Chapter 1
The two women enclosed one another in their arms and sobbed into each other's shoulders.
"I'm going to miss you so much," Lily mumbled.
"I'll miss you too." her friend replied. "But what's the alternative? It's the only way you'll be safe, you know that."
"I know, but it doesn't make it any easier. And, you know, there's still a chance we might never come back."
"Don't say that! Of course you will! Even Voldemort can't break that strong a charm. And you know Sirius would die rather than betray you."
"I know, but I just."
"No!" Rebecca said, "As soon as the danger's past, you and James and Harry will be back here, good as new."
Lily smiled at her friend; she didn't know why she had such a bad feeling about this. Albus had said that the charm was foolproof, Sirius was more than trustworthy as their Secret Keeper, and nothing could go wrong. But somehow she couldn't feel safe. Perhaps it would be all right when she got to the house with James and Harry. They were her family. That was another thing. Her parents. They didn't know anything about this. They couldn't know anything about it; they were too much of a risk. She was so afraid. She wished James would hurry back. He and Sirius were coming together on Sirius' motorbike.
Albus Dumbledore picked up the tiny bundle that was Harry Potter and handed him to his mother. Lily gathered the blankets around the child to keep out the chill wind.
Rebecca leaned over to see the baby. She took a hold of his hand.
"Take care of your mum and dad," she said with a watery smile.
The two friends caught each other's eye and hugged again.
"Don't worry," Lily said, "Everything will be fine."
Rebecca nodded. She had to be strong. A noise from above told her that Sirius was coming. The motorbike landed somewhere nearby. James and Sirius appeared from behind her carrying the last few boxes of the Potter's possessions. They put the boxes on the ground with the others. James gave Lily a quick kiss on the cheek.
"What took you so long?" Lily asked her husband.
"We were saying goodbye to Remus," James answered. "He sends his love. He wanted to come and say goodbye to you, but ." James pointed upwards at the moon, now full.
"Is everything ready?" Albus asked.
"Yup," said Sirius, now standing at Rebacca's side, his arm around her waist.
"Then perhaps the rest of us should say our goodbyes and get going," he suggested, his eyes twinkling more than usual, if Rebecca hadn't known it to be impossible, she would have thought there were tears in those bright blue eyes.
"Yes," she said, "You can't waste time."
Rebecca swallowed back tears and tried to smile. Sirius' grip tightened on her waist protectively.
"What about Peter?"
"I expect he'll be running late," Sirius answered. Rebecca couldn't be sure but, from his tone, she thought there was something that Sirius was keeping from her with regards to Peter. Dumbledore seemed to have noticed too as he shot an inquiring glance at James and Sirius. Rebecca was suddenly worried. She and Sirius never kept secrets from each other. She had never been in a relationship that had been so open and trusting. Had the situation been different she would have commented, but in the present circumstances she didn't feel that it would be appropriate.
Dumbledore reached out to shake James' hand, and then kiss Lily on the cheek.
"Good luck," he said, "And don't worry."
Rebecca gave them each a hug and looked in at Harry.
"Goodbye," she said, stepping back towards Dumbledore. "See you soon."
Rebecca kissed Sirius quickly and without another word, she and Dumbledore disapparated.
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Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling
The two women enclosed one another in their arms and sobbed into each other's shoulders.
"I'm going to miss you so much," Lily mumbled.
"I'll miss you too." her friend replied. "But what's the alternative? It's the only way you'll be safe, you know that."
"I know, but it doesn't make it any easier. And, you know, there's still a chance we might never come back."
"Don't say that! Of course you will! Even Voldemort can't break that strong a charm. And you know Sirius would die rather than betray you."
"I know, but I just."
"No!" Rebecca said, "As soon as the danger's past, you and James and Harry will be back here, good as new."
Lily smiled at her friend; she didn't know why she had such a bad feeling about this. Albus had said that the charm was foolproof, Sirius was more than trustworthy as their Secret Keeper, and nothing could go wrong. But somehow she couldn't feel safe. Perhaps it would be all right when she got to the house with James and Harry. They were her family. That was another thing. Her parents. They didn't know anything about this. They couldn't know anything about it; they were too much of a risk. She was so afraid. She wished James would hurry back. He and Sirius were coming together on Sirius' motorbike.
Albus Dumbledore picked up the tiny bundle that was Harry Potter and handed him to his mother. Lily gathered the blankets around the child to keep out the chill wind.
Rebecca leaned over to see the baby. She took a hold of his hand.
"Take care of your mum and dad," she said with a watery smile.
The two friends caught each other's eye and hugged again.
"Don't worry," Lily said, "Everything will be fine."
Rebecca nodded. She had to be strong. A noise from above told her that Sirius was coming. The motorbike landed somewhere nearby. James and Sirius appeared from behind her carrying the last few boxes of the Potter's possessions. They put the boxes on the ground with the others. James gave Lily a quick kiss on the cheek.
"What took you so long?" Lily asked her husband.
"We were saying goodbye to Remus," James answered. "He sends his love. He wanted to come and say goodbye to you, but ." James pointed upwards at the moon, now full.
"Is everything ready?" Albus asked.
"Yup," said Sirius, now standing at Rebacca's side, his arm around her waist.
"Then perhaps the rest of us should say our goodbyes and get going," he suggested, his eyes twinkling more than usual, if Rebecca hadn't known it to be impossible, she would have thought there were tears in those bright blue eyes.
"Yes," she said, "You can't waste time."
Rebecca swallowed back tears and tried to smile. Sirius' grip tightened on her waist protectively.
"What about Peter?"
"I expect he'll be running late," Sirius answered. Rebecca couldn't be sure but, from his tone, she thought there was something that Sirius was keeping from her with regards to Peter. Dumbledore seemed to have noticed too as he shot an inquiring glance at James and Sirius. Rebecca was suddenly worried. She and Sirius never kept secrets from each other. She had never been in a relationship that had been so open and trusting. Had the situation been different she would have commented, but in the present circumstances she didn't feel that it would be appropriate.
Dumbledore reached out to shake James' hand, and then kiss Lily on the cheek.
"Good luck," he said, "And don't worry."
Rebecca gave them each a hug and looked in at Harry.
"Goodbye," she said, stepping back towards Dumbledore. "See you soon."
Rebecca kissed Sirius quickly and without another word, she and Dumbledore disapparated.
*************************************************************
Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling