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Ch. 9 The Hate, the Greed that Feeds Me.
Putting my hat back on and stuffing my hands in my pockets, I dashed around groups of people, practically running towards Harry and Hagrid. I never thought I would miss the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley, but I did. Walking past the Quiddich supply store and the joke shop, I could recount every second I spent in the two stores with Padfoot.
I knew the two were headed to Gringotts, having told Dumbledore to order Hagrid to first go there. I felt that if Harry saw the gold we left him, he would realize that we hadn't abandoned him. I wish to God I could've seen the aw-stricken expressions on his face as when he laid his eyes on the magnificent stores. Or his eyes widening when he was told he was Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, and a wizard.
I stopped walking right next to the bank, standing sideways so I could see the door to the bank. I looked at the window display not really seeing it. Just using it as a mirror to look for familiar faces and potential threats to my son. I spotted a few of people that had been in my year at Hogwarts from every house. My eyes bugged when I saw Frank Longbotton's mother,along with a boy who looked around Harry's age.
My heart stopped when I remembered going into Dumbledore's Pensieve for the trial. I had seen Barty Crouch Jr., son of Crouch Sr. the bastard, along with Sirius's cousin Bellatrix and Rabastan Lestrange stand trial for torturing Frank and Alice. And their son, Neville, if memory serves, was a possible candidate for the meaning of the Prophecy. It had been up to either Neville or Harry who would defeat Voldemort. The two were born a few days apart at the end of July. But what happened to Frank and Alice, no nightmare could sum it up.
Frank was my friend, I've known him since I was 5. Our dads were good friends, so the two of us were close, hung out together during and after Hogwarts. Alice and Lily were good friends and our boys played together while we, the parents, talked.
Now, seeing him, just overwhelmed me when I remembered Dumbledore telling me that Frank and Ally, as she was usually called, had gone insane from the torture. I wanted to cry, but held the emotions in when I saw Harry and Hagrid come out of the crooked building. Harry passed Neville without knowing his baby playmate at all. It tore me apart.
I followed Harry to Madam Malkins when he got fit for school robes as I looked at the colorful owls perched on cages and whatnot. I saw this beautiful snow white owl that resembled the one I had before it was intercepted by Death Eaters; stupid bastards. There was a little whizzing fur ball zooming around the cage. I frowned, then realized it was a tiny little owl. "That's interesting," I mumbled.
Harry came out of Malkin's holding a few wrapped packages. I smiled at the excitement in his beautiful eyes. The satisfied look in those eyes made me remember Lily the first time I saw her in the Alley, around this time 20 years before.
They then went to Flourish and Blotts, and soon, he had potion ingredients, cauldrons and big, fat books in his hands. All that was left was a wand, and Harry's next stop was Ollivanders. Hagrid left Harry alone for this particular stop, and left. All I could concentrate on was Harry alone with a man I could never fully trust. I stood outside the window shop, pretending to read the Prophet as I listened and watched closely.
The old man pulled out a long thin box, pulled out a wand and gave it to Harry. Glad to see he's a righty like me, and not a lefty like his mother. Harry looked a bit startled when Ollivander barked, "well, give it a wave"
Harry obliged and managed to knock off boxes from the shelves, I chuckled, hiding behind my newspaper. I had knocked off two shelves, blew three bulbs, and nearly poked Ollivander's eye out before I found my wand.
When Harry was given the third wand and waved it, golden sparks flew out. My son had just found his first wand.
"Curious," I head the wand-maker say, "very curious."
"E-excuse me sir, but, what's curious?" Harry asked politely.
"It's curious that you should get this wand when its brother gave you that scar," Ollivander said, pointing at Harry's forehead after explaining stuff about how the wand chooses the wizard.
My ears were ringing. The same Phoenix that had given a tail for my son's wand had also produced one for Voldemort's. I didn't know anything about wands and Wizards. All I know is that for two people to share the same wand core, they have to have something huge in common. Like Sirius, Remus, and my wand have the same core. But all I could think about Harry and Voldy having something in common was they were both half-bloods.
Dumbledore and I had a lot to discuss, my first question to him was if Harry could be in any danger.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hagrid walking towards the store carrying a big cage with the snowy white own hooting inside it. Hagrid enthusiastically knocked on the shop window, "Happy birthday Harry!" he smiled.
I smiled behind my paper, it was indeed my boy's birthday. Well, the day before it anyway. And his mother and Godparent's and I had spent the day talking about his 1st birthday. We had managed in getting a mirthless chuckle out of Sirius who was steadily getting worst. But I will not discuss him if I want to keep my mind.
After that, they, um we, headed back to the Cauldron for some food before they went to King's Cross. I once again took my seat at the bar, close to the table the two were sitting at, eating soup.
"He killed my parents, didn't he?" he asked abruptly.
I chocked on the coffee I was drinking, "sir, are you alright?" Tom asked, pounding on my back.
"Yes, yes thank you," I said shakily when my air pipes had reopened, "thank you," I nodded, swallowing hard.
I stared into my cup, listening to Hagrid explain to Harry, that some wizards went bad and how Voldemort killed anyone who got in his way. He meant the Potters.
As Harry asked the name of the man that had made him an orphan, I remembered the night bitterly.
We had just left Remus and Kat's flat after our annual Halloween grieve-athon. Disaster always struck on Halloween for us. This year, we only thought Piper's disappearance was the disaster as we sat in silence for most of the night.
Lily had just come downstairs after putting Harry to bed. She came into the kitchen, looking extremely beautiful in her black turtle neck. She wrapped her arms around my waist as I washed the dishes having been forbidden to them by magic.
"That was horrible," she stated.
"He's better then he was a week ago," I said.
"Question, did you find Peter leaving early a bit odd?" she asked, kissing my shoulder.
"With the war, everyone's busy," I shrugged.
"Do you really think we should've switched with Sirius?" Lily asked as I finished.
"I've known Peter for years, I think he's safe, really safe actually," I turned around so I faced her worried eyes, "don't dwell on it much, he's practically a Squib. No one will give him a second thought."
"But Sirius is still in danger," she breathed.
Sighing, I nodded, "he's a big boy," I swallowed as I led her back to the living room. We were bout to go upstairs when I heard something outside, stopping me.
"What's wrong honey?" Lily asked.
"I thought I heard something…" I said frowning, my arms still around her shoulders.
"James?" she asked, "what did you hear?"
I didn't have a chance to answer because Harry let out a heart-wrenching cry from upstairs. Lily was about to run upstairs looking as terrified as I never having heard him wail this bad, when the door blew off it's hinges. I immediately shoved Lily behind me, and took out my wand. Lily's nails dug into my bicep as a tall figure wearing a black cloak. Beneath the hood of the figure red eyes glowed as I raised my wand. Harry's crying intensified by ten octaves .
"Go to him," I said as the figure known as Voldemort, walked in.
"No," she said, tears evident in her voice, "I'm not leaving you."
"Lily," I growled, her grip increasing on my arm.
"Ah! I'm glad I found you both home today!" the cold, soulless voice behind the cloak hissed, "my, Mrs. Potter! You won't invite me in for tea? What manners your wife has James!"
"Get out," I snarled, standing protectively in front of Lily with an arm in front of her, preventing any movement from her towards him. Not that I had to worry.
"Not until I get what I want," he said, "and just for that Potter," I don't know what hit me except millions of white, hot knives pierced every inch of my body. I couldn't breath, I couldn't think about anything except say, "Lily, go!" I bit my lip so hard to prevent the oncoming scream that I felt it began to bleed.
"James, no," she moaned as Voldemort cackled.
"GO!" I yelled, holding on to the banister with both hands, trying to regain control over my body and not topple over.
"That's enough," he said coldly, and it stopped. But the ringing in my ear and spots around the room didn't disappear, neither did the painful memory. "Now, I want to do this quick and easy Potter, get out of the way."
"Or what Voldy?" I asked, trying get my breathing back to normal, giving him the dirtiest looks I could manage. And if looks could kill, Voldemort would've long been dead.
"You really don't want to know," he sneered as I spotted Wormtail behind him, though I couldn't see his face, I knew it was him. Who else could it be?
"I see you brought your henchman to kiss your ass," I nodded towards Peter, wanting nothing more then to jump on him and kill him with my bare hands. No wand, no curses, just bare hands. "Tell me Voldy, how's the sex?"
I'd gone too far but oh well, "THAT'S ENOUGH FROM YOU!" Voldemort yelled, sending green sparks towards us. I pulled Lily down with me just enough time.
"Go to Harry," I hissed.
Her teary eyes stared into mine, "James, no," she moaned.
"Do it!"
"What if he kills you?" she asked. This quick conversation took less time then when said then written.
"If you and Harry are safe, I'll be quite satisfied with my fate, please Lils," I begged as Voldemort ducked his own curse as it bounced off the handy family shield hanging on the wall of the landing upstairs.
"No," she whimpered.
"Please," I said again.
She looked at me for a moment, "just come back to me."
"I will. I'll hold him off long enough for you and Harry to get the hell out of here," I said. I remember those two minutes now, how I was getting ready to die for my family. To say good-bye. How I was mourning over the fact that I would never taste her again, never hold him in my arms.
We both stood up, I sent a well placed Impedimenta towards him. To my surprise, he blew across the room, landing against the wall with a thud, "not as powerful as you claimed ha Voldy?"
"I'll kill you!" he yelled.
"There are worse things then dying," I said, thinking it was my last stand. Nothing got in his way, especially a wise-cracking victim like yours truly.
"Dumbledore's man still are you Potter?" he asked.
"Through and through," I bowed, keeping my eyes on him.
"I like you Potter, you would've been a good Death Eater," he said.
"Now that's worse than death," I pointed out.
He cackled and there was a pop. He had Dissaparated. As I was wondering where he went, I heard Lily shriek. My question was answered, cursing Voldemort and Lily for not having left, I flew to Harry's nursery. As I burst through the door, I stopped, horrified. "Oh Jesus," I managed as I saw Harry floating in mid air.
When he saw me with his big, wet green eyes, he reached out his hands and said, "dadda."
I wanted nothing more then to run to him, grab him and comfort him. But as I looked at him, I was sure that if I died trying to save him, it would perfectly OK with me. "James!" Lily yelled. I knew enough to jump out of the way when someone yells your name with that much terror. I saw the nursery wall explode.
"You'd better pay for that," I said as I saw Lily send the Craciatus on him.
"Holy shit," I muttered as Voldy, that's right, Voldemort himself howled with pain. But my satisfaction was short lived, suddenly he stood up straight again, cackling.
"That was mighty brave Potter, Mrs. Potter I mean," he laughed, making Harry cry harder.
"You know I can kill you," she breathed, "you also know that Harry can too. So get the hell out!"
"No, I think not," he sneered. My heart missed about five beats as he flung a hand out, waved it and Harry zoomed across the room, hit the wall and landed crying on the ground.
"NO!" Lily and I both yelled and made to go to him but met the same fate and slammed against the opposite wall. My back gave an unhealthily loud crack, and I couldn't move my arm. All I could do was put my arm across Lily's chest and draw her near.
"It's us you want you despicable coward! LEAVE HIM OUT OF THIS!" I yelled, fearing my throat would rip into shreds.
"That's right Potter, that's why I'm here," he smiled, "to cut a deal with you."
"You mean with the devil?"
He cackled, "never stop with the jokes do you? According to Wormtail anyway. He claims you're incapable of two seconds without wise-cracks."
"Did he also tell you he thinks you're a coward and an asshole, maybe he mentioned it when he was kissing your ass?" I asked, looking at Harry who was crying so loud all Heaven's Angels and those in hell could hear him.
"I'll ignore that," he said, advancing towards us.
"Darn," I said sarcastically, trying to get Lily closer to me, her body screaming at me to rescue her from this menace.
"The deal is that you leave your son forever, so you will not bestow any of your powers upon him," he said.
"You mean just leave Harry and go?" asked Lily, shock and pain in her voice.
"I'd rather die," I said through clenched teeth.
"Isn't this situation one you might consider worse then death, Potter?" he asked, "therefore, I won't do you the horror of killing you or your lovely wife or son. This is the first time ever that I am giving anybody an option. And if you are as smart as you claim, you will consider it. You vow to never set a foot in the Wizarding world after tonight, and I will not kill your son until he's ready for a duel, where he will die at my wand."
"What the hell makes you think he won't kill you?" I yelled, my eyes were only for my crying son.
"You and your wife won't be training him. As I said, I promise never to harm Harry until he's ready to face me only on the basis that you two are never heard from again. And if you don't obey, your precious heir will die before he lived," he cackled as I saw blood. I would've jumped him right there but my back and Lily's tight grip on my arm prevented any movement.
"James? M--maybe we should deal," Lily whispered, fear ravaging her face.
"What!" I yelled.
"DADDA!" Harry wailed.
My heart skipped again, I couldn't go to him. I couldn't ease his pain. But I looked at Lily, "you can't mean that."
"It would mean Harry's safety," she breathed, "we need time to consider."
"Wrong Mrs. Potter, because unlike the villains in those books you love, I will give you no deliberation time. You answer right now," the cold, soulless voice said.
"He'll be safe," Lily cried.
I shook my head, the idea of him being away tearing me apart, "I can't."
"James, there's no other choice," she said, squeezing my arm.
I looked at her, hating her for making sense. I turned my eyes to the red, snake eyes behind the hood, "alright, you got what you wanted now go!"
He sneered and turned his back on Lily and I. I heard the words. Saw the green light. Saw Harry's eyes begging me to help him, to keep my promise and save him as he said, "dadda," again. I couldn't act. Couldn't move fast enough to shield him from the curse, but lunged at him anyway.
"HARRY!" I yelled as the green hit him.
But the prolonged moment ended by a scream, not the throaty scream of the horror-struck mother laying behind me, not myself, and not my baby boy. But from the murderer. I looked at Voldemort and saw, well, light coming out of his stomach. Then suddenly, nothing was there anymore except a cloak. Grabbing the side of my son's crib, I stood up shakily. As I did so, a wisp of smoke rose from the cloak with Voldmort's hideous face screaming as he went through me. I lost my balance but held on to the banister.
The house began rattling, it took no genius to figure out that the house was about to collapse. Lily dove for Harry, covering him with her body as she clutched him to her chest. I, in turn, dove for Lily and covered them both, praying as beams fell through the roof. An idea hit. A Godsent. I got a hold of Harry's hand and Lily's wrist and Dissaparated the three of us the furthest I could take them, our backyard.
I didn't get off of them until my home was only a pile of dust, like Voldemort. That's what you get for breaking a promise. Kissing Lily's cheek, I got off, realizing my arm was broken in more then one place.
"You alright?" I asked Lily as she sat up, Harry on her chest.
Lily nodded erratically as Harry reached for me again, "dadda," he said again. He threw himself in my arms. I squeezed his body close as he stood on my upper thighs in his blue pajamas.
"Oh God," I said in his little shoulder as I remembered how close I had come to losing him. I rocked us back in forth for an eternity, hoping I could make everything all right again, make him forget. Lily joined us and it turned into a group hug. One of her arms was in my hair, the other around Harry's body.
I pulled back maybe 10 minutes later and looked at Harry who had calmed despite the rolling stream down his cheeks, "alright Emeralds?" I asked, examining his dust covered face.
"House go boom," he said sadly, bluntly putting his head on my chest.
But I didn't notice that, too busy with something else. I pushed aside a few strands of hair from his eyes to reveal the now legendary scar, "hey Lils, look at this."
She looked and her eyes bugged.
"His mother's boy," I chuckled half-heartedly, trying to swallow everything that had happened. "I need to get Sirius and Dumbledore down here," I pushed Harry away from me lightly, well attempted to anyway.
"No," he said firmly, finding his place on my chest again.
I looked at Lily, "you mind?" I smiled, "he's got a death grip on me--pardon the jibe."
She nodded, "since we have no way to contact Dumbledore, I'll get the mirror for Sirius."
"In my pocket," I nodded, she moved my right arm to get to the mirror, "watch it!" I yelped.
"Sorry," she said, managing to get to the mirror without further murder of my arm.
I didn't hear Lily's conversation, I only could hold my son.
When I came back to reality, Hagrid was taking the 11-year-old Harry to catch the Hogwarts Express. I ran behind them, though keeping a fair distance.
I walked behind Harry as he tried to find platform 9 ¾, Hagrid having abruptly disappeared. Harry pushed the trolley back in forth between 9 and 10, looking as puzzled as Lily had her first time. I was about to go tell him where it was when I spotted 6 redheads, 4 of them pushing trolley's full of equipment head to the barrier.
I smiled, Molly Weasley. Praying that somehow Harry would figure out they were Wizards, I hid behind a Muggle newspaper. And Harry did catch on they were wizards as the three tallest boys ran through the barrier. I saw Harry approach Molly, she smiled. He looked at the boy, I'm assuming he's a 1st year too. With a nod and a determined look, Harry ran into the wall and disappeared into such an adventurous world! And such adventures.
"Welcome back Mr. Harry James Potter," I smiled. I decided to head home, spend time with Lily and go to Hogwarts the next day for the sorting ceremony.
AN: Hello my lovlies. Proud of me, ha? Ha? I think I broke my own world record when I wrote this chapter!((But my finger joints hurt now...arthritis..?)) Hehe. It would have been up sooner but you all better pray for my editor, she's sick :( Um, yeah. The suggestions for the flashbacks, I think I'm going to go with every other chapter. I hope you found this flashback satisfying COMMENT ON IT! And Gregory Peck, as always, rules all! And I love you! OH! Btw, the names. Well, Emlyn is my middle name((Sirius's daughter)) and Amber, Piper's middle name, is Sirius's girfriends middle name. Hehehehe. And do I really need to point out Gregory and Atticus, COME ON! Lol. VUV YOU!
Joanna Potter:I agree with you guys getting the backstory on what's in the past, sorta brings my ambitions of writing a Marauder era story which has prooved uncsuccesful. But this way, I can have flashbacks left and right! Thank you for your review! Keep reading and I'll love you more then i do now.
queen-of-monkey-magic:I'm gonna take your advice on the flashbacks and won't kill you for ruining it for me. Lol, it's ok, the blow was less harsh but the cave...the cavebegins weeping but don't worry, James will get Snape, oh yes, he will get Snape. MUAHHAHAHAH! You will love James more then ever when he gets revenge for the two of us...stupid Dumbledore killer...Love you! Keep reviewing! :I agree with you guys getting the backstory on what's in the past, sorta brings my ambitions of writing a Marauder era story which has prooved uncsuccesful. But this way, I can have flashbacks left and right! Thank you for your review! Keep reading and I'll love you more then i do now.:I'm gonna take your advice on the flashbacks and won't kill you for ruining it for me. Lol, it's ok, the blow was less harsh but the cave...the cavebegins weeping but don't worry, James will get Snape, oh yes, he will get Snape. MUAHHAHAHAH! You will love James more then ever when he gets revenge for the two of us...stupid Dumbledore killer...Love you! Keep reviewing!
amrawo:I dunno why I changed from Atticus, I guess because Harry would've tweaked out or something...I honestly think I just wanted to shove Gregory Peck's name in there...I'm sad, I know. Keep reviewing!
Adelian:I love you! You're so hyper about the story! Gave me a boost! Lol. keep reviewing like that i'll write a chapter per day! Hehehehe.
Cai-Wiggins:Thank you lovie, hope you enjoyed this chapter too!
JeNnIfEr88Well my lovely reviewer, you have found out what happens next, what do you think:) :)
smurfinator:Hhehe, just email me the question when you remember it. Thanks for reviewing! Keep reading! Thanks!
Vanishing Rosesstarts grumbeling obsenities THAT IS THE LAST TIME YOU EDIT SANDY! Lol, you suck! I prefer Amber, heheheheh. Don't kill me please!
