Watching

Watching

Chapter 23

This chapter is from Molly Weasley's POV

This chapter is mostly flashbacks

June 23, 1980

There was an urgent knock on the door. I looked up from my reading. "Who could that be?" I asked Arthur. We hadn't been expecting anyone.

Arthur rose from the chair and answered the front door. I heard mumbling pass between him and our unexpected visitor soon before Arthur came back into the room, gray-faced, followed by Lilly and Severus Snape, a recent addition to the Order of the Phoenix.

"Molly, Lilly and Snape need our help. It seems they've run into a bit of a problem."

"What is it?" I asked standing. I was shocked to see my husband behave is such a manor. It really was quite disturbing.

"Molly," Lilly said coming up to me. "Everything you know about me is a lie. The same probably goes for Sev as well."

"What do you mean, dear?" I asked, not understanding a word that was coming out of Lilly's mouth.

"I am a Death Eater turned spy for Dumbledore," she said quietly. "As is my husband, Severus Snape."

I almost fell. The Lillian Potter I knew was standing in my living room, telling me that I know absolutely nothing about her.

"And my baby," she continued, "is not the son of James Potter. He is the son of Severus."

My knees became weaker with every truth she revealed. It was like she was physically striking me. I held to Arthur for support.

"And where do we come in?" he asked.

"When the child is born, James will know. James can't know. Under no circumstances is James to know that he has no child. Help us."

"How?" I asked, shocked.

"You two were the best in your year in Charms. Is there any charm that can be put over this child to hide his parenthood?" Severus asked.

"Only the eyes will be left alone. Hopefully, he'll have your eyes."

"He should," Snape remarked. "Athena has her eyes."

The two-month-old child turned her face to us. There was no doubt about it, that was Lillian's child. The only form of doubt would be her hair color. I've never seen a head of hair so black.

"Alright," Arthur said. "We'll do it."

"Thank Merlin," Lilly sighed.

*~*~*~*~*

"You did it, just like that?" Harry asked.

"Yes, dear," I replied. "The look on your mother's face gave us no choice. She didn't want us to do what we did, she needed us to."

"So you did it for her?" Athena asked. "You did it for our mother's sake?"

"Yes. Snape had no part of our decision. All we knew about him was that he was a Slytherin; James, Sirius, and Remus all hated him; and he had been a Death Eater. Arthur and I were against Death Eaters, and his best friend was Lucius Malfoy. How could we help a Malfoy, however indirectly? They were our families rival. Opposite of us. How could we help them?

"We didn't. We helped Lilly, therefore, we helped in the Order. We knew that if a family problem erupted, neither one of them would be able to focus in the war, and if one of our best fighters lost their focus, we would lose."

*~*~*~*~*

August 1, 1980

The child was born last night, he looked like James. I am ashamed at what I have done, yet I am proud that our charm worked. Lillian was overjoyed that he looked like James, and that his eyes were her eyes. James would be none the wiser at his lack of a son. His name: Harry Potter.

Potter. He doesn't deserve the name. He should be a Snape, like his father.

I couldn't even look at them, Lillian or Harry, so I left.

"Molly," James said walking quickly up to me as I neared the door. "What does he look like?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"He looks like you," I replied falsely happy. "Just like you. And he has Lilly's eyes."

"That's wonderful news," he said with a smile. "Where are you going?"

"I've left the children all alone with Arthur. It'll be hell for him if I'm not back soon."

"Alright. Tell him hello for me, will you?"

I smiled. "I will."

*~*~*~*~*

September 1, 1991

"Excuse me," a timid voice said from behind me.

I turned and saw him. Harry Potter. There was no mistaking it. James' looks, Lilly's eyes. I sighed. Nice to know my charm still works.

"Hello, dear," I said. "First time to Hogwarts?" I asked, knowing full well that it was. He had turned eleven this year. Two months after Ron. "Ron's new too," I said pointing to my youngest son.

Merlin, how could I have ever done that to James Potter.

*~*~*~*~*

"So, do you hate me or something?" Harry demanded. "I mean, I didn't choose my parents, Mrs. Weasley. Besides, you could have let the whole damn thing come out by not doing what you did. Then you wouldn't have to go from day to day thinking 'how could I have done this' or whatever else you're thinking every time you see me. I know everyone knows. Maybe now you should all start talking to me about it. Hell, why don't you tell Lupin that I know now."

"Every time we've tried to talk about it..."

"You go mute for a while, I know," Harry finished. "My parents were smart people, Mrs. Weasley. They cursed the secret." He was so mad at me. There was anger and hatred in his voice, so much that I didn't quite know how to react. "Take it off," he ordered.