Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters you recognise. Thanks to SenaKD for being the Beta for this story.

Chapter One

Halloween 1981

"Avada Kedavra!" With a silent scream Lily Potter collapsed. Her green eyes gazed sightlessly up at the cloaked figure that had so abruptly ended her life. His name was Lord Voldemort and he was the cruellest wizard to ever walk the earth. Lily and her husband, James Potter had fought tirelessly against him, but in the end it was no good. He was too strong. Cruel lips twitched upwards as he turned his wand on the sixteen month old baby in his coat. He uttered the curse once again and there was a flash of green light. However instead of killing the child like it was supposed it rebounded and the one called the Dark Lord by his followers, found himself not only stripped of his power but also his body.

'No, this wasn't supposed to happen!' he screamed inwardly. With nothing else to do he fled Godric's Hollow with what was left of his form. Under a piece of the home's shattered door frame, sat a large grey rat, it had watched the events unfold. Unbeknownst to those whom should look upon the crime scene, was none other than their deceased schoolmate, Peter Pettigrew, in his animagus form, but now the traitorous little man had been waiting for his master to return. Now things seemed to have gone haywire he thought it best he leave this place and hastily scurried away.

...

"That traitorous bastard!" Sirius Black said in a harsh voice, he and his childhood friend, Remus Lupin wasted no time and jumped into their boots, disapparated in an instant. Something wasn't right at the Potter's house. Likewise across Europe the friend's school professor felt the change in the magical protection around the young family's home too and pushing his half-moon spectacles up his nose he disapparated from his chambers. The cold night air crackled with magic as three wizard-shaped shadows appeared in front of the Potter's house with a loud crack. The men took one look at the partially destroyed building and without a word to each other, hurried in through the smashed door and straight up the staircase. What they found there horrified them beyond belief.

"JAMES…no!" Sirius swore agony clear in his words. James Potter's lifeless body was lying prone in the upstairs hallway and just pass his father's body, baby Harry's bedroom door was slightly ajar and they could hear his grizzling sobs. Lupin rushed past as Sirius knelt by James, into the room and froze when he got inside. Harry's mother, Lily was as lifeless as her husband. Remus gasped and collapsed on the carpet next her body he took hold of her hand, it was still warm. Sirius forced himself to move from James in the hallway, he walked past the lifeless redhead without looking because he knew he would falter, he reached into the crib of his godson and lifted him up. The baby settled in his arms as Sirius held him. He returned to Remus and Dumbledore and the three of them exchanged a grim look.

"They went with Peter then?" Dumbledore asked in a grim voice, from the hall. He was referring to the family's secret keeper, the sole keeper of the knowledge of their whereabouts.

"That RAT!" Remus said close to tears still sitting on the carpet with his friend's body. Sirius growled in a slightly inhuman sound coming from his throat.

"He was working for that scum all this time!" Remus grimaced as he finally stood and touched Harry's back.

"The question is, why would he leave Harry alive?" Dumbledore said aloud as he entered the room with the younger men and look grimly down on one of his brightest students. He looked up from her body to her infant son. "May I see him?" He asked pointing a long finger at the baby. Sirius said nothing but turned on the spot so Dumbledore could see the small face of the child on his shoulder.

Albus Dumbledore pushed his glasses up his nose once more and leaned closer to him. Harry blinked at him for a moment, but didn't pull back; the professor used the tip of his finger to push a small tuff of black hair off his forehead and hissed.

"What?" Remus asked worried moving around to see Harry's face. "What's that?" he asked.

"It would seem he did, try to finish his attack but…" he paused

"Something went wrong" Sirius said matter-of-factly and moved to face the men again. "What will happen to Harry now?" he wanted to know, stroking the baby's soft hair.

"James and Lily were very clear in their Will," Dumbledore said softly, "they wanted you two to be the ones to raise Harry should anything happen to them." Sirius held Harry to him as tightly as he dared.

"When did they write a Will?" Remus asked the old man.

"Just before they went into hiding, they intrusted it to me" He replied solemnly.

"Then we won't them down" Sirius said resolutely and Remus gave a curt nod in agreement. "Good" Dumbledore said. "I suggest you take Harry back to Hogwarts, he'll be safe there for now. I'll meet you in my office, once I have collected what I can of Harry's things and seen that Lily and James' bodies removed from here, so they can be buried properly."

Remus and Sirius apperrated to Dumbledore's office and sat down in the chairs opposite his desk. Harry was now sleeping peacefully in Sirius' arms. The men sat in stunned silence while they waited for the professor. About ten minutes had passed before Dumbledore arrived and informed him that their friends would be buried in the Godric's Hollow cemetery, two days from now.

"Now as to where you're going to live with the boy?" Dumbledore said briskly nodding at Harry. Remus glanced at his friend.

"Our flat is not big enough for a baby" he said shaking his head while he thought about it.

"Well I got word my old hag of a mother, passed a while back..." he shuddered when he thought of the women. "…the old family home is mine now" he shrugged.

"Grimmauld Place?" Dumbledore asked him, with a raised eyebrow.

"There's plenty enough room for the rugrat...oh and Harry..." he half grinned, trying a joke to see if would ease the pain, but Remus just looked at him blankly. Sirius gave an awkward cough and continued "... however before we take Harry to live there, it really need some…redecoration." Sirius snorted as his remembered his parents "style".

"No arguments here," Remus agreed. That decided, Sirius and Remus set off to the old place, in London, leaving Harry in the care of the school matron, Madame Pomfrey. They trusted her to make sure Harry was safe and healthy.