With a start, Harry lifted his head off his arms. There had been that green flash of light again! Where had it come from? It was in his dream...Harry was sure that the cold, cackling laugh had been Voldemort…But once again, his scar wasn't hurting…did that mean it was only a dream…that it hadn't really happened? But Voldemort was talking about getting closer to someone…him! Shakily, Harry tried to recall the details…

The little shack had to have been somewhere nearby, because it had been snowing also…but Voldemort had left…in the green flash of light…Somehow, the thought didn't reassure Harry much. He knew he should go tell Professor Dumbledore…but he didn't want to. Dumbledore would probably start talking about the potion, and…Harry just didn't want to deal with that now. I'll tell Dumbledore about it if I dream about it again…that was what he would do. He knew deep down he should be telling Dumblefore right away, but just ignored that voice in his head. Harry was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't hear Professor Trelawney asking him a question. Now, however, her voice broke through the din in Harry's head.

"Did you hear me, dear?"

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I did."

"Would you kindly answer the question then, Mr. Potter?" She said with a touch of irritation.

Harry glanced at Ron, who was mouthing the word "Saturn".

"Er….that would be Saturn," Harry said uncertainly.

Professor Trelawney had a somewhat disappointed look on her face, and started talking about the planets and the solar system again. Harry tuned back out.

Voldemort couldn't hurt him as long as he was within the walls of Hogwarts, Harry was confident of that. And he wouldn't really be leaving Hogwarts until summer…There's no need to tell Dumbledore, Harry told himself. He knew he was rationalizing, but he really didn't want everyone to make a big fuss out of it. Suddenly, Professor Trelawney was swooping down on Harry again.

"Dear, you please tell me what I was just discussing with the class?" Frantically, Harry looked at Ron out of the corner of his eye. He was mouthing "Mercury". Harry said this to Professor Trelawney, then returned to his thoughts. Just then, the bell rang. Harry gathered up his books and walked out with Ron.

"You can tell me now," Ron said expectantly.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Why you were so preoccupied in Divination?"

"Oh, that. Just a little nightmare while sleeping, as usual."

Ron's eyes suddenly widened.

"It wasn't about You-Know-Who, was it?" he asked, shooting glances around the hallway as if Voldemort was going to jump out and attack.

"It was," Harry muttered quietly, "but nothing to worry about."

"The green flash again?" Ron said nervously, "You really ought to tell Dumbledore, he might just--" Harry, now thoroughly sick of talking about this butted in.

"Dear, dear," He said smugly, "I always knew the day would come."

"What day?" Ron said suspiciously.

"The day you followed in your dear brother Percy's footsteps. You're starting to sound more and more like him everyday. Hermione too."

Ron gave Harry a look of utmost outrage.

"I am not acting like Percy! Or Hermione, for that matter, I just don't want you to--"

"I'm fine," Harry reassured, "Calm yourself,"

Still slightly pink in the face from Harry's little comment, Ron sat himself down in defense against the dark arts with an indignant mutter or two.

"Hermione! I mean really! And Percy! I suppose you think I'm going to made Prefect as well…well, the day I make Prefect will be the day pigs fly with…"

Harry smiled to himself, for the first time in days.

He glanced at Hermione who had sat down next to him. She smiled at him mischievously. She had a pretty smile. Harry had never really noticed it before. He could feel himself blushing.

Turning, he looked at the front of the room and looked at Mrs. Figg, who was now writing something on the chalkboard. Suddenly, she turned around and faced the class, lips pursed. The chatter quieted. Harry stared woodenly ahead, not quite noticing anything. Her gaze came to rest on Harry, but he didn't even notice. He just stared out the window at the still falling snow.

For the duration of the class, Harry just kept staring out the window, with Mrs. Figg repeatedly glancing at him. When the bell rang, the classroom turned into bedlam. Everyone rushed out the door to leave, as this was the last day before Christmas break. Harry packed his things slowly, and followed Ron and Hermione down the corridor.

"I…" Harry said hesitantly, "I'm just going to go down to the library for a bit." He turned and walked quickly out of the room. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. Ron shrugged and raised an eyebrow at Hermione.

"We may as well go also," he said, "After all, no better place to go then…" he grimaced, forcing the word out, "the library." Hermione rolled her eyes and stalked out of the room.

It seemed that much of the school had left already for the break, and there were only a handful of people remained. Ron spotted Fred and George as he entered with Hermione. Quickly, they sat down at their table and started talking. A few minutes later, Hermione gave Ron a sharp poke in the ribs.

"OW, Hermione, what do you think you're--"

Hermione nudged him in the direction of a large window halfway hidden behind a bookshelf. Ron followed her eyes and saw a small patch of black hair sticking out from behind a book case. He had almost forgotten about Harry being here also. Ron nodded at Hermione.

"Fred, George," he announced, "Be back in a minute." Cautiously, he made his way over to the window.

Harry was sitting in front of it, knees drawn up to his chest, staring blankly at the snow that was still falling steadily. Ron approached him quietly, standing in back of him.

"Harry…" he said quietly, "Would you like to do something?"

No answer

"We could play a game of wizard chess…"

"No, thanks."

"We could visit Hagrid…?"

"In this weather?"

"Oh. Right. Well then…we could get a jump start on our homework!" Harry gave a small smile and turned around the face Ron.

"Thanks, Ron. I appreciate it and all, but I'd just like to be alone for a bit, if that's all right."

Ron nodded mutely.

Harry closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, Ron had left. Harry sighed. When would it stop hurting? He truly had believed with all his heart that his parents would come back. He had envisioned all the things he would show them, all the things they could do together…he had believed he would really have parents again. No more lonely days, no more Dursleys…Harry sighed. He should've known it wouldn't have happened. Should've known there was no hope. He turned around and saw that Ron and Hermione were still there.

They were laughing as he glanced at them. How he wished to be like that. Carefree, without a trouble in the world. Or at least having parents. Harry looked away and got down slowly from his perch in front of the window. He crept quietly out of the library without anyone noticing.

Once he was in the corridor, things were silent, almost eerily quiet. Harry walked slowly along the floor, in no hurry to get anywhere. He trudged along, head down, staring at his feet.

Suddenly, he bumped into something quite solid. Stifling a yell, he quickly glanced up. He let out his breath. It was just Mrs. Figg.

"Do watch where you're going, Harry," she said sternly. Then her face softened.

"Anyway, good to have run into you like that, I was looking for you. Oh, nothing bad," she said hastily, seeing the look on Harry's face. She continued slowly, almost hesitantly.

"I…I wanted to give you this."

She put her hand to the inside pocket of her robe and drew out a small envelope. Harry stared at it. It seemed rather old, it was yellow with age, and had several spots and stains on it. On the front, was writing in an emerald green ink. Harry's confusion mounted. It looked a bit like his first letter from Hogwarts. Wait a minute…had he been expelled for some reason? Was that a letter kicking him out? Harry looked wildly from the envelope to Mrs. Figg, waiting for an explanation. Then he saw her hand was shaking

Harry felt even more nervous now, but somehow he knew that it wasn't a letter of expulsion. He was sure, for some strange reason, that it wasn't even from Hogwarts. Mrs. Figg cleared her throat, clutching at the letter. Harry saw a tear slide down her wrinkled cheek. She started to say something, shook her head and wordlessly, gently placed the envelope in Harry's hand.

With a growing feeling of dread, Harry turned it over to look at the writing on the envelope. In the center of the envelope, someone had written his name. His gaze traveled up to the upper left corner. His breath caught in his throat and his hands started to shake as he saw the name scrawled there.

*

Lily Potter

*

Harry looked up at Mrs. Figg. She had tears rolling steadily down her cheeks now, though she made no effort to wipe them away. She cleared her throat again. Her eyes grew faraway as if she were reliving a memory. She started speaking in a flat tone of voice.

"Years ago, I was friends with Lily, your mother. Although she was much younger than I, we were friends through Dumbledore. The night before your parents went into hiding…the night before she and your father were…killed, she gave me this envelope. She told me urgently to give it to you when you were in your seventh year at Hogwarts. I agreed, thinking nothing of it. I never thought I wouldn't ever see her again. I think that somehow, however, she knew what was going to happen. She knew she would never watch you grow up, Harry. As you know, I was stationed by order from Dumbledore to watch over you at Privet Drive. I have kept the letter safe ever since. I have been debating with myself at giving it to you early. But after the events with…with the potion, I couldn't stand seeing you suffer the way you have been. I thought that maybe this letter may give you some comfort. I do not know what Lily has written in it, but you will at least have something from your mother." She broke off, weeping silently.

Harry's heart constricted as he looked down at the old envelope in his hands. Clutching it tightly, he said quietly,

"Thank you, Mrs. Figg. You don't know how much this means to me. Sometimes I just miss them-" He stopped talking abruptly, feeling embarrassed.

"Dear boy…" Mrs. Figg whispered, breaking the awkward silence, "you have been through so much. I just hope that letter contains good news for you." She took out a handkerchief and blew her nose which made a noise like several dying moose. Then, turning on her heel, she walked quickly away.

Harry turned and started walking back to the Gryffindor common room, where he could be alone. Opening the letter was something he wanted to do by himself, without Hermione or Ron, though he wasn't sure why.

Once he got to his dormitory, Harry drew the hangings tightly around his bed and stared at the letter, almost afraid to open it. For some reason, he had a feeling that once he read what his mother had written, his life would never be the same…

Taking a deep breath, Harry carefully unsealed the envelope, being especially careful not the rip anything. He caught sight of a yellowing piece of paper folded inside. He slid it out carefully. As he did, he caught a whiff of something. It smelled like some kind of flower…like…a lily…Harry smiled slightly.

With trembling hands, he opened the letter and started to read.

*

My Dearest Harry,

If you are reading these words, it means that I am no longer with you. Oh how I wish it didn't have to be this way. I wish I could watch you grow into the handsome young man I know you will become. I wish your father and I didn't have to go into hiding. I wish for so many impossible things, knowing they will never come true. It seems silly to say this, but I miss you already, my precious little Harry. Although as I write this, you are sleeping peacefully in your crib, I fear the worst for us. By now, you will have known about Voldemort. I do hope you aren't afraid to call him that. As Dumbledore always used to say, fear of a name increases fear of the being itself.

Anyway, you are probably full of questions by now, and if things happen the way I think they will, the answers to those questions will not be very clear. I'm not sure if revealing the truth to you is the best thing to do, but I know it will be the right thing to do. The moment I married James I knew he and I would be in grave danger for the rest of our lives. This didn't matter to me, because I loved your father very much, and I know he loved me too. However, this risk became more and more dangerous as I had you, and I do not want to endanger you in any way. It became clear that all our lives were in jeopardy the moment you were born. I am about to put a terrible burden on you, but Harry, I put my faith in my heart, because I feel it will be the right thing to do, telling you.

Harry…you alone are the sole heir of Godric Gryffindor.

Your father was before you, and because Voldemort is the sole heir of Salazar Slytherin, he has always hated James, and wanted him killed. However, as he gains power now, it is clear that his venomous hatred will be the end of us all. I know that soon, most likely within the next few days, he will try to murder James because you, Harry, are also a descendant of Godric Gryffindor, he will turn his hate on you too. You, who are only an infant, and have done nothing wrong. But I know you will go on no matter what. I'm not sure if you know this, Harry, but I am an avid crystal gazer. I have seen that you out of James and I, you will be the boy who lived. You will go on. Harry, because you are the sole heir of Gryffindor, you are the only one who can destroy the sole heir of Slytherin. The only way to do this is to make Voldemort mortal. I know of one device that will do this. It is called the Orb of Shadows. This orb will take all the magic power out of a wizard or witch, leaving them mortal, able to be slain. Harry, you must find this orb and use it to put an end to Voldemort, once and for all. It is a terrible burden to put on anyone, but you are the only one who can do it. Harry, I put my hope in you. Remember that no one is truly dead until they have been forgotten. Your father and I love you will all of our hearts Harry. Always and forever. Do not ever forget that. Even though we cannot be with you in person, we will always be there in spirit, watching over you. My dear Harry, I love you so much.

Your mother,

Lily Potter

Harry closed his eyes, briefly. His whole body was shaking, as if he had suddenly gotten cold. His heart was beating faster than usual. As he drew in a shaky breath, he looked at the paper he held in his shaking hands and saw yellowed tear stains from long ago, dotted here and there, which had smeared the ink. No doubt they were from his mother… His mother….Harry folded up the letter and placed it carefully in the envelope, placing it under his pillow, just staring at it for a second.

That was when he did what he had needed to do for a long time. Harry flung himself facedown on the bed and just cried. Now he just didn't care whether tears were coming or not. It felt like his heart was ripping in half. Harry had experienced pain before. It was unavoidable if you went to Hogwarts and always seemed to attract a lot of trouble…but the pain he felt now was nothing like he had ever felt. The pain came from inside, from his heart… And he just didn't know how to make it stop.