NEVER A NORMAL LIFE

LADY SHINIGAMI

DISCLAIMER: I ONLY OWN THE PLOT. DON'T SUE ME.

PART 1: THE BEGINNING

A man with messy black hair sat quietly while holding a woman with fiery red hair as she sobbed into his arms. This young woman was his friend, and a silent partner of the Marauders, and it hurt to see her like this, instead of the strong young woman he knew her to be.

"Come on, calm down enough to tell me what's wrong. Is it about him?" He asked softly, and she nodded miserably, silent tears still pouring from her deep green eyes.

"He broke off our engagement, said it was too dangerous, and that I was a liability to him!" she said, her voice surprisingly steady. "We could have found a way, I know it! Why did he have to leave me, James?"

"Don't worry, dearest, we both know he loves you very much, and he must want to keep you safe from Voldemort. In a sense, he is right; you could be a liability if things are too dangerous. You know that he would never do anything like this without just cause. You know that, Lily!" Said James, and Lily stopped her crying and smiled half-heartedly.

"You're right. It just hurts. Oh, James, what would I do without you?" she asked and James grinned, hugging her tightly.

"You wouldn't have met him. Hey, Lils, I've been wondering; was there something else, something that you haven't told him?"

Lily looked down, depression sinking in. "I'm pregnant, James. With twins. I haven't seen him since he broke it off, and I haven't been able to tell him. James, what am I going to do?"

"Marry me, Lily. I don't want your children growing up without a father figure if something happens to him, and you and I both know that our marriage would be nothing more than friendship. And when the war's over we could get a divorce. Is that ok with you?" James asked.

"Yes, James. Thank you."

"You're my best friend, Lily. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. We should speak with Dumbledore, he'll know what to do." Said James and he helped Lily to her feet. She grinned, rubbing at her tear-stained eyes.

"Lead the way, Prongs."

Eight months later, Lily gave birth and when she and James held the two infants in the light, they were quite surprised, to say the least.

"How can identical twins look like complete opposites?" James asked, staring at the little albino boy in his arms. "This little guy could be passed off as the Malfoy Heir." He quickly caught the sudden twinkle in Lily's eyes that so reminded him of Dumbledore.

"What are thinking of?"

"Well, we are friends with 'Cissa and Luc, and you know how very much they've wanted a child, so I was thinking that because Voldemort's after us, maybe we could put the twins up for adoption until the war's over." James grinned maniacally.

"That's great, Lils, but first, let's name the boys. The one I'm holding reminds me of the little silver dragons from the legends. How about Draco?"

Lily smiled from where she lay on the hospital bed. "Jamie, that's great. What about Harry for his brother?" she asked, gazing happily at the small blond boy in James' arms.

"It's decided, then. I'll talk with Luc and 'Cissa. They should be able to protect Draco, at least."

"Thank you James."

"Why now? James, Harry's adoption papers would have gone through by tomorrow! What are we going to do?" Lily was staring to panic as sounds of destruction reached the home she and James shared with young Harry in Godric's Hollow. James didn't answer and quickly looked out the window into the street, his wand drawn and ready. He paled and backed away from the window.

"Lily, take Harry and go, he's almost here! I'll hold him off!"

"No James, I can't!"

"Lily, take Harry and run, there's no time! Go!"

With a last look at her best friend and husband, Lily fled up the stairs to the nursery just as the front door was blown off its hinges. Lily could hear James shouting, trying to hold off Voldemort and she grabbed Harry from his crib, the light of the fires raging outside dancing across the closed window, sending flickering light into the darkened room. Lily was immediately glad that Draco was safe with 'Cissa and Luc.

The nursery door opened and Lily stiffened, realizing that James had stopped shouting. She turned slowly, clutching her child to her chest as Voldemort stood triumphantly in the open doorway, blocking her only escape route. Just passed the towering Dark Lord in the hallway, Lily saw a fallen body, recognizing it as James. Tears began to cloud her vision.

"What do you want? Why come after us?" She asked, trembling and Voldemort laughed in her face, his red eyes flashing menacingly.

"You truly do not know, Mudblood? I can't believe the old fool kept that from you. Despite your being a Mudblood, you come from an ancient bloodline of great power, and I believe that that power lies within your child. Give me the boy, and you will live. Now that the child has been born, your blood is useless, the power transferring to your child instead. I will not leave without him." Said the Dark Lord, but Lily shook her head, backing into the wall behind her, holding baby Harry tightly.

"No, anything but Harry, please! Have mercy, please, and spare me! I don't care what you do to me, but leave Harry alone, I beg of you!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl, I have shown you mercy as it is!"

"Please, not Harry! Anything but him!"

"Aveda Kedavra!"

Lily turned and shielded Harry from the curse before it hit and she collapsed to the floor, her grip on Harry loosening as she died instantly. The baby started crying and Voldemort frowned in disgust.

"You're not worth my effort, child, I see it now. With Evans' blood, you are powerful indeed, but the Potter blood has diluted your power sufficiently. You're no threat to me!" He raised his wand and spoke two solitary words that would be his doom.

"Aveda Kedavra."

Green light shot from the Dark Lord's wand and hit the crying infant, but rebounded back to Voldemort, who was too surprised to dodge the curse. With a terrible scream, Voldemort was gone. Fires from the other homes destroyed in Godric's Hollow spread to the Potter home and started to burn. Baby Harry continued to cry, unaware that miles, baby Draco with him.