Coming Back To You

The Fated Halloween

Chapter 4 : All Hallows Eve

James slowly opened his eyes.

He's laying in a warm bed, holding his precious redhead in his arms. A warm feeling filled his chest, and he his hold on her becomes tighter, but no suffocating. Lily groaned a bit, burrowing deeper into the covers, murmuring something like I'm so sleepy let me sleep a little longer Jamieee and the man chuckled to himself. Unfortunately he can't get back to sleep so he got out of the warm quilt and with a quick kiss to his wife's forehead, walked to the kitchen to make some coffee.

Imagine his surprise, just when he pours a cup of the caffeinated beverage, sounds of soft footsteps reached his well trained ears. He turns around, and almost dropped his mug.

Harry is walking (well, trying to... his body is still of a 15 months old's after all.) to his dad. His tiny arms are placed on the wall to keep balance. Quick as a Petrificus Totalus, James put down his mug and picked his son up.

"Now, what are you doing so early?" He mock-interrogated the raven-haired baby. Harry laughed as James blew raspberries to his stomach. He placed his son on the dining table, hands on his hips, "Looks like we're the only ones up. Your mama is still sleeping." The hazel-eyed man smirked. He gave Harry a look. "And it seems your brother takes after her at that aspect."

Harry watched as his father prepared their breakfast; bacon and eggs for his dad, and a bowl of cereal with banana slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon for him. James put him down on a highchair, picking up a small spoon. He scooped a bit of hot cereal and blow it for a few seconds to cool it down. "Open wide Harry, here comes the quaffle!" Harry giggled at his dad's ridiculous face and opened his mouth. He kinda likes it, being fed by his dad, a thing he didn't remember from Before. His eyes flickered to his dad's untouched breakfast.

Before James could scoop another spoonful of cereal, Harry took the spoon from him. His father blinked, "Huh...?" Harry smiled, "Daddy eat!" (He winced mentally at his "kiddy words" but speaking full sentences at a year old is suspicious, after all.) James blinked a few more times, and Harry sighed. He pointed with his spoon at his dad's plate. "Food get cold." He said in a fake-serious 'you get in trouble' tone. "Harry can eat by himself." He continued, and mentally patted himself on the back as his dad laughed and picked his own eating utensils and began attacking the bacons with gusto. "That tone," James said, swallowing a mouthful of greasy bacon, "is definitely from your mother."

Harry grinned.

.

Harry frowned.

"I'm sorry Lily, but Albus requested us to go to the headquarters immediately. He said that Voldemort is planning an attack tonight." James told his wife. Lily's eyes widened and she quickly bookmarked the old tome she was reading. She was almost at the door when she paused and turned around, looking at her sons in the crib, "But what about the twins?"

James bit his lip, "Albus said both of us should go..." he trailed off. "I don't think it would take much time. He knows we have to take care of our sons and maybe he only want to inform us of the situation."

Lily nodded. She walked to pat both of her sons in the head, "You guys behave your selves, okay? Mum and Dad will be back in a few minutes." She turned to face the older twin, "Take care of Chris, Harry. And don't destroy the house." She warned them. Harry gave her an offended look. Lily poked his nose and Harry giggled. She sighed and tried to push down the bad feeling in her gut. She followed her husband to the fireplace downstairs.

.

A whoosh of fire is the only indicator that his parents are gone to the Order's HQ. Harry turned to his brother, currently playing with a stuffed griffin with a red and gold scarf around its neck. His dad is really Pro-Griffindor, Harry laughed mentally. He lay down in his crib, looking at the charmed ceiling showing twinkling stars, just like the Great Hall at Hogwarts. His mind is full of thoughts; Hermione, his family, Voldemort, Hermione, the War, Hermione, Hermione, his family, Sirius, Remus, Hermione...

Has he mentioned Hermione?

He was brainstorming ways to find Hermione in this dimension; will he meet her at Hogwarts? Or will it be earlier? What if she isn't magical? Hundreds of questions are swirling in his head...

He was thinking of ways to track down Hermione when he felt it. A presence of corrupted magic not far from his home. His brain connect the dots immediately. He sat up so fast he's surprised he didn't get a whiplash. Harry mind a mess, then he felt a tiny hand in his shoulder. Chris looks worried, and a little scared. Harry calmed down.

Inhale, exhale. Harry, Think. Protect Chris. Think.

His eyes fell into the book his mother left on the armchair. Protection Magiks of Old: Blood and Sacrifices. A flick of his wrist the old tome is in his hand. Harry opened the page his mother had bookmarked. This is perfect, Harry thought. This is used by mothers to protect her child in exchange of her life. His eyes flickered to the arithmancy formula at the bottom of the page. I could tweak this a little. Using our connection as twins, I'm sure this could work! Thank the Gods I studied this before!

Harry put the book down and turned to his twin, "Chris, I need you to listen to me." Chris scared hazel eyes met his emerald orbs. "There's going to be a little problem, and you need protection. So I'm going to draw some runes and you need to stay calm, yeah?" Harry don't think Chris understand the half of what he says, but he nodded nonetheless. Harry give him a reassuring smile, "Good boy."

Harry collects a little of magic to his left palm, and watch as it was slit open, just enough for blood to flow. Chris makes a scared squeak but stay still as his brother asked. Harry dipped his right forefinger into his blood, "Algiz, rune of protection, a ward of evil," he murmured, drawing a V into Chris forehead, and then divided it into two with a line in the middle.

Then he turned to himself, flipping his left hand so his palm was facing down. He draws another rune on it, "Tiwaz, the rune of sacrifice..." he draws an upside-down V and a line in its middle, like an arrow. Both runes glowed gold.

"O Gods above, hear my plea. Protect my brother, and in exchange I offer you my life..."  he chanted, eyes closed. The runes glow brighter then vanished from view. Harry felt a bit drained. The protection will be activated when I sacrifice myself, he thought. He gives his twin a reassuring hug. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

A boom was heard from downstarirs.

Harry's arms tightened.

He's here.

End of Chapter 4