Title: Halloween Night
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter- I just like to think about him a lot.
Golden slumber kiss your eyes, smiles await you when you rise.
Godric's Hollow was cozy. A fire was crackling quietly in the fireplace and provided the only light in the room. It smelled of honey and cinnamon and the crisp smell of autumn air and burning wood. The only sounds were the slight rocking of an old wooden chair and the occasional dry rustle as a page was turned.
Little Harry Potter was dozing in his mother's arms, brilliant green eyes foggy with sleep and a full tummy. Every so often, he would shift and gaze contentedly up into his mother's face and was rewarded by a smile that lit eyes the same as his own.
"It's almost ten o'clock, Lily," a soft, male voice said. Harry recognized it and shifted his eyes to his father's face. The man smiled at him, placing a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder. "We should put Harry to bed."
"Let him stay up a little while longer, James," she said quietly, her voice humming through her chest. Harry leaned against his mother a bit more with these comforting vibrations. "It's so nice and we haven't had a night like this is ages."
"I miss nights like this," he replied, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her cheek. "Just the three of us, with nothing to worry about."
Sleep, pretty baby, do not cry, and I'll sing you a lullaby.
A cold breeze blew in through the small opening in the window. Lily turned her head to face it, shutting her eyes peacefully.
"There aren't enough nights like this."
Harry shifted his weight again, giving a slight whimper. James reached down to ruffle the scruff of hair on his son's head.
"What's wrong, Harry? Crowding in on your mommy time, am I?"
Lily laughed slightly. "You know how jealous he gets, James. I swear, I don't know which of you is more pigheaded."
"He just knows what he wants." James laughed as Harry gave another whimper of distress and tucked closer against his mother. "And, he knows that right now he wants a pretty lady."
Lily opened her mouth to respond when the wind blew in through the window again, this time much sharper. Red hair whipping around her face, Lily sprang to her feet, clutching a now softly crying Harry to her chest.
"James..."
The black haired strode to the window and peeked out the curtains, wand held tightly in his hand. When he turned back to his wife and child, his face was white.
"Lily, go... Peter... he..."
"Oh, God, James," she choked, her arms tightening around the child. Harry gave a sob of protest at the handling, but her hold was not loosened.
"Lily, take Harry and go!" James gasped. "It's him! Go! Run!"
He backed away from the window, wand clutched in his white-knuckled hand. He threw a pleading look at Lily and Harry. "I'll hold him off-"
Lily let out a faint sob and staggered back from her husband. He stood straight and tall, looking terrified, but angry and determined. There were footsteps on the front steps.
She spun and stumbled from the room, Harry crying helplessly in her arms. She could hear the door burst open, wood splintering and metal creaking. She could hear the sound of a body being thrown to ground before there was a high pitched laughing.
"You fool!"
She paused only momentarily when she heard the voice hiss "Avada Kedavra" and knew that her husband, her lover, and the father of her child was dead.
"James," she moaned, her feet stumbling up the stairs and towards the only safe fireplace in the house. She had to get Harry into it, at least. She had to save him.
A tangle of rope caught her around the ankle and Lily Potter crashed onto the floor, managing to land on her side and not crush her baby. Harry screamed in terror, eyes wild with fear. She rolled onto her back, wand pointed up at the monster standing over her.
She scooted backwards, scooping the howling child from the floor. Eyes wide, wand hand shaking, she shook her head.
"Leave us alone," she hissed, kicking the rope from her ankle and staggering to her feet. He was playing with her, she knew. She was the trapped mouse in this game and the cat was facing her with a smug, satisfied gaze.
"Give me the child," a chilling voice replied and Lily clutched her son tight to her chest, turning so that his view of the baby was obscured.
"Not Harry, not Harry, please, not Harry!" she whispered faintly, her son wailing in her arms. She was backing away, but felt the wall bump against her arm. Trying to keep herself between Harry and certain death, she felt her resolve weakening. She couldn't hold him off.
"Stand aside, you silly girl..." he hissed, eyes narrowing into small slits. "Stand aside now..."
Lily gave a gasp as he stepped forward and pressed herself closer to the wall. Up until this point, it had always seemed that they would forever be running from him. Up until this point, she had always thought that their luck would hold out and get them away at the last moment. Now, she knew that their luck had finally run out.
"Not Harry," she gasped, a shudder running through her. She turned hunted green eyes towards him. "Please no, take me, kill me instead-"
The man shook his head slowly, raising his wand. He leveled it at her face and stared at her with those piercing eyes. She felt her legs go weak and let out a sob. "Not Harry!"
Harry was all that was left now. Only Harry. She had to save the child.
"Please, have mercy..." she wept now, backing away frantically, her feet stumbling over the uneven wooden floors of the upper level hallway. Harry's screaming had reached a fever pitch and she flicked her wand at their attacker. Bright orange light flashed from it and wrapped around the man momentarily before his own wand destroyed it with a serpent of emerald green light. He laughed slightly.
"Have mercy..."
She barely felt the surge of powerful magic blast past her and she was dead before her body hit the floor. The man gave a shrill, high-pitched burst of laughter as he stepped forward and reached down to pull her arms away from her screaming baby.
"Who knew that such a small creature could be the cause of so much unnecessary death," Voldemort hissed, leveling his wand at the child's face. "Say goodbye, Harry Potter. Avada Kedavra!"
Care you not, therefore sleep, while I o'er you watch do keep.
"JAMES!" Sirius Black screamed, running up to the Hollow as his motorbike crashed to the ground behind him, wand out and pointed at the house. "LILY!"
He could see the ruin from here and it tore at his heart. He forced his feet to continue up the front steps and into the house even though they wanted to stop. He came to a halting stop at the sight of James' body and sagged down beside it with a howl of agony.
"NO!"
He slumped forward, onto the other man's chest, sobs tearing from his throat. "Oh, God, no! Please, James, no!" he pleaded, tears sopping into James' shirt.
He had known from the instant that Remus Lupin had turned to the window and whispered "The Dark Mark is over the Hollow."
Peter had put up a good show, rushing to the window, eyes going wide with terror and despair. Sirius also knew why immediately, but there had been more important things to think about- like trying to save the Potters from death.
Of course, he had come too late, but he did not know what he could've done if he had somehow managed to be there sooner. Would he have died at the hands Voldemort as well? Would he also be laying here beside James, wand hand out, but growing cold and pale in death?
Sobs beginning to die down, he heard a faint sound coming from the rubble of the home where his best friends had lived and tried to raise a son. Sirius turned on his knees, feeling wooden splinters poke up through the sturdy denim.
"Show yourself, you bastard," he gasped, hand shaking uncontrollably. "SHOW YOURSELF!"
A bewildered sob met his ears and Sirius was scrambling forward, hands clawing through the wreckage.
"Harry! Harry, where are you?"
He let out a choked sob as he knocked aside a cabinet door to reveal Lily. Her arms were outstretched, the porcelain skin limp and lifeless, her green eyes wide with fear. Sirius pressed her hand into his, hoping against logic that she would respond. When she didn't, he dropped her hand and let his eyes roam over the ruin.
"Harry," he whispered. "Please, don't be dead."
"Sirius Black?" a rough voice asked and he turned to Hagrid.
"He... he..."
Large hands were pulling him up onto his feet and were wrapping around him. He caught sight of a whimpering Harry in Hagrid's other arm as he was pulled close. Sirius buried his face in the massive coat and wept silently as Hagrid patted him distractly.
"Lily and James are..."
"Dead," Sirius moaned. "Only Harry..."
"We hav' ter take 'im ter Dumbledore," the rumbling voice said quietly. "Now."
Sirius pulled away, looking horribly white. He was shaking. "Give Harry to me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather." He reached upward, hands resting on the baby. "I'll look after him," he insisted, voice becoming more shrill.
"We hav' ter take 'im ter Dumbledore," Hagrid repeated, resting a hand on the shoulder of the trembling young man. "We hav' ter make sure 'e's safe."
"Please, Hagrid," Sirius moaned as the massive man shifted the child gently away from his hands. Harry seemed to have calmed down some and only silent tears were coursing down his face.
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby.
"'E's ter go ter 'is aunt and uncle's house, Sirius. Dumbledore said."
"He's all I have left," Sirius whispered, swaying slightly on his feet. Hagrid steadied the man, tucking the baby into the crook of his other elbow. "I have nothing anymore..."
"'E 'as ter go," Hagrid replied, mournfully. It hurt to look into the eyes of Sirius Black. It was like looking at Lily's body, green eyes wide and unseeing, laying on the ground with the dirt and rubble. "Please, Sirius. Come with us."
Sirius shook his head suddenly, staggering backwards. He nearly fell over what was once the stove. "Go. Take him. Now." Sharp, dark eyes scanned the skies. "Before they come."
"Sirius-"
"Take my motorbike, I won't be needing it anymore," he insisted. Hagrid opened his mouth in protest, but Sirius shook his head frantically. "Go, Hagrid! Now!"
He watched as Hagrid struggled onto the bike and tucked Harry safely into his arms. The boy let out a faint whimper before cuddling down into his arms. Sirius remembered walking to them, showing Hagrid how to work the machine, then leaning over to kiss Harry on the head.
"Goodbye, Harry," he had whispered before turning quickly on his heel and striding away from both man and child.
Hagrid started the bike, gave a mournful glace at Sirius as the man slowed as he passed James' body, and kicked it up off the ground.
As he soared up into the night sky, he could see Sirius Black walking purposefully down the street, wand held out threateningly in front of him. He didn't know why the image made him feel a sudden sense of foreboding, but he had a feeling that he would not see the man ever again.
Meanwhile, little Harry Potter, who didn't know who he was or why he was flying hundreds of feet above the ground, cuddled deep into the arm of Hagrid and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.