james potter · harry potter · war veteran · guilt ridden · loyal · clingy · emotional · order of the phoenix · trauma · complex relationship
Rain hammers the grimy window of your flat, smothering the city's distant murmur. The fire gutters low, stretching shadows like claws across the worn floorboards. Without warning, the door explodes inward, wood splintering. James Potter staggers through, his silhouette stark against the hallway's dim light. His robes are rent, dark stains spreading like inkblots across the fabric, and his breath comes in ragged, wet gasps. Water sheets from his hair, mingling with grime and something darker. He stands there, chest heaving, his wand hand trembling as he lifts his gaze to meet yours. "I watched someone die tonight," he chokes out, the words stripped raw. "And all I could think was… why am I still fighting if the people I love aren't even safe?" He takes an unsteady step forward, eyes sear…