This is how an Angel dies

Summary: Lily Potter's last day alive.

This is in honor of Lily and James Potter. I don't own Harry Potter, the Tale of the Three Brothers, or anything else. This is just in their memory.

When Lily Potter woke up Halloween morning in 1981, she never knew what was coming.

Lily blinked, her green eyes coming to land on James' face. She smiled slightly at his sleeping face. His messy dark hair was sticking up more than usual, and Lily reached over and swept some of it off of his forehead before leaning over and kissing him.

"Morning," He murmured against her lips.

"Morning," She replied before sitting up. "Ready to start the day?" James groaned.

"Why can't we just sit here for a little longer?" He whined.

"Because Harry will wake up soon." She reminded him lightly. His eyes lit up at the mention of his little son and he leapt out of bed faster than Lily.

Lily could hear James opening their son's door softly and trailed after him, resting her shoulder against the door frame to watch James pick Harry up. She grinned at Harry's awaking giggles and head downstairs to cook breakfast.

XoX

"So," Lily said as a fully dressed James and Harry wandered into the room. "I was thinking of showing Harry some of the Muggle Halloween costumes this year."

"Why?" James asked curiously as he gently set Harry in his highchair.

"Halloween was always my favorite time of year," Lily said, blushing slightly. "I just wanted to see some of the costumes."

James came up and hugged her from behind. "Perhaps when he's older, Lily love. The Muggles can go all out with Halloween and the costumes—some might scare Harry."

"What, are you saying they scare you, o' great and fearless Order member?" Lily teased.

"Well, there was that one zombie costume . . ." James muttered. "But it didn't really scare me." He hastily added. "Just . . . surprised me. That's all."

"Sure." Lily rolled her eyes as James got out the plates.

XoX

Lily was busy throughout the day. Between taking care of Harry and making sure James didn't sneak out of the house—when would Dumbledore give James his Cloak back? Being kept inside all the time was driving them both crazy—Lily had her hands full.

Order members kept Flooing them, and once or twice Lily's friends would call or Owl their wishs for a Happy Halloween. Lily replied to all of them (often making James talk to the Order members) as she entertained Harry with a Potion that would make ones skin turn green and boils cover their face. After all, that's how she always viewed witches in the Muggle world. Green, covered in warts, and flying on a broomstick with a black cat.

XoX

Bathilda visited, bringing cookies (much to Harry and James' delight.) The cookies were homemade; they were in the shape of pumpkins and in the black frosting of the mouth, yellow frosting flickered like a candle was within the shadowy darkness.

Lily thanked Bathilda gratefully, as it gave James a distraction. James was quite to sucker for cookies, and Lily watched with amusement as he balanced one cookie on the nose, much to Harry's amusement. Child-like laughter and a deeper laughed filled that kitchen as Lily guided Bathilda into the sitting room for tea.

"I can't thank you enough." Lily said again as she poured Bathilda a cup of steaming tea.

"It was no problem." Bathilda said mildly. "Do you love Halloween?"

"It's my favorite time of the year." Lily grinned. Bathilda's old wrinkled face softened.

"It's one of mine, too." Bathilda said. "So many things in history have happened on this day."

"Didn't Nick get his head almost cut off today?" Lily asked.

"He did indeed." Bathilda nodded. Lily sighed. Poor Nick. Last she heard, he was still trying to join the Headless Hunt. It wasn't going to well for the Nearly-Headless ghost.

"Many witches and wizards have died today at Muggle hands." Bathilda continued. "Discoveries have been made, and birthdays. Halloween is steeped in history."

"All Hallows Eve." Lily murmured.

"After the famous Deathly Hallows." Bathilda said. Lily shot her a look before laughing.

"Of all the connections to make," Lily laughed. "You connect it to a story."

"Mm," Bathilda drank from her tea. "A good story."

"But still just a story," Lily teased the famous historian.

The rest of the visit was quite light-hearted and Lily cheerfully waved Bathilda away as the old woman tottered down the street back to her home.

XoX

Dinner was full of tales—after Lily had told James of the visit, James enthusiastically told Harry the Tale of the Three brothers. Lily laughed as James used different voices for the characters—giving the Third Brother a deep and noble voice, while the Second Brother had a high, squeaky voice. The First Brother had a croaking voice while Death got a very girlish voice. Harry laughed and gurgled along, banging his fists on the table.

Lily cleared up while James took Harry into the sitting room, to tell him the story of Old Granny Tucker, a famous witch who was famous for her music spells. When Lily came into the room, James had finished his story and was now showing Harry some brightly colored smoke rings.

"Time for Harry to go to bed." Lily said lightly.

"Already?" James pouted and Lily laughed.

"Yes, already." She said, coming to take Harry out of her husband's arms. She took the sleepy toddler upstairs to his room. Lily brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead.

"Sleep tight, my sweet. Daddy and I will always be there for you." She murmured.

And that was when she heard the door below blast open.

XoX

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily said. She tried so hard not to think of James right now—he was dead. Her husband was dead. But Harry was still alive. He must live. She would do anything to keep her precious baby boy alive. Voldemort's glowing red eyes bore into hers, making her feel so weak. Just give up, the eyes seem to say. Bow to death, Lily Potter. But she would not. She'd go down his her head held high. Voldemort raised his wand, and Lily desperately began to plead with him more.

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead. Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything –"

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!" Why was he giving her an option? Why would he give her the chance to flee, saving her life?

But she would never do that. She was a Gryffindor and proud of it.

She reached deep down, pulling up words and wandlessly casting an ancient spell. Protect my child from this threat, make him wish we had never met. Love's power streams through my child's veins, and it shall be lust, greed, and hate's bane. I give my life so that he may live his, I do it gladly for it is what it is.

"Harry!" Lily screamed as Voldemort cast the curse;

"Avada Kedavra!"

And Lily Potter's world turned dark.

XoX

"Lily . . . Lily!" James' voice echoed around her and she groaned. James' face was leaning over her, and she sat up. The room was a disaster. The roof had collapsed and Voldemort was nothing but a pile of black robes.

"James? What happened?" Lily hoisted herself up with James' help.

"We died." He said. Lily blinked, but looked around for her son.

"Where's Harry?" She demanded.

James guided her through the ruins of her house to where Sirius and Hagrid were arguing. She blinked back tears as Sirius backed away from his bike.

"I won't need it anymore." He said quietly. "Just get Harry to safety, please."

Hagrid looked at him oddly before getting on the motorbike and kicking it to life, rising away in the air. Lily and James looked after it.

"I can feel where Harry's going." Lily whispered.

"We gave our lives for him." James murmured. "We will look after him always."

They watched Sirius race away before turning and Apparating to Harry's final destination, so that they would always look after him.

Halloween was Lily Potter's favorite time of year, but she had not been ready for the heartache it could cause. She looked after her son until he came to join her and together, the three of them rose into the light.

This is how an angel dies, after all.