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Author: GhostWriter Story: Through the Looking Glass Rating: Everyone Setting: AU Status: Completed Reviews: 7 Words: 28,060
Disclaimer: Do I really need to say it? It's not mine, no money is being made off of this, and no copyright infringement is intended. * Lily Potter walked slowly up the grassy knoll. When she reached the crest, she gazed down at the silvery river that snaked through the valley below. The afternoon sun shone brightly, and a soft breeze ruffled her hair. She sat down at the base of a large oak tree and gazed out at the horizon. It was the kind of bliss place she wished she'd had as a child – a spot to sneak away to when she'd fought with Petunia, had a row with her parents or just needed some time to think. She closed her eyes and cast her mind back sixteen years. "Run, Lily! Take Harry and go!" James shouted. "No, I won't leave you behind!" Lily cried. "Just get Harry and go!" he replied, as the front door of the house shuddered under another spell. Lily sprinted toward the back of the house and retrieved her wand and then headed for the stairs. She was halfway up the staircase when she heard the front door implode and James shout, "Expelliarmus!" There was a series of bangs and loud crashes. She whirled and was about to head back down when a high, cold voice froze her on the spot. "Potter," it hissed. "Where is your lovely little Mudblood bride... and the boy? I'm so anxious to meet him." "Over my dead body," shot back James, who was panting heavily. "How feeble, Potter," the voice said again. "You turn down my offers of power, and now, at the end, you can't even come up with a better line than that. Reducto!" There was a pause, and then the sound of heavy object slamming into a wall. Lily closed her eyes. She had no doubt that Voldemort had just thrown James across the living room. "Where are they, Potter?" the voice hissed again. "I'll find them one way or another. Tell me now and spare yourself... and them, some pain." Lily heard a grunt and the sound of her husband stumbling to his feet. "Incendio," James snarled. A cold laugh echoed through the house. "Is that the best you can do? Dumbledore would be so disappointed. Diffindo!" Lily choked back a sob as she heard James cry out in pain from the cutting curse and then collapse. "Now, Potter, I'll ask you one more time. Where are your wife and child?" Voldemort snapped. At that moment, a cry came from the nursery upstairs. Lily could almost imagine the smile spreading across Voldemort's face. "I seem to have found an answer. I don't think I'll need your assistance any more, Potter." "Conjunctiva," James said weakly. There was a curse, then a loud snarl. "Avada Kedavra!" Lily couldn't hold back the scream when she saw the sickly green light fill the downstairs. Then she was pounding up the stairs as fast as her legs would carry her... racing down the hallway... bursting through the nursery door... slamming it behind her and placing a sealing charm on it. She moved to the cot and picked up Harry, who was screaming at the top of his lungs. She took a deep breath and tried to soothe him and think of a way past the anti-Apparition wards. "Lily... Lily.... Come out, come out wherever you are," the evil voice cackled from the hallway. Suddenly the door shuddered, as from a hammer's blow. A pause, and another blow – this time causing the door to groan and crack. Lily laid Harry back on the cot, drew her wand and turned to face the door. A sound like thunder shook the house, and the door burst apart in a flash of yellow light. Lily was flung to the floor, her wand slipping from her grasp and clattering uselessly away. She slowly got to her feet, wincing as blood flowed into her right eye from a cut left on her forehead by a piece of flying debris. The cot had been flipped over, sending Harry tumbling to the floor, where he lay screaming in pain and terror. Lily turned back to the door just as a wraithlike figure stepped into the room. "Hello, Lily," Voldemort said with a demonic grin, his serpentine nostrils flaring. "Get out of here!" Lily snarled, positioning herself squarely in front of Harry. "It's over," Voldemort said silkily. "There's no need for you to die. I only want the boy." "No!" Lily screamed. "Not Harry!" "Move aside, you silly girl," Voldemort said, raising his wand. "You can't save him, but you can save yourself. Get out of the way before I lose my patience." "Never!" Lily cried. "Foolish girl! Very well, let's end this. Avada Kedavra!" The pale green light rushed toward Lily. She felt a burst of pain... and then darkness. Lily opened her eyes and shuddered at the memory. She had no idea how long she'd been lost in thought, but the sun was now an orange ball beginning to sink to the horizon. Suddenly a pair of strong arms encircled her, and a warm breath tickled her ear. "Hey," James said as he made himself comfortable on the ground beside her. She forced a smile and pecked him on the cheek before leaning back against him. They sat in silence for a moment. Finally James spoke. "You okay?" he asked. Lily nodded silently as a lump formed in throat and tears began to fill her eyes. James tightened his grip on her. "I'm sorry. I know it must have been hard for you. If Sirius and I made it worse, I'm sorry." Lily turned and buried her face in chest and began to sob openly. James gently stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth. "If this is heaven, it sure doesn't feel like it now," she said brokenly. "I never dreamed that Petunia actually hated me – us – so much. And I can't believe how much I hated all of them when I saw them arrive. I just wanted to hurt Vernon. I feel so... ugly. This isn't how it's supposed to be!" James continued stroking her hair. "Shhh. It's all right. Trust me, you are a good person. You pulled back when you could have really hurt Petunia. You made Sirius and me lay off of those two apes. You think any of them would have restrained themselves if the tables were turned?" Lily drew a shuddering breath before pulling back and looking into James' eyes. "You are a prat," she said, a smile forming on her face, "but you always know how to make me feel better." She kissed him soundly on the lips before snuggling back into his chest. "What are we going to do with those three?" she asked after a few moments. "I dunno," James replied, resting his chin on her head. "Sirius and I will leave the boy alone, just like you asked, but we've got big plans for old Vernon. He's going to wish he's never laid a finger on Harry by the time we're through with him." Lily pulled back and gave James a sharp look. "You know the rules here," she said quietly. "I don't want you doing anything that will separate us. We're on this journey together, and I don't want to have to wait around while you do penance." James laughed, "Relax! We won't go that far. But we've been working up some good pranks to make his stay in the afterlife memorable." Lily settled back against his chest. "Well, just make sure you don't cross the line." "Nah," James replied. "Besides, the Guardians did tell us when we arrived that those who did evil on earth have to pay for it. Sirius and I are just helping enforce the rules." Lily chuckled gently, suddenly remembering why she fell in love with James Potter – once she finally saw past the arrogance, that is. After a moment, she sat up again. "How do you think Harry's doing?" she asked. James' face clouded. "I don't know," he replied. "I'm really worried by the last thing we saw." Lily sat up, closed her eyes and concentrated. A mirror appeared in front of them, the dying sunlight glinting on the opaque surface. James waved his hand across it, and an image came into view. Harry was walking along the beach of what appeared to be a tropical island, along with a large group of red-heads and a teen-aged witch with bushy brown hair. For the ten thousandth time, Lily silently thanked the Weasley family for the kindness and love they had shown to her boy. Now Harry and his friends were wading in the surf. Harry seemed to spend most of his time splashing and teasing Ginny Weasley, who nicely filled out her worn bathing costume. Lily smiled softly. Harry had found his soul mate; she could feel it. And she was secretly pleased that he'd chosen a red-head. She closed her eyes briefly and imagined her son's future – a future filled with red-headed babies with bright green eyes. "She's a looker," James said with a grin, interrupting Lily's reverie. She smacked him on the arm. "You're a dirty old man," she shot back. "That girl's young enough to be yours." She turned back to the mirror. Now the group appeared to be riding the waves. Suddenly a very large one knocked Harry over. He struggled to regain his footing, but the undertow kept sucking him down. Lily gasped with fright and squeezed James' arm. Her husband didn't move, but seemed to be trying to send some of his strength to his son. "C'mon, Harry. Fight! I know you can do this!" One of the Weasley boys – Ron, perhaps? – reached out and caught hold of Harry; dragging him onto the beach. James and Lily both closed their eyes and breathed sighs of relief. When they looked back at the mirror, the scene had changed. Harry was fencing with a man who could only be Albus Dumbledore's brother. Round and round the two went – parrying, thrusting and ducking. Harry was clearly regaining the strength he had lost during his captivity at Malfoy Manor. Now the mirror began to show scene after scene in rapid succession. Harry jogging along the beach.... Harry and Ginny riding with Dumbledore's brother in a speed boat.... A beautiful, older woman teaching Harry to brew potions.... A fearful Harry blowing apart his birthday cake on his seventeenth birthday.... Harry and the Weasley boys drinking themselves silly at an island bar.... Harry passionately kissing Ginny Weasley at a secluded spot on the beach, his hands roaming over her back.... Lily started at this last image and glanced over at James, who was watching with a smirk. She waved her hand in front of the mirror, and it went dark. "Hey!" James said. "You don't get to watch him perform," Lily said, trying not to smile as she narrowed her eyes. "He deserves some privacy, you know." James grinned back at her sheepishly. Lily kissed him lightly and then turned back to the mirror. "Show me Petunia," she said with a sigh. The mirror lightened, and suddenly the Potters were looking at three miserable figures sitting in a vast expanse of nothingness. Vernon Dursley lay sprawled out on his back on the ground, staring into space. Dudley sat cross-legged, head in his hands, gazing at the ground. Petunia was sitting up straighter, sniffling occasionally and wiping her red-rimmed eyes. Pain welled up in Lily's heart. If only things could have been different between her and Petunia in life. "It doesn't do to dwell on the past, Lily," James said softly, as if reading her thoughts. Lily nodded. "I still love her, you know," she said. "But I don't think I'll ever totally forgive her for what she did to Harry. Maybe that's what will keep me from ever having total freedom here." James pulled her to him. "Well, that's okay, because I know I'll never forgive the whole lot of them. But as long as we're stuck here together, I really don't care if we ever get to move on." Lily gazed again at the three pathetic figures in the mirror. She concentrated briefly. The Dursleys all started as three comfortable armchairs appeared near them. They poked the chairs cautiously, and then settled into them. Lily closed her eyes again, and the mirror vanished. She stood, pulling James up with her. "I can't put this off any longer," she said. "I've got to go talk to Petunia. I'll be back soon." James nodded and kissed her tenderly. Lily stepped back, and with a pop, she was gone.
A/N: Hope this chapter is a bit more satisfactory since it's a little longer. Thanks for reading and for all the kind reviews! Thanks to Arnel for her superb beta work. The descriptions of what James and Lily see in the mirror are based directly on events in Chapters 8 & 9 of Melindaleo's "Curse of the Damned." Thanks, Melinda, for the inspiration and great pre-beta work. And, of course, thanks to Jo, who made it all possible.
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