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Title: Trick-or-Treat
Song: "Who Wants to Live Forever"
Characters, Pairing: Lily/James (vaguely), Harry, Voldemort, Peter
Rating: PG
Warnings: Character death
Author's Notes: Honestly, I've wanted to write this one for a while--with this song in mind, even--and I was really glad for the opportunity. Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
aradiachiba for the beta, and I apologize for the lateness. NaNoWriMo is killing me...
Song: "Who Wants to Live Forever"
Characters, Pairing: Lily/James (vaguely), Harry, Voldemort, Peter
Rating: PG
Warnings: Character death
Author's Notes: Honestly, I've wanted to write this one for a while--with this song in mind, even--and I was really glad for the opportunity. Thanks to
aradiachiba for the beta, and I apologize for the lateness. NaNoWriMo is killing me...What Lily missed the most that Halloween were the trick-or-treaters. True, they had had precious few the year before: Godric’s Hollow was primarily a wizarding community, with a few Muggles here and there who never seemed to mind any of the village’s strange occurrences. Although they lived in a relatively populous neighborhood, most of their neighbors were wizards, and therefore not interested in trick-or-treating.
Still, Lily had put on her robes and found a miniature cat costume for Harry and went to answer the door as a witch and her familiar. James reminded her that wizards did not celebrate Halloween like Muggles did, dressing up and begging for candy, but she answered the door anyway for the few children that did knock on the door. Harry had enjoyed gurgling at the trick-or-treaters.
Lily was sorry to miss the opportunity this year. She had hoped to take Harry out for an hour or so that evening to do some trick-or-treating of his own. He was old enough now to enjoy some candy, and their Muggle neighbors would have loved to see him in a costume. Still, it was for Harry’s own safety that they were in hiding, and Lily would be damned if she would allow any harm to come to him just because she wanted a Muggle Halloween.
But she missed the trick-or-treaters.
It was eight o’clock in the evening on Halloween before Lily and James finally put Harry to bed. Lily was still harboring a slight hope that Peter would stop by for an evening visit. She’d stocked up on some of his favorite sweets in case he arrived, planning to treat him as their only trick-or-treater, costume or not.
She and James had just settled into the sofa to listen to the Wireless when there was a knock at the door.
James rolled his eyes and stood. “Just when I was starting to get comfortable…” he muttered.
Lily laughed. “Oh, don’t grouse. It’s Halloween, and we have company. Maybe it’s Peter,” she suggested brightly. “I’ll get the candy.” She stood and went into the kitchen while James answered the door.
She was still rummaging through a cabinet, trying to remember where she’d put Peter’s candy and planning to murder James if he’d eaten it himself, when there was a shout from the front hall.
“Lily!” James’ voice was panicked. “It’s him! It’s Voldemort! Take Harry and run! Get out of here!”
Lily didn’t hesitate. She threw down the package of fizzing whizbees and tore up the stairs to Harry’s bedroom, praying desperately that she would reach her baby before Voldemort did. She had to get him out of the house; away from the green light she’d seen from the corner of her eye as she’d dashed past the hall on her way to the stairs.
She threw open the door to the bedroom and there he was, still asleep in his crib. Lily sighed in relief. She reached down to pick him up, to flee from the house, and heard a creak on the stair behind her.
She cursed under her breath. There was no time. She wouldn’t be leaving the house with her son. She only had one option left to her. Who wants to live forever? she thought ruefully. She put Harry back in the crib and turned to face the intruders.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Lily smiled tersely.
A man with red eyes and a reptilian cast to his features stepped into the nursery. Voldemort. He smiled, and Lily felt a chill creep down her spine.
“You know quite well why I’m here. Step aside, and your life will be spared.”
Lily sneered. “Not a chance.”
There was a flurry of motion behind him and a figure in a dark robe and a mask stepped forward. “Lily, please…” She felt the color drain from her face.
“Peter, you unspeakable bastard,” she whispered.
“Just let him have Harry,” Peter pleaded. “He’s going to win anyway. It’s better for all of us.”
“You disgusting little rat,” Lily spat furiously. “You sold my family to save your own skin!”
“No! It was for all of us! James…” his voice sounded choked. “James was never supposed to get hurt. It’s only Harry that the Dark Lord is after.”
“If you think I’m going to let that snake touch a hair on my son’s head, you’re even crazier than I think you are.”
Finally impatient, Voldemort started forward. “Get out of my way, you foolish girl!” he snapped.
“You’ll have to kill me first.” Lily held her head high.
“As you wish.” Voldemort raised his wand. “Avada Kedavra!”
Lily had only a split second to hope that her death would be enough to activate the spell she’d cast on Harry those longs months ago. Part of her had known that it would come to this last line of protection, that in the end it would be only her life standing between Voldemort and her child.
As the roaring green light overtook her, she sent the last of her love to Harry. She hoped he would forgive her.
~
Theres no chance for us
Its all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Still, Lily had put on her robes and found a miniature cat costume for Harry and went to answer the door as a witch and her familiar. James reminded her that wizards did not celebrate Halloween like Muggles did, dressing up and begging for candy, but she answered the door anyway for the few children that did knock on the door. Harry had enjoyed gurgling at the trick-or-treaters.
Lily was sorry to miss the opportunity this year. She had hoped to take Harry out for an hour or so that evening to do some trick-or-treating of his own. He was old enough now to enjoy some candy, and their Muggle neighbors would have loved to see him in a costume. Still, it was for Harry’s own safety that they were in hiding, and Lily would be damned if she would allow any harm to come to him just because she wanted a Muggle Halloween.
But she missed the trick-or-treaters.
It was eight o’clock in the evening on Halloween before Lily and James finally put Harry to bed. Lily was still harboring a slight hope that Peter would stop by for an evening visit. She’d stocked up on some of his favorite sweets in case he arrived, planning to treat him as their only trick-or-treater, costume or not.
She and James had just settled into the sofa to listen to the Wireless when there was a knock at the door.
James rolled his eyes and stood. “Just when I was starting to get comfortable…” he muttered.
Lily laughed. “Oh, don’t grouse. It’s Halloween, and we have company. Maybe it’s Peter,” she suggested brightly. “I’ll get the candy.” She stood and went into the kitchen while James answered the door.
She was still rummaging through a cabinet, trying to remember where she’d put Peter’s candy and planning to murder James if he’d eaten it himself, when there was a shout from the front hall.
“Lily!” James’ voice was panicked. “It’s him! It’s Voldemort! Take Harry and run! Get out of here!”
Lily didn’t hesitate. She threw down the package of fizzing whizbees and tore up the stairs to Harry’s bedroom, praying desperately that she would reach her baby before Voldemort did. She had to get him out of the house; away from the green light she’d seen from the corner of her eye as she’d dashed past the hall on her way to the stairs.
She threw open the door to the bedroom and there he was, still asleep in his crib. Lily sighed in relief. She reached down to pick him up, to flee from the house, and heard a creak on the stair behind her.
She cursed under her breath. There was no time. She wouldn’t be leaving the house with her son. She only had one option left to her. Who wants to live forever? she thought ruefully. She put Harry back in the crib and turned to face the intruders.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Lily smiled tersely.
A man with red eyes and a reptilian cast to his features stepped into the nursery. Voldemort. He smiled, and Lily felt a chill creep down her spine.
“You know quite well why I’m here. Step aside, and your life will be spared.”
Lily sneered. “Not a chance.”
There was a flurry of motion behind him and a figure in a dark robe and a mask stepped forward. “Lily, please…” She felt the color drain from her face.
“Peter, you unspeakable bastard,” she whispered.
“Just let him have Harry,” Peter pleaded. “He’s going to win anyway. It’s better for all of us.”
“You disgusting little rat,” Lily spat furiously. “You sold my family to save your own skin!”
“No! It was for all of us! James…” his voice sounded choked. “James was never supposed to get hurt. It’s only Harry that the Dark Lord is after.”
“If you think I’m going to let that snake touch a hair on my son’s head, you’re even crazier than I think you are.”
Finally impatient, Voldemort started forward. “Get out of my way, you foolish girl!” he snapped.
“You’ll have to kill me first.” Lily held her head high.
“As you wish.” Voldemort raised his wand. “Avada Kedavra!”
Lily had only a split second to hope that her death would be enough to activate the spell she’d cast on Harry those longs months ago. Part of her had known that it would come to this last line of protection, that in the end it would be only her life standing between Voldemort and her child.
As the roaring green light overtook her, she sent the last of her love to Harry. She hoped he would forgive her.
~
Theres no chance for us
Its all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
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