Wands and Wishes

Last Of Me

"That's right, the Potters."

Iris reflexively turned as she heard the name, it wasn't an uncommon name and the two women could have been talking about anyone but somehow she knew. She just knew. Diagon Alley was no less crowded than usual even though it was close to midnight, Halloween was always like this, and another whispered conversation reached her ears, it took only one single word for it all to end.

"Dead."

This couldn't be happening, they were supposed to be protected. The Fidelius Charm was supposed to keep them safe! She didn't approve of Sirius's idea to use Peter....Peter!

Iris turned on the spot, disappearing from existence for a split second before appearing outside of Godric's Hollow. The walk to their house was short but she walked slow, not wanting to confirm what she already knew in her heart, still she continued forward feeling as though her movements weren't her own. When she stood outside the once pleasant cottage, now part of it having been blasted away, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know what was on the inside.

Hesitantly she pushed open the front gate, walked mechanically to the front door and with trembling hands pushed that open as well. Her hand flew to her mouth, stifling the noise that rose from her throat as tears welled up in her eyes. James Potter, her brother-in-law, her friend, lay dead on the floor. His wand was still clutched tightly in his right hand even though his eyes stared dull and lifeless at the ceiling.

"Oh James." Iris whispered, kneeling beside him to fix his askew glasses.

A cry from upstairs drew her attention from the dead man before her, it was sobbing mingled with a child's terrified screams and Iris dared to hope. Over turned furniture blocked her path, Lily had obviously tried to create as many obstacles as she could in attempt to protect her son, but Iris maneuvered through the mess with relative ease and worked her way upstairs. In the hall she could see Harry's door hanging from one hinge, pieces of the door covering the floor, and now that she was closer she could tell that the sobbing was coming from a man. Her body went numb but she refused to believe it even though she already knew.

Each step took enormous effort on her part, bits of wood crunched under her feet as she got closer and as Iris pushed what was left of the door aside remaining strong was no longer an option. Before her Severus wailed as he clung to Lily, her skin already having lost its glow as death consumed her, while Harry stood in his crib looking down on the scene with large tears rolling down his puffy cheeks. Sobs shook her and Iris held onto the door frame to prevent herself from collapsing. James was dead. Lily was dead. Harry orphaned. It was too much for her to take in at once.

"It's all my fault."

Her eyes flickered to him, finally regaining the ability to focus on something other than her sister's corpse. It had been nearly a year ago that she last saw him and now here he was cradling the body of her dead sister. It didn't seem like he noticed her, his speech was that of a broken man, but then his onyx eyes, completely open for the first time in years, fixated on her.

"I'm so sorry Iris." He breathed, petting Lily's hair as he rocked back and forth.

"What are you doing here?" Iris asked through her tears, she still held her wand but she couldn't jinx him, or hex him, or curse him, she couldn't do anything to him regardless of how much she wanted to in that moment, there was no feeling in her.

"I-"

"Shouldn't you be off with them searching for your precious Voldemort?"

"He's gone." Severus choked out then his eyes flickered to Harry before looking back on her.