"It is the unknown we fear, when we look upon death and darkness; nothing more." –J.K. Rowling.
Chapter 4: Life
Mist swirled around Harry. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see. The blackness was never ending. He could feel everything getting colder.
He felt at peace, all his friends were safe. With that, he could be happy that he was dying.
The Veil called to him. Yet something tugged at his heart. His friends and his godfather, all calling out his name as he had slipped through the Veil.
He tried to suck in a breath but found it was cold and putrid, the smell of rotting bodies. His heartbeat was starting to become sluggish, his body becoming cold. Then…it hit him.
He couldn't die, he couldn't die yet!
He had to destroy the Horcruxes. He had to ensure that all of his loved ones survived. He needed to save everyone else who had died for him. It was just what he had to do.
Harry began to struggle against the darkness. Why was he so content with dying? Was this the power of the Veil? To prevent its victims from returning to the world of the living? Harry found the more he struggled, the colder it seemed.
It was as if cold hands were holding him down. These hands felt as if they were squeezing his throat, sucking the very breath from his lungs. Harry thrashed and kicked, but came in contact with nothing. He was dying!
His heartbeat reverberated in his ears, ticking down to the last thump. Harry opened his eyes only to see blinding darkness. He could hear the loud voices of the dead swirling about him. Faces of those long dead stared at him.
"Please!" Harry screamed to the abyss of darkness, "Someone help me!"
Harry then felt ice-cold hands squeezing his throat harder. The last ounce of air in Harry's lungs whooshed out and….
"Harry!" called a voice in the distance. Harry blinked. It was just his imagination, now distant memories of his friends calling for him as he fell. Tears bottled in his eyes, he would never see his friends again! Harry stopped struggling as the coldness settled into his limbs. He was wheezing for breath. He had been prepared to die before, but not now….
A bright light winked in the distance, Harry weakly turned his head to see it coming closer and closer to him. It was radiating warmth. At first, Harry was vaguely reminded of the Patronus charm. As it got closer, he could see something, it was the outline of two people. Were they Angels of Death, here to take him to his everlasting rest? A warm hand clenched tightly onto Harry's, giving it a protective squeeze. The warm light seemed to emanate around him, filling him with warmth. He found he could breathe properly again; his heartbeat was no longer slow. His body grew warmer. Harry sighed in relief as he sank into the warmth, not the darkness.
"What do we do, James?" Harry heard a soft female voice say, "He isn't waking up yet. Maybe we were…"
The woman's voice choked and he heard a sob. Harry felt a warm hand squeeze his. Who was this woman and why was she worried about him?
"You worry too much, Lily. He's breathing, you felt his pulse," murmured a male voice. "He was seconds from death, give him a few minutes to come around."
Harry's forehead wrinkled. James…Lily…? Why were these names so familiar to him? He felt hands smoothing out his hair, fingers running over his cheeks. It was so soothing. Who were these people?
Harry slowly opened his eyes to see a glowing light to his right. Two faces swam into view. They were leaning over him, worried expressions on their faces. Harry's vision cleared to see a man with black hair that stuck up every direction, with glasses that framed his hazel eyes. Though his eyes were full of fear, worry and apprehension, he was smiling a wide smile. To his right was a woman, teary eyed, with long dark, red hair that fell down her shoulders and tickled Harry's face.
"Harry? Sweetheart?" The woman whispered quietly, using her right hand to brush his bangs away from his eyes. Harry's heart leapt in his chest and he felt his cheeks burn. These weren't just any people. They were his parents! The parents he only knew through memories of others, through pictures and…Harry swallowed, his throat felt raw and dry.
"Mum...Dad?" Harry croaked, his head turning from parent to parent. Lily Potter smiled and nodded her head. James's smiled widened. His father slowly reached out toward him, hesitant. Harry just smiled at him. The last time they had seen Harry in the flesh was when he was a baby, not a fifteen-year-old teenager.
"Come on, Harry, sit up." Harry felt James reach under his back as he slowly helped him up. Harry's head spun for a few moments and then it cleared. Lily and James Potter sat in silence as they waited for their son to get his bearings. Harry looked around, they were sitting in nothing but blackness.
"How are you feeling?" His mother asked. Harry looked at his parents. He could feel the worry dripping off of them. He smiled at them reassuringly.
"I'm fine, just a little shaken, that's all." Even though he was sitting, dead, in darkness… he was with his parents. He felt utterly safe. Harry touched his face and realized tears were rolling down his cheeks. Blushing, for he wished his parents not to see him crying, Harry raised a hand to rub his eyes. And to his surprise, his hand was glowing.
"What the…?" He looked down. His entire body was enwrapped in a warm glow. The light was strongest where his hand was joined with his mother's. Lily squeezed his hand tightly.
"Am I…am I dead?" Harry asked hesitantly, wondering why his parents weren't glowing.
Lily shook her head, "No, you are not dead, Harry."
James settled himself in front of Harry, his eyes now serious. Harry then looked between his parents, a confused look on his face.
"But I saw a light, I'm glowing I must—"
Lily again shook her head.
"No, Harry the light you saw a few minutes ago was us, coming to rescue you."
James placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry jumped at being touched. James's hand was a warm and solid weight on his shoulder, as if he was alive. Harry had to be dead!
"Harry," said James softly in a commanding voice, Harry looked up, hazel and green met.
"Did Dumbledore explain to you what happened that night?" James's voice was tight, almost painful to listen to, "The night your mother and I died?"
Harry gave a small nod, sorrow and pain began to build in his chest, making his heart hurt. A hand reached out and gently cupped Harry's face.
"The bond, by casting myself in front of you, enabled you to be spared from death. Here, in the Realm of the Veil, that still applies. As long as you keep hold of my hand, your life force stays within you."
"So…you are keeping me alive?" Harry asked quietly, pointing to their locked hands.
"Yes," replied James for his wife, he then pulled out of his robes a wand, "So, no matter what Harry James Potter, do not let go of your mother's hand."
James tapped his wand on Lily and Harry's joined hands, Harry felt warmth spread through his entire hand and wrist. Harry tried to tug his hand and fingers away from his mother's but found they were glued together. Harry shot his father an odd look.
"I know most teenage boys don't want to hold their mother's hands but we can't take any chances." Harry didn't mind, he was with his parents, real and whole. He then looked up into his mother's eyes. They were rimmed with tears. Lily then pulled him into a one armed hug.
Harry felt his eyes sting with tears, she was not a desire in a mirror, a picture in his album or a whisper of a ghost. She was real and whole. She smelled of a strange perfume, like lilies and something that was familiar but he could not place. Harry squeezed his eyes tightly to keep in the tears. He felt himself being pulled back to a time and place he never remembered, a happier time. Harry wrapped his free arm tight around his mother. He didn't want to let her go.
"Mum…" He felt Lily tense then squeeze him back even tighter, "I don't mind holding your hand." Lily laughed, tears of joy were streaming down her face. "My little Harry…"
She leaned in kissing his forehead. It was the first kiss he had ever received from his mother, that he remembered. Harry felt a hand on his head, fingers going through Harry's hair. Harry turned to look at his father, smiling.
"You have grown so much," said James, ruffling his son's hair. James moved forward and embraced his son. James placed his cheek against the crown on Harry's head.
"We've been watching over you since the day we died," his father smiled sadly, "you are quite a brave boy… stubborn but brave."
"You've inherited your father's tendency for trouble-making too," replied Lily, her expression was a mix between fondness and disapproval. Harry laughed, just happy to be with his parents and hear their voices.
"That's my boy."
"James, don't encourage him!" Lily gave her husband an exasperated look. It was so similar to the look Hermione often gave Ron, he almost smiled, but the thought of this friends just made his heart heavy and he felt a pang of sadness.
James bowed to his wife, mockingly. "Well he is Prongs Jr. after all. I'm surprised Sirius hasn't—"
As James talked he ruffled Harry's hair playfully. James then pulled up Harry's bangs and showed his scar, James gasped and stopped midsentence. Harry watched his parents' eyes flick up to the scar on his forehead. Harry tried to flatten his bangs down over the scar. James's eyes hardened.
"That's where the bastard…" his father trailed off, gritting his teeth. Lily squeezed Harry's hand. Her left hand reached out and stroked the scar.
"Stop it," murmured Harry, blushing and pulling his bangs down again. He looked up at his mother, her eyes were soft with love as she reached out and caressed his face.
"You have no need to hide it from us, Harry. You have grown and matured so quickly. I'm sorry you had no childhood. Your father and I wished that we could have raised you. Your aunt and uncle were not the people we chose to raise you if something happened to us."
Lily's eyes hardened on the mention of the Dursley's. Harry felt a lump form in his throat. If they had been watching him, then did they see the years of abuse and endless punishment the Dursley's placed on Harry?
"Stupid delusional bastards," growled James, Harry noticed his mother didn't even correct him about her sister, "If I had a chance to I'd…"
James was red in the face now with anger. His hazel eyes bright with rage, his knuckles white over his wand.
"But we can't James," Lily reached out and stroked James's hand. "I'd like to teach Petunia a thing or two but we can't. Besides…" Her eyes softened as they landed on her son, "Harry has more grievances than we do."
In comfort, Harry squeezed his mother's hand. James's scowl lessened. Lily sat beside Harry and wrapped her free arm around her son. They all sat in silence for a minute or so until James spoke.
"So… you fell through the Veil." Harry felt his stomach tighten. He looked at his father and nodded. James sighed. "Your mother and I didn't fight so hard to protect you so that you would have to die long before your time, Harry."
"I couldn't let him die…" he whispered, his voice choked with unshed tears, "Sirius was…is… the closest things I have to you and…" He looked up at his father, eyes shining, "He's my godfather! I couldn't let him die!"
Seeing his son's distress, James's face softened and he wrapped his arms around his son.
"We understand Harry, but your mother and I, no matter how much we wanted to see you again, didn't want to for a very, very long time."
Lily reached out and began to rub soothing circles around Harry's back.
"We love you, Harry. We just want you safe," she whispered. Harry felt the sorrow in his chest lessen with each circle his mother rubbed into his back. Harry felt like he was a little kid and his parents had caught him stealing a cookie from a jar. Despite all his guilt, he found it comforting. It made him feel normal, almost like any other kid.
Suddenly, a growl was heard in the darkness and a voice whispering something. Lily instantly pulled Harry to her.
"What is—" asked Harry, the hair standing up on the back of his neck.
"Shh!" hushed Lily, looking to her husband. James quickly got to his feet, his wand out. The voices and growling stopped. James lit his wand and raised it above his head.
"Who's there?" There was no answer. James began to mutter spells under his breath, his wand extended toward the darkness. Lily held Harry very tightly that he could swear bruises were forming.
"James? Darling?" she whispered worriedly. A sudden wind started to blow, it was ominous, dark in nature. Harry could swear it felt like the wind that attacked his friends and himself in the Death Chamber. Lily reached into her robes and pulled out two wands. Harry stared at the wands in her hand. One of them was Harry's, Lily handed it to him. Harry was not pleased about using his left hand, but he would have to.
All of the Potter's wands were aimed at the forming cloud of dark smoke, air, whatever it was. Suddenly, there was a boom like a canon. James took a step back toward his family. A ghostly apparition of a man appeared. As it grew solid, Harry realized what it was, a Death Eater.
"A Death—" Harry was once again cut off by his mother. Lily stood up, positioning herself in front of Harry, while James stood in front of his family. Harry could feel his mother's hand shaking. Yet, both of their wands were steady on the Death Eater. As former members of the Order of the Phoenix, his parents were poised to fight, especially to save their son. They had done so once before…Harry too had his wand out, curious at why the Death Eater was here and why he wasn't solid like his parents. Was he a ghost?
"Potters. Don't even think of trying to get your son back to the realm of the living. We out number you. We will not let the Chosen One return to destroy what is rightfully the Dark Lord's. "
"Nothing is Voldemort's!" snapped James, "Nothing but death and destruction!"
The hooded Death Eater smiled, "Do not attempt to—"
Lily waved her wand and a white light shot out of the end toward the Death Eater. Though the spell passed through him, he cried out in pain.
"We will do what we deem necessary! We will get Harry back to the world of the living because he belongs there and is needed there. Try and stop us, but we will fight you!" cried Lily, her voice icy cold. "Be gone, hateful spirit!"
This time both Lily and James shot light at the figure. For a moment, Harry could have sworn he saw the light take shape, as the light hit the Death Eater it was gone in a flash. With a cry of agony, the Death Eater vanished. Lily and James's wands did not move from the spot for a long time, and then they were lowered.
"We have to move. Now," said James, his face serious, he turned to face Lily, "We need to get Harry out of here, back to the Veil!"
James raised his wand to the sky, exclaiming, "Point Me!" his wand spun around, and then he cried out "Lumos Maxima!"
A light shot out of the end of James's wand and flew through the air. It landed far south, winking, like a star in the distance. Harry got to his feet, his wand clenched tightly in his hand.
"We need to go that way. Stay close to your father and I." Harry nodded. "Even though they are dead, there are dark souls, former Death Eaters, who still are in Voldemort's service. They will try and stop you from returning to the world of the living."
"But they're dead," said Harry, confused, "They can't hurt me."
"They certainly can," said James. "The dead cannot kill the dead, but the dead can kill the living. Stick close to your mother and I. We're going to get you out of here as fast as we can. We have to get to the Veil before the Death Eaters amass."
"Light your wand, Harry," suggested Lily, her and James's were already lit. "The Dark spirits here detest light since their souls are so dark. The glow you give off will lend you some protection too."
Harry lit with wand with a quick Lumos. Satisfied, Lily and James took to walking on either side of Harry, wands out.
"We need to head toward that light. That is where the Veil is," James pointed to the distant light. "The power of the Veil sucks its victims in. They can survive here for a few minutes as you know but then kills them. They are sucked so far away that there is no chance of survival." He looked at his son. "Unless, of course, you are Harry Potter."
James ruffled Harry's hair once more. Harry rolled his eyes but inwardly Harry smiled, for the first time in fifteen years the Potters were together. They were a family as they should have been and always were.
Once again, Lily and James were willing and ready to protect their only son. And Harry was going to let them, even if that meant breaking his vow, just a little bit, but Harry didn't mind at all.
He was with his mum and dad, and that was all that mattered now.
