The Potters Take a Stand
January 1990
“We need to stop. For Harry, for ourselves.”
Harry woke up to the sound of his parents whispering heatedly in the next room. He rubbed his eyes and listened, curiosity roused.
His father’s voice was tense. “We can’t stop fighting, Lily. If the resistance fades away, it would mean the end for Muggleborn wizards and witches.”
“I know we can’t stop fighting,” his mother replied, her voice quieter but firm, “but we can’t keep following a man who won’t even trust us with the smallest piece of information. Not after all these years we’ve dedicated to his plans and visions.”
“Dumbledore is the greatest wizard we’ve ever seen, Lily. He’s fighting for what we believe in.”
There was a sharp exhale before Lily’s voice could be heard again, now a little frustrated. “James, we are fighting too. We are on the same side as him, and we have followed him blindly for over ten years. But I don’t know if I can keep doing it. This blind faith he expects from us? I don’t have it anymore. We have to find a different way to resist Voldemort. When was the last time Lupin came over for dinner? Dumbledore keeps him busy with all those mysterious missions, and when we do see him, he’s paler, frailer. He won’t be able to sustain this much longer.”
There was a pause.
Harry held his breath, suddenly nervous that his parents might catch him eavesdropping. He didn’t understand everything they were saying, but he knew one thing: Voldemort was a bad man, and his parents were fighting against him.
He heard his father take a deep breath before speaking.
“I agree,” James said finally. “We need to take a stand. This war has taken too much from us—our family, our friends. We need to find another way to stand against He Who Must Not Be Named.”
His mother spoke up then, her voice softer but determined. “I believe we should pursuing legal options. We need to occupy the Potter family seat in the Wizengamot and vote for what we believe in. No matter what Sirius says about his family, I’ve noticed the Blacks are voting and legislating to protect Muggleborn rights. So are the Malfoys. Severus has also taken over the Prince seat and often supports them.”
James sounded skeptical. “Lily, do you really think we should approach them? No matter their current actions, they are all marked Death Eaters. Do we want to align ourselves with them without knowing why they’ve changed their stance?”
Lily hesitated before answering, “Severus used to be a close friend, and I still believe he regrets turning towards the blood purity movement. But you have a point, James. Let’s approach Augusta Longbottom first. She has been the most vocal advocate for our side in the Wizengamot. And she isn’t afraid to oppose Dumbledore.”
James let out a breath. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll reach out to her tomorrow.”
“Thank you, James. I know this is a hard decision, but we cannot let Harry become a pawn in a war that may discard him the moment he is no longer useful. At least this way, we can protect him and keep him from Dumbledore’s influence over what loyalty should look like.”
In the following days, the Potter home became a revolving door of visitors. Friends, allies, and members of the Order came and went, all trying to convince them to reconsider their decision—but to no avail.
Sirius was aghast. “I haven’t seen my only brother in years because he isn’t on the right side of this war.”
“But Regulus has never been seen with You-Know-Who,” Lily countered, her arms crossed. “Nor has he ever been heard voicing pureblood rhetoric.”
“He spends all his time with Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape!” Sirius snapped.
James pinched the bridge of his nose. “The Malfoys and Snape have publicly declared themselves neutral. They say they’re advocating for peace in the wizarding world.”
“They were marked!” Sirius shouted. “They never sided with Dumbledore! They never fought for this war!”
Lily burst out, her voice sharp with frustration. “Maybe they didn’t want to live in a war forever!”
Sirius stormed out, slamming the door behind him. But he returned a few days later—calmer, more willing to listen.
Not everyone did.
Some came back. Most did not. The Potters lost many friends that day. But they won something even more valuable, some hard-fought peace for their young family.