Tadaaa!
A oneshot to pay tribute to the 29th anniversary of the deaths of Lily and James Potter! Please give me a review and tell me what you thought! It would be much appreciated! If not, well. The Bloody Baron or Peeves will know what to do with you! *Cue evil laugh and thunder and lightning.*
Of course, none belongs to me.
Flashes of Green
My name is Lily Evans- Potter. Well, "Potter" is my husband's surname. My husband, James Potter and I were hunted down by the most feared Dark Wizard of our time: Lord Voldemort. After refusing his offers to join his followers, the Death Eaters, and defying him three times, we certainly were not in his good books. However, the thing that set him to target us was not our refusal, nor our defiance. Not even our association with the Order of the Phoenix. It was our son.
Months after our only son was born, a prophecy was made to Albus Dumbledore, who was then interviewing a candidate for the Divination post at Hogwarts, a woman called Sibyl Trelawney. The prophecy spoke of a boy, a boy who would have the capability to defeat Voldemort. A follower of Voldemort overheard the prophecy and relayed it to him and, as the birth of our son, Harry James Potter fell on the 31st of July, Voldemort believed that it was our son the prophecy was referring to. He then sought to find us.
It was Halloween of 1981, and we were alone in our home in Godric's Hallow, which also served as our hideout. We were protected by the Fidelius Charm, which ensured that Voldemort would never find us. Our secret-keeper, one of James's closest friends, Peter, was in hiding himself to avoid being hunted down by Voldemort's Death Eaters. Harry was only a year and three months old, and we've been in hiding for a while. It was only almost a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed. I knew that James was getting bored and restless shut in the house all the time, but he chose not to tell me. I was thankful that he was thoughtful enough not to, though. I was also left wondering how long it would be until we can go out again, when our son can have a happy childhood not cooped up inside the house until he can go to Hogwarts. I pushed the thought aside, and thought positively, that Voldemort would be defeated soon enough and that we could live normal lives.
I was in the kitchen, finishing up the chores, while James and Harry were in the living room, James entertaining Harry by making coloured smoke appear from his wand. When I finished, I went to the sitting room, where I was greeted by the sound of my son's laughter.
"Alright, Harry, time for bed. Daddy will do this again tomorrow", I told the two of them. James grinned at me and stood up, scooping Harry in his arms. "You heard Mummy, Harry. It's bedtime."
James handed him to me and stretched his limbs, yawning. He threw his wand into the sofa while I made my way upstairs to tuck Harry to bed. Suddenly, we heard the door being blasted open.
My heart stopped. No one should have been able to find us! It just wasn't possible! Unless-
My fears have been confirmed when I heard James sprinting into the hallway and yelled, "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! I'll hold him off-!"
I heard the unsaid "I love you" in his words. I shot him a look and he looked at me with a loving look in his eyes. I mouthed "I love you" back and ran upstairs, still clutching my infant son close to me as James turned to face him alone. With a horrified jolt, I remembered the James's wand was on the couch and mine was in the kitchen. I weighed my options, fighting the panic in my head and the violent beating of my heart. How could Peter do this? The cowardly rat!
I knew we didn't stand a chance, but we must try to save Harry. Thinking fast, I bolted to Harry's nursery, but not before I heard a cold, high pitched cackle and the dreaded incantation.
I heard a thump and a piercing scream and I knew. With a painful realization, I knew that James had fallen. Tears pricked my eyes as the fact sunk in. My husband, my other half, was gone. He bravely sacrificed his life to save us. He's dead. I let out a scream of grief, a horrible sound I didn't recognize as mine. I almost lost all hope, but I wanted to make his sacrifice worthwhile. With a new resolve, I barricaded Harry and myself inside the nursery to give me some time to think. Apparition was out, as my wand was downstairs. I thought of jumping out of the window, but before I could contemplate the thought any further, the nursery door was blasted open and there, on the threshold, stood Lord Voldemort.
I settled Harry down his cot and kissed his forehead. "Mummy and Daddy love you very much, Harry. Remember that, darling", I told him. I saw his eyes watching me with a bright interest. He looked so much like James it was heartbreaking. I looked at him intently, memorizing his face, taking in his features. I smiled at him sadly and hugged him close, then placed him back in his cot. I turned to face Voldemort as bravely as James had. I felt as if his hand was in my shoulder, giving me strength. I closed my eyes, praying for the courage to remain standing.
I focused on Harry. My son's innocent looks, so much like his father's, gave me newfound courage. He was the only living link I had with James now, and I was determined to save him, no matter what it took.
I knew the barricade was useless. But it was the only plan I've got, and everything came crashing down on me as he lazily swept the barricade aside and made his way towards us. I decided to do the only thing I can. Beg.
He walked towards us slowly, pointing his wand at Harry. I was slightly taken aback, I expected him to turn and kill me immediately. But instead, he pointed it directly at my son.
"Please, not Harry, not Harry!", I begged, my arms spread wide, blocking my son from view.
"Stand aside, you silly girl... Stand aside, now!", he snarled in his cold voice.
"Not Harry, please, no, take me, kill me instead-"
"This is my last warning-", he said threateningly, but I would not move.
"Not Harry! Please have mercy, have mercy... Not Harry, please, I'll do anything!"
"Stand aside, stand aside, girl!"
I still refused to move and he pointed his wand at me. I didn't hear him say the incantation.
All I thought about was Harry. How he would be raised by someone else, by Sirius, maybe. How we would never get to know him, and he would never know us. How I would never see him grow up, go to Hogwarts, fall in love and have his own family. I wouldn't be there to nurse his wounds, or take care of him when he was ill. How I would never hear his laugh again, or see him go to his first day of school, or talk to him about his problems. I would never see him make friends, or play Quidditch like his dad always said he would. How James and I would never tell him that we loved him. But I hoped that he would understand how we died, and that it would be enough to let him feel how much we loved him. I hoped he would have a happy childhood, one without worry. One where he can play outside and live the life we always dreamed he'd have.
I thought about James. How we were given too short a time to be together. How I regret disliking him longer than showing him that I loved him. How our lives were brutally cut short, how our love was cut short. I knew that Voldemort could not stop our love, and it lives through our son. I knew that we shared something that lives beyond death, and that, in the four short years we were together, we had something more than what many people experience in a lifetime. Unconditional love.
I'm sorry, James, I thought, I'm sorry for being blind all those years. I'm sorry for not seeing how amazing you were. I'm sorry, Harry. For not being there when you needed me. I love you both with all my heart.
Then I saw a flash of green.
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Done! What do you think? Please give me a review! It would make my day! And I revised my other story, "Tying the Knot". I took out the reference to Breaking Dawn. It's a oneshot, but I would really love it if you read it and give me your comments! Thanks! REVIEW! Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please!