Catch My Fall does not follow HBP canon. It is pre-HBP
A/N: Ok, so this is my first post since being back home. It is now past 2 AM, so things may not turn out all that well. If there is some spelling errors or an error in general, please forgive me. It is late. I do realize though that I want to finish this story soon. This is NOT the last chapter. Tell me how you like it and please review!
Catch My Fall
Chapter 26-Snape's Information
Harry James Potter was rewarded for turning one year of age with a birthday party. Lily and James knew that things in the future could prevent them from having get-togethers with their friends, but this one time, Harry's first birthday, was going to be their one and only exception.
They wanted to spend one last moment with everyone before disappearing into hiding. They knew that this was their last chance to interact with their friends. They wanted Harry to have a good birthday; something good to keep them smiling during the dark times that they now faced.
"Happy Birthday, baby," Lily said, kissing her baby's cheek and scooping him up from the floor. Guests had started to arrive and she did her best to make Harry look presentable. She tried flattening his hair, but found it completely useless, and wiped drool from his mouth.
He smiled up and his mother and said, "Mummy."
A small leap set sail inside of her. She had heard him say it before, but it was always so empowering. When he said her name like that, she felt as if she was on top of the world. She felt as if she could do nearly anything because her son believed in her.
"Do you want to go see your guests?" she asked him, holding onto one of his hands.
"Daddy," Harry said, smiling at the sight of his father. Lily turned to see her husband making a funny face at him.
"Pad," the small toddler exclaimed, laughing his little head when he saw his godfather enter the room.
"Now, Lily, did you or James teach him to laugh hysterically at my sight?" Sirius asked, taking Harry from Lily and lifting him upon his shoulders.
"That would be me," James confessed grinning. "Can you believe it? It's been a whole year and I haven't managed to set him on fire and/or drop him on his head."
Lily rolled her eyes and welcomed more guests in.
"Remus, Peter," she greeted hugging them both. "Glad you both could come."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Remus insisted. His eyes narrowed as he saw Sirius holding Harry. "Lily, can I talk to you?"
"Sure," Lily replied. "Peter, help yourself to whatever you need. There are drinks out on the table."
"Thanks, Lil," Peter said, walking over to see James, Sirius, and Harry.
Remus and Lily stepped outside, onto the porch.
"Where is Remus taking Lily?" Sirius asked suspiciously.
"Oh, he needed to talk to her about something," Peter informed them. "I bet it's about the present he got Harry."
"I bet," Sirius added, although he sounded skeptical.
Once outside, Remus sighed a bit.
"This can't be good," Lily mused. "What's going on, Remus?"
"I think you should be more careful with Harry," he told her. "I just don't like seeing him with Sirius like that. I don't know if you can trust him."
"Nonsense," Lily brushed off. "Sirius is Harry's godfather."
"He is?" Remus inquired.
"Yes," Lily said. "I feel Sirius is entirely capable of handling, Harry. Now please, do try and hold your tongue while you're here. This is Harry's first birthday party. I don't want any fights between you or Sirius. This is most likely the last time we'll all see one another and I don't want anything to ruin it."
"Ok, Lily," Remus assured her solemnly. "I won't try to cause trouble.
"That is all I ask," she insisted. "Thank you."
The two of them walked back into the house, more guests fawning over Harry. He didn't seem to mind the attention.
"More like his father than we know," Lily concluded, smiling.
James leaned in and kissed her swiftly. "Would that be such a bad thing?"
"I guess not," she concluded. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and watched on as Harry tried to stand up.
"I wish things could just go back to the way they were," James mumbled quietly. "I wish there was no such thing as a prophecy."
"You and me both," Lily whispered. She caught a glimpse of her own reflection and for the first time in over a year, her green eyes looked alive. Lately they had been hard and wise. For once, it seemed and appeared that things were alright.
.X.
It had been one of the hardest experiences of his life, but James had managed to say goodbye to his fellow three Marauders for good. He could no longer see nor speak to them. Dumbledore had added extra protection to the house, but they all knew it wouldn't keep Voldemort out for good. Only the Fidelius Charm would sufficiently protect James and his loved ones from the monster named Voldemort.
For two and a half long months, James and Lily remained inside the Potter Manor. They no longer went to work. Their lives were consumed by their love of Harry. They had spent as much time devoted to him as possible. He was learning new words, sentences, and he had finally taken his first few steps.
"Look at him," James had exclaimed when his son had walked from the coffee table to Lily. "Look at my son! He is a bloody genius. A genius, I tell you. He can walk!"
Lily laughed as he husband scooped up their son and started tossing him into the air exuberantly.
"Sort of reminds me of a drunk sailor, but he can walk nonetheless," James said. "He can walk. We did it, Lily."
With that, he set his son down and kissed his wife right on the lips.
"What can I say?" she asked. "We're a good team."
"That we are," he agreed.
When Harry was sleeping, however, Lily was researching. For some reason, she was growing more and more weary as the days passed. Her eyes were dark and alert. Her only answer for this sudden transformation was that she was having bad dreams.
James hadn't been able to see the titles of the books she was reading, but one day she had left a note out on the table. She was ordering books from Flourish and Blotts by owl.
He saw the title read, Ancient Magic.
He could only wonder what she was researching that pertained to the ancient branches of magic. She didn't seem to want to explain, so he simply let her carry on without any interruptions.
Although James loved his wife and son, there was no denying how much he missed Sirius. He missed all the Marauders, but there had never been a time when Sirius could fail to cheer him up. He missed his best friend.
Yet, he had started a family. If Dumbledore assumed that one of their friends was a spy, James could only agree with him. Yet, he knew Sirius and he knew that his best friend would never betray them. He was the most loyal person he knew other than Lily.
James could only imagine how Lily felt. She had lost her only two best friends in the entire world within the past couple of years. James had only been separated from his friends; they hadn't actually died. He knew she was suffering just as much as he was.
Each morning, as the sunlight streamed in through the windows, James reminded himself of why exactly he was trapped indoors. He loved his family far too much to risk losing them. This kept him going each and every morning.
.X.
On the 22nd of October, Severus Snape met with Albus Dumbledore in the Hog's Head. Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother, had arranged for the two of them to meet privately in the back, therefore allowing them to speak freely without interference.
Snape entered the bar and his dark eyes scanned over the proximity. He walked to the back where a door led him into a hall. He knew that Aberforth was soundproofing and locking the door behind him. Snape entered a room to see the headmaster of Hogwarts enjoying a hot mug of Butterbeer.
"Severus," Dumbledore greeted cheerfully. His upbeat tone did not disguise the worry imprinted upon his face. He seemed older, much older, than he had in a long time. "I assume there is news."
"Indeed," Snape answered simply.
"Well, proceed then," the headmaster encouraged.
"The Dark Lord is planning to attack the Potters soon," Snape informed Dumbledore.
There was silence for a moment and then Dumbledore spoke, "How soon?"
"He isn't quite sure yet," Snape reported. "Soon. I suggest placing the Fidelius Charm on as soon as possible."
"I'll speak to Lily and James in the morning," Dumbledore assured Snape. "Severus, I cannot thank you more. I am sure the Potters will be in your deepest gratitude. You're doing a very noble thing."
Snape took those words into account. No one had ever said he was noble. No one. He pondered whether it was actually true. Although he was dedicated to the Dark Lord, he seemed to forget this when Albus Dumbledore praised him with such a profound compliment.
.X.
The next morning, October 23rd, 1981, Dumbledore knocked on Lily and James' door. Lily, after performing several charms, opened the door and smiled wearily at her old headmaster.
"Professor Dumbledore," she greeted. "How nice to see you."
She did, indeed, look very pleased to see him. She hadn't seen anyone from the outside world in months.
James came into the room, holding baby Harry, and smiled.
"Professor," James acknowledged, sitting down on the couch.
"Can we get you anything?" Lily offered. "Water, butterbeer, pumpkin juice?"
"No thank you," Dumbledore declined. "I have some urgent news."
Lily walked back to the couch and held onto her husband's hand. She glanced over at her son, whose emerald green eyes were on the verge of closing.
"A very reliable source has informed me that Voldemort is planning on attacking you as soon as possible," Dumbledore told them, his voice shaking.
The two Potters were stunned. They knew it was coming. They had known for quite some time. Yet, the feeling, the horrible feeling of the truth sinking in, was finally hitting them. Lily instinctively squeezed James' hand.
"What are we going to do?" James asked, looking down at his son.
"Well, I spoke to you of the Fidelius Charm months earlier," Dumbledore reminded them. His blue eyes were staring hard at Harry now, a small sad smile on his face. He couldn't bare to give Lily and James the news. He loved them, as if they were his own children. He felt that they had come far past the student-teacher relationship. He knew that they trusted him sincerely, as he did them. "I recommend we set it upon your home immediately. I remind you that my offer of being your Secret Keep still stands."
Lily and James looked at once another and shook their heads. "We can't do that to you, professor," Lily spoke for the both of them. "The world needs you right now. Without you, who knows what would happen to the community? Their need is far greater than ours and we can't risk you risking your life on us like that."
"Sirius is our choice," James told Dumbledore. "We trust him with both our lives, as well as Harry's. He is my best friend in the entire world. I can think of no better person."
"Very well," Dumbledore added. "I must tell you I feel that this is a mistake."
"How so?" James inquired.
"Sirius is obviously close with you and Lily, has been for years. I am sure that Voldemort will put him first on his list of possible Secret Keepers," Dumbledore told them sadly. "I know Sirius can fend for his own, but Voldemort has been known to play dirty."
James had never thought about it like that. Yet, his choice for Sirius still stood. He knew his friend would rather die than betray him. He knew this because he felt the same way.
A/N: I think that next chapter will be the last. I hope you liked that one. Please review.