Warning: References to death.

Chapter 2: A Fateful Halloween, Part II

The Potter home was quiet and peaceful despite the danger that always hung over their heads. The Potters were in hiding from the most dangerous wizard of their time, because of a prophesy. Mr. Potter wouldn't have worried about the prophesy, but Albus Dumbledore himself had said that the prophesy was to be taken seriously.

So, the Potters went into hiding to protect their only son, Harry. They feared that Voldemort would try to kill their child. And despite all of this danger, Mr. and Mrs. Potter had been convinced to leave little Harry in the hands of Peter Pettigrew to help the Order with a Death Eater raid that was supposed to take place near Hogsmeade. The two young parents wouldn't have even considered going, but it was so close to Hogwarts.

The two decided that Lily would stay with the Healers and help the injured with Alice Longbottom. James would go help Sirius, Remus, and Frank Longbottom on the battle field. This way Little Harry and Neville would have at least one parent should something happen.

Lily was holding Harry cooing him to sleep. James came into the room with Peter. James kissed his wife and then Harry's little hand. It was a somber moment. The family stood together in a little hug. With a sigh, Lily gave baby Harry to Peter.

"I'm trusting you Peter. Keep him safe." Lily said wishing she could ask her old friend to keep Harry safe. He was a lot more reliable than Peter. Lily felt shame rise in her chest. Severus was the enemy now, and Peter was good enough to put his own life in danger by protecting her and her family. Lily suddenly hugged Peter fiercely and whispered a thank you to him.

James gave his good friend a thankful look, and patted his friend on the back. The two parents both rubbed Harry's little back and left the small two story house mournfully.

Peter looked on guiltily as his best friend and nicest girl in the world left their only child in his arms to go into battle. Peter thought momentarily that he was a sorry excuse for a Gryffindor. But then the rat thought of the reward he was sure to get from the terrifying Dark Lord.

The moon was high in the sky when Pettigrew felt strong dark magic. There was no mistaking who this magic belonged to. Baby Harry stirred in his crib. The dark haired baby peered out between the bars of his crib. Pettigrew wondered if Harry could feel the dark magic as well.

Suddenly the door to the nursery was blown open. In the door way stood the Dark Lord Voldemort. The smell of burning flesh lingered on the man's robes. Harry sat up in his crib and looked at the new person with his big green eyes. Pettigrew cowered in the corner of the room. Voldemort scowled in disgust. He hated people who were disloyal. Especially when it was caused by fear, because that meant that person could never truly be loyal.

Voldemort glided to the crib that held the prophesized child. Large green eyes bore into his red ones. For a moment those eyes looked intelligent. Voldemort was distinctly reminded of the Killing Curse as he looked at those green eyes. They were like the child's mothers, but the babe's eyes were much brighter. The baby suddenly stood up with a stumble. Then Harry reached up asking to be picked up.

Voldemort thought of the red headed twins he met earlier that day. Without a second thought Voldemort picked up Harry Potter and held him in his arms. Baby Harry snuggled into Voldemort's chest and fell asleep.

The Dark Lord was shocked that for the second time that day, because none of the children he met cried or ran away when they saw him. Two had declared loyalty to him and the other fell asleep instantly in his arms. Voldemort went to but the babe into the crib, when he felt his magic react to something he couldn't identify. It annoyed him when he first felt it, but as the seconds ticked by Voldemort could feel his magic become considerably stronger.

The Dark Lord's red eyes glanced at the baby in his arms. He could feel strong magic seep out of the small child. An epiphany ran through the dark clad man's head as he put the child back into the crib. Voldemort recognized the kind of magic that was shared between himself and the babe. And Voldemort knew he could not kill this child.

He knew that Dumbledore fed false information to his spy. He knew that he would be far more powerful with this child than to have him killed. Because soul magic worked in strange ways, and there was no doubt that soul magic was between the Dark Lord and Harry Potter. Voldemort watched the baby sleep somewhat restlessly. Voldemort smiled slightly, then he turned to leave the room.

Pettigrew made a sound of disbelief from his corner. Voldemort looked at the rat. Peter Pettigrew truly was a sorry excuse of an existence. The Dark Lord thought on the twins again. He knew that they would be loyal in the future. He knew that the babe in the crib would be loyal in the future. He also knew that Pettigrew was liable to betray him a any time. Voldemort turned back to Harry who had woken up. The powerful wizard rubbed the baby's back until he fell back asleep. It was then when Voldemort remembered what he was planning to do that night.

He could still make one. But he didn't have an object to contain a part of his soul. He looked around the room for a suitable object. What he found was a map of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Voldemort walked over to the map. He could feel magic seep out of the object. He could see a few names move about the map. Voldemort immediately knew what the map was. And the Dark Lord was satisfied with turning this object into a Horcrux. Now he wondered if he should use the Muggle man or Pettigrew to help him make his Horcrux.

Voldemort looked to Pettigrew only to see the man cower in fear like the rat he was. The Dark Lord suddenly thought that using both the Muggle and Pettigrew wouldn't hurt anyone in his creation of a Horcrux.

Mercilessly, Voldemort pointed his wand at Pettigrew. The man immediately transformed into a rat and bolted for the door. The Dark Lord suddenly appeared in the door way and silently cast a spell that would force Pettigrew into his human form. The man began begging for his life. But those pleads fell on deaf ears. The Dark Lord said the spell with dominance,

"Avada Kadavra." A flash of green burst through the room. Peter Pettigrew lay dead at Voldemort's feet. Voldemort's magic pulled the shattered part of his soul away from his body. This caused an unexpected shock wave to reverberate throughout the room causing the entire room to shake. Things fell from the walls.

The loud noise cause little Harry to wake up in a startle fashion. Tears began to form in the baby's eyes. Voldemort rushed to the crib to make sure the babe was alright. Everything was alright. There was only a lightening bolt shaped wound on the child's forehead. It looked enflamed and angry. Voldemort brushed his fingers across the cut. The contact caused a strange tingling feeling to run through Voldemort's hand.

There was magic sealing itself away into Harry Potter. That magic was all too familiar to Voldemort, because it was his own magic. Stunned the Dark Lord thought about what happened. He had turned Harry Potter into a Horcrux. Before Voldemort had time to think about it, he could feel several magical signatures pop up around the building.

The Dark Lord quickly Apparated away, but not before his fingers brushed over the babe's scar one last time.

Several Aurors burst into the house in time to hear Harry's cries. James was the first one to reach the nursery. The room was filled with chaos. Peter Pettigrew lay dead on the ground, and Harry was crying with a bleeding wound on his forehead.