Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not Harry Potter, not the song that is in this chapter, nothing. Except for the novel I am currently co-writing with a friend. And she owns half of it anyway.
Stormy Night
Godric's Hollow, Halloween night, 8:20 pm
Boom! The whole house shook with the loud clap of thunder that had just occurred. It was a dark night in Godrics Hollow, at the Potters house. Lily Potter paused in cleaning up Harry's toys, listening hard for a small boy's whimpers with her sharp mothers' instincts.
Her husband, James, came into the room.
"Lily," he said, "Do you think Harry might have woken up? That was a loud crash of thunder."
She smiled at him. He always knew exactly what she was thinking.
"I just thought of that... I'm going to check on him."
She rode gracefully from a crouched position and walked swiftly up the stairs.
As she walked, she reminisced to another dark, stormy night, thirteen years ago, to a small seven-year-old, huddled and shaking in a small bed. She recalled wistfully, how her sister heard her choked sons from across the room they shared. She remembered Tuney coming out of her cozy bed and climbing into Lily's. She reflected how her ten-year-old sister cuddled up with her, began stroking her hair, and sang softly a lullaby. She recollected how her tears slowly stopped flowing as Tuney hummed gently until finally, she drifted off to sleep. She called to mind her overwhelming gratitude and love for her sister that night, many, many years ago.
Then, she was reminded of how Tuney began to pull away from her. How she no longer wanted to play, after Lily met Severus. How the name-calling became common- freak, monster, devil. How her sister, overnight, seemed to hate her, hate Sev, hate magic.
She remembered more recent times, too. How, at Petunia's wedding, they had one of their biggest fights ever. How Petunia didn't want Lily to bring her 'freak of a boyfriend' to the wedding. How their mum took Lily's side, saying she could bring her boyfriend if she wanted to. How Petunia refused to speak to either of them for a week.
Shaking off the hurtful memories, Lily quietly opened up the attic door, where Harry slept. Poking her head in, her heart melted at the pitiful sight of her little boy, tears staining his chubby, round, face, arms held up in a pleading gesture from the crib. She hurried across the room and scooped his warm body into her arms. Cuddling him, she went over to the wooden rocking chair her father made for her a year ago, when she found out she was pregnant with Harry. Petunia had one as well. She wondered, with a stab of nostalgia, if right now Petunia was comforting her little Dudley.
Cuddling Harry close to her heart, she began singing softly, the same lullaby Tuney sang to her, several years ago.
Little child, be not afraid
The rain pounds harsh against the glass
Harry snuggled closer, thumb going in the mouth.
Like an unwanted stranger
But there is no danger
When she sang that verse, her thoughts drifted to the worst 'unwanted stranger' there was - 'Lord Voldemort'. Although she told Harry there was no danger, she knew that it would not be true for much longer... But she would do her best to keep him safe. Even if she had to die for him.
I am here tonight
His sobs subsiding, her little boy looked up at her.
Little child
Be not afraid...
She was afraid for him, though... So afraid...
Though thunder explodes
And lightning flash
Illuminates your tear-stained face...
She would do what she could to make sure he had very little need for tears...
I am here tonight
And someday you'll know
That nature is so
Oh, how she hoped she would be able to be the one to teach him!
This same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
On forests and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you see
James said he would probably need glasses when he was older...
In the morning
Little child
Be not afraid
He yawned...
The storm clouds mask your beloved moon
Pandora Lovegood was expecting... She said it would be a girl she would call Luna, which means moon... They should have a play date! With Alice and Frank's young Neville... And the Weasley's...
And its candlelight beams
Why do wizards not use electricity? It's madness, is what it is. Candles and lamps are so dangerous, especially around little ones...
Still keep pleasant dreams
Do babies dream? They should...
I am here tonight
Little child
Be not afraid
The wind makes creatures of our trees
And the branches to hands
Well, trolls don't need wind to do that! They're branchy and treeiey enough!
They're not real, understand
According to the Muggles, anyway...
And I am here tonight
And I will always be here for you, love. Whether dead or alive, ghost or woman, I will always be here for you.
And someday you'll know
That nature is so
This same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
On forests and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you see
In the morning
She hesitated...
For you know,
For some reason, it was getting hard to see. Everything was blurry...
Once even I
Was a little child
What was sliding down her face? It was warm, and wet, and salty... Oh. It was tears. Why was she crying?
And I was afraid
She was lost in her memories... She was mouthing the words, tears streaming...
But a gentle someone always came
To dry all my tears
"Petunia..."
Trade sweet sleep for fears
To give a kiss goodnight
She missed Tuney. It was as simple as that. She missed her sister!
Well, now I am grown
Oh, how she missed the days where nothing could go wrong, where magic was real and good and beautiful, where Tuney was her friend and magic was their secret...
And these days have shown
Rain's a part of how life goes
Rain and tears both...
But it's dark and it's late
So I'll hold you and wait
'Til your frightened eyes do close
He was sleeping, eyes closed, tear tracks still wet on his face...
And I hope that you'll know
How she hopes!
That nature is so
This same rain that draws you near me
Though the rain seems bad right now, love, it truly is good...
Falls on rivers and land
On forests and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you see
The world is no longer beautiful, not with Voldemort out there... Is it?
In the morning
Everything's fine in the morning
She wishes...
The rain will be gone in the morning
So will Tuney...
But I'll still be here
In the morning
She will write Tuney a letter and have Dumbledore send it to her. Maybe Tuney will forgive her, for the sake of their children. She will write it, in the morning...
I hope you all enjoyed it! I got the inspiration from the song "Lullaby for a Stormy Night '. It is a really sweet song, you all should give it a listen! I did not write the song, I believe 'Vienna Teng' did, so credit, where credit is due, has been given.
I am planning on making this a four-shot, with Petunia and Lily, Petunia and Harry, and Harry and Lily Luna. If I get five or more reviews, I will start working on it. If I don't, well, I'll assume no one wants to read it and I will not continue.
Please, please, review. I always looked down on people begging for reviews, but now, as an author, I understand. Reviews are the bread and butter of our souls!
If you did not catch it, Lily comforted Harry on Halloween night. The night she died.
If anyone has a suggestion for a one-shot, I will totally welcome them.
Also, if anyone is willing to Beta for me... Please, please, please!
Thank you for reading!
-Rose