Disclaimer: It's been 25 chapters, and these characters still aren't mine.
Dear Harry,
Are you reading this? Probably not. But if you are, Hi. I don't know when - or if - you'll find this, but I thought you might be wondering why we wrote the letters in the first place. As you may have guessed from the letters, I was the one who came up with the idea. But why? Because I knew you would live. No one else really did, not as a fact, anyway. Professor Dumbledore thought it was a possibility. So did Professor McGonagall, I think. I should probably tell you how I found this out.
Just before we went into hiding, a few days before we changed Secret Keepers, I went to Hogwarts. We'd sorted out most of the details by then, but James wanted to give Dumbledore the Invisibility Cloak so we could be sure it wasn't destroyed or lost. Do you have it now? I hope you do. That thing is… unlike anything I've ever seen or read about. Anyway, James was staying back at the house with you, and I was at Hogwarts. It was late September, and starting to get cold out. Hagrid's pumpkins were starting to change from green to orange, the color flooding from their stems, seeping through the rest of the tough skin. Why am I including all these details? I think it makes the story seem real. To know that the world around me was just the same, even when I was planning on "disappearing off the face of the earth." I just started talking about a totally different topic, didn't I? I do that a lot.
I came when everyone was in the Great Hall for lunch, so I was able to get past without anyone noticing me. I planned on waiting by Dumbledore's office for him to come back, but he was already there, and talking to someone else. As I stood there - Merlin, it was so creepy - I swear someone was staring at me. I couldn't see anyone, of course, so I assumed they had their own cloak, albeit one that wouldn't last as long as James'.
Now, Harry, I have a habit of talking to myself. And because of this, I was muttering under my breath as I waited. And the day before, Sirius had suggested Peter as Secret Keeper. So I was muttering about who the Secret Keeper would be. Merlin, I was being stupid. And some house-elf walks up, holding a tea tray. She stood next to me silently, waiting. With nothing better to do, I decided to try and listen to what Dumbledore was saying. He was talking to McGonagall. They were talking about us going into hiding. Professor McGonagall really does care for her students, past, present, and future, which is what makes her such a good teacher. And being the person she is, she asked if there was any chance you would survive. Dumbledore, he didn't know what to say. That's the first time I've ever heard him at loss for words. Then slowly, carefully, he said this:
"I have no doubt that Voldemort will use the Killing Curse, Minerva. And the only thing I can think of that could possibly protect from that is love."
The words were so quiet I could hardly hear her. "But what is love?" That's what McGonagall said. And it's Dumbledore's answer that made me make the decision.
"There are many types of love. I don't know all of them now, and I never will. But I believe that strongest form of love that any one person could ever encounter is a mother's love."
And what did I do as soon as I heard this? Start muttering to myself again. Then I realized that the house-elf had heard what I was saying. But Before I could do anything about the elf, McGonagall came out of the office. I rushed in at the same time as the elf, gave Dumbledore the Cloak and a rushed explanation, and hurried out. I stayed a while longer, waiting for the elf. As soon as she came, and Obliviated her. I had to make sure she didn't know who the Secret Keeper was. But oh, Harry. I only meant to erase the past ten minutes or so, but I erased her entire life! How could I muck up so bad? I feel awful. I gave her my scarf to free her, then told her to hide until Voldemort was defeated.
I didn't even wait to watch her leave the castle. Instead, I took off down the opposite end of the corridor she was headed, and took the long way down to the entrance hall. And I think someone was looking at me, again. I couldn't find them, but I didn't really care. Because you know what I just heard? I heard there was something more than a chance that you would live. And maybe, just maybe, if I was deliberate enough, I could plan your survival.
I haven't told James about this yet. I don't think I will. I wasn't supposed to hear it, let alone him. And he'll try to stop me. Not because he doesn't love you, Harry, because he loves both of us. He'll try to have me let him do all the hard work, whatever that may be. And, yes, I am more focused on saving you than James, but it's because you haven't even gotten the chance to live. At least James has gone through Hogwarts, graduated, joined the Order. And if, by some miracle, it's you and James reading these letters, instead of you and Sirius: I love you, James, I really do.
I don't know exactly what Dumbledore meant, and I don't know exactly what I'd have to do, but I do know one thing: I love you, Harry, and if that's all it takes to save you, then consider yourself saved.
Love (as if that weren't obvious enough),
Mum
Thank you for reading! This was the final chapter. sofiarose613, you've just read what's in the letter. dianaanne, it's good to know someone out there finds my story intriguing. ragsweas, I finished this chapter 7 hrs after you reviewed... quick update delivered (for once).
Now, who's up for some story stats? (You can leave now if you want to).
Shortest chapter - chapter 6 - 603 words
Longest chapter - chapter 24 - 3129 words
Total words: ~29240
Avg. words per chapter: 1170
Once again, thank you to all those who have followed Harry's journey, reviewed, favorited, and followed.
Goodbye for now,
-rosebud100