Jily oneshots

so I'll tell you something (this could be love)

by The Cinder Crown

... Prologue ...

This was it: The first day. The very first day that 15-year-old James Potter stared at his father with a mix of fear, disbelief and utter resentment.

The usually funny, mischievous messy haired man he had grown up loving was not to be recognized anymore.

Gone was the smile that lit up his face on even the most ridiculous of jokes, the kindness that was once written in his eyes had faded away and judging by the red, burning mark on James' left cheek he was now sure that the good, glowing heart that had once been beating strongly in his father's chest was now empty, black and cold.

The young boy swallowed hard; the pain he felt on his cheek where his father had just slapped him was almost nothing compared to the pain inside of his heart, that caused his whole body to tremble. And the distinct, strange feeling of being afraid of his own father was in a way one of the most terrible things the 15-year-old had ever experienced.

With all his might, he tried to focus on the important things, so he turned his head ever so slightly and exchanged one last look with his best friend, Sirius.

Pure and utter disbelief was plainly written all over his face, and James could tell that right now, Sirius probably blamed himself for what just happened.

Taking one last breath, James tried to brace himself for the ultimate encounter with his father and stepped forward; head held high, wand at the ready and his mind made up.

"If Sirius leaves, I'll go with him," James said courageously and braced himself for the older man's outburst, which he didn't have to wait long for.

"How dare you," he thundered, and almost dropped the bottle of whiskey he had already drowned himself in for the last couple of days. "You are my son, my own flesh and blood! How dare you to speak this way to me?!"

Successfully, James avoided another fist in his face.

"And I will not repeat myself," Mr. Potter screamed and wobbled towards Sirius on unsteady feet, "you will leave this house now. Or I'll make sure you regret the minute you stepped over this threshold."

James quickly jumped in between his father and best friend, taking the punch meant for Sirius. Pain once again shot through him, but by now, the anger that was boiling inside of him slowly surfaced and with a strength the black haired boy didn't know he possessed he moved his own wrist and struck back.

The old man staggered backwards, holding his bruised chin.

"You're really defending him?" the old man thundered dangerously, "the one who killed your mother?"

James heart contradicted painfully at the memory of his late mother, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Sirius' brown eyes dropping to the ground in shame.

The 15-year-old, despite feeling the like being stabbed in the chest upon remembering what happened to his beloved mother, laid an protective and defending arm around his friend.

"It wasn't his fault, Dad."

Crashing down on a chair, and taking another sip of his bottle, the old man only cackled. "Ha! Of Course it is! She went to the Black's house because of him."

James sighed. He knew that upon hearing the story Sirius had reluctantly told Mrs. Potter about his own mother, and how Mrs. Black had treated her son, Euphemia Potter had immediately taken matters into her own hands and paid Walburga Black a visit in order to make her give up her custody rights.

As a good-hearted woman, James' mother naturally hadn't expected the cruelty with which she had been confronted, and before the usually skilled witch was able to do so much as draw her wand, the 'Avada Kedavra' had shot from Walburga's wand and struck the blonde witch straight in the chest.