AN: Yo! It's an update. I was gonna wait to post more until I had finished the story, but I realized that would probably never end up happening, so now I have more motivation. Please enjoy. Peace TF out.

I

-JAMES-

James Charlus Potter was quite truthfully, your average teenaged pureblood boy. He was tall and rather muscled (from years of playing quidditch no doubt), he had bright hazel eyes, and black hair that always seemed to stick out at one odd angle or another. On most, his hair would be rather awkward-looking, but he found a way to make its appearance quite charming. He had a handsome face with neither a mustache nor a beard to be found. Upon his nose rested what seemed to be his only flaw, an almost wire thin pair of glasses, for despite the beauty of his hazel eyes, they were nearly blind.

However, he was still the epitome of pureblood handsomeness. And he had a fair sense of dress as well, undoubtedly drilled into him by his mother, the Lady Dorea Potter, and perhaps even his father, the Lord Charlus Fleamont Potter. James quite clearly achieved his good looks from his parents.

Charlus Potter was a man of average height and stocky build. He had thick arms, a square jaw, and a devilish smirk that was ever present on his face (which James most definitely inherited). His hair was the same black as his sons, but much shorter, and very muggle soldier like, his square jaw (which drew many women to him in his teenaged years) became hidden by a great big, bushy, black, beard, which over time, had begun to grey. His eyes were a dark blue color, and his face was rather pale, quite offsetting to his dark hair.

Dorea Potter was where James got his height; she stood no more than 8 centimeters shorter than her husband, but was on the rather petite side; she had long dark hair, and the same hazel eyes as her son. Her face was pretty, and had aged very well, with hardly a wrinkle in sight. Her skin was the same pale color of her husband and son. She had always enjoyed being naturally beautiful, and avoided makeup as such. Her heritage as a daughter of the Black family was clear to see.

James, as mentioned above, was a longtime quidditch player. His skill as a chaser earned him a starting position in his second year, and the honor of being Gryffindor's team captain in his fourth year. He helped Gryffindor win the Quidditch and House cup for six straight years. And he even performed well in school, despite never trying. James consistently earned EEs in all his classes, and rarely didn't get Os in Transfiguration; school seemingly came natural to him, despite his rather blase attitude about it.

The thing James excelled in the most however, was girls. They flocked to him, he got good grades, he was rich, he was handsome, what wasn't there to like? Of course, despite the constant attention from numerous girls spanning all years of Hogwarts, there was only one who ever truly drew his eye.

Lily Evans was a rather petite girl, with very little height, and a lot of temper. She had bright red hair, emerald green eyes, and pale skin. She was intelligent, she was funny, and she hated James Potter with a passion.

Her reasons were many: one, he constantly bullied her friend Sev; two, he was cocky and a womanizer; three, he constantly chased after her, always asking her out, trying to keep her away from Sev, and just annoying her in general; and fourth, worst of all, his grades. They were far too good for someone who spent all his time flirting and playing quidditch. He never studied, and yet he achieved consistent EEs and Os, whereas Lily had to constantly study and review to achieve her own EEs and Os. It was infuriating; he was infuriating.

For five and a half years, she dealt with his constant persuals. Until one day during their sixth year.

-LILY-

The potions room was a rather dark and depressing room in the dungeons, not far from where Lily knew the Slytherin common room was, and where she knew Severus would be right now. She missed him, at least a little bit, but she knew that ending her friendship with him was for the best, his obsession with the dark arts, and his now known following of the blood supremacists was far too much for her. She supposed that his calling her a mudblood wasn't entirely his fault, as he had just been humiliated by Potter, Black, Remus and Peter again, but still, it hurt, and he had yet to offer an apology several months later.

And there they were, the "Marauders": James Potter; Sirius Black; Remus Lupin; and Peter Pettigrew. Lily never understood how Remus had come to be friends with the other three—he was completely different from Potter and Black. He was a hard worker, he enjoyed quieter things, and he had always been the kindest to Severus (although, he still followed Potter and Black's lead when they bullied him). Peter she could understand, he had serious confidence issues, and to be looked at kindly by two of the most popular and wealthy students in Hogwarts, well, he'd do anything they asked.

The past several weeks had been weird. Potter had stopped flirting with her, in fact, he had stopped almost all interaction with her, besides the occasional "Good morning" or "Afternoon, Evans". It was strange, she still caught him staring at her in class or the common room occasionally, but he rarely spoke to her. And this day was no different. When she passed by his and Black's table upon arriving to class, he politely said hello, and returned to his conversation with Black. It was strange and she had no idea what brought on the sudden change. But no matter, she had work to do; she turned to her potions partner, Alice Smith, and they begun to work.

It wasn't until class was about halfway through, when a younger looking student entered the room, and handed a note to Professor Slughorn, before leaving. Slughorn looked at the note, and expressed nothing. He looked at the class, and by now everyone was looking at him.

"Mr. Pot…" He stopped there and righted himself, "James M'boy, if you would follow me please."

Potter looked confused, but stood and followed Slughorn into his office, telling Black that the potion just needed to simmer for half an hour, and it would be ready to be bottled.

No one looked back at their potion. They looked through the small glass window on Slughorn's office door, through which they could see Potter's back, as he sat in the chair before the great big desk that filled half the room. For about a minute, they heard nothing but muffled speaking, before a voice that very clearly belonged to Potter shouted:

"NO! YOU'RE LYING!"

At this point, Potter stood, ripped open the door, and ran out the still open Potions room entrance. Slughorn sighed loudly, before standing, walking back to his desk in the classroom itself, and saying to the furiously whispering students, "Alright! Alright! That's enough of that! I'll have no rumour mongering in my classroom; everybody get back to your potions. Mr. Lupin, please assist Mr. Black if he needs any help."

The rest of potions passed uneventfully.

-BREAK-

By dinner time, still no one had seen Potter, not even Black, Remus, or Peter. Sitting next to Alice, she waited for the nightly mail to arrive. And as it did, the Great Hall filled with silence. For on the Daily Prophet, was something Lily had not expected.

LORD CHARLUS POTTER AND LADY DOREA POTTER nee BLACK FOUND DEAD

By: Rita Skeeter

It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you dear readers, that early this morning, the Lord Charlus Potter and Lady Dorea Potter, of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, were found dead in a heavily damaged Mt. Plastes, the ancestral castle of the Potter Family. Flying above the castle was a dark mark, confirming that the Potter's were murdered by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or his Death Eaters.

The Potter's leave behind one son, James Charlus Potter, now the Lord of House Potter.

Lily was horrified, as much as she disliked Pot— James, she would never wish something like this on him. No matter how much he bullied Severus, no matter how cocky and arrogant he was, he didn't deserve to have his parents killed. She heard a sob and watched as Remus and Peter helped a sobbing Sirius Black walk out of the Great Hall. That's right, he had lived with the Potters for years (Dorea being his great aunt). She stood and walked out of the Great Hall shortly behind them, as Dumbledore stood to address the students.

She had to think, where would she go if she were James Potter, after learning his parents were dead. Of course! The one place he loved the most! The Quidditch Pitch!

She walked quickly to the Quidditch Pitch and discovered she was right. Sitting at the top of one of the towers, looking towards the Black Lake, was James Potter. As he was more than 100 feet in the air and she was to his right, he had not seen her. Within minutes, she had climbed the many flights of stairs needed to reach the top platform, and sat herself down next to him. He either didn't see her, or was just ignoring her presence. She waited ten minutes before she spoke.

"It was in the Daily Prophet. I'm so sorry."

He didn't look at her when he responded.

"It was going to happen eventually. They refused to join him; they knew the risks."

Lily was shocked by the sheer lack of emotion in his voice, but she knew well the stages of grief, and it seemed he jumped from 1 to 4.

"Still, you're allowed to be sad, James. It's normal to be sad when something like this happens."

She saw him smile slightly, but it was gone almost immediately.

"That's the first time you've ever called me James. It's only ever been Potter, since the beginning of first year."

"It's hard to comfort someone when calling them by their last name."

"I suppose so. If you don't mind, I would enjoy it if you didn't return to using my last name."

Lily looked at him. He still hadn't stopped staring at the Black Lake, where the Giant Squid could be seen playing. The sun was slowly setting over the Scottish Highlands. The sky was a brilliant mix of orange, blue, purple, and black.

"It's a beautiful night." And it truly was.

"It is. I wish my parents could see it."

Lily was surprised; he had gone back to stage 3.

"It won't be the same for me and Sirius anymore. It never will be."

Lily looked at him again, and saw a single tear run down his aristocratic face. She had never realised how handsome he truly was. But now was not the time for that. She gently reached her arm over his shoulders, and pulled him against her side. The fact that he was 30 centimeters taller than her, and twice her weight, made it slightly awkward, but she ignored it, and since he didn't move away, she assumed he was doing the same thing.

Lily realised that it would never be the same for James and her either. Not after tonight. It wouldn't be until nearly one o'clock the next morning before they left that tower. And they would be far closer than they had been just 13 hours ago.

-BREAK-

It was a surprisingly bright and warm day in late September when Lily Evans became Lady Lily Potter, wife to Lord James Charlus Potter, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. The two 18 year olds married in the large gardens behind the heavily damaged Mt. Plastes. Lily had always imagined a small wedding, with just a few friends and family to witness the occasion. But on that day, she was surrounded by hundreds of pureblooded Lords and Ladies, and numerous reporters. Of course, she had friends there, as did James, but sadly, her parents could not make it, and Petunia had never responded to the invitation.

James looked quite dashing standing before the minister (the man had all but demanded to marry the young couple). He had long black dress robes, with gold and red accents. The Potter crest was expertly sewn onto his right breast, his pants were neatly pressed, and his dragonhide boots shone in the morning light. Despite all this, his hair was still a mess.

As for herself, Lily had been told all morning she looked beautiful. She wore her own dress robes, however, hers were red and gold, with no black to be seen. She wore no makeup that day, and her long red hair was put into two braids, and wrapped gently around her head, as if the braids were a crown.

"You look beautiful," he said, as the minister began the ceremony.

She smiled. She was glad she had asked him to Hogsmeade.

-BREAK-

It had been less than a year since he had married Lily, and now, he had a son. The young Potter (Hadrian Sirius, or "Harry" as his mother called him) looked remarkably like a Black, and if it wasn't for his grandmother being a Black, one could say that his mother had slept with his namesake. The only thing preventing him from fully looking like a Black was his bright, almost glowing green eyes. When James had first met his sweet Lily, he had thought she had the brightest green eyes in the world, but then his son had been born. The child's eyes were almost the color of the killing curse.

"James, James, come here!"

James was broken from his thoughts as Lily shouted for him, he found her standing in front of the bathroom mirror, shock on her face, as she held a pregnancy test. James slowed as he neared her. Before any words left his mouth, a grin toar it's way across Lily's face, and she launched herself at him, her arms finding their way around his neck.

Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around his wife, in an effort to support her. She laughed loudly as she dropped to her feet and shoved the test in his face; it was positive.

"You're going to be a father! Again!" Lily shouted in pure joy. That was all James needed. He grabbed her into his arms again, and swung her around him, laughing gleefully as she did the same.

-BREAK-

To their great shock, their second child, James Charlus Potter II, was born on the exact day his older brother turned one, July thirty-first. The younger Potter boy looked nearly identical to the baby boy seen in James' baby pictures. He had black hair, light hazel eyes, and more Potter features than Black. And the Potter's adored him just as much as they did his older brother.

-PETER-

Peter Pettigrew looked at the ominous manor before him, and hoped he wasn't making a mistake. The Dark Lord's home was a three story Neo-Georgian styled mansion. The large house sat upon a hill, surrounded by tall forests; the nearest civilization of any kind, was a small muggle village about two kilometres to the West of the house. It was perfect for the feared Dark Lord.

Looking back, Peter should've said no. When Sirius Black came to him and showed him the Dark Mark on his left arm, he should've screamed, and called for help from the Order. He should've told James, and Lily, and Dumbledore, and Moody, and every other member of the Order of The Phoenix, that Sirius Black was a traitor in their midst. He should've told them when Regulus Black revealed himself as a Death Eater spy, same as his brother.

He definitely should've told someone when the Black brothers convinced him to join the Dark Lord and betray his friends secret. But it was too late now. Now, Sirius and Regulus Black led him up the stone walkway into the great manor before him. They led him to the most feared man in the Wizarding World. They led him to the complete, and total betrayal of two of his best friends, and their three infant children.

"You okay, Peter? You look like you're about to shit yourself mate." Sirius' voice broke the silence of the cold October night. Peter jumped slightly, and heard the Black brothers chuckle at his fright.

He glared at the elder Black brother, "I'm fine, Sirius."

Sirius raised an eyebrow and looked down at the shorter man (curse his unnatural height), "It's okay to be nervous Wormtail. You're about to meet the most powerful Dark Lord to ever live. Look, I know you don't want to do this to Prongs and Lily, but it's for the good of the Wizarding damned muggles are destroying it. They need to be stopped!"

Peter couldn't help but calm slightly when he heard the name Wormtail. It had been a long time since any of his fellow marauders had referred to him as such. In fact, since they had left Hogwarts, the other three had switched almost entirely to Peter. And he had to admit, he missed the camaraderie they had as the marauders. He missed their Hogwarts days, before James and Sirius got married, and had kids, before Remus had to deal with the social issues of being a werewolf. Before Sirius was a Death Eater, and before Peter was to become one too.

"Really, Padfoot, I'm fine." Sirius gave him a long look, before returning his eyes to the road ahead. They were nearing the house's large front doors, and he could see several Death Eater guards.

The wizards (at least, he assumed they were wizards; he had never heard of a captured or killed Death Eater being female) looked quite handsome in their regalia. They wore a well kept uniform, very similar in design to that of a World War Two Nazi officer, a red undershirt, black tie, dark grey tunic and pants (that were rather baggy in the thigh area, for easier movement, Peter was told), polished black dragonhide boots, and a simple black robe. Peter believed that the men wore less decorative uniforms during raids, the Nazi-esque uniform being mostly for show.

As they passed by the guards, Peter realized that they were Lords, for they both kept a sword on their belt. He turned to Sirius, for Sirius too kept a sword on his belt, being the Lord of House Black.

The doors of the manor opened into a high ceilinged entrance hall. Directly before them was a staircase, leading to the second, and then third floors. Sirius and Regulus led him around the staircase, and through the doors that sat behind, into a large dining hall. Surrounding the room on three sides, were Death Eaters, each with a hand on the sword at their waist, all in dress uniform. These men were not Lords however, their swords were different. Less flashy, less decorative, they were purely function; they held no beauty. The sword at Sirius' hip was the ancestral sword of House Black, almost as old as the family itself. It was deadly yes, but it was quite beautiful at the same time.

At the end of the hall was a marble dais, on which sat a throne. Sitting on the throne was the Dark Lord himself, in all his glory. The man was unnaturally tall and gaunt, nearer to seven feet than six, and no more than nine or ten stone. His paleness, like his height, was unnatural. He appeared almost ghost like, his hair was dark and curly, and his eyes seemed to glow red. Despite his rather strange appearance, he was most definitely handsome.

His power however, whatever rituals he had done worked. His magical presence was oppressive. He could physically feel the man's magic. It was like the air itself was trying to force him down, the pressure getting more intense the closer he got to the Dark Lord in his throne, and by the time he reached the stairs to the dais, the pressure was too much, and he collapsed to his knees. He was smarter than most assumed, and didn't try and stand back up, that only promised pain.

"Peter Pettigrew, I'm told you have something to tell me. Is this true?"

The Dark Lord's voice cut through the room like a hot knife through butter. It was cold, and regal, but there was an edge to it, that promised death to those who made enemies of him. The voice fit its owner.

"Yes, My Lord, the Potters live at 18 Godric's Hollow." Peter spoke quickly, the pressure around his throat increased drastically as he spoke. He barely managed to speak the last words before he began to choke.

"I thank you for that information, Peter, but I am not your Lord. After all? What use would I have for a worthless little rat like you?"

The Dark Lord seemed more amused than angry by Peter's use of the word my. Peter was terrified. The Dark Lord began to chuckle; it was a cold, evil sound, and Peter hated it. Sirius stepped forward as his vision began to darken.

"Please don't kill him, master. He's one of my oldest friends, and you're right about him being a rat. He's an animagus. He could be a good spy."

Voldemort looked at Sirius for several tense seconds, and Peter was sure his friend would die. He was sure he would die as well. And then, the feeling of choking left, and the pressure in the room left. He gasped for breath, and stood slowly, grasping his knees for support.

"Thank you, master."

Voldemort waved him off and spoke again, "He will not be marked, you and Regulus must pay attention to the Potters, make sure they are gone from their home on Halloween night, for I shall attack then."

Voldemort turned away at that point and walked out. The Black brothers grabbed Peter by his arms and half carried the large man out of the manor.

Peter definitely made a mistake.

-VOLDEMORT-

Voldemort looked at the large cottage before him. It was a rather quaint home. The building was perfectly symmetrical, the front door stood in the very center of the first floor; above the door and on the second story was a window, and above that (breaking out from the roof) was a much smaller window. There was a window on either side of the door, and one above each of those two windows. A chimney rose on either side of the house, likely with a fireplace in each the kitchen and living room. Overall, the cottage had the same 18th century feel as most of the Wizarding World.

He flicked his wrist, and his wand fell into his hand.

"Tempus," he intoned.

The glowing numbers appeared before him:

12:11 AM

Saturday, October 31st, 1981

He nodded to himself; the already short distance from the fence gate to the front step of the small porch was made even shorter by his long stride. With a flick of his wand an overpowered silencing ward was erected, and with a jab, the front door was blasted inwards. The mudblood that he knew would be watching the Potter brats jumped up from the couch and began casting with abandon, Tom had to admit, for a mudblood, the man had talent. He was completely silent, and his spells near colorless. Unfortunately for him, Tom had much more talent. The duel was quick, brutal, and efficient. The mudblood had time for merely ten spells before Tom had him on the defensive. And before long, a dark cutting curse hit the younger man in the neck, and in an obscene burst of blood, he lay on the ground dead. Tom took a brief look around the room. It was destroyed. There were giant gouges in the wall, blast marks marred furniture, and there was a hole in the ceiling, from which Tom could hear children crying. Hopefully the oldest Potter wasn't dead. That would fuck his plans.

Tom walked through the wreckage of the first floor to the stairs (which luckily for him, were untouched), and ascended them quickly. The crying only increased as he made his way to the small bedroom that housed the infants. He found the oldest of them quite easily and grabbed the young boy, before apparating away with a loud boom, forcing his way through the powerful wards around the home, and disappearing into the night.

-LILY-

At the same moment as Voldemort apparated away with their oldest son, James and Lily Potter fell to the ground, gasping for breath as they felt magic being ripped from their bodies.

"The wards!" Lily cried out in horror, as she fell unconscious.

AN: I hope you enjoyed, I'm about done with the next chapter, so I'll try and release that in about three weeks (around December 6th).

Thank you for reading, and as always,

Tyrano out