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october 31st 1981 — godrics hollow

The night wasn't one of the greatest, but then again, when is there good weather in England, especially in October? There was wind blowing through the streets, rain littering down the town, but despite the dreadful weather, there was still laughter echoing through the streets, children running around as happiness and joy filled the air.

The muggles were oblivious to the horrors that were about to take place at the house at the end of the street as they had their own fun trick or treating, having no clue about the circumstances between the family of four.

How within the night, the two toddlers would be orphaned, and the two parents would be dead.

Lily Potter was thinking about these upsetting thoughts, shamelessly overthinking as if her life depended on it as she stared outside the window of her living room, watching as a young lady who looked to be the same age as Lily held her daughter's hand as they crossed the street whilst the woman's son ran beside her. She wished so desperately that the sight could've been her instead of watching it all happen from afar.

Halloween was one of her favourite holidays, she always went all out, her parents were big holiday enthusiasts so she got lucky on that department. It was a great day for the Potter family, they all loved it. Her daughter Hopes favourite too.

The infant had been in the happiest mood after a fortnight of crying to which they only had one answer for the sudden change of mood.

She knew it was Halloween.

Sadly this year they couldn't celebrate as the mother had hoped but just watch outside as the muggles enjoy their night. How fun.

Lily wished to go to the small park, or the corner shop, or even the muggle bus stop down the road.

Of course, she didn't know this at the time, that she would never get to go to any of those places ever again. That she would never be able to give her children a sweet treat or their uncle moonys chocolate — that only they are allowed to have.

"Okay Hopey, I'm thinking of a colour," James told his daughter, looking down at the young girl who was perched on his lap, "Come on Hopey, you can do it! What colour is daddy thinking of?" He encouraged the infant who was staring up at her father, her wide-doe hazel eyes peering into his own.

Hope Potter stared up at her dad silently for a moment before she suddenly mumbled, "Red." She responded which was right, of course he just thought she was incredibly smart, not knowing it was something more.

James let out a giddy laugh, holding her in his hands before lifting her in the air, which caused the toddlers giggles to fill the room before he took hold of her again and placed her back on his lap.

"That's right! Well done Hopey." James praised with a large smile on his face as he looked down at his daughter to which she smiled back up at him, letting out the same giddy laugh he did as she waved her arms up in the air in a frantic motion.

They played a few more rounds before Lily looked over from the window to down at her son, who was sitting comfortably on the sofa next to her, resting his head on her shoulder in contempt. He was busy looking through a picture book, laughing at any of the images he found funny whilst waving it in his mother's face in amusement.

The twenty-one-year-old then looked over to her husband and daughter, who were too busy to have seen her gaze on them, their laughter filling the room whilst they had the largest smiles on their faces she had seen in a while, making her eyes soften. "James, she isn't a toy." She playfully scolded.

"But—okay, fine. It's just so much fun!" He whined but gave in after the sight of his wife's beautiful emerald green eyes that his son also seemed to have adopted. "Okay, let's play something else." Hopey—what do you want to play, my love?"

The toddler shrugged in return, pointing her chubby finger at him, making him nod, "Alright, I'll pick." He replied with a sigh before thinking, "Hide and seek?" he asked, earning a shake of the head.

"Peak-a-boo?" He suggested, but she still wasn't satisfied.

"No." The girl denied.

"These blocks?" James pointed down to the toys that were on the floor beside them.

"Nuh uh." She shook her head, a small pout on her lips.

"A book like your brother?" He questioned.

"Ew no." She frowned, a disgusted look taking place on her face, which caused the father to laugh in surprise at his daughter's disgust, hiding the mirth clear on his expression after seeing his wife give him a look.

She really was his daughter.

"Flying game?" He asked which actually caught her attention this time, thank Merlin he was running out of ideas.

"Yes! Yes!" She shrieked, grabbing his fingers to try pull him up which made him laugh.

The man laid on his back before picking up his little girl, laying her onto his feet by her stomach before lifting her in the air with her lying on his feet whilst holding her hands.

She let out a melodic giggle that can easily make you smile yourself as she waves her hand around in an attempt to wriggle out her father's hold, which he reluctantly let her do after pulling her into a tighter position, his hands hovering below her just in case she falls.

Hope attempted to sit down on his feet but wasn't able to do so. Not knowing what else to do, she looked down at her dad, giving him her signature doe eyes, which made his heart warm. James pulled her up into the position she wanted, watching from his position as she pretended to be on a broom and "flew" around, making hand movements as she pretends to be playing quidditch.

Lily looked over, her eyes widening slightly at the sight in front of her, which caused her to stare down at her husband in annoyance for a moment before noticing her daughter's actions and letting her lips tug into a wide grin at the sight.

"James, she is going to fall; be careful." The woman warned as she softly played with Harry's curls, her words making James smile before pulling the baby back down and placing her back on his knee.

"She's fine, see." James gestured to their daughter on his lap, who was busy watching the interaction, with a curious look.

Hope noticed the annoyed look on her mother's face making her confused before she decided to use the signature move her uncle Paddy and her daddy uses on her mom all the time when she was annoyed at them: "Mama is so pretty!"

Lily Potter's expression switched into an amused smile when she realised what her little girl was doing whilst James snickered as his daughter continued to compliment his wife, making him nod in agreement, "She is very pretty, isn't she?" He said it in mock agreement.

"Yes very!" Hope exclaimed with glee, soaking in the attention she was getting as her lips turned up into a proud smile when she saw her mom wasn't annoyed anymore, even though the woman was never mad at her.

"Aww! Thank you, my love." Lily cooed softly as she stood up, gently resting Harry's head on the sofa before scooping her daughter out of her husband's hold and sitting back down with both her babies in her grasp now, giving her sweet girl a kiss on the forehead.

"How does that work for her but not me or pads?" James playfully complained, pulling the same pouting face that his daughter had gained from him, to which the two girls let out a laugh whilst Harry looked at his dad confused, the judgement clear on his face, before looking back at his book.

"Well, she is prettier, cuter, funnier, and cooler. ." The ginger-haired Potter recalls, "Just better than you." Lily stated, to which James gasped in mock offence, turning over to his little girl just to see the one-year-old nodding with confidence in agreement with her mother's words, the young girl's blonde curls jumping around as her small smile turned into a grin.

"Mean," he mockingly pouted, "I'm going to play with Harry now because he looks exactly like me." He huffed, picking up his little boy and placing him down on the carpet as he took out his wand.

Lily looked at him with an exasperated look. "Is that it? Just because he looks like you?" She mocked her husband.

"No, of course not my lily-flower; he is also the cutest too!" James replied, sending her his signature dopey smile that is only reserved for her.

Lily light-heartedly rolled her eyes with a smile, passing her daughter a colouring book and some crayons, watching her daughter as she draws on the paper.

"Come on, Harry—get it! You can do this!" James Potter cheered on his son as he watched the infant attempt to grab the colourful smoke that James had just spelt to erupt out his wand.

Lily smiled to herself as she took in the peaceful night they were experiencing; despite it not being exactly what she had wanted, she was still glad. They hadn't had one quite like this in a long time.

After Lily and James's best friend, Marlene McKinnon's, murder, the whole Potter house was devastated. Hope couldn't sleep; she just cried the whole time. Harry was sad too, but it was because his sister was crying. The way Hope acted, it was like she knew what had happened. She was mourning the loss of her favourite aunt and her godmother, the woman she was so generously named after.

Little did Lily Potter know that this day would soon turn into one of the worst days of the twins lives.

She looked down at her baby, stroking her hair gently as she admired her daughter. When Lily and James found out she was pregnant, they were ecstatic. It was one of the happiest days of their lives. James was more hormonal than her; he cried every five bloody seconds.

The married couple had no idea they were to have twins. Her daughter was their miracle. Their hope for the war to soon be over.

The sound of her son's giggles caused the woman to turn over, now taking in the sight of the father and son, their expressions full of delight as they had their fun.

At first glance, it was obvious the two toddlers were twins.

With their near identical tufts of hair. Harry's was already dark like his father, but Hope was more blonde. Lily had an idea it would be darker as her daughter got older, though. It was clear that the twins took over the Potter side of the family. The main difference though was the eyes.

While Hope Marlene Potter shared matching hazel eyes with her father, Harry James Potter possessed his mother's emerald green eyes.

Lily Potter was an incredibly intelligent woman. She was top of her class in all lessons and a favourite of all professors; she wasn't called the brightest girl in her year for nothing.

Lily knew that the night wasn't as they might've hoped. She knew they wouldn't truly be happy. They never would be able to, not until he is gone and isn't after her children.

"Alright James, I think it's time for bed." Lily spoke up, which broke the comfortable silence placed upon them as she tucked her long, dark-red hair behind her ear.

"You heard, mummy, kids. It's time for night nights." James told the twins as he put his wand-coloured smoke out, carelessly throwing it on the sofa behind him.

"Where's that cat at, love?" James asked as he looked around the living room whilst picking up his son, not seeing the familiar ginger-haired cat he had grown to love.

"Out back, she's alright, don't worry." Lily responded as she took her son in her arms after Harry reached for her, reluctantly giving up on her attempt to take away her daughter's drawing, which she held a tight grasp on.

"Here I'll have a go." James came over to her aid as the couple switched jobs, giving James the task of taking the young girls drawings out of the stubborn girls hands.

Lily looked back over to her daughter, holding back a laugh as the toddler shook her head with a pout, watching as Hope turned her head to the side so she couldn't see his face, still holding the drawing.

"Bloody hell, she's more stubborn than me." James let out a breath as he finally got her to release her drawing and the red crayon from her small hand.

As he went to pick her up, he stilled when she waved the drawing in his face, causing him to smile, looking at the drawing in one hand whilst placing the girl on his waist with the other.

His smile dropped when it showed a drawing of the living room they were currently in and an arrow pointing to the door with text saying 'bad guy' in messy red handwriting that was full of spelling mistakes, but he understood it almost instantly.

James looked over at his wife for a split second before looking down at his daughter, who was resting her head comfortably on his shoulder. He looked down at her with a confused look. "What does this mean, love?"

Her timid smile dropped into a small frown, which became larger by the second, James' anxiety growing at the sight, "Ba' ga'." She gurgled out the words, shaking her hand whilst pointing her chubby index finger over to the door, like she had done the drawing.

He looks over to the door, then back at his daughter before dropping the drawing on the floor when he hears a bang at the door, making him flinch. James's face pales, leaning down and pressing a kiss upon his daughter's forehead before placing her in his wife's awaiting arms as the married couple looked at each other, both stuck on what to say exactly.

"I love you, lily-flower." James spoke first, pulling her in for their last kiss.

"I love you too, Potter. ." She replied, kissing him back before allowing him to leave the room, not realising the man running out had forgotten his wand behind on the couch.

Lily heard his shouts coming from the hall as he faced the intruder.

"Lily! Take Hope and Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"

The ginger-haired woman immediately took off, sprinting up the stairs, keeping a tight hold on the two children peacefully tucked in her arms. She hurried into the nursery, slamming the door shut before pulling over the wardrobe and pulling it in front of the door as a barrier.

Just before she shut the door, Lily heard the cold voice of the man who had been after her children, listening as she heard the two words she dreaded the most coming from his mouth.

"Avada Kedavra!"

She finally shut the door, barricading it whilst sobbing. Lily turned her back to the door and couldn't help but let out a heartbroken scream, which she muffled behind her hand. She quietened down after seeing her son and daughter looking over to her with the same expression of curiosity, but she couldn't help but burst into tears again at the sight of her daughters hazel eyes—the same ones that had belonged to her husband, who she had just heard die.

Lily Potter stared at her children for a moment longer before parting her lips, whispering quietly to them.

"I love you both so much. I love you, Harry. Take care of your sister. I love you, Hope; protect your brother for me. Me and Daddy will be with you—always and forever."

The hooded intruder forced the door open, casting aside the chairs, boxes, and the large wardrobe hastily piled against it with one flick of his wand, and there she stood, her children in her arms. At the sight of him, her sad eyes darkened, swiftly lowering her daughter and son into the crib behind her before throwing her arms wide open, as if this would help, as if in shielding them from the sight, as though she hoped to be chosen instead. .

"Not Harry and Hope! Not Harry—please not Hope! — PLEASE!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl. . Stand aside now."

She pleaded as tears rolled ferociously down her soft rosy cheeks, desperately trying to beg for her children's lives, "Not my children, please no, take me! Kill me instead... just spare them."

"This is my last warning."

"Not Hope and Harry! Please, have mercy, not my kids! Not my children! Please—I'll do anything!"

"Stand aside, girl—stand aside!"

She didn't move and stubbornly stayed in the same position, her arms wide in the air as she begged for her children's lives to be spared. Soon enough, a green light flashed around the room, and Lily Potter dropped to the floor just like her husband.

The children watched the scene with confused expressions. They didn't know what was going on. Hope knew her mother was sad—she could sense it—and then there was nothing. It confused the toddler. Harry managed to stand up, clutching the bars of his sisters' crib. He ignored his sister, who had looked away from the hooded figure and towards her brother, pulling him away in fear.

Hope managed to pull her brother away from the man's shadow, forcing her brother to sit back down next to her as she hugged onto his arm like her life depended on it, her hand in his. They looked up at the intruder's face; Harry's was covered in bright interest, as Hope's was covered in confusion and denial. She hoped it was her dad hiding under the cloak—he has done it before; why not a second time? He was probably going to be making some more bright, pretty lights—then their mother would pop up laughing brightly. .

The intruders pointed the wand at her brothers face, carefully holding it up. The twins began to cry, realising it wasn't their dad. Harry screamed loudly as Hope tried to quieten her sobs in fear. Hope looked up as she made eye contact with the intruder, his beady red eyes peering into her innocent hazel eyes as he yelled out.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The vivid green curse came soaring at her brother, but when it hit him on the side of his forehead, it bounced right off and onto her, mirroring their now fresh scars, and then at the cloaked man.

When it hit the intruder, a bright flash of green lit up the room, and the cloak dropped to the floor, along with the man's wand, next to their mother.

The twins waited in the destroyed nursery for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was only about half an hour. All you could hear were the cries of the two toddlers—their hearts yearning for their mom and dad.

There were footsteps from the bottom of the stairs making the girl look up, seeing one of her dad's best friends, Uncle Petey. She did really like him—he was really sweet, but she was also really suspicious about him. She always felt like he was hiding something. He only entered to grab the cloaked man's wand before he cast a fearful glance at the crying twins, pausing at the sight of Hope's eyes. James' eyes. His eyes start pooling with tears that he stubbornly held back before running out.

It wasn't until much longer when another man entered—this man Hope had never seen before, as she turns to her brother, who is also watching the strange man with a confused look, the twins sharing a look at the sight.

The pale man with dark hair fell to the ground at the sight of the twins mother, crying as he held her tight to his chest.

He stayed, clutching her dead body for the next five minutes, before realising the twins were still in the room and were alive. He stood up and took one look at them—his sad eyes hardening at the sight of his enemies children.

The man looked back at the woman before trudging out, his cape following behind as he strolled out, not sparing another glance at the body of his first and only love.

Always.

After the man's dramatic exit, it took almost an hour for another person to walk through.

Hope and Harry had stopped crying at this point, holding each other close as they held hands—not having let go since they watched their mom fall to the ground because of that cloaked man with red beady eyes.

Harry had fallen asleep, but Hope had stayed awake, not wanting to sleep until she was safe with her family. She had somehow registered what her mother had said about protecting her brother, so she stayed up, just in case.

When Sirius entered the room, Hope's tired, drooping eyes brightened at the sight of him. He already had tears running down his face and red eyes from crying. He let out another sob at the sight of the girl who was like a sister to him, Lily Potter, dead on the floor, a choked gasp when he heard the voice of his goddaughter. Sirius looked over to see Hope and Harry still alive.

"Paddy! Paddy!" Hope shrieked, holding her hands up in the air and making grabbing noises for him to pick her up.

Her godfather rushed around Lily to pick her up into his arms. Hope wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face into his chest. Just then, the two heard someone else walking up the stairs with heavy footsteps. Sirius turned towards the door, taking his wand out with Hope safely tucked into his embrace.

Hope tightens her grip on her Sirius as the person walks into the room, looking up from her position to see a large man with a beard at the front of the door. Sirius recognises the man, sighing with noticeable relief.

"Hagrid."

He was almost twice as tall as a normal man, at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed and so wild—long tangles of thick, bushy black hair and a beard that hid most of his face. He had hands the size of bin lids, and his feet in their leather were like baby dolphins. Although he too had tears streaming down his face.

"Ah. . Sirius, I'm sorry for your loss. Lily and' James... were such good people. I've just' come to collect' Hope and Harry—Dumbledore sent' me here," he trailed off before adding, "so I bes' be off."

"Hagrid, can't I take them? I'm her godfather; I'll look after them both. Not sure where Remus went; his house is empty, but I'll owl Mary for Harry too."

"Sorry, Sirius. No, can do. Dumbledore says they're to go to their aunt's and uncle's house." Hagrid states.

"Hagrid, really, I can take care of them. It's the least I can do for James and Lily." Sirius tried to reason, his eyes softening as he sees his goddaughter's eyes drooping slightly in his arms.

"I thin' it's bes' we trus' Dumbledore, Sirius. I really am sorry though."

Sirius eventually nodded reluctantly and stood aside to allow Hagrid to pick up the sleeping Harry out of the crib, passing the body of Lily by doing so.

Hagrid walked out, to which Sirius turned to follow him but stopped when he noticed the toddler in his arms pointing over to her teddies. He rushed back over to the crib, grabbing her stag, wolf, and black dog teddy, placing them into her grasp, smiling slightly as she comfortably lays back in his embrace before rushing downstairs where Hagrid waited.

They walk out the wrecked house, down the pathway where Sirius' flying motorbike had been hastily parked.

"Here, Hagrid, you can take my bike; I won't need it anymore." Sirius voiced out after a moment of silence.

After Hagrid got settled in the motorcycle with Harry secured in one of his arms, he looked over to see Sirius trying to pry the young girl off his arm. He tries to detach Hope from him but finds the challenge met with difficulty, for it seemed like the young girl didn't want to let go.

"Come on, Hope. . Please?" He says whilst trying to make her let go.

"No." She says stubbornly with a familiar-looking pout across her face, making Sirius roll his eyes in remembrance.

"Good Godric, you really are your father's daughter," he muttered, mostly to himself, with a shaky laugh.

"Please, can you let go, Hopey? You'll be okay; just go with Hagrid—he's a nice man, don't worry. Everything will be okay, I promise." He gently cooed, wiping off the girl's tears that rested in the corner of her eyes with his pinkie.

At the nickname he and her dad call her, she lets out a small sigh of annoyance before nodding reluctantly, letting go of the tight hold he had on her godfather and allowing him to pass her over to Hagrid with a sad look on his face.

"I'll—I'll see you soon, alright, love? Watch out for yourself and your brother for me, alright, hopey?" Sirius told her with a sigh, forcing on a smile before adding, "I love you, Prongslet." He murmured, leaving a sweet kiss on his goddaughter's forehead before backing away to let Hagrid leave.

Hope giggled as she gripped her brother's hands, looking back at one of her favourite people—her Godfather. She waved at him with her small hand, earning one back as he gave her a look of sorrow that she didn't seem to grasp. They took off, flying off into the night, neither of them knowing it would take almost twelve years until they saw each other again.

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ AUTHORS NOTE ࿐ྂ

⇢ rip james and lily potter