WHAT WE WOULD DO FOR YOU
A/N: For the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. The prompts used are: beyond the darkness, glitter, and tickle, and the relationship focus is parents. Most of you are probably not reading this because of the competition. I hope you enjoy it. It's basically a few scenes mashed together.
James laughed as he tickled Harry on his belly.
Harry giggled, "Aboo, Daddy!"
"Aboo? But l'il Prongslet - ack, Pads is rubbing off on me - I can't tickle you again!"
Harry chose this moment to produce his cutest puppy face yet, one that probably should have reminded James of Sirius, but instead made his heart melt. Unlike Sirius. That was the difference between his adorable son, and his annoying brother.
"Fine, one more time, l'il Pron - Harry, Harry, I said Harry - otherwise Mommy'll be very mad at me. You wouldn't want that, now would you?"
Harry gave a grin suggesting that he didn't care if James got in trouble. Or it could mean he was pretending he knew exactly what James was talking about when in reality, he did not.
Lily chose this moment to walk into the room.
"James! I told you to put Harry to bed!"
James had the sense to look guilty.
"I'm sorry, Lils...but he gave me that puppy face! You know how hard it is the resist the puppy faces!"
To prove James' point, Harry made his signature expression and said, "ABOO!"
Lily decided James was a helpless case when it came to enforcing rules. Although, when it came to her son, she couldn't resist on doing what was best for him either.
"James, you really have to get Harry in bed, it's getting late."
"But...but...Padfoot was coming over today!"
Lily playfully slapped James. "Oh, shut up. One kid is enough for me."
James laughed.
Lily was sitting next to James, hugging Harry tightly to her chest. Just a few moments ago, Harry had been laughing, throwing food everywhere, and now she'd been told the worst news she could possibly hear as the mother of a child.
Harry, on the other hand, squirmed, not really liking it very much. He wanted to breathe, to take in the world around him...now all he felt was his mother's boobs and a ton of black space.
"Albus, I don't understand why there is the sudden threat now. All this time—"
"—we were not aware of how big a threat Voldemort was becoming," Dumbledore said, cutting off James smoothly. "I am not much happier about this situation than you, Mr Potter. At the end of the day, it is your choice."
"How do we know we can trust this anoynomus source? Is it not possible that he may be really working for You-Know-Who, and is trying to stop us from fighting?" Lily asked, glancing down at her son worriedly.
"I am positive that the spy is on our side, Mrs Potter, and has your safety and the safety of the greater good as first priority," Dumbledore replied.
"Sir, we would do anything for our son," James said, standing up.
"What can we do to protect Harry?" Lily asked.
"A lot of things, but I would recommend the Fidelius Charm, as it is the most safe," Dumbledore said. "It requires the use of hiding the location of the concealed patrons in the soul of another."
"I'll do it," Lily said without hesitation.
"Mrs Potter, you will not be able to go into hiding and-"
"Sir, I don't need to hide, if anything happens to me, then James can take care of Harry," Lily said stubbornly.
James spoke up, staring at his son, who was now breathing softly against his mother's chest.
"Lily, are you sure? You know You-Know-Who is searching for our family-"
"James, I know what I'm doing. He's my son as well yours. I think I know what I'm getting myself into."
"What if he gets you?" James had now raised his voice. "I can't very well raise a son on my own! He deserves a mother. I don't think I want Harry growing up in an environment where he doesn't have both parents. It'll kill him!"
Lily took in this information silently. A son needed his mother. A son needed his father. Harry needed the both of them. They had to go into hiding...for Harry.
"Mrs Potter?" Dumbledore asked, watching her intently.
"Who can we do?" Lily asked at last.
"I can," Dumbledore said, within a few seconds.
James immediately made a face. For his son, he needed someone who cared about his son as a human being; Dumbledore was liable to do anything with Harry for the greater good.
"Sirius Black," James said.
James cared more about Harry than Dumbledore on any day. He was the boy's father, and the only person who cared about her little baby as much as Lily. She looked down at Harry, rubbing his hair gently. She knew what she was going to do.
"JAMES! I TOLD YOU IT WAS A BAD IDEA TO BRING GLITTER INTO HIDING!" Lily yelled, for what seemed to be the billionth time.
"Oh come on, Lils," James said, chuckling and patting Harry on the head. "A little mess can do no harm."
"No harm?! James, what kind of alternate reality are you living in when you think leaving a baby with a tub full of Muggle glitter is no harm? It's all over the floor! And who's gonna be stuck cleaning all this up? ME!"
"Hey!" James said, looking apalled. "I did it the 664th time!"
"Oh, for the love of-"
In the midst of all this, Harry was giggling softly, tossing the rest of the glitter out of the jar, and onto the floor.
Lily's eyes softened upon seeing this, at they had done the one billion times prior to this moment. It always pleased her to see Harry playing with the glitter, because it gave her a sparkle of hope - okay, more like a bazillion sparkles of hope - that there was still something to live for. That there was something beyond the darkness. Something that mattered. Something to fight for.
James, on the other hand, stared at Lily in relief, and was not thinking any metaphorical thoughts. He had been expecting her to lash out, as he did every other time. He continued to tickle Harry, while Harry decided this was the moment to throw the jar of glitter up in the air, laughing as hard as he could.
"Okay, James, you have to put Harry to bed," Lily said after a while, smiling at the mess Harry had made. "I wanna clean up."
"But Lily, you already cleaned up every other time. It's my turn. You put Harry to bed," James said.
"Now, that would be an excellent idea, had Harry actually been easily accessible for me. You're practically on top of him, James," Lily said, raising her eyebrow.
"I am not!" James said, although he paused and took a look at his position in relation to his son. "All right, fine, I am. You go put him to bed, and I promise that I'll put him to bed tomorrow."
Lily scoffed. "If you promise..."
James got up, handed Harry to Lily, and stretched his arms. "I have to go get my wand to clean this thing up..."
"James!" Lily admonished. "We are being terrible role models for Harry! What's he gonna think when he's older, that he doesn't have to carry his wand everywhere?"
"Seriously, Lily, what's gonna happen to us here?" James asked. "We're stuck in this stupid house, so we don't have to need our wands. Nothing's gonna happen...the things I'll do for my son."
"James-" Lily said, but was cut off by James.
"It's not a problem, though. I mean, I'd do anything for Harry, and even if it means that I need to look at glitter for entertainment, then so be it."
Lily smiled. "Glad to know you're actually fit to be a parent."
James dropped his jaw in mock shock.
"Yes, I had my my doubts, James, don't make that face at me. It was common knowledge."
"Hey, whoa whoa whoa, hold the powder," James said, grinning. "I'll have you know I'm an excellent father. Lemme ask my son!" James turned to Harry. "Hey, buddy, aren't I an excellent father?"
Harry shook his head in delight. James made a face, but was unable to reply, as the lights had flashed.
"James, what's happening?" Lily asked, holding Harry tightly.
James heard the door creak open, and made a motion to Lily. He walked slowly near the door. All James knew was that in that moment, he had to protect Harry. And then he saw it.
"LILY! TAKE HARRY AND RUN! IT'S HIM! I'LL HOLD HIM OFF!"
Lily's eyes widened and she ran as fast as she could up the steps of her house. She was only thinking of Harry. It was only after that she realized escape was inevitable. There was no exit to their house, other than the one he had blocked. Harry.
Voldemort had burst into the room, his wand pointed directly at Harry, and he was laughing. Lily's brain was on hold, thinking only of Harry. She stood directly in front of him.
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily begged.
"Stand aside, you silly girl...step aside now."
And that was when it hit her. Voldemort only wanted Harry; she could live. But she had a duty, she had vowed to protect her child from anything! How could she let an idiot kill something she had produced?
She continued to beg, "Not Harry, please no! Kill me, take me instead! Not Harry! Please, have mercy...have mercy...have mercy..."
The room flashed with a piercing green light.
The things a parent would do for their child.
THE END.
A/N: Please review with your thoughts.