The Marauders and Co.
His life started with the love of family and friends.
Amidst the first leg of the war against Voldemort, Harry Potter was born on July 31st, 1980, in Godric's Hollow. His Parents, James Potter and Lily Evans Potter, were only twenty years old. As a baby, Harry was loved. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Mary MacDonald, Marlene McKinnon, and Dorcas Meadowes (friends of the Potters) were all equally enamored with the young boy. Harry, unfortunately, did not know much about his parents or his many admirers until much later in his life. During his schooling, he met Sirius Black and Remus Lupin who shared bits and pieces of their lives, but they too were gone too soon and were unable to give Harry a true understanding of where he came from. After the war, however, he connected with Mary MacDonald, the last surviving member of his parents’ group of friends. Her stories along with snippets that Harry heard over the years is all he knew about his parents, and it is all I know about my grandparents. So how, did Harry Potter come to be?
James and Lily met during their first year at Hogwarts in 1971. Both proud Gryffindor Lions, one may be led to believe it was love at first sight. However, according to MacDonald, Lily loathed Potter for the first few years of schooling. She was much closer with the girls in her year: Mary herself, Marlene McKinnon, and Dorcas Meadowes. Mary recounted spending many nights listening to Lily complain about how James was arrogant and a bully. James, on the other hand, seemed to always have a thing for Lily. However, as she did not want his attention, he spent his years at Hogwarts with his friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The four friends adopted the name "the marauders" and quickly became known for causing trouble and playing pranks.
According to the accounts Harry heard, in the first five years, they knew each other, his parents fought often, usually over the same topic: Severus Snape, a Slytherin in the same year as James and Lily. You see, Snape and Evans grew up in the same village. They were best friends, despite being placed in rival houses. My father admits that it seems James may have treated Severus unfairly when they were growing up. The Marauders called Severus names and pulled many a prank on the young boy. Lily Evans was right to classify much of their behavior as bullying. However, it also seems that Snape was not an innocent victim in this feud. He often retaliated, sometimes using dark curses. He also was reported to hold the toxic blood purity beliefs that ran rampage in the seventies. In fact, directly following his schooling, Snape joined the Death Eaters and became a close confidant of "You Know Who." So, it is not a stretch to believe the claims that he was not always kind to the muggle-borns who were innocently roaming the castle. However, for some reason, his bigotry did not extend to Lily Evans, who was muggle born herself. In fact, Snape held an unrequited love for Lily. She defended him for years, but eventually, she could not continue to condone his behavior. In their fifth year, Severus's true colors shined through. In a moment of rage, he called Lily a mudblood, and she could no longer continue their friendship. (A/n: some may be wondering why Snape is now regarded by some as a hero and why my brother is named after the Professor. Much more will be revealed on this over the course of this book).
While after the falling out between Severus and Lily, James and Lily fought less, the two did not immediately fall in love. In fact, Lily grew close with someone else first. During their sixth year at Hogwarts, Lily spent a large amount of time getting to know Remus Lupin, one of James's best friends. Lily and Remus bonded over their love of school, chocolate, and muggle music. The two were often seen studying together in the library while the rest of their friends were out at or watching quidditch practice. They grew so close, in fact, that Lupin shared his secret with Evans—that he was a werewolf. He also confided in her about how his best friends had begun to help him manage his transformations. Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter all became illegal animagi so that they could keep Remus company when he was a wolf. While Lily was initially shocked at their blatant disregard for the law, she came to understand the selflessness and the effort that these three put into making their friend more comfortable. Harry was led to believe it was this discovery that changed Lily's opinion of Potter. She began to see the better sides of him, and she began to fall for him. Harry was told they started dating the summer before their seventh year and were truly inseparable for their entire last year of schooling.
Now I have been told by my father nearly 10,000 times that while James and his friends becoming illegal animagi was for a good cause, I should not break the law or condone breaking the law (It's the auror in him). So I will share his advice with you: "Don't become an illegal animagus—just don't, please. I don't want to have to explain to my friends in the auror office that my daughter heard me tell a story and thought it would be cool. Don't do that to me, Lils." Ok, maybe that was rather specific for me...but, anyway don't do it.
Moving forward, following their Hogwarts graduations, both James and Lily joined the Order of the Phoenix, the organization dedicated to defeating Lord Voldemort. They believed in their cause and they dedicated their lives to making the wizarding world a more accepting place. It is true, the pair married young, both of them being only 19 years old. They were in love, and it was wartime. They did not know how long they would have to live, and they did not want to waste any time. The ceremony was small consisting of only their families and their small group of friends, but it was nonetheless, a beautiful celebration of their love.
Harry was born about a year after their wedding. James and Lily named Sirius Black Harry's godfather, and he along with the rest of their friends were obsessed with any and all news of the baby boy. While the Potters were in hiding at the time of his birth, the few times the friends of the family got to see Harry were full of love. It is truly a shame this could not last for long.
I will not bore you with the details of Halloween 1981. They are well-known by now. And while this event changed my father's life, it does not define his life. What defines his life is the people who loved him. The marauders (minus that scumbag Peter Pettigrew) and their friends were the first to do so, but they would certainly not be the last.
My father did not get to know Marlene or Dorcas. They were killed before he even reached the age of two. He didn't know them, but he loved them because the people he loved, loved them.
He did get to know Sirius and Remus a bit better. He appreciated their advice, their stories, and their guidance. Remus taught him how to cast a Patronus. Sirius risked his life and safety writing to Harry while he was still in hiding. Harry loved them fiercely, and he could tell they loved him too. He also knew that they loved each other, even if they never admitted it to him. They loved James and Lily and the rest of their friends too, but it was clear they loved each other in a different way. They were taken too soon as well, but Harry continued to love them. He cleared Sirius's name; He raised Teddy Lupin as his own child (shoutout bro; you rock). He did all he could to honor their memories.
He cherished Mary. He visited her once a week till her death and oftentimes, he brought me along. I remember baking cookies with her. I remember how when I'd go off to play, I could hear her and my father laughing from the other room. It is thanks to her that I was able to share the story of James and Lily Potter with all of you. She was the thread that tied Harry to his parents, and he loved her for that. But he also just loved her—her wit, her sarcasm, and her kindness. I'm so thankful he found her.
He loved Lily and James most of all. You would think he'd get tired of hearing "you look like your dad" and "you have your mother's eyes," from every adult he encountered, but he never did. He loved that they lived on in him—in his heart, in his appearance, in the few stories he had to share with me, the rest of his family, and now all of you. He named my brother James, and he named me Lily. He always told me that the day I was born was the day he finally got to meet his mother. Every story of her fiery passion, of her empathy, of her studious nature came to life in me, he said. He loved me, and he loved them.
Yes, his life started with the love of family and friends.