Beyond the Lake

Chapter Fifteen

***

"Do you think Harry would understand the concept of a jack-o-lantern?" James asked Lily a day later.

"You could try. He is brilliant, after all."

So the little family spent Halloween carving jack-o-lanterns, which turned into a pumpkin fight as Harry began throwing the goop inside the pumpkins. Needless to say, Lily decided it was time for him to go to bed.

After tucking him in, Lily and James went down to the living room. "Ugh! I'm covered in pumpkin gunk," complained Lily. "And it's in my hair, too!"

"Let me get that for you," said James as Lily began to attack her hair.

He quickly finished his task, then took his hand and cupped it under her chin, staring into her eyes. They were the same as they were back at Hogwarts, shockingly green and beautiful. As if reading his mind, she reached out a hand and began stroking his face, his hair. He lowered his head and lightly kissed her and she pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

They were quickly on the sofa as if they were back in that armchair by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, snogging. But she pulled away earlier than he would've liked.

"We haven't done that for a while."

"Why stop now?"

"Honestly James. Is that all you ever think about?"

"It's a hard habit to break. Besides, I never would've studied for any of the N.E.W.T.'s if it wasn't for you always stopping in the middle of things."

"I kind of miss that place."

"Yeah. The Marauders will never be the same."

"I could never forget the lake. After all, that's where you proposed."

"I still remember the look on your face when I first transformed for you. And how pissed you were."

"It was so dangerous! What if you were bitten?"

"Moony still says he's amazed that nothing like that happened. Except for that thing with Snape, of course."

"I find it hard to believe he's in the Order. And you still hate him vehemently."

"The git deserved everything he got."

"James!"

"What?" he whined, then kissed her hair.

"Sometimes I wonder why I ever married you."

"Because I'm too perfect. And I think the antlers turn you on."

"I rest my case."

"But really it's because you love me, no matter how hard I had to work to get you."

"You had to work? You were always a complete ass. You'd think you could call one by her Christian name, not 'Evans' all the time."

"I was 'sweetheart' or 'darling' every once on a while, too."

"Both of which were ten times worse."

"Yet you don't mind them anymore, do you? Look who won in the end."

"You're lucky I love you."

"My point exactly!"

"Oh, shut up," she said, kissing him.

All was silent as he held her in his arms, with a kiss here and there. He had no idea how long they sat together like that; in fact, he didn't pay much attention to anything while she was there. But then he heard something that made him shiver- Voldemort.

"Lily, he shouted, jumping up. "Take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off."

He ran out of the room as the door burst open and he heard that laugh, that horrible cackle. The only reason why he was still there was Lily, Lily and Harry.

***

She ran up the stairs for Harry as she heard the door bang open and Voldemort's high-pitched laughter.

James had to get out of there; he just had to, before-

She heard that laugh again, followed by a muffled crash, and stifled a sob. She ran for Harry's room before Voldemort could get there, before he killed him as he did-

No, she couldn't think about that. She had to get to Harry.

She took Harry from his crib and held him to her, but she was too late. She felt the horrible red eyes on her and heard the beginning of the Killing Curse on her son. So she did the only thing she could, and she put Harry down and stood between him and Voldemort.

"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please, I'll do anything."

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"

"Not Harry. Not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl...stand aside, now..."

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead." He took a step forward as if to push her aside, but she wasn't about to let him. "Not Harry! Please...have mercy...have mercy..."

He had already taken James, and he couldn't have Harry, not Harry...

***