Harry and Melanie: First Cry to Final Breath
Summary: Harry and Melanie Potter have endured a childhood harsher than most could imagine. But they aren't about to let you know that. These two heroes of the wizarding world are sorted into Snape's counsel group upon their arrival to Hogwarts, but are determined to run their own lives. But will they even survive their first year?
Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize are the property of J.K. Rowling.
A/N: Hi everybody! This is his first fanfiction and this is a story that has been in his head for years. James finally decided to try and write it down and share it with you :). Reviews are loved and constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy his work.
Chapter 1: Beginning and End of a Charmed Life
July 31st, 1980
St. Mungo's Maternity Ward
James Potter ran his trembling hand anxiously through his hair, a habit that he thought he had snuffed back in his seventh year. He paced back and forth outside big double doors in a sterile hallway painted a sickening shade of pink with a slightly disturbing floral pattern trim. He had been pacing for almost two hours and those blasted nurses had yet to inform him of his wife's progress. A handsome, dark haired man was sprawled out in what looked like an uncomfortable chair (although James wouldn't know as he had yet to calm his nerves to the point where sitting was possible) with his leg shaking, much to the annoyance of their mutual friend Remus, who was sitting next to him and, somehow, serenely reading a book. Next to him, there was a tangible absence.
"Where the hell is Peter?" James shot out, impatiently, half actually concerned and half looking for something to distract himself from his rampant thoughts and emotions. "I'm about to become a father and he doesn't even bother to come?"
"I tried to get a hold of him, but he wasn't home and no one seems to know where he is," Sirius explained patiently, even though both knew he had already said this. Multiple times.
"Well-" James was cut off by doors swinging open. His breath caught in his chest as James turned eagerly to the doors behind which his wife was giving birth. However, the doors that had opened were at the other end and Albus Dumbledore, in all his florescent green, swirling robe glory, stalked into the hallway. He smiled at the three men with his eyes twinkling as much as ever.
"Any news, my dear boy?" he asked casually.
"Not yet," James said, with frustration evident in his voice. Albus's annoying, knowing smile just got wider.
"I'm sure you'll hear some news soon. I just came by to check how things were going," he said.
"Yeah, thanks, that was really nice of you," James said absentmindedly, turning back to the double doors.
Sirius leaned forward in his chair and asked, obviously much more interested in the visitor than James was, "Do you know where Peter is? We tried to get a hold of him but no one seems to know where he is. He's not on some job for the order is he?" James could feel the undercurrent of protectiveness in Sirius's voice. All of the maurauders got tense when one of the others was on a job.
Dumbledore hesitated for a moment as if thinking, then, "no, he isn't on a job. He's been a little unavailable lately." A brief look of concern crossed his aged face, but he quickly brushed it off and continued, "yes, well unfortunately, I really can't stay, but let me know when you have any news," he said seriously. James nodded distractedly as he left.
Suddenly, as if the man was a prophet (which James really wouldn't put past him), those very same doors swung open and a nurse hustled out, her hair frazzled and looking exhausted. Sirius and Remus both stood up and all three men hurried to the woman, the other two a half of a step behind the new father. None of them missed the flash of fear in her eyes as three, slightly deranged looking men rushed at her. They would laugh about that later for sure.
"Well?" Sirius said impatiently, raising his eyebrows. "Do I have a godson or goddaughter?" The eager look on his face was enough to make James absolutely positive that he and Lily could not have chosen a better godfather for their child. And he raised a good point. Magical children emitted a magical aura, even while in the womb. If you tried to penetrate that aura, you could potentially hinder the development of the baby. Unfortunately, the aura made it impossible to find out the sex of your baby in a harm-free way. It was one of the very few things James was jealous of muggles for. To be able to have known if James would have a son or a daughter nine months ago…
"Well, actually," the nurse began, hesitating slightly, which caused James' stomach to clench as he feared the worst. James suddenly felt extremely dizzy and gripped Padfoot's shoulder for support, who reached up and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Both." Huh?
"Excuse me?" James asked in a daze. What were the chances that we have a hermaphrodite?, was the first, crazy thought to flit through his mind.
"Well, Mr. Potter, your wife just gave birth to twins. You have a son and a daughter. Both are perfectly healthy, as is your wife" She smiled at the dazed man. At first, it made so much sense it was not that much of a surprise. Twins was a much more reasonable explanation than a baby hermaphrodite. But then the reality of what the nurse said hit full force. The dizziness increased. James glanced over at Sirius and Remus in disbelief. They were staring at the nurse with expressions of shock that James assume mirrored his own. Then Padfoot jumped slightly, whooping and raising his fist in the air.
"You hear that Prongs? Twins! Well, when you do something, you really do it," he let off with a bark of laughter. James tried to glare at him but was incredibly unsuccessful due to the huge grin that was currently plastered across his face.
"You can see your wife and children now," the nurse told him. James nodded wordlessly, absorbing the plurality of the word children, and followed her through the doors.
Lily was sitting, propped up in her bed, soaked in sweat and as beautiful as James had ever seen her. She was holding a pink bundle in her left arm and a blue one in her right. James rushed over and kissed her.
"Twins," James murmured into her sweet-smelling hair, still in shock.
"Twins," she said, laughing, in agreement. James looked down at the tiny bundles in her arms. They were so tiny. Both were asleep, but a few wisps of black hair clung to the round head of the boy and a small fist with impossibly tiny fingers poked out of the pink blanket. James reached over and held the little fist in his hand, slowly counting each finger in amazement. Sirius had bounded over to her other side and was looking at the infants with an expression of pure awe. Remus stood slightly behind him, also admiring the twins.
"We need to name them," Lily murmured, bending down to gently kiss each forehead.
"What were you thinking?" James asked her. They had discussed it, but never came to a conclusion, deciding to wait until he or she was born and seeing which name seemed right. Little did they know they would end up with a he AND a she.
"Well, I was thinking Harry for the boy and Melanie for the girl," she said, looking at her husband to gauge his reaction.
"I think those names are perfect." James grinned and she grinned back. Sirius and Remus nodded in assent.
"Melanie Rose and Harry James it is," she said. At his questioning glance, she added, "well James is the obvious choice and as for Rose, well I think we might as well continue the flower tradition," she laughed. She handed James the blue bundle and Sirius the pink. As James looked down at his son and at his best friend holding his daughter, he momentarily forgot the horrible, warring world that they were all currently living in. Of course, James never would have guessed just how entangled in that war his family would be.
August 1st, 1980
Headmaster's Office, Hogwart's School
It was several hours after Dumbledore returned to his office, in the early hours of the morning, that his fire flared up and James Potter's head appeared, announcing the birth of his twins. Dumbledore forced a smile onto his aged face, but the minute the joyous father's face disappeared, he buried his own in his hands and sighed in despair. His worst fear, and yet in a twisted turn of fate, their greatest hope, had manifested itself. When he had recovered enough, Dumbledore sat up and wearily touched his Pensieve and listened to the words for the millionth time:
The ones with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approach… Born to those who have thriced defied him, born from a single womb as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark them as his equals, but they will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either side must die at the hands of the other for neither can live while the other survives… The ones with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…
February 2nd, 1981
Godric's Hollow
It was impossible to try and track time. It couldn't have possibly been six months ago that her two bundles of joy came into the world. But as Lily stood there, feeding them some sort of blended vegetable mixture, looking at how much they've grown, she was forced to admit it.
But still, they were so tiny. Harry was a little bigger than Melanie, but they were still both relatively undersized babies. Normal for twins, Molly had told her. But looking at them, so small and vulnerable, Lily felt sick. How are two infants, so tiny and innocent, destined to defeat the darkest wizard to ever live?
Dumbledore had informed her and her husband of the prophecy a few weeks after their birth. He thought it would be prudent for them to take the appropriate precautions. Lily still vividly remembered that horrible day. Sitting there in that majestic office, Melanie in her lap with James by her side, holding their son, Lily had never felt more afraid or vulnerable. That day was the day Lily truly understood what people meant when they said that you couldn't begin to understand the love a parent possesses for their children until you have your own. Just looking into James's eyes revealed he felt the same way. At that moment, the hazel orbs that were normally so soft and full of comfort, looked dark and frightening. Someone had threatened his children.
Now, months later, Lily still felt sick. A constant pressure had taken up residence in her stomach. By this point they were well hidden. James had taken every safety precaution possible. He even became a little obsessive. Apart from the family and the Marauders, he would barely let anyone else hold the twins or into the house.
But despite this, Lily felt that something was wrong. It was like the old saying- you can't have your cake and eat it too. She was just wondering how long their lives of bliss would last with the world full of destruction, chaos and evil enclosing in around them. Looking down as her children played on the floor, amazingly in tune with each other for six-month olds, she, as she often did, began to feel guilty for bringing them into this world of misery and violence. Lily shook away these dark thoughts as the backdoor banged open and James, his eyes alight with cheer at being home, came charging into the living room. He gave his wife a quick kiss and immediately dropped to the floor to be on the twins' level. Lily smiled as Melanie laughed as her father tickled her gently and Harry attempted to throw a stuffed animal at him in an effort to get him to stop attacking his sister. The dark thoughts at bay for the moment, Lily joined them on the floor. Maybe, just maybe, they'd be fine.
May 12th, 1981
Headmaster's Office, Hogwart's School
The elderly man sighed heavily as he looked across his desk at the young couple sitting across from him. Lily clung to Harry, who was sitting on her lap. Dumbledore had repeatedly told her that he was welcome to crawl about but she didn't seem to trust him after he offered the infant a lemon drop that one time, almost five months ago. The memories of her screams came back and only the grave situation that prompted this meeting kept the man from smiling. "Honestly, Albus! You can't give a four-month old candy!"
James, with Melanie sitting contentedly on his lap, was looking at him anxiously.
"James, I think its time you stop working and go into hiding full-time," the headmaster finally said. It's like ripping off a band-aid. The faster, the easier.
James's eyes hardened slightly but he nodded. Everyone in the room knew he is willing to do whatever he can to protect his young family.
"Also, I know this will be hard, but I would like to talk about possibilities of the future. If anything were to happen to either of you, which we are taking all possible measures against, I assure you, I need to know what you want for your children." Dumbledore couldn't bring himself to look them in the eyes as he said this. How do you look into the eyes of a parent and discuss the very real possibility that they might not be able to see their children grow up?
"Sirius gets them. He knows that. You know that. That's why he's their godfather," James said firmly. Lily nodded in agreement as she clutched Harry a little tighter. The boy didn't protest, his wide green eyes just staring across the desk at the older man.
"But, I know this is hard, but if both of you are… gone, it is possible that Sirius will be too," Dumbledore said with difficulty.
"Can Remus take them?" Lily asked hopefully. The headmaster sadly shook his head.
"I am sorry, but he is legally not able to have underage children living in his home."
"Peter is too absentminded for a baby," James muttered, almost to himself. He looked up, "What about the Longbottoms or the Weasleys?"
"That is a possibility," Dumbledore admitted. "However, Lily, don't you have a sister?" A look of horror crossed her face.
"No," James said forcefully. "My children are not going anywhere near that family." Lily nodded firmly in agreement.
"If you really feel that strongly about the matter," Dumbledore began slowly, unwilling to give up what he viewed as the best option for the two marked babies.
"We do," Lily said. "You can take them before you send them there." Giving it a second of thought, the older man nodded in agreement, confident in his own opinion that they are simply overreacting.
October 31st, 1981
Godric's Hollow
Melanie's laugh. It had been his favorite sound for the past fifteen months. It was indescribable what that girl's laugh could do to him. And Harry's grin. All coupled with bright green eyes. Lily's eyes.
Lily watched in amusement from her place on the couch as James rolled around on the ground with the twins. The perfect end to any day.
James seized his daughter, his heart swelling at her squeal of joy, and tossed her gently into the air. James heard Lily cluck her tongue disapprovingly behind him, but she didn't comment. Harry crawled over and stuck his hand on his father's face, briefly covering his right eye. Surprising him, James gently poked him under his outstretched arm and he recoiled, grinning, his bright orbs glowing. It amazed him everyday how much emotion he could contain in his young eyes.
"Da!" he exclaimed. James grinned as he did every time one of his children addressed him by that title. James sat up, cradling Melanie to his chest.
"Yes?" James asked innocently. Melanie laughed again. Then she looked up at me.
"Fun-ny," she gurgled. James kissed the top of her head.
"Yes, I am, aren't I?"
Suddenly, a cold draft wafted through the house. A crack of thunder outside made the windows rattle. Only then did James notice how dark it was out.
Melanie immediately stopped laughing. Looking at her, James would almost say she looked scared. Then she started to cry. Lily got up off the couch and came over, confused. The twins rarely cried. Harry, seeing his sister's distress, began to wail as well.
Slightly nervous, James hoisted Melanie into his arms and stood up, patting her back, trying to soothe her. Lily did the same to Harry, but neither had any luck. Then the front door banged open and the air grew even colder. Feeling sick, James hurriedly handed Melanie off the Lily.
"It's him! Lils, it him! Take Harry and Melanie and go! Go upstairs and find a way out! I'll fight him off." He kissed her on the lips, quickly but passionately, and brushed his lips across both of the children's foreheads. They had stopped crying now, as if they realized they needed to be cooperative.
Lily looked torn, unwilling to leave her husband but possessed by a fierce desire to get her children to safety.
"Go!" James hissed again, drawing his wand as he crept toward the front of the house. She gave him one last desperate look and, clinging to both babies, rushed up the stairs. A fear like James had never known gripped his insides as he rounded the corner and came face to face with Voldemort. While fighting the urge to puke and readying for a fight, he listened desperately for any noise that might indicate that his family had gotten away safely. No such noise was heard. Instead, the snake-faced wizard let out a cold, evil, laugh and raised his wand.
October 31st, 1981
Godric's Hollow
The motorbike crashed to the ground a few hundred meters from Godric's Hollow. Trees surrounded the property so Sirius is unable to see it in the distance. Abandoning his bike, the young man sprinted down the road towards the house that contained four out of the six people he truly cared about in this world. Maybe four out of five, hethought darkly.
Rounding the corner, Sirius skidded to a halt in horror. The little house was half gone. It looked as though the entire right side had been blown up. The right side… where the nursery is. Sirius threw up into a nearby bush.
As he made his way to the house, climbing and stumbling over the rubble that had been strewn across the front lawn, he tried to ignore the thoughts that were running through his mind. They're fine, hetold himself. It's not Voldemort, just an accident. Maybe James decided to try to cook again. But they're all fine, everything's fine, everything's going to be fine.
He was still unconvinced when he stepped over the threshold. With a gut-wrenching sob, he noticed James's body, crumpled and bloody, at the bottom of the stairs. Sirius ran over and flipped his best friend face up. He doesn't have a pulse. Sobbing, Sirius stumbled up the stairs, looking for Lily. He trailed his hand down the hallway walls that he helped paint towards the door to the nursery that normally holds his godchildren. He found her, her flaming hair spread out around her, in front of the nursery door. He couldn't force himself to go into the nursery. He didn't think he could handle the sight of Harry and Melanie's bodies.
Feeling more lost than he had ever felt, the broken man turned to head out, planning to find Dumbledore, find Remus, find Peter. Peter. How could you have done this?
It's only then that Sirius heard a cry. A baby's cry. Impossible…
Turning around, he ran into the nursery. Harry's on the floor crying, Melanie beside him. Their foreheads were bleeding. A crumpled pile of cloth lay on the floor a few feet in front of them. Grabbing them, Sirius held his godchildren to his chest and murmur, "shh, it's ok, it's going to be ok." Will it?
He made his way down to the street, clutching the babies as if his life depended on it. He shielded their eyes from the bodies of their parents. Even if they won't remember it, they don't need to see it.
Hagrid arrived up just as the sad party reaches the outdoors, with a portkey in his hand.
"Sirius," he said, unsure of what to say to the man. Sirius looked at him as if he'd never seen him before. "Gods, Sirius, I'm so sorry. Dumbledore sent me to get the kids."
"What?" the godfather said harshly. "No, you can't have them," He sounded deranged even to his own ears. "They're mine. I'm their godfather."
"Dumbledore wants to see them, though," Hagrid looked unsure. Suddenly, Sirius noticed his cheek was wet. Some of the blood from Melanie's forehead had gotten on him. They needed medical attention. And Sirius needed revenge on the person who caused them to need it. Acquiescing to Hagrid, Sirius allowed him to take them to Dumbledore, planning to hunt down Peter, bring him to Remus, deal with him and then return to the twins at Hogwarts. Or St. Mungo's. He lent Hagrid his bike, knowing how much Harry and Melanie love to ride on it. Sirius kissed their foreheads goodbye and set off to find the rat.
November 1st, 1981
Surrey
It was a cold night in Surrey. Well, considering the clock had ticked past midnight a couple of hours ago and it was officially November, a bit of a chill was understandable.
It was also a cloudless night in Surrey. The moon and thousands of stars could be seen perfectly as they twinkled up above.
It was also a silent night in Surrey. Nothing was on the street, no sound was being made. Everybody was asleep and safe in their beds. Well, almost everybody.
It was also a strange night in Surrey, for this night found two small bundles on the doorstep of the house at Number 4, Privet Drive. The two bundles were close together, as if they were huddling from the cold. And, if one looked closely enough, one would see that on this cold, cloudless, silent night in Surrey, there was a small hand peeking out of each bundle, clutching the other in unconsciousness.