It was over. The long war against Voldemort was over for good. Baby Harry had killed him somehow. Lily knew how of course, but was too busy crying over James' dead form, Harry still in her arms, crying from the shock he'd had and the pain in his head. She tried to comfort him and put him back to sleep but found it difficult because of her crying.When he finally did fall asleep she put him in his crib that was almost shattered to pieces which she fixed with her wand. Then she fixed the place up.
An hour later Dumbledore and some ministry members arrived. They were shocked and flabbergasted when they saw she and Harry were alive. "This will be all over the Prophet! You-Know-Who finally dead!" squeaked a small man happily, but then looked down at James' body. "Oh my!" he gasped. "He killed h-him didn't he?" he began sobbing.
Dumbledore turned to Lily. "How did this happen?" he asked gently.
"Don't!" she rounded on him, "Ask me how this happened! You know as well as I do that he was looking for us because of that stupid prophecy! Don't you dare Dumbledore!"
"My apologies. I mean how come Voldemort is dead?"
"James died for me and Harry. It was the power of his love that saved us. We could've died when he sent the curse but Harry was in my arms... it backfired...he's dead now...the curse left a mark... but I don't think its a cursed scar." she said quietly, still sobbing.
"It will be fine my dear, I promise. Would you like to see Severus?" he asked, and the question stung Lily's heart. She hadn't spoken to her best friends for months, ever since the wedding, just wrote letters to him...he knew Harry was born, that was for sure.
She had avoided him because James would've probably killed him, even if it was in secret he'd have found out.
"I don't know." she whispered and let herself fall onto the sofa. The memories of that night were still fresh in her mind.
"Its him Lily! Quick, take Harry and go! Flee! I'll hold him off!" James said loudly. The door slammed open and fell off its hinges, revealing Voldemort in a dark cloak with a hood on. "Its him! Just go! Save yourselves!" He turned back to Voldemort while Lily ran upstairs craddling Harry.
"Hahahahahahahaha!!!!" Laughed Lord Voldemort cruelly. "You think you can fight me, young foolish Gryffindor?" he smirked coldly.
"This is for Lily and my son Harry!" he sent a Stinging Hex at Voldemort, who deflected it easily and sent a Crucio instead. It backfired but hit the window which immediately burst into flames of green fire.
"Expelliarmus!" they both shouted and both figures flew around 3 meters away from where they'd been standing duelling. James was the quickest to get up and was just going to send a stunner when Voldemort reacted first, "Avada Kedavra!" and the curse hit James squarely in the chest that he flew backwards.
While he was hung in mid-air he yelled at Voldemort, "You'll regret this!" and fell to the floor, his body limp and lifeless.
Voldemort stood up and took one look at him. He bowed and hissed quietly, "I admire your bravery James Potter. Its too bad you are dead, now you will no longer see the deaths of your wife and child!" he spat in his face and laughed his evil laugh, climbing up the stairs quickly.
He found the red haired woman clutching a bundle in her arms tightly, whispering to it. He sneered and closed the door, alerting her of his presence. She spun around and glared at him. "Ahh... if it isn't Lily Evans. Turned to Potter now, hmm?" he smirked. "'Too bad you'll be joining him soon." he raised his wand. "Stand aside, now!"
She shook her head and hissed, "No!"
"Stand aside immediately girl or I'll kill you first!"
"No please," she suddenly begged. "Don't take Harry! Not my baby! Please, take me, take me instead-"
"Move woman, before I snap!"
"Take me instead-" and she saw his lips forming the killing curse."No!" she screamed, the green light blinding them but just then something extraordinary happened. Harry's eyes snapped open and as he watched the green light coming their way, gold and green sparks clashed into each other and gold won, sending the curse right back to its owner, who fell, gaping in shock, white as a sheet, his red slits for eyes wide, his form limp. It was then that baby Harry began to cry and Lily whimpered. It was over.
"I don't know..." she repeated.
Dumbledore nodded and patted her on the shoulder."You witnessed something no other living being will ever witness. Naturally the shock is normal. You and Harry both need rest. It would be wise if you found comfort.. I'm sure Severus would be pleased to see you. Do not let the past hold you back Lily," he murmured loud enough for her to hear.
After a while she stopped crying and recovered a little. She nodded and said, "You're right. Of course. I will see Sev. Thank you Albus." she said, her tone determined and he nodded sympathetically. She got up and went upstairs to find the ministry members were huddled around the crib and the body. She hurried to shoo them away, Dumbledore following her. He examined Voldemort's body, the damage and the baby before turning his eyes back to Lily, his expression grave.
"Lily, your son will be knocked out for a few hours. No doubt tonight's events will give you both nightmares. You do realise that this will be all over the news? It will be difficult to stop reporters and others reaching you."
"I know Headmaster. I could stay with Severus for a while. Or just go to France."
"France?" Dumbledore asked, looking surprised.
"Yes, the food is lovely and I've always found the language beautiful. If Harry were to grow up there, I could teach him about our world and he would be able to speak english and french. There are other wizards in France." she smiled weakly. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled a little.
"Very well, we can make arrangements. You do know where Severus lives?"
"Of course." he nodded and she picked up Harry from his crib, careful not to wake him and held him tightly to her chest, took some floo powder and said loud and clear, "Snape Manor!" before vanishing instantly in gree flames. Dumbledore sighed and left too.
*
Severus Snape was but very badly. For a start, his head was in his arms on his desk, and second, he kept waking up after the same nightmare. His stalk of Dreamless sleep had run out and he wasn't about to make some more just for tonight. When he heard the floo he jumped awake, his wand at his side. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight that greeted him. It was Lily. For a moment he thought he was dreaming, and blinked. He wasn't. This was real. He stared. "Lily..." he managed to say although it was so quiet he was certain she hadn't heard.
"Hi Sev," she said just as quietly, smiling. She walked up to him and noticed how he gulped and knew at once he was trying to apologise for calling her a mudblood all those years ago. She had forgiven him after all and written to him and all. She put a finger to his lips to shush him before embracing him tightly and warmly. He embraced her back, knowing both of them needed this as much as the other. 10 minutes had passed since she had arrived and they finally broke apart.
"Oh Sev, it was awful!" she began. He still had an arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders.
'What happened?" Then realisation dawned on him as she looked up and onyx eyes met emerald.
"He came didn't he?" he whispered frantically. She nodded and bit her lip, tears shining in her eyes. "He killed James-" Severus grimaced at the name but the grimace vanished once more as she continued to speak. "He tried to kill me and Harry," for the first time since she'd arrived Severus noticed the bundle. How had he not noticed that before?
"There was too much green light, I thought this was it for me and Harry and then- the curse backfired and killed him instead and it destroyed everything and the curse left a scar on Harry! It was awful Sev, how can you stand watching people get tortured and die before your eyes?" She said all this very quickly but leaned into his arms.
'That's just it though, isn't it?" he paused. "I can't. That's why he always used the Cruciatus curse on me every meeting." he rubbed her back soothingly and then asked, "Will you be alright?"
She nodded and said, "You wouldn't mind if I went to the bathroom would you?" he shook his head and she went off down the corridor. As she left Severus looked down at the baby wrapped in all those blankets. He saw eyelids flicker. He saw the scar that stood out on his forehead clearly, the messy black hair and the resemblance in Potter. He wanted to slap himself.
He would not have a Potter running around his home and being a disobedient brat. If that was the case of Lily's visit, he would only be nice to him and patient with him and protect him for Lily's sake because he loved her, and had promised. But if the boy disobeyed him then he would put up some rules. Some very strict rules.