Chapter 12

Lily gathered the empty mugs, fingers curling round the smooth handles. "Another butterbeer?" she asked lightly, though her voice caught just a little on the last word.

Harry let out a small laugh, stretching his arms above his head. "If I have any more, I'll explode."

His grin was boyish, crooked—pure James, for half a second—and the sound of his laughter warmed something deep in her chest. But the warmth didn't last. That laugh, so full of life, so unguarded, echoed through her like something precious already fading. She wanted to capture it, to freeze this exact moment and tuck it somewhere safe. But she couldn't. Time didn't work like that. It pulled and tugged and slipped through her fingers, even now.

Don't go there, she told herself. Not while he's still smiling.

She managed a soft chuckle, but her gaze drifted, drawn again to the window. Outside, shadows moved—cloaked figures patrolling under the moonlight, their outlines blurred by the breeze. Their presence ought to have comforted her. They were friends. Allies. The Order. But her stomach twisted all the same.

It's not enough. It's never been enough.

"Mum?"

Harry's voice drew her back. He was watching her now, the concern plain in his expression.

"Are you alright?"

She turned quickly, painting calm over the worry on her face. "Yes, darling," she said, smoothing her tone. "Just… thinking."

He hesitated but nodded, returning to the fiddly clasp of his cloak. She watched his hands move, remembering how small they used to be—how tightly they'd gripped hers crossing the street and how soft they'd felt curled around a toy wand at bedtime.

And now he was grown. Still her boy, still hers, but standing taller, straighter. A man already, though he shouldn't have had to be.

She looked back out at the moon. It had risen higher now, pale and sharp in the sky, like a light trained on them from far above. It didn't feel comforting anymore. It felt exposing. Like someone—or something—was watching. Waiting.

Her heart beat faster, loud in her ears.

It's coming. Whatever it is, it won't wait much longer.

She turned back to him again. He was humming under his breath, fiddling with his sleeve, lost in some private thought.

He doesn't know. Or maybe he did. But not in the way she did. Not in the way that settled in the bones. That told her to move. To speak.

"I love you," she said, the words almost catching on the way out.

Harry glanced up, smiling gently. "Love you too, Mum."

He said it so easily, so naturally, but he didn't look her in the eye.

Not enough. He doesn't understand yet.

"I want to tell you why I love you," she said, more firmly now. This time, he paused. The change in her voice reached him. He looked up, more fully, the smile fading into something still and open.

"You need to hear this," she said.

He gave a small nod, waiting.

Lily drew a breath. Her hands were cold now, trembling slightly where they rested in her lap. But she didn't look away.

"From the moment you were born, I loved you. That kind of love—it's… it doesn't go anywhere. It just is. And when your father died, I held onto it like a lifeline. But I think I locked some of it away too. Out of fear. I told myself I was keeping you safe, but really… I was protecting myself. From losing more. From feeling too much."

She stopped, biting the inside of her cheek hard, holding the tears at bay.

"I made choices I thought were necessary. I lived every day as though it might be the last. And in doing that, I forgot how to simply be with you. I was always bracing. Preparing."

Harry didn't speak. His eyes hadn't left hers.

"But today," she went on, quieter now, "something shifted. Watching you. Listening. I saw… You live differently than I ever did. You're not just brave because you fight—you're brave because you feel. You let yourself love, even when it's hard."

A tear slipped down her cheek. She let it fall.

"I didn't teach you that. You taught me. You made me remember what it feels like. And because of you, I stopped running. Just for today. I let myself feel it all. Even the frightening bits."

She reached forward, brushing the hair from his forehead, tenderly. "If this is the end… if this is all we get… I need you to know—you gave me back my life, Harry. You gave me a second chance at living."

His mouth parted slightly, but no words came. His throat moved as he swallowed, hard.

"Mum…"

She leant in and kissed his forehead, slow and steady and full of all the things she hadn't said for too many years. Her lips lingered there a moment.

"You don't have to say anything, sweetheart," she murmured. "I just wanted you to know."

Harry took her hand in both of his, holding it tightly.

"Thank you, Mum," he said, and his voice cracked on the last word. "For everything. For… not giving up."

Silence fell, but it wasn't hollow. It was full—brimming with all the things that didn't need words.

Outside, the night still loomed. The world hadn't changed. But for now, in this warm corner of the pub, with candlelight flickering low and love wrapped tight between them, there was peace.

Harry drew a breath, steady now. "Let's go home."

Home.

The word landed like a stone in Lily's chest, heavier than it should have been. Home. There wasn't one, not really—not in the way it had once been. But she nodded anyway, blinking hard.

"Yes," she said, rising slowly. But her legs felt weighted, her feet reluctant to obey.

Harry had already turned towards the door, but when he didn't hear her behind him, he paused. "Mum?" he asked, glancing back. There was worry in his voice now. "Are you coming?"

She hesitated.

The room around her—dim, warm, and full of flickering candlelight—seemed to hold its breath. Shadows swayed just outside the window, half-glimpsed robes brushing past in moonlight. Her eyes lingered on Harry. He was silhouetted against the doorway, tall and still. Whole. Breathing. Hers.

This might be the last time I see him like this.

She drew in a quiet breath and gave a smile that felt like it was stitched together by will alone. "Yes, darling. I'm coming."

She reached for his hand—not because she needed to be led, but because she needed to feel the heat of his skin, just for a little longer. His fingers curled round hers without hesitation.

The night met them like a sharp intake of breath—cold and bracing. Wind slid through the trees in long, low sighs, brushing against her face like something unseen. Branches creaked overhead. Somewhere in the distance, a fox barked—a high, mournful sound that made her fingers tighten around her wand.

She already had it in hand. Of course she did.

They moved carefully, silently, through the undergrowth. Each step cracked twigs and disturbed leaves that felt far too loud. Even the air seemed to carry the weight of something looming. Every movement, every sound, felt perilous.

The rendezvous point lay ahead. Just a little further. Just past the line of trees.

Beside her, Harry was quiet—alert, focused. He walked with the solid stillness of someone who had done this before. Too many times. Too young.

He shouldn't have had to become this. He shouldn't know what this feels like.

She wanted to shield him, to turn back time, to offer him something—anything—that didn't involve creeping through forests with danger at their heels. But there was nowhere left to run. Not tonight.

And maybe not ever again.

At last, the tree line broke. A small group waited at the edge of the clearing, half in shadow, half lit by the thin white wash of moonlight. Relief prickled in her chest, but it vanished the moment she saw their expressions—drawn, tense, ready.

No words were exchanged. There was no need.

Lily reached for Harry's hand again and gripped it tightly.

"Whatever happens tonight," she murmured, barely audible over the rustling wind, "remember this: love is the one thing they can't take from us."

Harry looked at her, startled by the suddenness of it. He opened his mouth to reply, but he never had the chance.

The air turned.

A coldness rolled in—not the natural sort, but something wrong. Heavy. Unclean. The kind that made your blood remember fear. Lily's skin prickled. Her wand hand twitched.

Then came movement. From every side, they emerged—Death Eaters, faceless behind their masks, silent and swift. They swept forward like a tide of shadow, their robes fluttering as they encircled the clearing.

Lily's heart kicked hard.

Her first instinct was to shield Harry, to pull him behind her, to cast the first hex and never stop. But there was no time. They were already too close.

Then—crackling light. A shock of red from behind the enemy line. One of the Death Eaters was flung backwards, crashing through the window of a nearby building with a sharp shatter of glass.

Spells lit the sky a heartbeat later—streaks of blue and red and sickly green. The clearing erupted in fire and fury.

"ORDER! MOVE!" came a cry—Kingsley, unmistakable.

And then they were there—Arthur, Tonks, Hestia, Dedalus, all of them charging forward, wands alight and eyes fierce.

The Death Eaters hesitated. Just long enough.

"Come on!" Lily gasped, grabbing Harry's sleeve and yanking him backwards, away from the fray. "This way!"

A flash of green sizzled past, exploding against the stone just behind them. The blast flung shards into the air. Lily dragged Harry towards a narrow alley just off the main lane, heart thudding wildly.

Behind them, battle raged. Spells collided mid-air, sending showers of light across the night like some terrible storm. Screams rang out—spells shouted, stone cracking, glass breaking.

"Get to safety!" Arthur bellowed, ducking beneath a hex and sending one back in return. "We've got this, Lily! Go!"

But Lily knew they didn't have it—not really. Not fully. Not yet.

Her mind screamed, Apparate! But she could feel the magic in the air, humming with interference. A jinx—thick and humming, thrown over the town like a net. They were trapped. Cut off.

The only way out now was forward.

Lily kept her wand high, chest heaving. She glanced sideways at Harry—his jaw was clenched, eyes scanning for openings. He was braced for anything. Ready for everything.

Her son.

Her heart ached with pride. And terror.

"Stay close," she whispered.

And together, they ran.

"Mum!"

Harry's voice sliced through the chaos, sharp and panicked. It cracked at the edges, thin with fear. He was fifteen—just fifteen. Too young for this. Too brave for his own good. No matter what he'd seen. No matter what anyone said.

Lily turned at once, instinct taking over. Her arm wrapped round him, shielding and guiding. "I know, baby—I know. Just hold on to me. We keep moving. We find cover. We wait for the jinx to lift—"

A scream tore the air.

Then—BOOM. A building behind them erupted in fire and shrapnel, a great tongue of flame licking across the cobbled street. Glass and rubble hurled outward with a roar. The blast caught them both, lifting Lily off her feet and sending her skidding hard across the pavement, Harry tumbling down with her.

Her skull rang. Her mouth filled with dust. She coughed, blinking smoke from her eyes. The air stank of scorched timber, blood, and magic gone wrong.

Footsteps.

Heavy. Slow. Intentional.

Lily forced herself upright, lungs burning, wand already raised. Her fingers trembled.

Three of them. Hooded and masked. Wands drawn. Advancing.

She stepped in front of Harry without hesitation. Her voice came hoarse but steady. "You want him? You'll have to go through me."

One of them laughed—a low, dry rasp—and lifted his wand.

"Stupefy!" Lily shouted. The red jet of light burst from her wand, slamming into the Death Eater's chest. He flew backwards with a sickening crunch, collapsing against a stone wall and sliding out of sight.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried beside her. The second wizard's wand soared into the air. Lily caught it mid-flight, spun, and cast before he had a chance to run.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she snapped. The man stiffened mid-step and fell like a felled tree, rigid and unblinking.

The third turned at once and vanished into the shadows, cloak whipping behind him.

Lily stood panting, wand still raised, heart thudding like mad. Her legs trembled, but she didn't let it show.

"We need to find Arthur," she said, low and urgent. "I saw him cut round the corner—come on, stay with me."

They ran again, dodging collapsed carts and scorched stone. The street was unrecognisable—flames climbing the sides of once-familiar buildings, spells flashing like lightning in every direction. Somewhere to the left, Hestia Jones was duelling with grim precision, her wand slicing the air like a whip. On the right, Kingsley's voice thundered over the din as he held the line against two Death Eaters at once.

Then—

"Arthur!" Lily shouted. She saw him through the smoke, cloak torn, wand blazing. He was duelling furiously, fending off a masked witch who hurled hex after hex like a machine.

But before Lily and Harry could reach him, a second explosion rocked the street. Somewhere behind them, a rooftop gave way with a grinding crack and a deafening crash. Debris rained down.

"DOWN!" Lily bellowed, shoving Harry behind a half-toppled wall just as glass and rubble smashed down where they'd stood seconds before.

Her ears rang again. Her vision swam.

"Mum!" Harry tugged at her sleeve, pointing through the haze. "He's still out there—we can't leave him!"

She looked. Arthur was still fighting, alone now, a grim silhouette against the blaze.

The mother in her screamed to get Harry out. To find a way, any way. But the friend—the fighter—couldn't walk away.

Another curse zipped past, searing through the wall and exploding on the far side.

Lily surged to her feet.

"Protego Maxima!" she cried, her wand creating a shimmering shield that crackled as it caught two more blasts.

They tore round the corner, boots skidding on shattered cobblestone. Harry stumbled—she caught his shoulder, steadying them both.

They'd entered a wide boulevard—empty.

Too empty.

The street stretched ahead, eerily quiet. Dim gaslamps flickered above, casting shadows that twisted strangely. The air was thick, cloying. The ground beneath them was slick and stained.

Lily slowed.

Something was wrong.

This place… isn't right.

She felt it in her gut. In the stillness. In the way even the smoke seemed to hesitate here.

Then came the sound.

A laugh.

Soft. Drawn-out. Cruel.

It wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. It slithered through the air, curdling her blood, clinging to her skin. It was the laugh of someone who enjoyed this. Someone who fed on fear.

Lily froze.

Her breath caught in her throat.

"No," she whispered.

Her wand hand shook.

"No—no, it can't be—"

But it was.

She knew that voice.

She'd know it anywhere.

Bellatrix Lestrange.

Her name was poison. Her magic was worse.

Lily had heard that laugh before—more than once, though never with her eyes open. It crawled out of her dreams, twisted into memory, and curdled in her bones. Even now, it echoed. Even now, it stained Harry's life like soot that refused to wash clean.

She tightened her hold on his hand. He glanced up—only for a second—but she saw it in his eyes, too. The knowing. The dread. He didn't say her name. He didn't have to.

Lily's lips moved before thought had time to catch her. Dumbledore's voice rang in her mind—calm, steady, gentle in its insistence. The enchantment he'd taught her. The one she'd sworn to remember. To protect him. Always.

She didn't hesitate.

"Praesidium Fidelis!" she whispered, the spell catching on the shake in her throat.

Blue light bloomed around them, soft and bright. A dome shimmered into place, delicate as mist, firm as steel. It pulsed once—twice—then settled. A heartbeat wrapped in magic. A spell rooted in love.

But it didn't ease the tension coiled in her gut.

Her hand didn't loosen.

"Stay close," she murmured, eyes darting across the street, muscles tight. "Don't let go of me."

They were standing here. Here. This street. This cursed corner of memory. Where it had happened. Where Harry had fallen. Where the world had torn, and something inside her had never quite sewn itself back together.

She hadn't meant to return. She thought she could bear it—that she was ready. That if she looked it in the face, the fear might shrink. That maybe this time, she could take something back from it.

She'd been wrong.

It was still here. The weight. The grief. The wrongness.

It clung to the cobblestones like blood.

Then—movement.

The corner of her vision caught it. A glint. A flicker. Metal, turning slowly beneath the streetlamp's twitching glow.

Her stomach dropped.

No.

The dagger.

It hovered, same as before, impossibly still. Suspended in the air, swaying ever so slightly, as if listening. Its blade warped in the light, sharp one moment, curved the next—twisting, stretching, unnatural. Magic dripped from it—dark, slow, alive.

Lily's breath caught. Her wand faltered.

"Not again," she said, barely more than a breath. Her voice cracked on the last word.

The dome pulsed—once—then flickered.

"Behind me," she hissed, dragging Harry close. "Get behind—"

Too late.

The dome shuddered.

A crack. High and thin, like glass straining. Then another. The barrier trembled, light leaking from its seams.

The knife moved.

"DOWN!" Lily screamed.

She dove, grabbing Harry and pulling him hard against her. The blade sliced through empty air where his chest had been a second earlier, the hiss of it splitting the silence.

They hit the ground. Her elbow slammed into stone—she barely felt it. She curled round Harry's body, arms locked, breath coming shallow and fast.

And then—

Silence.

No blade. No laugh.

Just the blood in her ears and the dull echo of fear bouncing off the walls of her chest.

Harry stirred beneath her. "Mum?" he said, voice paper-thin. "Are they gone?"

Lily didn't answer straight away. Her throat burnt. Her eyes stung. "I… I think so," she said at last.

A lie. But she couldn't give him the truth. Not here.

She shifted, trying to sit up. Her limbs felt sluggish. Her back screamed. Everything hurt.

And then—

Pain.

White-hot, sudden, vicious.

It stabbed low, tore sharp, and stole her breath. She gasped, a choked sound, and crumpled.

"Mum?!"

Her fingers dug into his arm, knuckles white. Warmth flooded down her side. Not warmth. Heat. Thick. Sticky.

"Mum, what is it?" Harry's voice cracked with panic. "You're bleeding—there's—Mum, there's a knife—!"

He was white as a sheet. His hands trembled as he reached for her, gently easing her onto her side.

A cry escaped her throat—sharp, unbidden. Pain lanced through her like fire, but even through the haze, she saw it: the look on his face when he caught sight of the blade.

Still lodged in her back.

Silver. Cold. Slick with blood.

Her blood ran dark across the handle, staining it like ink on parchment.

Harry hovered, helpless, eyes wide. "I—I don't know what to do—I don't know—Mum—!"

She clenched her jaw, swallowed the pain, and forced her voice into the space between his panic.

"Don't… pull it out," she rasped. "Not yet. Dark magic… it's laced. If you move it… it'll spread—" Her breath hitched, the words splintering on her tongue.

He nodded, too quickly, eyes swimming, blinking hard.

She saw the fear in him and saw it rising fast. And it broke her heart. He had already died once, and he had come back. She could not—would not—let him lose her now. Not like this. Not after everything.

"I'm all right," she lied gently, lifting a trembling hand to brush back his fringe, like she had when he was small. "You're so strong, Harry. You always have been."

His jaw tensed. "I'm not… strong enough. I should've protected you—"

"No," she whispered, voice cracking. "You're here. That's what matters."

He looked as though he wanted to protest, lips pressed tight, trembling.

Her strength was fading. Vision blurring at the edges. Cold crept into her limbs, unfamiliar and numbing. But she clung to his face—his eyes. Her boy.

Her body ached everywhere—not just from the wound, not just from the fire licking through her nerves—but in the deep, terrible place where a mother's pain lives. Watching her child unravel. Seeing him cry. Seeing him frightened.

No. Not Harry. Not my baby.

Through the growing blur, she saw it: the anguish in his eyes, the tears spilling freely now as he fumbled with his wand, as if sheer magic and will might undo fate.

He was still just a boy. Still her son. Still so young.

She tried to lift her hand again. To hold him. To comfort him. But her arm wouldn't respond. Her fingers felt far away. The pain dulled now—not in a way that promised healing, but in the way that foretold the end.

"Harry—" she whispered, barely more than a breath.

He jerked his head towards her, his voice rushing out like floodwater breaking a dam.

"I need to get you to Hogwarts," he said, desperate, his hands cupping her face. "You'll be all right. Madam Pomfrey will fix it—she can fix anything—just hold on—"

Hold on.

She almost smiled.

She had said that to him so many times—when he was ill, when nightmares woke him screaming, and when he had grazed his knee or broken a toy. Hold on, darling. Just a little longer.

And in that moment, her mind drifted.

To Godric's Hollow. To the old rocking chair by the nursery window. To Harry curled up in her arms, warm and sleepy, his tiny fists tugging at her necklace, his breath soft against her collarbone. The world had been still then. Safe.

"I'll protect you," she had whispered into his hair, once upon a time. "Always."

The memory slipped, delicate as spun glass, and re-formed into another.

Harry at five, standing barefoot in the garden with dirt smudged across his nose and a half-wilted dandelion clutched in his small hand. "For you, Mummy," he'd said, beaming, as though the crumpled weed were a crown. She'd cried then, too—over something so small, so perfect. Because it mattered. Because it was his.

And now he was here again. Still trying to save her.

"Harry, sweetheart…" She breathed, and it took every scrap of strength she had to lift her hand. Her fingers brushed his cheek—trembling, bloodied. "It's all right."

He flinched, as though she'd struck him. "No, it's not!" he cried. "It's not all right! Don't—don't say that—you can't go—please—"

His voice cracked. The sound of it—raw, guttural—hurt more than any curse ever could. She had never heard him like that. Not even when he was little, waking from nightmares in a tangle of blankets, sobbing into her collarbone as she rocked him, murmuring lullabies into the dark.

She wanted that now. To hold him. To make it better.

But this time, she was the one fading.

I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry.

His fingers gripped hers. His tears pattered against her skin—hot, frantic, heart-breaking. He shouldn't have had to carry this weight. Not again. Not after everything. James. Sirius. Remus. All of them were gone. And now—her.

"I love you," she whispered, voice barely more than a breath. "My son."

The world was softening now. Colours dimmed. Sounds blurred. Her own heartbeat felt far away, muffled, slowing to a hush. The ground beneath her didn't seem to exist anymore. There was only the warmth of Harry's hands. The salt of his tears.

She was drifting.

And just as the dark began to pull at her, gentle but final, another memory rose—unbidden and clear.

A field in summer. Warmth on her face. Endless sky overhead. She was lying on her back, surrounded by tall grass, sun-dappled and gold. Beside her, a small voice, babbling cheerfully.

"Do you think clouds ever fall down?" Harry had asked, squinting up at the sky, a daisy crown askew in his wild hair.

She turned her head, smiling. "I think maybe they just float forever," she said softly. "Like dreams you can't quite catch."

He giggled, wriggling closer. "Then I want to ride one."

She laughed. "You would."

He pressed himself against her side, resting his head on her shoulder. "I like it when it's just us."

Her heart had swelled, aching and full. "Me too," she whispered, brushing a kiss to the top of his head. "Me too, my love."

The sun warmed her face, even now. Even as her breath slowed.

And for one brief, weightless heartbeat, she wasn't dying. She wasn't in a bloodstained street. She was simply a mother in a field with her son—safe, laughing, dreaming of clouds.

That was the memory she chose.

Not pain. Not fear.

Just light. Just love.

Just her Harry, smiling in the sun.

And then—

Silence

When Lily's eyes finally fluttered open, it wasn't what she saw that struck her first—it was what she didn't feel.

No pain.

No noise.

No weight.

Just… light.

Soft and warm and boundless, it wrapped around her like a mother's arms—gentler than anything she'd ever known. It wasn't quite sunlight. It didn't burn. It didn't blind. It simply was—a quiet, steady glow that softened every edge and hushed every thought.

She blinked again, slower this time, as though surfacing from a deep, dreamless sleep. The world around her remained still. Her lashes brushed against her cheek, and only then did she register the ground beneath her—smooth, cool, like glass that had never known dust. And yet it wasn't cold. It felt… reassuring. Like it would hold her up no matter how far she leaned.

Where…?

She moved to stand, and her body responded without protest. No stiffness in her knees. No tightness in her back. As though she'd shed something heavy—age, pain, worry, she didn't know. She rose, turning on the spot, eyes searching.

Nothing.

Just white.

An endless stretch of pale stillness in every direction, unmarred, unbroken. Like snow, untouched by foot or wind or time. But the air was warm. Still. Soundless.

The silence pressed around her. Not stifling, not quite, but thick. Whole. And in it, something inside her began to loosen. The grief. The guilt. The months of fear that had lived like a second heartbeat inside her chest—they were still there, somewhere, but muffled now. Quiet. As if they were being carried for her, for just a moment.

Am I dreaming?

She turned again. Slowly. Hands at her sides. Her eyes straining for meaning in the emptiness.

And then—movement.

A silhouette.

Far off. Motionless. A lone figure standing against the white horizon, barely more than a shadow.

Lily's heart caught. She didn't recognise his shape, not exactly, but there was something in the way he stood—something ancient, quiet, and still as stone yet impossibly alive.

She moved towards him.

Not running, not walking—just moving, the way one drifts in dreams. Her feet made no sound against the floor, but she could feel herself drawing closer, pulled forward by something deeper than thought.

She tried to speak—to call out—but the words tangled somewhere beneath her ribs. Was it fear? Not quite. But the not-knowing twisted in her stomach.

As she neared, the figure sharpened.

An elderly man. Tall and spare, dressed in black. A long coat, threadbare at the seams. A dark fedora, tilted just low enough to shade his eyes. His suit was old, perhaps even old-fashioned, but neat. His posture spoke of long patience and a longer memory.

Lily stopped a few steps away.

She wasn't sure what she'd expected. Bones? A cloak? The swish of a scythe through the air? But he was only a man. Tired-looking, perhaps. Quiet. Watchful. His face was lined, but not unkind.

He turned towards her.

"Lily," he said, and his voice—soft, deep—settled into the space like a lullaby sung in a dark room. Not commanding. Not cruel. Simply certain.

She stared. There was something familiar in the way he said her name, as though he had carried it a long way to hand it back to her.

"Do I know you?" she asked, her voice smaller than she'd meant it to be.

He gave a faint smile. It barely touched his mouth and not at all his eyes.

"Not by sight," he said. "But you know what I am."

She swallowed. She didn't mean to speak, but the word came anyway.

"…Death?"

He nodded.

Not dramatically. Not with grandeur. Just… as though that were answer enough.

Lily's stomach turned.

Death.

The word echoed in her mind, too big, too close. The calm she'd felt before began to slip through her fingers.

"So I'm…" Her voice cracked. She took a step back. "I'm dead?"

"You are," Death replied. Still gently. Still, as if he were stating something unchangeable, rather than cruel. "But your son is not. Not yet."

Her mouth fell open.

"Harry," she breathed—his name catching in her throat. "Where is he? Where's my son? I need to see him—he needs me—"

"He is safe," said Death, calm and certain. "For now. He still belongs to the world of the living."

Lily pressed a hand to her chest, as though steadying herself. Her lungs tightened, and behind her eyes she saw it again—Harry, his face twisted in fear, crying out for her. Blood on his hands. A wound she couldn't reach.

The vision. The dream. The warning.

Only—it hadn't been him.

She closed her eyes. "I saw it," she whispered. "I thought it was him. I thought he was dying. But it wasn't. It was me."

And just like that, the truth clicked into place. Sharp. Clean. Inevitable.

"I took his place."

Death didn't answer at once. He only inclined his head, as though the realisation had always been waiting.

"I gave you the choice," he said, reaching into his coat. "And you chose."

He drew out a dagger. It glimmered in the strange, endless light—silver, slender, beautiful in a way that made her skin crawl. The runes etched along its hilt pulsed with faint blue, as though the magic woven into it was still breathing.

It shimmered like moonlight on still water. And yet Lily could hardly bear to look at it.

"This," Death murmured, "is one of very few things in existence that can truly end a life. Not simply kill, but erase. Strip away legacy. Sever bloodlines. I've searched for it for centuries. And tonight, it was used."

Lily's eyes remained fixed on the blade. Her voice trembled. "Why now? Why show me a future where my son dies, only for me to stop it?"

"Because Bellatrix Lestrange has torn a hole in fate," said Death quietly, and for the first time, his voice held an edge. "She acted outside of time. She ripped through the path meant for her, and in doing so, forced mine. I saw a future in which your son fell. A future soaked in grief and ruin."

He paused.

"And so I let you see it. Just once. To know what you would choose."

Lily blinked. Her head swam with the weight of it. The scale. The finality. "So it was me. All along. It was my choice?"

"Yes."

She looked down. Her hands trembled faintly at her sides, then curled into fists.

"Do you regret it?" Death asked, his voice unreadable.

Lily lifted her chin.

"No," she said, without hesitation. Her voice didn't break this time. It rang clear. "I'd do it again if I could. A thousand times. I don't regret saving my son. I'm only grateful I was given the chance to love him. To protect him. Even once more."

Death studied her. Then, slowly, he bowed his head.

"Then you understand."

It wasn't comfort—not quite. Not peace. But it was something. Something solid, if quiet. Like the last line of a story finally finding its page.

She nodded slowly. "I don't know what happens now."

"Few do."

"Will I see him again?"

Death didn't reply.

But somehow, Lily knew. Not when. Not how. But yes.

And still, the fear lingered.

Even in the light.

Even in the hush.

Even in the silence that wrapped around her like a curtain pulled tight. She had made her choice. Harry lived. But she remained—caught between moments, between what was and what would never be.

Her heart ached with the weight of it.

But she stood straighter now.

Because knowing—understanding—even when it hurt, was better than doubt. And the love she carried for Harry… that would not vanish. Not with time. Not with memory. Not even with death.

Her gaze lifted to meet Death's once more. In his distant eyes, there was no malice. Only age. And, to her surprise, something that almost resembled kindness.

"But… What about me?" Her voice cracked. "What now?"

The words hung there, like mist in morning light.

Not a question for him, really.

A question for whatever part of her still remained. For the mother without a child. The woman without a breath. The echo of a soul who had given everything and still wanted to give more.

Death didn't speak at once. But something shifted in the stillness between them.

The sorrow in him—a quiet, ancient grief that seemed to echo through time itself—softened, just slightly. As though her presence eased it.

"You're searching for your place in all this," he said at last, his voice soft as wind through brittle leaves. "That's what it is to be human—to seek purpose, even in the face of loss. You lost yourself in the act of love. But in doing so… you became part of something greater."

Lily swallowed. The words settled deep in her chest—heavy, but not unkind.

Greater than myself.

It felt too vast. Too distant to grasp. But still, something stirred inside her. A quiet flicker. The dreams, the visions—they hadn't been just fear. They were more than warnings. Messages. Fragments of understanding. Gifts, maybe.

She hadn't wanted to see how fragile life was. Not truly. Not until it had started slipping from her fingers.

And then it came to her, as simple as breath:

Her sacrifice hadn't only been to stop the chaos.

It had been for Harry. To give him something lasting. Something she couldn't stay to offer but could still leave behind.

Her spine straightened.

"I did what I had to," she said, her voice firmer now. Steadier. "No matter how much it hurt. I wouldn't let him suffer. I wouldn't let him die."

Death gave a single nod. His eyes, so strange and distant before, now creased with something close to a smile. Not joy, not amusement—but something like approval.

"You showed strength through compassion," he said. "That is rare… in this world and in the next."

Her chest tightened.

Strength.

People had said it before. When she stood up to bullies at school. When she defied her family. When she chose James, even knowing what it meant. But she'd never felt strong. Not in the way Dumbledore did. Or Sirius. Or even James.

But maybe… strength wasn't loud.

Maybe it was this.

"But I'm gone," she whispered, and the words hit her like a blow. "I'm gone… And he's alone. He'll never know what I gave up. He won't even remember me…"

The fear returned—not sharp and frantic now, but low and aching.

Death's voice, when it came, was gentle. Certain.

"Not in the way you imagine. Love doesn't vanish with the body. A mother's love—your love—is a force that lingers. It becomes part of him. A light when all else fails."

Lily pressed a hand to her chest. She wasn't crying. Not quite. But her heart was full—so full it might split open.

She could feel it now. Not the pain of parting—but something deeper. Quieter. A warmth that hadn't dimmed with death.

"Then I'll protect him," she said fiercely. Not a plea. A vow. "Even from here. I'll find a way."

Death looked at her as though he already knew. "You already have."

Her breath caught.

"Your love is a shield," he went on, "woven into his skin, his blood, his bones. It will guide him in the dark. Give him courage when he's afraid. That is your legacy."

Lily closed her eyes.

The silence around her had changed. It wasn't empty now—it held something. A memory. A promise.

Time, too, felt different. It no longer pressed in around her. It folded softly, like pages turning. Moments overlapping. Stretching.

She understood now.

She wasn't truly lost.

Her love had roots that reached beyond this place, past fear, past grief. And nothing—not even Death—could touch it.

When she opened her eyes again, Death was still watching her.

She met his gaze. There was no hatred there. No dread.

Just hope.

He held out a hand.

And she took it—no hesitation, no second thought. Her grip was firm. Sure. She didn't know where the path led now or what she might become.

But this, she knew:

Harry was alive.

And her love would go with him.

Not here. Not gone.

Always.

Together, they stepped forward, into the light—or maybe the dark. It didn't matter.

Lily no longer feared it.

Because love would follow.

The ache of losing her wrapped around Harry—tight and relentless—as though the air itself had turned to iron. He stood in the centre of the living room, utterly still, as if any movement would make it real. As if the stillness might undo it.

Morning light streamed in through the windows, golden and soft, casting a warm glow across the rug, the old armchair, and the table with the ink stain she always meant to scrub off. It touched everything but him.

Inside, he was all cold.

He clutched her bag in one hand—a small, worn thing the colour of parchment, one of those practical, ordinary objects she never thought twice about. The straps were fraying at the edges. It smelt faintly of lavender, a trace of ink, and that sweet, comforting scent that was just her—impossible to name, impossible to forget.

It was full of her life in fragments. Folded shopping lists. Scribbled notes in her slanted hand—half-thoughts, reminders, things she'd never finish writing. A glimpse into the everyday sort of magic she'd carried with her. Quiet. Unassuming. Constant.

In his other hand, he held her glasses.

Round. Small. Familiar. One lens cracked clean through, like a line drawn across a memory. He stared at it. Somehow, it was that tiny, splintered mark that undid him—not the silence, not the finality.

Just the crack.

It mocked him. A reminder of how fast things could break. How fast she had gone.

Before he knew what was happening, his knees buckled. The bag slipped from his fingers and landed on the floor with a muted thud. He stayed there, on the carpet, her glasses cradled in both hands.

The crack distorted his reflection. He looked away.

"Mum?" he whispered.

It barely made a sound. His throat was tight, the word snagging as it left him.

"Can you hear me?"

Nothing. Just the soft hush of the house—unnatural, too clean. The sort of silence that hummed in your bones.

He closed his eyes, pressing the heels of his hands to them, as if he could squeeze back time. He searched his mind, desperate for something to hold. And then—

He remembered.

Yesterday.

The conversation.

The one he'd brushed off, distracted and tired. He hadn't wanted to think about it then. It had unsettled him—her voice, the way she'd looked at him, like she knew something he didn't.

"Mum, what are you trying to tell me?" He'd asked.

And she'd said, quietly and carefully:

"I had a vision. A dream… or maybe a warning. I saw today. Not clearly. Just… glimpses. You spilt a drink. Got a small cut. My papers fell. It didn't make sense."

It hadn't, not then. But it does now.

She knew.

She'd seen this moment—or something close. And she'd tried to say goodbye without saying the words. Tried to keep him safe without frightening him.

He hadn't listened properly.

And now she was gone.

Harry let out a breath that shook him to his core. He bent forward until his forehead touched the floor, hands still wrapped around her glasses, clutching them like they were the last part of her he had.

Maybe they were.

She wasn't coming back. He knew that. He had known that sort of finality before—he'd lived with loss. But this…

This was different.

This was her.

Her laughter echoing down the stairs. The quiet sound of a quill scratching paper in the next room. The way she hummed to herself without noticing. The feel of her arms around him.

Gone.

The soft, everyday magic of her—vanished.

He let himself cry. Not the silent sort. Not the neat, private sort of grief that could be tucked away. It came out ragged and raw. Broken. Real.

Harry sat quietly on the edge of his mother's bed, the mattress dipping beneath him, just enough to remind him that she wasn't there. Not anymore.

The room was still. Only the faint rustling from the enchanted portraits on the walls broke the silence—small painted figures smiling, nodding, going about their gentle loops as if the world hadn't fallen apart. It felt strange, almost wrong, that the room could still feel so safe. So… ordinary.

But there was something else underneath it all. A quiet thrum of nerves in his chest. Like the edge of a thought he hadn't caught yet.

His hand slipped into his pocket without thinking. The pocket watch his mum had given him the night before. He closed his fingers around it.

It was cold, smooth, and oddly heavy for its size—like it carried more than just time. When he pulled it out, the morning light caught the silver, and for a moment, Harry simply stared at it. It had been hers once. The sort of thing she'd tucked away in a drawer for safekeeping.

He flipped it open.

Inside, beneath the ticking hands, were moving photographs—miniature portraits in a perfect little circle. His grandparents. James. Lily. Himself. All caught in that strange, still life where time didn't pass and smiles never faded.

But something was off.

There—tucked behind one of the tiny frames—something gleamed.

A key.

Harry blinked.

He moved the photograph gently aside, careful not to smudge it, and drew the key out with cautious fingers. It was small and ornate, glinting as though it had been waiting for light.

Why hadn't she told him about it? Was it part of the gift—or something she'd meant to keep hidden?

He turned the watch over, checking for markings, runes, or anything that might give him a clue. But there was nothing. Just the photos. Just the silence.

Curiosity stirred, quiet and insistent.

He stood up. The bed creaked softly behind him as he crossed to the dresser. The room was golden now, sun filtering through the curtains, dust dancing in the air like memory made visible.

He opened the drawers one by one.

The top was full of little things—a jar of buttons, an old quill, a broken brooch. The next held books, mostly magical theory, and a few titles on charms and spellwork. Then parchment. More ink.

But in the bottom drawer—

His breath hitched.

There, tucked beneath a neatly folded jumper, was a wooden chest. Dark oak. Polished. The surface was smooth and cool beneath his hand. It was heavy. As if it knew it mattered.

He lifted it gently, returned to the bed, and placed it on his lap.

The lock was old, dulled with time, but the key in his palm seemed made for it.

He hesitated.

Then slid the key into the lock, heart thudding in his ears.

Click.

The sound rang out like a dropped pin in the still room. Harry held his breath. Then slowly—carefully—he opened the lid.

It wasn't a treasure. Not in the usual sense.

But it was a kind of treasure.

Photographs. Dozens of them, all jumbled together. Some in colour, some black and white, others starting to fade. The edges were curled, the paper soft with age. He reached in and pulled one free.

A baby—him—laughing, wrapped in a blanket. His mother held him, smiling in that way she sometimes did in his dreams. James stood behind her, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder, as if the three of them were one thing, not three separate people.

Harry swallowed hard. His eyes prickled.

He hadn't seen this photo before. Not any of them.

Beneath the stack of pictures, something else: a bundle of letters tied with a blue ribbon, pale and soft with wear.

His name was on the top one.

To Harry.

Written in his father's hand.

It didn't look like anything from the past he remembered. And yet, somehow, it felt familiar. Like someone calling out across time.

Harry stared at it. He didn't open it straight away. He couldn't.

Instead, he held it for a long moment, his thumb brushing lightly across the paper. It felt fragile. Important.

And then, slowly, he unfolded the envelope.

The handwriting inside stirred something deep in him. It wasn't just ink on parchment. It was him. His father. His mother. The people they'd been. The life he'd lost before he could know it.

And for the first time in a long while, Harry didn't feel like he was chasing shadows.

He felt like they were reaching back.

Offering something real.

"Son," it began, and Harry felt the weight of those three simple letters, heavier than any spell. He could almost hear his father's voice echo in his mind, infused with warmth and sincerity. James had always been more than just a name shrouded in legend; he was a father in every sense of the word—even if Harry had only experienced that love through stories and scraps of parchment.

"I'm writing this because we could never have this conversation in person. From the start, you were always the bright spark in my life. It was so much easier to hug you and to let you know how proud of you I was. Coming in the door and getting a hug from you was like a breath of life for me at the end of a long day. We could sit and play or read, and it was so easy to be together. Sometimes I won't always know just what it means to be a father, but I promise to try my best."

Harry could almost picture his father sitting at a desk by the window, sunlight filtering in, allowing his ink to glide across the surface of the letter.

"I wish it were easy to tell you what being a man entails."

Harry's heart ached at the reality of it. It was tough figuring out who he wanted to be. The pressure of expectations weighed on him, but through it, he felt his father's silent encouragement.

"All I can say is that for most of your life, you will battle between who you think you want to be and who you truly are. I imagine you will be more compassionate and caring when you grow up. I have no doubt that you will be a man who is filled with a quiet strength that can only be born from a deep, confident concern for the world. Never lose that."

Harry found himself smiling at that thought. Being compassionate and caring—it felt like an insurmountable task, yet the hope in his father's words sparked something in him.

With a sigh, Harry leaned back against his bed, the letter still open in his lap. A single tear escaped, tracing through the smudge of ink on the paper.

"Never give up the sillies, my son."

"Never give up the sillies," he read again, chuckling softly. His father had known, didn't he? He had understood the delicate balance of being a boy and of growing up amidst shadows of bravery and laughter.

"Never stop laughing your laugh. Do not ever let life convince you of its seriousness, and always find a way to laugh and make others laugh."

Outside, the wind rustled through the trees, and the sunlight seeped through the curtains. Harry remembered the joy that came from silly pranks with his friends and the laughter shared—a stark contrast to the serious facade the world demanded of them. Maybe he didn't have to choose; perhaps he could embrace both the laughter and the challenges ahead.

"Always remember that you are loved beyond words. I have said a lot in all my letters to you, but I will never be able to say enough that will express the love I have for you. Remember this above all things: you are so deeply loved in this world. Not just by me, your mother, and your friends, but by the universe itself."

Those words burnt brightly in his heart. He felt it then—a pulse of warmth, a tether pulling him away from despair. It was not just love he received from his parents but something potent that encouraged him to recognise his worth. Could it be that the universe loved him too? The thought was liberating, like breathing fresh air after being trapped in a dark room.

And then came the part that struck him hardest:

"My secret wish is that you should throw all my advice away, crumple it up, leave it sitting on your bedroom floor, and go live. Go live a life that is true for you…"

Harry blinked back tears, overwhelmed by the weight of those words. His father understood the essence of finding one's path. He knew that guidance was necessary, but exploration was crucial.

"And in many years—as you go out and live your life, as you go out and become your own man, as you find a partner, as you have children, as you become a success—you come home one day and find that old ball of advice still there. And you carefully uncrumple it and read through it with a smile, realising that the wisdom stuck with you still, and you became every inch the man I tried to help you be. And even better, you became so much more…"

Harry's thoughts drifted to the future. Would he find someone he loved like his parents loved each other? Would he one day write letters filled with advice for his own child? The ink of his father's letter felt like a bridge connecting generations; one day, he would replicate that cycle of love, humour, and wisdom.

As the letter suggested, he would go out into the world, despite the fears that loomed on the horizon. He would laugh, live, and sometimes stumble. But didn't every man before him? Every time he thought of wrestling with the complexities of growing up, Harry felt his father's gentle hands guiding him—behind him, urging him forward.

"And you erase my name from the letter and sign it with your own. And you go back to your home and slide it under your son's door because you will want the same thing for him that I always wanted for you. To be a light in this world that outshines all others…"

And as he lay there, Harry imagined what he would write—the letter addressed to his own son, next to a fireplace crackling with stories untold. "You are loved, and you are never, ever alone," he envisioned penning with a flourish of ink, a continuation of a legacy that began long before he had ever understood what love could be.

I love you, buddy!

Dad

In that moment, Harry felt like he was dancing in the echoes of laughter that spanned generations, holding tight to the glimmer of hope and love that was undoubtedly eternal.

He reached for another piece of parchment, yearning for more of Lily's wisdom and warmth. His fingers brushed over a second letter tucked beneath the first, revealing words that would pull him deeper into his mother's heart.

"Dear Harry," it began, the familiar loop of Lily's handwriting wrapping around each word like an embrace.

"When you came into this world, you brought love into my heart that I had never before experienced. When you spoke your first word and walked your first steps, I was your biggest supporter and fan. With every developmental milestone you reached, I revelled in joy and celebration…"

The letter encapsulated years of laughter and tears, and as he read and reread each line, he could almost hear her reassuring tone—warm, enveloping.

He remembered those moments vividly—how his mother had cheered him on as he stumbled and fell, how her laughter had filled their home, banishing any lingering shadows.

"You taught me the meaning of love—true, unconditional love."

Her words resonated deep within him. They were not just a reflection of their past; they were guiding him through the uncertainties of adolescence.

"Now you are older, and what an amazing person you've become! You have your own personality, your own thoughts and opinions, and your own sense of humour. You have your own interests, your own talents, and your own way of doing things."

Harry had always been the quiet kid, the one who faded into the background while others sought the limelight. Yet, in his mother's eyes, he was extraordinary.

"As you continue to grow and become an adult, you will live your own life. You will have times of happiness and times of disappointment. You will fall in love, and you will have your heart broken. Life has its ups and downs and is not always fair, but I know your strength and resilience will see you through. May you always know your worth and how incredibly precious you are! As your mother, it is my privilege to impart these important truths to you."

As he absorbed the words, a pang of loneliness gripped him. His parents were no longer a part of his world, and it felt unfair. They had left too soon, taking with them the laughter, the hugs, and the constant reminders that he was cherished. He could still feel their presence in fleeting moments—a sudden whiff of his mother's perfume, the rumble of his father's laughter echoing in his mind. But those moments felt distant, ghostly almost, measured against the magnitude of absence that loomed over him.

"Always be true to yourself. Live your own dreams. Don't take life so seriously. Love and accept yourself unconditionally. Don't be afraid to take risks. And, last but certainly not least, know that I love you and will always be there for you."

"I will always be there for you," it promised. Though distance separated them now, he sensed an unbreakable bond anchored in love.

His gaze drifted to the corner of the room, where a framed photograph rested on the shelf—his parents beaming at his first birthday. The sight made a lump rise in his throat. The world had changed, but that snapshot of joyous certainty remained unwavering.

"No matter what, I've got your back. You are my son and always will be. There may be times when we don't always see eye to eye, but I still love you and always will."

Love,

Mom

Harry wiped his eyes, took a deep breath, and stood up straighter. For the first time all day, he felt a small spark of hope, a bit of strength pushing back against his fear. He would hold on to their love, keeping it close as he faced whatever came next.

He folded the letter and put it back in the chest. It wasn't just a letter—it was a part of him, something solid to hold on to while everything else felt uncertain.

As the sun rose, Harry felt its warmth inside him. With that light—and the love of his parents—he felt ready to face whatever lay ahead.

Harry stood at the edge of the Burrow's back field, staring out over the morning mist as it curled low across the grass. Everything was quiet—the sort of hush that only existed just before dawn, when night hadn't fully given up and the day hadn't properly begun. There was a bite in the air, faint but real, and the dew soaked through the fabric of his trainers.

Above him, the sky stretched wide and pale, brushed with streaks of lavender and soft orange. It should have been beautiful. Maybe it was. But Harry felt none of it. His chest was tight, like someone had tied a rope around his ribs and was slowly pulling.

Summer was ending.

In a few hours, he'd be on the Hogwarts Express, the whistle echoing through the station, trunks banging, owls hooting. Normally, he'd be feeling the flutter of nerves, the odd sort of thrill he always got before going back. But not this year. Not this time.

Now, everything just felt… heavy.

So much had happened. Too much. And underneath the noise and the laughter at the Burrow, under Ron's grumbling and Ginny's quiet teasing and Fred and George's chaos, that weight had stayed with him. Constant. Unshakeable.

He'd thought being here would make it easier. That maybe, surrounded by warmth and noise and Weasleys, it might quiet that ache inside him.

But even here—even here—there were moments when it all came rushing back. The silence that followed certain names. The looks exchanged when someone brought up the war. The absence of laughter when certain memories crept too close to the surface.

His parents should have been part of this. Part of him. Not just stories, or photographs, or ghostly shadows left behind. They should've been here, fussing over his trunk, arguing over whether he'd packed enough socks.

And suddenly, the ache was too much to ignore.

He took a breath and tried to steady it. Failed.

Behind him, there was a soft rustle in the grass.

Harry didn't turn. He didn't need to.

Mr Weasley's footsteps were unmistakable—quiet, careful. Like someone who'd learnt the value of not startling people who'd seen too much.

"Harry," Mr Weasley said gently, his voice low, like he didn't want to disturb the morning. "Couldn't sleep?"

Harry shook his head slightly. "Didn't try."

They stood side by side for a while, watching the mist lift from the hills. Mr Weasley didn't say anything more straight away. That was something Harry had always appreciated about him—he didn't fill silences just to fill them. He waited. Gave people space.

Harry's voice came out before he could stop it. "I miss them."

He wasn't sure why he said it. Maybe it was the sunrise, or the stillness, or the fact that someone had finally come and stood beside him without asking what was wrong.

Mr Weasley didn't look surprised. He just gave a small nod, eyes fixed on the horizon.

"I know," he said simply. "It doesn't go away, that kind of missing. Not really."

Harry swallowed hard. "It just… hurts. All the time. Some days it's dull, like background noise, and other days…" His voice cracked slightly. "It's like I've forgotten how to breathe."

For a moment, Mr Weasley didn't reply. When he did, his voice was quieter than before.

"That's because they mattered. People say time heals, but I think… I think we just learn how to carry it better."

Harry glanced at him. Mr Weasley looked tired—but not in the way of someone who needed sleep. More like someone who had carried this same kind of weight for a long time. Maybe that was why he understood.

"You know," he said, after a moment, "you remind me of your mum sometimes. In the way you feel things. You carry so much, but you still care."

Harry didn't know what to say to that. He looked back at the sky instead, the sun beginning to break through the clouds now, soft and gold.

"And your dad…" Mr Weasley gave a small chuckle, just under his breath. "He'd be proud. You've got his stubborn streak. Merlin help us all."

Harry let out a sound that might've been a laugh. Or a sob. Maybe both.

They stood together a while longer.

"You have us, Harry," Mr Weasley said quietly. "Whatever comes, whatever you face… you have a family. Blood's only part of it. The rest—the choosing, the standing by each other—that's what counts most."

That broke something open inside him—not painfully, but like a window being eased open after years of being stuck. Harry gave a short nod, eyes prickling. He didn't trust himself to speak. The lump in his throat was too big, too solid.

But he didn't need words. Mr Weasley understood.

A hand rested gently on his shoulder—firm, reassuring.

"Life's going to throw all sorts at you," Mr Weasley said softly. "Things you'll be ready for and things you won't. Times when it'll feel like too much. But the love we carry with us—that's what gets us through. Even when the people we love are gone… the love they gave us stays. It becomes part of who we are."

Harry shut his eyes. For a moment, he simply listened—to the rustling leaves, the creak of the trees in the wind, and a rooster calling from somewhere near the hen coop. And in the quiet of that moment, he could almost feel them—his mum and dad. Not close, not quite, but near enough. Near enough to carry with him.

He opened his eyes and turned to look back at the Burrow. The windows glowed faintly now with the first light of morning. Soon, Ron would be stomping downstairs, bleary-eyed and muttering. Ginny would be rolling her eyes. Mrs Weasley would be waving her wand wildly in the kitchen, plates clattering as she shouted for someone to fetch the toast before it burnt.

It wasn't perfect. It never had been.

But it was real. And it was love.

And maybe, Harry thought, that was what mattered most.

"I'm glad I have you," he said, voice shaking despite himself.

Mr Weasley's smile was warm and worn. "And we're glad to have you too, Harry."

He gave Harry's shoulder a final squeeze, then turned and walked slowly back toward the house, his footsteps soft in the grass. The garden settled again, exhaling into peace. Even the air seemed gentler somehow—as if it, too, was giving Harry space to breathe.

And he did. For the first time in weeks, he really breathed.

It didn't last.

"Hey, mate. You alright?"

Harry didn't need to turn. Ron's voice was unmistakable—trying for casual, he landed somewhere between concern and awkwardness. There was the usual shuffle of feet on wet ground, a clumsy sort of patience.

Harry glanced over his shoulder. Ron was there, hair windswept, pyjamas slightly askew, blinking against the light.

"I'm okay," Harry said after a pause. He inhaled deeply. "Just… the air's nice. Quiet."

He gave a faint smile—small, half-formed, but genuine enough.

Ron squinted at him, then made a face like he was weighing up whether to ask something deeper. He didn't. Instead, his expression shifted—brightening, lightening—and he grinned.

"Well, speaking of nice things…" he said, suddenly sounding far too pleased with himself. "Ta-da!" He produced a bulky, awkwardly wrapped parcel from behind his back with a flourish.

Harry blinked. "What's that?"

"A package!" Ron announced, shaking it slightly. "For you. Owl couldn't fit through the window, so Mum had it drop in the kitchen. I'm just the poor delivery bloke."

Harry took it, startled by the weight of it. The wrapping was bright red, decorated with tiny golden Snitches that zipped and looped in and out of the pattern. A card fluttered on a silver string, flapping slightly in the breeze.

And the handwriting on it made his breath catch.

His mother's.

Slowly, hands shaking now, Harry opened the card. The parchment was soft at the edges, travel-worn, but the ink was clear—her writing, neat and slanting just a little, unmistakably hers.

He read it aloud, though his voice was barely more than a whisper.

Dear Harry,

I hope you had a wonderful birthday, my dear! This gift is coming to you a bit late, but I know it will be useful when you return to Hogwarts.

The owner of the Quidditch Supplies shop told me it would take about a month to fully repair your father's old broomstick. I was rather shocked to hear the extent of the damage! This broom was your dad's most treasured possession, and he would have been so proud to pass it down to you. Please take care of it in his memory.

Your father and I love you so much, Harry. Cherish this gift as a reminder of that love. I can't wait to see you again soon.

All my love,

Mum

The words blurred.

Harry bit the inside of his cheek, hard, trying to keep the emotion from pouring out too quickly. But it was already too late. The letter trembled in his hands. His mother's words curled round him—and suddenly, he wasn't sixteen, or nearly seventeen, but five again, imagining what it might've been like to wake up to the sound of her singing Happy Birthday over breakfast.

He tilted his head to the sky, streaked with gold and soft blue, as if the world was quietly listening.

"Thank you, Mum," he said, voice catching. "Thank you, Dad. I… I love you too."

Ron didn't speak, which was rare, but exactly right. He stood nearby, just close enough to offer something solid but far enough not to crowd. Harry didn't have the words for how much that meant.

After a while, Ron gave him a nudge. Gentle. "Your dad's broomstick, huh?"

Harry nodded, eyes still fixed on the package in his lap like it might vanish if he looked away. "Yeah. Mum had it repaired. I didn't even know she still had it."

He hesitated, then added, lower now, "It means more than I can explain."

Ron rubbed the back of his neck, looking thoughtful. "What's it feel like? Having something that was his?"

Harry considered. "It's like…" He paused. "It's like part of him's still here. Like when I fly on it, he'll be with me. Not watching from far away, but with me. I know it sounds stupid."

Ron shook his head. "That's not stupid," he said. "That's… brilliant."

Harry looked at him, grateful. And Ron, sensing the moment needed something lighter, grinned suddenly. "Anyway, go on. Open it, will you? I've been dying to see it ever since Mum said it arrived."

Harry gave a faint laugh and carefully peeled back the wrapping, savouring the sound of the paper tearing. Inside lay a broomstick—not brand new, but lovingly restored. The wood was sleek and polished, a Comet 220, upgraded with reinforced bindings and a smooth finish that gleamed in the morning light. There was a small leather pouch affixed to the shaft, probably for wand storage, and nestled alongside it, tucked into the packaging, was a custom servicing kit with brass polish and spare twigs.

Harry stared. His breath caught in his throat.

"It's beautiful," he whispered.

Ron let out a low whistle. "Merlin's beard… that thing looks like it could outrun a Firebolt."

Harry laughed—properly, this time, the sound real and light and surprising. "It's not about speed," he said, still gazing at it. "It's about connection."

"Sure," Ron said, still eyeing it like treasure, "but if you happen to obliterate the other teams along the way, I won't complain."

Harry smirked. "You think I'll crush them?"

Ron clapped him on the shoulder. "Mate, with that broom and my brilliant tactics, we're going to make Gryffindor history."

Harry shook his head, grinning. "Just promise you won't start drawing up strategies on napkins again."

"Oi, those napkins won us the Hufflepuff match!"

"Nearly lost us the one after."

They both laughed, and for a little while, it was just that—two best mates, standing in the dewy grass outside the Burrow, talking about Quidditch and brooms and the year ahead, like the world wasn't heavy at all.

Then Ron said, more quietly now, "Keep it safe, yeah? That broom's not just wood and bristles. It's… it's something more."

Harry looked at him, then back at the broom, and nodded slowly. "I will. I promise."

And as they turned to walk back towards the house—where golden light spilt from the windows and the smell of sausages drifted through the morning air—Harry felt something settle inside him. A quiet, steady resolve.

This broom wasn't just a gift.

It was a piece of the past, carried forward. A legacy passed from father to son. Proof that love, real love, never really left—it lingered, woven into wood and wind and memory.

Whatever Hogwarts had waiting for him this year—whatever challenges, whatever darkness—Harry knew one thing for certain.

He wouldn't be flying alone.

THE END