- Rating:
- PG-13
- House:
- Astronomy Tower
- Genres:
- Romance Angst
- Era:
- Multiple Eras
- Spoilers:
- Order of the Phoenix
- Stats:
-
Published: 08/18/2003Updated: 08/18/2003Words: 699Chapters: 1Hits: 964
Once In A Millennium
The Darkest One
- Story Summary:
- After their mother's death, Harry's twin children, Lily and James, read the stack of letters she left them. As they read, they discover a secret about their mother James wishes he never knew.
Once In A Millennium Prologue
- Posted:
- 08/18/2003
- Hits:
- 964
- Author's Note:
- I don't submit all my "Harry Potter" fan-fiction to Fiction Alley. If you're interested, check out
The letters were sitting on the dining room table, the red ribbon tied around them so neatly. Everything about his mother had been tidy and perfect, something he had always appreciated.
His twin sister, Lily, was crying in the kitchen. He moved to comfort her, but she pushed away. Lily had always been so close to their mother, and when she'd received the owl carrying the news, the fully-grown woman had burst into tears. Granted, she hadn't stopped crying since, but it was touching that Lily cared so much.
"Here's the letters. They were right where Mom said they'd be," he said quietly as he set the thick stack on the kitchen table.
"I was thinking, James. What if she had all this planned? What if Mom killed herself?" Lily sobbed, standing up to rummage for another box of tissues.
"I'm sure that she just knew she was going to die. Mom was always so perceptive of other people's feelings," James shrugged.
When Lily returned with a roll of toilet paper, James suppressed a chuckle. But he sighed and reached to untie the bow.
"Wait. Shouldn't we call the others?" Lily asked tearfully. She was referring to their brothers Remus and Sirius, but James shook his head.
"Mom specifically said that only we were to read them first. After we read them, then we can give them to the boys," James explained firmly. Lily nodded in defeat, and let her twin slowly unwrap the ribbon.
Tears poured down the eldest son's face as he read the letter, handing it to Lily before moving on to the next letter in the stack:
Dearest James,Lily's tears doubled in size and frequency as she set the letter aside. James hadn't moved to pick up the next one. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know exactly what had happened for ten years under his innocent nose. Part of him was absolutely positive that reading the correspondences would forever darken the golden image he held of his mother.
If you're reading this, then that means that I've passed on. I would tell you to not cry over me, but I have a feeling that Lily already is, and that you'll start shortly. But I won't waste your time with all the details.
This stack encompasses every letter sent to me during a ten-year period. I took the liberty of photocopying and stapling my reply to the original letter so you'll be able to fully grasp the proportions of this. Your father eventually found out after the birth of Sirius. I know this may come as a great shock to you, but Sirius is actually not your father's son, despite what his name implies. I can only applaud, and profusely thank, Harry for ignoring the baby's parentage and raising him as his own son. Sirius does not know the real identity of his father, and I am leaving the decision up to you and Lily. There are pros and cons with each choice, but I am sure that my two, very capable children will come up with something.
I have debated for the last few months of my life whether or not to reveal the identity of my letter-writing companion. I finally came to the conclusion, that if you read the very first letter before learning his name, that you will greater understand the feelings we shared.
I've already said too much. I may have already ruined the window of opportunity I sought to give you. So, it is with these final words that I let you move on to the giant stack before you: I love you, James Edward Potter, and you too, Lily Marie Potter.
Love,
Mom
When James didn't move, Lily did.
"She wanted us to read these, James. If there was something in them that made her appear evil or as a ruthless infidel, then she probably wouldn't have kept it up for ten years. Something happened to her, James, something that probably only comes once every millennium. She wanted us to know," Lily explained as she laid a reassuring hand on her brother's. He nodded stiffly, but made no more movement until Lily handed him the next letter...