Disclaimer: This is only a fan fic story created from reading too many books and listening to one song one too many times. This story is, in no way, intended to infringe on any copyright from Enya, Lord of the Rings: The Followship of the Ring, or J.K. Rowlings' Harry Potter books and characters. I really appreciate and respect these people's creations. If I have accidentally written in something that just happens to be someone else's idea, I apologize for not citing you as a source and ask that you immediately notify me so that I can correct that grievous mistake. (I also read other people's fan fics so I might have unknowingly incorporated a few ideas here and there.)This story is also my first to be posted on the internet, so I really don't have any idea what I am supposed to write in a disclaimer other than that I don't want to make anyone unhappy with me and cause them to sue me (because I don't want legal trouble and I don't want my parents to kill me…)
May it be an evening star shines down upon you
Mrs. Evans looked out into the soft purple sky as she rocked her daughter Lily to sleep. Lily was a beautiful child, taking after her mother's rich red hair and her father's deep green eyes. Mrs. Evans was not gifted in magic but she did have dreams that were prophetic. She knew Lily would die young after a full life and that her grandson would cause a great event. It pained Mrs. Evans to think that her daughter would die before her. But who said that she had interpreted her dreams correctly?
Lily Potter stood over the graves of her parents, killed in a car crash, taken from her too soon. In her arms was her baby son, Harry, her parents' first grandson. He was barely a year old and would never know any of his grandparents. James, her husband, was close by her side. Sirius and Samantha stood a few yards away, respecting their grieving friend.
May it be when darkness falls your heart will be true
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off —" James yelled, drawing out his wand. There was a brief moment when time stopped, allowing them to share a final good-bye and "I love you" with their eyes. It was only one second, but it was enough. The Potters had loved well in what little time they had together.
Lily ran into Harry's bedroom where he was surprisingly quiet for all the fear and sadness that night. As the sounds of a duel came from the living room, Lily knew with a clear certainty that she would die with her husband before the sun rose again the next day and only Harry would survive the night. With all the love that only a mother could have for her child, Lily took Harry's hand and cast her last charm, a spell full of love and protection from evil.
Lily opened the window of the nursery when James screamed from the living room and Lily closed her eyes, a single tear running down her cheek. It was over, all this hiding, all this secrecy had brought her family a few months, but they were months that she treasured.
The door of the nursery burst open. Lily shielded Harry as Voldemort advanced on them.
"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please — I'll do anything —"
"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"
"Stand aside you silly girl…stand aside now…"
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead —"
"Don't be stupid, stand aside girl…"
"Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…" Lily saw no mercy in his eyes as he raised his wand.
"No!" Lily blocked Voldemort's way, shielding her child. Lily barely heard the words of the Killing Curse before she died, still holding Harry in her arms.
You walk a lonely road…
Samantha watched as the cemetery workers filled in the new graves and left. The mourners had long dispersed from the graveside services for Lily and James Potter. The sun was setting as Samantha walked toward the graves. There was a time when the darkness was to be feared, but that time was past and the approaching darkness seemed appropriate. The brightest stars in her life were gone. She had heard the eulogies the people had given about Lily and James, but there were three people who were not present to speak: herself, Sirius, and Lily's sister, Petunia. Sirius was in jail for something he did not do while Petunia was a bitter woman who did not seem to love her sister, neither in life nor death. And Samantha felt her grief would not be accepted by those who knew her.
She crumpled down in front of Lily and James' headstones, sobbing. Her best friends were gone; never would she talk again with Lily, never would she laugh at James' jokes, never would she be kissed by Sirius, never again, Samantha felt, would she be so loved by people. Samantha wanted to vanish; to disappear, to sink into the earth, to die, so great was the grief. Then a sudden hand gripped her shoulder. Samantha nearly screamed, but it was only Remus. She relaxed and buried her face in his shoulder, crying and crying. Silent grief carved itself in Remus' face. Life would go on, but it would never be the same, never as bright as Samantha's ring was, sparkling in the fading sunlight.
Oh, how far you are from home.
Samantha unpacked her bags in the tiny apartment she had rented. She was in a new land, somewhere faraway from those painful memories. Samantha was born on American soil, spend most of her childhood growing up in the land of "liberty and justice for all," but moved to Britain when she was only ten. She felt more British than American, but it was time to make a new start at life, it was time to run back to a place that was home and yet not home: America. Samantha knew she was running away from her memories, but that's what she felt she had to do to keep her sanity.
Harry Potter woke up in his cupboard underneath the stairs. He had a dream that seemed very familiar, more like a memory than anything else. He had been in a room, sitting on someone's knee, watching two couples dance. Harry could not recall of ever having met those people, but he knew with certainty that one of the dancing couples were his parents. He closed his eyes, reaching for the faint wisps of the images that were quickly fading. They were laughing, it was Christmas and there was love. Harry felt a deep longing for his parents, for a home away from the Dursleys.
May it be that shadows call will fly away…
Samantha set foot on Her Majesty's soil again after many long years. The Headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore, had offered her a job, and perhaps, a chance to be reconciled to the world she had grown up in. Sirius, she learned, was a free man again, on the run, but at least free from the horrors of the dementors. Her godson, Harry, was at Hogwarts during the school year and under the care of Petunia's family during the summer.
The Ministry was in great disorder over Voldemort's rise. There was suspicion that the Ministry was not to be trusted at all. The situation was dire. People were failing to unite in the face of Voldemort's threat to civilization and the Light. The Dark Lord's strategy of tarnishing the reputations of the most essential people in the leadership of the Light was working. But Samantha hoped that he would not learn about her or her students at the small private school known as the Academy—an innocuous name that hid the powerful nature of its students and professors.
May it be you journey on to light the day…
Harry Potter arrived at the meeting of the Order of the Phoenix with Headmaster Dumbledore. He was surprised to see the new foreign Defense against the Dark Arts teacher welcomed like an old friend by each of the people gathered there. Harry was certain that she had come from America.
"Samantha, this Harry Potter. Harry, this is Sirius' wife," said Professor Dumbledore calmly dropping the bomb shell. Harry looked at Samantha in confusion. Why hadn't she taken care of him when Sirius was jailed? Why hadn't she come forth earlier to claim her relation to him? Why was she here now? Why hadn't Sirius mentioned her before? Samantha knew what questions he was thinking; she had gone through those same questions for so many years.
"If you give me time, I'll explain everything to you," Samantha said quietly as she shook Harry's hand.
When the night is overcome…
It was over; the fight was done at the cost of so many innocent and brave lives. Harry Potter looked at the field of the final decisive battle with weary eyes. How many people had he known who died for the Light? Where were Ron and Hermione, Sirius and Samantha, his friends? He looked around frantically for them on the field which was swarming with people carrying off the injured, locating the dead, or searching for the missing.
"Over here Harry!" Samantha called out and Harry ran towards her voice. He found Hermione mending Ron's ankle while Samantha treated Sirius' burn. They were alright.
"Well done Harry," Professor McGonagall said as she passed by, supporting Neville.
"Professor, where is the Headmaster?" Harry asked. Professor McGonagall's face saddened a bit.
"He's feeling a little weak Harry, but he'll be right," with that she left with Neville.
"We did it Harry, we did it," Ron said hoarsely. Harry smiled—something he hadn't done for months.
You may rise to find the sun
From the Other Side, Lily and James smiled down at their son. They had left life too soon to raise him, but they were proud of their son and grateful to those who influenced Harry to grow into such a strong, honorable, brave young man. The two had watched the battle and saw their son in the front ranks as the forces of the Light clashed with the Dark. To their surprise, they were granted permission to cross the Wall for a brief moment to watch the sunrise with their son and his friends.
Two faint figures appeared next to Harry. Samantha was the first to spot Lily and James. She gasped and tears started to run down her cheeks. Sirius took Samantha's hand tightly. Hermione and Ron both looked shocked. Harry turned around and a feeling of love washed over him. The war was over and life would go on. The Dark had fallen once more. The sun rose on the group, washing them in golden light. And Samantha's ring sparkled with the promise of a new day, a better one than before.