93. Chicken

“You’re Special, So Very Special”

“Don’t be such a chicken, Tuney!”

The blonde girl narrows her eyes, hands on her hips, despite the splotches of red on her face. “I’m not chicken. You know better.”

Lily shrugs this off and watches the pebble jump in her open palm. Petunia watches, wide eyes guarded with hesitation. When the younger girl holds her hand out towards her, though, Petunia nearly topples over in a backwards scramble to get away.

“Stop it, Lily! It’s not right, stop it, stop it!”

At six years, Lily knows nothing more than her strange talents, and the insulting sting of Petunia’s disapproval.

77. Cheerful

"Absolutely Perfect"

“He’ssotiny, Lily!”

She smiles down at the squirming child in her arms, vision blurred by misty tears.

“We did that. Lily, we made him. This little boy. Harry. He’s ours.”

The crack in James’ voice makes her smile and cry all at once. Very carefully, she offers the baby to him, and watches fear widen James’s eyes.

“What if…what if I hurt him? What if I break him?”

A hoarse chuckle is her response. “He’s perfect, James. You’ll be fine. Just support his head – there. Like that. Look how cute you two are.”

Never before has she been happier.