𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑫𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓

Prolouge

Every story has a beginning, and this one started on July 31, 1980. The air in the waiting room buzzed with anticipation as James Potter paced back and forth, his nerves on full display. Sirius Black, ever the restless companion, swatted him on the shoulder, half-laughing. "Will you sit down already? You're going to wear a hole in the floor!" Meanwhile, Remus Lupin attempted to pry Sirius away from James, though his own calm was starting to crack.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and a young nurse hurried in, her face flushed with exertion, strands of hair sticking to her forehead. "Mr. Potter," she panted, her eyes sparkling, "you've received quite the present today!"

James stopped in his tracks, heart pounding. The nurse smiled, though her mask obscured most of it, and she fidgeted with the papers in her hands. "There's been a bit of a surprise... turns out the scans were wrong. Your wife didn't just have one baby—you've got twins. A beautiful son *and* daughter."

"Twins?" James echoed, disbelief and wonder settling over him. He glanced at Sirius and Remus, who both wore identical expressions of shock.

The nurse opened the door wider, ushering him inside. "Go on, meet your children."

Sirius, never one to let a moment slip, grinned broadly. "Two kids? Merlin, this is going to be great! I'll take the girl on adventures the moment she's old enough. Think of it, Prongs—her and me, chocolate in hand, running wild!"

"She's a newborn," Remus interrupted, rolling his eyes. "You can't feed babies chocolate, and she won't be going on any adventures anytime soon. Honestly, I'd be the better godfather—someone's got to keep an eye on her with you around."

James chuckled, shaking his head as he led the way into the room. "Oi, you two, quit bickering! Come and look."

Inside, Lily sat on the bed, her face glowing with exhaustion and joy. She cradled a tiny bundle in her arms—a baby boy with messy black hair and bright green eyes. In a nearby basket, the other newborn lay quietly, taking in the world with wide, curious eyes, one icy blue and the other a soft, honey brown.

"This," James announced proudly, "is Harry James Potter."

Remus stepped forward and gently lifted the second baby from the basket. "And what about this little one?" he asked, rocking her until her eyelids fluttered closed. The baby girl's black hair contrasted sharply with her unusual eyes, which neither parent had yet noticed.

Lily smiled softly. "How about Eliza Potter?"

James nodded in agreement, but just as he did, Eliza's eyes opened again, revealing the striking contrast. The room fell silent. Sirius and Remus stared in awe, while James and Lily exchanged uncertain glances.

"Her eyes..." Lily's voice faltered. "Why are they different?"

James shrugged helplessly. "I've got no idea."

Sirius, ever the optimist, grinned wide. "She's stunning! Look at her! Two different eye colors—she's unique!"

But Lily's face darkened with confusion and something close to unease. "What will people think? What will they say?"

Remus, still holding the baby, looked between them with disbelief. "You're not seriously thinking of giving her up, are you?" His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it.

James hesitated. "It's just... people might think something's wrong—"

"No," Remus cut him off firmly. "She's perfect. We just got our first goddaughter, and nothing is going to happen to her."

Lily remained quiet, clearly conflicted. But eventually, she nodded. "You're right."

Sirius leaned down, kissing the top of Eliza's soft head. "Well, I guess we'll have to go before this gets any more emotional," he joked, though his voice had an unfamiliar tenderness to it. Remus followed suit, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before they both disapparated from the room.

As the quiet settled, Eliza's tiny eyes flickered, and for the briefest moment, she seemed to sense it—the tension, the hesitation. Even in her innocence, something deep within her stirred. Maybe, just maybe, she already knew she had been born into a world far from perfect.