Chapter 32 A Prophecy is Made
We'll go home and lay down safe in the arms of love and we'll dance all night long on the edge of can't get enough...and we'll wake up in the mornin' like we always do, drunk on the beautiful truth-we've got love, 100 proof -Kellie Pickler "100 Proof"
James
"Ah!" Lily screamed, breathing hard.
"Push!" James tried to cheer her on-it was paining him to see her like this, laying on the hospital bed, red-faced and sweating, hair plastered to her skin. She was gripping his hand so tightly he wondered if he'd ever be able to hold a quill correctly again. It was July 31st now, dead early in the morning-James didn't feel tired one bit, though he hadn't slept since the night before.
"Come on, Lily, you can do it!" He yelled to his wife. She let out a scream, swearing profoundly. In spite of it all, James cracked a smile.
"DAMMIT! SHIT! F-What are you grinning at?" Lily screamed at him as she pushed. "I'M IN EFFING LABOR!"
"I know, darling," James put his other hand over hers. Their first child was coming.
"He's crowning!" The doctor announced, and they all fluttered around Lily, looking eagerly. Darcy gripped her hand tightly, smiling excitedly.
"Aghhhhhh!" She let out one final scream-and the cry of a newborn pierced the air. James looked at Lily triumphantly, with love in his eyes. She was exhausted, her eyes bloodshot, and she was sweaty and bloody-she had never looked more beautiful, in James's eyes. He felt fiercely protective of her.
"You have a boy," the nurses said softly, putting him in Lily's arms. He was covered in goo and blood, but opened his bright blue eyes and looked at his parents-the minute James and Lily touched him, his crying ceased. He stretched out, blinking slowly at the new world around him.
"He's beautiful," Lily said, stroking his tiny head with two fingers. "Harry James Potter," she murmured, smiling at James lovingly with tears in her eyes. "He's beautiful."
"Just like his mother," James smiled tiredly, kissing the side of his wife's head. "He's perfect."
"And he has black hair, and it's already sticking up all over," Lily laughed, leaning her head on James. "He's going to look like you."
The Next Day
"He's so beautiful!" I whispered, gently stroking my son's hair. I smiled at James-I was propped up on my side, looking at James from across the hospital bed. James and I both fit onto the bigger bed they had wheeled in, and Harry was sleeping between us. His lips were parted slightly, and his tiny fist opened and closed.
"I can't believe we're parents," James murmured giddily, taking my hand.
"I know!" I whispered, smiling as he kissed my hand. I was already wanting to get up back on my feet-the doctors marveled at how fast I was recovering, but Remus informed me that it was because I was a witch. I still looked pregnant though, that wasn't going to go away anytime soon. But I was proud of that fat, it symbolized that I had carried my firstborn for nine months. "We're going to be great parents, James."
"His eyes are going to turn green, I know," James commented.
"How do you know?"
"Neither of us have blue eyes-plus they're already too light to turn hazel. And they're your shape," he whispered, brushing his finger across my temple. "He's going to look like me, but he's going to have your eyes."
"And play on the Quidditch team, and marry Marlene's daughter," I laughed quietly. "I just wish our parents could see."
"They're watching," James said softly. "I know it."
Three Months Later-October 1980
"Are you sure Harry will be alright?" I fretted, looking down at him in my arms. He opened his bright green eyes at me, and smiled James's smile, like he was excited to be left with his godparents.
"Oh Lily, don't be such a worrier!" Sirius scoffed, brushing off my concerns. "We'll only have a little fun, if that's what you wa-"
"You'd better, Sirius! This had better be the real little, and not like the time you said you'd party "just a little" and woke up on a muggle plane to South Africa!"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure Harry doesn't lose any limbs," Marlene said, looking pointedly at Sirius. "Come on, hand him over, Mummy." I scrunched up my face, making Harry laugh. I started to hand him over, but then I pulled him back to my chest-
"Hey there, Lily!" Jame stepped out, adjusting his tie. "You look beautiful," he said softly, kissing me deeply.
"Blegh," Sirius said. "You people have been married for just over two years now, and you still act like newlyweds."
"It's romantic, Sirius!" Marlene sniped, taking Harry as I finally released him, planting a kiss on his forehead. "Of course, you wouldn't know romantic if it dressed up in a bikini and danced in front of you." I stifled a laugh, and James snorted loudly.
"I-that-" Sirius's jaw worked furiously. "That's completely beside the point! Oh, get off on your date, you two," he grumbled, looking at James and I with our arms around each other. "You look pretty good, Lils," he said grudgingly, and I rolled my eyes and thanked him. I knew I wasn't as large as when I first had Harry, but I had tried to put on a pair of my old fat jeans a few days ago and...well, my fat jeans had become skin-tight.
"We will," James grinned, kissing me again. The dress I was wearing was artfully designed to cover my stomach with draped silk, and I was feeling slightly better about the gained weight.
"I have two bottles back in the kitchen, in case he gets thirsty, and the number of the place we're going to is on the counter, one of you does know how to use a telephone, right?" James fretted.
"Go have fun," Marlene urged. "We've got Harry, it's alright."
We left them both in the house, flooing over to the wizard restaurant, which also had live music and dancing.
"Welcome! Table for two?" A waitress swept up to us with her wand behind her ear. Music floated in from the front, and the whole place was candle-lit, tables surrounding the dance floor.
"Yes, please," James said, and we sat down to order.
"Salad and pork chops," I said firmly to my menu, and the food appeared on my table. "We haven't been out since before Harry was born," I noticed, grinning up at him.
"I know," he agreed, bending down to kiss me. "I've missed it."
"Me too," I said, linking my arm through his. "You're handsome." James looked at me oddly, smiling.
"You're beautiful. And random," he added as an afterthought, taking my face in his hands and kissing me. The conversations around us halted-we looked up to see what they all were staring at-Dumbledore was walking toward us, a blazing look on his face-
"Lily, James," he said, standing before our table, fire in his eyes. "You both need to come with me immediately.
"Harry," James and I gasped together, and I clutched his hand-
"Your son is fine, currently at Hogwarts in my office, under the care of Sirius Black. Take my arm."
We both reached out without a second thought, taking his arm and being squeezed through the tube of apparation.
I gasped, stumbling forward-James grabbed me around the waist, pulling me to him and murmuring in my ear that whatever it was, it was going to be alright. Harry was screaming, and Sirius was holding him completely incorrectly-I went and took him from his arms and stood back with James, both of us holding our son. Sirius looked terrified, and Dumbledore grim.
"What happened?" I asked immediately.
"There has been a prophecy," Dumbledore began. "Lily and James, please come with me, Sirius, if you will-take Harry." He beckoned us over wordlessly, opening the cabinet to reveal what I knew to be a penseive. Silvery light was gently filtering out, and images of a bushy-haired woman who looked to be in a trance filled the bowl.
"If you will," Dumbledore intoned, and I first plunged into the memory, James following closely after. Dumbledore landed behind us, ushering us over to-himself.
"This memory occurred not an hour ago," he told us in a low voice. "Watch carefully." We followed memory-Dumbledore as he strode down a rickety-looking hallway-
"Are we in the Hog's Head?" James asked suddenly, and Dumbledore nodded. Candles dripping with wax protruded from the walls, crudely shedding light upon the narrow, wooden hallway and threadbare carpeting. Dumbledore's sweeping robes and tall hat looked entirely out of place.
He rapped on the door, a peculiar expression on his face.
"Enter," came a mystical sounding voice from inside. A small smile graced memory-Dumbledore's lips as he opened the creaking door, which was slightly off its hinges.
"Good evening, Sybil."
"Welcome," the woman said, inclining her head. She had ratty brown robes enfolding her slender frame, although her mass of bushy, sandy hair adorned with many beads and bits of glass made her look more intimidating than she actually was. A pair of extremely thick glasses perched crooked on her nose, greatly magnifying her eyes. "I saw you coming, of course, the Inner Eye does not, after all miss these sorts of things." She put her hands dramatically over her crystal ball, and stumbled forward, knocking into her desk. She offered Dumbledore a seat, to which he took politely. "Where shall we began? Would you like a palm reading, perhaps?"
"This is a job interview for the class of Divination," Dumbledore announced suddenly to us.
"That would be most enlightening, thank you, Sybil." She practically dashed forward and seized his hand, bringing it close to her face, eyes blinking rapidly. She had carts and carts of tea cups, and scarfs were hanging every which way around the room.
"Interesting place," James commented, taking my hand. By the time the woman-Sybil-had given Dumbledore a palm reading, predicted his looming death-twice-through way of tea leaves, and gazed into his past using the crystal ball, the only thing that seemed to keep Dumbledore from running out the door was his politeness.
"Thank you very much for your time, Sybil. Unfortunately, it seems you do not meet the requirements to teach at Hogwarts at this time, although, I have enjoyed myself immensely, and-"
"No no, wait!" Sybil cried desperately, jumping at Dumbledore. Perhaps you would-" Sybil suddenly doubled up, and I realized I was cutting off the circulation in James's hand.
"Sorry," I whispered in a small voice, and he drew me to his side-the room seemed to grow darker, the light fixture swaying.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..." Sybil's voice had suddenly changed dramatically. It was low, rasping-it seemed something else had completely possessed her. I automatically backed up, and James put his arm around my shoulder protectively, though it was a mere memory.
"Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...
"And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...
"And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..." She suddenly gave a small, hacking cough. "I'm sorry, what where you saying?"
Dumbledore looked at her, stunned. James and I exchanged wide-eyed glances-this was the first time we had seen Dumbledore at a loss for words.
"I was just saying-I was just apologizing for my dreadful mistake, dear lady. It seems you are fit for the position after all. Our current Divination teacher has just quit, you may begin next month. I will be in touch."
With that, the memory dissolved into mist and we were being pulled up, back into the real world, shocked.
"Was that-that-Harry," I choked out, tears welling in my eyes. I didn't know exactly what that prophecy meant, but-
"Very possibly," Dumbledore said grimly. "Although, it may also pertain to another boy. Neville Longbottom."
"Y'mean-Alice and Frank's son?" James asked, astonished. Teary-eyed, I took Harry into my arms, and even he looked gravely serious. "Do they know?"
"They have been alerted. At this moment, they are currently making arrangements to go into hiding."
"H-hiding?" I stuttered, looking at James in fear. "We have to go in hiding again?"
"Most definitely. Now, more than ever-Voldemort will be after you. I have already made arrangements for the both of you-have any of you ever heard of Godric's Hallow?"
I shook my head, but James and Sirius nodded. Harry yawned in his sleep-it was amazing how fast he could lose his state of consciousness.
"It houses many a wizard and witch-however, since there are muggles, magic is to be kept a secret. It was the birthplace of Godric Gryffindor himself. Extensive charms and spells will be placed around your house, as will the Longbottoms. You must not leave, until the threat is resolved.
"How long will that take? There's a war going on!" James asked desperately. "We can't just hide away!"
"Your courage is admirable. However, you must. Harry needs his parents-he is but a mere infant. At this moment, Alastor Moody is assisting Frank and Alice with their move-we need to get on with your own move, respectively. We have thirty minutes to evacuate your house and move."
It only took twenty-it could have been fifteen if we hadn't been looking over our shoulders every couple of moments, and kept Harry clutched closely to us every second. We closed the blinds and packed with magic, flinging things that we needed into the boxes, and leaving what we didn't. I was terrified. Some woman named Sybil had issued a death prophecy for my son.
I realized with a start she had foretold my ow future, the one that made me become Susanna all those years ago. Those memories were almost gone.
We apparated with a crack, and Dumbledore ushered us inside the dark yard. It was a nice looking brick house, with a gate surrounding the front yard. It was bigger than our old house-as soon as we stepped foot inside, Dumbledore began placing enchantments.
By the time he came inside, we had already mostly unpacked, and were sitting with Sirius in the living room on the couches, which we had haphazardly placed in our hurry.
"We will, of course, place the Fidelius Charm, but first we must address the matter of who will become the Secret Keeper. The Fidelius Charm, as you all know, enables a location to be unplottable, invisible, and completely sound-proof. Once the Charm is cast, the only way the location can be divulged is through the Secret Keeper."
"Sirius," James and I said immediately, without thought.
"I thought you would say as much. Are you sure you would not like me to assume the role?"
"No, thank you," James shook his head. "We'd like Sirius, if he wants to." Sirius nodded, immediately agreeing.
"I'll do it," he said firmly.
"Very well," Dumbledore stood.
"Wait-what happens if the Secret Keeper dies?" I voiced.
"Then everyone else who knows of the hidden location becomes the new Secret Keeper."
"Sirius-are-are you sure you want to do this?" I looked into his grey eyes, but he already looked resolved.
"Lily dear, I've never been more sure about anything in my life, except for the fact that you and James were going to get married someday, a fact of which I discovered in first year."
"Thank you," I whispered, and flung my arms around him. He looked surprised at first, but patted my back awkwardly.
I sat back down with James and Harry, and the ceremony began.
Sirius was now the Secret Keeper.
Six Months Later-April, 1980
"Ma-Ma," Harry said, smiling at me and reaching for my hair, taking a fistful and stuffing it in my mouth. James and I were sprawled out on our stomachs in front of him, cooing and smiling at our son.
"Yes, you're such a smart boy, Harry! Mummy and Daddy love you so!" I cooed, gently removing his hair. He then reached for James's glasses, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"Oh, no!" James cried dramatically, squeezing his eyes shut as Harry not-so-gently slid the glasses down his nose, taking them and bringing them toward his open mouth, grinning at us, knowing he was doing something he wasn't supposed to.
"No no, Harry, give Daddy his glasses back," he said gently, prying them from Harry's cubby, clenched fist. He screwed his face up, taking a big gulp and about to let out a wail-completely fake-sounding, but still a wail. He knew exactly how to play us.
"Oh, my poor Harry, I'll get you away from big bad Daddy!" I laughed, wrapping him in my arms and clutching him to my chest as I ran around to the kitchen-Harry laughed so hard I thought he was going to choke.
"Ba Da-Da!" He positively screamed with laughter, causing me to do the same. I shook with fits of giggles, running around the table from James, dancing just out of his grasp.
"Oi!" He said, practically stumbling when he missed my arm by inches.
"So close," I teased, and Harry's shrieks of laughter grew.
"Da Da!" He yelled, pointing and giggling at the faces James must have been pulling at him. James grabbed me around the waist, spinning me around and growling, his lips at my neck, causing me to shiver.
I relinquished my grasp on Harry and handed him to James, who dropped down to all fours and let Harry climb on his back, crawling like a bear while Harry clung to his neck, squealing with joy. After a while James let Harry crawl off and rolled over onto his back, panting.
"No thanks for carting him around like mule," he teased, eyes dancing.
"I'm sure he'll give you a proper thank you when he can talk," I laughed, offering my hand to help him up. With a jerk, instead of pulling himself up he pulled me down, and I landed on his chest with a gasp.
"James!" I threw my hair out from around his face, laughing. "What was that for?"
"Because you look so pretty," he said, putting his hands on my cheeks, pushing back my hair and kissing me deeply.
BANG!
We jumped apart and rolled up, running to where Harry was-he was sitting in a pile of feathers, laughing harder than ever, the little bugger-with James's wand in his hand.
"He just exploded the pillow!" James exclaimed, scooping him up and prying the wand out of his hands, mending it quickly.
"Of course he did," I said, coming to wrap my arms around James's waist. "He's magical."
Two Months Later-June 1980
"Hello, Dumbledore," I said, starting at the sight of my old headmaster on the table. James came to a stop behind me, bumping into me. He rubbed his eyes blearily and put his glasses on, squinting.
"Whazzgoinon?" He asked, voice thick with sleep. I took his hand, guiding him to the kitchen table.
"Everything alright?" I asked, slightly concerned.
"SURPRISE!" Several people jumped up from behind the couch, scaring both of us out of our wits, sending me flying into James's arms with an almighty shriek.
"I'm in my boxers!" He yelled, using me to shield his body before rushing back to our bedroom to change and grab Harry.
"Alice! Dorcas! All of you-what are you doing here?" I laughed, running forward to meet everyone in a hug-we hadn't seen them more than a few times ever since the prophecy was issued. And the visits had grown even fewer and further between when we realized we'd been betrayed. Someone had been slipping information to Voldemort about us.
And as horrible as it was, as hard as it was to accept-we thought it was Remus.
Slowly, we'd stopped answering his owls, and slowly, he'd stopped sending them. We carefully avoided that subject-he was the only one not here.
"Aw, Neville's adorable!" I cooed at the baby in Alice's arms. Frank had his hands on her shoulders, and they both beamed down at their son. I let him take my fingers-he held loosely at first, barely a grip, but his strength increased until he was holding on like I was his life preserver.
"He's got a strong grip!" I observed, and Neville grinned like he understood me. "How's...how's everything?" I asked in a low voice as everyone began to mingle. James came up behind me with Harry, who stretched his arms out to me wordlessly. Frank made faces at him, and he started to warm up to them both.
"It's alright. We both would rather be out fighting, it feels so wrong to stay in here and hide..."
"Tell me about it," I sighed. "I feel so cooped up in here...so does James, though he doesn't talk about it..." Alice nodded fervently, like she understood exactly what I was saying. "Well, at least we have this-this-what do you call it, a temporary forgetfulness party? Forgetting that half of us are in hiding and there's a war going on?" I laughed. Alice cracked a smile.
"Seems about right," she said, and Neville and Harry grasped hands. We let them crawl around, and Alice and I tailed them, warning people not to step on them-it was crazy how protective I was of Harry. I couldn't stand the thought of anyone or anything hurting him-when I was with him I worried about his well-being, but when I wasn't, I worried even more.
"Lily!" Donna, James's little cousin shrieked. She had to be seven or eight now-she already was losing her baby fat, and her hair was crowing out. Her little brother, Cooper, trailed shyly behind her.
"Hey, guys!" I laughed, picking them both up and setting them on my hip. "How are you doing?"
"Miss you!" Cooper beamed, putting his chubby fingers on my cheek.
"I miss you too, buddy," I grinned at him, twirling them both around until they laughed. I threw a glance at Harry, and Alice assured me she'd keep an eye on him.
"Hey, remember Sirius?" I looked at Donna, who's eyes lit up.
"Yeah!" She said. "I'm gonna marry Sirius! He said that was okay!"
"Did he now?" I raised an eyebrow. "Well I'm going to bring you to him, alright Donnie?"
"Okay," she clapped her hands, beaming.
"That's gross, Donnie," Cooper said matter-of-factly. "Are you going to kiss him like Lily and James?"
"Someday," Donna said, very seriously. "After we're married, I suppose." I tried not to laugh at that one.
I snuck up on Sirius as he was talking to Peter, James, Frank, and Dorcas-I motioned for all of them not to say anything, and gave Donnie a boost up onto his back while Cooper shook with silent laughter.
"Argh!" Sirius shrieked, flailing his hands as Donna locked her legs around his waist, and arms on his shoulders.
"Piggy back me, Sirius!" Donnie giggled gleefully, and Sirius grinned up at her.
"Hey there, Donnie."
I walked off with Cooper to find Darcy and David, and talked to them for a while. After a while Alice brought Harry back to me-
"Dada," he announced, snuggling his face into my hair. "Want Dada and Mama."
"Well, you're snuggly today," I murmured, putting an arm under his bottom and the other on his back, cuddling him close. He was nine months old, and could already speak sentence fragments. "Well, let's go find Dada."
"Your son wants you," I tapped James on the shoulder, handing him Harry.
"Hey, handsome!" James grinned, throwing Harry into the air, making him giggle.
"Kid-di?"
"What's he saying?" I asked James, who's face lit up.
"Merlin! I think he just said Quidditch! See how smart he is?" James kissed me. I went off to talk to Marlene, Emmy, and Dorcas, who were standing in the corner and laughing hysterically.
"What's so funny?" I joined them.
"They all seem to think it's absolutely hilarious that I'm dating a bloke," Emmy said petulantly, crossing her arms and looking pointedly at Marlene and Dorcas.
"Not-not that you're dating, no dear, that's not what we're laughing at-"
"It's who you're dating!" They both burst into another fit of giggles, and Emmy turned bright red.
"Emmaline Vance!" I cried. "Who's the boy?"
"Erm-well, cough cough."
"What?" I leaned in, putting a hand to my ear. "I didn't catch that."
"It's-it's-"
"Ricky McDougal!" Marlene blurted, giggling, and Dorcas clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Oh," I said, jaw working and trying not to laugh. Ricky McDougal had asked her out in first year-well, sort of. He accidentally spilled a pitcher of pumpkin juice over her head and then ran out of the Great Hall, embarrassed. "The Hufflepuff who spilled all that juice over your head?"
"The very same," Emmy said, disgruntled. "He's very nice now. You shouldn't talk Lily, James shoved you in the Great Lake."
"Yeah, but-but-" I spluttered, which all three of them apparently thought was hilarious.
"What's this I hear about you and McDougal, Emmy?" Alice said, sauntering over. "Pumpkin juice boy?"
"Ergh! That was first year, you lot! First year!" Emmy cried, burying her face in her hands.
"We know, we know," Marlene laughed, rubbing her back to calm her down. "We tease you because we love you."
"Yeah, yeah," Emmy groaned. "How does Emmy McDougal sound?"
"Delightful," I grinned devilishly, throwing my arm around her shoulders. For the moment, Voldemort was the furthest thing from our minds.
IMPORTANT
Second to last chapter, guys...IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, ADD ME TO AUTHOR ALERTS BECAUSE I WILL BE UPLOADING A NEW STORY SOON!