I looked around the room. All the bedside lights were off, and all the girls in Slytherin were lying asleep in their beds. I even heard a couple snores.
It had taken a while until everyone in the common room was asleep, but it was worth it. Besides, I didn't know what the potion would do to me while it was in effect.
The potion bottle was cold in my hands, and it was cold as it trickled down my throat. I could feel the individual drops, tickling my esophagus. 1, 2, 3….I silently counted down. When would the potion take effect.
10, 11, 12, 13….7, 3….was my last thought before everything went pink.
"My Isla, sweet baby," a female voice cooed. You look up and see a kind face with blonde hair and dark brown eyes. You're swaddled in a thick pink baby blanket.
"Ga, mam," you say. Somehow you can't talk normally.
"Sirius! Isla just said something!" A tall, dark-haired man hurries over.
"What did she say?" He's wearing a black suit with a mahogany tie, and his hair is neat.
"Mum." The woman cuddles you closer.
"That's wonderful, Kira. I wish I could stay with you and Isla, but I've got to go to Rodulphus Lestrange's trial." Sirius straightens his tie. "Hopefully I'll be back soon."
The woman, Kira, pulls your swaddling tight. "I'm sorry that you have to be in this," she whispers. Her words are meant for you only. "I'm sorry that we have to risk our lives every day. But it's to make a better world for you, okay? Always remember that." She sets you in a cradle and sits down in an armchair. She picks up a large newspaper.
"Gods," she mutters. "The Longbottoms…such good people, dead." Kira casts a stray glance at your cradle. "All for you, my love."
There's a flash of light, and you're in your father's arms. "Goodbye, Isla. We should be back soon." He sets you in your cradle. You want to scream, "Don't leave me behind!", but it comes out "Dada goo ga fafoodle!" One last glance at you.
"Kira, c'mon! We're going to be late for the rendezvous!" The same woman rushes down the dark stairs and out the door.
"Now who's c'mon," she calls. Sirius hurries after her, closing the door behind her. It's dark.
Another flash of light. "I'm out."
"You are still very much in."
"It's my decision."
"You're going to regret it."
"I won't. I'll be a normal person, a normal wizard. Finally." You can barely see your father and another man, this one with mussed black hair and glasses, sitting next to each other on the ground. "Go away, James." Sirius waves his hand. James stands up and walks out the door. There's stiffness in his step.
Sirius almost breaks down, you can see by how much he blinks. But he looks at you and stops. He gets up and picks up your crib gently. He carries it up the stairs and into a bedroom. You sleep not in the nursery, but beside your father that night.
The flash of light hurts your eyes this time. "Goodbye." Sirius's voice says, and then one last flash of light…
I blinked once. Twice. Where was I? My bed, in the Slytherin common room, at Hogwarts, right. What had happened to my mum? I still didn't understand! I shook the bottle, but there was no more memory potion left. A single tear dripped down my face. I dove under the covers.
I could pretend I didn't know what had happened to Kira, my mum, but I knew as well as my dad had. She was dead.