Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Title: Green Eyes, Nine Lives
Rating: T
Pairing(s): Not at the moment. Check again later.
Green Eyes
Prologue: Lily Potter
They felt the wards drop.
James' smile faded. Baby Heather stopped playing with her stuffed black dog and looked up and around. Lily stood from the couch. She cursed the war, as it took so much from her. She cursed Voldemort, as he was the cause of it. She cursed Peter for betraying them. She cursed not having her wand on her. James shot to his feet and grabbed his from the carpeted floor.
They heard the front door unlock. Click.
"Lily." James grasped her by the shoulders. "Take Heather and run."
"James."
"Lily." His grip tightened. "Lily, please."
They locked eyes. Her lip quivered. Her eyes itched. She grabbed her husband by the shirt. "James. James, no-"
He kissed her. They pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers. She could see the tears in his eyes.
"Go."
She didn't want to.
The front door flew off its hinges and crashed into the opposite wall.
They pulled away. Lily scooped Heather up into her arms and ran for the stairs. She ducked as a spell flew over her head. It hit the wall beside her, knocking framed pictures of their time at Hogwarts, their wedding, and Heather just after she was born to the ground. She reached the stairs and climbed them two at a time. The war that they hid from started up again in the living room behind her. She cursed and sobbed as she realized that it would likely be the last time she saw her husband.
Her husband would not see their daughter grow up. He would not see her go to Hogwarts. He would not see her play Quidditch or date boys or graduate or get married. Lily knew she likely wouldn't either.
Lily ran down the upstairs hallway and slammed the door of Heather's room shut behind her. She tried to apparate. It didn't work. She tried a second time just to be sure. She checked the window and thought about jumping. She couldn't risk Heather getting hurt. If she had her wand, she would have done it in a heartbeat.
The spell-fire from downstairs stopped.
Lily placed Heather into her crib. Her baby girl clutched her stuffed dog tightly and looked up with green eyes just like hers. Lily knelt down, entangling their fingers together through the crib's bars. She wondered what it would have felt like if her daughter was all grown up. Her hands would have been so much bigger. It almost made Lily cry just thinking about it.
"Heather," Lily whispered. "Heather, mummy loves you. Daddy loves you. Be safe. Be strong."
Mother and daughter stared into each other's eyes. Lily poured all of her love into that look. She hoped Heather would survive. She hoped that Heather would understand someday. She hoped that Heather would grow up happy and healthy and loved. Lily hoped, and hoped, and hoped.
The door behind her opened.
Heather squeezed her hand. Lily saw love in the slow blink her daughter gave her. She saw understanding. She saw gratitude and kindness and truth. She smiled and knew her daughter would be alright.
"How touching."
Lily stood proud and tall and turned to the cloaked man who stood in the doorway.
"Not Heather, please not Heather!"
"Stand aside, stupid girl."
"Take me instead! Not Heather, please!"
"Move aside."
"Please, pleaseā¦"
"Avada Kedavra!"
The green light of the killing curse hurled towards her and Lily Potter knew no more.
