Disclaimer: HP ain't mine, folks. I wish it were...
Lily bit back a sob as she tried the Portkey for the third time. Nothing.
Her eyes glittering with tears, Lily brushed a sip of hair out of her son's face, as the door burst open in an explosion of wood chips and dust. She knew what the outcome of tonight would be...
Keep thee safe and hold thee near,
Close thy eyes, there's naught to fear.
I shall guard thee in thy sleep,
Thy presence there, a watch I'll keep.
Fear not the whisp'rings of serpents vile,
For I'll protect thee, all the while.
By Boreas, the North Watch Old,
I'll shield thy body from the cold,
By Eurus, the East Wind Bright,
I'll carry thee throughout the night,
By Great Notus, Guard of South,
I'll watch each breath that leaves thy mouth,
By Zephyrus, the West Wind Great,
I'll stand by thee, though it grow late
And though thy life's a heavy weight
For By the Cardinal Points of Rose
I shall be with thee, for this, I chose.
"I chose this, Harry," she whispered, as the green light hit her. "I love you."
Confused green eyes stared up at her, somehow seeing her spirit leave her body. Another curse was cast, but a mother's prayer was a stronger protection than any shield.
The years would pass, and Lily would see more pain than she could have imagined. She would only ever speak to one person in the seventeen years of guarding her son, a girl believed not-quite-sane.
I'll protect thee...
The beatings of her sister and brother-in-law, Lily could not do much about them, but she could force them to stop, putting the fear of Magic in them. They would not beat her child.
I'll shield thy body...
Harry was dying, there, Lily could see it. Even as Fawkes the Phoenix attempted to save him, she knew that Harry could not survive a basilisk's bite. It was impossible. But Lily and Harry Potter were the impossible. Lily did her best to shield her son... and he lived.
I'll carry thee...
Later, Dumbledore would take the credit. But the truth was that nobody was fast enough to catch Harry when he fell from his broomstick. It tore Lily's strength into shreds, but she caught him.
I'll watch each breath...
From interposing herself between a dementor and her son's mouth, to extending the life of the Gillyweed he used, Lily did all she could to guard each breath of air that escaped Harry's mouth. She would protect him, she would!
I'll stand by thee...
A brief moment, and she could speak to Harry! But she barely got out a word, only a reassuring, "I'm always there for you," and then she had to help distract Voldemort. She hadn't realized how helpless she felt, but she was agonized, watching Umbridge torture her precious son!
...Though it grow late...
Sirius was dead. Lily was so furious, she wanted to scream. Of course, the only person to notice was that lovely Lovegood girl. Harry's last true protector, gone. She could practically feel the twilight of the world weighing down over their shoulders.
...And though thy life's a heavy weight...
Lily did her best, influencing muggles and blocking spells, but she could feel her protections weakening. Why had Dumbledore been such an idiot, and left Harry with her sister? By the time school began, Lily was always exhausted from controlling the idiot muggles! And her little gift of strong will only weakened her more, whenever some puff-brain tried to Imperio Harry.
I shall be with thee...
And then, she watched as her son sacrificed himself for Dumbledore's "Greater Good," and cried as he chose the martyr's path - return to the world that was so cruel to him. But now, her Prayer had dwindled so thin, due to Harry's death, that she could barely brush the mortal world anymore.
For this, I chose.
And in 2013, when Teddy Lupin graduated from Hogwarts and married Victoire Weasley, and Harry finally let go... Lily couldn't begrudge her son the peace of death. He had chosen the difficult path too many times. It was time he got to be happy. As for Lily? She finally passed on as well.
She loved her son. And for him, she chose the hard path. As he chose, for her memory.
AN: Whoooooooaa. I was just going to post the poem, and it turned into a story! What the...
REVIEWS, PLEASE? Oh, and please read Eileen Dunbar and vote on the poll!
AN2: Up and coming... a second chapter to A Boy of Many Names! Aaaaaand... A Slytherins-can-be-good and mostly-SevPOV story!