Halloween 1981
A/N: This is my first fic from the era of MWPP. Hopefully, it will make you laugh, cry, etc etc. This takes you from the night before Lily and James die, to the very moment when Voldemort does his worst. Answers a lot of my questions about what happened that night, the last words Lily and James said to each other. I also gave Peter a conscience…which might have been too kind…I don't like him very much…Snitch. :) I hope you enjoy! Obviously, I own nothing except maybe the Potters' house because technically its floor plan was visualized in my head….but I'll probably get a letter from WB telling me to fork it over before they sue me…Oh well. All they'll get from me is their own HP merchandise back…because that's all I've got. : ) Please review!
"Lily Evans Potter, Halloween comes but once a year," proclaimed Sirius Black with a most solemn expression on his face, one hand over his heart.
Lily shifted Harry in her arms and looked up into Sirius' handsome face. His grey eyes were sparkling in anticipation but his gaze was soft and serious. He understood.
"I'm sorry, Sirius. But we can't be reckless and risk it. You know how things are right now."
"Lils, I do know. I'm the last person in the world who would want to put James or his family in danger." He took her hand firmly.
Lily stood up.
"You know I would willingly and readily give my life for any of my friends. Please, Lily. It will just be us…and my little cousin Nymphadora. Remember how last week you told her all about how you used to celebrate Halloween, dressing up and doing that thing where you go door to door and collect free candy? Well, you know how she is. She absolutely adores any opportunity to turn her hair magenta and sprout another appendage. She's been looking forward to giving it a go and I felt so awful denying her a little bit of fun in the middle of all this…I thought if I could just bring her here--"
Harry had noticed the silver chain around Sirius' neck. The crests and charms hanging from it ticked as he moved and Harry had taken quite a liking them. He reached out his tiny hands, squirming out of Lily's grip.
Sirius glanced down quickly and chuckled softly.
He took Harry in his arms and let Harry play with the crest of the Marauders he had designed with his three best friends last summer. Harry toyed with the silver fastenings and squeezed the leather of Sirius' motorcycle jacket and laughed at the soft noise it made.
Sirius bounced him lightly and soon Harry was snuggling down, his miniature hands still clutching the silver charms.
She took a deep breath.
"James? What do you think?"
Lily turned around. James, Remus, and Peter were all crammed on the sofa in the Potters' cozy living room, quite a feat for three full-grown wizards.
Remus was toying with the hem of his robes and Peter's eyes were darting around. He seemed to jump at every creak of the sofa, every scuff on the floorboards.
James had his hands clasped in front of him and his jaw was set.
"I don't know. The Order is doing everything in its power to protect us. There's really nothing more that we can do. As long as we try not to blow anything up," he gave her a little lopsided grin, "or attract too much attention—"
"That might be a little more difficult," Remus quipped softly.
"I see no reason why it would be incredibly fatal for us all to be together for just a little while on Halloween night."
"Well, I suppose," started Lily thoughtfully, still wary, "But Sirius. It's even more dangerous for you to be to be out and about."
Lily turned back to him. Her eyes were pleading. He was the Potter's Secret-Keeper and therefore an even bigger target than Lily and James for Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters.
He exchanged a look with James over Lily's head and then said, "I'll only stay for a little while. And I'll be careful," he urged softly, his chin resting on Harry's head as he swayed softly.
Lily looked at James who got quickly to his feet and went to her. He folded her in a tight embrace, his arms wrapping around her waist. He bent, resting his chin on her shoulder and said softly, "I'm scared, too, Lily. But I really think that this could be alright. Besides, the Marauders have always been stronger together than apart."
Lily grinned and looked around the room.
Remus smiled at her warmly and reassuringly, and even Peter offered her a weak, slightly twitchy grin.
"That's true…Oh, alright."
"Wonderful. We can't break with tradition. You know that, Lily." Sirius grinned, easing back into his old self again.
"Besides, the day you married us—" said Sirius, indicating all of the Marauders.
Lily snorted.
"We vowed to worship the ground you walk upon and to never put our feet on the coffee table and you promised to allow us to keep our traditions," Sirius finished good-naturedly with a flourish.
Remus threw a pillow at him. It hit Sirius in the knees.
"Moony! I never thought you'd be the one to strike a man with a baby in his arms!"
James laughed.
"Tell that to Lily."
He ducked and ran like a coward away from Lily, in hot pursuit. He skidded around the back of the sofa, sliding in his stocking-ed feet and almost strangling Peter has he grabbed for something to keep from falling.
"Oop—Sorry, Wormtail! Augh!" he puffed as Lily swiped at him. James narrowly missed but caught her hands and had her in his arms the next moment. He spun her around, dancing.
"Very smooth, Prongs," Remus commented.
"I know," said James suavely and pompously, winking at him as he dipped Lily, who giggled.
"You git."
"Ooh, language, Evans. Harry's still in the room," James shot back. "I think I'll have to take fifty points of Gryffindor and give you some midnight detention," James continued, with a rather suggestive intent.
"James! You are such a stupid idiot!" Lily yelled shrilly, blushing furiously.
"Alright! That's it! Let it be known here and now that the second Harry starts sporting a mouth, it is officially not at the fault of his father or uncles. Rather, it is solely all his mother's doing!" stated James triumphantly pointing at her.
"I second that!" hissed Sirius, raising his free hand.
Remus snorted as Lily fumed. Peter was kneading his hands but managed to force a laugh and raise his fist in celebration.
"James Potter, you are without a doubt the—"
But what he was, nobody ever found out because he had his arms about her once more and had pulled her playfully into an armchair with him.
"Oh, I detect a snog-session about to commence," said Sirius.
"That's our cue to go," Remus replied in affirmation. "Come along, Peter!" he said in a sing-song voice, pulling him up from the sofa, slinging an arm fondly over his shoulders, and dragging him out of the room towards the door.
Lily pushed James off her, laughing, and he sped to the door to bid his best friends good-night…and to prevent Sirius from doing what he had threatened to do since the day he first held Harry, and walk out the door with him.
James took the sleeping Harry out of Sirius' reluctant arms. Everyone got hugs and Sirius gave Harry one last kiss goodnight.
Lily walked Remus and Sirius out to her front garden, her arms linked in theirs. As they exchanged kisses with her, she begged them to watch after themselves as they trouped off in opposite directions, Remus vanishing with a wave and a pop and Sirius on his motorbike.
Peter remained on the doorstep with James who was cradling Harry.
"How will I know it's you lot tomorrow night? The usual?"
"You can count on it," Peter replied, his voice cracking dreadfully.
"Well, go home and take care of yourself," James told him, clapping a hand on his shoulder, acknowledging the break in his voice with a worried look.
"You too," murmured Peter, his eyes falling from James' face to the slumbering Harry.
James noticed.
"I know, mate. It's been over a year now but I still can't believe it. Isn't life ironic that way?" he quipped, his eyes holding their old mischievous twinkle.
"That it is," whispered Peter.
James pulled him into an embrace Peter was a bit quick to break and could not even look at Lily as they passed each other on the walk.
"Goodnight, Peter. See you tomorrow night," she said. He just quickened his pace, his eyes unable to meet hers.
Odd. But she was rather used to it. He had always been a bit shy around her. Yet there was a new nervousness that alarmed her.
She returned to James and Harry and kissed Harry's nose as she asked, "What's wrong with Peter? He seems particularly jumpy tonight."
James closed the door and turned to Lily.
"Sirius suggested that we change our Secret-Keeper. And I agree. Nobody would ever expect it to be Peter, but Voldemort and his crowd will all be searching the skies for Sirius."
"But James. Do you think it wise to make Peter guard this? I mean, he's not strong like Sirius. If they were to question him, and they're bound to with or without Sirius, then he could break. If not Sirius, then Remus—"
"It would be too risky with Remus' condition. And Lils, as horrible as it sounds, I'm relieved that it's Peter now. I can sleep a little easier knowing half the dark wizards in the world aren't plotting to abduct…well…my brother," James admitted guiltily.
Lily could see his point as she always felt certain protectiveness over the frail Remus Lupin. She thought for a moment.
"You're right. Our secret's safe with Peter."
She thought for another moment. "I only wish I had known. I could have at least thanked him for what he's doing." Her brow furrowed and lips pursed.
James smiled. That was his Lily, always so considerate, generous, and loving, constantly thinking of others. He pulled her close and kissed her nose.
"He knows, sweetheart."
He pressed his forehead against hers and she snuggled close, feeling the warmth of her family.
"Oh, gosh, poor Harry. He's been waiting to be put to bed!" Lily whispered, her eyes flying open as she came back from her thoughts. James yawned sleepily at the reminder and they started up the stairs towards the nursery.
James and Lily both kissed Harry before James lowered their son into his crib and tenderly lay him down.
Harry gave a sigh, squirmed slightly and then continued on in silent slumber.
Lily put her arm around James' waist, both caught in watching their baby sleep.
"Is it wrong to feel so happy right now?" Lily whispered, her voice shaking.
"No, Lily. It would be a tragedy to live in such constant fear of tomorrow being our last day on earth, that we forget to live today's joys while we have them," he murmured into her beautiful auburn hair.
And as if Harry understood and wanted to remind them of their greatest joy of all, let out another sigh and shifted in his crib.
Lily bent down and stroked his hair softly. "Goodnight, my love," she whispered. James smiled, kissed Lily on the head, put his arm around her, and led her to bed.
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To be continued as soon as I transfer the next part onto my computer from my journal…:)