Well it was almost heaven
Choirs singing in robes of white
“Lily, take Harry and go! It’s him! Go! Run! I’ll hold him off —” James said one last time before going down the stairs with so much rush he forgot his wand. However, he never got to the end, as Voldemort stood a few meters away. He pointed his wand at him, and before he heard the killing curse, he thought of why Peter would have done it. Still, his mind last wondered about a memory from a while ago: Lily, Harry and him on a field, laughing.
“Avada kedavra!” was the last thing James Potter heard, apologizing internally to his family because he couldn’t keep them safe.
Almost heaven
He decided to be in the afterlife, not in limbo nor be a ghost. If he could have a last wish, he would have asked to be the only one dead. When he opened his eyes, he was nowhere. Everything was black, the floor, the...sky? There were no walls, no people, nothing, just what seemed to be an infinite amount of black. Unfortunately, Lily came a moment later, and he knew that whatever length of time he was going to spend in the afterlife, he was never going to forget his wife’s face. He was glad Harry wasn’t there.
Lovers laying side by side but
She took a couple of seconds to look at her surroundings and then she spotted James. They had never run so fast to each other’s arms. Everything was too much. Their emotions were too much. Hurt, sorrow, betrayal, anger, confusion, anxiousness. He hated having Lily there, however, he was a little glad for it. And yes, he knew it was selfish, but he needed her, and Sirius too. Sirius! James thought.
When we reach forever
He let go of her and thought of him until they reappeared in what seemed to be what used to be their house. Confused, they both looked around. What they saw was the perfect example of what war did to people.
They saw themselves first, lifeless. Then the rest of the scene. Voldemort was gone. Harry was crying in his crib with a scar on his forehead, both of his parents tried to reach him, which was pointless. They could feel him as something solid, however, they lacked his warmth and Harry from them totally. Lily didn’t give up easily, though. Peter was also there, blood dripping from his hand. And Sirius. Oh, Sirius.
Will there be a place where you and I may find home
In heaven?
He was laughing while staring at their bodies. James kneeled beside him, trying and failing to make Sirius look at him. He wanted nothing more than to tell him to just go. There was nothing he could do. They were gone. And for the second time that night, James ordered someone to get Harry and leave. His best friend didn’t move, though. Shock was holding onto him. James was pleading, desperate, to Sirius when he heard an explosion.
Peter was now Wormtail, escaping far away for the 14 deaths he caused that night and the 2 lives he ruined.
Aurors suddenly appeared and James knew Sirius was going to be in hell. Again. Maybe he had never left. His nightmares still followed him, then there was war and now...this. The worst of it was that James couldn’t be there for him.
I'll make a room for you
Despite their tragedy, Lily and James were able to see loved people they once thought they had lost forever.
Dorcas and Marlene had soon appeared, and hugged them tightly, greeting and comforting them. And oh, what a wonderful feeling. Their presence of a miracle had made that night bearable.
James’ parents were there too, and he felt like a child all over again. He cried and cried in their arms, trying to seek solace. Lily’s parents were nowhere to be seen as they were muggles and it was obvious she was sorrowful about it, in spite of moving on the first time she had lost them.
If you stay, your eyes on me now
Ten years ago Voldemort visited them, after that, everything was torture.
Lily and James had to see how Sirius went to Azkaban without a trial. They had cursed and begged, but nothing changed.
No one did anything.
Not even Dumbledore, who was now hated by them not only because of that. Oh, no. Dumbledore sent Harry to an abusive home, where he grew up without knowing what love or care felt like. Harry was supposed to grow up surrounded by his parents, his godfather, his uncle Moony and love, so much love. He was supposed to be spoiled by Sirius, embarrassed by his father, befriended by his mother, taught by his uncle and to complain about the lot of them with Peter.
It had been harder for Lily, the person hurting their son was her sister. She felt guilty and ashamed of her.
However, they spent as much time as they could with him. They didn’t want to miss any of his firsts, nor birthdays.
It wasn’t how they imagined it would be. They had pictured Harry’s childhood framed in lots of album photos, and they thought they would be present in every victory and failure of his life. It wasn’t fair. They deserved to be there for him, and mostly, Harry deserved to have caring parents. They deserved to have a happy life.
The feeling of being with your son while he suffers and just can’t do anything was frustrating. When Harry was a baby, they just wanted to hold him. When he cried, they wanted to hug him, and sometimes they did, because maybe if it was tight enough, Harry would feel it. He never did, though. So they cried with him, grateful that at least they didn’t have to fake strength. They just hoped that in the future, their son could have a life so wonderful it would make him forget all of these horrible years. They really just wanted the best for him.
Lover you can lean on me
Remus was completely alone. It only took one night for his world to be taken apart. Not only that, but he had the wrong version of the story. It pained James, however, Lily had it worse. She tried to take the bottles of alcohol away from him, to make him find someone to talk to, or to simply grieve and move on. She had spent so many hours by his side, just to be with him. So he could have someone.
James had long admitted to himself there was nothing he could do. Therefore, he just spent time and shared little moments with him. For example, when Remus played a record, James would sit by his side and sing to him; when Remus stared at the ceiling, miserable and empty, he read to him his favourite book; and when he turned into a wolf, he changed into Prongs. The first full moon, James hadn’t been sure if it would work. Luckily, it did, even if the wolf couldn’t sense his presence either. Well, James had admitted there was nothing to do, however, he would be lying if he said he didn’t have hope.
Love, I can lift you higher
As for Sirius, James had spent as much time in that cell as he physically could. However, seeing his now pale, small body was dreadful. His best friend, his brother, the person who has accompanied him throughout life, was now spending years of loneliness in a cold, oppressive room. And even if James could not feel the coolness of it, he knew it must be freezing, as Sirius was always shaking. He hoped it was the weather and not fear of unfolded memories of his childhood. He really, really hoped that.
What was worse, though, was the frustration of not being able to tell him that they didn’t blame him. Sirius often muttered apologies, and it broke James’ heart. And then, anger filled him, because it wasn’t fair for his friend to spend half of his life there. With monsters taking their memories and stealing his goodness, he worked so hard to built
James liked to talk to Sirius about Harry. He told him about his current situation, that even though he had a hard life, he was managing to become a wonderful kid. He was really proud of him. Furthermore, he also told him how he would have loved for Sirius to raise him instead. Because it was he who should have been with him if James and Lily couldn’t. Just him and Moony teaching Harry to ride a bike, swim or simply cast a simple spell.
Said I'm making a room for you
Marlene, Dorcas and James’ parents were also present, just not as much. While their friends were visiting their family and other friends (Mary, mostly), Effie and Monty weren’t able to see their other children and grandchild in pain.
Lover lean on me
James and Lily didn’t visit Mary as much, still, they were more than interested in her life as they loved and cared for her. Yet, she didn’t need them. She was already moving on. She had a boyfriend and was looking for job applications. She didn’t need their care. This didn’t mean they had never stopped by, because of course, they did. It was an escape from the misery that lived for the others.
At first, they were angry at Peter and hurt. Sometimes, they still were. Yet, they didn’t blame him fully. Peter had always been kind to them, and what he did that night was an act influenced by war, fear and fake promises of power. Yes, Peter Pettigrew was the traitor, but sometimes, when he felt nostalgic and remembered the good old days, he missed him too. He missed the kind, caring boy who loved to make James laugh. He also thought back to the Quidditch talks they shared, pranks, and how Peter always had something to say to make everyone feel better. Nonetheless, he will never forgive him for what he did, because the boy he missed had died long ago and was replaced by a filthy, cowardly man.
Love I can lift you higher
James would be lying if he said they hadn’t cried every day.
Every person they loved was suffering, and the only thing they could do was wait for them and spend as much time as they could by their side. So they did. They had stayed all of those years hoping it would be enough to bury the sadness in all of them. They didn’t complain because they would stay as long as their friends needed.
Oh, I can lift you higher, oh
In 1991, Harry got his letter to Hogwarts, their parents were as happy as him, if not a bit more. They were beaming as their son could have an opportunity to meet new people and to finally know about the magical world. It was a new beginning for him. He was going to be able to spend months in Hogwarts for years, where he’ll be far away from the troubled house he grew up in. If Sirius had done it when he was the same age, then Harry could too.
Yet, things didn’t go as planned. James and Lily were furious. This was supposed to be Harry’s new home, as it was once theirs. However, the air always seemed to be drowned by anxiousness.
It started when he discovered the story of his parents and how he got the scar, which brought more sorrow and rage than any child should have known. Yet, he was discovering a world Harry only thought lived in his head, and that ceased his parents’ worries.
On the Hogwarts Express, he luckily met a Weasley, well actually he had got to know all of them, but he befriended Ronald. Except this too has something bad, since his pet, his rat, was immediately recognized by James. How dare he spend every day with their son, the child he now called himself an orphan because of him. They feared everyday for his son’s life because of Peter.
Nonetheless, their hatred soon centred on Severus Snape. His position as a teacher was chaotic, not just because he mistreated the students to the point it could be considered abuse, but also because he treated Harry the worst.
There were some heartwarming moments, too. They both clapped and cheered when his son got into Gryffindor just like them. Lily’s favourite moment, though, was watching him making magic for the first time, discovering this new world by himself. Just like she had. As for James, he preferred when Harry played Quidditch, because his son, James Potter’s child, Harry James Potter, had got into the team in his first year.
That day, he cried happy tears for the first time.
However, what destroyed their hearts was Harry discovering the mirror.
Their son didn’t want revenge or to hurt anyone, he just wanted a normal life and his parents.
What no one would ever know is that the mirror also worked for the dead, leaving Lily and James seeing the same as their son. The three of them desired their reunion.
As if the year hadn’t been tough enough, Quirrell and Voldemort tried to kill him. This was wrong. An eleven-year-old shouldn’t be saving not just his life, but the entire school. And when Voldemort made fake promises to Harry about them, they lost it. Luckily, Harry was as smart as his mother and braver than both of them together, therefore, he got out of that situation by himself. Not thanks to Dumbledore, who then only made them win the house cup.
That summer he stayed at the Dursley’s.
On the other hand, Remus and Sirius remained the same.
In 1992, Harry had been in more danger than the year before. He had been exposed to dark magic, influenced by a scammer, and forced to fight a Basilisk. No one was doing anything for him. Except the Weasley family, who were thanked daily by James and Lily. They promised to hug them all as soon as they were able. Hagrid was also as caring as he was once with the Marauders.
One year later, everything changed.
Sirius had escaped as soon as he saw Peter on the newspaper, and James hadn’t left his side since. He had survived as a dog, living in caves and eating rats.
Remus was asked to be a teacher, not because he deserved to (which he did), but because Dumbledore didn’t trust him and wanted to have him close.
Truly, James was proud.
Their Moony was teaching kids in a fun way. He made them smile and soon became their favourite teacher. Lily and James hadn’t seen him smile so much in 12 years.
One of the best and worst things in Lily‘s and James’ life was seeing Remus and Harry bond.
Harry had seen him as a new paternal figure and felt in a way more connected to his parents. As for Remus, he had been able to talk about his friends with a smile on his face. However, the first time they met, in that carriage with a Dementor, had hurt. Anyone who hadn’t spent years with Remus Lupin couldn’t have seen the confusion of seeing Harry (who now looked similar to James) and the sadness of him thinking he was a stranger. Seeing him as if Remus hadn’t held, sang nor talked to him as a baby. Still, Moony happily informed and taught him everything he wanted to. Lily suspected he felt guilty for not spending time with him before.
Remus also had to suffer Snape’s comments about his lycanthropy, his monthly injuries and essays about how to kill werewolves from his students. Furthermore, James couldn’t even imagine how nostalgic he must have felt the first time he wandered in the same corridors they had pulled pranks.
The night where the truth was finally out, James and Lily were very proud. Proud of Harry for doing the right thing and conjuring a patronus, of Remus for being so strong about the real story, and of Sirius, who not only fought for bringing the little light that was in him but for putting Harry’s happiness and safety first.
When Sirius said to Harry it wasn't fair that he had got to spend so much time with us and Harry almost none, James and Lily strongly objected. Yes, of course, they should have spent more time with their son, however, they didn't regret their time with Sirius. They weren't going to choose who deserved more for their company.
In 1994, Sirius still wasn’t a free man and Remus was now an openly and hated unemployed werewolf. Lily and James were just glad they at least had each other and were eager for the day they could finally raise Harry.
Still, their son seemed to be closer to death every year. He had somehow got into the competition, where he fought not only dragons and mermaids but Voldemort himself.
He had help in his transformation, and that "help" was provided by Peter himself. At that moment, when his childhood best friend had cut his own hand for the enemy, and watched how Harry was not just humiliated but at risk of death; James had lost any trace of hope of getting him back.
Harry not only saw his friend get killed, he also had been close to death. So close it made his parents' whole body tense and their minds wander under the worst circumstances possible. However, Harry made it. He had got away and saved himself again because he always seemed to be the only one who fought for him.
Something strange as well as wonderful had happened that night, too. They had talked to Harry. It had been two sentences and they were dripping with desperation, but that night his son had finally heard them.
1995 hadn't been the perfect year, either. At this point, they just begged for at least a boring year, where nothing happened.
Harry had been hurt on purpose by a horrible woman and was chased by nightmares of Voldemort. He had also seemed more troubled by communicating to his friends, luckily he had Sirius to trust at that moment of despair.
Snape had “helped” him to avoid Voldemort from getting inside of his head. Once though, Harry entered Snape's memories and saw the Marauders “bullying” him. It had been an idiotic prank towards him for making their cauldron explode. James has to admit it had been lame as Snape was alone, but the Marauders were having a terrible day with discriminating bullies, especially since the Black family had just disherited Sirius. James now knows he could have done something different, to not let his impulsiveness show the worst of him. He never tried to justify his actions, because he was aware they would still be terrible decisions. Still, it hurt seeing his son watching him as a violent oppressor, who had fun by injuring Snape. James feared his son would always see him like that, and see Snape, an abusive, rude, cowardly professor as a hero. He didn’t want Harry to trust the wrong people like James once did.
James remembers one time when Sirius was alone in the room with the tapestry, he looked at the sky and talked to James.
“I haven’t talked to you in a while, well, at least not out loud. People already think I’m crazy, I cannot keep rambling around to you. Maybe I am a little crazy, but who isn’t?”
He scoffed, did Sirius really think he would be in heaven? However, his smile fell when Sirius’ eyes grew watery.
“I wanted to reach you because here we are in complicated times, like before, when we were young, and I know you never wanted Harry to experience war, so I’m telling you this:” James stood in front of him and pointlessly grabbed his shoulder to comfort him. “I’m going to be there for Harry and not just for him, but for you. I will not let anger nor madness get in the way. I’ll try my best. Prongs, I promise you, I’ll keep him safe. I’ll do anything for him just like you did for me years ago. You do not have to worry. I know I’m not the best parental figure, however, if anything happens, Moony is still around.” His forced laugh made James’ chest hurt “I promise we’ll take good care of him. Nothing dangerous will even be near him. You have to believe me, Prongs. Please. This is my way of thanking you.” tears started falling again while he murmured promises to a long-gone loved one. “ You deserve to have Harry, he is your son, but he makes me so happy and I hate it. You are supposed to be here. I’m not worthy of his love nor the joy he brings me. You always took care of everyone, you would have loved this. It’s just not fair.”
Remus was still a teacher-like figure in Harry's life, which pained his parents. They didn't admit it, but they knew Moony and their son weren't close. Harry didn't seem to care about building a stronger bond, and Remus appeared a little relieved because if not, Harry would have to deal with the reality of what being a werewolf was. Sirius and he had provided information about the Order and the war, which Harry was grateful for.
Harry and Remus lost an essential person in their lives. Sirius had fallen into the veil, laughing, yet when he crossed to the afterlife and his best friends were the first thing he saw, he stopped and cried instead. Their hug had been brief but meaningful. Then they followed Harry, who was now chasing Bellatrix. Sirius, though, had stayed with Remus.
Lily and James had flinched when their son conjured the torture curse. She did deserve it, however, they didn't want their fifteen-year-old child to use it, and worse, to get used to it.
They had fought a war, so that wouldn't happen. It seems they hadn’t tried hard enough as Harry was losing his innocence and childhood while fighting and torturing people. They knew it didn’t mean he was a horrible person, unfortunately, it was worse: he was good, yet his hard life had made him do terrible things.
At least, Lily and James thought, the community had no way of calling Harry a liar, since they had seen Voldemort.
The three of them were happy about their reunion, they really were, but Harry and Remus were still their priority.
The next year, Remus started to hide his pain by spending time with Nymphadora Tonks. James Lily and now Sirius took care of him, therefore, they knew even though Remus was happy with Tonks, sorrow and guilt washed him with a stronger force when he was alone and thought no one was watching him.
Harry was destroyed by the loss of yet another loved figure of his life. It was sad actually, how in such a short period of time he had already lost so many people before getting to know them fully. He had tried to distract himself with a particular obsession about a potions book, the “Half-blood Prince” and hatred towards Draco Malfoy.
It was tough for Sirius too as he had to look at the love of his life and his godson from this new perspective, where nothing could be hidden. Pain, loneliness and grief filled the living ones, making frustration and misery drown the already dead ones.
At the end of the year, their son had to witness another death. He had to see how a man he trusted killed the last wise figure of his life. He had also lost his home. Sirius, James and Lily matched Harry’s emotions as Hogwarts had been their home too. They had spent half of their life in that castle, where hidden and almost forgotten memories about them had originated. They had laughed, cried and loved so fiercely that they still remembered the warmth and familiarity of the place.
At least, Harry and his friends knew Voldemort’s secret, and he could finally be killed. Their son had done what they couldn’t years ago.
Sirius had a huge discovery too. His brother, one of the youngest death eaters who always supported his parents, had been the first one to find out about the horcruxes and Sirius was devastated. He cried because he hadn’t waited longer for his brother, nor tried to reach him after. Still, what pained him the most was that he had been blinded by the popular version of Regulus. Death eater, Black, Slytherin. Instead of the one he had grown up with, the real one. Young, Smart, Hurt.
And Sirius mostly cried because his baby brother had gone through the same situation. They both had been trapped, spending years being miserable surrounded by monsters, and being seen as cruel murderers. They had been Black after all.
He tried to reach Regulus, but it was impossible. He wasn’t in the afterlife. James and Lily suspected his soul was trapped in an inferior, they just hoped it wouldn’t be forever.
In may of 1997, Sirius’ heart broke. The three of them attended Remus’ wedding, in which the groom and the bride looked joyful. In a way, it was a relief, as their friend was showing other emotions besides sadness; yet it also seemed like a loss. After years, Remus was finally moving on from the Marauders.
The atmosphere on Earth and in the afterlife was equally tense.
Harry, Hermione and Ron weren’t even legal adults and yet they were looking for unknown objects that contained dark magic. They were going to destroy them in a very dangerous way while escaping and fighting menacing wizards. And they were doing it completely and utterly alone with only poor hints from a deceased Dumbledore to guide them.
Lily taught them long ago about the different religions muggle believes in. More specifically, certain Gods or a higher, empathetic force. James that same year asked Lily to teach them how to talk to them. She told them they had to believe, and so they did because it was the only thing they could do.
They prayed, begged, listened and believed with everything they had. For what? For safety, happiness and an end to the war.
James would be lying if he said he wasn’t proud of his son’s wit, because honestly Harry may be as oblivious as his father but hell, he was smart! Well, he wasn’t smooth either, ask Ginny. It’s a shame he didn’t get James’ smoothness along with his looks. Really though, it was nice seeing Harry centring his attention on another thing than those damn horcruxes.
“No, you don't know how it feels. Your parents are dead.” Must have been one of the most hurtful things someone had ever said to Harry, and it pained that it came from his best friend. Of course, it wasn’t Ron’s fault, but the horcruxes. James just wanted Harry to know that, because if he didn’t, he would lose his best friend, and it wasn’t the place nor time. Even if James and Lily didn’t want to admit it, their son didn’t have many people who understood him.
Sometime later, a few friends joined them. Mad-Eye Moody had passed away a while ago and had refused to watch “Harry’s suffering”, but now, as he was more aimed at how to win, he decided to join them.
Lily was especially fond of Dobby, who was very polite and kind to them. They both had expressed their greeting towards him because he had been a courageous and loyal friend to Harry. Then, Dobby cried.
Dumbledore, Snape, Cedric and Hewig never joined. Two of the four of them would be actually welcome, however, Cedric had chosen to spend his time with his mother while keeping an eye on his father. And, unfortunately, animals weren’t meant to be there.
However, good news soon appeared: Remus was going to be a father. The second and last Marauder to have a child. Everyone was joyful about this new possibility. The Marauders could be known, and remembered. Even so, what mattered the most was that Moony had a chance at a normal life and a brand new kind of love, which could luckily be the one to convince him he was not a monster.
Yet.
Not long after, the Battle of Hogwarts took place.
The war ended tragically and very suddenly. A lot of people had died. Too many.
Remus and Tonks are two of them. They left Teddy as an orphan, with Harry to take care of him. It was funny, though, how his son who grew up without parents nor care, was supposed to raise a child. Nonetheless, he could do it, James and Lily were sure of it. Why? Because after his never-ending misfortune, their son still maintained bravery and kindness. Both aspects were shown each year, but mostly in war.
All of them had fought courageously, and it can be said it was worth it because Voldemort was finally dead. The horcruxes had been destroyed, even Harry had to sacrifice himself, and it had been painful.
Harry used the Resurrection Stone before waking towards his death. The second he grabbed the magical item and closed his eyes, the Marauders had already been with him. When Harry opened his eyes, they had expected to feel as if they were rising to the surface: they were underwater, trying desperately to scream and be seen. They expected lights and fireworks. Something more, anything more, that might make them feel more...well, alive. They expected magic. But it didn’t happen that way.
Their son was going to sacrifice himself and wanted to talk to them first, still that didn’t happen either. Maybe that’s why they hadn’t felt anything. Either way, the four of them stood in front of some doubles of them, which encouraged Harry to walk straight into the reaper’s arms.
It was morbid really, how they were craving to talk to him, to beg him, or communicate in any way that they could figure out another plan. It wasn’t fair. The stone’s purpose was to join the living with the dead, so they could have a brief reunion after hurting for so long.
And yet, The four of them have been betrayed again with fake sights that looked just like them.
They were alarmingly calm.
The worst part was that Harry had accepted it was them. Truly them. Why and when would they ever ask Harry to sacrifice himself? Lily thought at that moment it must be in his genes.
Fortunately, everything had been alright. Harry had beaten death once again. It had been long minutes in which the Marauders were waiting for him at the station. However, Dumbledore appeared instead and told them Harry had another chance. If they had been alive they would have breathed out in relief.
It was done. Voldemort was killed. Harry had done it. Words couldn’t describe how proud they were of their little boy.
And just like that, after seeing their child finally safe, living in a world with no longer danger, James, Lily and even Sirius and Remus vanished. With a smile on their face and peace. Finally peace.