April 2.0: prompt "Tell a Lie", ficlet, The Proof of Your Pain
Title: The Proof of Your Pain
Summary: Little Lily Luna notices something and asks her father about it.
Characters/Pairings: Harry Potter, Lily Luna Potter
Genre: Gen
Beta: n/a
Rating/Warnings: G, none
Medium: n/a
Word Count: exactly 500
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: yes
If yes, your Tumblr username: sellotapedglasses
Harry sat down on the toddler bed, back resting on the headboard his feet hanging off, and little Lily Luna tucked neatly into his side. She’d begged over and over again for The Fountain of Fair Fortune tonight. And the night before, and the night before that. Harry couldn’t fathom wanting to read the same story again and again, but he complied easily. It had been a long day and if it meant his little girl getting some sleep, she got what she wanted.
…
“‘Faint heart! Draw your sword Knight, and help us reach our goal,’” he said in a high-pitched voice that always made Lily giggle. He held the book in his left hand, the arm around Lily’s shoulders, and pointed to the drawing of the four brave adventurers with his right. She normally loved when he pointed to each character and she would shout out their names, but tonight she was silent. Harry glanced down at the girl, expecting her to be fast asleep, but past her curtain of red hair, he saw her eyes wide open and concentrating on something in front of her.
Her hand reached out to grab his and she said slowly, “I… must not… tell lies?” Harry felt shock jolt through him at the words he hadn’t thought of in years, the scars he hadn’t looked at in as long. “Da, what’s that?” He had forgotten how bright his little girl was, old enough now to read simpler words and hold a conversation. Old enough to ask such innocent but such loaded questions.
Don’t ask questions! he heard his Aunt Petunia snap in his head. No. I won’t be like you, he answered back instantly. It was getting easier, he realized, to not be like them, to be a better parent than he had ever experienced himself. It was getting better.
“Daddy knew a really mean lady one time,” he started, choosing his words carefully, “and she hurt me. She made me write this on myself, and now I have a scar.”
“Like that one?” She said pointing up to his forehead. He instinctively ran a finger over the lighting shape and nodded.
“Yeah, kinda like that one.” There was a small pause while she ran a hand over the page of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Her face was so open that Harry could see the cogs spinning.
“Did you tell lies?” she asked in a small voice, looking up at her father, eyes wide. Harry’s heart panged to see this little girl looking at him as though he could do no wrong. In her eyes, it was impossible for him to lie. But he had, many times in his life. This time, however, he was glad he could answer honestly.
“No, sweetie. I didn’t. Not the ones she said I did.” Lily’s face instantly relaxed and she eased back into his arms.
“Keep going, da, this part’s my favorite! The big gross worm!” Harry smiled gently, turning the page.
Points earned: 17 points (not counting the +10)
Summary: Little Lily Luna notices something and asks her father about it.
Characters/Pairings: Harry Potter, Lily Luna Potter
Genre: Gen
Beta: n/a
Rating/Warnings: G, none
Medium: n/a
Word Count: exactly 500
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: yes
If yes, your Tumblr username: sellotapedglasses
Harry sat down on the toddler bed, back resting on the headboard his feet hanging off, and little Lily Luna tucked neatly into his side. She’d begged over and over again for The Fountain of Fair Fortune tonight. And the night before, and the night before that. Harry couldn’t fathom wanting to read the same story again and again, but he complied easily. It had been a long day and if it meant his little girl getting some sleep, she got what she wanted.
…
“‘Faint heart! Draw your sword Knight, and help us reach our goal,’” he said in a high-pitched voice that always made Lily giggle. He held the book in his left hand, the arm around Lily’s shoulders, and pointed to the drawing of the four brave adventurers with his right. She normally loved when he pointed to each character and she would shout out their names, but tonight she was silent. Harry glanced down at the girl, expecting her to be fast asleep, but past her curtain of red hair, he saw her eyes wide open and concentrating on something in front of her.
Her hand reached out to grab his and she said slowly, “I… must not… tell lies?” Harry felt shock jolt through him at the words he hadn’t thought of in years, the scars he hadn’t looked at in as long. “Da, what’s that?” He had forgotten how bright his little girl was, old enough now to read simpler words and hold a conversation. Old enough to ask such innocent but such loaded questions.
Don’t ask questions! he heard his Aunt Petunia snap in his head. No. I won’t be like you, he answered back instantly. It was getting easier, he realized, to not be like them, to be a better parent than he had ever experienced himself. It was getting better.
“Daddy knew a really mean lady one time,” he started, choosing his words carefully, “and she hurt me. She made me write this on myself, and now I have a scar.”
“Like that one?” She said pointing up to his forehead. He instinctively ran a finger over the lighting shape and nodded.
“Yeah, kinda like that one.” There was a small pause while she ran a hand over the page of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Her face was so open that Harry could see the cogs spinning.
“Did you tell lies?” she asked in a small voice, looking up at her father, eyes wide. Harry’s heart panged to see this little girl looking at him as though he could do no wrong. In her eyes, it was impossible for him to lie. But he had, many times in his life. This time, however, he was glad he could answer honestly.
“No, sweetie. I didn’t. Not the ones she said I did.” Lily’s face instantly relaxed and she eased back into his arms.
“Keep going, da, this part’s my favorite! The big gross worm!” Harry smiled gently, turning the page.
Points earned: 17 points (not counting the +10)