LANDSLIDE, james potter [2]

Chapter One

Snowy footprints lead down Church Lane in the small village known as Godric's Hollow. Most of its inhabitants were sound asleep, it was late at night and many of them had small children that needed all the sleep they could get.

It was a windy Saturday night, one could barely hear the noises coming from some of the homes, couples celebrating Valentine's Day in the way they knew best. Well, those who were lucky enough to feel love and not have lost it. Not everybody could be so lucky.

The graveyard in Godric's Hollow had always been rumored to be haunted. Many stayed away, terrified that the ghosts they would face would not be as kind and benevolent as those they had met during their school days.

Only one figure had dared to visit the place that night. Not many would care to fill the most romantic day of the year with constant reminders of the sadness of the old Wizarding War and its casualties.

The only one who dared opened the creaking metal gates leading to the graves of those lost. The figure was almost completely shrouded in darkness because of its pitch black, blending with the night sky. The only thing that stood out was the strands of golden blonde hair sticking out.

The person, the woman, walked past many graves. She seemed well-versed in the graveyard, knowing exactly where the grave she was looking for was located. She must have visited it several times before.

She stopped suddenly in front of one of the gravestones. It looked to be one of those more taken care of, like the inhabitants of the village always seemed to pitch in to keep it neat, out of respect for the ones buried by it.

JAMES POTTER
BORN 27 MARCH 1960    
DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981                   

LILY POTTER
BORN 30 JANUARY 1960
DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981

The woman sighed as she stopped in front of them. The gravestone was covered with newly fallen snow. It almost felt like it would be disrespectful to leave it. She reached out with her gloved hand and wiped it off, allowing it to fall on the ground around it.

She reached up, pulling her hood off to reveal her pretty face. She looked quite young for a woman of twenty-seven years and the mother of one. Then again, Lyra Malfoy hadn't always been the kind to willingly follow the rules of others, not even of those of aging.

Lyra smiled sadly as she looked at the headstone. "Hello again. It's been a while, I'm sorry. It's not easy to find a reason to get out of the house. Sometimes, I wonder whether Lucius wants me to leave it at all."

As if she had forgotten something, she reached into the surprisingly roomy pocket of her cloak. She pulled out a single red rose, carefully laying it down in front of the gravestone. "I almost forgot I brought this. I suppose it's only fitting considering what today is."

"I can't easily forget the time you made rose petals fall from the sky, only to create a nice bouquet in my hands," the blonde woman smiled fondly as she thought back to the memory. "It was quite nicely done actually. I commend you for it."

"Though, I still do prefer the card with You Charmed the Heart Right Out of Me. I could have gotten you one of those, but if it accidentally started playing, I'm sure the good residents of Godric's Hollow would come out here and murder me," she chuckled to herself.

"Maybe I shouldn't be talking about murder while standing in a graveyard, in front of the gravestone of my murdered ex-boyfriend and his equally murdered wife," Lyra grimaced in realization. "Sorry about that."