A/N: Okay, so I always wondered what would happen if one of Harry's parents had survived, so I decided to write this story. After much thought, I decided to have Lily be the one to live and see how it would affect Harry's destiny, so to speak. I'll try to stay as close to canon as I can, although I will not, by any means, copy down J.K Rowling's ideas word for word. They'll mostly be my words, I'll only be borrowing her ideas. I hope you guys like it. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; that belongs to J.K Rowling. I'm just playing around with her ideas, to see how it works out.

Chapter 1: Unexpected Consequences

"Are you sure you two will be okay?" Lily Potter asked her husband as she threw on a traveling cloak.

"Love, it's okay. Don't worry, we'll be fine. Go to your mother, she needs you," James said as he picked little Harry up from his crib.

Lily looked at her husband, feeling uneasy. It wasn't that she didn't trust James with Harry, because she did. James was a wonderful husband and father. But given their current circumstances, well it just didn't feel right to leave them. But her mother was gravely ill and the doctors said she might not make it through the night.

James gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll be okay Lils, really. We've been lucky so far. The charms have been successful up until now, so you have nothing to worry about, love. "

"Fine," she said, feeling anxious. "I'll be back in an hour. I love you, James," she said kissing him on the lips. "And I love you, Harry," she cooed, kissing her son, "more than Daddy, just don't tell him I said that."

"Hey, I've gotta keep an eye on you, mister," James said laughing. "We love you, too Lils, don't we Harry? Say bye to Mum."

Harry babbled incoherently, which in baby language might have been something akin to 'goodbye'. Lily smiled, kissing them both again. She made for the door, turning around worriedly.

"Are you sure—?"

"We'll be fine. Really. Now, do I hold him upside down before or after I feed him?" he asked, laughing at his joke.

"Oh, James!" Lily scolded, trying to hide her smile. "Behave yourselves. I'll be back in a bit. I love you," she said, waving goodbye as she walked out of the nursery. James waited until he heard a faint pop sound, which signalled that Lily had already Disapparated. He sighed and turned to the small child he was holding.

How somebody could think someone as pure and innocent as Harry could pose a threat to another human being, James did not know. At just one year of age, Harry looked extraordinarily like James, from his mischievous grin to his untidy jet-black hair. Except for his eyes. He had his mother's eyes; the same vibrant emerald green eyes that had captivated James from the start.

Harry looked up at him, babbling happily. James smiled, kissing his son's forehead.

"So, what should we do while we wait for Mummy to get back, sport?"

"Poof!" Harry said happily, clapping his hands on James' cheeks. "Poof, poof, poof!"

"Hold your hippogriffs," James said laughing. He whipped out his wand and proceeded to make little puffs of colourful smoke. Harry laughed gleefully, clapping his hands. James would look out the window every so often, feeling worried.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside, like that of someone Apparating. He looked at his watch; Lily wasn't due in another half hour or so.

"I'll be right back, Harry," he said, placing the small child in the crib, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. He grabbed his wand and made his way down the stairs, towards the sitting room. He peered outside and what he saw next sent a rush of fear through him: a hooded figure gliding down through the deserted streets was making its way towards their small cottage.

"Shit," James exclaimed. He felt his wand slip out of his numb hands, but he didn't stop; keeping Harry safe was the only thing on his mind. He rushed into the nursery, falling to his knees in front of Harry; he knew he didn't have much time.

"Harry, love, listen to me. You have to be brave; you have to be strong. I love you son, more than you can imagine," he said. He heard the front door blast open and he knew that soon, Voldemort would be there. "Daddy's got to leave now, but it's because he loves you and Mum. Don't ever forget that, son. Daddy loves you. Be a good boy and take care of Mum for me, love," said James kissing Harry's forehead, trying to keep his voice relaxed as he felt a single tear roll down his cheek.

The door of the nursery blast open and James stood up, throwing his arms protectively in front of his son. He knew he didn't have a wand, knew it wouldn't give him a chance against the Dark Lord. He only had one option left and he silently prayed that it would work.

"Stand aside! Stand aside you fool. I have nothing against you. I want the child. Give me the child and you shall live. Give me the child and you shall be forgiven. Oppose me and you shall die." Voldemort said in a cold, cruel voice.

"No! I will not let you harm my son, Voldemort! I would much rather die protecting my son than live and be a coward!"

"Then you and your son shall die, you fool," Voldemort said, sneering at him from beneath his cloak.

James braced himself for the pain that was about to come. But he didn't care much about dying, as long as Harry and Lily were safe. They were all that mattered.

"Avada Kedavra!" A flash of green light emitted from his wand and James' lifeless body slumped to the floor.

The child started crying and Voldemort turned his attention to him impatiently. He had never cared much for children especially those who cried. He smiled coldly. Such a weak thing. He pointed his want to the child's forehead. He wanted to see this one die, see as the life left his eyes.

"Avada Kedavra," he said in a cold voice. There was a flash of green, a desperate scream behind him, and then all was dark.

As soon as Lily Apparated in the front steps of their little home, she sensed that something was horribly wrong. She cursed herself for leaving as she frantically made her way up the stairs to Harry's nursery. She burst in through the open door, just in time to see Voldemort point his wand at Harry's face and cast the curse.

She heard someone screaming and it took her a second to realise it was her. She was too late. It was all her fault her son and husband were dead. But then something unexpected happened. The spell somehow rebounded and Voldemort seemed to disintegrate before her very eyes. There was a small explosion and it sent her flying across the hall.

She opened her eyes and amongst the dust and debris, she could see Harry standing in his crib, looking terrified, crying out to her. She stood up and ran to her son; she could feel something cold running through the side of her face, but she didn't care if she was hurt. All that mattered was that somehow, Harry was alive.

She grabbed him, clutching him to her chest and crying uncontrollably. She peered down at him and noticed the lightning shaped scar on his forehead. She muffled a cry; that must have been there where the curse rebounded.

She turned around and knelt down beside James, her lover, her best friend, her everything. He had been alive just a few moments ago. And now he wasn't. He was gone. Gone, leaving them both behind. Her cries had made Harry feel uneasy, for he too started crying.

"Sh, love it's alright," she said reassuringly, trying to keep the pain and panic out of her voice. Lily knew she had to calm herself down, for Harry's sake. She bent down and kissed James cold lips. "I love you, James," she said, crying silently. She knew she had to get out of here, before people became aware of what had happened, before others came looking for them.

She gathered a few belongings and put them into a small handbag, magically enlarging it so that they fit. With one last look at James' lifeless body, Lily ran down the stairs and out the door, with Harry securely hidden beneath her cloak. She kept walking at a brisk pace, looking for a good place to Disapparate. She heard footsteps behind her and she turned around, wand raised, prepared to kill, clutching her son to her chest.

"It's just me," Sirius said, stepping out of the shadows, hands raised. When Lily didn't lower her wand, he continued hastily, "I am Sirius Black, son of Walburga and Orion Black, sometimes known as Padfoot, because of my Animagus form. I am best friend to James Potter, sometimes known as Prongs and Remus Lupin, known as Moony. And your Patronous takes the shape of a doe."

Relieved, Lily lowered her wand.

"What happened, Lils?" he asked painfully, although he already knew the answer.

Lily felt herself break down once again. She told Sirius everything. She watched as Sirius, one of the strongest men she knew, broke down crying. James had been after all, more than his best friend. They had been more like brothers. They clutched on to each other, sharing their pain.

"It's all my bloody fault," Sirius cried. "If I had remained your Secret-Keeper, none of this would have happened."

"No, Sirius. It wasn't your fault. James trusted Peter. Merlin, I trusted him," she choked out.

"All the same, Lily. I would have never betrayed you. I would have much rather died! It's all my ruddy fault."

"I know, sweetie. And no, it's not your fault, Padfoot. Listen to me. I need you right now. I need you to help me get Harry somewhere safe," she said, letting the tears flow freely down her pale face.

At last, Sirius composed himself. Lily was right. His godson needed him. "I think that we should go see the Headmaster at once. He'll know what to do."

Lily nodded solemnly, holding out her hand. Sirius grabbed it and the three of the Disapparated with a faint pop into the middle of the night.

Professor Dumbledore paced in his study, somehow sensing that something had gone horribly wrong. He had just made the resolve to check on the Potters, when Minerva McGonagall burst frantically through the door, followed by a distraught Sirius and a weeping Lily, holding a restless Harry. One look at their faces and he knew what had happened.

He fell back into his chair, sighing sadly. The usual twinkle that could be found in his piercing blue eyes was gone, only to be replaced by a deep sadness. Although he was relieved that the child was alive, he was terribly sorry that James Potter, one of his favourite pupils, was dead.

"But, Albus, I don't understand. How did it happen?" Professor McGonagall asked the same question they were all asking themselves.

"It was love, Minerva. Nothing less. Love is much more powerful than Dark Magic. A father's love is strong, unbreakable. Because James sacrificed himself, gave up his life for his son, he ensured Harry's survival."

They all stayed silent, pondering on the meaning of his words. After a while, Lily broke the silence.

"He's not gone is he Albus?" she asked weakly, pressing Harry closer to her.

"No, Lily. I'm afraid not," Dumbledore said in a heavy voice. Lily hung her head in resignation as fresh tears poured down her face. "But now is not the time to worry about that, Lily. We need to take you somewhere safe for now. I think the house of someone in the Order would be best."

"Who do you have in mind, Headmaster?"

"The Weasleys."

In a cosy home in the outskirts of a small village known as Ottery St. Catchpole, Molly Weasley stood by the crib of her sleeping daughter when a flash of light startled her. She whipped around, wand raised. She let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the Headmaster's phoenix Patronous standing in the middle of the room.

"Potters were attacked. James is dead. Lily and Harry are alive. They need a place to stay," it spoke in Professor Dumbledore's voice. Molly stifled a cry. She had been close to the Potters and she knew how much Lily must be suffering right now. Molly produced her own Patronous, a silvery weasel, and whispered her response. With a heavy heart, she left to get everything ready for their arrival.

Lily stood in the front steps of The Burrow, clutching a sleeping Harry. She raised her hand to knock on the door, but it was flung open by none other than Molly Weasley.

"Oh, Lily, dear are you alright?" she asked in a sad voice, drawing Lily into a warm hug.

Once again, Lily felt new tears start pouring down her face, following the same course as her old ones. Molly led her to a bedroom in the first-floor landing. Moonlight streamed in from the small window, which gave an excellent view of the orchard below. Without a word, Molly helped her lay down, placing Harry next to her, before exiting the room. Lily pulled Harry closer, afraid to lose him out of her sight. She mourned silently, her heart aching for James. For the love of her life, for the only man she would ever love.

A/N: So what'd you guys think?