A/N: This is a fan fic about James Potter's thoughts just before he died… It's not as sad as my song fic Wonderful, but still, it's pretty sad.
Memories
By, Meagan, a.k.a. HpGrl
There was a loud crash and the sound of breaking glass. I ran into the den. My face drained of color. Standing in there, his lips curled into a merciless grin, was Voldemort. "Run! Lily, it's him! Take Harry and go!" I screeched, "I'll hold him back!" Voldemort laughed a long, cruel laugh.
I shot the first curse at him that came to mind. He blocked it easily. For the first time in my life, I used one of the Unforgivable Curses. "Curcio!" I exclaimed. Voldemort only laughed. His laughter chilled me to the bone. His snake-like eyes were smiling evilly.
I knew what he was doing. He was trying to make me tired, then kill me. I knew better. Drops of perspiration were gathering on my forehead. This is only a Quidditch game, I thought, a Quidditch game against Slytherin.
I heard Lily fumbling with the floo powder. Harry was wailing. I ducked another curse easily. "Imperio!" I shrieked, pointing my wand at Voldemort. It hit him. "Silly James, the Imperious curse doesn't work on me." He said. My eyes grew wide.
I heard the flames in the fireplace roar and Lily stumbling into Harry's room. Harry gave a loud shriek. Voldemort was advancing. Before I could do anything, he shouted, "Expelliarmus!"
My wand flew into the air. Voldemort was coming ever closer. I backed into the wall, making a picture of Lily and Harry crash on the ground. I looked at it. Lily's eyes were twinkling and Harry wore a broad, toothless grin.
Knowing this was probably the only thing I would see again, I stared at it, as though I had never seen anything like it. Lily gave me a wave and Harry reached one of his arms out of his crib. I felt a tear run down my cheek. I probably would never see them again.
Voldemort raised his wand. I knew what was coming. "Avada Kedavra!" He shouted, laughing his high pitched laugh. I saw green light erupt from his wand: approaching death.
My mind was racing. The world seemed to slow down. My life seemed to flash before my eyes. I remembered things I couldn't remember before. I saw Lily and Harry's faces, and I remembered the color of their eyes. Both were bright green. I almost smiled. I remembered the funniest thing:
Sirius stirred the contents of the Animagi potion. I laughed as I read a passage in "Quidditch Weekly", a Quidditch magazine. "Hey, guys, look here!" Squeaked Peter, reading the book of Animagi secrets. I walked over and read that the potion chooses what animal you are most like and allows you to change into it.
I watched as Remus put on an amused face. "Oh, I can see it now, Sirius the cow!" He exclaimed and he, Peter, and I howled with laughter. Sirius's face contorted and he tried to look mad. Seconds later, he gave one, long "Moo!" I fell to the ground. Peter's squeaky laugh echoed off the dungeon walls. Remus had to hang onto a shelf for support. Sirius almost fell into the potion.
Sirius added the last ingredient, looked like he was going to faint, and fell into the potion. I grasped my stomach. It was hurting form laughing so hard. Sirius jumped out and presented his dripping self. With a pop he turned into a large dog. Remus frowned. "I was hoping he would be a guppy." He said in disappointment.
I could almost see Sirius's face from that night, smiling proudly on how he didn't turn into a cow. The death spell was closer now. Time seemed to almost stop. I remembered our first flying lesson together:
Peter hopped up and down nervously. "I want to keep my feet on the ground." He told the professor, Madame Hooch. Madame Hooch shook her head. "On my whistle," She said. I danced on my toes, wanting to begin.
Madame Hooch's whistle sounded and I jumped off the ground. Peter, who couldn't seem to get his balance, began to fly upside-down. Sirius, who seemed to be a good flyer, flew over to Peter and hung upside-down with him. "Hey, what's down?" He asked. Peter's already red face turned redder as he exploded with laughed.
I flew up to them, hanging upside down also. "Hey, I know what's down!" I exclaimed, my glasses almost falling off my face. Sirius laughed. "What?" He asked. "Us!" I exclaimed.
The Avada Kedavra was coming ever closer. I closed my eyes, trying to remember all the good times. I remembered Remus, laughing as we put a love potion into Severus Snape's goblet. I remember that as if it were yesterday:
Sirius, Peter, Remus, and I entered the Great Hall early that night. We were over come by giggles. Sirius looked around to see if anyone was watching, and poured the love potion into Severus's goblet. The love potion was intended to make him fall in love with Emily Grant.
Emily Grant had too many freckles and made it look like she had painted Pokka-dots on her face. She had round, thick-framed glasses that magnified her eyes ten times. Her muggle parents had made her get braces. She had long tangles of red hair, that looked like she had never brushed it in her life. She was the fatter than some sixth and seventh years. So basically, she was a nerd.
Later that night, Remus preformed a charm that made the ceiling say "Severus Snape loves Emily Grant!" Sirius had to duck under the table to keep Severus from seeing him. I didn't think it was possible for Severus to see him anyway. He was currently staring at Emily, who was giggling and batting her eyelashes.
Suddenly, a Ravenclaw fifth year pointed to the ceiling and shrieked, "Look!" Everyone looked up at the ceiling and howled with laughter. Severus looked up and saw it. "Potter!" He exclaimed, and Sirius, Peter, Remus, and I ran out of the Great Hall, overcome by gales of laughter.
Suddenly, my eyes started to water. Peter, why? Why did you sell me to Voldemort? I thought. Weren't we friends? Didn't we hang around in school? I thought you were my friend. Do you know what you've done? You've killed me, Peter. I'm as good as dead. Don't you remember what we've done together? I fell to my knees, as though pleading for Peter to come and put and end to it all.
I knew he wouldn't come, he was too cowardly. I raised myself to my feet in slow motion. "I'm a Gryffindor." I said, raising my head. I was going to face death like a man. "I did it for Harry." I whispered, "Harry and Lily."
The death spell was inches from me. "Peter! Why!" I gasped. "I love you, Lily! I love you, Harry!" I exclaimed, the spell engulfing my body. It was pain beyond pain. I was being torn from my body. I gave an unearthly scream. I've lost this Quidditch match, I thought. I imagined Lily and Harry's sweet faces. Slowly, the image started to fade. Then, I knew no more.
"…After all, to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure…"
-Albus Dumbledore