On his second birthday, he and his mum celebrated together like last time.
She got him cake, a new party hat for Niko and promised him that as soon as it was safe, she would get him a present from Diagon Alley.
Over the last almost two years she had told him about the wizarding world bit by bit.
Filling in some gaps the books hadn’t covered and, more importantly, confirming that there were almost no deviations between this reality and the books.
The only information that was new was stuff the books didn’t cover.
Some things the fanfictions I had read got right, while other details were completely new.
She had also, more recently, told him about the civil war.
Probably realizing both that it was in fact safer if I knew, but also that it was hard to keep it a secret when she never visited the wizarding world.
I had subtly pushed to visit Diagon Alley after hearing about it from her the first time trying to push her towards telling me.
I felt bad about the manipulation, but also I needed us to get on the same path when it came to information so I could be more open in turn.
Some stuff I might never tell her, everything I felt I could share I would.
After the birthday cake we went out for a walk in the park behind our house, heading towards the library.
We had become quite the regulars since we both liked to read, the librarian Catherine greeted us both as we came into view with a cheerful hello.
“Back so soon Diana and little Will, and on your birthday none the less!” She and my mum had become friends over our many visits.
Finally having someone worth calling to chat or meet up with for tea.
“Ugh tea, why anyone would drink that instead of coffee I will never know..” I wave cheerfully after taking a moment to suppress my longing for coffee.
“Yes Catherine!
I love books, so why would I not want to go to the library on my birthday?” My mum ruffled my hair and smiled toward Catherine.
“Yes, this little one loves his books.
He insisted on coming here, and it is his birthday after all.” I went over to the section of Greek mythology and started reading.
I knew what was coming after all, eventually I would be traveling to 3 other worlds, at least some I could prepare for, other than just getting stronger.
While I was there reading out of sight from grown ups my mother was chatting with Catherine.
After a few hours we left the library, walking towards home.
When we reached the park we were chatting, I was trying my best to keep pace with my mum despite her calm strut.
The park behind our house was quite large for a residential area, well lit which was lucky as the sun had gone down just about an hour ago.
We had left the library just before it closed at eight.
There was an old stone wall along the edge towards the small forest.
As we got deeper into the park along the path we suddenly hear a loud scream.
The scream was one of horror and is coming the other side of the stone wall.
After only a moment it cuts off completely.
My mum reacted quickly pulling me up in her arms moving to the wall that separates the park’s small forest for cover and to hide.
My mum had her wand out and the other arm around my mouth as we hide behind the wall, having some bushes that cover us from sight from inside the park.
My logical brain finally kicks in after having been useless for way too long.
There are gaps between the stones of the wall large enough for me and my mum to peek through.
What greets us is a sight of horror.
Four cape-clad men wearing skull masks are surrounding a young man and woman.
They are just at the edge of the trees, maybe 20 metres away from the wall.
We can’t hear any noise whatsoever from what is happening, clearly they used a noise cancelling spell.
But seeing is more than enough.
Both the man and the woman are on the ground twitching as two of the Death Eaters hold their wands pointed toward each of them.
“Should we help my thoughts come quickly as I see the pain on their faces.” I quickly come to my senses and just shake my head.
“I’m sorry.” I think feeling powerless as I realise that I would rather watch them die than risk my mother’s life.
I look toward my mum and she is crying quietly, seeming to have reached the same conclusion as me.
From her perspective she can’t get involved when her child would be put in such overwhelming danger.
Perhaps if it was just one of them, or two my mum would have tried to help, and I would have as well if she chose.
But not here, not versus four trained wizards, who clearly know at least some dark magic.
As the tears stream down her face she turns to me and sees me looking, she just shakes her head sadly and turns back toward the horror.
I also turn back, just in time to see one of the Death Eaters approaching to speak with one of the torturers.
The man turned to him sharply, perhaps annoyed by what was said.
He then looks back toward the woman he tortured and points his wand towards her again.
A green beam of light leaps from his wand hitting the woman straight in the chest.
A second green flash followed almost instantly, striking the man beside her.
All four wizards then vanish almost at the same time.
My mum doesn’t immediately run forward, instead she points her wand toward the park and seems to focus for a while.
She looks over at me and a small smile comes to her face and she turns back to the park and says: “Expecto Patronum.” A white bird flies out of the wand, streaking away through the air before I can tell what type.
She turns back to me and says: “We can go home now William, the authorities have been informed.
I’m sure they will swing by and talk to us later at the house, but I don’t want to be here when they arrive.” I say nothing, only grabbing her extended hand.
She lifts me up and starts jogging toward our house that is only a few hundred meters away from where we are.
As the door closed behind us my mum let out a breath.
She then breathes deeply for a few seconds before setting me down so I’m sitting on the table in the kitchen.
She carefully grabs my head in both her hands and looks me in the eyes and says: “I’m so sorry you had to see that my sweet boy.
So, so sorry…” She chokes a bit and gasps for air as her eyes turn glassy from new tears.
I pull her into a hug, clinging to her hard.
“It’s ok mum, it is not your fault.
You told me about the war.
About the terrible things that are being done by you know who and his followers.
None of that is your fault.
You have kept me away from the wizarding world precisely for that reason.
I understand more perhaps than you even think.
I’m proud of you mum.
I know how hard it was for you to do nothing there.
I could see your hand tightening around your wand and your tears from the horrors we witnessed.
Despite that you still decided to put me first, to not risk my life, even to try to save lives.
Those were four Death Eaters, I don’t know exactly what you are capable of but I have at least some idea after all our work on magic together.
We had terrible odds against them, we would almost certainly both have died.
Because I would not have sat silently while you tried to stop them on your own.” I knew I had given a clearer picture of my thoughts than ever before, but I was not worried.
This was my mum.
She clearly valued me above everything, just as I valued her above all.
She had pulled back from the hug during my monologue to look me in the eyes and was still looking at me without any clear expressions.
Then she just pulled me back in for another hug, no longer crying though and without trouble breathing normally.
We just sat there hugging for a long time, no other words needed to be said.
After a while a knock came from the door.
My mum pulled out a wand went to the door pointing her wand towards the door and yelled: “Who is it?!” A gruff voice answered.
“Auror Moody and I came alone” My mum did not open at that instead she yelled.
“What did I say to you when we last saw each other?!” “My mum knows Moody?” was my second thought, my first was.
“I’m so proud of my mum, not foolishly opening the door after hearing a name, what progress!” I wiped away an imaginary tear from my eye at the thought.
The gruff voice once more answered.
“You said: I will not have my unborn child dying in a pointless war where even victory will be defeat.” My mum hesitated only a second before opening the door, still keeping her wand leveled toward the opening.
In the meanwhile I was thinking: “Damn that is some good memory Moody got, that was not like my password reset questions what name was your second cat.
Some next level expectations from my mum for others to remember that.” The door opened fully.
Standing there was a tall, heavily scarred man with a wooden leg.
Alastor Moody was in the building.
It kind of ties together what has been my separate little part inside of Harry potter to the actual world for the first time.
Introducing the first interaction with a canon character.
Hope you enjoy.