurt my friends or my wife and child you will regret severely. It will be the last thing you ever get to do."

   Voldemort raised his wand, ready to strike.

  Sirius' hand twitched, ready to strike back if need be, a thousand curses on the tip of his tongue.

   The floorboards creaked.

    James' chin was raised, a glint of arrogance that had been pushed away for years sparkling in his irises again. He was ready for this. Death was not a thing to be feared. It was the main power he held over the evil mastermind in front of him.

    Lily and Harry would be okay without him. Lily was the most powerful witch he had had the pleasure of knowing and Harry, even as a toddler, held the power to defeat Voldemort. Lily would find love again and Harry would still grow up loved and spoiled. They would be okay.

    "How noble," Voldemort mocked. "Any last words?"

   James narrowed his eyes and smirk stretched over his face. "Yes, two actually. Fuck. You." He raised his middle fingers and watched as the words spilled from the man's pale blue lips.