James Potter lounged on the sofa, bouncing Harry on his knee. Waving his wand around, he created puffs of brightly colored smoke that twirled and spiraled through the air. Harry laughed, trying to catch the smoke with his tiny little fists.

Lily looked on at the scene, smiling to herself, content with the small slice of happiness she's been able to create for herself. Here, she could forget about the war, if just for a moment. She walked up behind the couch, kissing James on the top of his head.

"It's getting late. Let's get him to bed," Lily said, glancing at the clock. James stowed his wand in his back pocket, and picked Harry up to hand him over to his mother. She took him in her arms and started carrying him up the stairs.

James stretched out his back with a satisfied groan. He looked out the window to the children in the street, all dressed up in costumes for Halloween.. A child dressed as a zombie ran down the sidewalk, with his parents in tow, eager to get to the next house. Across the street, a woman dressed as a vampire walked with her friends, most likely going to a party.

James smiled, thankful for his lot in life. He turned to head upstairs himself when a beeping sound alerted him. The alarm. Someone had breached the Fidelius Charm.

James rushed back to the window and peaked out with searching eyes. A tall dark figure with flowing black robes was gliding up the driveway. A pale face peeked out from beneath the hood of his cloak. James's blood ran cold. He'd only seen him a few times before, but that was enough. He would recognize that face anywhere.

Lily reappeared at his side, having run back down the stairs at the sound of the alarm. She looked out the window, her eyes widening as she saw who it was.

"No, it can't be. He shouldn't have been able to find us."

James pulled his wand out and tried apparating to Harry's room to make a quick escape, only to find himself still in the living room. The son of a bitch must have cast an anti-apparition spell over their property.

James's face turned grim. "Take Harry and go. I'll stall him for as long as I can."

"Not a chance! I'm not leaving you behind," she said.

"There isn't time! You need to get Harry to safety," James pleaded. "It isn't just our lives at stake anymore. Please." Lily looked like she was about to argue, but suddenly, the door exploded open. A tall shadow stepped into the house. Lord Voldemort himself.

"Just go!" James yelled. Lily hesitated for a split second before running to get to Harry, flying up the stairs two at a time. James just hoped she would make it in time. He turned to face Voldemort just in time to see him raise his wand.

"Avada Kedavra."

The green spell streaked across the room towards James. He ducked under it, firing back a spell of his own. Voldemort deflected it with a sneer and a flick of his wand.

"You can not win, Potter. You can not stop me," Voldemort said coldly. James didn't bother responding. He knew this was probably the end for him. All he wanted now was to buy his wife and son enough time to escape. Nothing else mattered. With that in mind, he attacked.

James conjured a set of knives, hurling them at Voldemort. Purple electricity burst out of Voldemort's wand, jumping from one knife to the other, disintegrating them instantly. It continued on its path, arcing through the air. James quickly transfigured a wall in front of him, intercepting the electricity with a deafening boom. The wall detonated, knocking him back a meter.

Reeling from the blow, James savagely swiped his wand diagonally. The broken pieces stopped midair, flying back together into the shape of a lion, which leapt at Voldemort with its teeth bared and claws outstretched. Large fragments from the walls around them broke off and condensed into a giant snake that met the lion midair, both creatures tearing each other to shreds.

Voldemort stepped around the crumbling beasts and sent three killing curses at James in rapid succession. James heaved his wand sideways as a heavy wooden table flew in front of him and protected him from the brunt of the assault, splintering and cracking under the duress. James launched the table at Voldemort with a yell. The table blasted apart and Voldemort cackled as the splinters tripled in size and launched themselves at James.

Gritting his teeth, a torrent of flames erupted from the tip of James's wand and raced toward Voldemort, turning the spears to ash in an instant. The scorching heat of the inferno blistered the air around them. But just before it hit Voldemort, jet black smoke rapidly billowed out of his wand and enveloped the fiery tornado, completely extinguishing it. The inky cloud raced forward, focusing into a single point.

James frantically raised his wand to protect himself. A shimmering dome materialized around him, and not a moment too soon. The smoke smashed into the shield with a resounding BOOM. The shield rippled, but held strong. James sighed in relief.

But the smoke didn't disappear. It gathered itself up again and hit the shield in the exact same spot. This time, the shield charm cracked. It gathered itself up a third time. Just as the smoke crashed through the shield, the pipes burst and a pressurized flood of water rushed forward. It destroyed the ebony smoke on contact and violently jetted toward Voldemort.

The waves slammed into an invisible wall, curving around Voldemort, obliterating the walls, roof, and anything else in its way. With a swipe of his wand, green vines exploded out of the wood floor and shot towards James from all directions, forcing him to stop the watery assault. He dodged and rolled expertly through the vines, slicing through half a dozen tendrils with every stroke of his wand.

Suddenly, Voldemort fired a killing curse at him through the chaos of the vines. But James had the reflexes of a lauded Quidditch player. He managed to swerve out of the way of the spell, but it cost him. The tiny movement necessary to dodge the curse created an opening for the serpentine plants.

A tendril stabbed into his shoulder, and half a second later, another shot through his leg. James roared in agony as the vines pierced straight through his body, then snaked around his limbs to immobilize him.

With him neutralized, Voldemort flew right past James and up the stairs in the hopes that he could still achieve his goal. Voldemort blew the child's bedroom door off its hinges and barged into the room. But to no avail. The window was open and the boy was gone. Voldemort let out a shrill scream of anger and frustration. The one threat to his rule had escaped his grasp.

Downstairs, James heard the furious screaming and smiled. Lily got away. He succeeded. Now all he had to worry about was his own life.

A flick of his wand severed the vines and he dropped to the floor, letting out a cry of pain on impact. He sat up with a groan. With agonizingly slow movements, he pulled the vines out, clenching his teeth to keep from screaming.

Using some rudimentary healing magic, he managed to temporarily stop the bleeding from the holes in his shoulder and leg. With every fiber of his being shrieking in pain, James shakily got back on his feet. He conjured himself a crutch and started limping toward the door. Once he was outside the wards, he could apparate to safety.

"Crucio."

James dropped his crutch and turned around in a flash. But he wasn't quite fast enough. He was lifted into the air, screaming and writhing in immeasurable pain. Voldemort walked right up to him, his wand pointed straight at James's face.

"Why do you continue this futile attempt at resistance? Do you not see how pointless it was?" he hissed. "All this pain and suffering, and for what? I am bringing about a new age for wizard kind. An age where we don't have to cower in fear from the muggles." Voldemort spat out the word as if it were the vilest insult he could imagine. "What could you possibly hope to gain from opposing me?"

Voldemort shook his head with a sigh. He let go of the Cruciatus, preparing to end the fight once and for all. James fell to the floor gasping for air, every nerve on fire.

"Avada Ke-"

"CONFRINGO!"

Voldemort was blown off his feet, flying backward into a wall with a slam. James looked backwards in surprise, only to see Sirius Black standing at the entrance, wand raised and a vicious glare adorning his face. Voldemort got back on his feet with a snarl. The front of his body was blackened and charred from the explosion.

"Get behind me!" Sirius yelled, firing curse after curse at Voldemort, hoping one would connect.

Voldemort grit his teeth in frustration, deflecting or countering each spell with practiced precision. But little by little, the forceful onslaught was forcing him back. If this were anybody else, the never ending barrage of powerful spells would have overwhelmed them by now. Unfortunately, this was no run-of-the-mill Death Eater.

"ENOUGH," bellowed Voldemort. A concussive force exploded outward, lifting James and Sirius off their feet and blowing them backwards into the street. Thinking quickly, Sirius cast a cushioning charm midair to catch them. It was still going to bruise, but at least they weren't knocked out.

Sirius got up with a groan as Voldemort stepped out of the wreckage. Before Sirius could take another step however, James grabbed his leg.

"Harry's safe," James forced the words out, fighting back the pain threatening to knock him unconscious. "Get us the fuck out of here."

Sirius nodded and they disapparated just as a killing curse was about to make contact.