An Infinite of Time
Lily peered around the ivory curtain out into the night, her pearly face creasing in anxiety. Squinting through the darkness, she was desperate to catch sight of the swish of a cloak, or even hear the gentle noise of approaching footsteps. She wasn’t sure that it was even safe to go out anymore “ Voldemort could be anywhere.
James didn’t seem to realise the danger they were in, or even if he did, he never showed it. Lily knew he thought he had to be strong for her and Harry and she loved him all the more for it. He was her hero “ the only person who could save her from the knot of fear inside her. For Lily knew that they couldn’t hide forever. Eventually the day would come when Voldemort would discover them, and Harry would be left all alone.
Just the thought of this brought crystals of sorrow to her eyes that spilled over onto her cheek. She leant her head against the wall, still looking desperately out into the night. She needed James now. He would calm her fears. He would silence every terrible thought in her head, and let her melt into his arms.
Lily suddenly moved closer to the window, ensuring that what she thought she had just seen was not merely the illusion of her hungry heart. It wasn’t “ James was safe. She half-ran to the door, brushing aside the tears that had fallen from her emerald eyes.
James was walking briskly down the street, heading towards the house at the very end of it. He knew Lily would be waiting for him, just the other side of the mahogany door, and the smile on her face would fill the gaping hole in his heart. She was the only one he’d ever love, the one he would share his heart with, the one he would sacrifice his life for. As he approached the earthy pathway up to the door, he plucked the last of the crimson roses from the bush beside him. One of its thorns pierced him, drawing a little blood, but James chose not to care. This rose was for Lily. Holding it carefully behind his back, he proceeded to the door, lifted the brass lion’s head, and knocked softly on the door.
It opened immediately, and there Lily stood, her eyes dancing with a beautiful euphoria. James brought his hand out, and presented her with the rose.
“I’m sorry I’m late, sweetheart,” he apologized. “I hoped this would make up for it.”
“James, I know this came from the garden!” laughed Lily. “And you don’t have to apologize “ I understand that the Ministry needs you.”
James stepped through the door and sighed as he shut it behind him. “I wish it didn’t have to be like this,” he said, taking Lily’s free hand. He stroked her skin, feeling the smoothness of it under his own rough hand. He pulled her gently towards him, and placed a kiss on her forehead.
Lily buried her face in his chest, letting him wrap his strong arms around her, protecting her from harm. She breathed in his mesmerizing scent, before saying tenderly, “James, I’m so tired of hiding away. I want to go to a place where no one knows who we are, where we can sit together under a tree and watch Harry splashing about in a lake. I’ve dreamt of it for so long.”
“I know, I know. I wish we could have that too. But don’t worry, we will someday. I promise you that for as long as I live, I will always give you your dreams.”
Lily looked up into his hazel eyes. “Then hold me tonight. Make me forget about everything except our love…” she whispered.
The rose in her hand fell to the floor as she reached up to his neck, and brought his lips down to hers in a passionate kiss. Both wished that it would last forever, for it was only during that one beautiful moment that they truly forgot their fears. James’s cloak slipped off his shoulders as they stood there - locked in each others’ kiss.
They finally broke apart, and Lily rested her head once more on James’s chest, sensing his quickened heartbeat. Oh, James. What would I do without you? she thought, as he stroked her hair comfortingly.
“I should probably go and check on Harry,” said James finally, his eyes traveling towards the stairs.
“Your meal’s on the table,” Lily called as he slowly moved upstairs. She bent down and picked up his cloak and the rose. A thorn on the stem pricked her finger, and a trickle of blood ran down onto the cloak. Sucking her thumb hard, she cursed her carelessness and hung the cloak on its peg by the door.
*
It was later that night and James lay sleeping peacefully in a chair by the fire, his glasses reflecting its warm glow. Lily watched him silently, twirling the rose he had given her earlier between her fingers, and thinking of all they had been through. Her eyes fell on the small scar on the back of his hand; it reminded her of their wedding day, when he had been so eager to make sure that she wouldn’t be grazed while they cut the cake that he had ended up scratching himself. Her eyes overflowed once more as she remembered countless times when he had risked his own wellbeing just to protect her. He was her guardian angel.
Lily went over and touched his cheek lightly. “Maybe we should go to bed, James,” she suggested gently. He slowly opened his eyes and shook his head.
“I have a better idea,” he murmured, pulling Lily down into his arms and running his fingers down her arm. The rose slipped once again from her grip as he lowered his lips to hers in a kiss full of the promise of eternal love. “I will stand by you forever, Lily. I’ll never stop loving you.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder, whispering “Oh James, you make my pain vanish. I’ll never doubt you for as long as I live.”
He smiled amorously down into her eyes, before gazing over her head into the fire. His face transformed into one of insecurity and concern, not knowing what would happen to them. He brought Lily closer to him, hoping that if he refused to let her go, they would be safe forever.
And so they lay, entwined in each others’ arms, two halves of a whole, two bodies but one heart. Two minds, but one soul.
*
They both awoke suddenly at the sound of crashes, springing to their feet as they heard the front door being broken down.
“No!” Lily screamed. “Not now! Please, no!”
James face had gone white. “Quick! Go upstairs “ get Harry!” Lily immediately charged upstairs, frantically running to their bedroom; where Harry was sleeping. She took him out of his cot, wrapped him in a blanket and nestled him in the crook of her arm. She attempted to quieten him as he began crying, desperate not to attract Voldemort to Harry.
She returned downstairs, tears now coursing down her face. James still stood there, wand out, facing the door which he was sure Voldemort would come through.
“Lily, take Harry and go! It’s Him! Go! Run! I’ll hold him off “”
Lily cast him a petrified look, but she could see that he would not back down. She stumbled from the room, but before she could quite open the back door, a cackle of high pitched laughter sounded from behind it, and it burst open.
Lily was thrown backwards by the force of the blast; she screamed, clutching onto Harry with all the strength she could muster. Looking over to the door, she saw the very eyes she had been dreading for the past three years. Lord Voldemort’s snake-like face was turned towards her.
“Ah, yes, there he is,” he said, lips curling into a malevolent smile. “Give me the boy.”
“Never!” yelled James, stepping in front of his wife and child, shielding them from harm.
“Very courageous of you, James, but you really needn’t die. All I want is the boy.”
“Then you’ll have to kill me first!” James bellowed in reply.
Lily’s face turned ghostly white. “No! James, no!”
But he still stood firmly in front of her, determined that he would die before Voldemort killed Lily or Harry. He aimed his wand at where Voldemort’s heart should have been, ready to strike -
But it was already too late. A flash of green light erupted from Voldemort’s wand, and hit James squarely in the chest. He crumpled to the floor, his wand rolling out of his hand as he hit the ground. Lily screamed again, the disbelief and heartache welling up inside her as she saw her husband fall, his life stolen from him.
She knelt at his side, setting Harry down momentarily and brushing away the hair from James’s face. His eyes were empty, void of the life she usually saw burning fiercely within them. Lily slowly got to her feet, shielding Harry with her body, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Give me the boy!” screeched Voldemort, hunger gleaming in his eyes.
“Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!” she screamed.
“Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside, now…”
“Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead “”
Voldemort simply laughed callously, his eyes filled with cruel jubilance.
“Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…”
There was a flash of green light and Voldemort cackled, a high pitched, cold laugh of victory. Lily fell to the floor, elegant even in death. Her head landed on James’ chest, imitating their position of only hours before. Voldemort advanced on Harry, hunger roaring in his scarlet eyes.
“AVADA KEDAVRA!” he bellowed, pointing his wand directly at Harry’s heart.
Once again, the stream of green light soared through the air, but before it hit Harry, it rebounded upon Voldemort, who was hit full-on. He staggered, wheezing, before he began shrieking as his body was gradually ripped from him. He was left less than a spirit, weak and powerless. He fled from the room with what remained of his strength, and all was left quiet.
All except for the cry of a baby. The cry of the Boy Who Lived.
The cry of a boy that had just lost his parents, but did not know it yet. The boy that his parents loved so much they would give up their lives in the hope that he would survive.
Lily and James were lying only metres away from Harry, each wrapped in the others’ eternal embrace. The delicate crimson rose rested just between their heads, both their blood still on the thorns, marking their everlasting sacrifice for love. And though their life on earth had come to an end, their love would go on beyond mortal death.
For some love lasts a lifetime. True love lasts forever.