Have you heard the news that you're dead?

'Cause you live your life in a coma, you're never awake
If you'd open your eyes then maybe you'd see what's at stake

He woke up and stared at the ceiling, trying to process where he was. When he finally found the energy to turn his head, he looked around, he found out that he didn't recognise the place. A couple of minutes past before he was able to really, thoroughly process where he was. It looked like a hospital, presumably St. Mungos, but why? He didn't remember what could've possibly happened to land him in the hospital. He tried to focus and feel if he was hurt. He didn't feel any pain. But then he discovered that he didn't really feel anything. He looked at his hands and tried to lift them, and he discovered that he could. This cheered him up a bit. But he was still utterly confused. What happened? Why was he here? Was everyone else alright? He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice the woman standing beside his bed. He looked up at her. She seemed a bit surprised but then quickly put up a professional face.

"Hello, Mr. Potter. Are you feeling alright?"

James just stared at her for a bit before answering. "I guess so. What happened Why am I here? Where is my wife? Where is my son? Are they alright?"

The woman looked at him with a face he'd normally associate with pity. But he dismissed that thought, cause why on earth would she feel that way towards him? But then it all came back to James. Voldemort. Voldemort tried to kill Harry. Voldemort had found them, and had tried to kill his son. James in an attempt to buy his wife and son some time, took him on, on his own. But then, wait... Was it all for nothing? Were his wife and son, dead... No, no, that couldn't be true. They couldn't be dead. No. James refused to believe that. But then why would she look at him like that. He was beginning to panic. He made an attempt to sit straight, it didn't work.

"No need to push yourself, Mr. Potter. Your wife and son are both alive."

Phew... They're both alive, that's good. That's great. But then why did she look at him like that? What was going on?

"What time is it? Can I see my wife and son, please?"

There it was again, that look. The pity... Something happened. But what?

"Mr. Potter, I'm afraid you can't see your wife. Or your son for that matter. Your wife is still in a coma. Your son is — well I don't know where he is. But I can assure you he is safe and well. Heard great things about him... You truly are lucky, such a brave boy."

James made an attempt to smile but failed utterly. Lily... In a coma... It was too much to bear. Wait— 'such a brave boy'? What did she mean by that? Harry was just a baby after all, how could she have heard great things about him? How could Harry have shown bravery? Harry wasn't even two. 

He was seriously considering this woman to be nuts. Seriously... Sirius! 'I don't know where he is. But I can assure you he is safe and well.' Was Harry with Sirius? That must've been what happened. Sirius is Harry's godfather after all. Oh god. Peter... I trusted him, called him one of my best friends. How could he have done this to me? To us. James didn't really care much about dying himself, he accepted death the minute he went to face Voldemort on his own to buy his wife and son some time. But he trusted Peter with the lives he held most dear, Lily and Harry. To have betrayed him like that... James would much rather have preferred if Peter just took a knife and stabbed him in the back, quite literally. It wouldn't have hurt this much. They would've gotten over his betrayal faster anyway. But for now James had more important question to ask. Questions that were far more trivial at the moment. He could process Peter's betrayal later.

"Er— Ma'am, I asked you what time it was, you didn't answer. And what do you mean by 'heard great things about him... You truly are lucky, such a brave boy.'? He's not even two. And is my wife alright? Is she going to make it? Please tell me that's she's going to be alright, please."

"This might be a bit too much for you Mr. Potter, I don't know if it's such a good idea to discuss this now."

"Just— just tell me."

"You and your wife have been in a coma for the last twelve years. We have done everything to keep you alive, but neither of you ever showed a sign of consciousness. Up until now of course. I'm quite glad that you're back, sir. I hope Mrs. Potter will make the same progress, but as you can understand, I cannot make such a promise. All we can do is hope for the best, and keep her alive in the meantime."

James was shocked. No, this was not shock. This was something more, something he couldn't put a name on. He didn't know how to process all of this, the woman was right, this was too much. He was devastated. Twelve years... They had been in a coma for twelve years. Lily — she was still in a coma. And Harry... He missed out on his son's childhood. Harry must be thirteen by now. He's already going to Hogwarts. They missed out on everything...

James chuckled despite himself, later... Dealing with Peter's betrayal later. It was later. Exactly twelve years later... He missed out on his son's life, and it was all because of Peter. His wife was in a coma, and has been in a coma for the past twelve years, all because of Peter. Hatred flared in him, he had never in his life ever felt like this towards anyone. Not even Voldemort... Yes, sure he hated Voldemort. But who didn't? James never liked Voldemort, he never trusted Voldemort. He trusted Peter with his life, more importantly; he trusted Peter with Lily and Harry's life. Twelve years... James didn't know what to do. He felt so helpless. He couldn't wake his wife up, he had no idea where his son was, he didn't know in which state Sirius and Remus were, he didn't know anything. And he couldn't do anything. He could hardly even lift his arm. James never in his life ever felt so helpless.

“Have my friends ever come to visit us? I just really wanna know if they're doing alright.”

James thought that she couldn't possibly have looked more pitiful than she did just a moment ago, but here they were, it was apparently possible. He didn't understand anything anymore, he was completely lost.

“I’m sorry Mr. Potter.” she chuckled and stopped herself immediately. With an awkward smile she said, “Have you heard the news that you’re dead?”

James just gaped at her for a long moment, not believing anything he just heard, not wanting to believe anything he had heard the past hour at all.

The nurse explained how everyone had thought both the Potters dead, and that therefore no one had visited them in twelve years. She also explained how Dumbledore had specifically requested that everyone within the hospital with the knowledge of the Potters’ true fate, should under no circumstances tell it to anyone. James was devastated. He couldn't begin to imagine what Sirius and Remus must've been through. What Harry must have been through. Sure he was just one at the time, but he had been growing up as an orphan ever since. He just hoped that wherever he was, with whoever he was, that he was taken care of and loved beyond measure.

A couple of weeks had passed, but Lily still showed no progress. James however could do everything on his own now without help. Sure, he was still a bit weak, but that would go away eventually. He had spent the last twelve years of his life in a coma, this was to be expected. 

The healers gave James permission to go home, and even though he wanted to stay for Lily, he also knew that Harry also needed him. Perhaps even a greater deal more than Lily, since unlike Lily, Harry was fully alive. Lily obviously was alive as well, but James didn't think he could count 'in a coma' as fully alive. She was just merely clinching to life. But James did promise Lily he'd visit her, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. Now it was time to take care of their son, as painful and heartbreaking this situation might be, Harry had to be his priority for now. 

When the healers gave him the good news, James hesitated for a bit. Home... He didn't have a home. He didn't know where to go. But then he remembered that before he went into hiding with Lily and Harry, they were living in the Potter mansion. He wondered in what kind of state it might be now. But that was it, that was home. James would go there for now, and then when he settled in and the house was in a safe and clean state, he'd go to Harry and take his son home, finally, after twelve years. Harry would finally be at the place he was meant to be all along.

So James did exactly that. He went to the home he grew up in himself, the home Lily and James had hoped, their son would grow up in as well. Well that obviously didn't go as planned... But James was at home himself at last. He tried not to think much about Lily and Harry, but couldn't stop himself. It was better not to dwell on it, not now, not when he knew his son needed him. He could have his grief later, for now he had to take care of everything in the house so he could get his son — their son — as soon as possible. James also wondered where Sirius and Remus were, and if they were alright. These past twelve years must've been tougher on them than it was on James. James wasn't conscious after all. They were. They had to live with this grief for twelve years, James just got to deal with it for the past few weeks.

While James was cleaning the house and attempting to make it safe, he found a bag with money in it. James had taken that money to give to Remus at the time, but then they had to go into hiding so suddenly, he had never had the chance to pass it on. It however was rather useful, he was glad he found it. He wanted to go to Gringotts, but felt both too weak for the journey as well as just too sad. Besides he didn't want to face all the glares he'd knew he'd get, from everyone after seeing him after twelve whole years. After finding out that James Potter did in fact not die. He wasn't ready to confront anyone at the moment. The only people he wanted to confront, and by his side were his son, and his two best friends. 

James thought about all the full moons he had missed, and how tough they must've been on Remus. Prongs along with Padfoot could normally control the wolf, but Padfoot on his own, while the wolf was grieving, he didn't think that went too well. He couldn't wait to be finally reunited with them. 

With the money he found he bought several things. The first and perhaps most important thing he bought was food, since there hasn't been a soul in the house for twelve years. He threw away every food product he could find that were still there after all these years, and replaced them with the food he just bought. James also bought some clothes, cause his old clothes were a bit too large for him at the moment. He thought after fully recovering, he'd grow into them again, but for now having these extra clothes couldn't hurt. He also bought some for his son, not knowing which size he wears, but just guessing by which size he used to wear at that age. It probably wasn't necessary he thought but he wanted to do it for Harry regardless. 

Since James was in a coma for twelve years, and therefore did not know what happened in the wizarding world throughout the years, as well as not knowing what was happening right now, he decided to buy a subscription to The Daily Prophet. That way he thought he could figure out what was going on, as well as what might've happened in the past. When it finally arrived he was shocked, mad, no no, furious. He was devastated. He couldn't understand what was happening and why it was happening. The article he read was about his best friend, his brother, Sirius Black, and how the 'most infamous prisoner from Azkaban' had been sighted. It discussed how dangerous, powerful and vindictive he was. As James read the full article he quite simply couldn't hold it in anymore. He broke down in tears. Sirius had been in Azkaban for the past twelve years... He had escaped, though James didn't know why, he certainly didn't blame him. Twelve years... And then it felt like puzzle pieces fitting into each other. They must've thought that Sirius was the one that betrayed them. Oh my god James thought, my best friend has been in Azkaban for twelve years, for a crime he didn't commit. No, even worse, he was being blamed for what happened to James, and by extent Lily and Harry. James, the man he considered to be his brother. The guy he called his only family. James felt determined to find him, and protect him at all cost. He had to prove Sirius's innocence. 

James was confused. Why didn't Dumbledore do anything? Did he not listen to Sirius? Did he listen but not believe Sirius? James' head was buzzing with questions. He thought it would be best to find Sirius first, and explain to Dumbledore later.

James didn't know where Sirius was, but he had one advantage over the ministry. He knew something they didn't, he knew about Padfoot. He'd walk towards every single black dog in the country if he had to, he'd do anything to find Sirius. He could go and see Harry later, now it was time to find his best friend.