This has changed everything
The prophecy wasn't complete. The thought was bugging his mind like a lazy fly that wouldn't go away. He strode towards the entrance with utter confidence, lovingly stroking his wand hidden in his sleeve. It was itching to be used. He could feel the wand's anticipation as well as his own.
He paid no mind to the locked doors; they opened before him in an almost welcoming gesture. The house was unusually quiet, so they must have felt him approaching. He couldn't be surprised. It has begun to be gradually more difficult to control his still growing power. Right now it was coming off of him in calm waves, but as soon as he unleashed his power, it'd transform into a rearing beast with a mind of its own. But that was a matter for a different time.
The stairs creaked as James Potter run towards him in a brave, but foolish spurt. He smiled thinly, recognizing a truly admirable curse that struck nowhere near him.
"I only want the boy." He said quietly, circling his opponent. "You're a fine wizard, but you will die if you don't come to your senses".
James stood on the last step of the stairs, determination written all over his face. Voldemort knew with one glance that Potter wasn't here to talk. He withheld a sigh. As enjoyable killing was, he really did loathe getting rid of powerful, pureblood wizards.
"Let me pass".
"Go to hell".
The hood hid his eye roll, because really, how many times could a man hear phrases like this? This thing has started to be disappointingly boring, so he raised his bone-white wand, pointing it at James.
He saw no fear in his opponent's eyes, which made him a worthy one.
As he was opening his mouth, he saw a woman on top of the stairs. Oh, so she came to beg for his husband's life now, hasn't she? What a truly inspirational family drama he had gotten himself into. Before she could start a profound monologue about love, forgiveness or other values he had no interest in hearing about, he sent a killing curse at James, which hit without fail.
Voldemort was expecting a scream or at least a muffled sob, but the woman just stare at him, never lifting a gaze. It was an unnerving look of bright green eyes gleaming with intelligence. Sadness was there, too, but deeply hidden like a matter-of-fact duty she knew she had to live with.
"You're something different entirely" he heard himself say in a curious voice.
"After Severus had come to you, he ran up to me and told me about the prophecy and its content." She slowly stepped down, stopping at his eyes level.
Her husband's corpse was between them, marking a ghostly line.
"Fascinating" he said flatly, although he was boiling with rage inside.
That slimy backstabber. He always had an unease feeling about Snape, but he never thought the coward would actually betray him. Yet again he underestimated the power of love. How silly of him.
"And when I say that he told me its content, I mean the whole thing. I know every last bit of it".
Voldemort's eyes glowered dangerously. His hand sprung up to Lily's throat and tightened around it, lifting her up from the steps. He'd watched with glee as her face turned red and would gladly wait for her to become white and cold, but corpses don't answer questions. His grip loosened and she collapsed, sucking in air like a fish. Voldemort stood over her, never giving enough space for her to feel safe.
"How about you tell me then?" he asked silkily.
"Promise me you leave us alone and I will even spell it out for you".
He laughed humourlessly.
"You're in no position to make demands".
"Aren't I?" she lifted her head, meeting his hard stare. "If you kill me then you will never know what was the prophecy really about".
"Let us not use as determinative words such as 'never'. I'm sure that I could somehow persuade Severus into telling me the whole thing. I'm very convincing, if you can believe." His smile was all but comforting. "Besides, if you don't spill, I will simply… hmm… I don't know, start torturing your little boy?"
He could see her trying not to lose her composure, but the threat met its purpose. Lily's defences crumbled before him. She shakily stood up, leaning on a wooden handrail.
"It says 'neither can survive while the other lives'." Her broken voice was music to his ears.
A wicked smile played on his lips.
"You foolish girl. Do you think that this will convince me to change my mind? If anything, it has only sealed the boy's fate."
He passed over the corpse, shoving Lily to the wall in order to bypass her. Unexpectedly, she grasped his sleeve pulling him down. Voldemort turned his head, narrowing his eyes with irritation.
"Don't try that again." He said in a deathly cold voice.
"Before that part, there was something about you marking him as your equal" she breathed desperately.
He went still, his eyes searching for insincerity. But as much as he wanted it to not be true at the moment, Lord Voldemort couldn't be lied to.
"So you claim that I will somehow mark the boy as my equal tonight and therefore won't be able to kill him?"
Lily let go of his sleeve and gathered herself. She then stepped up, standing on the same step as Voldemort. She could only see his dim features under the hood, but the red eyes were glowing darkly, striping her of all the courage and leaving only vulnerability like an exposed nerve.
"Yes".
He studied her for a long while. His face was blank; leaving her no clue as to what was he thinking. She could hear herself breathing loudly in a deadly silence that had fallen between them.
"Well then, we had found ourselves in a rather inconvenient stall, wouldn't you say?" his lips twitched as if he was trying to stop himself from smiling. "Because if I can't kill the boy… and obviously he still presents some sort of threat to me, if one believes in prophecies… then I can't just let him be".
With amusement he saw a glimpse of hope in Lily's eyes.
"We can move out of the country. He would never hear about you, I would never…"
He tsked, silencing her.
"You say that now, dear, but what about his father? The boy would finally seek revenge, and by then he'd grow up to be a fine wizard. I can't allow for such a crooked seed to blossom."
She couldn't help but tremble. His stare was emotionless, almost bored. But Lily was determined to save her little boy. She harnessed every bit of intelligence, which was so praised upon during her days at school and straightened up in front of the most feared wizard of all time.
"Then kill me and raise him as your own".
She caught a glimpse of surprise in his eyes before he masked it with cold indifference, but that was enough for her to feel hopeful.
"You mad women." He murmured. "I'm not going to be this bastard's father…" His voice was dripping with disdain.
"I'm not asking you to." Lily cut him off, words running from her mouth faster than she could think. "Just give Harry to one of your supporters. This way he will be risen up in your values and he will never become a threat."
Although she couldn't see his face clearly, Lily was sure he was quirking an eyebrow at her.
"What a truly vile proposition you're making. You would sacrifice your son to evil?" He sneered.
"I would do anything to keep him alive." She said without batting an eye.
Voldemort knew that he should just kill the boy and be done with it, but something about this night made him uneasy. And this woman… Her will was so strong that he couldn't help but admire her for it. What a pointless death it would be.
"I see." He contemplated, his eyes searching for something, pinning down Lily's soul mercilessly. "Very well. I accept your application".
"Application?" Her green eyes widened.
"Yes." He replied slyly. "Come now, Lily Potter, we must make something of this blank spot on your pretty arm".
He turned, going down the stairs without checking if she's following.
"Oh, and do take Harry. I believe it's never too early to become a Death Eater".