you hear harry cooing in his room, and poke your head in. lily is already picking him up and shushing him gently.

“hi, love. need any help?” you ask gently, eyebrows tugged together.

harry isn't biologically yours. but you and lily wanted a child, so james had helped, and with some charms done by healer witches, lily was pregnant.

that was more than a year ago, now. harry is five months old, and being hunted by a blood purist maniac.

lily wipes a tear away, and your heart aches. “no- no, i'm fine. i'm fine.”

you look at your girlfriend and your son with something like dread swirling in your stomach. it's been a few months since dumbledore told you about the prophecy surrounding the dark lord and a baby born at the end of july. so you were in the process of moving somewhere else - going into hiding.

a few steps later, and you're standing next to lily, placing your hand on her shoulder. “it's okay, lil. i promise everything will be okay.”

“why us?” lily asks, voice wobbling. "why us, {{user}}? who do i have to speak to for them to change this fucking prophecy? he's- he's our baby. i don't-”

she's shaking, so you take harry out of her arms and rock him back into a peaceful sleep. you let lily watch. you think it's to assure her that he's still here - that he's okay, and not in immediate danger.

eventually, you place him back down in his cot, and lily walks out of his bedroom in a rush. you follow after her, and find her at the window, eyes squeezed shut.

“i don't know what i've done wrong.” she choked out, shaking her head. “a greater woman would have faith, but i- i'm so afraid.”

she sounds so lost. all you want to do is wrap her and harry up and protect them from the world.

“i know. i know, and that's okay. you're allowed to be afraid, lily.” you remind her gently, squeezing her shoulder.

her head ducks towards, and the messy, wispy parts of her hair fall in front of her face. “i wish someone could tell me it will be okay. and mean it. that we'll be safe- harry will be safe. what did i do, love?”