"Mom, where is Uncle Wormy?"
"Uncle Wormy is busy being a superhero, darling," Lily whispered to her daughter as she stroked her hair, so similar to her husband's.
"But I miss him," her daughter said, frowning, "can't you tell him to come see me?"
"Your godfather and your uncle Luc are taking care of him," Lily replied.
"Where is daddy?" her daughter asked again, "Daddy promised me that he would tell me a story before I fell asleep."
"Mia, honey, you know your dad is... he..." Lily began.
"I WANT DADDY!" Mia exclaimed, starting to get angry, "WHERE IS DADDY?"
Lily looked at her daughter with sadness. She and James had tried hard so that her daughter wouldn't notice what was happening outside the walls of Potter Manor. But the reality was that they were in the middle of a war, a war that was already dragging on too long.
They had gotten married as soon as they graduated from Hogwarts, and nine months later, Hermione, or as everyone called her, Mia, was born. Her daughter was an exact carbon copy of James. She had the infamous Potter hair, the same hazel eyes, the same mischievous smile, and the same dimple on her right cheek.
"Daddy will come later," Lily told her, trying to calm her daughter, "he's in a meeting with important people."
"I'm scared," Mia whispered.
"Why do you say that?" Lily asked worriedly.
"I have bad dreams where you and daddy are no longer with me, and neither are Uncle Pads or Uncle Moons," Mia said, hugging her star plushie.
The star plushie that her daughter was hugging had been a gift from Regulus. She and James, concerned for the safety of her daughter, had decided to appoint Regulus as her godfather. No one would suspect that one of Voldemort's Death Eaters was the godfather of the Potter heiress.
The Marauders had been friends of Narcissa and Regulus during their school years. Sirius, Regulus, and Narcissa were family, so it hadn't been difficult for everyone to become friends, including James, Remus, Peter, Lily, and Lucius in their madness.
"Nothing will happen to us," Lily told her daughter, "and you have your godfather and your uncle Pads watching over you from afar, that's what he told you, right?"
"If I look at the sky, they will be taking care of me and watching me from wherever they are, just like I am doing now," her daughter responded, as if she were reciting a well-rehearsed phrase.
The Blacks had a habit of naming their children after the stars, and since James's mother and Sirius and Regulus were Black, James had decided that his daughter's middle name would be Cassiopeia. Sirius and Regulus had told her niece that they also had a star in the sky and that if she ever missed them, Mia could look up at the sky and they would be there protecting her.
"I love you, mommy," Mia said, yawning, "and Harry too."
"Daddy and I love you very much, darling," Lily said to Mia, giving her a kiss on the forehead, "sleep now."
Lily, seeing how her daughter was falling asleep, turned off the lights in the room, leaving it only illuminated by small stars that Sirius and Regulus had cast a spell in the room for Mia. Carefully, Lily walked down the stairs as best she could due to her pregnant state.
She was one week away from giving birth to a boy whom they were going to name Harry, at Mia's choice. Arriving in the kitchen, she turned on the kettle and waited for the water to heat up to make some tea while she waited for James to get home.
As the kettle finally whistled, signaling that the water was ready, Lily carefully prepared a cup of tea. She had just settled into a chair at the kitchen table when she felt the ward shift. It was James, and he looked tired and weary.
James walked into the kitchen and spotted Lily, offering her a tired smile. "Hey, love," he said, his voice reflecting the exhaustion he felt.
Lily returned his smile and gestured for him to sit down. "How was the meeting?" she asked.
James, taking a sip of the tea Lily had prepared, answered. "He's getting closer to us, Lils, to all of us. We need a plan B if something goes wrong. I haven't heard of Pads or Moony in months. Mary is worried about Wormtail and Reggie and Lucius won't even say if they are okay."
"Mia was asking about you," Lily said, her eyes filled with concern. "She's been having bad dreams, James."
James sighed, his brow furrowing. "I hate that she's going through this, she's barely three. She should be playing with Addie and Teddy in the garden, she should be flying on a broom, she should—"
Lily reached out and took his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I know, Jamie, we'll get through this together. Soon, we'll have another little one to look after."
"Mommy, when can we go see Mia?"
"We will go next week, little star," Narcissa responded to her daughter, bending down to her level.
"You always say the same thing," said her daughter, crossing her arms with a pout.
Narcissa sighed, her maternal instincts kicking in. She knelt down and gently took Adhara into her arms, trying to calm her down. "Addie, sweetheart, there are bad people who want to hurt Mia, your Aunt Lily and your Uncle Prongs."
Adhara's eyes widened in concern. "Why would someone want to hurt Mia?" she asked, her voice quivering with worry about her best friend.
"Adhara, in this world, there are people who are bad and who like to hurt good people like your Aunt Lily and your Uncle Prongs," Narcissa explained gently, brushing a strand of hair away from her daughter's face.
"Those people...those people want to hurt Daddy, Dray, and you?" Adhara asked curiously.
Narcissa smiled reassuringly. "Your daddy and your Uncle Reggie are doing everything they can to make sure no one hurts us, Mia, or your Aunt and Uncles."
Suddenly, a crash resounded from downstairs in Malfoy Manor, and Narcissa's protective instincts flared. With Adhara still in her arms, she swiftly made her way to Draco's room. Seeing that her younger son was still sleeping peacefully, she placed Adhara in her brother's crib and whispered, "Stay quiet, sweetheart."
Narcissa, wand in hand, cautiously descended the stairs leading to the living room of Malfoy Manor, trying to make as little noise as possible. As she entered the room, her eyes widened when she spotted two figures dressed in dark Death Eater robes, engaged in a hushed argument. Slowly, she lowered her wand.
"What happened?" Narcissa demanded, announcing her presence in the room.
The two figures abruptly stopped arguing and turned to face Narcissa. With a snap of her fingers, Narcissa illuminated the living room, revealing her cousin Regulus and her husband, Lucius.
"We have a problem," Lucius stated, stepping forward to hug his wife. He quickly kissed her lips and then asked, "Where are Addie and Draco?"
Narcissa gestured upstairs, indicating their children, and Lucius rushed upstairs to check on them, leaving her alone with Regulus.
"As Lucius said, we have a problem," Regulus explained, running a hand through his hair. "Voldemort is planning a massive attack on Godric's Hollow and the Order."
Narcissa's worry deepened. "When is he planning to attack them? Lily is about to give birth to Harry; she's in no condition to fight."
"Voldemort hasn't explicitly said when he's going to do it," Regulus admitted. "But we're running out of people to rely on. My brother and Remus are out of the question. Poor Peter was on the verge of a panic attack today at the meeting when he heard that Voldemort was planning to attack Godric's Hollow. The press is not helping our situation either."
"What are you talking about?" Narcissa asked, intrigued and concerned.
"The press is out of control," Regulus continued. "They've published that Remus is a werewolf, and given the current climate of war, they believe he's loyal to Greyback. As for my brother," he sighed, "since he can't disentangle himself from his love, they think he's a traitor and a Death Eater who's sold out James. Peter, Lucius, and I are the Ministry's most wanted Death Eaters. I'm so sorry, Cissy."
Narcissa's eyes filled with anger and frustration. "But that's all a lie!"
Regulus shook his head. "But no one knows about our plan. No one knows that we're trying to defeat Voldemort. To the rest of the wizarding world, we're the bad guys, and James, Lily, and my goddaughter are on the side of the light now that Remus, Sirius, and Peter have fallen to the 'dark side.'"
"Are we in danger? Are Adhara and Draco in danger?" Narcissa asked, her voice trembling with concern for her children.
"Lucius and I have been keeping an eye on Snape in meetings," Regulus said, deep in thought. "He finds it rather suspicious that Peter has suddenly become a Death Eater."
Narcissa scoffed. "Snape was always a coward and envious of what he wanted but couldn't have. He's harmless."
Regulus's expression turned serious. "He's dangerous, Cissy. He resents and hates James a lot, and it doesn't help that Lily is giving birth to their second child."
"Do you think... Do you think Snape would hurt an innocent baby because he thinks Lily belongs to him?" Narcissa asked, horrified by the thought.
Regulus's voice was firm. "Snape won't touch any of my nieces or nephews, or I'll break his hands myself."
As Narcissa had predicted, Lily gave birth to Harry James Potter on July 31, 1980. The youngest Potter son had inherited Lily's features, particularly her olive green eyes. The only visible sign that he was James's son was the infamous jet-black Potter hair.
The little family had been overjoyed in Godric's Hollow, despite being unable to share the news with their loved ones. James had shed tears of joy and jokingly told Lily that if Sirius were present, he might have claimed that if it weren't for Harry's black hair, someone would think Lily had cheated on him.
Lily had laughed, understanding how much James missed his best friends and how badly he wanted to celebrate Harry's birth with them. As the weeks passed, James became increasingly exhausted and stressed from the Order's missions, and the only things that brought a smile to his face were moments with Mia and holding Harry in his arms.
One night, while Lily was watching Harry sleep and waiting for James to return from a mission, she heard someone moving around in the kitchen. With her wand at the ready, she made her way downstairs, concerned about her husband's prolonged absence. As she approached the kitchen, the sound of anguished sobs reached her ears, and it was unmistakably James. He sounded utterly heartbroken.
The scene that greeted her in their kitchen broke her heart. James sat on the floor, his Auror robes stained with blood, clutching a bottle of firewhiskey in one hand. Lily had never seen James cry like this, not even when his parents, Charlus and Dorea, had passed away.
Quickly, she wrapped her arms around James, who clung to her as if she were his lifeline. Lily stroked his hair, waiting for him to explain what had happened and why he was in such distress.
"Daddy, why are you sad?" Mia's innocent voice broke through the silence.
James raised his tear-filled eyes and saw his daughter standing in the kitchen doorway, hugging her little star plushie and looking at him with concern. He stumbled toward her and embraced her tightly, apologizing and crying in her presence.
"I'm so sorry, baby girl," James repeated, his voice choked with emotion.
"What's happening?" Mia asked, her worry evident as she watched her father cry.
"Uncle Wormy...Uncle Wormy is no longer with us," James whispered to his daughter.
Lily gasped, and tears began to flow from her eyes. She rushed to James, who still held their daughter in his arms, and they both mourned the loss of Peter.
"Uncle Wormy is dead?" Mia asked, her hazel eyes filling with tears.
"Uncle Wormy is with Grandma Dory and Grandpa Charlie, baby girl," James confirmed through his tears.
"Then don't be sad, Daddy," Mia comforted him, "Uncle Wormy is now a superhero in heaven."
Lily and James laughed between their sobs at their daughter's innocent perspective. They had explained to Mia that Peter was playing the role of a superhero so she wouldn't worry. They wanted her to know the truth about her Uncle Wormy, regardless of what the rest of the wizarding world thought.
"I love you so much, princess," James told Mia as he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I love you too, Daddy," Mia replied, kissing him on the cheek. "Don't be sad. Uncle Wormy is protecting us from heaven."
James chuckled through his tears and held his daughter close as he carried her to her room to put her to bed. With care, he tucked her in and turned off the lights in her starlit room. Slowly, James walked back to the kitchen, where Lily was sitting in a chair, waiting for him.
"I'm so sorry," James said, looking at Lily. "I should never have let Dumbledore send Pete straight into Voldemort's clutches."
Lily embraced him. "Don't apologize to me. He was your best friend, and you have every right to grieve."
"Neither Pads nor Moony know," James lamented, hiding his face in his hands. "He's hunting us down one by one."
"What exactly has happened?" Lily asked, concern etching her features.
"Moody called us, saying there was a Muggle raid in Knightsbridge," James explained. "When we arrived, there were at least twenty Death Eaters burning and destroying the neighborhood, while others attacked Muggles. There was a Death Eater, Yaxley, I think. He was going to attack a girl about the same age as Mia, and Peter got in the way."
"I'm so sorry, James," Lily said, her voice heavy with sadness.
"Peter is a hero. Now everyone knows it," James declared with determination, his tears mixed with pride for his fallen friend.
"Lucius, run!" Regulus shouted as he and Lucius continued to cast spells, fending off the Death Eaters who surrounded them.
"I'm not going to leave you alone, Reggie," Lucius replied, his voice determined, as he sent a stunning spell at an approaching enemy.
"You have my cousin and my niece to protect, you have a family that needs you," Regulus shouted, his voice strained as he killed another Death Eater. "Stop trying to be a fucking Gryffindor"
"You also have a family that needs you," Lucius retorted, his voice filled with urgency. "You have Mia, you have your brother, Harry, Lily, James, all of us. We need you."
The war had stretched on longer than anyone had anticipated, and trust had become a rare commodity. People no longer knew who to rely on, and Voldemort and Dumbledore played a dangerous game with their pawns, seemingly indifferent to the lives they were sacrificing. Since Voldemort had discovered Peter's treachery and betrayal, his rage had intensified. He now sought to uncover any other potential traitors in his ranks.
"When the Dark Lord finds out that you two are the traitors, I'm going to enjoy watching him kill you," Yaxley taunted as he cast curses.
"Shut up, Yaxley, you're nothing more than a crybaby and a lapdog of a bald megalomaniac," Regulus shouted, his voice defiant. "Fuck you."
"I'm going to kill you!" Yaxley roared, unleashing another barrage of dark magic.
Regulus and Lucius had become exceptionally cautious after Peter's death. They had witnessed Peter's uncontrolled magic inadvertently causing the death of fifteen Death Eaters when he stepped in to save a girl who resembled Mia. They knew that Peter had seen their daughters in that girl and had acted to protect her.
"Lucius, I'm not going to repeat this to you twice—go now," Regulus said as he fought fiercely with Yaxley.
Yaxley laughed cruelly, taunting, "You're deluded if you think the Dark Lord hasn't already dispatched Death Eaters to Malfoy Manor."
Lucius, upon hearing that, turned pale and ran to Disapparate, looking back at Regulus one last time before vanishing. He had to get back to Malfoy Manor, where his wife was alone with Adhara and Draco. Though Narcissa was an excellent duelist, she couldn't handle a dozen Death Eaters while worrying about their children.
"Narcissa! Narcissa!" Lucius shouted as he emerged from the fireplace.
With the rain pouring outside, he raced up the stairs to his children's rooms. The sound of Draco crying only heightened his desperation, but he couldn't hear Narcissa or Adhara. Bursting into his youngest son's room, he found Draco in his crib, wailing uncontrollably. Lucius picked up Draco and held him close, trying to soothe the infant, all the while inspecting every room in the manor. But he found no sign of Narcissa or Adhara. Panicking, he Disapparated once again and shouted, "Godric's Hollow!"
Lily, who had been preparing dinner, let out a scream when she saw Lucius shoot out of the fireplace in the middle of her living room.
"Uncle Luc!" Mia exclaimed, delighted to see her uncle. "Where's Addie?"
"Hello, little one," Lucius greeted her with a small smile. "Would you mind looking after Draco for a while? I need to talk to your mother."
Mia nodded, and Lucius gently set Draco on the floor next to Mia and Harry before approaching Lily.
"Lily, I think they've kidnapped Cissy and Addie," Lucius said, his voice fraught with desperation. "Regulus and I... Voldemort already knows we're the traitors."
"Oh, my God!" Lily cried, her hands flying to cover her mouth in shock. "We have to tell James."
"We don't have time," Lucius said, his paranoia evident. "He's going to kill them. He can't, Lily, they're the only family I have left besides Draco."
"Let me call James, and I'll come with you," Lily proposed, conjuring her Patronus to deliver the message.
Lucius looked around at the children in distress, and his worry grew. "Who do we leave the children with?"
"Winston," Lily said softly, invoking the house-elf.
Winston, a small elf dressed in a shirt and vest, appeared before Lucius and Lily, bowing exaggeratedly. "What can Winston do for the lady?"
"Winston, please take care of the children," Lily instructed.
"Winston will be happy to take care of the little miss and the little masters," the elf replied joyfully. "Ma'am, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Lily said, offering a small smile. "Mia is four years old now, so she can help you with Harry and Draco."
Lucius approached his son and gave Draco a tender kiss on the cheek. He repeated the same loving gesture with Harry and Mia, a few tears escaping him.
"I love you so much, baby boy," Lily told Harry as she hugged him. "Mia, baby, Daddy and I love you both so much."
"Mia, darling, take good care of Harry and Draco," Lucius added softly. "Your mother and I won't be long. If you need anything, Winston will help you."
Mia nodded solemnly while Harry and Draco babbled happily on the floor. Winston levitated toys to entertain the children, as Lucius and Lily prepared to leave to find Narcissa and Adhara.
When Lily and Lucius Apparated to the outskirts of Little Hangleton, James was already there, pacing back and forth with deep concern etched on his face.
"James!" Lily called out, rushing to embrace her husband.
"The children?" James asked anxiously, looking around for any sign of their kids.
"With Winston," Lily reassured him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt this beautiful moment, but there's a crazy megalomaniac blood purist who has kidnapped my daughter and my wife," Lucius said, his voice filled with urgency, as he moved towards the imposing Riddle mansion.
"Where's Reggie?" James whispered, realizing that their group was incomplete as they cautiously made their way through the side garden of the mansion, avoiding the Death Eaters stationed as guards.
"I'm here," Regulus's voice suddenly whispered from the shadows, taking them all by surprise. "Did you really think that a bunch of useless Death Eaters could kill me?"
With Regulus back with them, the quartet continued to move through the mansion, occasionally casting various Confundus to the Death Eaters and allowing James to Apparate them directly to Azkaban. It didn't take long for James, Lily, Regulus, and Lucius to reach the doors leading to the living room of Riddle Manor, and to their surprise, the doors were wide open.
"Welcome," Voldemort's chilling voice echoed, sending shivers down their spines. "We were waiting for you."
Inside the living room, a tense silence hung in the air as Voldemort, flanked by around thirty loyal Death Eaters, awaited the arrival of their adversaries. The room was illuminated by a cold, eerie light, and the only sounds were the muffled sobs of Narcissa and Adhara, who were being held by two Death Eaters, their freedom cruelly restricted.
Lucius, his voice trembling, broke the silence. "Addie, little star, Daddy is here. You're going to be okay," he reassured his daughter, seeing her trembling with fear.
Voldemort sneered. "Look at that, Lucius Malfoy being a softie. What would your father think if he saw what you had become?"
Regulus, his patience waning, interrupted, "Enough chitchat. Are we going to fight, or are we going to continue listening to your self-pitying speech?"
The room exploded into chaos as the Death Eaters engaged in a fierce battle, their wands casting a dazzling array of curses and , witnessing the turmoil around her, bit her captor's hand with all her might, causing him to howl in pain. Taking advantage of the distraction, Narcissa replicated her daughter's brave action, and after ensuring Adhara's safety, she swiftly took her wand and dispatched the two Death Eaters who had been restraining them.
"Addie, your Uncle Reggie and your Uncle Prongs love you, your Aunt Lily loves you, Mommy loves you, Daddy loves you," Narcissa said, her voice trembling with emotion as she held her daughter's face. "I need you to run as fast as you can to the fireplace and, with all your might, say, 'Godric's Hollow.'"
Adhara nodded, determination in her eyes. She darted through the mayhem, evading curses and Death Eaters who were falling under the onslaught of spells.
"Lucius, Lucius!" Narcissa's desperate cries reached Adhara's ears as she reached the fireplace. "No, please, no!"
Adhara turned, fear etched on her face, and saw her mother cradling her father's head, tears streaming down her face. Gathering her courage, Adhara ran back towards her parents.
"Daddy, daddy!" Adhara shouted, her voice trembling with fear as she approached.
Narcissa's tear-filled eyes met her daughter's. "Addie, what are you still doing here?" she sobbed.
"Daddy's not waking up," Adhara said, her lower lip quivering. "Daddy, wake up!"
"I'm so sorry, baby girl," Narcissa cried, pulling Adhara into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry."
"Narcissa, Adhara has to go now!" Regulus shouted, his voice filled with urgency as he continued to battle the remaining Death Eaters.
Narcissa nodded, tears streaming down her face, and she took Adhara by the hand, running towards the fireplace, Lily followed closely behind them. As they disappeared into the emerald flames, they could see James and Regulus successfully defeating the remaining Death Eaters and standing their ground against Voldemort himself in the heated confrontation.
"Take Draco and come with me," Lily shouted urgently as she swiftly gathered Mia and Harry into her arms.
Narcissa nodded and followed suit, scooping up Draco and Adhara before hurrying after Lily to Harry's room. As they entered the nursery, Lily gently placed her children in Harry's crib while she began to cast protective spells, her movements swift and focused. Narcissa mirrored her actions, adding her own protective charms, while Adhara cried softly. Mia, Harry, and Draco, alarmed by the tense atmosphere, looked at Adhara with concern in their innocent eyes. In the midst of their protective spell casting, they heard a distant commotion, followed by a series of curses and spells echoing throughout the house.
"You're not going near my children, my niece or my nephew, Riddle!" James's voice thundered, followed by a barrage of spells.
"Regulus Black is dead. What makes you think you're going to live?" Voldemort's cruel laughter reached their ears.
Mia and Adhara, upon hearing their uncle's name, began to cry, their fear intensifying, while Lily and Narcissa exchanged terrified glances, as the battle between James and Voldemort raged on.
"Then I will die defending my family!" James's defiant voice rang through the house.
For what felt like an eternity, Lily, Narcissa, and the children listened to the fierce confrontation between James and Voldemort. Then, suddenly, the spells ceased, and a deafening thud reverberated through the silence—the sound of a body hitting the ground.
"Oh, my God! Oh, my God," Lily sobbed, her voice breaking as she heard footsteps approaching up the stairs. "Oh, my God! James!"
Adhara, Draco, Harry, and Mia all looked at their mothers, confusion and fear in their young eyes. Narcissa turned her head to look at her children and her nephew and niece, her expression a mix of sadness and determination.
"Addie, Draco, Harry, Mia, we love you so much," Narcissa said, her voice shaking as she looked at the children, "never forget that, okay?"
The nursery door slowly creaked open, revealing Voldemort with a cruel smile on his pale, snake-like face.
"James was a tough nut to crack," Voldemort hissed, his red eyes gleaming with malevolence. "I have to admit that."
"You're a bastard!" Lily shouted, her anger boiling over.
"Get away from that crib," Voldemort hissed, anger flashing as he watched Narcissa and Lily positioning themselves protectively in front of the crib where their precious children lay.
"Never," Narcissa said resolutely, echoing Lily's determination. "You'll have to kill us first. Fuck you, you pale-face bastard."
"You asked for it!" Voldemort shouted, raising his wand with a wicked smile. "Avada Kedavra!"
The last thing Godric's Hollow saw on that fateful Halloween night was an eerie green light, and then silence—complete and utter silence.