The Sun and Her Moon- Remus Lupin

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Approximately 1 Year Later:

A year is a funny thing. A year has the power to turn a boy into a man and a heart into a stone. A year can take everything you've ever known and throw it to the winds as if knowledge is nothing more than a temporary breeze.

A year — James Potter was learning— could take turn you into someone you barely recognized.

As the young man looked at himself in the mirror— five o'clock shadow framing his face, hair growing in a scruffy set of curls— James barely recognized who was he staring at. Eyebags that were hard to ignore, a dullness in his skin as if he was a painting washed in gray.

For the better part of the last year, James life had been confined to four walls. James life had turnt into something that was hidden behind closed doors, protected behind magical charms and spells.

It was hard— everything was hard. Trying his best to raise a child who wasn't allowed to see the world. Feeling as if he wasn't doing enough. Going weeks without hearing from any of his friends— always wondering if the arrival of letters met the arrival of notices of death.

Death and pain seemed to be the only constants nowadays.

The most recent heartbreak had been the death of Marlene Mckinnon.

James could practically still hear the cries of his wife as she broke down on the kitchen floor after receiving the news. It still pained his heart everytime he thought about it, but there was no choice but to go on.

It was October— the Potters first october in Godric hollows— and at the very least James could look out the window and stare at the fall leaves that seemed to dance in the wind as if they were full of spirits.

James Potter loved October.

He loved how it brought cozy fall evenings and warm beverages.

He loved how fall washed over the landscape turning everything into whirlwinds of oranges and reds.

He rememberedthe first time he realized he loved fall. When he looked outside and realized the color of the trees matched Lily Evan's hair, and suddenly he was entranced with what the changing seasons could do.

Most of all, James Potter loved Halloween.

He loved the costumes.

He loved the candy.

He loved the feeling of excitement and fear it injected into the air.

Halloween for James was one of those things that could be a bright spot even in the darkest of times.

This upcoming halloween was particular exciting for James, as he had a little One year old running around who was just old enough to participate in all of James's Halloween shenanigans.

"Look Lily!" James grinned walking into the kitchen  carrying his son in his arms.

Lily was hovering above the stove, her hair in a bun on the top of her head as she threw dashes of spices in a simmering pot.