The Loss
As the days passed, Athanasia's pregnancy progressed, and she grew weaker by the day. James and their closest friends, Lily, Sirius, and Remus, did everything they could to take care of her, but nothing seemed to help. The healer who had taken an oath to keep Athanasia's condition a secret did everything she could, but it seemed that there was no cure for what was ailing her.
As Athanasia entered her ninth month of pregnancy, she knew that something was wrong. Her strength was fading, and she struggled to breathe. James was by her side every step of the way, holding her hand and comforting her as best he could.
One evening, as Athanasia lay in bed, she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. James called for the healer, who quickly rushed to their side. After examining Athanasia, she looked at James with a heavy heart.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "The baby is coming, but Athanasia's body is too weak to handle it. There's nothing more I can do."
James felt his heart shatter into a million pieces as he heard those words. He looked at Athanasia, who was struggling to breathe, and knew that he had to do something.
"Please, there must be something you can do," he pleaded with the healer.
The healer shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry. I've done everything I can. All we can do now is make her as comfortable as possible."
“Choose the child please,” Athanasia begged.
As the hours passed, Athanasia's condition continued to worsen. James and their friends stayed by her side, holding her hand and comforting her as she struggled to breathe. It was clear that the end was near.
In the early hours of the morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window, Athanasia took her last breath. James was holding her hand, tears streaming down his face as he watched the light fade from her eyes.
Lily, Sirius, and Remus gathered around him, holding him as he wept. The loss of Athanasia was a devastating blow, and it would take time for them to heal.
In the days that followed, James was consumed by grief. He couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep, and he couldn't bear to be in their home without Athanasia. It was Lily and Sirius who took care of him, making sure that he ate and slept, and reminding him that he was not alone. Remus was the one taking care of his son, making sure that he was well taken care off while he grieved.
As James struggled to come to terms with his loss, he couldn't help but wonder what he had done to deserve such a tragedy. Athanasia had been his everything, and now she was gone. He felt lost and alone, with no sense of purpose or direction.
It was Sirius who finally helped him see that there was still hope. "You have to keep going, James," he said. "For Athanasia, and for your son. He needs you now more than ever."
James nodded, realizing that Sirius was right. He had to be strong for their son, for the child that Athanasia had given her life to bring into the world.
They named him Ambrosius Hadrian James Potter, after Athanasia's own name that meant immortality, and Lily and Sirius decided to blood-adopt him as their own. It was a way for them to honor Athanasia's memory, and to ensure that their son would have the love and support that he needed to thrive.
Months have passed, Lily did her part that she was the one that married James to the public to protect Athanasia’s identity, it was also for the redhead to have a sense of duty ever since her wife died from a death eater ambush. Ambrosius was the closest thing Lily, Remus, and Sirius had for a son, so they referred to him as such. They had introduced their son as Harry James Potter to the public. Then Albus Dumbledore approached them about a prophecy and that the Potters need to hide too.
James agreed as he knew that it was important to keep their son safe. He had already lost Athanasia and couldn't bear to lose their son as well. So, the Potters went into hiding, and Sirius volunteered to be their secret-keeper, keeping their location a secret from everyone, even their closest friends.
For months, they lived in hiding, always looking over their shoulders and never staying in one place for too long. It was a difficult life, but they were willing to endure it to keep their son safe.
But their safety was short-lived. One night, as they were celebrating Harry's first Halloween, the door burst open, and a group of death eaters stormed in. The Potters had been betrayed, and Sirius was nowhere to be found.
In the chaos that followed, James and Lily fought valiantly, but it was no use. They were outnumbered and outmatched. James was killed in a hail of curses, and Lily was hit with the killing curse.
But their sacrifice was not in vain. The curse rebounded, killing the dark lord who had been responsible for so much death and destruction. And Harry, the boy who had been the reason for their sacrifice, survived.
It was a bitter victory, but it was a victory nonetheless. Harry was left an orphan, with no one to call family except for Sirius, who had been wrongfully accused of betraying the Potters and was now on the run from the law.
The loss of Athanasia and James had set into motion a chain of events that would change the course of history, and their sacrifice would never be forgotten. Their love had been strong enough to survive even death, and it would live on in their son, who would go on to become the boy who lived.