Disclaimer: Like always, I'm only playing in JKR's territory, this time with references and concepts borrowed WB's Shadow of Mordor. I only own characters you don't recognize.
Lily Potter was definitely NOT a trophy wife. She was a recognized charms prodigy at the age of 12, and nearly a genius when it came to potions. But she was rarely talked about for her talents due to her birth, and most upper-crust Purebloods preferred to ignore her whenever possible. Those who ended up antagonizing her soon learned the error of their ways.
So it wouldn't be too much to say she could figure out a way to save her son, even from the impossible.
But that never occurred to anyone, somehow.
When she found and old excerpt of a Summoning ritual for a Great Power, she wrote it off, but memorized it anyway since it was interesting. Now, with the Fidelius shattered and Voldemort himself walking up the lane, she was glad she had. After a frantic discussion with James, she was able to convince him it was the best option.
"We've gone against him before, but that was on open ground, with others all around! We won't be able to take him on alone, and we'd never get away in time, not even with your Nimbus! We don't even have the Cloak!"
James cursed, "But you don't even know what this ritual is supposed to do exactly, or what price we could pay!"
"Is any price too steep to save our son?" she glared at her husband, daring him to contradict her on an answer they both already knew.
He sighed, "No…," James ran his hand through his hair, a habit he had gotten from Sirius. "What do we need to do?"
It was his wife's turn to sigh now, "We won't be able to do it properly, since usually the lines are said between the triggering events, but I think I can work around that… But I need time, at least 5 minutes to set it up."
Glancing out the window, James' eyes widened as he saw the Dark Lord opening their fence gate casually and close it behind him, "We may not have that long! Go, do what you need to do, I'll hold him off for as long as I can!"
Lily nodded and rushed up the stairs, but not before beginning the ritual under her breath: "A father's sacrifice of blood and bone, a bridge for you to follow… Come forth from out of shadow."
She burst into the nursery, not caring if little Harry woke, and flipped over the rug in the center of the room. A quick spell slit her wrist, letting blood poor freely for her to write the necessary sigils to compensate for her changes to the original. As she began to write, there was a blast from below as the front door blew in, and James shouted a spell to begin the fight of his life. Within minutes, the circle of runes and Latin phrases were complete and she could safely utter the second phrase: "A mother's blood to save her child, a beacon to guide the way… You will come forth from shadow!" The circle flashed white, signaling the acceptance of the change. Now the hardest part, the one that worried her most and deviated the furthest from the original. She came to Harry, her son, her baby, standing up, holding on to the rim of his crib and looking confused. She smiled at him as she stroked his little head of hair, "Don't worry, baby, it'll all be ok."
Shooting a localized numbing charm at his forehead beforehand, she carved the final rune, Sowilo, symbol of power and victory, directly into his head. Then, collecting the blood that came, painted a twin to it in the center of the ritual circle before uttering the final phrase: "A victim's blood, taken to save, a place for you to know… You will bring back my son!" The circle glowed red, and strained against the binding in protest at being denied the third and final sacrifice, but the twin Sowilo runes shone a brilliant white and held the process together. Finally, the light died, the blood on the rug and Harry's head now dried forcibly by the magics contained.
And just in time, as well, as with a furious shout of "Avada Kadavra!" the sounds of battle fell quiet. With tears in her eyes, Lily forced herself to ignore the twang in her heart at knowing her love was dead and flipped over the rug to hide the circle. She hurriedly cast a glamour on Harry's scar, and had only just finished when the bedroom door slammed open. She had barely turned before she was hit by a silent Expelliarmus and her wand flew from her hand, leaving her defenseless.
After her begging to be spared, and a final cry of "Please, not Harry, take me instead!", neither the Voldemort or the toddler saw the muted flash of emerald green light from beneath the rug as the mother's body fell to the ground. As the Dark Lord spoke the words, and the light flew towards the child, the sudden release of power and subsequent explosion was definitely noted by the elder of the two, considering he was incinerated by it.
But the baby, child of prophecy and subject of ancient ritual, did not. He had fallen back on the crib, not breathing, and heart stilled. For a long moment, the grim silence of death hung in the air.
Then, with a stirring of ethereal blue flame, Harry breathed again.
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The rug had been shredded, so when Sirius Black, and then Hagrid came for the child, there was no evidence of how Lily had saved her son. When Albus Dumbledore found the lightning bolt scar and came, all his spells and knowledge could tell him was that immense power had been used in that nursery. In a bout of truly regrettable naiveite and oversight, he made an idealistic conclusion of a mother's loving sacrifice being the cause of the miracle. After the news broke out of the Dark Lord's demise, so too did Dumbledore's theory and opinion on what occurred. And, since the respect for such a great wizard was so great, it was widely accepted as gospel and later warped into focusing on young Harry.
So Lily Potter's role in Voldemort's defeat was overlooked, as was its consequences.
Because when Harry Potter opened his eyes on the doorstep of the Dursley's that cold November morn, something had changed.
One eye was a deep emerald green, while the other was a brilliant icy blue.
A Bright Lord had come to the Isles.
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A/N: So, how's that for an opening? Maybe a bit rushed and light on details for the ritual, but I'd say it ends on a good note. Next chapter will be from the new Wraith's POV as Harry grows. Rates and reviews appreciated!