A/N: I thank Furies, Crunchy Snape, Katy999 and Lavinia Lavender for reviewing. I hope you like the next chapter as well.
Chapter title is a quote from Patty Smyth's song. "Sometimes love just ain't enough"
There's a danger in loving somebody too much
It was almost night. Darkness covered the land and moon cast her light over the land making everything seem alien and strange.
In the cottage its inhabitants were enjoying a quiet evening.
A man was sitting in a big armchair next to the fireplace. He had always liked warm and watcing the fire. It was so rare that one felt warm in the orphanage and he had almost always been cold.
The man was deep in thought. So deep that he didn't notice his companion moving at first.
Quiet hissing filled the room. The big snake coiled slowly rising its head to look at his master. Only now did the man take notice.
"What is it, Nagini? Did you See anything?"
"Your daughter'sss child ssshall be the one who dessstroysss you."
"It's not possible. She married that Potter, the Gryffindor's heir. He is the only one who's blood cancels hers. Their child is a squib. I would have never allowed her to have a child otherwise."
The man was getting irritated. What was the meaning of this nonsense?
"The child isss not Pottersss."
"Not Potters? That stupid girl! Probably got herself pregnant and was too softhearted to terminate the child. In a way I understand her, but... What an idiotic thing to do. I told her to be careful! Who's child is it then, Snape's?"
"I do not Sssee, Massster. But the boy isss powerful."
"It is too dangerous to let the child live. I suppose I could try to rise him to obey and follow me... "
The man fell silent, considering the possible solutions. Finally he made the decision.
"No, there would always be the danger. I cannot allow that. How could she do sometyhing so stupid!"
"I do not know, Massster."
"She told me Peter Pettigrew was their secret keeper... I guess I'll just have to ask him where she lives. It should be easy. Lilith will be sad, but she can always have another child. This time with Potter, though."
The man concentrated to call his servant to him.
In a small pub the man named Peter Pettigrew suddenly clutched his arm and made a hasty exit. Everybody in the pub were too caught up in having good time to notice him leaving.
**********************************************
A nice little cottage. Knocking at the door like any regular visitor. The irony – he was actually coming to visit his daughter like any father would.
It's not Lilith who openes the door. He looks into Potters startled eyes that widen with recognition. Damned Pettigrew, he told Potter would be out tonight.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's Him! Go! Run! I'll stall him..."
"James?"
Her voice from upstairs.
The young man calls his wand and rises it to cast a spell.
He cannot allow that. Almost against his will his lips whisper the words he has used so often.
The green light rushes out from his wand. The body falls as if in slow motion. He has to say Lilith he is sorry, he had no other choice.
**********
We have wonderful time. I'm happy I decided to skip the meeting and stay home. I have had too little time with my family, lately. The boy in my arms is getting sleepy, he yawns repeatedly. My little son...
I rise my head and look into the happy green eyes of my wife. She rises from the couch and comes to me.
"Give me Harry, I'll take him upstairs to sleep and then we can have the rest of the night for ourselves."
I kiss my son good night on his forehead. He giggles sleepily. I give him to Lily and he curles up in her arms. Lily smiles at me and climbs the stairs to the nursery.
Somebody's knocking at the door. Who the hell...? It better not be somebody from the Ministery coming to ruin my quiet evening with my family. I stand up and walk to answer the door.
I open the door and look at the man standing outside.
Oh Merlin, if it only were somebody from the Ministery!
Voldemort.
Voldemort is standing at my doorstep.
How? The Fidelius was supposed to make it impossible. He must have...
Peter, my friend, are you even alive stil? We shouldn't have put you in such danger...
Voldemort takes a step forward. I can't, I can't let him have Harry and Lily.
I call for my wand, yelling to Lily:
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's Him! Go! Run! I'll stall him..."
I hope she hears me, I hope she gets out in time.
I rise my hand, but he is quicker. As I see the green light rushing towards me I can see his eyes. He seems surprised, why...
Then...
Lily, did I give you enough time to save our son?
****************
"James? James!"
She stands up on the stairway holding the little boy.
The child looks so much like Potter. For a moment he hesistates – was it possible Nagini made a mistake? But no, he can feel it now – there is power in that child, power beyond his imagination. The baby cannot be Potters. It's probably some charm, Lilith is good with those.
"What are you doing here? Where is..."
Her gaze falls on her husband's body.
"James!"
Then she turns to him.
"You! Why did you..."
"Give me the child, Lilith."
She holds her child to herself tightly, feeling the danger.
"What do you want from Harry?"
"I know he is not James Potter's son. He is too dangerous, give him to me!"
Lilith shakes her head and backs into the nursery. He climbs the stairs, following her.
"You know I have to do this. Give him to me and leave. You don't have to see this."
She puts the boy into his bed and covers him with her body.
"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything."
Her voice, begging and pleading How can't she see this is the only possibility. She is on his way...
"Stand aside. Stand aside, you silly girl!"
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-"
Is she really ready to die for her son? Would his mother have been...
"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy..."
Again he is like a distant onlooker, watching his hand rise and hearing his lips whisper:
"Avada Kedavra!"
The time starts moving again and he is not quick enough to catch her when she falls.
*********
You take Harry from James and walk towards the stairs. You love the times when all of you are together, like tonight. There has been too little of that, lately. The war with Voldemort is getting worser and worser by day. And it seems his opponents are loosing.
You don't know what to do. Sometimes it feels like there are two different people in you. Two different women with two different lives, two different loyalties, two different loves. The only thing that unites them is your son. Harry.
Sometimes you think you are just afraid to let them become one. Deep down you know that you are a coward.
The nursery is on the second floor. You climb the stairs slowly. Soon Harry will be asleep and you will be alone with James. You are waiting for that. And tomorrow James will go to work again and you will have time to visit... You are waiting for that, too.
You take Harry's nightclothes to put them on. The little imp giggles at you happily but he is sleepy. You are picking him up again to put him into his bed when you hear James' voice:
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's Him! Go! Run! I'll stall him..."
What?
You call for him:
"James?"
You can hear a whoosh of air and dull thud downstairs. You run to the stairs still holding Harry in your arms.
"James? James!"
He is there, your father.
Why has he come, what has happened...
"Father, what are you doing here? Where is..."
And then you see the body lying on the floor. Motionless body.
Oh James, what have I done?
"James!"
But why, why did he... You look at your father.
"You! Why did you..."
His eyes fall on the child in your arms.
"Give me the child, Lilith."
And then you know. But you still hope it's something else.
"What do you want wih Harry?"
"I know he is not Potters' son. He is too dangerous, give him to me!"
No hope. You can't let him take your son, no matter what. And you back away.
"No!"
"You know I have to do this. Put him down and leave. You do not have to see this."
You listen to his voice, so rational and calm. You have believed everything he has told you, but now... You would not see but you would still know.
Never!
And then you know you will die. There is no way you can survive this. But if you don't, then maybe...
You might have listened to your father and not developed your powers because he said they were too dangerous, but there are still things you know and can do.
You put Harry in his bed and cover him with your body. There was a spell you read about, a spell to...
You continue pleading, not really paying attention to what you are saying. You concentrate on something far more important. If somebody has two lives, he won't die if one is taken away...
You know you have succeeded when your body grows cold and your vision darkens. As if from far away you can hear the two most feared words in the wizarding world. It only makes you want to laugh. Father, you can't kill somebody who is already dead.
As something pulls you away from your son, from your body you remember someone.
Severus, I'm sorry I never told you...
James, whereever you are, please wait for me.
*********
She lies on the floor, motionless. Green eyes wide open, the unseeing gaze turned to the brightly coloured celing.
He kneels down next to her.
"Silly, silly girl..."
Something prickles in his eyes. For some reason his throath feels sore.
His hand brushes her hair away from her face gently.
"Lilith..."
Baby's wail wakes him from the memories. He rises his head slowly and looks at the crying infant. Suddenly the world is spinnig, out of control...
Lilith"She died because of you!"
He points his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
