Gateway to Heaven - James and Lily Potter (Jily) #Wattys2016

At the Gate - Lily

Peace.

That is all I sense in this universe of silence.

How long have I been here? I open my eyes. The world around me is white, like freshly fallen snow. The air smells of autumn leaves.

What just happened?

I am all alone.

Quiet footsteps interrupt the silence that consumes me. I look around.

"James..."

He gives me a tiny, sad smile. Standing before me, boring his brown eyes into my green ones, he suddenly returns me the memory I had been looking for.

A chilly Halloween night. A cozy household. James, playing with my son.

My son.

Harry.

Then, a cloaked figure. The coziness of the cottage leaks out of the grounds, out of the village and into the woods, where it hides, scared and useless.

Lord Voldemort enters the living room, killed my husband mercilessly as I hide in the baby room with my tiny toddler.

Then he comes for me. A cry for mercy. A blinding flash of green light, a scream that escapes me. Then, nothing.

"James," I whisper, afraid,"are we..."

His eyes fill with tears.

"I think we are."

"But..."

"where's Harry?" James finishes for me.

We both look around. Our son is nowhere to be seen in this vast and unknown universe. We started calling for him, piercing the silence, disturbing the peace.

"Harry, baby, where are you?"

"Harry! Come to daddy!"

"He's not here." An unknown voice speaks. We turn around, surprised.

Behind us stands a young girl of approximately ten years old. The old-fashioned frock she's wearing makes her look like she's from another era and her long brown hair, hanging loose across her shoulders, give her a strangely childish expression. She waves at us cheerfully as if she's known us for ages.

"Who are..."

"My name's Ariana. I've been gone for a while now."

"And my son..."

"Your son lives."

Both James and I let out a jubilant cry. Tears start flowing; happy, relieved tears that couldn't believe, couldn't possibly imagine that my son, our son, was alive, thus escaping the darkest wizard in history.

I hug James with all my might as we dance around the lonely girl, looking strangely alien in this lonely space.

"He lives!" we sing. "Our son, he survives!"

"James," I suddenly realize. "James, we left him. Harry is orphaned."

James stops holding me. His shoulders droop.

"I know, love. But he lives. He still has a chance in this world. We may not be from his world anymore, but we are still his parents, and we will watch over him."

Ariana suddenly takes both our hands, holding them in her pale ones.

"Don't worry," she says soothingly, "my brother took care of him. He is in good hands."

"Your brother..."

"Albus. Albus Dumbledore."

I gasp. "Are you the girl who..."

Ariana nods. "Yes. The girl who tragically disappeared in the midst of a fight between brothers. But it's ok..." She smiles a little sadly,"I am happy here. I watch over them. Give them advice when they need it."

"But do they hear you?" James asks her.

"To be honest, I don't know for sure. But at least I try. And you can do the same," she says, eyeing us both,"with your son. Your son has a destiny to fulfill and he'll need all the help he can get."

"What!?" James speaks out, shock painted over his usual facial expression. Since when does our one-year-old have a destiny?

Ariana shrugs and goes into a long explanation about a prophecy, a hidden man who betrays her brother and tells the Dark Lord of this shocking news, and a pursuit for our lives. It all makes sense, what she tells us - all for the hidden man. Who would ever betray Dumbledore and sell our lives? I don't even want to know.

When Ariana finishes talking and we finish asking our questions, she suddenly starts inquiring about us.

"I know a lot about your son," she says, "but so very little about you."

James and I look at each other. "There's nothing to it, really. As far as we know, we don't have a destiny whatsoever, except maybe having our son and..."

"No, no," Ariana interrupts. "Tell me about you. How did you two come to be? How was your life at Hogwarts? I never went to a Wizarding School," she says a little reminiscently,"I was too fragile."

James and I look at each other again, not knowing what to say. Why does this little girl, supposedly Dumbledore's dead sister, wish to know about our personal lives?

"Look," Ariana says,"You're going to be stuck here for quite a while before you tell me everything. I'm like your key to Further On."

"You mean that this..." I motion the white area around us," isn't it?"

Ariana lets out a cheerful laugh that echoes throughout the endless space that surrounds us. "Of course it isn't! But you're almost there," she whispers, giving me a cheeky wink."I'm the bridge between the two for you guys."

"Ah," says James, a little confused.

"So..." I start, beckoning James to speak with me.

"Yes, er..." James doesn't know where to start either.

"Let's start with our first trip on the Hogwarts Express..."

Ariana smiles. "That's a great start," she said, looking at us intently,"please go on..."

And so we begin.

The first part is on! So, what do you guys think? Vote, Comment, give me feedback! Next chapter up soooooon.
Ps. Ariana is played by Georgie Henley. Check out the media! ;)

Love always,

Isa