Disclaimer- Once again I write this in the wee hours of the morning where inspiration is scarce and unfortunately enthusiasm wanes, as sleep seems the more appealing option. If you're still reading thank you as I'm still typing and it's taking a lot of strength. Then again had I just typed that 'JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books upon which this fic is based' in the first place I could probably have been asleep by now. Hoom hoom…
A/N- One more chapter to go after this one…and that's the Epilogue. This is quite a fast paced chapter but I think that it needed to be to try and convey the confusion and panic felt by the characters. Oh well, we'll see! Thanks so much once again and as always for the reviews…hope that you ENJOY!
Chapter 8- 'We Will Linger For Only Moments'
The sun was seeping up the floor towards Harry's bed. The four people that stood around it looked upon it as if it was death itself come to claim them and their friends.
'It's time…' James mumbled.
Lily composed herself, wiping away the tears. 'Yes…' she replied.
Cedric, Bertha, Frank and Dumbledore came up behind them.
Dumbledore's eyes swept over the sleeping Harry and then drifted between James and Lily who also had their eyes downcast in Harry's direction. So much waste. He shook his head solemnly as he resigned himself once more to the thoughts that had plagued him for years.
Frank spoke. 'So-er, this is, this is young Harry then is it? - Your boy?'
Lily and James nodded in the affirmative and for all that the occasion would allow them beamed with pride.
'I'm sure you've 'eard it enough tonigh' son…' he said, patting James on the back. 'But 'e is the splitting image of yer!'
'Thank you…' James gulped.
'He seems a credit to yer both. You should both be very proud!' He continued.
'We are.' Lily finished the pride evident in her voice. She then turned to face Remus who stood behind her and in a quiet voice asked. 'Remus- what happens now?'
Remus seemed to be choosing his words very carefully. Truth be told he did not know how they would leave, he was trying to ensure that his voice would be level, and to gulp back the tears that were already playing in his eyes.
'Um…it, it will happen…' Was all that he managed to say. The tears came. Lily smiled at him through her own tears and turned around fully to hug him.
'You take care of yourself Remus.' She urged, rubbing his back. 'And watch out for that idiot over there too!' She motioned over to Sirius who was a wreck. Yet he managed to release his usual bark like laugh, unchanged through time and suffering.
Remus chuckled ruefully. He looked over Lily's shoulder to James.
That was the James Potter that he knew, loved and remembered. He stood, tall and proud. The tears glittering in his eyes only seemed to add to his resilience. 'You two take care of yourselves…stick together…' he whispered.
They both smiled.
'It doesn't look like I have much choice in the matter!' Lily tried to reply tartly.
'Likewise, my dear.' James replied, flashing his lopsided grin.
Sirius and Remus beamed instead of rolling their eyes, as they were wont to do in the past when such a bickering match would commence. Now it was music to their ears.
Dumbledore smiled broadly and genuinely for perhaps the first time that night. Frank was also surveying the scene happily; he was content and pleased to be in the company of such people.
Bertha had calmed now. She no longer cried. She wore a set expression, one of acceptance. There was still a part of her that believed, or hoped that she might wake up from this, but it was not an incredibly realistic thought. She knew this. But she had people with her and she was timidly ready for what might await them.
Cedric again surveyed Lily and James. They were not afraid of going, he concluded. It was the going itself that caused them all of this pain, having to leave their son and their friends.
'At least they got to say goodbye…' he mused. The thought quailed him. Without thinking he quickly turned to Dumbledore.
'Tell them…tell them that I love them…please…' He blurted out. 'And…if, if it's not too much trouble, sir…just, make sure that they're all right…please.' Cedric looked to his feet.
Some were politely looking away as he spoke; others were staring at him, pity evident in their eyes.
Dumbledore once again grasped his shoulder and turned Cedric fully to face him.
'Cedric…you can…'
But as he began to speak Dumbledore found that he could no longer grasp Cedric's shoulder. The Hufflepuff colours were fading into a gray and then slowly into transparency. Cedric looked up into his headmaster's eyes, startled. But he knew what was happening. He looked across to the others whose eyes had all widened. He managed to smile at them. His gaze then fell on the sleeping form of Harry.
He turned back and looked up at Dumbledore. 'Make him understand, tell him that he was in no way to blame.'
A weighty pause followed this statement. 'That I will Cedric, dear boy.' Dumbledore replied. Admiration shone from his face troubled and there was no greater compliment that Cedric could take with him.
Without warning Cedric suddenly stiffened making everyone jump. He appeared not to see those around him anymore. He looked to his right sharply, past Lily and Remus and squinted intensely, as if trying to see something that was unclear. He kept casting quick, quizzical looks to his left.
This continued for about a minute before his eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock. He blinked and then he was gone. The transparency had reached such a level that he had simply faded from before their very eyes. Everyone had watched this unfold in complete shock.
Cedric was gone. Dread and panic settled in the pit of everyone's stomachs.
'Oh! This is it!' Bertha exclaimed.
'It's happening' Frank said. He raised his right hand before his face. It was misty, losing colour and turning gray. Frank looked at it in wonder and then saw through it and looked at James, Lily and Bertha. 'I guess I'll be seein' you soon then…' He smiled.
Frank then stiffened as Cedric had. His right arm rose in an arch by his side, he appeared to be holding a walking stick. He was glaring at something that, given the height, was sitting before him. His expression then changed and the arm that held his 'walking stick' released it and remained suspended and tense in mid air. He opened his mouth so wide and for all that they could see he was screaming as loud as his lungs would permit him.
James remembered what Frank had told him earlier that night…about a child. The memories of his description made him shudder as he watched Frank…who was no more…
Remus and Sirius caught each other's eyes, they were horrified. They would be watching Lily and James' final moments of life- unable to do anything.
'No!' Bertha gasped. She held out her hands before her. She could now easily see through them. 'No! No! No!' she cried. She pleadingly looked up at those around her; her eyes were filled with tears.
'Bertha…Bertha, listen to me…' Lily trembled, but Bertha had stiffened.
Her opaque form collapsed to the floor on her knees and was crying harder than she had been tonight. She was in hysterics. She seemed to be pleading to someone who stood above her on her right but her eyes would constantly flash to something on her level. 'No! No! No! Please, please…' she was mouthing. She was terrified.
In that terror her eyes widened as she let out what surely would have been an ear-splitting scream, she held her hands up to her eyes as she slowly disappeared.
James rushed past Sirius and Dumbledore and practically pushed Remus out of the way as he hurried around the bed to where Lily stood.
'Lily, Lily…' he cupped her face within his hands. 'Lily, wait for me Lily. I'll be there.' He cried.
'I'll wait, James.' She sobbed back. They hugged each other so tightly that it hurt, but they could not embrace tightly enough. Sirius and Remus were there in an instant and hugging them both for all that they were worth. They all wept onto each other's shoulders. Lily quickly kissed them all goodbye.
And then they couldn't hold her anymore.
She swept down once more to be beside Harry.
'I love…' she began, but was cut off. Her arms leapt up to her chest where she seemed to be cradling something as she stood up straight. She was crying. Sirius, Remus and James looked on helplessly; sobs were racking their bodies. Dumbledore quietly shed tears from behind them.
Lily was pleading to someone who towered above her.
'Lily!' James tried to reach out to her but his hand brushed straight through her. He brought both hands up to his temples in frustration and pulled down on his hair. 'No!' He groaned through gritted teeth. Sirius and Remus stood staring, transfixed and trembling.
Lily quickly kissed the Harry that she held in her arms, bent down, put him on the floor and fully faced what was Voldemort. She still cried but no longer looked terrified she now wore an expression of resolve. Her still-green eyes darted upwards and she whispered something to the ceiling before she screamed. Lily's echo then went limp before disappearing.
James felt as though his legs were collapsing from beneath him. He was completely consumed by grief.
Remus and Sirius whipped around to face him.
'Prongs…Prongs…' Sirius gasped as he took James by the shoulders and shook him.
James' eyes met his and it sent a chill down Sirius' spine to see him looking so…empty.
Remus looked at his friend and remembered what Harry had told him over a year ago during a Patronus lesson. That James had sacrificed his life to give Lily a chance to run for it. That Lily and Harry meant more to him than life.
Sirius and Remus collapsed upon James as they held him. Tears still ran down James' cheeks as Remus and Sirius retched with sobs.
'I love you…' James croaked. Sirius and Remus looked at him. The emotion that they held in their eyes could not be expressed in words, but James had spoken for all of them. It was then that they could no longer hold him.
James quickly looked down at Harry. 'Protect him and take…'
'We will, Prongs.' Sirius interrupted and tried to smile as reassuringly as he could.
'Prongs, find Lily…' Remus hurriedly added.
James knew what to expect and he couldn't waste time. He quickly bent down towards Harry once more and managed to briefly kiss him on his forehead, although it was a kiss that Harry would never have felt, before snapping back upwards.
He stood, straight-backed and proud. He glared through Remus and Sirius who stood before him with a look of uttermost hatred. His right hand was outstretched where he would have held his wand. His mouth moved as he sent out curses. He was blasted to the ground once or twice.
Sirius and Remus flinched at every injury, made worse in the knowledge of what was coming.
James' eyes widened but he still tried to scowl at Voldemort, who towered above him. He did not scream, but the expression on his face was perhaps worse to witness. Terror.
Sirius blanched at it, even more so than Remus. It was the look that Sirius had found on James' face when he had found his best friend, thirteen years ago, in the rubble of Godric's Hollow.
Lifeless, pale and terrified. It was that last look that James held as he vanished before their eyes.
*
He had burst through the door and was before her now.
'No! James…no!' She gasped.
Voldemort did not even answer her; he seemed not to hear her. He simply took a step forwards and advanced, his red eyes never leaving the bundle that she cradled in her trembling arms.
Lily followed his gaze. Understanding immediately what would happen next.
'Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!'
Voldemort's eyes never left her baby. They slowly widened, desire played within them as he beheld the child.
'Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside, now…'
'Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-'
And still those red eyes never relented in their pursuit of their prey. Lily was trembling.
She looked down at Harry. His eyes were wide and confused. He did not know why his mother cried or why she was now kissing him goodbye.
Lily quickly bent down and carefully placed him on the floor behind her.
'Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…'
For the first time Voldemort's eyes flickered up to meet Lily's. They considered her for an instant before his shrill voice began to laugh.
Lily knew what was coming. She blinked back her tears and looked up.
'Wait for me James.' She whispered. She could only hope that she would be with him.
And then she was.
I wasn't too sure about putting this chapter in actually. I think that I could have gone straight onto the Epilogue comfortably enough. The thing is though that I wanted some closure over the whole Priori Incantatem business seeing as it is the root to the whole fic. Hmmm…oh well, it's posted now…I'd love to know what you think!
And just in case…
Basically in this chapter Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus would have witnessed the last moments of the lives of James, Lily, Cedric, Bertha and Frank- just prior to the last memories that they all held. Watching the echo's last moments of life being replayed would be like watching a projection without any sound or props. So they did not see baby Harry, James' wand, Cedric's wand or Frank's walking stick; but the echo of them held the props as they were reliving those moments in their present…
Next Chapter
The Epilogue.
Closures, confrontations and getting-oning-ness…
Stinky Stan- Thank you!…and for all of the reviews!
Bessyboo- No problems! Thanks for reading!
Dutch Lily Flower- No problem! Keep Updating!
Chocolate Taco- Don't blame you, although I have this…huh hmmm…theory that Sirius still has a part to play in the books as his death was just too sudden to be his end. Some have told me that this is denial…but I don't think that it is…*wipes eyes* excuse me…
tv-fan-06- I know. I did *really* want to write it…but I just couldn't. It had to fit in with OotP. The Epilogue though will fit some 'things' in.
Mystic Catface- …one more to go, then that's it! Thanks for everything…and be updating you…for I am a widow's son outlawed…and my orders must be obeyed.
Justin11- No problem. Um, in the books Bertha and Frank have never actually met, as I'm sure you know. In this fic Frank becomes the most resigned of the group in regards to his fate and Bertha is the most timid. I thought that it would be nice to have Frank- a muggle, comfort Bertha- a witch. No relationship implied- purely platonic!
Titanic-HarryPotter-lvr-2- Thank you very much! And thanks for reviewing; I really appreciate knowing what you think. And please post something, I'd love to read some of your work…if you could email me when you do that would be great!
Captain Oblivious- Yup…thought so. They always say 'Craig David…BIG, Robbie Williams…not so BIG'- yuk! Talking about them on my fic! Bleurh! I do love that song. It came out about a year ago over here and I'm really looking forward to reading your take on it.
Lisa Meunier- Yeah…I did get a little teary. That could also be explained by my listening to one of my 'Chillout' Albums again…coupled with what I was writing…hmmm! Thank you!
azntgr01- lol. Thanks! The thing about this fic is that it is meant to fit into the transition between GoF and OotP. That means that I can't change anything too drastically. With the Dursleys' Harry is there because of the blood protection and I assume that that would have been one of the things that would have been discussed whilst they all sat in Dumbledore's office.
Aconite- Orh! Thanks!
The Morrigan Three- I'm writing this and the time is 1:55 *yawn*- I'm just weird like that I guess! Huh hmmm…I hope that this chapter answered most of your questions. What did you think about the way in which they went? Was it OK? The Epilogue will answer the question as to what Harry remembers…
This Parrot has ceased to be- Yup…that's how I find a lot of fics too! Thank you very much for the reviews. I really appreciate knowing what you think!
Authoress- Thank you very much! I know what you mean about fanfics sustaining you through school!…and movies, and books…and there are other things, I'm sure! Huh hmmm…
Alphie- Yup…canon approach! I wanted the fic to be a believable transition between GoF and OotP…well, as believable as it could be…huh hmmm…but Lily and James will make an appearance in the Epilogue…
poetbrit- Thank you!
Katrina Littlebird- Thank you very much. I'm glad that you liked and that it worked for you. I just couldn't wake him up, I couldn't…sniff. No problem, as I said in my review I am a R/Hr kinda believer but after reading 'The Required Person' the possibilities of H/Hr, particularly post-OotP seemed more realistic due to your characterisation. Are you going to continue with it?
Thanks again for the reviews…