July 22nd 1980

The normal hustle and bustle of the hospital continued as the day drew to a close. Healers and Nurses alike were waiting to clock out and head back to their homes and families. The number of casualties from the war between Voldemort and the rest of the magical world were staggering. There were daily cases of first degree burns, trauma, contusions, concussions, deaths, rapes, mind rapes, loss of limbs and loss of senses. The list was unending and the number of people who were being admitted on a daily basis was taxing the staff to the limit. It was inconceivable to the nurturing souls who entered the care giving profession that human beings could do this to one another.

Arabella Figg tried to hide her nervousness as she went about her duties, helping Nurse Pomfrey attend to the patients in her ward. Dorcas had got in touch with her the previous night to warn her of the possible impending attack. It was at times like this that Arabella hated that she was a squib and that she had no way to protect herself or the people she cared about against wizards and witches. She kept an eye out for any suspicious behavior as she went about her work, terrified that the ugly war was going to enter her peaceful world.

Fabian Prewitt had placed a glamour charm on himself and admitted himself to the hospital, claiming he had been savaged by some sort of beast. He chose that excuse since the creatures ward was dead in the center of the fifth floor and he could watch over everything and be in a position to act should anything untoward happen. Gideon had polyjuiced himself into an orderly, who was a friend of his from school. Garth had been quite happy to take the day off to rest and spend time with his toddlers when Gideon had made his request. He didn't even mind the subterfuge since he knew Gid would never be doing anything wrong in his appearance. Gideon spent his time roaming around the corridors looking busy in his borrowed appearance while he was actually patrolling the corridors in a controlled manner, from the first floor to the fourth floor and back. He knew his brother would cover the fifth floor.

Emmeline Vance had also used Polyjuice potion to take on the appearance of her elderly aunt. She sat in the waiting room, ostensibly waiting for news of her sick husband, while in reality watching everyone who entered the hospital like a hawk. She occasionally went outside and walked around the perimeter of the hospital to "stretch her old aching muscles and give her old aching bones something to do." The staff at the reception ignored the batty old lady completely and went about their work.

St. Mungos was in the heart of downtown London, disguised as an unused warehouse among other unused warehouses. One of which was seeing quite a bit of use this particular night. The warehouse directly opposite contained a formidable force of wizards and witches who were waiting, poised to attack should there be any signs of violence in the hospital. Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, Dorcas Meadows, Mundungus Fletcher, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Benjy Fenwick, Marlene McKinnon, Edgar Bones, Caradoc Dearborn and Sturgis Podmore stood at the ready, wands in hand, to defend the helpless and the hapless.

By six thirty, tensions were high as they all waited in watchful silence. The waiting was the hardest part. Albus and Elphias found it easy due to their age and their experience in the war against Grindelwald. Alastor, Sturgis, Benjy and Caradoc were also quite calm, having waited for hours on missions as Aurors, well aware that it was a time to focus and not think of anything but the mission. The others were finding it hard to concentrate, and constantly fidgeted and fiddled with their robes, potion belts, hair and wands. Marlene was particularly anxious. As a teacher in the primary school at Hogsmeade, she had never actively taken part in an assault of this magnitude. She wished her Aunt Minerva was around to help her with her growing tension.

At five minutes to seven they all felt their pendants grow warm. They started out of their reveries and took up their ready positions. It was almost time. Albus nodded, and they burst out into the street, going at full tilt for the entrance to the hospital. It was pandemonium. Edgar, Marlene and Dorcas conjured their Patronus charms as they were instructed, directing them towards the four dementors who were currently attempting to kiss some of the people in the waiting room. The dementors were quick to retreat further into the hospital, with the three of them in hot pursuit. The Death Eaters were taken aback by the sudden appearance of so many people who looked ready to give them a fight. Remembering their orders, they concentrated their spell fire on these people rather than the people who were cowering around them or trying to escape. A huge fight broke out with spells of all colors and levels of lethality flew around the waiting room. "Amycus, Alecto, Lucius, Rabastan with me! The rest of you hold them here!" cried Augustus Rookwood as he started towards the creatures ward, trading a last spell with a brown haired, slight wizard who had a small goatee and a feral smile on his face. He hoped that they had not heard the names he called out as he ran into the hospital, trusting his colleagues to keep that lot busy.

The Order members found that they outnumbered the Death Eaters in the waiting room and wasted no time in trying to incapacitate them. There were eight Death Eaters in the room; unbeknownst to the Order members they were facing Rudolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix Lestrange, Anton Dolohov, Gordon Goyle, Orson Crabbe, Barty Crouch Jr, Severus Snape, and none other than Peter Pettigrew. The latter two were quite terrified that they would be recognized. While all of them had double lives and didn't want anyone to know who was behind the mask, Severus and Peter knew that their very lives depended on it, yet they knew that they could not use lethal force, if they ever wanted a chance to go back to the other side. It was something that Severus had been contemplating since he had sent the note the previous day. They battled it out with the Order members, but knew that they were losing ground.

Augustus Rookwood led his team deeper into the hospital, charging up the stairs past startled Healers, Nurses and Orderlies, heading towards the creatures ward. They turned the corner on the fifth floor only to be met with a wave of spell fire. With urgent gestures, Rookwood commanded the rest of them to remain there, while he and Malfoy crept around the corner, trying to flank their would be assailants. They were in for a surprise. A Nurse who had been standing stock still since their entry gave them a look of contempt as she fired stunners towards both of them. They were quite taken aback, being used to people cowering in front of them and not fighting back. Rookwood sent a bone breaking hex her way, which she dove out of the way of. Rookwood looked at the time. It had been five minutes since the infiltration which meant the Aurors would be here in two minutes at the maximum. Shaking his head in despair, he signaled the retreat, mission unaccomplished. He knew that he would be punished for his transgression but he also knew that his Lord's wrath would know no bounds if they were captured and their true identities revealed. They charged back into the fray in the waiting room and found Snape and Bellatrix down, unconscious, while Rudolphus was spouting blood out of his mask and Goyle was supporting himself against the wall as his shattered leg was giving up on him. He could not believe that the attack had been turned on them so quickly. He closed his eyes and touched his finger to the Dark Mark on his left forearm, knowing full well that he could be signing his own death warrant.

There was a chill in the air as Voldemort appeared out of nowhere. There were screams and shouts and he sent powerful, sweeping spells at the Order members, as well as any bystanders who were unfortunate enough to be in his way. He was in a towering rage. He banished a portkey towards Snape and Bellatrix, who vanished to an unknown destination. He also sent a portkey flying towards Rookwood, who gathered the rest of his bruised and battered compatriots and with one last terrified glance at the Dark Lord, they all vanished.

There was a moment of silence in the waiting room as the dust settled and the far of screams and sobs of patients on other floors reached them from far away. "Tom, stop this madness" commanded Albus Dumbledore as he stepped forward. His beard was slightly singed and he radiated power. His blue eyes were hard and merciless and they seemed to glow with the amount of power the old man was channeling. Voldemort grimaced at the sound of the hated name. Yet he didn't feel ready to face Dumbledore just yet. "Your time will come, old man" he spat venomously as he disapparated with a crack, leaving behind shell shocked and exhausted fighters. There were multiple cracks all around the hospital. The Aurors had arrived.

July 31st 1980

"Jaaaaaammees" the scream sent James scrambling over furniture and running up the stairs, with Sirius hot on his heels. They had been sitting in the living room, playing exploding snap and trying to get their minds off everything. "Lily. Lily..." he panted as he came barreling into the room. "What's happening, Love?" he asked. "My contractions have begun." She said demurely, now lying calmly on the bed. "Would you please floo for Madame Buxley from the hospital?" Lily had been adamant that her baby would be born in their home and had refused to be admitted to the hospital, a decision which had proved wise considering the attack a week ago.

James scrambled back down to the fireplace and threw down some floo powder. "Madam Buxley! Madam Buxley! MADAM BUXLEY!" he cried frantically, worried about his wife and his unborn child. A harried looking lady appeared in the room, wiping her hands on a cloth. "Calm down, man!" she barked, frowning in annoyance. "I will be there momentarily. I have just returned from a call to Longbottom Lake for the delivery of Alice Longbottom's child. I will be there in a few minutes." She smiled at James, regretting her earlier shortness. The poor man looked extremely worried. "Go, child." She said with a soft smile. She quickly scrubbed her hands and collected her bags which contained all she would need including some herbs and potions.

A few hours later, an exhausted but excited Lily Potter lay on the bed with her newly born son in her arms. His eyes were a milky green. She hoped that he would inherit her eyes but she knew that they might change color a few months down the line. "Madam Buxley, could you please ask my husband to come up? I'm sure he has worn a hole in the living room floor! He always was a pacer." She smiled as she nuzzled the top of her infant son's head. Madame Buxley gave her a tired smile. "I will be back in a few days to check on the both of you Lily. Congratulations! He seems to be a healthy young lad!" She wearily made her way down the stairs, anticipating getting into her soft bed and sleeping for 12 hours straight. It was not easy to deal with tense young people who seemed certain that something would go wrong. The deliveries were the easy part, she smiled wryly to herself.

James made his way up the stairs tentatively, completely amazed at the thought that he was now a father. That just beyond the next door lay a helpless little being who needed him to do everything for it. He still didn't know if his baby was a boy or a girl. Unlike most pureblood wizards, it would make absolutely no difference to James.

He walked into the bedroom, witnessing a tender scene that made his heart swell with love. His baby was resting its little head against Lily's breast, with its eyes closed and an extremely peaceful look on its face. "Lily." He said, his voice coming out husky due to the amount of emotion he felt in that magical moment. She looked up and gave him a serene smile. She looked utterly exhausted, yet as beautiful as James had ever seen her. They kissed gently and both looked down at their new born. "I want to name him Harry." Said Lily softly, brushing the black down that was quite abundant on the little head. "Harry James. After my father and his father." James nodded, his throat tight as he touched the little face in awe. "Harry James Potter" he whispered, watching the baby stir a little as he slept on, unaware that he had just been given a name that would one day resound to the heavens.

James went down the stairs, after Lily fell asleep. He had placed little Harry in the crib that they had brought over from the mansion, in anticipation of his birth. It was the same crib that James himself had been put in when he had been born. He felt his heart beat pleasantly at the thought of that tradition being continued. In some ways, James loved traditions. It filled him with a pervading sense of there being an unbroken line between his ancestors and himself. Sirius had taken up James' pacing path, as he walked up and down the living room. He looked up as soon as James came down the stairs and sighed with relief as he saw the maniacal joyful smile on his friends face. "It's a boy!" said James, still keeping his voice low as if he could still disturb the little bundle upstairs from all the way down here. "Hurrah" said Sirius in an equally muted voice, offering James the whiskey that he had already poured in anticipation of this moment. James did not take it, but stood in a formal pose, in front of Sirius. Sirius looked on in shock, aware but disbelieving of what was about to happen. "As a Potter and the Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, I must ask you, Sirius Orion Black, scion of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, if you would consent to be my son Harry James Potter's Godfather?" Asked James in a serious tone, using the words of the Godparent binding ritual; words that were very seldom spoken to someone who was not of the same blood. Sirius gasped in surprise, as he rose, following the protocol of the ritual, and grasped James' hand as he spoke the words. "I, Sirius Orion Black, scion of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black do hereby accept this honor, and pledge my life to your son Harry James Potter. Should calamity befall you, he will be as a son to me. Should I die bereft of heirs, he shall be as one of my body, and should you be unable, I shall teach him the ways and traditions of both House Potter and House Black." "So mote it be." They said solemnly in unison, as a blue light came out of each of their hearts and went into the others, and a small blue light flew up the stairs and went into little Harry Potter. "Brother." Whispered Sirius in awe. "Brother." Agreed James calmly, clasping the hands of the one man he trusted beyond all others in the world. He was just thankful that Lily had agreed that Sirius could be their child's godfather. She had mumbled something about Roman Catholics and religion and James had not bothered to correct her. In pureblood families, the Godfather of the child played a huge role in its upbringing and was nearly always a brother or close male relative of the father. It was exceedingly rare for a man to ask someone of another house to be the Godfather of his child, since it granted him more than a few rights over the child. James was quite sure that Lily was unaware of this, but felt absolutely no remorse as they stood in his living room with clasped hands in the mutually