Through The Ashes

Author\'s Notes : It didn\'t seem right that I had the first two chapters on one page along with the prologue, o I decided to break them up and add a new chapter. Please Review, please review please review....TYTYTYTYTYTYTTYTYTYTY!!!!!

Chapter One 18 years before…

An incessant knocking awakened James Potter from his light slumber. Lily, his wife, lay beside him; she had been sleeping for a long time, and it was his turn to comfort their firstborn son, Harry. Their child had a cold, and they had been taking turns trying to get the sick child to sleep longer. To no avail.
The young man grabbed his glasses and stumbling to get the door open, muttering death threats on his way, “This had better be good.” As he opened the door, he called out in a sleep-deprived, grainy voice, “Someone had better be dead.”
James jumped at the unexpected voice outside his door, “You will be soon if you don’t let me in.” Well-bred, British accent, yet decidedly familiar. James blinked as the figure came into focus, “What are you doing here Snape? Its there in three in the bloody morning!”
Before him stood a person he hadn’t seen since graduating from Hogwarts’… Severus Snape. The young man changed a lot since he’d last seen him. At least he grew into his nose…
Snape stood in the doorway in muggle clothes, surprising James greatly, and nodding when he came to the conclusion that the pureblood would want to ward off unwanted attention. A black turtleneck shirt, black muggle jeans and jacket, and black shoes made his already pale skin almost translucent. His black hair was tied back, bangs escaping from his haste to take the Death Eater mask off. He looked very anxious, which alarmed James, the other wizard was so cool and collected, his mask only slipping when James and his friends tortured him. Remembering their many pranks on the unfortunate Slytherin made him feel sick, was he really horrible? What possible reason could they have for making Snape’s life a living hell?
All that seemed in the past at that moment as James let him into his home. The dark man was obviously agitated over something, and if it was involved with his life, James soon became worried himself.
“What is it Severus?” Asked James, sitting down. With a start, he realized that this was the first time he had ever used the other man’s given name, and with a glance at Snape, he noted it too.
“Your family’s lives and your life are in danger as we speak.” Stated Severus. James felt a cold chill skitter down his spine as his long-time enemy said that. He got up slowly and backed away from the tall man, “And how do you know this?”
The other man looked down at his feet, almost ashamed, but that look on him didn’t fit right. James’ fear was magnified even more, if Severus was showing any kind of emotion whatsoever, it was a bad sign. He looked up and swallowed, “I would know because…because I am a Death Eater, a spy for Dumbledore.”
James’ mind reeled at the confession, and he clutched the back of the chair, lest his legs give out, “So what are we going to do?”
Severus looked up, confused, “You trust me to believe what I tell you is the truth?”
James snorted, “Come on Severus, you may have pissed me off during school, but you weren’t that bad.” So that’s what it was. “If you say that you are a spy for Dumbledore, obviously he trusts you, and that I should do the same. You must have sacrificed a lot by coming here. So tell me, what is your plan? What are we going to do?”
Looking resigned, in such a way that made James suspicious, he took a deep breath and gazed at him as if he could stare right through him, “We will switch places-“
James let out a bark of laughter, imitating Sirius’, “No way.” One look at Severus sobered him; to an outsider it would look like they were having a silent conversation. Finally, James shook his head, “There has to be another way.”
“There is no other way. I have already thought of what we can do, this is the only thing we can do.” That’s right, tell yourself that Severus. This is what Dumbledore wants.
“But Lily-“
“James,” interrupted the woman in question, “Listen to Severus. I think he knows what he is doing.” Oh Lily, don’t give me that much credit. She was standing on the stairs that led to the second floor. She made her way to her husband and sat down on the chair he was holding onto. He sat down on the floor next to her, she took his hand in hers, and “I trust your judgment, Severus. I want my baby to be safe.”
Snape nodded, his eyes over-bright. She would never know how much that meant to him, “Thank you, Lily. I wish we had someone to take your place, and the child’s. But he would know otherwise, that we deceived him. Then, who would know what he would do?”
She nodded, “I think you two should get on with it, we don’t have much time.”
James stood and walked into Harry’s, his newborn son’s, room and stood in the doorway. He then walked over to the crib and rested his hands on the crib ledge. He was soon lost in the memories of the short time they had together: diaper changing, the sleepless nights, the holding, bonding, and just watching him sleep. The general wonder that Harry had when seeing a butterfly, him splashing in a bath, Harry crawling across the floor with a toothless grin. It all seemed too much for him to let go of. He didn’t notice as Lily came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Moments later, consumed by emotion, he turned and wrapped his arms around her as well, holding her tight. He gazed down into her emerald eyes, his throat tight, trying to will away the tears threatening to fall, “I love you.”
She smiled up at him, tears forming in her eyes, “I love you too, Jamie. I wish there was some other way, but Severus is right. This is the only way to deflect Voldemort in time for me to get Harry away. Its our only chance.”
“I know,” He answered, his voice thick, “But I can’t keep that thought out of my head that he is just doing this to repay the debt.”
“That’s true, I don’t doubt that, but he came up with a good plan, and we must try it.”
“But what if-“
She put two fingers to his lips, “Shh. Don’t think like that. If anything should go wrong, then at least Harry will have a parent and two guardian angels. Now kiss me.”
He cupped her cheek and kissed her long and slow, pouring all his love in that one kiss. He had a sneaking suspicion in his gut that she was saying goodbye. He didn’t know for sure, so he didn’t press it as he moved apart. They had so little time together, that he just wanted to soak up all he could. The night’s events settled in his stomach like a lead balloon.
As Lily left the room to help prepare for what Severus would do, James turned and brushed his son’s soft cheek, hoping that he will see his son again.
As James walked back downstairs, he saw Severus urgently looking through the window, but only pulling back the curtain so far. He turned and lat go of the fabric as the Gryffindor walked quietly up to him. “Are you ready?”
James nodded and let out a deep breath, “I don’t like this, not at all.”
“No time for doubts,” Severus intoned seriously, “I am going to put a very powerful glamour on you James; you will have my memories, mannerisms, and looks. Otherwise, Voldemort will know that it is a trap. I will do the same to myself.”
James glanced at Lily and mouthed, “I love you” again. She smiled warmly with tears in her eyes and did the same.
Severus closed his ebony eyes, and breathed very deeply as he walked up to James. The hairs on the back of his neck stood to attention. The air crackled around them with the powerful energy that Severus was exuding. He was chanting something under his breath, an arcane language that frightened James to hear it. Severus was inches away from James when he suddenly opened his eyes. The sclera was gone, his whole eyes gone black. James could not gasp or move, being pinned under that fiery gaze. He waved a hand under James and himself.
Suddenly, James felt a pulling sensation, and then he felt as if he took a bad polyjuice potion, bile rising in the back of his throat. His inside were changing, he remembered vaguely a muggle novel that Lily had him read, and he related to Dr.Jekyll. After the pain subsided, he opened his eyes to a mirror image of himself, looking very grave indeed. He looked down at himself and saw that he was wearing Severus’ dark clothes. His hands were long and pale, elegant as Lily would say. He had a sudden thought, and his hand flew to his nose, Yes I am him.
Severus snorted, and Jame’s gaze flew to the other wizard. Severus saw this and elaborated, “You are projecting your thoughts. In a moment or two, you will receive my memories.”
Sure enough, James fell to the floor and rocked back and forth, for the rush of memories was too much. They all spanned back as far as Severus could remember, He has such a long memory. His mind reeled as he looked up at an equally harried James, who nodded back at him, “You will have to take your leave now, the Dark Lord is coming and he can’t see you here, else he’ll know.”
He nodded at both Severus and Lily. She came up to him and hugged him tightly. As they broke apart, he hurried out the door and left the house, for what he felt was for the last time, he couldn’t shake the dread that enveloped him. As soon as he walked a block, he whirled as the sky lit up and heard a sound that resembled a severe thunderclap. The dark Mark was projected high above his home, and he heard the screams of both James and his beautiful Lily, and his heart jumped into his throat. He fell on his knees and screamed to the heavens of his lost son, wife, and newfound friend. He looked to the pavement and noticed, as if far off, tears darkening the cement. He looked up at the ruined house, and heeded the voice in his head telling him to leave now. Have to leave, have to find Dumbledore…
The pangs in his chest intensified with each step, the ones he believed were cowardly. He knew that he would never feel the same again…