You Were too Young to Die

Chapter 4

UN SOIR DE PLUIE

( A rainy night )

Lily applied a last touch of eye-shadow, put perfume and threw a glance at the mirror. She caught the handbag put down on the bed and shouted :

" I am ready ! "

A man´s voice was heard from the first floor :

" Hurry up darling, we are going to be late ! "

She rushed downstairs and found James on the doorstep.

***

Lily rang at the door. She heard the chimes resound in the floodlit house then somebody came to open :

" Merry Christmas ! "

***

At the same moment, while John Potter was going to go out to celebrate Christmas with his son and his daughter-in-law at Remus Lupin and Cecilia Debson´s, somebody knocked at the door of his flat. ( A/N : You must know that James´s mother is dead )

Who could go there ?

He opened unsuspectingly but had a shout of horror at the sight of a man wrapped with a black cape :

" You ? "

" Merry Christmas, Mr Potter... "

" Please, go out from here at once! "

" Really ? Imperio ! "

John did´nt resist to the Unforgivable curse. He was subdued to Voldemort's will. The Dark Lord made him go down the stairs of the building and advance in the street. John always obeyed. In some minutes, he would have reached the beach. Voldemort always pointed his wand at James´s father.

Un soir de pluie et de brouillard

Quelques taxis passent sans me voir

Une insomnie qui tourne au cauchemar

***

Remus had served the champagne. All the guests were here. Well, almost... James´s father wasn´t here yet.

In a corner of the lounge, Cecilia was laughing out loud with Lily. James was staring at the window with a bit of anxiety, watching for the arrival of his father. Rigel and Sirius, with their arms around each other, on an armchair, was engrossed in an important discussion with Franck and Alison Longbottom. A bit farther, Dumbledore and McGonagall made Arabella Figgs smile. Everybody seemed so happy at this moment. Remus would have wanted that had lasted for a long time.

Suddenly, Peter went out of the kitchen in a whirlwind, carrying an owl on the shoulder. Everyone turned around while he said :

" It is from your father, James. It is a message of his part. He tells you to not wait for him. He is sleeping with a flu. "

James declared :

" I am going to see him, please, wait for me. "

Je n´ai qu´une envie

Rentrer pas trop tard

" No ! " Peter exclaimed, " your father doesn´t want you to move. A nurse is with him. "

The conversations started again. Lily, Cecilia and James had joined Dumbledore, McGonagall and Arabella. As far as Sirius was concerned, he didn´t discuss any more with Franck. Remus took place near Rigel and Alison. In a few moment, they would go at table. It would be great.

***

John had managed to break the Curse. But he had been forced to write to James not to worry.

How would react his son reading the letter ? Would he go and check him all the same ?

John and Voldemort were in the top of a cliff overhanging the sea. Voldemort whistled :

" I am going to kill you, Potter. I am going to kill you. I have waited so much for this moment. You cause me too many trouble at the ministry... But before you die, I would want you to know that Potter Junior will die as well. "

" No, please, don´t kill my son. I beg you. He is going to have a baby, he has a fantastic wife. They love each other. Let him live happy. For once, please, try to understand love. Let him live happy. "

Un genre gangster vient m´approcher

Joue le mystère pour m´épater

Là sous la pluie il veut bavarder

Ses p´tits ennuis me donnent la nausée

" Oh ... But, I am not going to kill him at once. I am going to wait the birth of the baby and I will kill them both, him and the baby... Well then, no Gryffindors any more ! "

" Please, don´t do that, I beg you. They are not twenty years... Please, spare their life ! "

" They are too troublesome. Like you, Potter. Your son and the baby are going to die... As for the girl... I do not still know... I have never seen her... Maybe I will take her with me if she is suitable for me. "

" You are a monster. You disgust me... "

D´toutes façons je voulais pas sortir ce soir

J´avais le blues sur le trottoir

***

" Let´s eat ! " Remus announced.

He indicated places to everybody and served the starter.

Lily was pensive. Something perturbed her since Peter had appeared with the letter... But what ? An impression of uneasiness had invaded her. Suddenly, she understood what was bothered her :

" James, why did your father send the message to Peter rather than to you ? "

" That is the question I ask myself since that moment... Something doesn´t go all right, Lil. I am convinced of it. "

Dishes succeeded one another and the dessert arrived.

***

" I know, I disgust more than just you. "

" You are really a bastard ! But your crimes won´t remain unpunished ! You will pay one day for the murder of all these innocents ! "

" This day doesn´t arrive yet... And the one who will defeat me isn´t born yet. Please, jump... I would be very pleased if you jump, Potter ! "

" What ? "

" Yes... I am tired today. It is Christmas. I don´t want to put Avada Kedavra today... "

D´toutes façons moi c´que j´veux c´est dormir

Et ce soir j´avais le blues sur le trottoir

" I am surprised... You didn´t show this remorse before... "

" Stop it, Potter ! Imperio ! "

John was under Voldemort´s will... He advanced at the edge of the cliff, put one foot into space...

***

The meal was already ended for several minutes when James got up then addressed Remus :

" I am going to check my father, Rem '. Just to see if everything is all right and to wish him a merry Christmas. "

" If you want " Remus declared, butcome back.

" Naturally, I will come back. "

" I come with you " Lily blew.

And without taking their coats, they apparated. The others looked for a long time at both empty places.

***

John advanced at the edge of the cliff, put one foot into space, then the other one. He fell without shouting. Voldemort looked on the beach at the bottom of the cliff and saw his victim crushed on the sand. He had a sardonic laughter thinking of the head James and his wife would have discovering the body.

" Merry Christmas Mr and Mrs Potter... "

***

Lily and James apparated in John's flat. They rushed in the bedroom.

Nobody.

They opened all the doors.

Nobody.

Lily had a terrified sight :

" Where is he ? "

James had a dark sight. The young lady continued :

" Would he have able to go out ? "

" On the beach... He likes going there... "

They Apparated again...

***

They ran on the sand. It rained and the water dripped on their cheeks. Lily stumbled over her high heels at each step.

There was nobody on the beach.

Nobody.

Nobody.

The tide was coming in and the water came to lick their feet. Lily saw a dark mass under the cliff. She pointed it to James. They approached and understood too fast. She had a repressed sob. James knelt down at his father´s side. The blood had coloured the sand in purple. It always rained.

" No " James whispered. " No. "

He burst into sobs. Lily embraced him and stayed there, for a long time. They looked at John Potter's dead body, as if they were in a nightmare. Lily's evening dress spread out on the sand, soaked by the seawater and the rainwater and she thought she heard a derisive voice wishing her a merry Christmas.

" Merry Christmas " the echo sang.

Un soir de pluie.