A/N I have no claim to the world of Harry Potter

Chapter Four

"What they're saying," Professor McGonagall said, as the air seemed to grow frigid around them on Private Drive, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead."

Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.

"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it...Oh, Albus..."

Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know..." he said heavily.

Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But - he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone."

Dumbledore nodded his confirmation.

"It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of Merlin did Harry survive?"

"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."

Silence fell over the two as Dumbledore pulled out a funny looking pocket watch. He announced quietly. "Hagrid is late."

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"

"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."

"Not these people?" cried McGonagall, "Oh Albus, they're horrid. I've been watching them all day."

"It's the best place for him," Dumbledore insisted firmly.

"But this boy will be famous! Every child will know his name – he will be legend."

"Exactly. He is far better off growing up away from all that…until he is ready…

And with that, a great rumbling was heard. It was coming from the sky. A light shone down on the pair.

Hagrid had arrived.

"Professor Dumbledor, McGongall – I came as quick as I could." Hagrid announced, climbing off the motorcycle.

"No problems were there?" Dumbledore asked.

"House was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles came. He fell asleep as we was flyin over Bristol." The giant informed.

He looked at the two professors with a sorrowful look on his face, "Professors – I – I couldn't find the little girl - Grace. I looked, I swear I did but there was neither sign of 'er. House was destroyed but I looked, I did."

McGongall inhaled a shaky, anguished sounding breath, "Oh goodness."

Dumbledore bowed his head once again and uttered, "I was frightened of this."

Hagrid stuttered, "Do-do you think-?"

Dumbledore gave a slow nod, "I'm afraid so Hagrid, yes. I cannot be certain but -"

The bushy haired man gave a great sob and McGongall turned away from the duo to face the opposite direction. She could be heard taking measured, slow breaths.

Dumbledore took the toddler from the crying giant and brought him towards to the front step of number 4 and gently laid an envelope with the still sleeping orphan.

He then turned towards the other two.

"Let us remember James, Lily and Grace Potter as they were…together and loved. And let us wish Harry Potter good luck."

"Quite the night to decide to summon me, Dumbledore, quite the night indeed." Barty Crouch Senior said striding into Dumbledore's office.

Before Dumbledore could respond Mister Crouch was continuing, "The Potters are dead, Voldemort gone, Death Eaters on the loose and witches and wizards everywhere carelessly and foolishly celebrating. Everything is out of control."

And if there was one thing Mister Crouch needed was control. Order. Structure.

"Lemon drop?

Crouch threw the wizard a calculating look but then accepted the candy and sat down in the chair across from Dumbledore.

"Why did you summon me?"

"I must confess…I've done something terrible tonight. But I believe necessary…I do hope you'll feel the same, Barty."

"I'm listening."

In London, Sirius Black stormed into his apartment.

Dead.

James. Lily. Gracie. Dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Harry. Gone.

And it was Peter.

Peter betrayed them. Peter - tiny sniveling cowardly Peter Pettigrew.

Peter. Their classmate.

Peter. Their friend.

Peter. The Marauder.

Peter. The traitor.

Peter Pettigrew had as good as killed the Potters.

He trusted Peter. He trusted Peter with his family.

James, Peter's greatest defender.

Lily, Peter's would-be-sister.

Grace, the first baby Peter ever held.

Harry, the little boy who just started saying "Wormy."

At the thought, all of the glasses in Sirius' kitchen exploded from his anger.

A stack of letters flew into the air from the explosion, scattering to the unwashed floor.

Sirius gave a curse, and started to pace across the now littered floor. Not caring about the broken glass, the shattered kitchen, the disarrayed apartment.

Until he found the pictures.

The pictures that had arrived just a few hours earlier by Lily's snow-white owl.

A few hours ago now seemed like a lifetime ago.

Grace and Harry's smiling, laughing faces looked up at him.

Grace, with her nose dotted black and her dog-ears flopping down in her face.

Harry, in his costume as a bright, red round ball.

Harry was running across the living room in the Potter household with Grace playfully chasing him.

Sirius could almost hear their delighted squeals of laughter.

He could picture Lily and James looking at them with their proud, parent smiles; their eyes bright and proud.

Sirius Black would never see or hear that again.

He would murder Peter Pettigrew.

While Sirius was beginning his manhunt for Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape was returning to Dumbledore's office.

But this time he was not appearing with a young child with gleaming green eyes.

Dumbledore and Crouch ended their conversation.

"Is it done?" Dumbledore asked, peering at Snape over his glasses.

"Yes." Snape replied, he was feeling drained. He felt boneless. His mind was swirling with thoughts and emotions, images of Lily's dead body flashing in his mind, Potter's mocking laugh, he could hear the little boy's cry ringing through the destroyed halls of Godric's Hallow, the feel of the little girl's hand in his. It was all too much.

"Did you take her far from here?" Crouch asked but he did not turn around to look at Snape.

Snape, the filthy Death Eater. Snape, the dark wizard.

"Yes." Snape hissed to the back of Crouch's head.

"America?" Crouch asked.

Snape gave a hallow laugh, "No, why punish the child more? I took her to a small Canadian island."

"I'll conclude the investigation tomorrow morning and declare the girl dead. Leave it with me, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore nodded to the official, a solemn look on his face as his eyes flickered towards Severus once again, "Thank you Severus."

Snape nodded back, feeling dismissed.

What was he to do now?

Before he left, the young wizard announced, "I made sure she still had her name."

Lily would have wanted that.

Crouch raised his glass, "Rest in peace, Grace Potter."

Thank you all so much for your reviews, adding me to your favourites, alerts and continuing to read this story. This chapter was a little bit of a filler but next chapter...we will meet Grace!