It began as a small whisp of what might be mistaken for smoke ...

The little whisp soon became two whisps ... then three. Slowly multiplying until they began to take the shape of a hand...A transparent hand that gently caressed Harry’s cheek as he slept soundly in his bed ... in the dark cupboard under the stairs.

All through the night ... I’ll be watching over you ...

The hand was soon connected to an arm...an arm to a shoulder ... and so it went on until the ghostly figure of a woman was sat lightly on the edge of her sons’ bed. Though the rest of her was barely visible, barely more than a shadow in the night ... there was something still alive about her.

Her eyes.

They shone like emeralds, sparkling as she stared down at her little boy, her son ... the human being she’d given her life so willingly for.

And through the bad dreams ... I’ll be right there baby ...

Slowly, but surely, a gorgeous smile spread across her face as she moved her hand as if tucking her sons’ hair back behind his ear. And though his hair did not move, Harry did let out a little contented sort of sigh in his sleep. Although he could not feel her physical presence, he did feel something ... and it soothed him, comforted him. Sub-consciously, he slowly tilted his head up towards what felt like no more than a cool breeze passing over his cheek.

Holding your hand ... Telling you everything’s gonna be alright ...

With her free hand, she took one of his, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb. Letting out a deep breath in his slumber, Harry appeared to the naked eye as though he was slowly balling his hand into a loose fist, but to Lily ... it looked as though he was holding her hand ...

And when you cry ... I’ll be right there ...

This time she smiled again ... but it was an almost sad smile. She would give her life again if only she could feel her sons’ touch, only for one moment ... one second in time...Her emerald eyes shone more brightly still as what might have been tears began to flood them ... As they escaped and trickled down her cheeks however, they became no more than another whisp of smoke ... disappearing before they could roll off of her chin.

Telling you you were never anything less than beautiful ...

A door creaked from somewhere upstairs and Harry stirred ... Realising that her time for the night was spent, Lily slowly shut her eyes and bent to place the softest of kisses between her son's eyes ... the eyes that were nearly identical to her own. And although she could not see them at the moment ... she was more than certain they were the most beautiful eyes in the entire world ...

So don’t you worry ...

And so it ended as it had began ... a whisp of smoke gently caressing Harry’s cheek ... fading away into the darkness until the woman was gone ... and Harry was once again alone ...

Though really, he was never truly alone ...

I’m your angel standing by ...