Chapter 2: The Story
Lorreta gave Harry a serious look. She remembered his parents well, and it was unfortunate that they died.
"Harry, it's a terrible story to tell," Lorreta started.
"Well, I need to hear it, if I may," Harry said.
"Can I offer you some tea before we begin?" Lorreta asked.
"That would be lovely," Harry replied. Lorreta looked at the little girl.
"Maggie, could you go get Mr. Potter and I a tray of tea, please?" Lorreta asked. The girl named
Maggie nodded.
Harry watched as Maggie stared back at Harry and then bounced away into the kitchen. Harry looked back at Lorreta.
"Is she your granddaughter?" Harry asked. Lorreta nodded.
"Her father died on the night you were a year old," Lorreta said.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry said sincerely. "How old is she, if I may ask?"
"She'll be eleven soon," Lorreta said.
And to think that I thought she was younger than that. I guess looks can be deceiving in this case, Harry thought.
"Her father, he was young then?" Harry asked. Lorreta gave Harry a weak smile, as Maggie returned with the tray and tea.
"Why are you asking me all your questions?" Lorreta asked.
"Because-because-"
Harry didn't have an answer to give Lorreta. Was it because he was afraid for her? Was it because maybe the girl's parents were both alive and maybe wizards? No, it was because he needed information.
"Because, Mrs. Young-" Lorreta cut him off.
"It's Miss. Young now, Mr. Potter." Lorreta corrected him.
"Sorry, Miss Young," Harry said. "It's because I need answers. I'm not trying to pry in your business; I'm trying to figure out my past."
"Harry dear, drink some of your tea. Then, I'll tell you the story," Lorreta said, trying not to bribe Harry.
Harry put the sugar in his tea and began to sip it. It wasn't anything like Mrs. Figg's or Mrs. Weasley's, but it would suit his thirst while he was here. Lorreta looked at him.
"About seventeen years ago, this used to be a cheerful neighborhood. I even remember the day James and Lily Potter moved into the house next door."
Flashback
Lorreta raced out of the door of her house to greet the new neighbors. She had a tray of cookies in her hands.
A woman with long auburn hair and sparkling emerald eyes looked at Lorreta as she came running up to her.
"Welcome, Miss. Please, have a cookie," Lorreta said, holding the cookies out. The woman smiled and took a cookie.
"Hullo to you, too, new neighbor," The woman said, and took a bite.
"Oh, you have a little tyke on the way?" Lorreta asked, looking at the woman's bulging belly.
"Why yes. I'm due in four months." The woman smiled.
"Congratulations. Is that your boyfriend over there?" Lorreta asked, pointing at a handsome young man who was hauling things into the new house.
The woman chuckled. "No, that's my husband."
Lorreta gasped. "Your husband? My dear girl, you can't be any older than eighteen."
The woman gave a little giggle. "I'm Lily. Lily Potter; and thanks, but I'm really twenty."
"No way! You don't even look it," Lorreta exclaimed.
"I know. I've been told that. Here, I want you to meet my husband. James, come over here a
minute," Lily called over at the man.
The young man ran over to his wife and gathered her in his arms.
"You wanted something, my Lily Flower?" James asked.
"Meet our new neighbor, Lorreta," Lily said, introducing them to one another.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lorreta," James said, offering a hand. Lorreta shook it.
"Nice to meet you too," Lorreta said.
"All right. Thanks for the introduction, but there are more things to carry in. Pleasure meeting you again, Lorreta," James said, nodding his head and taking off.
"You can call me Reta if you'd like," Lorreta called to him. James raised his hand and nodded.
End of Flashback
"And that was the day your parents moved in," Lorreta said, returning to the present. "Your mother was beautiful with that long hair of hers. I see you inherited your father's. He definitely couldn't find anything to get it down. I tried to convince him plenty of times to use woman's gel, but he wouldn't."
"My father, was he...happy with my mum?" Harry asked.
"Yes, they were so happy. And then when you were born...Oh boy, do I remember it like yesterday," Lorreta said.
Flashback
"Can you believe it? After nine months, it turns out the little thing that was in there was really a boy." Lily chuckled.
"Well, you were pretty big. And there's no way he could've been a girl," Lorreta said. Two day old Harry was nursing in Lily's arms.
"The doctor said he was healthy. He's going to be just like his father." Lily smiled, looking at Harry.
"'Course he's going to be like his ol' Pops. If it wasn't for me, he'd have the hair you have, Lils," James said, walking into the living room.
"Well, you've gone and cursed him with your hair. It's a wonder he doesn't have your vision and my eyes," Lily said.
James took a seat next to his wife. "He's only a couple days old. Don't start cursing him now," James stated, and kissed Lily flat on the lips.
End of Flashback
"Wow." Harry was awed.
"Yes, sir," Lorreta said. "They really loved each other. Your mother had the biggest party I've ever been to. She had everything perfect when you were born. Your room, it was everything a little boy could wish for."
"Could you describe the day of my first birthday?" Harry asked.
"Another one I wouldn't forget. My son and daughter-in-law were invited to that."
Flashback
"Lorreta, Joyce, and David, how nice of you to come!" Lily exclaimed, opening the door. "Come in, come in." Lorreta looked at Lily.
"Are you gaining weight, my dear?" Lorreta asked. Lily gave a little secret smile.
"Only six months. Can you believe it?" Lily replied.
"Six months? Did you tell James yet?" Lorreta asked. "I mean, he has to have noticed by now."
Lily looked back at her husband and his friends. They were partying and joking around.
"Not yet. I don't want him knowing quiet yet. I'm going to wait to tell him until October," Lily said.
"But Lily, however are you going to hide it?" Joyce asked, standing there with them. "I mean, you're bound to be due in October anyways."
"I have my ways." Lily smirked.
"You're evil, woman." Joyce joked.
"I know." Lily said.
End of Flashback
"My mum, she was pregnant when I was one?" Harry asked.
"She was still young. That was the night Maggie's father died." Lorreta whispered, as Maggie sat on the floor, reading a book.
Flashback
The lights went out and the windows flew open. Lorreta looked around at Lily, who was standing next to her.
"Give me the child, Potters." echoed a voice. Lorreta watched as Lily ran and scooped Harry in her arms, running back to Lorreta's side.
"You'll have to fight me!" James shouted.
Someone crashed through the sunroof window. The person had long black robes on and a white mask on his face. He turned to Lily, who was clutching her child.
"Give me the baby." the person said, in a deep voice.
"Leave her alone." David said, stepping in front of Lily. Lily tried to push him aside.
"You silly muggle. Stand aside." the person said. James ran up to the person from behind and went to hit the cloaked person, but was knocked back.
"James!" Lily shouted.
A person with long black hair ran to James' side and picked him up. He gave Lily an OK sign and grabbed a stick out of his pocket, ready to put it to use. But before he could, David took action.
"Leave them alone," David repeated.
"Avada--" the person started.
"NO!" Lily shouted.
"Kedrava!" A green light flew from the other person's stick and hit David smack in the chest. Joyce screamed and Lily cried.
"Stupefy!" shouted a voice from across the room. A red spell hit the cloaked figure and it fell to the ground. Lorreta knelt next to David and Joyce.
"David, answer me. David?" Lorreta said, slapping his face back and forth. But he didn't answer.
End of Flashback
"And that's how he died. Someone with a stick and green light killed him," Lorreta said. Harry bowed his head.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said.
"Muggle. That word. Have you ever heard of it?" Lorreta asked.
Harry had a lot of secrets, and being a wizard in a muggle's home was hard. He had lived with the Dursley's and grew in fear of anything that was "magical" was discussed.
"Muggle? No, I've never heard of it." Harry stated. Phew, close one. Harry thought. Lorreta sighed.
"My sister, she was a witch," Lorreta whispered. Harry looked up at her.
"Your sister?" Harry asked. Lorreta nodded.
"Yes. Muggle didn't sound familiar back then, but it seems to come back to me now," Lorreta stated.
"Then it wouldn't frighten you if I got my wand out?" Harry asked, pulling his wand from his back pocket.
Lorreta gasped. "You're-you're one of them," Lorreta said, her voice trembling. Harry put it back in his pocket.
"No, I'm not. I'm one of the good guys." Harry said, trying to convince her. Lorreta looked at Maggie.
"Maggie, go to the other room please." Lorreta said. Maggie nodded and toddled away.
"Stay right where you are. I'm calling the police," Lorreta said, and got up from her chair.
Great, I try to convince her of something and she gets muggle police involved, Harry thought.
"Wait, I can explain, if you finish your story," Harry offered. Lorreta looked back at Harry.
"What do you mean?" Lorreta questioned.
"Please, finish your story, and I'll leave you and your granddaughter alone," Harry pleaded.
Lorreta looked at the phone and then took a seat. She put the phone on the table next to her chair. After all, she couldn't turn him down now.
"Fine," Lorreta sighed, and took her seat.
"Tell me about the night of October of 1981," Harry said.
Flashback
Lorreta looked out her window as a cloaked person walked up the Potter's lawn. There was a fat man standing out by the curb. Joyce came into the room.
"I just called police, Lorreta. They're on their way," Joyce said. Lorreta nodded.
"I don't think this has anything to do with us or the police," Lorreta said, her eyes watching the cloaked person.
Suddenly, the door opened and James was revealed. Lorreta wanted so bad to run out there and say something, but right now, it wasn't her fight. Lorreta watched as the green light hit James on the chest and the cloaked person walked through into the house. Quietly, Lorreta opened her front door.
"Lorreta, don't," Joyce begged. Lorreta didn't listen. She walked out and hid in the front bush, watching the fat man out there. Joyce closed the door and watched out the window. She listened as a woman's voice cried, "Please, take me instead."
That was Lily's voice. Lorreta listened to hear some more.
"Stand aside, silly girl," said a cruel voice.
"No! Not Harry! Not Harry! Please --I'll do anything--" Lily pleaded.
"Avada Kedrava!" the cruel voice cried. There was a flash of green light. Lorreta gasped. It was the same green light that hit James. Then, Lorreta heard the same words again, this time though, something happened.
A baby was crying. The windows busted and the door was knocked off its hinges. The fat man ran down the street as a motorcycle came down from the sky. A young man jumped off of it and ran to the Potter house.
"James? James!" the man cried, grabbing James' body. "No," he sobbed. Lorreta listened as footsteps ran into the nursery. More sobbing was involved.
After a couple of minutes passed, the man came out holding a little baby. The child was sound asleep apparently. A large man appeared at the end of the street.
"Sirius, what are you doing 'ere?" the large man asked.
"I'm taking Harry. That's what Lily and James wanted," the young man named Sirius said.
"Professor Dumbledore wants him to go to his aunt's." the man said.
"But-Petunia..." Sirius looked down at the child, and held him out. "Take my bike and leave." Sirius offered.
"Thank you. I'll return with it," the man said.
"No Hagrid, I'm afraid I have no further use of it," Sirius stated, and ran up the street.
The man called Hagrid climbed onto the motorcycle and took off. Sirius watched as they flew overhead. Lorreta was getting ready to take off and head back into the house when she heard, "Lily and James, Sirius! How could you!"
Lorreta turned and looked back at the center of the street. Sirius was standing at one end of the road and the fat man at the other. There was a bunch of people standing behind the fat man, watching from their doors and the street. Lorreta listened as Sirius laughed like a madman. There was a huge explosion, and people went flying everywhere.
Lorreta gasped. Young children flew into the air and hit the ground, young adults did the same. There was several pops and one pop went right next to Sirius.
"Sirius Black, you are under arrest for the murder of James and Lily Potter," the man said, putting handcuffs on Sirius. Sirius continued to laugh.
"Sir, come over hear," another voice said. The man that held Sirius walked to the street where the fat man stood. Instead, there was no body there.
"A finger?" the man asked, looking at Sirius.
"Pettigrew," the other whispered.
End of Flashback
Harry watched as tears streamed down Lorreta's face. It was horrible to remember.
"And that-that's what happened one Halloween night," Lorreta said. Harry nodded and got up.
"It's been great visiting you. It was nice to meet you," Harry stated.
"Please, Harry, forgive me for crying. It's just...that night, your mother and father sacrificed so much that it
left you alive," Lorreta said.
"Thank-thank you," Harry whispered, unsure what he was supposed to say. "I really must be going."
Lorreta nodded and lead Harry to the door. She opened it and watched as he stepped out.
"If you're ever in the neighborhood again, please, come over anytime. I would love to tell you other stories about them. They really were wonderful people," Lorreta said. Harry turned around and looked at her.
"That would be great. Good-bye," Harry said, and nodded his head. He came to the end of her lawn and crossed back into the lawn which belonged to his parent's at one time.