The Gift!
Or - A Second Chance, The story of a Mother's Love
Originally by 'Dumbledor', now my handle is: 'The Light from Within'
This is an 'improvement' upon my original story, posted here, listed under the same story name. Ever since I first posted it, I've gone back to it Improved upon it, at least in my way of thinking, I've made some changes that I like. There are many stories here that have been written, that I dearly like, some have story lines in them that I've enjoyed. Anyway, since Harry dearly loves his mother, and she's had an important effect upon him, I thought of writing a story line from her perspective, but, with a 'twist' or a change, that I like. IF you have some positive thoughts, leave me a Review, tell me why you like it. "Dumbledor' was my original 'handle', I'd lost my password and changed my internet provider, and could not retrieve my password, so, I changed my handle and have reposted my original story with it's improvements;Now, my handle is 'The Light from Within'. It's long but, it works for me. I've sent an email to the site providers, but, I've not heard back from them. I am not trying to break any rules, deliberately. I'm just reposting my original story with it's improvements. Please bear with me. If anyone can assist me in getting back my original handle of Dumbledor, I'd appreciate it.
Flashback
The Beginning
1Music: Hedwig's' Theme
It all started with Lily.
Behind every good man is an even better woman, and in Harry Potter's case that would be Lily, his Mum. Ginny was to come later, much later, after he'd been developed, trained to be who he should be, by his Mum.
Somehow, it just seemed to be the 'right thing to do', or so it seemed.
It always was.
Especially, for Him.
Afterall, He was her Father, and He had many concerns to look out for. But, Lily was a very special daughter to Him, in this dispensation. He had given her qualities that would stay with her quite literally, forever . Not to mention the Gifts that, in time, the proper time, she was to inherit from Him.
Unbeknownst to any of His other children, and He did have many, Lily had Grace Bestowed upon her even before she attained her Mortal Estate. And, not just Grace from her Father, but, Kingdoms, Principalities, Dominions, Estates both High and Low all this extending unto the Eternities. For next to Eve and Mary, She was just like unto them.
This Was, for He knew her Heart. For it was just like His, for He created her in His own Image.
And that's how it should be. After all, Lily is a Mother, a 'Mum', the bringer of Life into this world and the one around whom the Family revolves.
It is she who is the heart of the Family.
And so, this story starts at the beginning, with Lily, and what transpired that caused such a cascading of events that virtually changed the Magical World.
It was all a part of His Grand Design.
It all started with Lily, who was a Mother, a 'Mum' to her little boy, her first born. She is of the House of Godric Gryffindor, the House of the Brave, the Noble, those for whom bravery and sacrifice are second nature. And it is Lily who wanted to be a Mum, that's all, nothing more, just a Mum to her son, to raise him, teach him and be with him in his life when he'd need someone to help him.
This, then, was Lily's aspirations.
And, Unknown to her there was Someone who had His Eye upon Lily and knew her heart.
Even before Lily herself even knew, there was Grace Bestowed Upon Her, Grace in such abundance that it, quite literally, overflowed Upon Her in such abundance that it just could not be contained within and upon her Mortal Frame, and could be, not just felt, but literally SEEN, by all around her. In the brightest of the daytime Sun or the darkest of night, Lily's Grace was literally Seen to be overflowing from her as if it were a gentle fountain that never seemed to run out.
Lily walked with the Grace of her Father.
Forever!
It was with Him, both her Father and her Living God, that she communed with daily. He, was her strength and her guide. As she walked in this world, both Magical and Muggle, ALL saw her for Who she is: The Eternal Daughter of the Living God.
Both saw her, Magical and Muggle, for all the evil that permeates our world, it could not so much as even touch her, neither physically by the hands of those who served evil, nor the curses in the Magical World. As Lily walked upon this Mortal World, those who needed her help and asked for it always received it. The resources of this world that she used were always there for her in great abundance, for she served the Will of her Father, the Will of her Living God.
Lily was sitting in her office, in the Ministry, the Office of Experimental Charms where she was the Department Head, even at her very youthful age. She was the holder of such talent in the area of Charms that no one surpassed her, that is, even IF they could be found.
Her dearly beloved husband and Eternal companion, James, was an Auror, a Wizard who went after and caught 'Dark Wizards', those who broke the Magical Laws and harmed others. He was good at his job, very good. At times, he'd have Lily accompany him on his Missions, and it was on three of these Missions that they both encountered a Wizard named 'Voldemort', he was the Darkest Wizard ever to walk the Earth in the entire history of the Magical World, even more so than Grindenwald, the Dark Wizard of a couple generations previously who was defeated by Albus Dumbledore, the current Headmaster of Hogwarts. Only one other couple of Auror's faced Voldemort and lived, and they were the Longbottoms, Frank and Alice. James and Lily stood up to Voldemort and fought him, dueled with him, and survived. Lily stood beside her husband, never fearing for her own safety, but instead, defending her husband. She felt that her place was by his side, and there she stayed. Lily never backed down.
It was on a fall day that Lily was sitting at her desk, her thoughts going over the previous night's Dream that she had. She'd always slept peacefully, dreams for her were a rarity and it was this Dream that caused her much concern – she had been given a message, in fact, a job to preform:
Lily, Lily my beloved daughter. I have come to you in your dream to give you a message. I have a job for you, designed especially for you and no one else. You are much loved by Me and so have found Grace in My Eyes. In the near future, a few days hence, you'll be facing your enemy, one whom you've faced thrice before. This, my beloved Daughter, is to be a lesson for you, a lesson in Sacrifice and Love Unfeigned with no guile nor fear in your heart. Your enemy wants your son dead and I want you and your husband, James, to face this enemy and defend your son with love in your heart, not anger, only love for each other and love for your son. I want you to stand up to your enemy and give of your very life to defend your son with. You do this and I promise you that with the sacrifice of your lives, your son will live, and that all you give up, all that you sacrifice will be given back to you with an Eternal increase. Always remember, my Beloved Daughter, I will always love you and be with you in your darkest hour.
Lily thought over what was told to her in her Dream. The person talking to her, she'd felt that she had known him, or of him previously, but she just could not place him. He talked, so she felt, that he talked from a position of authority, absolute authority and with a peacefulness that calmed Lily's heart.
She had to follow this direction, for as fearful as it sounded, she was not afraid. All day, she'd just thought and thought of what she knew she'd be doing, be facing in just a couple of days and she felt no fear. That, she could not explain. She just didn't want to at this time. It was unnecessary.
James
Lily
Harry we will return
Love
Sacrifice
No fear nor anger
Voldemort
Lily got a sheet of parchment and wrote down a few thoughts: James' name, her name, their son's name, the words Love, Sacrifice, and 'no fear nor anger', and lastly, Voldemort. She circled her son's name many times as she thought. Next to her son's name she wrote a sentence fragment: 'we will return'. There, she just left the parchment on her desk. It would not be bothered.
Lily went downstairs to the Department of Mysteries where she met one of the Wizards she personally knew – an Unspeakable. As an Unspeakable, their jobs are so sensitive that they are not allowed to talk about what they do nor are any other people allowed to ask them about their jobs.
Lily was that sole exception.
"Hi. I'd like to ask a question."
"What is it?"
"Have you ever heard of anyone 'coming back'"?
"Coming back from where?"
Lily bit her lower lip and hesitated before answering. "Please, don't think of me as having gone around the bend, but I do need this question answered truthfully."
He looked at Lily momentarily, nodded his head as if he'd made a decision. "Ok, I'll answer to the best of my ability."
"I need to know if you've ever heard of anyone returning from the dead, other than as a ghost."
The Unspeakable looked at Lily as if she'd grown two extra heads. "Lily, what you ask . . . there have been rumors that through the use of the Darkest Magic. But even that, Lily, is highly questionable. When you die, you don't come back. It's just not within our power. Now, I've got a question for you: Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason, really." Lily turned and paced some. The Unspeakable was very patient.
Lily turned and looked at him and saw that he didn't really believe that answer. Lily took a deep breath and continued.
"I had a dream. It concerned my family – Me, James and Harry, and . . ." Here is where Lily hesitated.
"And ?"
"Someone else who wants my son dead. He wasn't mentioned by name, in my dream, but, I do think it was Voldemort. This is just more than some bad nightmare or whatever. It's something that I feel strongly about. That's why I was asking."
"If you need protection, or if you feel you do, James is in the perfect place to ask for help. Don't ever hesitate."
Lily smiled at him. That's all, she just didn't want to tell him, or anyone else other than James, what she'd discovered. Of the two sources: her Dream and what the Unspeakable told her, she believed in her Dream. This was something that she could not put her finger on but whenever she thought about what she had dreamed about, she felt at peace, and that was what she counted on.
Lily went to find James while she was here at the Ministry. It was time she told him what she'd found out, her discoveries and what they needed to do. It was going to be difficult. That was the most understated thought she'd ever had, but it was needed. The most important part of her life was her son. If her dream was truly right, then she'd do it. Her son was more important than her own life. He needed this chance to live and she would do all she could to make sure that her son would have that chance.
She was his Mum, and that was her job.
Lily was standing outside the door of the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.
She needed to talk with him, to inform him of what it is she must do, of what was asked of her to do, her and James both.
She was NOT afraid.
She opened the door and walked in.
"Good afternoon, Lily. To what do I owe this pleasant visit from you?" Albus said.
"I need to talk with you, about something that I've discovered."
Albus just sat there at his desk, crossed his hands and nodded his aged head. "Come in, sit down and talk with me."
"I've had a dream last night, Headmaster, one that I've never had. In fact, I never dream, but this one, was so real, I can't dismiss it."
"Tell me about it, Lily. What of it do you remember?"
"I was told that in a few days hence, I'd be facing my worst enemy, someone whom James and I have thrice met. That he'd want my son dead, but that I, and my husband, are to face him with no fear, but instead with love in our hearts for each other and for our son. We're to sacrifice our lives to preserve our son's life. If we do this then all we've sacrificed, all we've given up, will be returned to us with an eternal increase." Lily got up and walked around, pacing. Thinking. A habit of hers that is to follow her long after this life and well into the next one. If only she knew, but, her intuition was telling her something. . . ,
"How do you feel about this, Lily?"
"Albus, I'm, well," Lily turned around to face him, "I'm not afraid. Strangely, I'm at peace and I can't explain it." Lily just sat there, letting the warm and peaceful feelings come back over her again, just like she felt when that voice came over her. It was a sight, to Albus, that brought back to him a memory of long ago. Something that he'd almost forgotten. It occurred shortly after he'd taken on the Mantle of Headmaster. That sight,of Lily sitting here, so peacefully resigned to her impending fate, yet with not a shred of fear nor hatred towards her enemy, brought to Albus a result feeling that what she was telling him was the truth. Not only that, but there was a question, more of a Quest that ALL headmasters had been on since the founding of this great school.
And, sitting here was the answer?
To that Quest, or so it seemed to Albus. Here as nothing that he could do, that he even wanted to do, for what was to happen was the right thing to do, to happen. In the immediate future, there'd be pain, yet in the future, and far beyond that, would be the Dawning of a New Age for the Magical World.
And the Key to all that greatness was sitting here in his very office!
The barest slip of a young woman whom he'd known since her first day here.
The astonishment was overwhelming in it's immensity.
After the immediacy was over, in time, Albus knew he'd see her again, only when he did she'd be different, for the Power she'd then be wielding would be staggering in it's most absolute form.
The Magical World would then hold no more power over her, for all would eventually succumb to her – all the Dark Forces in their entirety.
This barest slip of a young woman who only had love in her heart.
It was evening; Godric's Hollow was quiet for such a holiday night.
Halloween was upon them.
The Potter home was like any other Magical Home on this wonderful night – full of joy, laughter and love for one another, for a very good reason: They had a fairly new 'little one' in their home.
He was the product of their love, looking much like His Dad, but with his Mum's eyes, her startlingly Emerald Green Eyes.
Out of the fireplace came a message, someone was flooing in to give them a message.
"James! Lily! Run! Get out now! The Death Eaters are coming for you! Take Harry and get out NOW!"
Just as suddenly, the messenger was gone, but the two experienced Aurors understood – and feared.
Even though they were both members of the Order of the Phoenix and had confronted Voldemort on three separate occasions together, they feared meeting him and his Death Eaters especially in their home with their son present. They knew what that meant.
James was the first to react.
"Lily, take Harry and run, I'll hold them off as long as I can."
Fear was in Lily's heart. Not just for herself and James, but for her son.
"James, I can't leave you here, you'll be killed like all the others."
"Lily, you and Harry are more important than me. Just go!"
She grabbed Harry in her arms and ran upstairs to the nursery, not knowing what else to do with her son. Downstairs, the front door burst open and James started firing the Killing Curse – he never hesitated because he knew what was at stake: The very lives of his wife and son. He knew what was to happen: He and Lily had seen the aftermath before: Dead witches, wizards and their children. Whole families gone.
These people took no prisoners and left no one alive.
They were merciless.
James took out a few of the Death Eaters, but there were just too many of them.
James' last conscience thought was of his much beloved wife and son.
He died, valiantly, defending them to the last.
He never gave up.
Upstairs, Lily could hear the fighting, the curses being expelled when suddenly, all was quiet.
Fear struck her heart, she KNEW, felt, what happened.
She'd lost her husband.
She knew he'd died defending them, and she knew what was to come. Her charm had been activated by the manner of James' death, by his sacrifice. James had finally paid the ultimate price out of love for his family, but he knew why he'd done so And, it was not in vain.
Lily reached out and picked up her infant son, held him in her arms for, perhaps, the final time, for now. "Son," she said "I love you. I'll always love you, for worlds' without end, I shall love you.
But for now, I have to sacrifice myself to protect you, My son, its' all I have left to offer, but it'll be enough."
Lily cried, while holding the most precious, the most valuable Gift ever – her son. And with her, just just slightly out of sight of all mortal eyes were her Father and His Legions of children all of whom heard every word that Lily said, they each and everyone, heard, and felt Lily's plaintive heartbroken cry for if EVER there was to be a tear shed THERE, it would have been now at hearing Lily.
Including her Father.
But, He was protecting her, keeping her for His own Planned Ends of which His dearly beloved Daughter would play a major role. At this time, even now, Father had his Uncounted Legions of Angels at the Ready to go to Lily to her rescue whenever Father gave The Order.
The door to the nursery burst open and there stood the most feared Dark Wizard ever to have walked the earth in a thousand years.
Lily placed her son down in his crib and stood in front of him, protecting him in the only way she could, for now, and that was with her body. Lily was about to protect her only child, her son, with all she had to offer and that was with herself, the Ultimate Sacrifice.
"Give me the boy!"
"No! I'll never let you have him. He's my son! You can not have him!" Lily was of the House of Gryffindor, the house of the noble, the brave hearted, those for whom courage was unbounded and unequaled by any others. But, even as she said this, she had a small, but faint premonition, or deja vous that it'd happened before, or something like that. It didn't make sense, but that feeling was a good feeling. No matter the outcome, she felt her heart at peace. But, there, just outside of her sight and yet standing next to her were her Host of Siblings, each one supporting her, all, though Lily did not know it.
It was this feeling that she felt, for it came directly from them.
"Get out of the way you silly little girl – or die!"
"No, you'll have to kill me first!"
"Get out of the way." He raised his wand pointing it to her chest.
"Please, take me, but leave my son alone, let him live, please!"
"One last time: MOVE ASIDE!"
"No! I'd sacrifice my life to help my son live!" Even as she cried out her statement a brief thought crossed her mind: WHY was he so anxious for her to get out of his way? Why ASK her instead of forcing her?
"So be it. Avara Kadavra"
Lily saw the flash of green light and with her last conscience thought being of her baby, she died.
But, Harry was not left alone. Lily's charm, her Master Charm that had been activated by James' death, had now been sealed – permanently – by her sacrificing of her life – by the spilling of her blood.
This, the most Ancient of all charms of Protection, had been activated, for in the Magical World, this was the polar opposite of the killing curse. The sacrificing of an Innocent Life Provided a Gift, a Protection that could not wear out nor be overcome in any way by any kind of curse.
Life IS precious!
One Promise had now been fulfilled.
If Voldemort had only known in its totality just what he'd done, and started, he'd have laid his wand down at her feet and begged her forgiveness.
But, he didn't do that, for it was not in his nature to have those feelings, for he'd given them up to become what he is now.
If only.
Voldemort was of the Dark and Lily was of the Light. The Dark – and ALL of it's curses, was overcome long before Voldemort was even conceived, long before humankind, both Muggle and Magical, had ever lived. The Dark had been overcome in the very Beginning when Father uttered those four words:
"Let there be Light." And, there was Light, and He saw that it was good. This then, was why Voldemort failed, for even in the very beginning, Voldemort had been defeated before he'd even started.
Voldemort was a tool in the hands of Father to show us the failure of the Dark and His own Inconceivable Power to help us, His Children.
Voldemort looked down upon the girl whom he'd just killed and then looked up at the baby she'd been trying so desperately to protect. What Voldemort did not know was the protection that Lily's son had;
Father had His Legions of Angels surrounding Lily's Son so that had Voldemort had even so much as touched her most precious gift, that of her only son, Father's Legions of Angels would have instantly intervened. Pointing his wand, pronouncing the killing curse, he fully expected death to take Harry.
But something went wrong.
Horribly wrong.
The curse rebounded from Harry and Killed Voldemort.
All that was left was a broken husk of a dead body and his wand. The Death Eaters discovered him moments later and knowing the Ministry's Aurors were soon to be here, they left quickly.
Peter Pettigrew picked up the wand and left, walking behind Lucius. They all disappeared into the night never looking back.
Meanwhile a small baby, left by himself, tried to hold on to his Mum and being protected by Fathers' Legions of Angels, keeping him in their Care. Harry was just a baby, a small toddler, totally innocent and it was THIS innocence that enabled him to see the Unseen Hosts of Father. They cared for him till Hagrid arrived. And what Hagrid saw when he got there did not surprise him in the least, for he was just like Lily's infant son in his innocence, for if Fathers' Legions were Mortal, they'd be as Hagrid: full of Love and Compassion and Charity of Heart. Thus, what Hagrid saw upon his arrival at the Potter's Home, were the Legions of Angels surrounding Harry, Lily's infant son. Hagrid was recognized immediately and allowed to take Harry away, for being like unto Them, he was quite capable of protecting Harry so much so, that Hagrid, if he was compared to Harry's Unseen Protectors, Hagrid would definitely be like unto them, in his Magnificent Indomitable Spirit.
…..
Somewhere, relatively close by were two women who were about to give birth, one was magical and the other was a Muggle.
...
Back at the Ministry, a few days later, Cornelius Fudge, the Current Minister of Magic called Albus plus an Unspeakable to meet with him in his office. He told them it'd be a fairly short meeting.
"Albus, I've asked you both to come over so I could have you both with me when I went into Lily's Office."
"That's understandable, Cornelius. Shall we get started, then?" Albus asked.
"Yes, best to get this over with. She's a great lost to us here at the Ministry. I just don't know how I'll be replacing her."
They went down to her office and unsealed her door and walked in. Left outside the office were four Auror's for protection, just in case, due to the cirmstances.
They looked around and saw nothing fairly unusual, except when Albus walked around her desk and looked down at that lone piece of Parchment that Lily had left there a few days previously.
"Humm, I wonder what she was . . . , thinking . . . ," Albus Dumbledore mumbled to himself as he looked at the paper left there. He recalled their conversation in his office and looking at what she'd wrote, surmised what she'd been thinking. "Cornelius, have you thought, just WHY the Potter boy
survived?"
"Albus, what a question. Everyone in our world has been asking that very question.
To have survived the Killing curse – why, no one's ever done that – never in our entire History. It's just not possible. . . . , yet, the Impossible was done. I've not come up with a single answer. Have you?"
Albus just nodded his head in the affirmative. Both Wizards there notice that small indication of an answer.
But, he never gave any verbal reply, instead, "Cornelius, may i suggest that you seal this office and not let
anyone in it until the appropriate time?"
Cornelius looked back to his old friend wondering what he met by that unusual statement. "What would be the appropriate time? Who would be coming in here and for what?"
"I wish to tell you both something, but what I'm going to say, it must NEVER leave this room, nor be inferred to, until the appropriate time. You'll know when that is, believe me. There's to be only one person to enter here."
"Albus, explain yourself, neither of us understand you."
Albus looked at both Wizards, directly into their eyes, "Lily will be returning, as will James. She and I discussed this possibility in a round about way. I know what Lily did and why. She will be returning. She has a reason to, a very good reason, the most powerful of all reasons. And when she does return, she'll be
the one I've been searching for. All the evil that permeates our world will not be able to so much as even touch her, not ever again."
"Albus, what do you mean, that Lily and James will be returning? They're both dead, and the dead don't come back – ever!" Cornelius said this with a harsh finality while looking directly at his old friend, Albus.
Albus looked at Cornelius for a long moment in time, and barely shaking his aged head, "You're wrong, Cornelius, I know what I know. It's an absolute fact that just hasn't come to past – yet. But, it will."
Albus shook his head in wonder at his student, of all his students, of all the generations he's spent here as Headmaster, he's never come across one such as Lily.
Never.
Not even close.
"As you wish, Albus. I only hope that day is not too far off. You be the one to seal it. You'll know what to do since it's your idea."
"Agreed."
Standing outside the door, the Wizards stood by as they watched Albus place a sealing charm upon Lily's Office Door, a rather unique one that would allow only one person to enter, and that would be Lily herself.
These three Wizards – the Minister, the Unspeakable and the Headmaster, together knew quite a few of the Ministry's secrets, but together they didn't know not even a small fraction of what Lily herself knew. And that included the amazing secret that was held within Lily's office. Of all the secrets concerning the Magical World that the Unspeakables knew, and Lily knew them all, even they did not know the most amazing secret that Lily knew, that Albus inferred to. It was this secret that would help change the entire Magical World.
...
As this meeting was taking place, there was a rather joyful occasion in a small Wizarding home and a Muggle home. Two brand new babies had come into the world and their respective families were overjoyed.
...
Later, at the Ministry, where the measurements of magical activity are recorded, a sudden leap of Magical Energy was recorded. It was unprecedented in its' size and magnitude so much that it went off the scale.
It went off like a concentric circle and covered the entire British Isles continuing outwards towards all the rest of the continents, and encircling the Earth. It's magnitude was staggering,for it did not diminish in Power while on it's outward journey. Everyone felt it, even the Muggles.
There, standing outside of a typical Muggle home in a Muggle neighborhood, stood a very old man, with a long white beard wearing long robes and a pointed hat. At the sudden appearance of the Magical Energy, there appeared over that Muggle home a column of pure white light, magical in Appearance. It covered the entire home where the muggles lived and soared high into the heavens completely out of sight. It was moving, stars in it appeared and there seemed to be 'beings' of pure white light to be moving within it, ascending and descending. In all of Dumbledore's extremely long life span, he'd never seen such a magnificent sight such as this. He had to keep this to himself, yet he had to say something, but he didn't know, yet, what it was. He was to ponder that question far into the night for an answer. He knew, felt, the meaning of what it was he's been allowed to see. It made him happy, joyously happy, for a New Age had just Dawned.
He now knew what it was he wanted to say.
Then, it was gone as quick as it came.
Later, as the Ministry tried to locate its' source, they couldn't find it, and Albus was not about to tell the Ministry what he'd discovered. It was too important. It was in a Muggle section where no known Wizards or Witches had ever lived or been known to have lived. It was noted, recorded and then forgotten.
Forgotten by all but by one Wizard, and that was Albus Dumbledore. He made a mental note of it and it's location for later reference. He had his knowledge but never discussed them with anyone.
Now was not the time. That would come later, in about eleven years and it was THEN that he would start looking. He knew what he was to look for - it was the answer to a Thousand Year Long search ever since Hogwarts was founded.
And, it happened on his watch.
He felt that now he could make his final preparations for his final Task. He felt good about it.