Hello! Immia and The Unicorn Whisperer here!
Harry: And ME! Don't forget me!
Sirius: Don't forget ME either!
Immia: Of course we couldn't forget them could we?
The Unicorn Whisperer: *grimaces* Nobody could.
Sirius: Of course not, we're memorable!
The Unicorn Whisperer: Not in a good way mind, but wait! Before you kill me Sirius, Immia would you like to give a brief summary of the story?
Immia: This delightful story brought to you by me, Immia, and The Unicorn Whisperer is about Lily's life after James death. With receding funds after a certain tragic experience Lily is forced to take on a job she rather wouldn't. And now The Unicorn Whisperer will finish off this summery...
The Unicorn Whisperer: Lily is faced with impossible caterers, estranged food, and one snobby co-worker who will do anything to make her life a nightmare. Couple those things with a five-year-old son and the son's godfather and you have one wild roller-coaster ride of suspense, humor, and cow-spotted walls!
Immia: Couldn't have said so better myself...
Harry: Neither could I.
Sirius: Or, amazingly, me
Immia: Freakish....
And now without further ado on the show!
Disclaimer - This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. We own the plot and a few original things. Wind in the Willows belongs to Kenneth Grahame.
Survivors
The sun was shining brightly, and the sky was a deep blue. It was too beautiful day for such a sad event. The exquisite gardens loomed off in the distance, perfect in every way. They were supposed to help ease the pain, but they did not.
Lily Potter let out a long sigh, finally admitting that what had happened last week was not a nightmare but the truth.
It was as real as the elderly man in front of her, or the blond women to her side. Haunting her very soul, at even the notion of it.
She closed her eyes, and once again the memories as clear, sharp, and precise as photographs flashed across her mind's eye, the memories from a week ago, today. The worst experience in her young life, and probably, she decided, the rest of her existence.
A voice pulled her out of her thoughts, two voices actually. "How are you holding up?" asked a man, who was just a little taller then she was with long, black hair and a charming smile. In his arms he held her fifteen month old son, Harry who was saying, "Mum!" over and over.
Lily concentrated on her son first, pushing back his sweaty hair with her hand. Hugging him closer she finally looked up into the concerned eyes of the other man. He looked worried, and Lily admitted to herself he probably had a right to be.
"You still haven't answered my question," the man said giving her a small smile.
She quickly averted her eyes, staring down into the contented face of her son. She knew perfectly well that the question wasn't answered, for she had hoped he had forgotten, in the turmoil of the times.
The man sighed deeply, "I know, Lils, I miss him too."
Tears started burning in the back of her eyes. As much as she tried to stop them, two tears ran slowly down her face, their salt running across her lips.
She felt her son squirm in her arms, his hand brushing her face as if to brush the tears away.
Staring at her infant son, his look-a-like, only made the sadness in her heart grow ten times deeper. And startling even herself, Lily started to sob.
She felt a strong pair of arms encircle her, rubbing her back soothingly.
Slowly her tears slowed, leaving wet patterns down her rosy cheeks. But her heart still ached.
"Thank you, Sirius," she managed to choke out, her voice hoarse from crying.
"No problem," he whispered soothingly into her hair, "I can't stand to see you hurting"
Lily laughed softly, that sounded so 'un-Sirius' that it was funny. "For a moment I thought I was talking to Remus," she said in-between soft giggles.
A strange look passed across his face as he said in an oddly tight voice, "I'm no Remus. I'm just me, Sirius Black. At your service"
Lily gave Sirius a gentle smile, "And Lily and Harry Potter at yours."
A loud voice, starting the ceremony interrupted their private smile. Reluctantly, they headed to their seats in the front row. Their seats were right across from the open coffin. Lily avoided looking at it, for it brought back such terrible pain all in the form of memories. Instead her attention focused solely on her son. Did he even realize who was in the coffin that she was so being so careful to avoid? Did he know that one day he would grow up to look like the man that was resting that coffin? Did he know that he would never see his father again?
Lily could feel the tears starting again, but with a resolve she didn't know she had, they were held back. She felt the slight, comforting pressure of Sirius' hand lay on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort.
The ceremony dragged by for Lily, many great things were said about her husband, and her old headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, gave the eulogy. The ceremony dragged by for Lily, even though many great things were said about her husband, and the eulogy was given by her old honorable headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.
The one line that sparked her interest, the one she knew would stay in her heart forever was said as follows, "When evil comes you have a choice whether to fight it or not. Some people it brings out the bad, and some the good. James was one of those good people, and we will never forget him," said by one Albus Dumbledore
After that the rest of the ceremony pasted in a daze, all she remembered was many people telling her how sorry they were for her loss, and how if she ever needed any help they would be there for her. Oddly enough, she barely knew any of them. Perhaps offering help to near strangers is what one is supposed to do on these occasions, she mused as she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She turned around to see Albus Dumbledore's sharp, concerned eyes boring into hers. Feeling slightly uncomfortable she lowered her gaze to the grass below her. She kept her eyes there, as he started to speak in a soft but still powerful voice.
"How are you holding up dear?" he asked in almost a fatherly tone.
She did not look up, for she thought that if she did she might explode in to a torrent of tears. All the emotional strain of the day had not been good for her. Slowly she timidly answered, "Okay."
"How is young Harry, also?" he asked.
Slowly she looked up, more ready to talk about Harry then herself. His eyes were darker and sadder than his voice sounded, almost making her gasp out loud. "He seems fine at the moment, he is sleeping"
"He is?" Sirius asked, coming up behind them looking thoroughly depressed.
"Mhmm," Lily mumbled, staring down at her sleeping child. "He has been for the past few hours."
"Hello Sirius," Dumbledore said to the younger man who was currently absorbed in his godson's sleeping form.
"Hello," Sirius replied. There was a full minute of silence as all three of them, stared at the sleeping infant, together. Now, he had to grow up, without a father. But soon that silence was interrupted.
A crash of thunder rang through the sky, and in a blink of an eye everybody was running for shelter. Everyone that is, except for Lily Potter. She handed her child off too Sirius, and stared up into the sky. It was as if it was a message from the beyond. And Lily stood there, frozen, as if in a trance, until the next crash of thunder brought her to her senses
Sighing, she hurried under a tent for shelter while thinking it would be a fine mess if she got sick now. A women, whom she did not know came up behind, and said, "It's like even the sky is mourning him."
~*~
Lily Potter sat at her desk, writing out a check. She owed money to the owners of Godric's Hollow every month, for they rented it. They being her and Harry of course, their little family.
And, well Sirius of course, he had become sort of a second father to Harry. Actually, Sirius was playing some fantastic game with Harry in the living room at the moment; their laughing rang through the house.
Lily sighed, than grinned playfully at thinking all the trouble Sirius could be getting Harry in right now. Last week had resulted in one taken kiddy broomstick, a smashed window, and Sirius with a bruised butt.
"Let go, Sirius!" Harry cried in between giggles.
"No way, Harry!" Sirius laughed heartily.
"Mum, help!" Harry shouted.
So Lily, did come, and pulled Sirius off of Harry before he tickled him to death. "Now Sirius," She said in a strict tone, but the twinkle in her eyes gave her away. And with a leap she jumped a top Sirius to tickle him back, since Harry could not.
"I surrender!" Sirius shouted after being tickle attacked by Lily.
"Good," said Lily brushing herself off to look dainty and perfect again. "Good," Harry said repeated his mother jumping into her to hug her legs," Laughing hurts."
"You're telling me," Sirius grumbled. "Lily, you're better at tickle wars than me, that am just . . . wrong."
Lily smirked, "That's what you get for tickling Harry."
Harry gave Sirius a smug smile. "Without me, that is."
Harry's face paled, "No! No! This isn't fair! There are two of you, and one of me!"
"You can be on my team Harry," Sirius grinned.
Harry's frightened face, quickly turned around do be a look of delight. "Mum, you are going down," he said with an evil look on his face, rubbing his little hands together. Lily was struck at how similar Sirius and Harry sounded.
"Potter and Black," she grinned, "this is going to be simple."
Sirius laughed evilly and put on a grainy, villain voice, "I am the master of the tickling, and nobody can beat ME. I tickle 'till the end, torture until they laugh themselves to their dooooom."
"That is what you think, Sirius Black," Lily replied in a demonic voice. "But it is I who is the Supreme Master of Tickling, and no one, not even you, Sirius Orion Black, can escape my wrath."
Harry had drawn back fearfully, his eyes wide and disbelieving. His mother, and Sirius, they were....gosh he was confused!
"You couldn't do that, my dear flower for I have your," Sirius grabbed Harry around the waist, pulling the boy to him, "son."
Lily shrieked in mock horror... loudly.
"Gosh Lily, you could have broken my poor prisoners eardrums," Sirius said as he covered Harry's ears.
Harry giggled, and slipped out of Sirius's grasp. "You two are so weird," he proclaimed.
Sirius and Lily looked at each other, looked at a giggling Harry, then looked back at each other, and burst out laughing. Their joyous laughter rang through the house as if clearing out every 'demon' or 'monster under the bed' that had ever lived there out of every nook, carnie, or corner. It was a happy moment, with no dark shadows, or evilness too it. Even though, it was still there.
Several minutes later the trio gained control over themselves. Harry decided to break the moment with yelling loudly, "I'm Hungry, I need food"
"Me too! I'm dying of starvation here!" Sirius added.
Lily nodded, "All right, I guess that's my cue to start making dinner, will you be joining us Sirius?"
Sirius replied in a happy voice, "Why wouldn't I, my lady? When could I resist some of your yummy food in my tummy?"
Lily rolled her eyes, "And since my food is so yummy in your tummy Siri you get to do the dishes after dinner." She sprinted into the kitchen before Sirius could say a word of protest.
Huffing about evil mothers being too smart for their own good, Sirius herded Harry out of the room.
"Are you going to stay, and read to me tonight?" Harry asked as Sirius herded him into his room. "Please?"
Sirius couldn't deny Harry's cute little face. "But I have a date," his mind screamed loudly back. "How about, right after we eat, I read you two stories to make up for not doing it later?"
"Promise?" Harry pressed.
"Would I lie to you?" Sirius smiled, ruffling his godson's hair.
"Okay," said Harry satisfied.
Sirius smiled down at his godson, who trusted him so much. But soon he pulled out his wand, evil grin returning, and said evilly, "How about we redecorate mum's room, eh Harry?"
"She'd kill us!" Harry yelped he had only seen his mother enraged once in his life, and wasn't looking forward to seeing it again.
"We'd turn it back," Sirius assured Harry, "After she saw it."
Harry frowned, "All right." Then his face lit up, "What are we going to do to it?"
"Well Harry, I was thinking purple cow spots might do the trick," Sirius choked in-between laughs.
"Definitely!" Harry grinned, his green eyes sparkling mischievously.
Sirius ruffled Harry's jet black hair playfully before leading him into Lily's room.
If you looked at them from the back it looked like perfect peace. One bigger figure and one smaller one walking down the hall arm in arm. Of course this wasn't there intention though.
"Siri," Harry whispered, his voice sounding timid.
"Yes, Harry," Sirius answered the evil spark in his eye greatly reduced when he looked down at the child.
"If we get caught, you're taking the blame."
"Of course I will", Sirius answered a little too quickly," everything is my fault. I'll just deny your presence....Harry who?"
Harry giggled, giving Sirius a quick hug, "You're the best."
"The best of the best," Sirius quickly amended with a fake stern look.
"Oh, I beg of you for forgiveness," Harry snickered as they reached the bedroom door. He opened it, and gestured for his godfather to enter.
"Oh I must insist," Sirius laughed as he pushed Harry against his will into the room first. "Little ones first," he added closing the door behind him.
Once inside Harry looked expectantly at his godfather. Sirius knew very well that if there was one way to get Harry's attention was to use magic. So, of course, that is what he did. And with a few muttered words Lily's pretty peach ceiling had a bright blue splotch of paint upon it.
Harry tugged on Sirius's sleeve, and whispered something in his ear. Sirius grinned, and aimed his wand at one of the peach colored wall and instantly it was covered in pink and purple cow's spots. Both godfather and godson burst into laughter.
"We should leave before your mum comes and decapitates us," Sirius said getting control over himself.
"Too late," an icy voice said from behind them.
Sirius spun around, instinctively pulling Harry behind him. "Hey Lily," he said sheepishly.
Lily's lips were a thin, stern line, "Whose idea was this?"
"His!" both Marauders said in unison, pointing at each other.
Lily sighed, "Okay then, Sirius you have five seconds to turn the room back to normal before both of you lose your heads, permanently."
Paling, Sirius pointed his wand at the wall and instantly they turned back to their normal color.
Harry as soon as the coast was clear acted as most children his age did and asked, "What's for dinner?"
"Food," Lily smirked.
"But what kind of food?" Harry giggled.
"Why don't you run down to the kitchen and find out," Lily suggested trying to rid the boy of excess energy before their meal.
"Okay," and with that Harry dashed out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him.
Sirius and Lily shared a small grin, smiling at the small boy's antics. And followed Harry downstairs.
"Wow! Mum!" Harry cried in awe when they reached the dining room. "You made my favorite!"
Sirius looked awestruck too saying slowly, "Mine too."
Lily smiled, "What else would I make?"
"Something else," Sirius said still in shock by the food in front of him.
"Guys, every kind of food is your favorite," Lily reminded them.
Harry who had broken out of his spell minutes ago replied, "But, every day it is always better."
Lily beamed at her son, "Thank you sweetheart."
Sirius, who Lily was convinced was faking by now, replied quickly, "You're welcome honey"
Lily promptly slapped him upside the head.
"Lily!" Sirius shouted, rubbing the back of his head.
"What?" she cried mimicking him perfectly in her female voice, "You would have never eaten the way you were going."
"Oh," Sirius sighed, plopping down in his customary seat.
"Oh is right," Lily said as she levitated the hot food onto the table.
Harry sat down next to Sirius and watched as the food landed on the table.
"Eat," Lily commanded while opening a letter sitting on her chair.
Harry started eating, but Sirius was watching Lily open the letter. "What is that?" Sirius asked.
"A letter," Lily replied snidely obviously wanting to change the topic.
Sirius gave her a hard look, he had offered to help her countless times but she always refused.
But Lily was not looking at him; she was looking down into her lap. She hadn't even eaten a bite of food.
Harry must have noticed the silence because he stopped also. He knew that when things were quiet it meant that something was wrong.
When Sirius asked him to go play in his room for a few minutes Harry knew something really must be wrong, but left without a word.
"Lily," Sirius said seriously. "What is that?"
"I said before, a letter," Lily replied her stubbornness showing through.
Sirius stood up, and summoned the letter to him.
Lily leapt at him trying to grab the letter back, but she didn't stand a chance, Sirius was just too tall for her.
"Dear Mrs. Pot—oh look, they left out a t—er,
This is a . . .," Sirius's face paled.
Lily looked down, but even with her face away from him, Sirius could tell by her shaking shoulders she was holding back tears.
Sirius placed his strong hands on her shoulders, "Easy, easy, I'm here, I'll help." Sirius swallowed hard before panicking, Lily never cried. "It's okay, it's okay, you have to be strong . . . you are strong! Think of Harry, he's wonderful! Oh please don't cry!" he soothed.
Lily could tell she was scaring Sirius, so for his sake tried hard to stop her tears flow. She ended up burying her face in his shoulder, and sobbed for a few minutes until suddenly she stopped.
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked.
Lily smiled weakly, pointing to Sirius's tear-drenched shirt. Her eyes were red and puffy. "I think I soaked your shirt."
"Who cares if you drenched my shirt," Sirius softly said glad that she had stopped crying.
Lily nodded, "Harry's probably worried by now."
Sirius knowing completely well that Harry was probably outside the door listening inside answered, "Naw, I doubt it."
"Are you staying to read to him tonight?"
"I certainly am. And I better get a move on it if I am going to do that and go out tonight."
"Go out? With who?" Lily demanded.
Sirius grinned widely, "A lucky lady."
"She can't be that lucky if she's going out with you," Lily rolled her eyes.
"That's why she is lucky"
"Sure," Lily sighed, getting up. "Go read to Harry before he comes down asking where you are."
Lily watched Sirius slowly back out of the room inspecting her carefully has he left. As soon as she knew he could not see her she sat back down, laying her head on the table thinking," What am I ever going to do?"
~*~"Why was Mum sad?" Harry asked as his godfather sat down on the edge of his bed.
Sirius struggled for a comprehendible answer for a child of that age. How do you explain something about a kid's mother?
But before he could come up with a good answer he noticed that Harry had curled up against him. Sirius almost sighed in relief, "What story do you want to hear tonight?"
"One with a happy ending," Harry answered almost immediately.
"Wind in the Willows has one, and it's pretty funny," Sirius summoned the book to him. "Only two chapters tonight though."
Harry sighed wishing that Sirius would read more, but he knew it was a bad day for this. He snuggled up against Sirius, leaning against him, and let him start to read.
"Chapter 1: The River Bank, "Sirius read. "One fine spring day . . ."
(Fifteen minutes later)
"And the river! The river . . . Harry?" Sirius noticed that Harry's breathing had become soft and even. His eyes were closed, and his face had the expression of absolute peace.
Looking at him, Sirius himself felt complete happiness. He was perfect and so cute lightly snoring just loudly enough to hear.
Gently, Sirius slid Harry's head off of his shoulder, wishing that he could stay there longer. "Sweet Dreams Emeralds," he whispered, kissing the boy's forehead before snuffing out the candle and leaving.
Closing the door behind him he padded silently down to the Kitchen where he knew Lily would still be.
"Harry's asleep already?" she asked the minute he entered.
"Of course. What else are godfathers for?"
"They're wonderful," Lily said meaningfully.
Sirius smiled and sat down in the chair right next to Lily. "Are you hungry," he asked, "I noticed you didn't eat any of your meal."
"A little."
"Do you want me to get you something," he asked gently knowing that Lily didn't like to feel in debt to anyone or anything.
"What about your date?"
"You are more important."
Lily blushed a little, "I know I'm being conceded, but it is nice to here that."
"Lily," Sirius replied seriously," You are one of those rare people in the world that can never be conceded."
Lily laughed, "And you are one of those people who can a person laugh no matter what."
Sirius bowed while making an impression of a winning Quidditch player. "Yes I know my one and only virtue."
"Nah, you have others," Lily's eyes sparkled.
"Name one?"
"One, you're a great friend," she counted off on her fingers, "two, you're a wonderful godfather and Harry adores you, and three, you're one hell of a martini maker."
"I have to admit, I do make one mean martini."
"I could use one right now," Lily sighed, running a hand through her
hair.
"Now Lily that's no way to solve your problems. Do you want to talk about it?"
"All right, what's the plan Padfoot?"
Sirius took the letter from her and read it over again. Anger boiled inside of him, how could they do this to Lily?
Sensing that Sirius was loosing his cool Lily laid a calming hand upon his shoulder. "It's alright Sirius, I'll do it."
"How?"
"There must be some spells or something I can use," Lily said knowing she sounded as desperate as she felt inside.
"The bill-away spell, oh I used that one many a time!" Sirius smirked.
"Sirius," Lily cried out," just-just shut up."
Sirius's face fell, "That was a joke."
"For once it wasn't funny."
"I tried," Sirius muttered.
Lily looked down at her feet feeling guilty even though she knew she shouldn't.
"You remember that day?" Sirius mumbled.
Lily looked up quickly, the tears already in her eyes multiplying," How could I ever forget it, Sirius?"
Words from long ago rang through her head as clearly as the day they had been said;
"SIRIUS! OH MY GOD!"
"What? Oh my God!"
"HE'S NOT BREATHING! HE'S NOT BREATHING!"
She shuddered, pushing the memories away.
Sirius felt terrible for bringing it up for he had made Lily almost cry again. In an effort to redeem himself he went up to her, rubbing her back in slow, soothing circles.
"I was scared too. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life," Sirius whispered.
Lily looked up at him. Sirius was never scared. He befriended werewolves, could play tag with Whomping Willows without flinching once, and was never scared.
"But he's safe now; I know his is," Sirius continued, "In his bed where nothing can hurt him."
Lily still looking frightened broke away from Sirius's grasp and decided that she'd go check on Harry. Sprinting over to his room he could here the soft pads of Sirius' feet following her down the hallway. She pulled the door open, and walked into the room. Harry was snuggled safely under the covers, safe in his dreams.
Holding her breath, Lily went up to his bedside and kissed him softly on the cheek just to make sure that she wasn't dreaming herself.
"Mum?" Harry whispered sleepily.
"Go back to sleep," she whispered softly stroking his face until she soon felt him loosen up, breathing evenly again. Playing with his dark hair that was just like his father's she saw out of the corner of her eye Sirius watching them from the hallway.
"Lily?" he asked softly.
She nodded slowly not making a move to get up, perfectly content being there with her sleeping son.
"He's okay?" Sirius whispered, leaning against the door frame.
"Of course," she whispered savoring the moment.
Sirius sighed, "Let the kid sleep, Lily."
She glared at Sirius, her death glare, "He is sleeping."
To confirm that, Harry snored loudly.
Sirius laughed silently from the door having Lily's glare impossibly magnify. "Is every thing so very funny?"
"Yes!" Sirius choked out in-between laughs.
Lily grumbled while turning back toward her sleeping son.
Sirius closed the door, letting Lily be with her son as long as she wanted.
~*~
"And tomorrow . . ." the speaker's voice droned on as Lily's mind began to wander. It wandered to the subject that was always lurking on the surface of her mind...Harry. How am I going to pay that blasted bill? She thought. I wish there was only a way to earn some extra money . . .
Like an answer to a pray, her boss Mr. Marks stood up and said, "And now as you all know we still need someone to organize our annual dinner party . . ."
Lily accidentally snorted covering it up with a big cough. Who would want to do that big a job? It was harder then her regular work.
"One of you must do it! You'll be paid extra," Marks near begged.
Lily shook her head; there wasn't enough money in the world that would get any
person to do that immense job.
And all around her everyone were shaking their heads, just like every year.
Last year, and the one before that Marks himself had been stuck with the immense chore. "But I have to go away the month before it," he whined.
Lily couldn't help but smirk, as Marks's eyes landed on the 'class pet.' Angela Dupot. She gave new meaning to the term suck up.
Angela stood up, a giant fake smile upon her face like always. But what she said surprised Lily more then if she had given away her employee of the month pictures full of smiling, winking Angela. "Why doesn't Lily do it? She's great at organizing things," she said and with a flouncy hop she sat back down leaving a gaping, dumbstruck Lily to stare at her. Of all the mean things to do, this was WAY too far!
"B-but!" Lily protested weakly.
"You will?" Marks grinned. "I'll make it worth your while! A 1200 galleons!"
Lily went pale, 1200 galleons. With that much money she could pay off the bill and even the mortgage! With that any second thoughts she had vanished, "I'll do it!"
"Meeting dismissed then!" Marks near whooped. Lily dashed out of the room, grinning her head off, one thought running through her head, Wait until Sirius hears about this!
~*~*~*~