Disclaimer-Don't own anything or anyone J.K.R. wrote.
Lily Potter sat on the couch, baby in her arms. Her belly, which was already seven and a half months along, was a giant cushion to her one year old son, Harry. Her nerves, always on edge the last few weeks, had gotten to the breaking point and had made her jumpy and anxious for no reason at all.
"What about Georgia for a girl?"
Lily looked over at her husband of three years and let out a great sigh. He didn't know the unknown fear racing through her body, making her stomach knot and tighten.
"I'm sorry?" she asked.
"Georgia."
"For…?"
"Our baby," James replied slowly, motioning at the bump.
"Our…Oh, the baby! Yes, of course!" Lily spluttered, unconsciously smoothing down the bump in her stomach.
"Are you alright?" James asked, scooting closer and taking a half awake Harry out of her arms. He too had been fussy all day today.
"I'm fine, it's just-" Lily broke off, biting her bottom lip.
"Yes?" James prodded.
"Well…Oh, I don't know! Something doesn't feel right! I feel restless as though I need to move or get out of here. That's it! I don't feel right here."
"Why? What's wrong with the house? It's been in my family for years-"
"There's nothing wrong with the house," Lily said quickly, correcting herself, "it's me. It's me in the house…I don't feel right. I've felt it all day. There's a sense of…oh, I don't know, foreboding about the house."
"I still don't get what's wrong with the house," James said bluntly, dog-earing the G names and turning to his wife with wide eyed concern. Lily silently fumed to herself for even bringing it up. She knew she couldn't voice her concerns as well as she felt them.
"Can I be honest with you, without you being judgmental or closed minded?" she asked cautiously, eyeing her husband with tense awareness. His face softened incredibly and he took her hand.
"Of course, love, anything," he said, his tone was warmer and comforting. Lily felt relief flood through her body and for the first time all day she felt at ease.
"I think we should leave tonight," she said in a low, firm voice. She waited for James to object. When he didn't, she continued. "I don't feel right here. I can't stay here. There's something wrong, James, I can feel it. Something is telling us to leave the house. Please, James, could we? Could we just leave? I know it is most likely raging hormones making me act this way, but deep down inside I feel something is off. Just…humor me if you must."
There was a silence after she blurted out what was wrong with her. She thought that looking at James's face he would say no, and he almost did if it wasn't for:
"You owe me, James Potter," she said in a steady voice. Although she had promised never, ever to mention the incident, she was desperate and desperate times called for desperate measures. James' face clouded over and for a moment she thought he would refuse her, instead he nodded curtly.
"Of course, dear, if you don't feel right, then we'll leave," he said calmly. "Where shall we stay? Your sisters?" His smirk made her cheeks flush slightly. They were back on speaking terms again.
"No," she snapped playfully, "I was thinking more along the lines of Sirius."
"Ah," James replied, helping her to a standing position. He looked back down at his son, sleeping soundly against the couch cushion. "I'll gather some things, alright?"
"Yes, dear," Lily replied, looking around the room suspiciously. She picked up the baby, another wave of discomfort raging through her body. It was bad, something was coming, she could feel it deep down. A shiver ran through her body, the fine hair on her arms stood up on edge, goosebumps formed along her arms. "James, hurry!" she cried, almost panicking. Her heart was beating and the blood was rushing into her ears. "James-"
The door blast open, bits and pieces smashing around the room. Lily let out a scream, confusion and terror surging through her body.
Oh, no, he found us! Lily internally screamed at herself. He had found them, she didn't know how, but he had found them and he was there to kill them.
She looked up at the door and sure enough, Voldemort was standing there, a malicious smirk on his face, a smug look in his eyes.
"Hand over the boy, Mudblood," he said, his voice making her blood turn to ice.
"No!" she cried, running her hand along the carpet for her wand. Where was it?
"Just give me the boy!" he roared, the temporary, fake as it might be, warmth had left his voice. Her teeth began to chatter against themselves.
"You can't have him!" she screamed, wondering where James was. She prayed he stayed upstairs, away from the struggle. He might survive, even if she didn't.
Movement from behind the couch indicated that Voldemort was moving around the living room. She heard faint footsteps on the stairs and felt her heart sink.
"Lily?"
"AVADA-"
"No!" Lily bellowed, standing up and pointing a spell at Voldemort, making the killing curse bounce off of the wall and singe her brand new throw pillows.
"You filthy little Mudblood! Give me the boy and I shall spare your life!" Voldemort screamed. Lily grabbed Harry and scanned the room, looking for James. She saw his foot stick out from around the corner of the room. Oh, no! she cried to herself. Don't break down, she warned herself, not yet. It isn't over yet. Voldemort raised his wand for a second time and the only thing Lily could think to do was turn her back on him.
A bright green light surged through the room. Harry had woken during the fight, he was screaming bloody murder. Lily couldn't see, the room was too bright. There was a burn in her arm, she felt as though it were on fire. Another, more terrible and bone chilling scream was filling the room, drowning out all the other noise. Lily, her ears ringing, turned around slightly, still trying to cover her son. Her gasp was lost in the other noise, but what she saw would stick with her for the rest of her life.
Voldemort was burning up in front of her eyes. She blinked once, the green light still stinging her eyes, but she was sure he was fading away from her. Then, as soon as he had come, he was gone. There was a silence so loud and intrusive it felt worse then the screams.
Harry sniffled once, and then started to scream. It wasn't a usual scream, this was a scream of pure and utter pain. She looked down and let out a faint moan as she saw the gash in his head. As quickly and gently as she could, she placed her hand over it, applying pressure. Harry let out another scream, trying to pry her hand off of it.
"James?" she croaked, her voice stinging her own throat. There was a pain in her back that couldn't only be the cherry onto the top of the sundae. She knew the pain well enough. She was in labor, that was for sure. "James!"
There was no answer from her husband. She allowed herself only one sob before limping over to him, trying with all her might not to drop Harry. She thought she saw James breathing, it could always be wishful thinking on her part.
"James," she whispered, collapsing in pain. "James? Please, love, wake up-"
He let out a long groan and swore colorfully, something that usually would have earned him a smack for doing it in front of the baby. Lily looked around at the room which was in shabbles. Her couch, her pride and joy, was now burning in front of her. Her entire life was burning before her very eyes.
"Lily?"
She let out a sob.
"Lily?" His voice was rising with panic.
"I'm here, James, I'm alright," she managed. "Oh, James, the house is burning down!"
"Huh?" James sat up, his eyes squinting.
"Where is he?" he asked quickly, trying to get to his feet.
"Dead," Lily replied and frowned. "Or, I think he's dead. I'm not sure-" A beam from the ceiling fell down a foot from where they sat. Lily looked at it in a daze. "I think we should get out of here- James!" He had pulled himself to his feet and was now running up the stairs two at a time.
As soon as James reached the landing he knew he was going to have to act fast. He ran into the nursery and grabbed a few sentimental things they would not be able to replace, he did the same in Harry's room and finally, he grabbed the giant red box that was under their bed. He would need that later.
"Lily?" he called as he came down the stairs, belongings burdening him down.
"I'm here James," she said, clutching Harry tightly in her arms. She didn't want to point out that a moment before her water had broken. "Let's go."
James grasped her arms tightly and led her into the front yard next to the pathway. He looked around at the house and frowned.
"Where the bloody hell is our roof?" he exclaimed. Lily looked up and let out a groan.
"Oh, the roof!" she said angrily. "Well, that's just great! Do you have any idea how much that's going to cost? Not to mention my brand new couch! And the new floors we just put in. Oh, my wedding china!"
James was laughing now. Lily frowned at him.
"What the hell do you think is so damn funny?" she snarled angrily.
"Can you hear yourself, woman?" he asked, snorting with laughter. "You've just survived bloody Voldemort and all you care about is your couch?"
Lily eyed him wearily as she realized that true to her personality, she completely over looked the fact that she was alive and he was dead. Against everything, she let out a giggle. It was quickly drowned out with a cry of pain as a contraction racked her body.
"Ooh, James!" she cried, pushing down on her stomach.
"Oh, Lily, are you in-you know?" he asked anxiously.
"Yes, dear," she replied through gritted teeth.
"Ok, just stay here, I'll be right back, I'm just going to get Sirius-"
"I don't remember him being a bloody doctor," she snarled, placing the crying Harry onto the ground. She replaced her hand on his forehead, much to his anger.
"No!" he replied stubbornly, trying to smack her hand away. He had learned to speak only a month before that and the only thing he would say was no.
"Dear, don't bite mummy," she said, holding onto her stomach and breathing deeply. She was in a bit of pain as it were and James not being there wasn't helping her in the least. A sudden sputtering noise made her snap her head up, fear coursing through her.
She waited in silence, listening to every noise mother earth was making. A twig snapped in the darkness and she was sure it was a Death Eater coming back to kill them off, someone who had found out what had happened. She licked her cracked lips and fingered her wand that was lying on the ground. She waited. The wind blew softly around her, the night air became at a stand still, silent. Then, the sound of footsteps coming from the dark. Harry had become quiet, sensing her fright, her heart was beating again, too hard into her chest. She closed her eyes and waited.
The footsteps grew closer, coming around the corner of the house. She managed to heave herself into a crouch, ready to attack if needed. She saw someone walking towards the house and thought to herself, Now or never, Lily.
She stood up and raised her arms to throw a spell only to see someone else doing the same thing. She let out a scream of fear, only to hear one in return. She calmed down enough to see Sirius standing in front of her, wand drawn.
"I could of killed you!" he bellowed, holding his chest. "What the bloody hell were you doing?"
"Me?" she screamed, feeling tears of relief about to sneak out of her eyes. "What about you? Sneaking around the yard! Bloody foolish." She broke off with a wince of pain and held her stomach. "Where's James?"
She didn't receive and answer and looked up at Sirius who was staring at the house in shock. He turned back to her.
"Were you in there when that happened?" he asked weakly, gesturing at the burning house. "What happened?"
"Voldemort," Lily replied through gritted teeth. "Did James get you?"
"No," Sirius said, shaking his head. He looked around in awe and bent down to pick up Harry. "I came over here on my own. I, uh, I actually wanted to talk to you two. Was he supposed to come and get me?"
"Yeah," Lily snarled, holding onto his shoulder. He winced but didn't remove her hand.
"What's the matter with you? Are you hurt? Is Harry hurt? James, is he hurt? How the hell did he…" Sirius broke off at Lily's curt nod.
"It was Peter, Sirius," Lily said angrily, "we know. Oh, god, I think I might be in labor. Either that or I'm miscarrying. I really need to get to a hospital, where the hell is my husband?" Her cry was answered with a sudden pop. James and Remus appeared suddenly and James's face cleared instantly.
"Oh, thank god, there you are Padfoot!" James cried, taking Lily's arm. "Let's go, Lily. We'll Joint-Apparate with Remus and Sirius can come next with Harry, alright?" She nodded through her pain and held onto his hand painfully. "Let's go!"
The next day…
"That's your sister, Harry! Look at her, isn't she gorgeous?" Sirius asked, looking at the tiny baby presently screaming her head off. He had to admit, she had James's lungs. "That's your sister…"
"Name?" Harry asked.
"I have no idea," Sirius said honestly with a frown. He turned and took Harry over to James who was about to doze off. He handed Harry to James. "Did you name the baby yet?"
"No," James said, shaking his head, "Lily can't decide on a name. We were trying out Georgia, but we don't know if that'll be the final name. To think, I almost didn't believe her last night." James sat down hard on a chair and buried his head in his hands. Harry was placed in his pen and Sirius sat himself down next to James.
"Stop. Explain."
"Lily said that something didn't feel right and she wanted to get out of the house," James explained. "I almost told her she was being silly. I believed her, I just didn't…I don't know, I felt it too. She was so scared, I finally decided to give in and I was upstairs packing up some things when he attacked. I just keep thinking if I had been down there, things would have been different."
"Hey, Prongs, look at the baby in the bassinet," Sirius said sharply, "she's here and she's safe. No matter what could have happened or what did happen will ever change that. Now, how about naming her after your best mate, huh?"
"Are you kidding? Naming her Remus would just get her teased!" Sirius chucked a chocolate frog at James's face and went into the corner to pout.
A half hour later, there was a soft knock on the door.
"Come in," James whispered, hoping the knocker would hear him. They did and a plump woman came in, wearing a giant smile and bearing a fruit basket filled with nothing but sweets. "Hello…" James said uncertainly.
"Oh, hello," the woman replied. "Your probably haven't a clue who I am."
"No," James admitted awkwardly. She beamed at him and set down the basket, extending her hand.
"I'm Molly, Molly Weasley," she said.
"Oh, a Weasley?" he asked, eyeing her red hair. "I know your husband."
"Wonderful," she said kindly. "I don't know if Dumbledore spoke to you, but he suggested I take Harry off your hands for a while, give you time to rest." James hesitated. He needed some sleep so he could be there when Lily woke up, but after everything that had happened…he didn't know who to trust anymore. "I promise you, he'll be safe at my house. I've got seven myself, one of them is about Harry's age. My sixth, Ron, he turned one last March. Then of course, our daughter Ginny was born in August."
"Of course," James said tensely.
"I don't mean to put you on the spot like this-"
The door opened and Dumbledore walked in, looking completely out of place. His giant hat nearly touch the hanging lamp and his bright yellow robes were the only thing of color in the room.
"Oh, Molly, what a pleasant surprise. You've talked to James I suppose?" he asked, beaming over at James warmly. "Is that alright with you, James?"
"Alright," James said, getting up and handing Harry to the woman. "He's been changed an hour ago and he should be ready for nap soon. There's three bottles in case he needs them…" He kissed Harry's head and handed him over to Molly. She accepted him with a smile and gave James a beam.
"He'll be look over at my house," she said and for the first time all day, James felt comforted. He nodded, feeling drained of all emotions and watched them leave. He realized that Dumbledore was still standing in the doorway and Sirius snoring in the corner of the room. He glared over at him.
"You would think he'd had a hard night the way he's acting," James said sourly. He gave Dumbledore a tired look. "Did you find Peter?"
"Ah, Mr. Pettigrew. Yes, Sirius and Remus caught him late last night. He'll be warming a seat in Azkaban until his trial. With three character witnesses though, I doubt he'll ever get off. Even with traitors in the seats…How is our newest Potter?"
"Sleeping," James replied, settling back into his seat. He glanced over at his sleeping wife and then back at Dumbledore. "Fast asleep."
Dumbledore smiled down at the baby, watching her tiny hands clench and unclench. He smiled to himself, wondering what the world would be like without her. Who knew what she could and would accomplish now.
"She looks beautiful James," Dumbledore said, turning back to James who was snoring. He smiled to himself. "Sleep tight, James."
Fifteen years later
The story of the Potter family was reported that morning. Betrayed by the one they trusted, attacked at their home, miraculously surviving his rath, their son being called the Boy-Who-Lived. Of course, they had to be constantly watched in case someone came back for them. The first night it was the Longbottom's who kept guard outside their room, and a good thing, too.Four Death Eaters were arrested at their house later that night.
Of course, life was not as it seemed most of the time. Harry's life was forever burdened by being the Boy-Who-Lived. Constant attention from unwanted sources, the stifled jealousy his siblings were bound to feel once in a while. He usually got a kick out of the attention at school, girls fawning over him, people wanting to be him just for the sake of being Harry Potter. He dearly wanted to show people that it wasn't as it seemed.
Sirius had nearly been killed because of him just a year before, Voldemort was constantly trying to get into his mind, there was the whole thing the stone in first year, the snake in second, a rather boring third year, the whole tournament in fourth. Cedric's death which still haunted him and then the Department of Mysteries.
His life wasn't marvelous, it wasn't amazing. It wasn't fantastic and it certainly wasn't a walk in the park. His life was stressful and tearful. It was scary and annoying and most of all it was lonely. He wondered when it would end, when it would be enough.
It was good he had his family to fall back on, though. Because really, he was just a normal boy who had been burdened with a laundry list of things to do. 1) Save the world 2) Defeat Voldemort 3) Make Ginny Weasley fall in love with you 4) Kill Liv 5) Make Ginny Weasley fall in love with you 6) Fix vase before mom finds pieces in bottom drawer 7) Pay Ron back 8) Make Ginny Weasley fall in love with you 9) bribe Liv 10) Pay Wyatt. Pretty basic.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Harry lay on back, the summer heat threatening to smother him alive. He looked over enviously at his younger brother who was fast asleep, not reliving the events at the Ministry. Wyatt who had stayed behind and got into contact with his parents, who in turn got Dumbledore, who they were helping, and went with Sirius and Remus. It was Wyatt who had saved them this time, not Harry. If Wyatt had listened to Harry and kept quiet, who knows what could have happened.
Harry turned over loudly, trying to wake his brother. Wyatt snored again, louder this time. Harry rolled his eyes and looked up at the ceiling and the poster taped above it. Had it really been three years ago to the day when he thought his life couldn't get any better? Was he really that naïve? Of course it would get worse, not better. That was how it worked.
He looked at the clock and sighed angrily. It was 4:08 in the morning and he hadn't slept a wink. This insomnia was really getting to be a pain in the arse, if he said so himself. Now, he couldn't even fall asleep for a moment. The nightmares woke him screaming from his sleep or he just didn't fall asleep. Liv, who was so kind to point out, said it was probably panic attacks making him jittery.
"Wyatt!" Harry hissed, sick and tired of laying in the darkness. He couldn't very well leave his room and chance waking up his parents who he wasn't speaking to. His parents who had lied to him his entire life. Just thinking about it made his cheeks flush with embarrassment and anger. Because of them he had put his friends in danger, friends he would die for. "Wyatt!"
"What?" Wyatt's groggy and irritated voice floated across the room and met Harry's ears. "Is it time to get up?"
"No," Harry replied easily. "I just wanted to, you know, talk or something." This wasn't what he was good at. He had been freezing Wyatt out almost all summer, angry with him over stupid things. He was freezing everyone out with his lousy attitude and he hated himself for doing it to them. Well, not so much his parents as his friends and brother and sister…and maybe Liv.
"Oh, er, alright," Wyatt replied, sounding confused. "About what?"
"I don't know," Harry said awkwardly. "Um…so, fourth year, eh? I liked my fourth year it was fun. Well, until the whole Voldemort thing came along…" He trailed off with a mumble and looked back up at the ceiling. It was never like this before, he reasoned. Wyatt and Harry had always gotten along wonderfully, they never fought, they didn't mind sharing a room and they were the perfect fit to one another. They were both tidy and respectful of space and privacy. If Ron and Hermione came over, Wyatt promptly left the room and didn't bug them until they left. He didn't deserve the way Harry was treating him. It wasn't fair.
Harry let out a giant sigh.
"I'm really sorry, Wyatt," he said softly. There was silence and Harry was afraid Wyatt had fallen back asleep.
"I know," Wyatt replied a moment later. There was more silence and then Harry turned over, finally tired enough to fall asleep. He didn't know it, but he had just mended his and Wyatt's relationship.
The next morning Harry woke later than usual, eleven, and went downstairs where his parents were eating with his sisters and Wyatt. Liv, who at fifteen was his parents golden child. She got fantastic grades and was almost smarter than Hermione. Liv was an excellent daughter who did her chores before asked, kept her room tidy, offered to do Harry's chores when he forgot. She was perfect.
Then there was Mia, who at thirteen was almost the complete opposite of Liv. She was messy and got alright grades when pushed beyond her limits. Her room was a disaster area, as was the way she did her chores. She was an amazing Quidditch player and managed to use that talent to deflect all of her flaws.
"Morning, Harry! Pancakes?" Harry eyes his mother's overly-cheerful attempt at cheering him up and felt a sour feeling run through his body. He could refuse and stomp back into his room, throwing another hissy fit, or he could sit down and accept the food his stomach was demanding he needed.
"Yes, please," Harry replied, taking a seat next to his Liv and across from Wyatt and Mia. All four of the Potter children had inherited their father's jet black hair, although only Wyatt and Harry inherited the messy, disobeying quality. Mia and Liv got their mother's thick, shiny hair, although it was black, it screamed Lily. And all four children got their mother's emerald green eyes.
"Syrup?" Liv asked, sliding it over to him. "You got an owl a few minutes ago. It's on the couch." She had a weird look on her face.
"What are you looking at me like that for?" he snapped, sipping his juice.
"No reason," she replied with a shrug. She took a sip of her orange juice and turned towards her mother, engaging her in conversation. Harry looked across the table at Mia.
"Pass me a napkin," he said kindly to her. He got along better with her more then Liv simply because there was a bigger age difference between them. They were still close enough in age so that they could relate to each other but not so much that they shared the same friends and got in each other's hair.
"The letter you got, it was from Ginny," Mia said. Harry snorted into his orange juice, feeling the sting of it sliding back up his throat and through his nose. He coughed harshly, trying to regain some air into his lungs. Liv glared over at him before turning back to her mother.
"Harry, are you alright?" she asked quickly. He nodded and got up from the table, walking towards the couch to where the letter was lying. A letter, a letter from Ginny! He slipped it into his back pocket and walked back to the table, a goofy smile on his face.
"What the heck are you smirking at?" Liv asked snappishly as he sat down.
"Nothing," Harry replied, giving her a sarcastic smirk. "Nothing at all."
No one says anything but it's the first time in months that Harry had smiled, truly smiled. James and Lily exchange a glanced and smile hopefully at each other. Maybe Harry was starting to properly deal with his problems. Maybe everything would go back to normal.
A/N Please read and review.