Chapter 1 - A Mother's Love

A sharp crack split the chilly night air of August 1st as a cloaked woman suddenly appeared in the middle of the street outside of London, a bundle of cloth tightly pressed against her chest in one hand and a short stick that anyone magical would recognize as a wand in the other. Casting her gaze around herself as she walked/ran towards the looming building at the end of the street, the woman kept her wand held at her side, white knuckled fingers tightening even further every time she passed beneath the shadows one of the large trees that lined the road.

The woman visibly relaxed as as she reached the welcoming aura of light that illuminated the entrance to the gated courtyard and the house behind it, as well as the sign that stood beside the gate. Purposely ignoring the large sign - she already knew what it read and had no wish to remind herself of what she'd come to do - her wand reached out and tapped once against the gate and with a single word it sprung open before her. Another tap with her wand once she was through and the gate swung shut once more.

In a sharp contrast to her previous frantic rush, the woman's pace was slow and her quiet, gasping breaths echoed around the empty courtyard as she walked. Normally she would have been enthralled by the freely growing garden that wound throughout the courtyard for she was a great lover of nature, but as tonight was likely her last, she wished to spend as much time as she could with the sleeping bundle in her arms.

The woman's step faltered at that and she stumbled. Staggering forward momentarily, she allowed her wand to slip from her hand as she wrapped her other arm around her child, steadying him as best she could. Having recovered, she held her child in the crook of her arm as she checked him over. A smile could be seen peaking out from beneath her hood as she discovered that he was unharmed.

Adjusting the sleeping baby once more, she bent down and retrieved her fallen wand before moving the last few steps to the buildings large wooden doors, a pair not unlike the great doors of the boarding school she'd attended when she was younger - a school her son would unfortunately never attend.

Kneeling down, she placed her still sleeping child down on the cold stone that made up the building's landing. Drawing her wand and ignoring the heavy feeling bearing down upon her that made it even more difficult to breath, she began to cast a series of charms that she hoped would make her son as comfortable as possible. Unfortunately, her condition was affecting her worse than she had thought and manipulating her magic was far more difficult than she was expecting and the woman was gasping for breath as she finished.

Pushing aside a stand of damp red hair that had fallen across her vision, she leaned and kissed her sleeping son's forehead before slipping in a pair of letters into his blanket; one bigger than the other.

"I-I'm so sorry," she half whispered, half choked out as she pressed her forehead to his, "I had so many plans for us. I was going to teach you to read, just like my mum did for me and your dad was going to teach you to fly. He always loved doing that, you know? I'm sure you do, you look just like him..."

The woman was openly crying now, her hood falling back as tears ran down her face, revealing a head of long, messy, red hair. As if picking up on her distress, her son started crying as well, his wails ringing out far louder than her quiet sniffles. Her eyes shooting open, she reached down and scooped him up and hugged him against her chest.

"Shh, shh," she whispered, stroking the soft tuft of black hair on his head, "It's going to be alright, son, it's going to be alright. You're going to be happy here, I promise. You're growing to grow up and meet a wonderful woman, start a family and be ever so happy. And...and..."

Blinking to chase away the moisture clouding her eyes as she found herself trailing off, she forced a smile and planted a last kiss on his head, "Now," she said with a mock sternness, "I better not see you for a long time now, you hear me?" She giggled lightly in spite of herself at that before adding, "If I do, I'm going to be very upset with you. Now, always remember that I love you H-"

The woman abruptly stopped and hastily wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her cloak; the lights within the house had been turned on and she could hear someone shuffling within. It was time for her to leave.

"Goodbye," she whispered, retreating off the landing.

A sense of elation mixed with her despair as she retreated into the shadows of the courtyard. One of her children was now safe, it was time for her to make sure her other child was safe. Then she could yell at her husband for leaving her to ensure the safety of two children all by her lonesome.

It was from the shadows that she watched as the orphanage doors were thrown open and light spilled out onto the landing. An elderly lady stepped out moments later, glancing around before her eyes alighted on the small bundle she'd left there. The woman quickly gathered up her son without a moments thought - a fact that the hidden woman was immensely grateful for.

Satisfied with what she'd seen, the woman whispered, "Goodbye," once more to the now empty and dark courtyard before spinning on the spot and disappearing with one last, loud crack. She had a Dark Lord to kill.

Letter left to St. Peter's Orphanage

Dear St. Peters,

As I'm sure you're aware, there's been a rash of terrorist attack all over Britain these past few months. Unfortunately my family and I have come into the sights of those monsters. My Husband was in-fact taken not a week ago, I do not expect to see him again and soon, I expect soon that I shall join him

I know it may callous of me to leave my son here, alone, on your doorstep this eve, but it's the best course of action I could think of in the short time I have left. I know they're coming for me, and soon, I know - this is the reason I have chosen to leave one of the lights of my life upon your doorstep, I have no wish for him to be near me when they do find me.

Unfortunately, a birth defect in my son leaves him different from the rest of his family and will be unable to claim his inheritance once I am gone. (A rule of the government, and not my own personal choice, I assure you.) It is for both that reason and the fact that I have no wish to be attached to the dangers of my family that I name my son 'Harry Evans'.

Within, I have included a framed picture of me and his father. I beseech you to give it to him as soon as he grows old enough to understand and to make sure he grows up safe. As his mother, I hope that you can find or give him what I cannot - a loving home.

Signed, A Loving Mother

Quick AN: The first (and last short) chapter of a story that's been running rampant inside my head. This will hopefully be a unique take on the "Wrong BWL" story. As an FYI: this chapter was short on purpose, in the future expect 5-10k word chapters.

Until next time, RawMaterial signing off.