• Growing up Harry •

• year four •

1994-1995

"Honey...would you like to talk about it...?"

Harry shook his head, rolling onto his side so his back was facing his mother

She sighed and studied her son, he had grown so much in the last two years...he was now her height and turning into a fine young man

She only wished the entire triwizard tournament hadn't happened

She couldn't even begin to imagine how her son was feeling...he'd witnessed the rebirth of the greatest wizard of all time, been tortured by him, dueled against him, and watched one of his friends die

Lily gently rubbed Harry's shoulder, "sweetheart when you're ready to talk about it, I'm always willing to listen...no matter what okay?"

Harry slowly nodded

"Do you want any—"

"Mum can you just...go for a little bit?"

Lily nodded sadly and left her son's room going downstairs to James where she sat next to

"Honey he's..."

"I know...." said James slowly "but he'll be alright, he just needs some time to cope"

"James how can we send him back after this?"

James sighed, "honey we've been over this...we can't take it away from him unless he himself doesn't want to go...it's his decision"

Lily sighed, "I know..."

She let out a yawn, "lets go to bed honey..."

James nodded and the two went up to bed

Though after a few hours Lily was awoken by a gentle tugging of her arm, she smiled softly thinking of the days when her little baby Harry would wake her up from a nightmare

The tugging continued accompanied by quiet sniffles

Lily quickly sat up, "Harry? Honey—"

Harry pulled his mother into a tight hug, softly sobbing into her chest, the way he used to do all those years ago

"Oh sweetheart..." Lily gently rubbed his back, slowly murmuring a charm around them to make sure James wouldn't hear

Harry whimpered, "m-mum it's my fault"

"Shh Harry it's not your fault"

"He's back because of me! Cedric...he's dead because of me"

Lily sighed and gently rubbed her son's back, "Harry, baby boy you are not to blame here. Look what you did, you battled against him, one of the most powerful dark wizard and you lived to tell the tale"

"But Cedric didn't..."

"Honey...that wasn't your fault"

"I should've just grabbed the cup right away and gone back...I shouldn't have looked around"

"Harry honey...it doesn't do good to dwell on the past...what happened was entirely out of your hands...you're not even fifteen yet and look what you've done?"

Harry sniffled and pulled away from his mother running a hand through his long dark hair

"Sweetheart..."

Harry nodded though he still looked unsure

"I -I'm just going to go back to bed"

Lily sighed, knowing better than to push Harry beyond his boundaries she allowed him to leave feeling a sickening sense of sadness within herself
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