A/N: Hey there! This is for a challenge by teddylupin-snape called '50 Ways to Say Goodbye', and this is my own interpretation of it. I've never read the HP books (sorry! I've watched the films, but the books didn't do much for me) so I'm not really sure if much happened with Lily and James and Harry, but this is kind of my version of what happened. Bear with me, please! :D Yeah, btw, this is like, a platonic LilyxHarry :D

A loud thunderous crash, followed by the howling of some unknown – and probably dangerous – creature, was the first thing that alerted Harry that something was wrong. His innocent eyes searched the room for some comfort, preferably from his loving mother or adventurous father, but he couldn't find either one of them. When he heard the second crash he started to wail; quietly, though, because this could all be a dream – or a nightmare – and he didn't want to be eaten by a murderous frog again.

The first voice he heard was probably his dad's, although it was mingled with some other cold voice that was layered with malice. He was too young to interpret what they were saying, but he did hear words that sounded unmistakably like "Harry" which was his name. He gurgled happily at that, because at least they hadn't forgotten him.

His mother came in, after that, and she took him out of his rickety wooden crib when he outstretched his arms to her. "Shush." She told him, which he understood, and so he lay contently in her arms until there was another crash which startled not only him, but the red-headed woman carrying him, too.

"Lily!" Her voice was yelled out in panic, and she screeched back that she was with their darling baby boy and that they were going to be safe, weren't they? She didn't hear a response and so she chewed her lip anxiously before walking towards the door. "Lily…" Harry heard again, and this time he scrunched up his hands because he didn't like this secretiveness and he wanted to know what was happening as well.

"I'm coming." She said quietly, and Harry recognised those words because she had uttered them before, whenever he wanted to be hugged or have his nappy changed. But this was different, and he realised that, so he didn't move or say anything because he didn't want to upset this seemingly fragile woman.

She walked past the cerulean door despite the protests, and she stopped in devastation as her eyes took in the scene. Harry couldn't see, and so his sobs picked up again, almost like a routine; she hold a hand over his eyes and ran back into his room, the familiarity failing to calm either of them. "Daddy." He told her solemnly. He tried to explain how he wanted his Dad to be with them, but he couldn't find the words; however, just that single word set her off and her tears trickled down her freckled checks like a waterfall. "Mummy." He nodded furiously. His limited vocabulary infuriated him, and he shook his tiny fist in the air in anger.

Then, he heard a hissing sound, and his fist slowly withdrew from the air in silence. Her tears evaporated, and she screamed; terrified of this man the crept into the room like a sordid snake. She screamed at him, frustration lacing her words like a thread through a needle, and she went to grab her willow wand but couldn't find it in her jean pocket. Frantically she searched again, and she fell to the floor when she couldn't locate it.

The man, whose head was bald and whose face was manic with wonder, cackled with laughter that seemed to detect her defeat with ease. He muttered some words, and his Mum – his protective, caring mother – whispered to Harry, "I love you, Harry. Your godfather, Sirius, will look after you, okay?" Sobs wracked her body, making her shudder with sadness. "I love you, and your daddy loves you, and…" Her eyes grew wide, and Harry watched, transfixed, as she let out a whimper of the immense pain she was having induced upon her. Her tears drew sparse, and her eyes went lifeless, and the arms that were shielding Harry suddenly went limp.

Harry grew worried. "Mummy?" He asked, his head turning to view her fully. His eyes grew afraid and he started to show it; he poked her gently with his frail finger, and nudged her with his knee, but she didn't move, and he started to bawl. "Mummy!" He cried out, his hand latching onto hers unconsciously. "Mummy…" He trailed off, realising that she wasn't going to reply.

"Goodbye?" He questioned, because maybe she was just going to work like she did every day, and maybe she would respond if he said that. But she didn't, and he said it again, because maybe he didn't hear him. "Goodbye?" He kept repeating, so sure of himself that she just couldn't hear him, until suddenly he realised that she wasn't going to say it back, and it wasn't that she couldn't, it was that she was incapable.

"Goodbye." He whispered, kissing her on the cheek like she used to do so lovingly to him. "Goodbye?" He turned to the other man who had done something to his mummy. "Goodbye." He stated defiantly, pointing at the front door angrily.

"Oh, Harry, until you're gone, there is no goodbye."