The Singing Dog
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am merely borrowing the characters to play with them.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Warnings: Completely AU, partly OOC.
It was a cold, rainy evening in Godric's Hollow, when Voldemort attacked the Potters. From downstairs, Lily had seen the green light and knew that James did not have a chance to survive. The evil wizard then told her to go out of the way and let him kill her baby; however, Lily had – of course – refused and replied that he should spare her son and kill her instead.
Seeing the green spell steadily come towards her, Lily instinctively closed her eyes and readied herself to die. However, an instant later, she was still conscious. She blinked and hesitantly opened her eyes. 'Harry!' was her first thought. 'Is he alive?' She almost smiled in relief upon hearing her baby wail. However, knowing that James had died to save them both prevented her from being outright happy. 'I shouldn't be alive either, considering that he cast the killing curse at me,' she thought, as she stepped over to the crib.
"Harry!"
Well-known emerald eyes cast her a seemingly relieved look, as a small, final sniff replaced the wailing. She gently lifted the fifteen-month-old out of his crib and cradled him close, feeling the child relax in her arms, when something caught her eyes. 'A wand'. "Sorry Harry," she uttered, as she carefully knelt down to pick it up. 'It must be Voldemort's, but where has he gone?' she wondered, not willing to believe that he had simply apparated away leaving his wand. 'Oh well, he won't get it back in any case,' she decided, as she pocketed the wand in disdain.
She did not know how much time had passed, while she was lost in thoughts with her baby asleep in her arms, when she heard someone climb up the stairs. With a flick of her wand, she was ready to attack – only to realise in relief that it was Sirius, who was crying his eyes out, uttering "James."
Just a moment later, Hagrid appeared, staring at them in apparent surprise. "Dumbledore, 'e tol' me te take the lil one to the Dursleys, as ye were both gone."
"What?" Lily's eyes narrowed in anger. "That meddling old coot. Go back to him and tell him to leave us in peace."
"Yeah, sorry Lily." With that the half-giant left – much to her relief, as she simply wanted to be left in peace, glad to be alive together with Harry.
"Peter, that traitor," Sirius suddenly blurted out. "I'm going to kill him."
"No!" Lily glared at the man, who was her late husband's best friend and her son's godfather. "Harry needs you here and not in Azkaban."
"That's true," Sirius relented, just when once again footsteps could be heard.
"Severus." Lily let out a relieved sigh and let her wand sink.
"Are you happy now that your master has done it and killed your archenemy?" Sirius growled, pointing his wand at his former classmate.
"Sirius, stop that instantly." Lily's voice was sharp as a knife. "It's not Severus' fault."
"Lily." Her former best friend's voice was soft and silky. "You need to get out of here. The house is greatly damaged and can collapse at any time."
Lily stared at him in shock. 'Where?' her mind screamed. 'I've nowhere to go.'
"Let's go to Potter Manor," Sirius suggested. "The elves should have completely repaired it by now."
"No." Lily shook her head. "Everything would remind me too much of James there."
"I could offer you my house at Spinner's End, but as you know, it's not the best place to live."
Lily cast Severus a grateful look. She remained pensive for a moment before making her decision. "Thank you both, but no thanks. I think we'll head to the house we own in Bally Sideways."
"Bally Sideways?" Severus quirked an eyebrow in silent question.
"It's on Inis Rún, a small wizarding island between Scotland and Ireland."
"I've heard of that island. It's famous for its jellygrapes. They are a bit like sea weed; however, they look like small grapes made from jelly. Their juice can be used as a potion ingredient and has enormous healing power. You can add it to any potion in order to double the effect. Unfortunately, they only grow on Inis Rún, where several fishermen sell them. I always intended to go there and get some, but have not managed so far."
"Will you come with us right now, both of you?" Lily cast the two young wizards a pleading look.
"Of course."
"Yes."
"Thanks." Lily smiled, feeling very much reassured that her two friends, who could not stand each other, were willing to bury the animosities at least for the moment. "Let's just apparate to Inis Rún. The house is a ten-minute walk from the apparition point. Unfortunately, the rest of the island is under anti-apparition wards." She let out a deep sigh. "We have a fireplace, which is connected to the Floo, but I suppose that ours here is unusable right now."
"Yes." Severus nodded in confirmation.
With a flick of her wand, Lily gathered Harry's most needed belongings as well as a few clothes for herself as well as their family wands and belongings including a shrunken painting of James' parents in a small travel bag. She then summoned Neko, the cat, out of Harry's crib and pressed her into Severus' arms. Just when she readied herself to leave, she once again heard footsteps climbing up the stairs. "Let's leave quickly," she uttered and apparated away, faintly registering a white head, before she left.
HP
Lily sighed in relief, seeing that Severus and Sirius both arrived when she did.
"That was most likely Albus."
Lily nodded, grimly. "Sev, you're right. Then it was just the right time to leave. I have no intention to speak with him let alone put up with his crap."
Sirius nodded in agreement. "He really went too far, sending Hagrid to take Harry to the Dursleys. Even if he didn't know that you survived, I'm Harry's godfather."
Severus gave him a pensive look. "Is it possible that he assumed that you were their Secret Keeper?"
"No." Sirius shook his head. "He cast the Fidelius charm himself."
"Oh, all right then." Severus nodded in understanding, before he turned to Lily. "Now, shall we go?"
The Apparition point on the small island Inis Rún was situated on the flattened top of a dune. Two small paths were leading downwards on two sides, one of them equipped with a road sign, stating 'to Bally Sideways', even if they could barely decipher the writing in the dark. A little further down the path, they could see the lights of what seemed a village.
"Let me carry Harry." Sirius reached out for the small boy, and Lily gratefully handed him over.
"Thanks Sirius. He's really getting heavy."
After a ten-minute walk through the dunes, they reached a small market square, and Lily pointed to a house. "Here we are."
"This is an amazing place." Severus looked around the square, which was surrounded by two storied building as well as an old church, a tiny branch of Gringotts, a small bookshop and a slightly larger store.
"Yes, it's a very small town, but it's really beautiful here." Lily recalled the many holidays she and James had spent on the small island.
Together, they entered the house, and Lily led them into the living room. It was a large room with a group of comfortable sofas arranged in front of a fireplace. With a flick of her wand, the fireplace came to life and an agreeable warmth spread around the room.
"Do you have a nursery and everything you need here?" Severus quirked an eyebrow, as he gently lowered the cat onto the thick carpet right in front of the fireplace.
"Yes." Sirius was the first to respond. "James and I decorated that shortly before Harry was born." He chuckled.
Lily rolled her eyes. "They fought about the pattern for the walls and such for hours."
"And why might that be?" Severus looked amused.
"Because Sirius wanted dogs and James Snitches."
"Who won?"
Sirius let out a snort. "The Lady Potter won and decided on a combination of dogs and cats."
Lily nodded, grinning.
"Black…"
"Sirius." Sirius held out his hand to his former archenemy. "I apologize for all that James and I did to you during our fifth Hogwarts year. Please forgive me. I think Lily needs both of us now and can't have us fighting all the time."
Lily's eyes widened in shock that only intensified, when Severus accepted the outstretched hand. 'Oh Merlin, they have matured a lot.'
"Sirius, will you stay with Lily tonight? I'm afraid that I must return to Hogwarts, before Albus misses me."
"I'll stay, and I suggest that we call Remus here as well. He must have heard about the attack by now."
"Severus, will you come back tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow is Sunday, so yes, I can do that. May I tell Minerva where you are? She will be extremely worried."
"Yes please. The address of this fireplace is 'Potters' Lair Bally Sideways'."
With a sharp nod, Severus pulled a small box with floo powder out of his robe pocket and stepped into the fireplace, uttering, "Snape quarters Hogwarts."
HP
Just an hour later, the fireplace flared and Severus' head appeared. "Just so you know, Dumbledore has spread various rumours. He told everyone that you and James were dead and an imposter of you had taken Harry away and that Sirius was the Secret Keeper. Everyone is now looking for the three of you. You better place the house under the Fidelius charm before doing anything else."
"Thanks for the warning, Severus." Lily sighed, feeling extremely grateful to her old friend. "Sirius has called Remus over, and I'm sure he knows how to cast the Fidelius charm with me as the Secret Keeper." Seeing Remus nod, she added, "I'll call you later on."
HP
Casting a strong warming charm at Harry, Lily motioned Sirius and Remus to follow her outside. "Remus, please cast the Fidelius charm. I will act as the Secret Keeper. You know that I trust you, but still."
"That's fully all right."
"We completely understand."
Lily gave the two young men, who had been friends with James ever since they had met on the Hogwarts Express more than ten years ago, a sad smile, nodding contentedly, when Remus swiftly began to cast the spell.
The thought 'Perhaps the jellygrapes, of which Severus spoke, could help to develop a cure for lycanthropy' crossed her mind, as her house vanished from the sight only to reappear again.
"Thanks Remus." She quickly conjured a small parchment and a muggle pen and scribbled the address. 'Potter Lair, Square 2, Bally Sideways, Inis Rúin.'
"Did that work?" she asked, once the two men had looked at her parchment.
Sirius nodded. "Yes, we can see the house now, can't we, Harry?"
Lily rolled her eyes, knowing that Harry was fast asleep in his godfather's arms. "Thanks Remus."
The Marauder cast her a small smile. "Thank you, Lily for allowing me to cast it. I feel honoured."
Lily scoffed. "You should have more confidence. Oh, by the way, I'm going to take you up on your official and unofficial godfather duties in the near future. I just don't know what to do now. James…" She slowly trailed off, trying to suppress the tears that welled in her eyes.
HP
Returning into the house, she swiftly took Harry into the nursery, gently placing his stuffed bear into the crib with him. Leaving the door ajar, she headed straight to the fireplace and called Severus and then Minerva, showing them both the parchment with the address."
"May I come over for a moment?"
Lily smiled at her mentor. "I'd be happy if you did." She stepped away from the fireplace, not a moment too early, before Minerva came through, almost stumbling over Neko, as she stepped out.
Lily realised how she looked at Sirius in apparent shock, before she turned to her. "Lily, is that really you?" she blurted out, already pulling her into a bear's hug.
"Yes, it's me, and Sirius is innocent," Lily replied in annoyance at the old headmaster.
"What is Dumbledore thinking?" Sirius looked at his former head of house in confusion. "I've done nothing to him, nor did Lily."
Minerva shook her head in apparent exasperation. "I have no idea. He seems strangely obsessed with Harry and told everyone that James and Lily were both dead. He even ordered Mad Eye Moody to put up a warrant for Sirius to receive a one-way ticket to Azkaban because of giving you out to Voldemort."
"Did Moody agree to such a thing? As my boss, he should know me better."
Minerva looked at Sirius.
"I will call Amelia," Lily said and headed to the fireplace in determination. "Amelia Bones' place." She showed her friend the address and invited her over. "Let me warn you though. Sirius is innocent. Dumbledore seems to have gone completely nuts."
A moment later, the young witch, who was not only Sirius' colleague and friend but also his fiancée, stepped out of the fireplace, closely followed by Severus, who returned from Hogwarts to see if there was anything he could do for Lily.
"Cicero," he called his private house-elf. "Could you please make tea and sandwiches for all of us?"
"Of course, Master Severus," the relatively tall elf replied, before he popped away.
A few minutes later, refreshments popped up on the table in front of them.
"Thanks Severus," Lily uttered, giving him a small smile.
Amelia looked from Sirius to Lily. "Lily, would it be all right if I called Moody over? The sooner we work against Albus' statements the better."
"Please do so." Lily handed her the parchment with the address, knowing that she did not have to warn her friend to only show it but not hand it over.
A minute later, the parchment was returned to her hands, and Alastor Moody stepped out of the fireplace with his wand pointed at them.
"Black, what is the activation password of door number eighteen in corridor five?"
"Kittens on crack."
"Lady Potter, when is my birthday?"
Lily grinned, knowing that James had only found out by chance, what his boss used to keep to himself. "On the first of April."
Moody nodded, grimly. "So why is Dumbledore telling everyone that Lily Potter is an imposter and Sirius Black a traitor?"
Lily let out a deep sigh. "That's what I'd like to know."
"Perhaps he is simply losing his marbles." Sirius gave Minerva and Severus a questioning look. "I mean, he is around 150. Maybe it's time to question his sanity."
"Sirius!" Remus lightly scolded his friend, who merely shrugged.
At five o'clock in the morning, the group decided to head to bed and get some sleep and to meet again after dinner the following evening.
"Until then, we'll think about what Lily could do now and how to prevent Dumbledore from spreading more rumours," Amelia said in a firm voice. "Sirius and I will also take care of organising the funeral, after the Aurors have cleared the place. Sirius, are you going to come home with me?"
"Is it safe for me?" The Marauder cast his fiancée a worried look.
"It is." Moody nodded in confirmation. "I will make a short detour to the ministry and cancel the arrest warrant right away."
"Thank you all so very much for your help," Lily said, giving her friends a smile, even if it did not reach her eyes.
"Lily, do you want me to stay here with you?"
Lily smiled at the werewolf. "Thanks Remus, but it's not necessary. As I haven't let anyone in on the secret, whom I don't fully trust, I feel safe here."
'I'll go and get some sleep, too,' she decided and went upstairs to look in on her baby. When she reached the second floor and stepped into the nursery, she realised in shock that Harry was standing there, fully awake and silently crying.
To her relief, he immediately stopped crying, as she approached, reaching out to her with both arms.
"Mama. Nene?" he asked, his lower lip again quivering dangerously.
"Neko is asleep in front of the fireplace downstairs." She gently pushed an errand strand of hair from his forehead and kissed him. "Do you want to come to bed with me?"
Harry nodded, before he leaned back against her shoulder and fell back to sleep with a small thumb wandering into his mouth.
'He's so adorable,' she thought. 'Thank Merlin I didn't lose him, too. Losing James is bad enough.' The question 'I wonder why I'm alive at all' crossed her mind, when she suddenly felt a strange sensation from inside her body. 'What was that?' she thought, feeling horrified, as her Seer instincts kicked in. She finally succumbed to the grief and began to sob, cuddling Harry close as they slept.
tbc...? (only if you are interested)
Inis Rùn, Bally Sideways and any places, items and OC characters on this island are taken from my own story "Me and My Dog and the Insufferable Know-It-All".
Thanks to the kind readers of my FB group for their constand encouragement and advice! Please tell me what you think about this chapter and what you wish to be included in this story. Thanks.
