Prologue
She stared down at the photo album with a soft smile, flipping threw the pages laughing quietly at some of the pictures and shaking her head at others. It was hard to believe that it had only been a little over two years ago that these pictures had been taken.
God she missed them….. She missed him.
She flipped to the next page and froze staring down at the picture of their wedding day. She could almost hear the joyous laughter with the occasional happy sobs that had surrounded that day.
Albus Dumbledore had played the father role and had given her away. Minerva McGonagall had sat weeping in her family section and James had stood waiting up front withSirius, Remus and Peter as his best men. He had stood there smiling and never breaking eye contact with her as she walked towards him.
When the minister had gotten to the 'do you James Potter take Lily Evans' part, Sirius joined Minerva in the crying making everyone laugh. Although he claimed later he had just gotten something in his eye; then even later whenno one would stop calling him our emotional mutt he had muttered that at least he had cried manly and that it wasn't every day that his best friend who was like his brother got married. Ah yes the things a little fire whisky will have you muttering.
Snapping back to reality Lily turned the page in the photo album and burst out in laughter causing the people around her to look at her strangely.
The picture was from at the wedding reception. To be exact it was the after picture of the cake cutting. Like most couples they had cut the cake and had gone to feed each other. Surprisingly enough it wasn't James that had smeared cake on to her face but her doing it to him. He had looked so startled as everyone laughed at him, then he had gotten that look in his eyes that she had gotten to know so well from years of being pranked by him. Reacting with instinct she had ducked just in time so instead of smearing her face with cake he got Sirius. This of course led from one thing to another and a full out food fight had started.
It had been the perfect ending to a Marauders wedding.
Smiling fondly at her food covered friends she finally closed the book and looked out the window of the air plane.
Placing a hand on her protruding belly to comfort herself, she wondered again if she was doing the right thing.
God how had their happy lives turned to this?
It had been one of the happiest days of her life. She had been feeling extremely ill for the several days and after hiding it from James she finally decided to go to a doctor. She had decided to go to a muggle doctor so that James wouldn't hear about it and have another thing to worry about.
With Voldemort on the rise the last thing James needed was to know that she wasn't feeling good.
She had been shocked when the doctor had told her that she was pregnant, she hadn't even thought of the possibility. After the shock had worn off she had been down right giddy, jumping of the exam table she had given the doctor a huge hug laughing. The doctor had laughed as well happy that the news wasn't devastating.
After the doctor had given her specific instructions as well as an approximate arrival date Lily had returned home as quickly as possible without apparating in case that would damage the baby.
Arriving home she was disappointed to find her husband not there but rather a note saying he had gone to Hogwarts to talk to Dumbledore. After thinking for a moment she had decided that she would need to talk to Poppy anyways and flooed herself to Hogsmead and made a brisk walk to Hogwarts.
She spotted Severus Snape coming out of Hogwarts and immediately greeted him with a grin and a cheerful hello not carrying whatsoever what he would say to her. Much to her surprise he had stopped dead in his track and stared at her paling by the moment.
Shaking out of his stupor he had whispered almost in horror 'You're pregnant.' This of course had freaked her out a little wondering what she had done to give herself away and had even gone as far as asking how he could tell.
He had ignored her for a minute looking at her with a mixture of horror, shock and thoughtfulness before going up to her and demanding that they had to talk now.
It had been a conversation that had changed her life.
'When are you due Lily?'
'Around the end of August'
'But it could be earlier couldn't it' she had nodded slightly with this wondering what was the matter with him. Severus being Severus did not beat around the bush for long.
'Lily, there was prophesy made, a child born as the seventh month dies will be Voldemorts greatest enemy. The only one who can defeat him. There is more to the prophesy and everyone agrees that it fits you and Potter almost to a tee other then the fact that you aren't pregnant. So I'm going to take it that no one knows yet.'
She had felt like all the blood was leaving her body and she was left with that lovely feeling of ice cold dread.
'Lily you have two options, stay and let Voldemort come after you again and again until he finally kills you; because he is going to want to kill you and your child. Or you can fake your own death and go into hiding until your child is old enough to protect itself. If you choose that latter come to me and I will help you, but you have to decide quickly before anyone knows about the child.'
With that said Severus had turned around and walked away before she could ask any questions. Her mind was reeling, her baby could be in danger; but could she really run away? She was after all a Gryffindor and suppose to brave, but then wouldn't it be considered brave to give up everything she knew for the unknown.
She had returned home after her meeting with Severus to think. Her mind running through options. If she stayed, Voldemort would come after them and her child would be in constant danger. If she left the best place to hide would be with muggles, which she would have no problem blending in with since she had once been one; but James wouldn't do so well having never spent more then a weekend in their company. He was also one of the best Aurors the ministry had at the moment so it would be wrong for him to just up and leave; not to mention he loved his job.
With all the thoughts running through her head she hadn't even heard her husband come home. He had snuck up behind her scarring the crap out of her before giving her a quick kiss and heading to the kitchen for something to eat.
That night she had laid in his arms with one hand pressed up against her stomach and the other to his heart. She watched him as he slept and made her final decision.
She was going to have to leave.
She couldn't stay and place all their lives in danger, but at the same time she couldn't ask James to come since she just didn't think he could adjust to living like a muggle. It wouldn't be fair for her to ask since there would be no way he would let her go by herself, but he would be unhappy unable to live the way he was used to and unable to do the job he loved.
She felt tears streak down her face as she burrowed closer to her husband. Her decision had been made.
The happiest day of her life had quickly turned into one of the worst.
"This is your captain speaking we will be landing in a few moments…." The pilot's voice brought her back to reality. Drying her tears that had been falling down her checks as she had thought about that day she prepared herself for the landing.
It had taken her a month to prepare for her 'death'. She had scrounged up as much money as she could without looking suspicious. She had spent as much time as she could with her friends and husband to the point were most of them had started to think she was slightly crazy.
When Alice had told the gang that she was pregnant Lily had almost broken down in tears. Because although Alice looked happy her eyes as well as Frank's looked worried. James had told her about the prophesy that night when she had asked him why they looked so worried. Luckily when she paled he thought she was just worried for their friends; which of course she was, but she was also worried about their own child.
Severus had taken care of the more important matters such as planning the death which ended up being a muggle car accident. He planned to have the car go off a cliff making it difficult to find her body. What they would find was her broken wand in an area nearby that would look like a wizard battle had just gone on with her blood spilt everywhere. This was done by him taking some of her blood every few days in order to have enough.
He had taken it upon himself to get her an illegal wand which would be untraceable for emergency use only. He had also gotten his hands on fake muggle id.
When the time came the plan worked perfectly. Two weeks after her 'death' the call was off for finding her alive. It was official Lily Potter was dead with many speculations with how she died.
Yes Lily Potter had died and in her place was Lillian McRae, a widower.
"Are you alright Miss?" Startled she looked up at the flight attendant who was smiling kindling down at her. Looking around she noticed that she was one of the last on the plane.
"Yes I'm fine. It just gets a little hard to maneuver when you're carrying a passenger" she answers and gestures to her stomach making the lady grin.
"I know what you mean, I've had three and I swear each time it gets more difficult to get around" Sharing a smile the flight attendant helps her up and together they make there way towards the exit.
After getting her luggage she makes her way to a taxi to take her to a hotel.
Lying on the bed she stares at the ceiling wishing desperately for James' comforting arms around her.
"Well this is it baby, it's just you me from here on out" She jolts up right when she feels something different. Placing her hand on her stomach she feels herself give her first real grin sincethe talk with Severus. Her baby for the first time is kicking.
They were going to be alright.