Lily smiled. She was in the kitchen on Holloween night, putting away the dishes from dinner. James and Harry were in the living room, playing together. Lily thought about what a great father James was. In the beginning, he didn't want to have kids, but Lily pushed for it. Now, it seemed that James was more involved in Harry's life than she was, even with all the hours at the Ministry...

As all this was running through her head, a crash from the living room brought her back into the present time. Lily grabbed a hand towel, wiped off her hands quickly, and ran into the other room. "What's wrong? Is Harry hurt?" she cried.

James smiled. He was on the floor with Harry on his lap. A toy broomstick was wedged between two pictures, one of Lily and James on their wedding day and a Muggle portrait of the three of them. "No worries," James grinned. "Harry just had a little accident."

Lily groaned. "I knew that broomstick would cause trouble. God only knows why Padfoot bought it for him. By the way, is he still coming over for dinner tomorrow?"

"Yeah, he owled me earlier and said to make sure you make meatballs. You know the ones, from the recipe from Italy?" James said. Lily rolled her eyes. Sirius asked for those meatballs every time they came over. They had them three times a week, and soon, it would be every day. Glancing around the room one last time, Lily picked up Harry and walked into the kitchen again.

"Mommy." Harry said. "Mommy."

Lily gasped. Harry had said his first word. "James! James, come here!" When James didn't come, Lily grabbed Harry again and walked back into the living room. James was sitting there with a stunned look on his face.

James sat on the ground for about ten more seconds, then shook his head and got out of his stupor. "Sweetheart," he whispered. "Take Harry and run. He's here." James got up, and grabbed his wand. "I'll try to hold him back, but you have to get out of here, OK?"

Oh, God, Lily thought. It can't be him. "OK. I love you. Stay safe." Lily kissed James- for the last time? No, I'm not going to let myself think like that.

James looked at Lily. "I love you too. Keep our son safe. I can't let both of you... I can't lose both of you." Lily ran up the stairs into the nursery. She heard the door open then a flash of green light blasted throughout the room. "No" she whispered. "Not him."

Footsteps approached her, quickly. She put Harry down in the crib, then spread her arms wide over her son, hoping that it would keep this monster away from her son.

The door opened. A man, covered with a hood, walked into the room. "Step aside, silly girl," the man said, "for you do not need to die. I have come to get only one, and you do not need to perish like your husband did."

Lily screamed, "Not Harry, not Harry! Please, kill me, not Harry!"

The man took of his hood, revealing a face like a snake. "I have given you your choice. You have one more chance."

Lily shivered. She wasn't thinking at all. All she could say was "Not my son! Not my boy! Not Harry! Take me instead."

Voldemort replied quietly, "My foolish girl, I will take both of you. Avada kedavra!"

A flash of green light filled the room, then silence.