AN: Wow, finally got around to writing this… Anyway, I would like to thank my betas Shannon and Caitey for all of their help ^_^ Reviews are greatly appreciated. Updates will probably be slow, as I'm finishing classes right now. Thanks and Enjoy!

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The End of the Beginning: Halloween 1981

The full moon illuminated the night and a gentle breeze blew, rustling the leaves in the trees. It was impossible to imagine that only a few hours early a ragging storm had passed through the area of Godric's Hollow. Only the occasional patter of raindrops falling from damp leaves remained.

Inside, a lanky man was sprawled across the couch reading the evening edition of the Daily Prophet. His brow was furrowed with concern as he read the evening headlines. Death Eaters had destroyed a small Muggle village that morning; there were no survivors.

"Harry's finally asleep," said a woman as she walked down the stairs and passed the man as she made her way to the kitchen.

The man glanced up, his face relaxing as he grinned at her words, "Am I that difficult these days?"

"Oh no, you're definitely much worse. Now scoot over," the woman replied dryly, the twinkle in her eye belying her stern facade. Snuggling up to him, she took a sip of her drink and let out a sigh of contentment as she relaxed. "I still can't believe - what is it?" she asked as she felt his body suddenly tense beneath her. Studying her companions face she saw that his face had gone pale, his eyes were glazed. Concerned, she reached up a hand to his face to try and snap him out of it.

"He's here," came his terse reply as he sat up.

The woman knew exactly whom her companion was referring to. Her face paled as the implications of his statement fully registered. "But how?" she choked out. "I thought that with the precautions, the changes we made, and- "

"Peter still betrayed us, it seems," the man sounded bitter as he stood, pulling his wand out his pocket. "Dammit! After all the clues…" His voiced hardened as determination flooded through him. "Let's stick to the plan. Maybe there's still a way things can turn out for the best…" He looked at his companion, love and worry playing across his features.

She stood, and after a quick embrace, the two companions prepared to face that evil that was headed their way.

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Sirius Black was frantic with worry. He had dropped by Peter's apartment to see how he was getting along only to find it abandoned. The fact that there appeared to be no signs of a struggle only made the knot in Sirius stomach grow tighter.

Sirius had left Peter's immediately to head to Godric's Hollow to check on the Potters in hopes that he wasn't too late to rectify his mistake in trusting Peter. He had a sinking suspicion as to where Peter had gone, and the idea was not a pleasant one. 'Merlin, don't let me be too late!' he silently sent up into the night. 'Let them be okay.'

Landing his motorbike in the Potters' front lawn, Sirius felt his whole world come crashing down. The small, two-story cottage was reduced to a smoldering heap rubble with debris haphazardly cast throughout the yard.

'Lily's gonna be pissed, she just planted that flower garden,' some small part of his brain commented.

"James! Lily!" he cried desperately as he ran toward the smoking remains of the house. Picking his way over the ground, he entered the crumbling front hallway, where a horrific sight made him stop short. "Oh God, no!" he whimpered, his heart seeming to freeze in his chest.

His wand arm out stretched, James lay sprawled on his stomach at the base of the stairs, eyes closed and chest not moving. "Prongs! Answer me! Please...." Collapsing next to the body of his friend, Sirius tried to wake him to no avail. He felt the tears prickle at the edges of his eyes as the reality of the last hours settled in.

This was entirely his fault, his mind told him. He was the one too cowardly to be the Secret Keeper; he had suspected innocent Remus; and he had handed his friends over to Voldemort by insisting that they use Peter. They had known someone close had been passing information to Voldemort. Sirius had never suspected little Pettigrew. In fact, Sirius had completely overlooked him. Now Sirius' mistake had cost his friends their lives.

"Sirius. Sirius!" A booming voice broke into his thoughts.

Sirius sat up straighter, but could not take his gaze away from James' body. "They're gone too, aren't they, Hagrid?" he asked in a strained voice. "Lily... and," his voice cracked, "Harry."

"Lily is," Hagrid replied with a shuddering breath. "But lil' 'Arry's still with us."

Sirius' head shot up at those words. There in Hagrid's massive arms lay his tiny godson. "How?" he managed to gasp out through his shock.

"Not sure. Found the little tyke out back, just sitting there," replied the half-giant. "He seems all right, 'cept for a bit of shock and this here cut."

"Hagrid let me have him. I'm his godfather," he managed to choke out. Leaving the side of his best friend, he approached the last Potter. It was his duty now to protect the little one; it was the least he could do for Lily and James.

"Sorry Sirius, but Dumbledore wants me to take him to his Aunt and Uncle's." Hagrid replied regretfully.

"No Hagrid! You can't!" Sirius cried. "You've never met the Dursleys! They're horrible muggles and hate anything to do with the Potters and magic. They'll resent having to take care of Harry, I know it!"

"Those are Dumbledore's orders, I can't do nothing about it," Hagrid's said, though his eyes were sympathetic. "You'll need to take it up with him."

"I will," came the determined reply. "But, can I hold him, before you go?"

" 'O course," Hagrid shifted the sleeping child into the waiting arms of his godfather. Sirius brushed aside a lock of unruly hair. There on Harry's forehead, a glistening red lightening bolt cut stood out. Sirius felt something stirring in him, a growing need to right the wrongs done on this night. He would go after Peter and make him pay for what he had done this night. At his godfather's touch, Harry opened his eyes sleepily and grinned when he recognized who was holding him.

"Pa-foot," cooed the child, his green eyes sparkling with delight.

"You best get going," tears were once again falling from Sirius' eyes. He knew he had to give Harry back, or he wouldn't have the will to leave him to go after Peter. Thoughts of revenge and justice flew through his mind; he owed it to James and Lily to see the traitor brought to justice. He pulled his jumbled thoughts together as he wiped the tears that were staining his face, "Take my bike though, I won't be needing it anymore."

"You sure 'bout that?" Hagrid glanced up at Sirius in surprise for everyone knew how much Sirius loved his bike. Sirius nodded once. "All right then," Hagrid then proceeded to fish out a baby harness from one of his enormous pockets.

Sirius gave Harry one last kiss on the top of his head before he helped to secure him.

Hagrid was settling onto the bike and Sirius was plotting his revenge when the sound of running footsteps broke through the quiet of the night. Sirius spun towards the sound, whipping his wand out and just as Hagrid pulled out his pink umbrella. A thousand possibilities of who it could be ran through Sirius' mind as he took up a defensive stance in front of his godson and the groundskeeper.

Sirius paled as he saw who rounded the corner. The two people were not Death Eaters returning to clean up the mess, as he expected.

"My gods!" cried Lily Evans Potter, panic evident in her voice. "Sirius, what happened here? Where's Harry?"

"Hagrid, what are you doing here?" questioned James Potter as he glanced between the half giant and his best friend. "Is that Harry you have? Is he all right?"

Sirius just stood there gaping like a fish at the supposedly dead couple. When Lily tried to take Harry from Hagrid, his god-fatherly instincts kicked in and he snapped himself out of his daze. Training his wand on the woman, he snarled, "All right! Who the hell are you two? Death Eaters come to finish the job! Damn you bastards! Are you here to get you're kicks by murdering a baby?"

"Sirius, what the hell are you talking about!" James paled at the ferocity in Sirius' voice. "It's us, Lily and James. What the hell happened here?"

"Voldemort," growled Sirius, his wand beginning to waiver as doubts entered his mind.

In the meantime, Lily had been glancing around the lawn, as if looking for something, "Where are -?"

With a frustrated wave of his hand, Sirius cut her off, "If you are really Lily and James, then who the hell is inside?"