Lily/James Games 2011 ♥ Expecto Patronum Round 2

[lilyjames_mod]

Expecto Patronum

Round 2

Welcome to the second of our Lily/James Games Expecto Patronum Rounds! A few new things before the reiteration of the rules:

1. New! Before you check out the prompt, please remember to include the information in rule 5 in your subject line. This is really important for keeping things clear.
2. New! Please see the changes to rule

Comments

STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[museme87]

Title: A Place Called Desolation
Author/Artist: museme87
Team: Stag
Rating & Warnings: PG | off-screen character death, war
Summary: One morning you wake up to find you're living someone else's life; only later do you find out it's your own.

James comes home to the smell of something burning.

His heart clenches in his chest so tightly it might burst altogether under the pressure. It's a miracle, then, that he manages a full sprint into the kitchen, fearing the worst-always fearing the worst these days. What he finds is not ruin-no charred walls or dead Lily. No, his home is not broken-not to that degree, not yet.

The oven smokes, and in it he finds what looks to be the charred remains of some sort of cakes. On the counter pools spilled tea from a cup overturned. Another cup sits full, contents contained but likely cold. James takes in the sight of the kitchen briefly-candles, gaudy pink streamers, dreadful lacey tablecloth-and then seeks out his wife.

It doesn't take long to find her-her hiccupped cries give her away. Slowly, he sinks to the floor of the bathroom with her, acrid smell of vomit hanging heavy in the air. Lily finds the courage to look at him-face puffy and eyes red-before letting out a miserable sob.

"D-Dorcus…she…an owl came…I…"

James wraps his arms around her tightly, and Lily cries into his shoulder. He knows what's happened and hates that he didn't get here in time for the owl. Dorcas is dead. Tortured and murdered and gone. The only thing that keeps James from shedding his own tears is Lily and his desire to be her strength like she has been his all these years.

"I know, Lily," he says softly, kissing her head.

"I want…I want…oh, God."

"Shh, we don't have to talk about it now. Getting worked up isn't good for you or the baby."

Instinctively, Lily wraps her arms around the small slope of her middle, and James hates himself for bringing this up. They've not had a lot of time to adjust, not had a lot of time to be happy about the baby. Not since they found out in a tiny room in St. Mungo's post-battle, not since the morning sickness, not since the death. For a moment, James wishes this wasn't happening; he doesn't know if he can take care of another life when he's doing a shoddy job with the two he has to protect now.

"I want it back, James," Lily finally manages. "I want it back."

"What, love?"

"First dates, Hogsmeade weekends, Pomegranate cakes." She hiccups. "I want my life back."

Suddenly the streamers and candles and tablecloth make sense-a recreation of the past, a momentary sanctuary from the war. Suddenly James wants to be there too, in that shop where he spent so many hours of misery with other girls and what felt like brief moments with this girl. What he wouldn’t give to be back at Puddifoot's again.

"We'll get it back, Lily. We'll take it back, I swear it."

And for a moment, surrounded by the scent of bile and burnt memories, James almost believes it.

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[klose]

Day-um, H. You took that frilly pink concoction and gave us something so achingly sad and intense. One of the challenges of this round is to do something different and unexpected, and you've truly delivered on that accoutn - I love this particular take on the prompt. Even the stuffiness of Madam Puddifoot's would just be part and parcel of the nostalgic Hogwarts bubble, and of course Lily and James would yearn for it (while determinedly resolving to take it back). Very bittersweet, very nicely done!

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[museme87]

Thanks, Y! This was one of those eleven pm bursts of half-awake inspiration. I'm glad you liked it all the same. :)

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[missgoalie75]

Oh wow, James' last line - heart wrenching/incredible. This was amazing and totally different. Brava!

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[museme87]

Thanks!

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[killerbunny117]

awww poor lily. :( You did a really great job.

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[museme87]

Thank you. :)

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[firstbreaths]

I've gotta say that I adore how many different takes there are on each of these prompts. The image of Lily trying to recreate the past is very realistic, and that last line - I think you killed me.

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[museme87]

That's one of the best parts about the drabble rounds--seeing what everyone comes up with. And no matter the prompt, you always get a varying degree of takes on it, despite the fact that the prompt and pairing are doubly restrictive.

I'm glad you liked the drab, and I do apologize for the killing. :)

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[liebedance]

Here you go again, H, with your absolute brilliance. You really capture the desperation they have, the burning desire for normalcy. And the way you wrote James and Lily was just perfect. Exceptionally perfect. I cannot praise you enough here, dear. You get all the chocolate pudding.

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[museme87]

All the chocolate pudding? Yes, plz. <3

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[beedaily]

I'm starting to think you enjoy grabbing my poor little heart and squeezing it to death. (But in the best. possible. way.)

Your skills astound, as usual. The desperation of the simple, "I want my life back" bleeds straight through the whole drabble and makes me ache inside. And that last line...shivers. Excellent, excellent, excellent. Y_Y

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[julvett]

This was really incredible- at first I was sort of reluctant to read a sad fic, but you really did a beautiful job. Amazing. And this part "Suddenly James wants to be there too, in that shop where he spent so many hours of misery with other girls and what felt like brief moments with this girl."
I bet James felt that way a lot, it's really sad how little time he got to spend with Lily :(
But they are together forever in wizard heaven so :D

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[marthemaria]

God, they're so sad! It's what makes them so romantic of course, that they died far, far too soon, but it just makes me sad to think that James didn't get the chance to live up to his promise - to get their old life back. Anyway, you did a great job. Very moving (:

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[gmariam]

Oh, that's heartbreaking! But so well done - so original, and so in character. What a great idea. I really enjoyed it!

Re: STAG – [FIC ; PG] A Place Called Desolation, by museme87

[kat253ox]

This is amazing. I love how differently you interpreted such a fluffy prompt, and how intense this is. Well done.