Secret-Keeper

All characters, places and most situations belong to JK Rowling.

This is rather different from my usual “one-shot stream of consciousness stories” – thank you Don! – but I hope people like it as well Many  thanks to all my reviewers, by the way.

I decided to try my hand at writing my take on the days preceding the Potters’ deaths. What were the last things they said to each other and to their friends?

To Zsenya many thanks and apologies for my quotation marks.

Dawn

James Potter’s voice was quiet and steady as he spoke to his friend Albus Dumbledore.         “Sirius would never betray us, Albus.”

Professor Dumbledore sighed wearily as he repeated what he had already said more than once.  “I know that he is your best friend, James, and I know you trust him, but still I think that you should reconsider. I would feel much easier if you would allow me to be your Secret-Keeper myself. We still don’t know who is acting for Lord Voldemort - if, indeed, anybody is - and we can’t risk anything happening to the three of you.”

James shook his head stubbornly, but Lily Potter was the one who spoke, smiling slightly as she looked past both men at – as it seemed - something neither of them could see. “Sirius is my friend, Albus,” she said quietly.  “I love him, I trust him… he will not betray us.”

“But we just cannot be sure of that, Lily”, Dumbledore said.   “I also trust Sirius…and Remus…and Severus, but we just cannot be sure.”

“Listen to me, Albus”, Lily replied, her green eyes full of fire,  “Whoever the spy is, it is not Sirius. I know it’s not. “

“Lily, you just can’t know…”

“If it comes to that, Albus”, she replied, “How can you be so sure that I’m not the spy myself? Or James? Either of us certainly could be, for all you know. And who could have had better opportunities than us? And yet you trust us unconditionally because we are so close to you that you can feel our thoughts…you know who we are, what we are…and so we know and trust Sirius”.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but James preceded him.   “Lily’s right,  Albus. You have to understand that you…even you don’t know Sirius as I do”.

“James, it’s not only your life and Lily’s that are in danger. It’s all of ours. And Harry’s, especially Harry’s. Think of the prophecy…Frank and Alice are also taking steps towards protection. The prophecy…whether it refers to Harry or Neville…”

Once again, it was Lily who spoke.  “Albus, do you know how lost one would be if one didn’t have someone to believe in always and no matter what? All I have is James, and Sirius, and Harry. They are the center of my heart. Who else do I have that I can trust with my life and that of my son? Remus…Remus is too vulnerable. We cannot ask him to accept this burden as well, though he would, gladly…”  Lily stopped, and turned away.

And James added:  “Why can’t you understand, Albus? Sirius is not just my friend - he is a part of me. He is closer to me than any brother ever could be. He would no more sell us to Evil than you would. And there is no one else.

I would never consider putting Remus in more danger than he is already in, you know that. And Peter…well, Peter is my dear, good friend, but…”  James’s voice also trailed off, as if he was suddenly unsure of what to say, a frown creasing his eyebrows.

For a moment there was silence in the room, as Dumbledore looked from Lily, who was standing by the window, staring into the night, to James, who was holding his head in his hands, and sighed.  “I understand”, he said gravely, although he smiled.  “You have made your choice…so be it”.