It's kind of short but whatever haha hope it's not too fast~
Disclaimer: Don't own
Chapter 52
Dreams had always been a pathway for me, a source of knowledge, working in its mysterious and unknown ways. Didn't know it would be so drastic.
There's half a spicy taco in my mouth as James peers through the door into our room with a hesitant smile. "Hello, darling," he grins softly. I shoot him a 'what' look as I stuff another taco into my mouth from the mountainous plate it front of me. Maybe I'm moody and maybe I'm eating way too much comfort food, but I'm pregnant, and I'm craving and I don't give a gummy bear what anybody thinks.
"Dumbledore is here and he wants to speak to us. He says… he says it's really important. Life-or-death kinda thing. You feeling up for it, baby?" he asks, coming over and kissing my temple. I shrug and pop a random piece of lost lettuce into my mouth. I wipe my stained lips with the back of my hand and force out an, "Okay."
…
The pile of spilling tacos lie forgotten at the edge of the eiderdown, balancing precariously on the end of the bed as my snack lodges in my throat and threatens to make a reappearance.
The curse was coming back into place.
"But… no, that can't… I couldn't! It can't!" I yell, sweeping the porcelain plate onto the floor, spreading minced meat and tomatoes over the carpet, staining the soft furry velvet. There is anger, fear, burning deep within me, ice cold as flame, contradictory and yet obvious as I panic and gesture wildly. "There's got to be some way to stop it. There has to be something… Anything! I'll do anything! There must be a-a cure, a way to nip it. I can't… I wouldn't… It mustn't! There's no way I'm going to let it happen!"
"There is no cure, Lily, and you know it," Professor Dumbledore interrupts calmly. "There's nothing you can do. You must go into hiding. There is a chance that your child is not chosen, but this is not a risk you should take. Godric's Hollow should be safe enough. Your son could be revolution. He could change the world – for the better, or end it."
I realise there is no choice. I had known – my fate was entwined with the darkness of this-this Dark wizard, and I had dragged James and my poor son into this chaos. This Lord Voldemort… Voldemort. Flight of Death. How coincidentally fitting. Or is it coincidental? Calling for the blood of Muggles and mudbloods, calling for the rise of the purebloods? How did this all happen?
It is all explained, thoroughly, detailedly by the Professor, of all the parts played. Not much soaks in through the panic that rears its ugly head in the front of my head but I get the point.
Professor Dumbledore sits as I stomp around the room like a little child, screaming and wrecking the place, crying and breaking things. A vexed James tries to collect me into his arms but Dumbledore places a restraining hand on his arm. Stupid old coot, I scream internally. Let somebody comfort me. I want to be comforted! I want to know that I'll be okay, that it'll all be alright, everybody is safe, that I've hurt nobody, that everything will end up fine. I know it won't, but I want to believe. I want to be comforted, but nobody will. I finally end up crumpling onto the floor, crying again, my face a complete mess. This probably isn't good for the baby but I'm trusting Dumbledore, stupid humming bumblebee, happily there, watching me rip my heart out, continuing to restrain James with a simple touch as the person who I love more than anyone in the world right now watches me with terse eyes. I'm exhausted. Crying takes so much energy. I lie there on the floor, hiccupping every now and then. Professor Dumbledore takes his hand off James – I pretend not to see – and leaves – I pretend not to care – James runs to clean my face tenderly with a handkerchief and stroke my hair – I pretend not to feel – and I turn over and close my eyes – pretending to sleep.
James just picks me up silently and places me back onto the bed, tucking me under the sheets and wrapping his arms around me, his torso curving nicely over my back. I appreciate the warmth and snuggle in, knowing that for James, this is bound to be a torture – a dead, awkward arm and a faceful of hair. I find it kind of funny and suddenly I find myself bursting into maniacal laughter. James just holds me tight, burying his face in my hair as my laughter dies away abruptly.
An overwhelming sadness washes over me and I cling to his arms around me. I choke back more tears and whisper, "I'm so sorry, darling, for bringing you and our baby into this… I'm so sorry…"
He just kisses my temple as fragments slip into my hazy mind. "…not your fault… just the hormones… it'll be… don't worry… will work out… I love you."
And I drift off.
…
A dark-haired man and a white-haired man stand together in an office, watching a fire sunset.
A promise made.
A promise broken.
Yet a promise kept.
…
Time passes with worry in every day, hours crumbling, minutes shattering, seconds drilling as there's a hanging tension in every moment, a vampire round every corner, a snake beneath every stone, death behind every door. There's no peace, no happiness, except at night when I lie in the warmth of the bed, cradled by James, feeling liquid love pour into me, delicate joy.
I'm in the study, munching away and satiating my taco cravings with a literary analysis of Pride and Prejudice when James knocks on the door and once more brings in Professor Dumbledore.
"I've brought a visitor of the two that have come," Professor Dumbledore says in a voice I immediately recognise as grave, dark and serious. "They have travelled great journeys to meet you… To show you that you have a life beyond death." I'm taken aback and so is James, but we question nothing. "Measures have been taken for years, sacrifices made, because Seers and time-travellers come with messages of a future only travellers are permitted to know."
His blue eyes stray to the door. "Come in."
The door creaks open and a fairly beautiful brunette walks in, molten intelligent eyes training on me. She smiles hesitantly and holds out her hand.
"Good evening, Mrs. Potter... My name is Hermione Granger."
