Summary: The wizarding world is complacent, and history is destined to repeat itself for those who do not learn from it. Twelve years after the fall of Voldemort, a new Dark Lord rises from the shadows. The youngest child of Harry Potter is destined to defeat this new evil, but she is only ten years old. What can she do in the face of overwhelming darkness?
A/N — This is obviously an AU. In this reality, Harry marries Daphne Greengrass (who, in my mind, smacks some sense into him when Albus is sorted into Slytherin). James and Albus are also a good seven and six years older than Lily, respectively.
House: Hufflepuff
Year: 4th
Category: Standard
Prompt: [action] hiding
Word Count (not including title and author's note): 1342 (Google Docs)
The Girl in the Walls
"Sweetheart, wake up!"
Lily Luna Potter woke with a start, her eyes wide open in terror and heart racing. She had been dreaming something pleasant—she couldn't remember what it was about now that she was awake. All she remembered was suddenly feeling afraid.
Groggy, but now somewhat alert, she looked up and saw her mother standing over her. The end of her wand glowed, and it was the only source of light in the otherwise dark room. That was strange in itself, but what immediately caught Lily's attention was the fear on her mother's face.
Her mother was never scared.
"Mum?" she whispered.
"Honey, we have to go. Now. He's here. Your father and brothers are holding him off."
Lily froze. There was only one 'he' that could cause such panic. She was pretty sure her heart stopped beating, and a million thoughts rushed through her mind.
They had listened to the news for the last few weeks, and it hadn't been good. Dark creatures—some that had been thought to be only legends—swarmed the countryside, and Reapers—followers of the new Dark Lord—had sent cities into chaos. Her father urged her to say his name, explaining that it only gave him more power if she didn't, but Lily couldn't. He was everything from her nightmares times one thousand, and he had sworn he would hunt her down.
All because of a cryptic prophecy.
Her mother seemed to sense her hesitation, and she pulled her out of bed and onto her feet. Lily's senses were overloaded. She caught the scent of her mother's perfume—roses—and the sight of her messy blonde hair, tied back in a loose bun. It was all seared into her memory.
Everything was happening too quickly. Then, just as fast, time slowed down.
Daphne lifted her chin and looked her in the eye. Lily looked into the blue eyes that were so different from her brown ones.
"This fight is not over," she said. "Not by a long shot. Do you hear me? We will win, but we have to get you to safety."
Lily nodded and held her hand tightly. She tried to be comforted by her mother's words, but it was hard to be confident when it was clear they were both terrified.
Daphne smiled grimly. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the floor. A loud, agonizing scream echoed downstairs. Spellfire blasted louder in her ears; the fight was moving closer. Without hesitation, her mother pulled her near and Apparated them both out of the room.
They appeared in the entryway of an empty home. What struck Lily most was the sudden quiet. She looked up at her mother, a list of questions ready to roll off her tongue.
"We're in the Forest of Dean," she explained. "Your father set this up as a last resort."
Lily looked around. She could see glimpses into other rooms—a small kitchen, a barren living room—and had a sudden desire to explore. There was a thick layer of dust on the ground, but her steps didn't leave footprints. It was all an illusion and intricate enchantments.
"We have to keep moving," Daphne urged. "Just because we are far away, does not mean we are safe."
Lily thought that her father would have called her paranoid; she also knew her mother was incredibly smart. There was every cause to be concerned if she was still worried. She nodded and followed her upstairs.
They quickly made their way into the room at the end of the hall and stood in front of a large painting on the back wall. It was a landscape of a castle on a windswept moor. Daphne released her hand. Lily watched as she reached for the hidden blade beneath her sleeve. She slid the knife across the palm of her hand; Lily winced in sympathy. Her mother pressed her palm against the picture.
The canvas glowed, and the bloody handprint faded into the art. There was a soft click. Lily instinctively took a step back, and the painting swung forward on a hinge to reveal a crawlspace. Family heirlooms and other keepsakes filled the space.
"Go on," Daphne urged. She was talking to Lily, but her eyes were fixed firmly on the doorway behind them. She was ready for a fight. Her wand was in one hand, and the knife was in the other. In Lily's mind, her mother looked like a warrior queen, fierce and unrelenting.
Lily was afraid—of the Dark Lord and his followers, but also of the finality in these actions. Her brothers were fighting next to her father in their home, and her mother was doing everything in her power to protect her. Lily tried to remember what the last thing she said to James or Albus and found that she couldn't remember.
She started crying.
"I d-don't want to!" she sobbed. Her mother looked down at her, and her features softened. She knelt and pulled Lily into a hug.
"You have to, Lily," she whispered. "There's no time."
Daphne pushed her into the crawlspace, ignoring her tears and protests. Lily brushed against a stack of tomes, some of which she recognized as Greengrass family spellbooks. Lily saw the Sword of Gryffindor and vaguely wondered when her father had retrieved it from Hogwarts. Along one wall were piles of Galleons.
They were all diversions, meant to distract anyone who happened to find a way into the crawlspace—however unlikely that was.
"I love you," Lily said through her tears. Her mother smiled.
"I love you, too." She reached in and pressed the hilt of the knife into Lily's hand. "There's another door in the back. And if we can't come and get you—if the worst happens—I promise there's a way out."
Then the painting swung closed, and everything was still.
Lily carefully made her way to the back wall by touch and tried to not knock into too many objects. After thirty agonizing seconds—it felt so much longer—she navigated her way to the back. She looked at the knife and sighed.
"Really, Mum?" she whispered.
Closing her eyes, she quickly drew the edge along her palm, just like her mother had done earlier, and pressed her hand against the wall. This time, an outline of a small door glowed before materializing. Lily crawled into the secret room. She closed the hatch behind her, and it melted back into the wall once more. It was as if it had never been there.
This space was different. While it was smaller than the crawlspace, a soft glow illuminated the area; there was no obvious source of the light.
Turning around in the tight space, she noticed a small package in the corner. She picked it up and carefully opened it. Inside was a worn pocket watch. Lily flipped it over in her hand and saw that there was a name on the back.
Wondering who 'Fabian Prewett' was, she settled in and waited for her family to come for her.
The old watch still worked and provided her with an accurate count of each agonizing minute. The time stretched on, and Lily's stomach started to twist into knots.
Shouldn't they be back by now? What if they were hurt and needed help?
She forced the thoughts out of her mind. They would come for her; they had to. They must be dealing with the Aurors. Yes, that's it. Her family defeated the bad guys—good always won—and were speaking with the authorities. It just wasn't safe yet.
That was it.
Just as the clock marked an hour of hiding, Lily heard the muffled sound of the crawlspace door opening. Finally, everything was okay!
"Mum? Dad?"
She shouldn't have said anything because the voice that responded was not one she recognized.
"She's in here somewhere!"
Terrified, Lily scrambled back and pressed herself against the wall. There was nowhere to run. Where was the way out her mother promised! She never lied, so what—
Lily looked down at the watch in her hands. It was glowing blue.
Crying, the Portkey activated, and she vanished.
