The Boy Who Was Loved
By: SavageLove
Summary: What the day was like before the Potters were killed by Voldemort and Harry destroyed him.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I am merely borrowing the characters, places and plot from J. K. Rowling's world. I am not making any money off of this because it is purely for fun.
Notes: Some parts of the scene in which Voldemort comes to kill the Potters was taken from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban pages 179, 239 and 240.
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The early morning sun was just beginning to shine through the window of a small cottage illuminating a young couple asleep on their bed. The man with jet black hair slept on his back, his left arm thrown across the bed and his mouth was hanging open allowing drool to seep out. Curled into his side was a red headed woman. Her head was pillowed on his chest, her right arm wrapped around his chest which mirrored his right arm curling around her waist, and their legs were tangled together. The sunlight had yet to reach their waists when a small faint cry came from the room next door. Though the cry was so faint it was but a whisper, the woman's eyes snapped open to reveal bright green eyes filled with motherly love. Slowly and carefully, the woman untangled herself from the man and slipped from the bed. The woman grimaced momentarily as her bare feet touched the cold hardwood floor before she shifted slightly to slip on her fuzzy blue slippers. She walked to the door and took down a blue bathrobe from the back of the door. As she slipped it on, the man spoke sleepily.
"Lily?"
"Go back to sleep James, I'm just going to check on Harry," the woman named Lily assured.
The man named James was half sitting up in bed but at her words fell back and was instantly asleep. Lily quietly giggled at her husband's antics. She slipped out of the room and made her way down the hall to the nursery. She walked in, smiling when she saw that her son was awake. He was standing in his Gryffindor pajamas in the crib with his small hands clutching the railing. When he saw her he giggled and bounced up and down.
"Mama," Harry laughed out.
"Hello my little one," Lily cooed as she reached into the crib and lifted her son into her arms.
"Mama, mama, mama," Harry warbled out as he snuggled his head into the crock of Lily's neck.
For a moment, Lily held her son, breathing in his fading baby scent. She felt his slight weight in her arms and relished the love that seemed to just pore out of him. She cherished the moments when her energetic and very active baby was calm and content enough to just be held. Soon though, Harry pushed away and began to bounce in her arms as he babbled to her in a language all his own. With a sigh, she laid him on the changing table to get him ready for the day. She quickly stripped him of his pajamas and soiled diaper. A new diaper and green outfit soon replaced his nightwear. As she changed him, she bent over and blew raspberries on his bare stomach causing him to giggle wildly. He reached for her red tresses, but she deftly kept them out of reach as she finished dressing him.
Picking him up, Lily made her way out of the nursery down the stairs to the kitchen. She sat Harry down into his high chair and began to make him some breakfast. She pointed her wand at the radio and it came on. Instantly the radio began to croon out a love song from Lily's favorite muggle singing group. She spun around from the counter to face Harry with a long wooden spoon in her hand. She held it to her mouth like a microphone as she sang along with the singer. Harry squealed with joy as he clapped. Lily danced her way to the cabinet and gathered what she needed to make Harry a breakfast of eggs and cottage cheese. She cooked up the eggs and then scrambled them because that was the only way he would eat them. As she did so she sang in time with the music. Occasionally, she danced over to Harry and tickled him just to hear his baby laughter.
When she finished cooking, she put the eggs and cottage cheese on two plates. Lily set the plates down on the table. Despite the fact that he wanted to feed himself, Lily knew better than to let him eat on his own. Spaghetti on the ceiling was very hard to clean especially when it dried. So, Lily put a bib on him and fed him his breakfast as she ate her own.
James would sleep in until noon or later. He had been up late again "working" when he had actually been talking to Sirius on that illegal mirror they had charmed while they were in school. But Lily allowed him this one thing because being cooped up in one place was not something a marauder could stand for every long. Especially since they had been forced to stay in the house for over four months and they were not allowed to even go outside. Lily had been forced to hide his broom and it was with luck that Dumbledore had asked to borrow the cloak or else James would have snuck out of the house long ago. So she would have all morning and part of the afternoon with her son which was a rare treat for her.
Lily lifted Harry out of his highchair. He clung to her with one arm and used the other to point eagerly to the rolled up rug in the living room. Lily waved her wand, causing a play rug to roll out to the middle of the room and toys to place themselves onto the rug. The moment Harry was set down onto the rug he reached for a pile of stuffed animals. The animals were a shaggy dog, a stag, a rat, a wolf and a doe. The second Harry touched one of the toys, all of them came alive. They stood up and walked over to him. They surrounded him as they barked, howled, squeaked and neighed.
"Dance," Harry demanded, pointing to the toys.
Instantly, the five stuffed animals began to dance around the little boy. The stag and the doe danced around each other with elegance. The wolf danced around very formally which the rat attempted to mimic but not successfully. The dog danced so wildly he bumped into all of the others causing them to fall.
Harry giggled and clapped excitedly as Lily looked on fondly. She sat down behind her son and watched him command his toys to do his will. They danced, attempted to sing, pretended Harry was a mountain and tried to climb him and so much more, but often, they ended up in a free for all fight. How Remus managed it Lily would never know, but all of the toys had the personalities of James, Lily, Sirius, Remus and Peter when they were in their animagus forms.
For a brief moment, Lily wondered at the actions of the rat. While he participated, he was more often at the edge of the action as if he did not want to be there. Why… Lily shook her head. She was questioning the actions of a stuffed toy. She trusted Peter. He had been friends with James since first year at Hogwarts. He would keep her baby safe.
Around twelve thirty, Lily heard James finally getting up. Lily sighed with relief. She was running out of toys to entertain Harry with. Her son did not like being in one place for too long. He had wanted to get up and run around, but Lily was not fast enough to catch him when he really got going. Leaving Harry on his play rug which grew a three foot high border the moment she walked five feet away, Lily headed into the kitchen to make James some lunch. By the time he came down, she had just placed his food onto the table.
"Good morning," James said.
"Don't you mean afternoon? Up all night again gossiping with your girlfriend?" Lily teased.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" Harry chanted, standing up with his arms held out.
"Ha ha ha…" James mocked laughed as he picked Harry up. "Good afternoon, Pronglet."
"Daddy," Harry said, laughing.
James walked into the kitchen and set Harry down into his highchair. James sat and down, but waited for Lily to sit before he began to eat.
"So, this is Harry's second Halloween but the first he would be able to enjoy," James said, attempting to be smooth.
"Uh huh," Lily said, as she fed Harry.
"Maybe we could go out for an hour or two to show him off in a costume like the muggles do," James suggested.
"James," Lily said with a sigh. "You know we're not supposed to leave the house. What if someone were to see us? The news of what area we are in could get back to Voldemort. He could find us."
"There is no way he could find us," James argued.
"He could easily notice a house was missing from the block. He'd figure out that we were under a Fidelius Charm and attempt to break it," Lily said.
Lily set the small fork down. Reaching across the table, she laid her hand on her husband's arm. "I know this is difficult for you. I know you hate being cooped up, but think of Harry. That monster is after him and we have to do everything we can to keep him safe."
James sighed. "I know… I know…" He looked at his wife and gave her a weary smile. "I'm sorry. I know I'm making this difficult for you."
"You are, but it's okay. I feel cooped up to," Lily said.
"Gah, peas!" Harry exclaimed, smacking his palms against his highchair tray.
Lily and James looked at their son who looked peeved that his lunch had stopped coming. They chuckled as Lily picked the fork back up.
"Open up for the Hogwarts Express," Lily said, making choo choo sounds.
Harry opened his mouth and eagerly ate the squashy green toddler food. James often wondered how his son could like that gross muggle baby food, but Harry seemed to like it much better than the wizarding kind.
After lunch, Lily sat on the couch watching with an amused expression as James chased Harry around the house. For someone so small, Harry was quite fast. James could barely keep up. After hours of running around, playing hide and seek which caused slight alarm because Harry could find the strangest places to hide, and Harry riding James like a horse, Lily could see that Harry was very tired. Lily took Harry from James. James lay down on the couch and made space for Lily between his legs. She lay down and laid Harry on her stomach. Playing with James always wore him out for his nap. She waved her wand and a book flew off of the bookshelf and into her hands. Holding Harry close, she opened the book and began to read another adventure of Frog and Toad, a muggle children's book she had found. Harry's eyes closed in sleep after one chapter.
An hour later, Harry was up from his nap. James was once again chasing him around the house as Lily looked on with affection. That affection turned to horror when she saw that Harry bumped into the bookcase in the corner of the living room. The small toy broom Sirius had gotten Harry for his first birthday fell from the top of the bookcase to the floor. Harry squealed in excitement when he saw it hovering before him.
"Oh no!" Lily exclaimed in horror. "James get it before he—"
Harry swung a leg over the broom and mounted it. The moment his bottom hit the broom he was off. James bolted after his son with Lily coming from the other direction. Harry zoomed off in another direction and Lily and James ran right into each other. They fell to the floor in a heap. Harry laughed gleefully. He zoomed all around the room, two feet off of the floor. He bumped into the coffee table, knocking over a flower vase. He slammed into a side table, toppling over a beautiful lamp. Both fell to the floor and smashed into pieces. As Harry zoomed around, Lily stopped for a moment and saw the camera on the table. Unable to help it, she quickly snapped a picture of James chasing Harry on the broom. After three months, Lily had a whole photo album of Harry flying around on his broom. Maybe she would send this one to Sirius. He enjoyed the last one. Lily set the camera back onto the table before returning to the chase herself. The picture would make another funny memento to embarrass James with.
"How does he do it?" James wondered as his son made the broom go faster than it should have been able to. Lily and James were resting on the couch as they watched their son. They had given up the chase. The one thing Harry would willingly do for hours was to fly on that blasted broom. And there was no catching him. He flew as if he had years of experience. He could dodge left and right as if he instinctively knew how to get away from being captured.
"I'm going to kill Sirius for getting him that," Lily growled as yet another case was destroyed.
"I'll help," James said. Secretly, James was proud of his son's ability. He pictured his son in Gryffindor quidditch robes as a chaser, or maybe a seeker. Harry seemed to enjoy the speed more than anything else. When he had flown out in the backyard, he had enjoyed streaking back and forth as fast as he could.
"Well, we better get him before he hurts himself by falling onto the glass," Lily said. "And it is time for dinner."
James groaned in response but stood up with his wife.
They chased Harry around and around the room once again when it was time for dinner. It would seem as if they just had him trapped but at the last second he would zoom off in another direction. Suddenly, Lily stopped and smacked her forehead with a hand.
"I'm a witch," Lily exclaimed.
"Yeah, and I'm a wizard," James said, huffing and puffing as he lunged for Harry.
He missed by a mile.
Lily pulled out her wand and waved it at her son. The broom began to slow until it came to a stop before her. Lily picked Harry up causing him to yell in anger as James got the broom and hid it. Harry cried as he reached out for the broom.
"No, no, little one," Lily said sternly. "It's time for dinner and then bed for you."
Harry looked up at her with watery green eyes but Lily would not be moved. Harry laid his head against her shoulder with a sigh as she walked into the kitchen.
James walked into the kitchen saying, "I hope you aren't going to try to make him eat—" a large orange mass came at him and hit James in the face "—smashed peas again."
Lily covered her mouth as she laughed.
"No qwash!" Harry declared.
After a long dinner of trying to get Harry to try some different foods, Lily watched as James entertained Harry by telling him of the marauder's exploits using Harry's stuffed toys. Harry watched in fascination as the wolf, rat, dog and stag played around under James's direction. James was telling Harry about the heroic battle they had waged against the acromantulas to get Sirius back after he had been kidnapped by one of them. Lily had heard this story so many times that she could recite each of the four versions word by word.
Lily noticed that Harry yawned once then twice. She glanced at the clock on the mantle and saw that it was past Harry's bedtime.
"It's time for Harry to go to bed," Lily announced softly.
James looked at the clock and slowly nodded. He picked Harry up as he stood and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Goodnight son," James said.
"Daddy, night-night," Harry said sleepily.
"I'll put him to bed and then come help you clean up the mess," Lily said.
"Don't take too long!" James warned teasingly as he looked around the large mess his fifteen month old was able to make flying a toy broom stick.
Lily laughed. "I just might."
James leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. They held the kiss for several seconds before Lily pulled back to head up the stairs. Inside of the nursery, Lily walked over to the rocking chair her father had made for her by hand. For a brief moment as she sat down, sorrow filled her heart at the thought of her deceased parents. Her parents were killed because the Death Eaters had wanted to hurt her for defying their master. When she looked down at her son, all sorrow left her at the sight of his smiling face, so innocent and pure. A small smile slipped onto her face as she gazed into the sleepy eyes of her son. Ever so gently, she rocked as she sang song after song, drifting from muggle lullabies sung to her as a baby to wizarding ones she had learned from Alice Longbottom. Slowly, Harry's eyes closed until he was sound asleep.
Though he slept, Lily rocked him for a while longer as she looked upon his face. Love for him filled her heart as it always did when she looked at him. But with that love was a worry. The most evil wizard to ever live was after her son all because of a prophecy. Voldemort wanted to kill Harry because one day Harry would stand before him and put an end to his reign of terror. Harry gave a squeak of protest in his sleep. Lily realized she was squeezing her son too tightly and loosened her hold. With a deep breath, she put aside her worries. Pressing a small kiss on his forehead, Lily stood up and placed him into his crib.
"Goodnight, my little one," Lily whispered. "Sweet dreams."
With one last look, Lily walked out of the room and down the stairs. As she was halfway down the stairs, a loud noise suddenly rang through the house. Harry's frightened cry could be heard. Lily stopped mid step as she realized what it was.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off—" she heard James shout from downstairs. She turned and ran back up the stairs to Harry's room as she heard the door burst open to a cackle of high-pitched laughter. She rushed to the crib and picked Harry up into her arms. His little arms wrapped around her neck as his face, wet from tears, was buried into her neck. With a sharp turn, she attempted to aspirate, but found that she was unable to.
A loud thud and triumphant laugh reached her ears. A sharp pain burst through her chest as she realized James was dead and Voldemort was coming for Harry. Already, she could hear him on the stairs. She rushed forward and closed the door. She locked it with the strongest spell she could think of. There was no way out of the room but through the window so small only Harry would fit through. They were trapped with only minutes or even seconds left to live. Lily placed Harry back into his crib. She wiped his tears away with the pad of her thumb.
"Hush my little one," Lily whispered. "Mama is here."
Harry sniffled as he looked at her.
"Mama loves you," Lily said. "Always remember that I love you."
The door shuddered and banged as Voldemort raged against the door.
"Mama," Harry whimpered.
"Hush, my little one, it will be okay," Lily lied as she ran her fingers through his unruly hair.
Lily turned, slipping her wand from the back pocket of her pants, to fact the door. The door burst apart and Lily shielded Harry from the blast. She raised her wand and started to incant a spell but Voldemort merely waved his wand and hers shot out of her hand.
Defenseless, Lily made an attempt to plead for her son's life. "Please, no…"
"Stand aside," Voldemort demanded in a calm and even voice.
"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please—I'll do anything—" Lily pleaded.
"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!" Voldemort demanded, anger now tinting his voice.
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily pleaded again, trying to reason with the madman in front of her. Anything to protect her son, to keep him safe.
"Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…" Voldemort screamed in rage from being kept from his goal.
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead… Not Harry! Please… have mercy… have mercy…" Lily asked, crying now, tears streaming down her face.
"Enough," Voldemort hissed. "Just stand aside!"
"Never, I'd die for my son," Lily snarled in anger through her tears.
"As you wish!" Voldemort yelled. He raised his wand, waved it and said, "Avada Kedavra."
The green light shot from his wand and struck Lily before she even knew what was going to happen. Lily fell to the floor, her green eyes wide open, staring blankly in death at the crib. Voldemort turned the wand onto Harry, waved it and spoke the words Avada Kedavra with anger and cruel satisfaction. The green light headed for Harry, struck him, but seemed crunch down and then rebound back to Voldemort. Harry's screams of pain mingled with Voldemort's scream of rage as the curse struck him. As his body fell to the ground, his spirit rose and fled from the house with a howl of fury.
"Mama!" Harry screamed as blood slowly flowed from the lightning bolt shape wound on his forehead. "Mama… mama… mama…" Harry rattled the crib bars as he looked at his mother's body on the floor. "Mama… mama!" Harry lay on his stomach and reached through the bars to his mother. His hand opened and closed as he chanted for her. "Mama…" He cried and hiccupped from his tears.
Harry's green eyes met his mother's as his reluctantly closed in sleep from a shocked exhaustion. His arm dangled through the bars over the side of crib. Harry's small hand opened and closed in his sleep. He spoke one word in fear, need and longing.
"Ma…ma…"
The End...