Thanks For The Memories
By LeapingWithFate
Summary: Lily knows it is only a matter of time before she dies as James duels Voldemort downstairs, but she also knows that she wouldn't give up the past year and a half for anything.
Warnings: implied character death
Word Count: 1017
QLFC Beater 1 Round 6 Prompt:
Team: Kenmare Kestrels
Link 'Em Up - Platonic Lily & Harry
Additional Prompts:
Object - Blanket
Word- Memories
Emotion - Cheerful
Action - Tripping Over Something
Emotion - Guilt?
Lily did her best to hold back the tears as she put her son in his crib. James was currently dueling the Dark Lord downstairs and she knew she didn't have a lot of time. "I am so sorry for bringing you into this fight, Harry, but Mummy will protect you, no matter what." she said, as she picked up his baby blanket and wrapped it around him. The sight of the blanket made a wet-sounding laugh escape Lily.
As she set up the ritual she had designed for this very situation, she allowed herself to focus on the memories of her little boy. The first one she thought about was when a six month old Harry first got the blanket.
(Flashback)
Lily smiled as she entered the house and found her little boy sleeping next to his father on the couch. She couldn't believe how big he was getting already, having grown sixteen centimeters in the past six months. Picking him up, she walked him over to the play area that was set up and gently woke him.
The cheerful baby instantly babbled happily as he saw his mother as she sat him down. "Nap time is over Harry, and Mummy got you a present." she said with a smile as she pulled a baby blue baby blanket out of her bag. It had Harry's name stitched into it in a deep, dark blue and the baby clapped upon seeing it.
Lily handed the blanket to the now wiggling child, and Harry instantly had a corner of it in his mouth. Lily giggled lightly as she watched her son bunch his fist up in the new blanket before crawling over to some of his toys to start playing, keeping the blanket with him the entire time.
Soon enough, the happy laughter of her son woke her husband, and Lily went to start dinner. Harry had only just started eating baby food, and Lily preferred to make what little he could eat herself.
(Flashback End)
A loud thump came from downstairs and Lily knew her husband was gone. She had to hurry, and as the tears finally started to fall, she spoke again. "I never wanted this life for you… and it is all my fault that we are here. I was selfish and wanted to have you so badly, even though I knew we were at war."
She sobbed lightly as she placed a kiss on her son's forehead. "That is why… That is why I promise that you will survive Harry. I just wish I could continue watching you grow. I know you will continue to stumble sometimes, like when you were learning to walk, but you have to promise to get back up when something trips you up."
Lily's words made her remember a ten-month-old Harry who had learned to walk, but hadn't quite mastered it yet.
(Flashback)
Lily watched her son as he walked around his play area. James was currently fighting some battle with Sirius and Remus at his back and Lily had stayed behind. Alice had offered to babysit, as she had little Neville, but the redhead had declined. She knew this battle would be deadly and she couldn't risk leaving her son without either of his parents.
As Harry laughed, it brought Lily's full attention to him, only to see that the baby had fallen over. He had tripped over the toy broom which Sirius had bought him a month ago the moment Harry had started trying to take his first steps.
Of course, this toy wasn't able to get airborne like some of them were, and mostly Sirius or James lifted the toy and Harry up and "flew" him around while Harry held onto the broom. It did prove to be a tripping hazard and Harry had stumbled over it more than a dozen times. instead of getting upset, the boy just laughed even more.
He hadn't hurt himself and would be up walking around in seconds and cheering Lily up any time she focused too much on what her husband was currently doing.
(Flashback End)
So Lily finished the final touches on the ritual she designed. With that done, she moved in between the crib and the door. All that was left now was to conserve her magic and let herself die. The more magic that she had within her body, the stronger the protection would be.
The only thing she wished she could do at the moment was to send a patronus to the Longbottoms, but that spell took too much magic and would weaken the ritual by a fraction. That was too much of a risk because even a fraction could mean the difference between Harry living and dying, even if her son did love her patronus.
(Flashback)
Harry may have picked up walking a little late, but he was running a lot quicker than Lily expected. At the moment they were having a going-away party before they went into hiding and Harry was chasing her patronus at fourteen months. The happy cries from the boy every time he got close to the doe brought a smile to Lily's face. She would do anything to keep her little boy as cheerful as he has been throughout the first milestones of his life.
Sadly, with the Dark Lord targeting her family, Lily wasn't sure if that would be possible. It was her fighting that could bring the man to her doorstep, and as such she would make sure that if he did find them, her son would be safe. She had a plan; she just wished that it wouldn't be needed.
Yet with what she had in mind, she felt even more guilty about bringing Harry into this war because if all else failed, it would be her life that would save him, and then he wouldn't have either of his parents.
(Flashback end)
Lily dried her eyes and smiled as she heard the door break open. "Thank you for these precious memories, Harry. I will treasure them as I go on to my next great adventure."