Dumbledore stood at the window, pondering over the events that had just happened. He was a wizard with infinite knowledge yet he couldn't fathom what had happened. None of the books he had read had ever mentioned anything like this.
The rest of the occupants of the room were quietly chatting while keeping an eye on Lily who was still unconscious and Harry who had refused to leave his mother's side. His gem-like eyes stared at Lily intensely.
"It's completely extraordinary. I have never seen anyone recover so fast. Not even a single bruise." Poppy whispered to James.
"Are you sure she was hit, Sirius?" She asked the young man in the leather jacket.
Sirius's eyes closed in pain at the memory of what had happened. He would never be able to forget it. Lily's shout, the flash of dark purple, and the pain of her body pushing out of the way combined with her gut-wrenching scream.
"Yes. Yes, she was hit." He whispered.
Dumbledore turned around, having made up his mind. "James, may I please speak with you privately?" He said rather than asking.
Nodding James led the Headmaster to the kitchen and watched as indecision led way to determination on the headmaster's face.
"It's Harry. He's the only factor that was new in this scenario. We have seen multiple people die from the same spell, but, Harry touched her and she healed." He said definitely. James turned away at these words, his hazel eyes closing to hide the pain away from the world.
"Harry is a child."
"Harry is a prophecy child." Dumbledore countered.
"You need to move James. For the safety of Harry and Lily. If Voldemort gets word that she survived, you know he will be all the more in danger."
James stood looking out the kitchen window. His knuckles became white with how hard he was gripping the granite. He knew. He knew they had to move. He knew he had to protect his family over making a point to Voldemort.
A defeated sigh left his lips as his body hunched in on itself. He wasn't one to admit defeat ever. He had found a way to help Remus, he had saved Sirius from his family, hell, he had even managed to make Lily Evans, the girl who despised him the most see he wasn't a total toerag.
The same girl who almost died today, the same girl who was saved by his son. His toddler, 7-month-old son.
"I understand." He whispered.
"We'll be ready to leave in two weeks." He whispered.
A sad smile laced Dumbledore's lips, while he had wanted the Potters under a fidelus, he didn't want it to be this way, with Lily almost dying and James drowning in guilt.
A teenage Harry looked around his surroundings. He was in a beautiful clearing, filled with lush green grass and beautiful flowers. Huge trees overgrown with vines provided shade to the clearing. He could see rabbits, deer, and wolves peaking from behind bushes, all in harmony with each other, looking at him curiously. He could hear the slithering of various snakes overhead and gushing water in the distance.
In the distance, he could hear the distinct footsteps of someone walking on the grass. As the sound grew so did the peacefulness inside Harry. By the time person had reached him, Harry was completely calm in a way his life had never let him be. After years of abuse by the Dursleys and Voldemort hunting him at Hogwarts, Harry hadn't had a moment where he felt peaceful ever.
"Hello, child." A serene voice said behind him. Similar to Death's, this voice too was young, old, female, male, everything, and nothing at the same time.
It was at this second that Harry knew who he was talking to.
"Hello, Life." He said turning to face the being and was immediately startled.
Unlike Death who was covered in a black cloak, Life stood before him, with the bare minimum of clothing. The being's body changed shapes continuously, one-second young male, another old female. There was no discernible way to know the being's gender. Just as how Death was dark and seemed to pull everything into them, Life was just as bright and it seemed to be that everything glowed a bit more brighter and livelier.
A genial smile spread over the being's face, almost amused at how embarrassed the 17-year-old was on being faced with so many types of bodies at the same time.
With a snap of their fingers, both of them were seated on a table with various kinds of teas and pastries, and Life was covered with a loose-fitting robe that seemed to sprout leaves and flowers spontaneously.
"Is that better?" They asked poking fun at Harry.
Harry's cheeks redded at the being's question but nodded fervently anyway.
"Ye...Yes, Thank you." He said clearing his throat.
The being smiled still amused and began to select a varied amount of treats for their plate.
"Please eat." They indicated as they looked at the unmoving teenager.
"Thank you," Harry said as he served himself a slice of treacle tart.
"If I may ask, why am I here?" He ventured.
"You had a question didn't you child?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I did."
"Well, what was it?" Life asked, taking a bite out of a decadently dark chocolate cake.
"How did my mom survive in the past? I wasn't there to save her, and that curse was taking away her life force."
Pain etched its way onto Harry's face as the scene that was just a few hours old replayed in his mind.
A sympathetic smile graced Life's face as she contemplated how to answer the question.
"Are you aware of the Butterfly effect?" They asked finally.
A frown marred Harry's face, he was sure he had heard Hermione mention it once or twice but he wasn't sure what it was exactly.
He shook his head to indicate the same prompting Life to speak.
"The Butterfly Effect essentially states that a small cause may result in a big change. In the previous lifetime, you had never thrown Peter across the room because you were an actual baby, however in this lifetime, you knew the difference and hence you did throw him across the room resulting in a bigger effect, Bellatrix cursing your mother."
"So, I was the reason why..."
He was cut off by Life before he could even finish his statement.
"Of course not my child, but there will be a few small changes here and there and you will need to learn to let those go. They are not your fault." Life said with a kind smile.
Harry smiled back tentatively. "I'll try."
"Good, it is now time for you to go back child, we shall meet again soon."
Before could even say another word he had exited the realm of life and was back in his tiny body, cradled by his father. His eyes looked around the room and noticed they were in his parent's bedroom. His mother was laying on the bed, multiple monitoring charms hovering around her, while his father was in an armchair right beside the beside, fast asleep with his head tilted back and glasses askew. His eyes took in the sleeping form of his mother, satisfied that she was completely fine.
He sent out a tendril of his magic, directing it to remove the glasses from his father and placing it on the bedside table. Content that the glass wouldn't accidentally break and his father now, Harry too settled into his father's arms to sleep, it had been a very exhausting day after all.
