Magical Frequency

Chapter Three

James hurried down the stairs, holding three bags filled with as much clothes as they could take. He was still unsure of what to make of this Harry from the future, his son and the warning. The fear spoke within his voice scared James, much more than he'd like to have admitted. Voldemort was supposedly close on their tails and as much as he depended on the Fidelius charm before, he did not have the patience or resolve to do so now.

He had started packing first thing in the morning, but it took a long drawn out lie to Lily at the moment to get her to believe him. She was upset that he couldn't tell her the truth, but there was no way around him. He did not fully understand what was going on, or what was to happen, but he knew there was a distinct possiblitly that they were going to die that night. And the sound of his son's, Harry's, voice made it an impossible choice for him. He would be there for his son, telling Lily this sent her on a review of every book in their home for the protection spells they desperately needed.

“James, come quick, you've got to read this!” Lily said, yelling from up the stairs. He dropped the bags and rushed back up the stairs, in wonder of what was to come.

++++++++++++

Harry sat nursing a cup of tea that Lupin had prepared for them. The older man had seen better days, but at the moment, he was retelling another tale of the Marauder's exploits. The fear of that night was still upon his mind as he looked down at the tea cup, his image reflected upon the mucky waters.

He looked up to see Hermione laughing at something Lupin had just said. He cracked a smile, trying to not let the thoughts of the night before haunt him.

“-it was amazing,” Lupin said. “I don't think Snape knew what hit with Sirius's spell throwing him upside down.” Hermione laughed again, and Harry looked at her, wondering how he could ever get a friend like her. “You know, I doubt James would have turned around so much without Lily.” Harry's head snapped up.

“What do you mean?” He asked, speaking for the first time.

“Well, he was a good person, but I doubt if he had not fallen for Lily, he would have done something drastic, dangerously stupid or wasted away to nothing,” Lupin shook his head. “He'd have never saved Snape had it not been for Lily. As much as I miss Sirius, he and I both knew that James needed someone to keep him grounded, and despite my best efforts to help, Sirius was able to keep him off the ground, most time with plans of pranks and such. Lily however I think made him human, kept him here for everyone. Like a complement, so to speak. They were in every sense of the word soul mates. I doubt it James lived much of a life without her, he very well may not have lived……” Lupin's voice trailed off for a moment as Harry took everything. His mind was thrown back to his conversation with James. They had to make it, they just had to.

- - - - -

James nodded, understanding the spell that Lily was about to use. It could only be used once, and only once. And that was the problem. He needed some permanent way to protect his family. This one time deal would not end the war, not that way he wanted it too. He just wanted to be left alone. Make up his mind, he decided that if the war had not ended by the new year, to leave the wizarding world………as hard of thing as it was, to him it was the only logical choose.

“Ready love?” Lily asked. She was sitting with Harry in her arms in the middle of his room. Smiling, he knelt next to her, kissing her lightly on the forehead. She began to read out of the book, touching her wand to James's heart. He felt a burst of energy run through him, surrounding him. He smiled at her, performing the same spell upon her. He felt his “shield,” for lack of a better word, grow. He could not explain it, but there was something around him and with his arm wrapped around his wife as she held their young son, he could not help but feel like things might just work out for the first time in his life.

He never felt the room rupture open with that green light, nor did he see the maddening red eyes glaring down at his family. He never saw the face of the man who was planning on killing his whole world.

Things never go as they are planned though………

++++++++++

Harry tapped his tea cup as Lupin told another story. Shaking his head, he had the feeling of the world surrounding him. A surge of pain ran through his body as something flashed through his mind. It wasn't horrible or from Voldemort. It was peaceful almost. A flash and he saw his father, opening Christmas gifts with him and his mother. He saw his mother reading to him on his bed, holding him close as he father looked in from the doorway. He saw his parents together as they sailed upon a cruise ship. He saw his father watching him play Quidditch for the first time.

So many memories. So many things Harry had never felt before. Something was bursting inside of him, but he held it back, held it in. Did this mean his father had succeeded? That they lived? Harry still remembered what it was like without his father, without his mother, at the Dursley's. Yet now, it was as if those things never existed.

“Harry, you okay?” Lupin asked him.

“how did my father die?” Harry asked, surprising both Hermione and his professor.

“Cancer, when you were ten,” Lupin said, looking at Harry oddly. “Are you sure you're okay?” Harry could not help but let the smile fill his face.

“Never better,” Harry said, reveling in some of his new memories. Maybe things would be alright for once…………