THE HEIR.

Dream of dear one

In the dead of night, the Potter household was quiet, the only sounds being the gentle breathing of their children and the occasional rustle of leaves outside. James and Lily lay peacefully in bed, unaware of the storm brewing in Lily’s subconscious.

Suddenly, Lily found herself in a vivid dream. Before her stood a boy, his deep blue eyes like sparkling sapphires, the most handsome face she had ever seen. He smiled at her, a smile so pure and innocent that it took her breath away. But as she reached out to him, the smile vanished. His eyes filled with tears, and his expression turned to one of anguish and betrayal.

Why did you leave me, Mother?" he cried, his voice filled with pain. "How could you abandon your own son in a river? What kind of mother does that?"

Lily’s heart shattered as she tried to explain, but no words came out. The boy’s cries grew louder, echoing in her mind
You’re a monster! A heartless, cruel monster! How could you do this to me? How could you leave me alone, to die?"

His words cut through her like a knife, each one a sharp reminder of her past mistake. "Please, forgive me," she whispered, tears streaming down her face in the dream. "I’m so sorry."

But the boy's face only contorted with more anger and pain. "Sorry? Sorry doesn’t change what you did. You abandoned me! You left me to fend for myself! You don’t deserve to call yourself a mother!"

Lily’s sobs became uncontrollable, and she suddenly woke up, screaming and drenched in sweat. She sat up in bed, her chest heaving with the effort to breathe. James woke up beside her, alarmed.

"Lily, what’s wrong? What happened?" he asked, pulling her into his arms.

Lily clung to him, her tears soaking his shirt. "I saw him, James. I saw Shelby. He was so beautiful, but he was crying and screaming at me. He called me a monster. He asked how I could leave him in the river."

James held her tighter, his own eyes filling with tears as he listened. "Oh, Lily," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I’m so sorry."

They sat there, holding each other, both consumed by the weight of their guilt and regret. James felt his own tears spill over as he thought about their lost son. "We were so scared," he said, his voice trembling. "We were just kids ourselves, and we didn’t know what to do. But we were wrong. We were so wrong."

Lily nodded, her sobs subsiding into quiet weeping. "After we left Shelby, we got married and had kids. But not a day goes by that I don’t think about him, wonder if he’s safe, if he’s happy."

James brushed her hair back, looking into her eyes. "We have to live with this, Lily. We made a terrible mistake, but we can’t change the past. We can only hope that Shelby found a family who loves him as much as we do."

Lily sniffled, nodding. "I just wish I could tell him how sorry I am. How much I love him."

James kissed her forehead, his own heart aching. "Me too, Lily. Me too."

Now to our hero

In the warm, sunlit kitchen of their cozy home in Montefiore, Charlotte was busy preparing lunch. The aroma of freshly baked bread and simmering sauce filled the air. The lively chatter of village women echoed through the house as a few of Charlotte's friends—Maria, Isabella, and Lucia—had come over for a visit. They were sitting around the kitchen table, discussing the latest village news and sharing stories of their families.

Meanwhile, outside in the garden, Sebastian was unloading some goods he had brought home. His strong arms carried heavy sacks of flour and vegetables. Little Siddarth, ever curious and eager to help, spotted his father and toddled over, his eyes wide with determination.