A Promise Kept - Chapter 2 - New Horizons

New Horizons

Any notion Lily may have had that what had happened at her home would not become a spectacle was lost during the few days that followed Halloween

For her part, she had remained in the flat with Harry whilst the celebrations continued and could not bring herself to listen to the wireless after hearing the Minister of Magic herself giving an interview speculating what had happened.

What she had said had been accurate for the most part, but certainly sensationalised and did not capture the horror of the moments she’d spent listening to her husband be murdered and pleading for her son’s life.

Even so, despite the Minister’s inability to articulate the horror, Lily felt her privacy being invaded at every turn.

She’d dared not even read The Daily Prophet from fear of what the journalists would be saying.

Turning as the front door opened, Sirius offered her a tired smile, placing a bag of shopping on the table.

“How is he?” he asked, nodding towards Harry.

“Sleeping.”

That was all Harry seemed to be doing whilst he recovered. If he was not sleeping, he was eating, and his innocent eyes seemed to be searching for James at every turn.

It was a burden he would carry throughout his life which had already been turbulent at best, and now downright tragic.

“They won’t ever leave him alone, will they?”

Sirius released a deep breath.

“Maybe one day they will, but it won’t happen any time soon, Lily. It is all anyone is talking about. What happened is something that none will ever forget, and every time they look at him…”

“They will be reminded of him.”

“But they believe Harry defeated him, well, that is what the newspapers are saying, and the Minister’s speech hasn’t helped dispel that. He is a hero, Lily. Think of how everyone looks at Albus for what he did, they will look at Harry the same.”

Lily shook her head.

“There’s nothing I can do to stop that, is there?”

“No.”

Lily deflated as she took a seat.

“So, Texas?”

“It is a beautiful home with lots of land and all the privacy you could want. The history is a little bit questionable, but you can make of it what you want. There are plenty of greenhouses, a lake, and space for animals. I think it would be good for all of us.”

“You don’t have to uproot your entire life…”

“Harry is my life, and that means you are too. I’m not saying you can’t manage by yourself, but you don’t have to. He will need someone to tell him the stories of what we all got up to when we were at school.”

Lily shot the man a glare, but was pleased to see him smile the way she had gotten used to over the years of knowing him.

“You’ve already seen it?”

“I have, and I can take you too if you’d like. I only have a few loose ends to tie up. We can even go now. I expect you’re sick of the sight of this place already. I know I am.”

Lily was feeling a little closed in, and she’d had more than enough of that these past years she’d been in hiding with James, and then Harry.

Perhaps a little freedom was what she needed.

She certainly would not be granted it here.

“I would like that,” she replied, mustering something resembling a smile of her own.

(Break)

“She is alive?” Severus asked desperately.

His already pale skin was paler still, and the bags under his eyes spoke of the deserved sleepless nights he’d experienced.

“She and Harry survived, but James Potter was not so fortunate.”

Severus Snape showed no sign of care that Lily’s husband had been murdered, and if anything, Albus suspected he would revel in such when he was not present to see it.

“And the Dark Lord?”

“Is, for all intents and purposes, dead. His Death Eaters will be rounded up in the coming days, weeks, and months, so, I would urge you cooperate with any investigation that may find itself to you. Perhaps you should consider handing yourself in. I will be able to put in a good word for you for your part in his downfall.”

Severus did not seem convinced, and Albus had no intention of doing so.

“And then what?” the man asked. “I would be locked away in Azkaban.”

“I expect so, but you would have done the right thing, Severus. Perhaps after, Horace will be able to help you. I see no reason for your talents to be wasted, after all.”

The man nodded thoughtfully.

“Have you seen her?”

“No. I have tried reaching out, but it seems someone else got to them first.”

“Who?”

“Sirius Black.”

Albus did not expect to see Severus breathe a sigh of relief, and though it was subtle, he did not miss it.

“Is there something you wish to tell me, Severus?”

“No, nothing.”

He was lying.

Severus Snape was an exceptional practitioner of the Mind Arts, but even Albus could see he’d not been as forthcoming as he could’ve been.

Even so, that particular former student was not at the forefront of his mind.

Despite his best efforts to locate Lily Potter, her son, and Sirius Black, he’d been unable to. Not even the Minister had any idea where they were.

Albus was worried for them.

They’d gone through so much, and he could not even begin to imagine how Lily was feeling. She’d lost her husband and would be raising a child alone, not forgetting what she too had inevitably endured during those desperate moments that Tom Riddle had come for her family.

He stroked the plumage of his loyal companion, even if they were currently at odds one another.

Fawkes had refused to help him in his search thus far, much to Albus’s consternation, but he would not give up the search.

He needed to know the truth after all for the sake of what could potentially come in the future.

(Break)

“The land stretches further than the eye can see, and no expense was spared in protecting it. I’m still trying to figure out all of them for myself, but I will need a little of your blood.”

Lily nodded.

“What about Harry?”

“His grandmother was a Black, and he is my heir.”

“I always forget that Dorea was your aunt,” Lily murmured apologetically.

“She wasn’t much like the others, not unless you threatened her family. You wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her. Even Charlus knew not to push her too far.”

“You were really fond of them.”

Sirius nodded.

“They took me in when I had nowhere else to go. The Potters were the family I chose, are the family I still choose. I know you were married to James, but Harry is the last of them, just like I’m the last of my line.”

“I know I don’t know much about the pureblood thing, but that’s important, isn’t it?”

“The Potters have been around for a thousand years, as has my own family. We are among the oldest families in Britain.”

“But Harry isn’t a pureblood.”

“No, but he is a Potter, and the Black heir. That means more than you can imagine. Even without everything else that has happened, he’ll have a queue of people wanting to kiss his arse. Now isn’t the time to think about that, but he will need to be ready.”

Lily nodded her understanding.

“It’s nice here,” she commented. “Peaceful.”

“It is, and as I said, you can make of it whatever you want.”

“Thank you, Sirius, for coming for us, and everything else you’ve done. I don’t think I said that yet.”

“You’re welcome. Shall we go back?”

“Do we have to?”

“You don’t,” Sirius assured her. “I know you’ll want to be there for James… well, you know, but that’s it. I can handle everything else.”

“Are you sure? I need to go to the house, Harry will need his things, and I need to make arrangements…”

Sirius cut her off by taking her by the hand.

“I will handle it,” he assured her. “I will visit with the priest in the village and bring some things for you to look through for the service. Everything else, I will handle it. Get yourselves settled in. I will make sure food, clothing, and anything else you need is sent.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“A few days at most,” Sirius promised. “I will need to attend the Wizengamot meeting, and then I can get started on everything else. Is there anything I can do for you?”

Lily shook her head.

“Not anything I can think of.”

“Then I will be back as soon as I can. I’ll even bring Tullius to check on you both.”

The last thing he wanted to do was leave them, but Sirius knew he needed to act before people jumped to the wrong conclusions, or anything else got misinterpreted by the media.

It was not anything he had much experience in dealing with, but growing up, he had witnessed his grandfather at work, and despite his feelings towards the man, he would not deny that Arcturus Black was incredibly gifted at handling the family affairs.

Until Harry was ready, it was the interests of two families the Lord Black found himself watching over.

(Break)

Albus neither liked nor appreciated how the Ministry of Magic had conducted itself these past few days. Minister Bagnold had been parading herself through Diagon Alley at every given opportunity, giving interviews to the Wizarding Wireless Network, and The Daily Prophet, bragging about the victory over the Dark Lord; a damned foolish thing to do with so many Death Eaters still at large.

He watched as the woman entered the chambers of the Wizengamot, flanked by her personal Auror guard where she waved to gathered members of the media that she had undoubtedly invited to attend.

Albus, however, did not believe this would be quite the celebratory gathering the Minister of Magic was expecting.

Many of the Lords and Ladies, some who had been in hiding for the duration of the conflict, were evidently as displeased as the Chief Warlock, who tapped his gavel smartly atop his podium, clearing his throat.

His eyes roamed over the attendees, lingering briefly on those that appeared to be most uncomfortable.

Lucius Malfoy was paler than usual, his eyes bloodshot despite his best efforts to appear as kempt as possible gave away the stress he was under, much like those seated around him.

What Albus did not expect, however, was to see the man who entered the chamber as it fell silent at his direction, let alone the prominent ring that adored his finger.

Since Halloween, he had tried to reach Sirius Black, but it seemed that the young man had found him.

Without hesitation, he made his way towards the seat that his grandfather last occupied several years prior, and the atmosphere amongst his nearby peers became immediately tense.

Sirius said nothing as he took his seat, his own heavily bagged eyes giving away his lack of sleep.

From his understanding, Sirius had been cast out of the family, meaning he could not inherit the title; something that Lucius Malfoy had the impression of.

Even Minister Bagnold had lost a little of her swagger as she eyed the young man.

It was no secret that most of the Blacks had sided with the Dark Lord, but not Sirius. He had never been much like the others, but Albus would not forget the incident in which Severus Snape was led to the Shrieking Shack to where the transformed Remus Lupin was waiting.

Sirius Black had orchestrated that, and though there were indeed differences between the apparent new Lord of the family and his relatives, Albus did not doubt there was quite the vicious and vengeful side to him when provoked.

There had been no remorse in what he had done, no sincere apology, and judging by the expression he wore now, there would be none coming forth.

Albus watched the young man for a moment, and although he hid it well, he was carrying an almighty burden upon his shoulders; a burden that had nothing to do with his newfound responsibility.

Not that the latter would not be put to the test, and as one of the Aurors accompanying the Minister leaned into her ear and whispered something, the woman barely hid her smile as she stood.

“Lord Black, it is my understanding that the Aurors wish to speak with you pertaining to the incident that took place in Godric’s Hollow on Halloween night.”

Those gathered looked on with interest as Sirius stood, his expression uncharacteristically stony.

“I am under arrest?” he asked.

“No.”

“Then I have nothing to say on the matter.”

“You were the first on the scene of…”

“I was the first to find my best friend’s still-warm body after he was murdered by the Dark Lord, the first to pull Lady Potter and her son from the remains of their home, and the first to help them when they needed it most. Do not try to tell me what happened that night, Minister, because I was there.”

Millicent Bagnold did not seem impressed by his demeanour, and her own shifted drastically.

“Do you know the current whereabouts of Lady Potter and her son?” she demanded.

“I do, and no, I will not tell you. They are currently under the protection of House Black and will remain so until Harry Potter is of age to accept his own Lordship. He is my godson, and my heir, so it is my prerogative to keep him and his mother safe. Tell me, Minister, how many of the Death Eaters are still at large?”

“That is a question I cannot answer…”

“Exactly, so you cannot guarantee the safety of my heir and the Lady Potter. It is not in the interest of the Wizengamot to interfere in family business unless a law has been broken. That is all I have to say on the matter.”

He retook his seat, and though Albus was somewhat frustrated by his stance, he internally applauded Sirius for how he’d conducted himself.

Few would be happy with the lack of information provided, but Sirius was not compelled to share what he knew, and he was right. Neither he nor Lily Potter had broken any laws.

The woman was a victim in this, and with the Dark Lord evidently gone, there was no longer any crime for him to answer to.

If he was indeed gone, something Albus was not entirely convinced of, yet, the evidence said otherwise.

Still he could not ignore the nagging thought that there was much he was missing when it came to Tom Riddle. For now, however, it was a time for Britain to heal when those remaining at large were captured and held accountable for their deplorable crimes.

Even so, it was not just the crimes of the Death Eaters that piqued his curiosity, but what had led to Tom discovering the location of the Potters.

Of course, he would speak with Sirius on the matter in due course, and he nodded towards the man as their eyes met from across the room. Thus far, he had comported himself well. He had been authoritative, yet respectful, unyielding but well within his rights, and there was nothing Minister Bagnold could do about it.

“And well done to you, Lord Black,” Augusta Longbottom offered as she stood.

She was still sitting on behalf of her son, who, much to Albus’s approval, remained in hiding with his own wife and son.

Several of the other Lords and Ladies murmured their agreement, and Millicent evidently thought better than to press the issue, for now, at least.

Albus had no doubt she would not let it lie for long.

Millicent was tenacious if nothing else and given the high she was on at the death of the Dark Lord, she would be full of vigour, though she’d best remember just who it was she was dealing with.

The Blacks were not known for their tolerance for transgressions against them, and Sirius had lost one of the most important people to him.

He and James Potter had been inseparable, had fought side by side during the war until the Potters had gone into hiding, and there was nothing he would take more seriously than the protection of James’s son and his heir.

The Chief Warlock’s gaze shifted towards the unsettled Lucius Malfoy, who would undoubtedly be offering his own objections to what he’d learned were it not for his desire to go unnoticed.

Soon enough, however, one of the Death Eaters that would inevitably be captured would begin naming names, and Albus had no doubt that Lucius’s, along with many others, would be one of them.

(Break)

It was a relief to be able to venture outside freely.

For more days, weeks, and months than she cared to count, Lily had been stuck within the same four walls with only a modest garden as her source of escape, but here, it seemed there was an unlimited amount of space for her to roam, even if that was not truly the case.

Not that she wished to venture far from the house that had been built in the middle of the ranch, but to be able to walk uninhibited and without the threat of the Dark Lord hanging over her was liberating.

She only wished James was here to share int his moment.

For a man who adored Quidditch and other outdoor pursuits, the time being all but prisoners in their own home had taken its toll on him, and yet, it had been James who’d kept their spirits up.

Even in her darkest moments, the man had still managed to make her laugh, had been a doting father and husband, and had made their isolation tolerable.

Lily would readily admit that she had always been the more focused of the two, even the less carefree, but James had brought out a lighter side to her.

Oh, he could often frustrate and annoy her, but there wasn’t a thing she would’ve changed about her husband.

He’d been a good man if a little juvenile at times, but there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t give to hear him crack one of his ridiculous jokes or witness one of the pranks he and his friends had become rather infamous for.

“Dad?”

Lily smiled sadly at her son who was walking beside her, looking up with those innocent eyes of his.

Harry seemed to be doing better now and had been asking for James since he’d woken up that very morning.

The two of them had been close, as any father and son should, and Harry, in many ways, was proving to be just like James.

Would that change now his father was no longer around?

Lily hoped not.

As painful a reminder as it would be, she certainly would never be disappointed if Harry turned out to be like his father.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, not knowing what to say.

How could she explain to a boy of not even two years old that he would never see his father again?

The very thought broke her heart, and even though he giggled as she scooped him up into her arms, she knew he would ask again soon enough.

One day, he would learn the truth of what happened, of why the Dark Lord had come for them, and why James was no longer here.

Not that the man would have any regrets for what he’d done.

More than once, James had said he would die for them both before he allowed Voldemort near them, and he had done just that, had been a man of his word until the very end.

Lily wiped away a tear that formed as she made her way back towards the house to wait for Sirius’s return.

She knew she would never truly get over what had happened, that it would haunt her for the rest of her days, but she hoped that it would not always be so utterly heart-breaking.

She wasn’t sure she could cope with how she felt now in perpetuity.

(Break)

He could vividly remember the last time he had been here.

His mother had been screaming at him whilst his father, as ever, did nothing to defend his son and heir.

Walburga Black had always been quick to temper, but where Sirius was concerned, the woman had never had any patience. To her, he had always been a disappointment, but he had stopped caring about that long before he had begun his schooling at Hogwarts and had been sorted into Gryffindor.

The Howler he’d received had been the final straw for Sirius, and he’d spent the next years avoiding his mother as much as he could, until she had taken it upon herself to punish him as she saw fit.

Had he not fled to the Potter home, Sirius did not doubt that his own mother would’ve killed him, and his father had done nothing to stop her.

He despised this house, everything about it, and the memories of his childhood here.

His grandfather had attempted to reach out to him a few times over the following years, but it was only Alphard, Andromeda, and of course, Dorea he had remained in contact with.

Arcturus Black had died during the early days of Voldemort’s rise, and though his father was young, he’d only lasted two years before he’d perished.

Sirius had his suspicions as to how such had come to pass, but his mother had died shortly after.

Perhaps it was a curse she had fallen victim to for murdering the Head of the family. Sirius didn’t know, but Walburga Black would have chosen to live if only to spite him.

He’d received word that Regulus had been killed only a few months prior, but he could not bring himself to care about his fallen brother. He’d made his decision to follow the Dark Lord, and had reaped what he had sown as far as Sirius was concerned.

With Bellatrix married off to Rodolphus Lestrange, Narcissa to Lucius Malfoy, and Andromeda having been cast out for marrying Ted Tonks, Sirius was the last bearing his family name.

For as long as he could remember, it had felt as though he was tainted, but now, it would serve him well enough.

He released a deep breath before pushing the front door open, his nose wrinkling at the musty smell coming from within. His mood was not improved by the sudden appearance of the house-elf that had always despised him, something that was mutual.

“Master Black,” Kreacher greeted him with a look of disdain.

“Lord Black,” Sirius corrected coldly.

Kreacher glared at him balefully but somehow held his tongue.

“Where is the ring?”

The elf reached into the filthy pillowcase it was wearing and produced the familiar gold band he had grown up seeing on his grandfather’s finger and reluctantly handed it to him.

“Filthy master does not deserve it,” Kreacher grumbled.

“Shut up,” Sirius huffed irritably, “and clean the house. It is disgusting in here. Now!” he added sharply as the elf dawdled.

Kreacher vanished, and Sirius close the door behind him, only to grimace as he came face to face with a portrait he could never imagine existing in his wildest nightmares.

“YOU!” his mother spat. “You dare return here!”

Sirius shook his head.

Perhaps he had once feared the woman, but he was no longer a child, and he certainly did not fear her portrait.

“I’m alive,” he pointed out. “I’m the last of us. Let that sink in, you vile old cow. Now, piss off.”

He flicked his wand towards the curtains either side of the portrait before he headed upstairs. He had no intention of remaining here long, but for the sake of nostalgia, he wanted to see his room.

It was exactly as he’d left it, and Sirius doubted his mother had even entered it. Had she done so, the photos of him and his friends would not still adorn the walls, and the belongings he had left behind would have been burned.

Not that he would’ve cared.

His life had gotten considerably better since he’d left, for a while at least, but now, it was worse than it had ever been.

Voldemort may be gone, but he had lost his best friend.

Sirius had been honoured when James and Lily had asked him to be Harry’s godfather. He’d thought that he would be the one to buy the boy gifts his parents did not approve of, give him his first drink as a man, and maybe just be around to help him cause mischief.

When he’d accepted his responsibility, he’d never expected to have to fulfil the role he found himself in now.

With James dead, Harry and Lily would need him more than Sirius could’ve ever anticipated, and though he was mostly lost, he knew he had to do his best by them both, whatever that may entail.

Closing the door, he made his way towards the staircase to take his leave of Grimmauld Place but paused as he spotted the library at the end of the hallway.

He remembered the times his grandfather would take him inside to tutor him on his future responsibilities as the Lord of the family, had taught him the rich history of the Blacks, and bestowed wisdom upon him that he’d not understood at such a young age.

He understood it now, and as he made his way towards that same room, he hesitated for only a moment before entering.

His eyes roamed over the stacks upon stacks of books littering the library, the centuries of knowledge accumulated by his family.

It was perhaps the most enviable collection in all of Britain, much of which none had ever been privy to; the good and the bad.

“Kreacher!” he called.

The elf appeared immediately offering a poor excuse of a bow.

“Master called for Kreacher?”

Sirius nodded.

“Help me pack it up. Every last book.”

He wasn’t quite sure what inspired the idea but given that Harry would spend his life looking over his shoulder for any supporter of sympathiser of the Dark Lord, Sirius knew he would need to be ready.

Until then, it would be his responsibility to keep Harry safe, and there was not a thing he wouldn’t do to ensure that.

“What happened, Sirius?” Dumbledore asked. “I don’t mean when he arrived, but what led to it? It is my understanding James and Lily used the Fidelius Charm, so, how was it broken?”

He’d expected to be accosted by the leader of the Order of the Phoenix upon the meeting of the Wizengamot ending, and he’d barely gotten halfway across the chambers before it had happened.

Not that Sirius had gleaned nothing from the conversation thus far.

As ever, the Ministry of Magic had proven to be useless in their efforts to arrest the wayward Death Eaters, and although they were without their exalted leader, they were still a threat to Britain.

“Pettigrew,” Sirius answered, his voiced laced with more venom than he’d anticipated. “James wanted to use me as the Secret Keeper, but I convinced him to use Peter. Voldemort knew how close James and me were, and if he really wanted to find them, he would’ve come for me if he considered they were using the charm.”

Dumbledore nodded his agreement.

“But he got to Pettigrew.”

Sirius shook his head.

“You know as well as I do the only way the charm can be broken is if it is done so willingly. Peter betrayed them!”

“Indeed,” the Headmaster said gravely. “And Harry?”

“Is as well as can be expected given what happened to him. I have had him checked over by a Healer, and he will be monitored closely.”

Dumbledore seemed as though he wished to argue the point, but Sirius held up a hand.

“I meant what I said in those chambers. My priority is making sure they are both safe, and Britain never will be for them. We both know the Ministry won’t manage to capture them all, and there will be those that are rich enough to ensure they are not punished as harshly as they should be. I’m no politician, Albus, but gold speaks louder than actions.”

The man did not even attempt to convince him otherwise.

“Where are they, Sirius?” he asked.

“Somewhere no one will ever find them. They are under the full protection of my house, and any that attempt to harm them will be dealt with fittingly. You may not like it, but that is how it will be. Lily already lost James, and I will not see her lose her son, or Harry lose his mother.”

Albus was not pleased, but Sirius didn’t care.

He truly had meant every word he’d said, and he had promised James and Lily the day they’d named him Harry’s godfather he would do whatever it took to keep their son safe.

They had tried to hide to do just that, but it hadn’t been enough, and now, Sirius was taking no chances.

“I can see there is no possibility of changing your mind,” Albus sighed.

“There isn’t, but since I am the Lord of my family, I will be back and forth to fulfil my responsibilities to my house. Whether or not Harry decides to return in the future, when he is ready, will be his choice.”

“I expect he will,” Albus said sadly. “Sirius, I do not have proof of it yet, but I am not entirely convinced the Dark Lord is dead, not truly at least.”

Sirius narrowed his eyes at the man, and Dumbledore held up a placating hand.

“I arrived at Godric’s Hollow before the Ministry, and I am aware of the magic that was used, but what was missing was the unmistakeable presence of death. That too leaves its mark, but it wasn’t there.”

“So, he is alive somewhere?”

“I believe so.”

He had no reason to question Albus on it. The man was an incredibly gifted wizard, and he would not make such a claim if he didn’t truly believe it.

“Lily will understand the implications.”

“The implications?”

“Explain what it is I have told you, Sirius. It will not be the news she wishes to hear, but she should hear it, nonetheless, and please, if there is anything I can do for you, any of you, I am just an owl away.”

Sirius nodded as he stood, confused by the final part of the conversation, but undeterred by the path ahead.

It would not be easy, and if the Dark lord was indeed still alive, then the war was not over but merely on hiatus until such a time the man chose to resume it.

That meant that he would one day come for Harry again, if only to correct whatever mistake it was he had made on that Halloween night.

For now, however, it was time for Lily to heal as best she could, for her and Harry to adjust to life without James, and for Sirius to keep the promise he had made to the Potters, to ensure Harry was safe, by whatever means proved to be necessary.

(Break)

She could only look on as Harry endured the nightmare.

His lower lip trembled as he whimpered, and she stroked his hair in a bid to comfort him. It took several moments of doing so, and he calmed somewhat for a moment before his eyes suddenly snapped open.

They were full of a fear no mother would wish to see in their child, but also somehow reassurance.

Lily was taken aback by the expression, but more so by the sound of cracking that filled the air. It wasn’t until the glass in the windows shattered to the ground that she acted, pulling Harry into her arms as she drew her wand.

She was rooted to the spot, her ears strained as she listened out for any sign of disturbance, and she fired a spell as the door opened, only missing her target as he avoided the spell that tore through the wall.

“Bloody hell, it’s me,” Sirius called.

Lily choked back a sob but only lowered her wand as he entered the room, holding his hands up to show he did not have his own wand in hand.

“What happened?” he asked gently.

“I thought someone was here,” Lily murmured. “Harry was having a nightmare, and the windows…”

“It’s alright,” Sirius soothed as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “No one is here. This place is unplottable, and the protections most unforgiving to any that would try to get in.”

Lily nodded and breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at her son.

His eyes truly were like her own and though he’d been having a nightmare only a moment ago, he seemed fine now.

“Shall we get some fresh air?” Sirius asked.

Lily followed him as he took his leave of the house.

“I didn’t like those windows anyway,” he declared. “Honestly, there’s not much I like about the house, but that can be fixed.”

“How is it back home?”

“Tense,” Sirius answered. “Malfoy’s lot on the Wizengamot are quiet and trying to not attract attention to themselves.”

“That’s different.”

“But no less dangerous,” Sirius pointed out. “The Ministry are already proving to be as useless as ever, and as I said to Albus, I have no faith in them to get everyone. Some will slip through the net, and that means Harry is in danger.”

“You spoke to Albus.”

“I did, and I told him what he needed to know. You and Harry are safe, and that’s all that matters. Nothing else pertaining to the two of you is his concern. I sent a message to Tullius, and he will be here in the morning to see Harry and you.”

“I’m fine, Sirius.”

“He will make sure of that.”

Lily rolled her eyes at him.

She’d always known Sirius was protective.

He’d spent much of his time at Hogwarts defending both Remus and Peter from the Slytherins that targeted them. He and James had escaped such treatment for the most part.

Despite not being a favourite son, there were few who would wish to provoke the Blacks, and James had proven himself more than capable of dealing with those that took issue with him.

“I visited the church,” Sirius said sadly. “The priest will make no record of when the burial is to take place, and I will fetch James’s remains after Tullius leaves before I visit the house to collect your things.”

“Sirius, you don’t have to…”

“Yes, I do,” he broke in. “For you and for Harry. Besides, I will not have him left there. He will be treated with the respect he deserves.”

“Thank you,” Lily said gratefully. “I don’t know if I could…”

“You don’t have to. I will handle everything, but you should look through this to make any decisions on the burial and his grave.”

He removed a catalogue from within his robes and handed it to her.

For now, Lily could not bring herself to look at it, but she nodded knowing she would have to.

“So, what happens after?”

“I don’t know,” Sirius answered honestly, “but there is something else you should know. Albus doesn’t think he is dead.”

Lily snorted humourlessly as she felt her world crash around her once more.

“I should’ve known it wouldn’t be so easy.”

Sirius frowned at her questioningly and Lily swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.

He deserved to know the truth.

When it had mattered most, it had been Sirius Black who had come to her and Harry, Sirius who was doing all he could to protect them, and that alone was more than enough for him to know just why the Dark Lord had come for them.

“He didn’t come for me and James,” she murmured.

Sirius’s frown deepened.

“We didn’t go into hiding just because I was pregnant, but because of what it meant. Albus told us of a prophecy that had been made, one spoken in front of him. It wasn’t until we heard it it for ourselves that we implemented the charm.”

“He came for Harry,” Sirius whispered in realisation.

“Born as the seventh month dies…”

Sirius said nothing as she spoke the words that had haunted her and her husband, and Lily fell silent after, not having spoken them aloud since the night Albus had taken her and James to the Department of Mysteries to witness what had been said.

“Bloody hell.”

That had been James’s response to the prophecy, and though neither of them were versed in such magic, wasn’t even sure of the veracity of it, neither had been willing to take any chances when it came to the life of their son.

As such, they had gone into hiding, had trusted the wrong man with their safety, and now, Lily found herself in a strange land with her husband dead and perhaps a death sentence hanging over Harry.

“We will do everything we can,” Sirius assured her. “If what you said is true, Harry will need to be ready for what is coming. I will do everything I can to ensure that he is.”

Lily shook her head.

“Sirius, I will not let him run off to fight him!”

“If what you said is true, you might not have much of a choice in that,” the man said sadly. “I don’t doubt you will do everything you can to make sure that doesn’t happen, but prophecies cannot be ignored, especially now that some of it has come true,” he added, pointing towards the scar resting above Harry’s brow.

“You believe it?”

“Whether I do or not doesn’t make a difference. Voldemort does, and he will now more after what happened.”

Lily released a deep breath as she shook her head.

“What do we do, Sirius?”

“Whatever it takes to make sure Harry is safe but ready, just in case. I am not willing to take any chances, but for now, let him enjoy what peace he has. You have lost your husband, and Harry his father. Before we think about anything else, we must give James the burial he deserves.”

“And then what?”

“And then I will start righting the wrongs,” Sirius murmured. “Pettigrew will pay for what he has done, and then, I don’t know Lily, but we will face it as it comes.”

Lily could only nod in response, uncertain of what the future held, and finding little hope that all would be well.

Were it not for Sirius, she wasn’t sure how she would be faring, but for the first time since she’d met the immature, womanising and often vulgar man he had become, she could not be more grateful for him.

He was here, keeping her and Harry safe, and Lily believed him when he said he would do so, no matter what it took.