Her world was crashing down right before her very eyes. She heard the creak of the gate just seconds ago, and even then she knew. The prophecy would finally come true. The door had burst open and she clutched her baby boy to her chest as her gallant husband dashed over to confirm her fears.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"*

She crushed her son to her chest and ran blindly up the stairs to her son's nursery, only hesitating when the room flashed green around her. Swallowing her cry she threw the nursery door shut. Piling up a chair and boxes in a last, albeit feeble, attempt to protect her beloved child she heard a sort of high pitched noise like a strangled cat. It only took her a few moments to realize it was coming from her own throat.

As she gazed into her son's innocent face she reflected on the few months leading up to this tremendous moment. She remembered how Dumbledore came to their other apartment grim tired look on his face as he asked to come in. After Dumbledore had told her and James that Harry was in great danger she remembered how she demanded why he would say such terrible things and how she had wanted proof. That was the worst part. When the prophecy was over she broke down and cried in James's arms barely hearing Dumbledore when he said Alice and Frank had to worry about Voldemort coming after their son, Neville, too. She had cried for them too.

Then Dumbledore had told them about the Fidelius Charm. It was their only hope. She remembered getting into heated arguments with James and Sirius about who would be their secret keeper. She didn't want anyone to risk their life trying to protect them it was too dangerous, and Sirius was like a brother to her. No, she would say, absolutely not. Even when Dumbledore offered she was reluctant to approve. Though, to her, he was clearly the best choice. After all, he was the only one Voldemort ever feared. But James was persistent that his best mate was the best choice. Sirius was as loyal as the dog he could transform into. After a week of James sleeping on the couch she had agreed.

The next shock came when Sirius arrived at our hide out looking like he had lost his best friend. He wanted an extra layer of defense for us, an extra layer of protection. He had wanted Peter to be secret keeper. Glancing around shiftily, Sirius explained that no one would suspect Peter because he wasn't a very remarkable person. He said he would be the obvious choice because everyone had known James and he had been inseparable at Hogwarts. It would throw off death eaters and Voldemort. And people we thought friends but were really enemies . . . . . . . .

He spoke in a desperate voice, pleading with us to do as he said. We agreed rather reluctantly and that seemed to ease his mind. He brought Peter with him the next day to perform the spell. Peter looked so much like a scared little rat right after we had performed the incantation, though then she had thought it was the spells effect. How foolish she had been then. Peter had been the wrong choice after all.

She was pulled out of her bittersweet reminiscing as her pitiful barricade was forced aside. She glanced at Voldemort's ghastly face and almost got sick as a surge of fear threatened to overcome her. Hardly registering what she was doing, she set her child into his crib before facing the fear inducing stranger in front of her

Spreading her arms wide she hoped for a miracle. "Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"

Her voice cracked at Harry's name, knowing this would only stall the inevitable.

"Stand aside, you silly girl . . . stand aside now." Was the cold reply to her desperate hysterical pleadings.

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead –"

Tears were pouring down her terrified face, her clothes were disheveled, and she was out of breath. She was nearly insane with fear and it was as if time was slowing down. She could see the slow spread of irritation spreading across Voldemort's snakelike face and look of absolute pure curiosity blossom on her only son.

"This is my last warning –" threatened the enraged dark lord.

"Not Harry! Please . . . have mercy . . . have mercy . . . not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything –"

Her arms were still spread wide like a cross; this was her last attempt to save her baby.

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"

Voldemort was furious now, she saw. She registered a slight hesitation before he raised his wand, as if he was contemplating what he should do now. But it took seconds before his wand was inches from her forehead and the unforgivable words fell from his mouth contorting his face harshly with each syllable.

"Avada Kedavra!"

And she fell. But to her soul, the falling didn't stop when her body hit the floor though. After a while she noticed that she had stopped falling and had started floating. She was no longer hysterical, but a feeling of peace and serenity had overcome her. She kept floating, up and up until she reached her husband and was no longer surrounded by darkness. The stars illuminated the darkness and as she reached out to grasp her husband's hand the stars glowed even brighter.

Her world had come crashing down right before her very eyes. But in that instance she knew Harry was safe, and that, for now, Voldemort was conquered. And as she gazed into her husband's eyes she braced herself to spend many years watching over her baby boy up in the sky.

She gazed at the rubble that used to be her house and saw the vague shape of a large familiar person happening upon the scene . . . . . .