Erased and Replaced

Part 15~Christmas Tears

Yawning, Harry placed his head against the cold window. The sun peeked over the edges of the distance, reflexing over the buildings. He could hear the Weasleys buzzing about downstairs excitedly as they joked with Elijah, Snape and Regulus. It was weird to be sitting upstairs alone on Christmas morning. It was just like being back at the Dursleys.

Harry jumped as the door was thrown open. "Morning Harry," the twins shouted together, starling Harry.

Fred looked at the bed in confusion before he spotted Harry on the windowsill. "Oh, you're already up!"

"Then let's get going!" George ran over, picking Harry up and dragging him across the room.

"We got him," the two announced while bursting into the living room.

Elijah looked up, laughing from the sight. Harry was being dragged backwards through the door as Fred and Geroge smirked cheekily. Harry looked confused as they dropped him on the floor. Harry rubbed the back of his head as he looked around owlishly. "What? Thought you could get out of the Christmas traditions, did you?" Elijah dragged Harry up from the floor before sitting down beside his father.

Harry watched Elijah, his eyes widening and his throat tightening. He stumbled back in shock and horror as he stared at the lady at Elijah's side.

"Hello there. You must be Harry. Elijah has told me so much about you. I was glad to hear Elijah finally getting along with at least one of the Gryffindors as a Gryffindor myself that is." The lady stood up, offered at her hand but Harry shook his head, running away.

He wasn't usually one to run away from a situation. He was a Gryffindor for goodness sake but this was too much. He could deal with Riddle and Dumbledore being the other way round. He could deal with the changes in the houses. He could deal with no one knowing who he was. He could deal with all that but he couldn't deal with this! He wasn't going to sit down with the lady he had dreamed about for so long when she doesn't even know who he is. He couldn't deal with his mother being in that living room. He couldn't deal with Lily Nee Evans being in that room!

"What did I say?" Lily gave a worried look to her son as Riddle sighed. He should have warned Harry about that.

Elijah searched a look with his dad as Ron jumped up and followed Harry upstairs.

His door wasn't even closed. Harry paced in a circle, muttering to himself. Ron narrowed his eyes. Tears streamed down Harry's cheeks as he hugged himself.

"Harry?"

Harry jumped, looking through his tears as he spun to face Ron. "Get out!" Harry's magic reacted to his emotional distress, whipping out and pushing Ron back.

Ron looked at Harry in fear. Harry was a Gryffindor. He was evil but as Harry curled up against the window, hugging his knees to his chest, Ron didn't see a single bit of Gryffindor in the teen. Cautiously walking towards Harry, he remembered what Elijah had told him.

"Don't judge Harry. He isn't evil and he hasn't been raised to be evil. He doesn't even have a family. Both his parents died in the war."

Ron knew that Elijah was right but he had found it hard to believe. "Harry..."

"Please, just leave me alone."

Ron didn't know what to do. He was about to say something when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He let out a relieved sigh when he saw Luna standing behind him. "It's alright. I've got this. Go back downstairs and enjoy your Christmas."

"But... I can't leave him like this..."

"It's okay." Luna patted Ron's shoulder as she stepped inside the room. "You're a good friend but right now, Harry needs someone else. Go, keep the others downstairs and enjoy your Christmas."

Ron didn't want to leave. He bit his lip as Luna sat beside Harry, gently lifting up Harry's chin as she smiled. Ron sighed, turning around and closing the door behind him.

Ron couldn't help but feel defeated as he returned. Everyone jumped at his return but he only shook his head.

"I don't understand what I did wrong." Lily looked genuinely upset as Snape rubbed circles on her back. Elijah was trying to reassure his mum that whatever just happened wasn't her fault but it wasn't working.

"You think this had something to do with James?" Regulus regretted it the second he said it. The tension was palpable as Snape tightened his hold of Lily.

"Sadly, I do not." Riddle shook his head. "I must apologise, I should have warned him. It didn't occur to me but..." Riddle rubbed his eyes. Whatever interest and refreshing effect hearing about Harry's life had on him was long gone. He just felt tired now.

Fred leaned in with a worried expression in his eyes. "Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"Sadly, I do. After you left that night, Harry and I had a long conversation. That poor boy."

Lily looked at the headmaster. In all the years she had known the man, she had never seen him this upset. His eyes had always betrayed him. After the war, he had a similar look in his eyes but Lily swore this was worse. "What happened to him?"

Riddle shook his head. "That is not my story to tell. I will just tell you that his mother looked a lot like Lily. He most likely saw her in you and reacted badly because of it."

Elijah looked down at that, looking towards the stairs. "Harry..."

Luna hummed under her breath as she rubbed Harry's back. Harry had long since fallen asleep on her shoulder as she read through the Quibbler. She looked up when the door creaked open. Lily wasn't sure if she should do this but as Luna gently shook Harry awake, she couldn't go back.

Harry looked around himself in confusion, rubbing his eyes. Luna stood up, walking past Lily as she whispered words of encouragement. Harry didn't look at Lily as he glanced away.

"Hello, Harry. I feel like we haven't had the best start." Lily sat on the bed, she didn't want to get too close to Harry and cause him to freak out but she didn't want to stand by the door. "My name is Lily Snape. You already know my son."

Harry hummed, picking at his sleeve.

"Headmaster Riddle told me a little about your past," she announced causing Harry to shoot up. "He said that your parents died in the war. That I looked like your mother."

Harry didn't answer as he curled up more.

"Can you tell me about her?"

"No... I never met her. She died when I was one, just like my dad. What I know about them, others told me." Harry hit his head against the window. He loved hearing about his parents but there is only so long you can spend hearing about how great they were before you question what kind of person they really were.

"I'm so sorry." Lily hesitated as she gently sat by Harry's side. "It's okay you know. To miss someone you've never met. I'm sure seeing me must be hard if I look like her." Lily pulled Harry into a sideways hug. Harry could feel tears falling down again. This Lily might not be his mother. But this is the closest he'll ever be to her.

"Mummy... Why did you have to leave me?"

Lily didn't answer as Harry fell asleep on her shoulder.