This is my very first HP-fic. I'm not quite sure where the idea came from, it just sort of popped into my head, but personally I think it turned out okay. I want to thank Ann for betaing this, it was a great help. I cannot promise a regular update, but I will do all I can to update as often as my timetable will allow me.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT own anything or anybody. All belongs to J.K Rowling if anyone should doubt that matter of fact. Sadly yes, but that's the truth. Well, I do own the HP-series though my copy of DH is currently not at home.
Summary: Neither of them knew what was waiting just around the corner. It was just another night, another visit from an old friend. They thought they were safe, and yet neither of them knew that they should never see the sun rise again.
The tale of the Potters on the evening of their death and the time that followed the very surprising turn of event.
Hope you enjoy!
And I would always appreciate a comment of course!
When the lights go out
It was a silent night in Godric's Hollow. A night just like the previous one and the one to follow, anyone would claim. The wind outside the windows was chilly, but none of the inhabitants of the small country village seemed to care. Nobody in their right mind would even bother to step outside, at least not until later when it was time to enjoy Halloween. Oh yes, of course, some people were stupid enough to waddle through the late fall afternoon. Darkness had already come, but the person strolling across the square did not seem to care nonetheless. Little raindrops hit the ground lightly, but soon the rain was quite similar to a blanket. The late-night walker did not seem to be in possession of an umbrella, or maybe this person didn't find it necessary. Soon the square was behind the soaked person, who continued down a little walkway just about to walk out on the final part of the journey.
The dark shadow was wearing something that looked like a heavy cloak with a hood, that covered the face. Two feet struggled through the blanket of wetness and carried the walking cloak fast alongside the sidewalk. Soon the feet stopped walking, instead they turned, so the hooded person was now facing a small stony house. The house was lying in the shadow of the other gaudy houses. For a brief moment the cloaked one did not make any sign of movement, but then, in a quick move, a hand removed the hood. A face was now revealed of a man, probably in his early 20'ies. His face was broad and his hair black as coal. It seemed slightly wavy, but soon it was covered in rain and it plastered to his face. But the man smiled, then he drew a deep breath before opening a small gate in front of him. He hurried through the garden path and thereby approached the little house. Light came from all the windows, a cosy and welcoming light that made the man speed up. It didn't take him long to get in position in front of the door. With his left hand he pulled something out from beneath his cloak, something that looked quite similar to a long stick. A well polished stick indeed. The man tapped the door lightly with the stick and soon the door was opened, only ajar, so a face could peer outside to see who the intruder was.
"Sirius!" a glad voice exclaimed. "What a pleasant surprise. Come on in," a smooth voice soared out into the night. The door was opened completely and the person in the doorway stepped aside so Sirius could step inside. The warm light slit out in the dark chilly night for a moment before the door was yet again closed and sealed carefully from the inside.
"My God, you're soaked," the smooth voice stated in a giggly tone. The voice belonged to a sleek-faced woman with dark red hair. A smile appeared on Sirius face and he slid off the soaked cloak.
"Nah, it was nothing but a bit of rain," he laughed. In his left hand he was still clutching the stick, which he now pointed at the cloak mumbling a few words under his breath. Immediately the cloak was dry again as if the sun had been shining all along.
"Where's James?" Sirius asked as he handed the cloak to the woman. At the same time footsteps thundered down the stairs. A man with the same black hair as Sirius's had now joined the party in the hallway. His right hand was raised and in this, like Sirius, he held a beautifully polished stick.
"Lily, who…" by the sight of Sirius, the other man smiled warmly. But then his face froze again. "What's the password of the purveyors of Aid to Magical Mischief-Makers?" he then asked in a coolly voice.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good!" Sirius with a grin.
"James, do you have to?" Lily asked James, who was now smiling as well.
"Sorry, mate, you know the rules." James put away his stick after having sent a few sparks out of the end.
"Says the master of all rule-breaking," grinned Lily as the two men gave each other a friendly hug.
"So, how's the little guy doing?" Sirius asked, but he never got an answer before Lily hissed: "Sitting room, if you two please. Much more suitable for a pleasant conversation. Unless the two of you prefer to stay in the hallway, of course." With broad smiles they all left the hallway and entered the cosy sitting room that was comfortably furnished with a seating arrangement in front of a fireplace.
"You got a great place here," Sirius pointed out.
"Nothing compared to Hogwarts, though. But it's to live with as long as it's not forever," the red-head quickly concluded.
"You know it's not," James muttered sadly as he placed an arm around his wife shoulders and placed a kiss on the top of her head. She turned her face towards him and smiled happily.
"I know," came the reply. Sirius had already seated himself comfortably in one of the arm chairs and leaned back.
"You don't by any chance have any…"
"Butterbeer? Yes, in fact we have. Be right back." And with that Lily had left for the kitchen.
"You got a good one there," the friend then said.
"Yes, I do. What about you? Found any yet?" the husband asked.
"Too dark times, James. Way too dark." Silence fell between the two friends. Thoughts were racing, but none of them said them aloud. The fire in the fireplace was close to die out, but with a quick wave with the stick James had soon managed to get the fire back on.
"I don't get how muggles manage without magic. A flick with the wand and you got fire. The have to use marches or something like that."
"It's matches, dear," a woman's voice corrected from behind. Both men looked up smiling at Lily, who had just entered the sitting room again, this time carrying a tray with three glasses filled with a butter-yellow coloured beverage and a plate with small cookies or biscuits of some kind.
"And now that everybody seems comfortable, Sirius would maybe like to give a reason for this spontaneous visit?" said Lily.
"Aren't a man allowed to visit his best friends whenever he feels like it? And the best pumkin pasties I might add."
"Of course, I just thought… Well, I thought you might bring news from the Order or the world outside," came a slightly disappointed answer from Lily.
"I might bring news," Lily's face seemed to lighten up by the establishment.
"Mad-Eye seems to have a clue on who could be a possible traitor to the Order. Dumbledore, though, seems quite… ignorant to Mad-Eye's accusations."
"Who's he suspecting?", James asked hurriedly, obviously curious for the name of the possible traitor.
"He hasn't told anyone. Not even Dumbledore."
"But then… how?" Lily was now the one sitting on the edge of the couch waiting for a disclosure.
"Dumbledore being Dumbledore. He'd like to see the good in most people whereas Moody would prefer to see everybody locked up in Azkaban." Sirius answered.
Once again silence fell. All that they heard was the rain drumming hard on the windows and their own breathes. For a while they sat still, listening to the fire crackling on in the fireplace. And then, all of a sudden, a low cry broke the silence.
"Harry," they all exclaimed in low voices. Lily quickly rose and once again disappeared out of the sitting room.
"It's really hard on her, having to stay inside all the time." James nearly whispered, Sirius just nodded in reply.
Meanwhile the red-haired woman was trotting up the stairs to the small first floor. Quickly she sped to the room from where the low cry came. She pushed open the door and entered a small nursery. In a cot in the corner was a little boy standing clutching the bars to prevent himself from falling. The boy couldn't possibly be much more than a year old, but he seemed to know his mother well. By the sight of the red hair he stopped crying immediately and started giggling instead with a nearly toothless grin.
"Ma'," the little boy said grinning. Lily smiled at her son as she hurried over to the cot and picked him up.
"Hey, little man. How are you holding up?" Not expecting a well formulated answer, of course, she placed a great wet kiss on the boy's forehead and then headed back downstairs. But on the last few steps she stopped dead.
"She fears that Harry has to grow up in this place, never being able to step outside a door without the fear of being attacked. It's horrible, sometimes she cries for hours in the night just by the very thought. Padfoot, how long do you think this is going to last?" James voice was carried out of the sitting room and into Lily's ears. She still stood there on the stairs.
"I dunno, mate. I dunno", she heard Sirius answer in a gloomy voice. Then she drew in a deep breath and stepped over the threshold. The two male friends jumped up from their seats when they saw her enter. Soon their facial expressions softened by the sight of the little boy in her arms.
"How's my little man doing?" Sirius asked the little boy, who stretched his arms towards Padfoot while screeching "'I'ius!"
"Hey, remember he's my little man," James said laughingly.
"You made me godfather, Prongs." The old nicknames from their school time was still used on times like these, happy moments when the disastrous world outside was forgotten for a brief moment. But moments like them were rare nowadays. The little boy giggled loudly and clapped his hands in his godfather's arms. His hair, quite similar to his fathers, was jet-black, but his eyes were a great resemblance to his mother's, they were deep and emerald green.
The little boy was soon toying with Sirius's hair meanwhile chuckling loudly.
"At least someone seems happy about the situation," James muttered under his breath, only loud enough for his wife to hear.
"Only while he's this young. It can't go on like this, James." And that was true. They had only been in hiding for a very short period of time, but it already felt like they had been trapped there for years and years. Every day was the same, getting up whenever they liked and spending numerous hours doing nothing, but glare and the fire and each other. Playing with Harry lifted their mood, but the boy was yet so young that his energy did not last very long. Every once in a while a member of the Order might drop by, but it was rare, since nobody felt confident in letting their hideout be known by too many. So far it was only Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus and of course little Peter who knew about the Potters' whereabouts.
The Dark Lord was after them or more likely their son, but this they did not know for sure. They were indeed hunted, that was why they had chosen to get below the surface, but why exactly they were more likely to be killed than any of their fellow wizards and witches were yet unknown to all, but the Dark Lord himself.
Harry, Lily and James's one year old son, was now clutching Sirius's wand, that he hand drawn from his pocket. Harry waved it rapidly and little sparks were flying out of its end. This only made Harry giggle even louder.
"Careful now, darling," his mother said while she tried to wrench the wand out of his hands. This only caused Harry's eyes to fill with little tears.
"Easy now, son," said James, the proud father. He stood there watching his little boy in the arms of the godfather, James's best friend. He was sure that no matter how dark the approaching times would be, they would all make it through as long as they had Harry to cheer them up. And yet it seemed like lifelong torture. Somebody could just as well hit them with the Crusiatis curse every now and then and it would be the same.
Outside the wind was growing stronger, a storm was coming, but neither seemed to notice. All they had their eyes on were the little Harry, who was now playing eagerly with his mother's hair instead of Sirius. It soon became too troublesome for Sirius to hold Harry while he was leaning towards Lily, so Padfoot handed his godson back to the mother. Harry squealed gleefully as his mother wrapped her arms tightly around him.
"Sirius, coffee?" she asked just to have an excuse for leaving the room. Soon she had left the sitting room, once again leaving Prongs and Padfoot on their own. Entering the small kitchen she felt the warm tears rolling down her cheeks. She sobbed silently and hugged the little boy closer.
"It'll be alright, sweetheart, I promise you. In someway we will have everything back to normal before you can say Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. You have my word," she let her son know. Harry was soon placed in his high chair and Lily sat in a chair by the small table the kitchen could contain. Her head was in her hands and her shoulders were shaking lightly as the tears continued to fall from her eyes.
Inside the sitting room the two old school friends were talking vivaciously about Quidditch and their time at Hogwarts before all of this had happened. Time seemed to enrol without any of them noticing. But in the end the absence of mother and child seemed a little too obvious, so James rose from his seat and explained to Sirius that he would just go check on them.
Lily didn't hear the sound of her husband approaching from the behind. She did not even notice that Harry squealed louder than he had all evening by the sight of his father.
James smiled sadly at his son before returning his attention to his wife. Silently he kneeled beside her and slipped an arm around her shoulder. Shocked, Lily popped her head up and gazed into her husband's kind and warm eyes. Her own green electrifying eyes were swollen from the silent tears she had cried. None of them uttered a word at the moment, but instead held on tight to one another. After a while they broke apart and gazed yet again into each others eyes.
"Lil, we'll pull through, okay? Maybe not today nor tomorrow, but soon enough. Harry will grow up and be able to actually see the sun from outside. He'll go to Hogwarts and make loads of friends. He'll pass all his exams and get a job, maybe he'll even posses the post as Minister for Magic one day." A small smile appeared on Lily's face as she nodded her head.
"If we just stand together?"
"Together," James confirmed in a confident voice. With a last reassuring nod from Lily, James took out his wand flicked it once and soon coffee was in the pot and three cups were on a tray. Then he scooped up Harry and walked back into the sitting room followed by Lily.
"Sorry," she muttered, but Sirius just grinned at them both. Soon they were enjoying a little peace and quiet while they consumed the hot brown beverage. Watching little Harry play with his toy wand made them all smile gladly and for a moment, just a brief one, all the anxious thoughts seemed to vanish. Small stars shot out of the wand and then, to Harry's delight, turned into a sparkling rainbow. All three adults laughed warmly and the little boy's enthusiasm.
"How are Dumbledore coping with everything?" Lily suddenly asked rather out of the blue. Both men turned their faces towards her clearly surprised of her sudden curiosity towards the world outside their little house in Godric's Hollow.
"Er-He just… He keeps running Hogwarts as if nothing has happened at all, just let the cat carry in the needed trash, I guess," Sirius reply sounded.
"It's just been a while since he was here, so I was just wondering."
"Wonder all you want," replied Sirius with a smirk. Before anyone had a chance to speak again a small crack sounded and all heads turned to Harry on the floor. He just grinned back at them and returned his attention to the toy wand that was vibrating wildly. Then all of a sudden he threw the wand to the floor and yawned.
"I guess it's time for someone to get some sleep," his father concluded with a smile.
"And about time for my departure," said Sirius. He placed the empty mug on the table and rose from the comfortable couch. Lily had picked Harry up and handed him to his godfather so Sirius could say goodbye. Once again Harry yawned and put his head to rest on Sirius chest. Soon he was fast asleep.
"Out like a light," and that he was. His small chest was rising slowly and his little fists closed around the borders of Sirius's shirt. Walking very slowly the small party headed out into the hallway and there they just stood for a while regarding the sleeping boy. It couldn't possibly much pass dinner time and Padfoot already had to head out into the dark. But if he stayed there too long it would be far from risk free to cross the country on his flying motorbike, that was parked on a field a good mile away. Flying directly into a muggle community would probably lead to a lot of spectacle and suspicions.
He was just about to hand Harry back to his parents when the little boy awoke once again and for the first time this evening he looked sincerely sad and depressed. He clung onto his godfather's shirt and refused to let go. Instead tears welled up in his eyes and he buried his stubborn little face in the shirt.
"No," he then said firmly and tightened his grip so that his knuckles became all white.
"Sorry Padfoot, but it doesn't seem very likely that you are going anywhere tonight," James laughed as he reached out for his son. Sirius had placed his free hand on Harry's little black-haired head and stroke it a few times. Then he placed a kiss on the boy's forehead and whispered a few words in his ear. This seemed to calm Harry and he let go without any fuss. James reached out and grabbed his son. Harry smiled warmly at his parents, but then turned his face towards Sirius yet again.
"No," Harry repeated but the godfather had already put his cloak back on and he was now heading straight for the door. Before opening he turned and spoke.
"It'll be over soon. And in case it isn't tonight I'll be back tomorrow or the day after at the latest." The Potters nodded and smiled warmly as their beloved friend Sirius Black, better know as Padfoot, headed out into the dark night of Halloween. The door closed behind him and once again they were left to themselves. Lily had placed both of her hands on one of James's shoulders and her cheek was resting on one as well. Harry suddenly didn't look tired anymore, neither did his parents. They just stood there in silence for a long time. Then James turned his face down to his wife.
"You do know I love you, right?" She smiled and nodded. And then, instead of saying it back, she rose to the top of her toes and pressed a soft kiss on his lips.
Together they should make it through it all, as a family. At least they thought so, but one thing the Potters did not know, was that they should never see the sun rise again…
tbc
xxXXxx
She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes – her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green – exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin black-haired man standing next to her put an arm around her. He was wearing glasses and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just like Harry's did.
Harry was so close to the mirror that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection.
"Mum?" he whispered. "Dad?"
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, pg. 153, chapter 12 'The Mirror of Erised'.