DISCLAIMER
This story is in no way associated with, or makes any claim to, Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or any other fandom/celebrity/anything else you may recognize. It all belongs to their respective owners. No money is being made from this story which is purely written for entertainment.

8 August

"Why have you called us here?" James asked Dumbledore, looking quite confused, an expression that was mirrored by Lily, Frank and Alice. Only Harry and Neville looked completely at ease: Neville was fast asleep in Alice's arms, and Harry, from his place in Lily's arms, was looking around curiously at his surroundings, his eyes bright and alert.

All the paintings in the Headmaster's office were noticeably empty of occupants, and Dumbledore himself looked grave, his eyes devoid of their normal twinkle.

The Headmaster sighed. "I am afraid I have some distressing news for you," he said. "Not necessarily bad, but they will certainly be upsetting for you to hear."

"What is it, Albus?" Frank wondered, his forehead set into a frown, as he stared at the Pensieve standing on Dumbledore's desk, filled with a silvery substance – a memory.

"About half a year ago, I went to the Hog's Head to meet with an applicant for the post of Divination teacher. This person was the great-great granddaughter of a very gifted Seer, and it seems, also possesses that same gift."

James, Lily, Frank and Alice all held their breath, curious as to what Dumbledore was getting at. Dumbledore took out his wand and began to prod at the silvery substance in his Pensieve with the tip. A shawled woman rose up, her eyes looking enormous behind her glasses. And then, the woman spoke, her voice harsh:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives … the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

Dumbledore flicked his wand sharply, and the figure sank back into the Pensieve and vanished. The Headmaster and leader of the Order turned to look at the now pale occupants of his office, his expression sympathetic. "From the look on your faces, I can tell you have already discerned what this prophecy means."

Alice let out a noise of distress and she hugged Neville tighter to her chest. "W-who?" Frank asked hoarsely. "Who does it mean? Is it Neville or Harry?"

"That, I believe, has not yet been determined," Dumbledore said, voice grave. "It will depend entirely upon who Voldemort decides to mark as his equal – "

" – No!" Lily exclaimed, standing up sharply, her chair falling backwards. Harry let out a slight whimper in protest, though he quickly quieted down when Lily rocked him. Despite her anger, she wasn't about to upset Harry. "This is not happening! That – that woman got it wrong!"

Alice had slowly begun to cry, and Frank quickly wrapped an arm around his wife. James was sitting stock-still, his hazel eyes wide, not wanting to believe what he had just heard. "Dumbledore..." he swallowed. "...Are you sure? Are you absolutely certain that it's about Harry or Neville?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I wish I could tell you otherwise, but the prophecy is quite clear – "

" – How can it?" Lily interrupted, her green eyes blazing. "It couldn't be more unclear! There must be dozens – hundreds – of boys in the world who have been born at the end of July – "

" – But only two whose parents have defied Voldemort three times," Dumbledore said calmly. "I understand your distress, Lily, and I empathise – "

Lily let out a snort. "Empathise? You're probably happy about this! After all, this prophecy is proof that Voldemort can be defeated, something you've been failing to do, and now you won't have to! Instead, you can happily put the burden on a child! A baby!"

"I assure you, Lily, I am not gladdened by this, quite the opposite," Dumbledore said, for once looking his age.

"How do you know the prophecy refers to Voldemort?" James asked, and both the Longbottoms and Lily looked at him, surprised that he was the one asking something logical and keeping a level head. "It just says Dark Lord."

"Because of the time the prophecy was made. As Voldemort is the only Dark Lord who is currently a threat, it is only him it can apply to. A prophecy is rarely made about an event that is not yet a possibility."

"How will Voldemort mark Harry or N-Neville as his equal?" Alice asked, tears still falling unhindered from her eyes. "And...neither can live while the other survives? I'm afraid I don't completely understand..."

"I am afraid I have no answer to your first question. As to your second... One of them is destined to kill the other so only one remains alive. Neither Voldemort, nor the person the prophecy applies to, will be able to live a fulfilling life as long as the other person is around. One can be alive, without truly living, after all."

"Is there any way to circumvent it?" James asked, his eyes hopeful. "Buffy has defied prophecy – she's told us – "

" – Ah, yes. You are referring to Miss Summers meeting with the Master," Dumbledore nodded. "But the prophecy about that event was still fulfilled – Buffy did die in that confrontation, even though she was also brought back to life. So to answer your question, I am afraid not. This prophecy will play out - but that doesn't exclude something more happening beyond what has been foretold. But alas, that would be impossible to predict beforehand, like the intervention from Miss Summers' friend."

Lily was still shaking her head. "No. I refuse to believe this! There has to be another way! Harry shouldn't have to grow up with this on his shoulders, o-or deal with Voldemort at all! That's our job! Your job! Harry's just a child!"

"But he won't always be," Dumbledore reminded him.

Lily eyes blazed. "And with that travesty – " she pointed at the Pensieve angrily, "he will never get a chance to be."

Dumbledore sighed. "Of course he will. He can still have a childhood – there is no need to tell either Neville or Harry until they are old enough."

James laughed humourlessly, while Frank only stared at the Headmaster in disbelief. "And what age do you consider old enough, Dumbledore?" James asked. "Twelve? Fifteen? Eighteen? So we should raise Harry on a lie, only to rip the ground from under his feet when he's old enough, with no preparation for what he must do? That's just grand." James voice was bitingly sarcastic. "Tell me, what is this 'power the Dark Lord knows not' supposed to be anyway?"

"I have theories, but no real answer for you, James," Dumbledore said sadly.

"So basically, according to you, we're supposed to leave our son's survival up to chance, with no training. All while hoping this mysterious power alone will be enough to defeat Voldemort, something even you, with all your years of experience and power, haven't been able to?" James looked incredulous and not a little mad. "While the rest of us sit around and what? Twiddle our thumbs?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I am not all-knowing, James, and I understand your anger. But please, do not despair too much. There are ways you can delay the prophecy's fulfilment – neither Neville nor Harry has yet been marked, and there is nothing that says it will happen any time soon."

Frank swallowed. "Well, at least we have some time," he said, trying to sound optimistic and failing. "There's no immediate reason for Voldemort to go after our sons, since he doesn't know about the prophecy..." However, even his forced smile quickly disappeared when he noticed Dumbledore's sorrowful look. "Or does he?"

"Not all of it," Dumbledore answered quietly. "But one of his followers were listening when the prophecy was made, and while Voldemort did not hear it in its entirety, he knows the person with the power to defeat him was born at the end of July to parents who have defied him three times. That, along with your track-record against him, will be all the proof and incentive he needs to target your children." Alice tears intensified, while James and Frank now looked resigned. Lily's face, however, was stony. "I suggest you go into hiding – "

" - Just stop!" Lily interrupted. "I won't believe this." She glanced around at Alice, Frank and James. "How can you just accept this?"

James' shoulders slumped. "Lils..."

"Dumbledore said it himself – he's not all-knowing! The prophecy is wrong – it has to be!"

"At this point, it doesn't matter if it's wrong or not," James said, his voice breaking. "As long as Voldemort believes it's true, he will come after Harry. If he was unaware of the prophecy, I'd be all for ignoring it all together – I've never put much stock in divination – but Voldemort does know, and that makes all the difference." He looked up at his wife, his hazel eyes pleading. "I don't want to accept it, Lily, but...what else can we do?"

For a moment, it seemed as if James had managed to get Lily to listen. She stood completely still, looking down into Harry's eyes. But then, she raised her head, and her green eyes were blazing. "No. There's no way I'll ever let Harry – " She took a shuddering breath, and before James could react, she placed Harry in his arms, and ran out of the office.

"Lily!" James shouted after her, and went to follow, but Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Let her go, James. She will come back. But right now, in order to understand, Lily needs to see undeniable, tangible proof. She's simply gone to find it."

"Where? To the Seer?" James looked confused.

Dumbledore shook his head. "No. To the Department of Mysteries. The Hall of Prophecies."

James looked down at Harry, not wanting to believe that the treasured son he held in his arms was either destined to kill or be killed by Voldemort. And yet...it seemed irrefutable. "And what will she find?"

Dumbledore walked back to behind his desk and let out a deep sigh. "What you have already accepted. The sad and painful truth."

Tears of denial were blurring Lily's sight as she apparated to the Ministry and made her way to the Department of Mysteries. Just as during her first day at work, the plain black door at the end of the corridor opened, and just like then, Aurora Lovegood, her mentor, stepped out. "Ceres?" Aurora looked confused as she spoke Lily's codename in the Department. "What are you doing here? And without your Unspeakable robes? Aren't you supposed to be on maternity leave?"

"I'm not here on official business," Lily said quietly, pulling up the hood on her cloak and placing a quick notice-me-not charm on it: it wouldn't conceal her identity for long, or as well as her standard Unspeakable robes did, but it would do for this visit. "I need to enter the Hall of Prophecies," Lily began, forcing her voice not to shake "I know it's accessible to the public," she continued when she saw Aurora open her mouth to interrupt. "But I don't want my visit to be on record."

Aurora only stared at her, noticing Lily's trembling hands and an overall distressed demeanour. Slowly, she nodded. "Alright."

Aurora placed a gentle hand at the base of Lily's back and let her through the black door and into the circular chamber. Together, they quickly entered the door to the Prophecy Hall, before it could begin to spin along.

"What prophecy are you here to see?" Aurora asked.

"Hopefully, none," Lily mumbled, knowing that all real prophecies were automatically recorded in this hall due to old magic. If the prophecy Dumbledore had shown them wasn't here, then it was wrong, or fake. But if it was... Lily swallowed heavily and clenched her fists. "If it does exist, though, it's fairly recent, from about six months ago."

Aurora nodded. "Alright. If you know the approximate date, it shouldn't be too hard to find. Six months ago, you said? That would be February... Let's see...logically, it should be between row ninety-five and ninety-seven."

"Thanks," Lily whispered and gave Aurora a grateful look. "I think I have to go alone...do you mind...?"

Aurora, having realises that this prophecy was something personal – perhaps even applying to Lily herself – shook her head. "Not at all. I'll wait here for you."

Smiling weakly, Lily slowly began to walk past the long alleys of shelves until she reached row ninety-four, watching each of the glass spheres on the shelves carefully. Her heart was beating incredibly fast. After making her way up and down row ninety-five twice, she let out a sigh of relief. "It's not here." One row down...two to go. Repeating the process with row ninety-six, Lily let out an incredulous little laugh when it led to the same result: the prophecy wasn't there either. "Dumbledore was wrong," she whispered to herself.

Feeling almost hopeful, Lily began the process anew in row ninety-seven, only to freeze in her steps a little way down when her eyes caught the text written on one of the yellowish labels affixed right beneath one of the Prophecy orbs. "No..." Lily sank to her knees as she stared up at it in horror.

S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D.
Dark Lord
(?)Harry Potter/Neville Longbottom
and (?) (?).

Bitter tears of grief fell from Lily's eyes as she was finally forced to accept the truth. It was staring her in the face, after all. Knowing she could not touch the prophecy and hear it again (not that she had any wish to), since it did not apply to her, Lily slowly got up from the floor. Taking a deep breath, she dried her eyes and walked back to where Aurora was waiting.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" The older woman asked kindly.

"Unfortunately," Lily muttered. "What does a question mark on a prophecy mean?"

"It depends. If it's beside a name of one or two more persons, it has not yet been clearly determined which one of them the prophecy applies to, and that it can mean either one of them until the prophecy continues to play out and it becomes clear. It can also mean uncertainty: that it doesn't have to mean that person at all, in case another player comes into the picture that it can apply to instead."

"And if the question mark stands alone?" Lily asked with a slight frown, wandering what the two question marks at the end had meant.

"If it stands alone, it means that the prophecy is not applicable to anyone at the moment, or it's too uncertain for the magic to make a deduction: many more things – not necessarily connected to the prophecy at all – will have to play out first."

"I see," Lily muttered, having a feeling Dumbledore had told them far from everything. And she was going to find out what. Harry's life and well-being was at stake, and she was certainly not going to take any chances. She was going to protect him - at all costs.

"Ah, Lily. You're back." Dumbledore gave Lily a sympathetic smile as she re-entered his office. "Now, as I was saying before you left, I suggest you all go into hiding – "

" – Show us the prophecy again," Lily interrupted, sitting down beside James, her eyes red-rimmed but cool as steel. "You're lying to us." James, Alice and Frank drew in sharp breaths as they turned to stare at the Headmaster, whose look faltered.

"I assure you, Lily – "

" – Had the prophecy not been recorded in the Department of Mysteries?" Alice asked, and her voice was filled with hope.

"Unfortunately, it was," Lily said grimly, and the Auror's shoulders slumped.

Dumbledore's smile was filled with false patience. "Like I said, the prophecy is real – "

" – I don't doubt that, not anymore," Lily interrupted the Headmaster again. "But you're not telling us everything. There's more to the prophecy than what you showed us, isn't there?"

Alice's eyes were wide as she looked at Dumbledore. "Is she right?" She asked, her voice trembling. "Are you holding back on us?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Yes. But only the first part of the prophecy is about your sons – "

" – I don't care," Frank snapped. "I'm sorry, Albus, but I'll want to determine that for myself, if you don't mind. I've had one nasty surprise too many today."

Dumbledore sighed. "I am afraid I cannot do that." He held up his hand to stall their protests. "It would be wrong of me to divulge something that has absolutely nothing to do with you."

"So once again, you sit on all the cards," Lily spoke bitterly. "Playing God."

Dumbledore shook his head. "I assure you, there is nothing more in the prophecy that has anything to do with your sons, however, it did have something to do with the Dark Lord and the war, I believe. For the greater good, and considering you are now Voldemort's main targets, I cannot in good conscience tell you such sensitive information."

"Well…as long your conscience is fine," James said sharply as he stood up. "Come on, Lily." Frank and Alice were quick to do the same.

"Wait," Dumbledore said. "We still need to discuss your living arrangements – "

" – Our living arrangements have nothing to do with you," Frank said, his voice frigid. "Alice and I will remain at Longbottom manor – it is already heavily fortified, and we will make sure it becomes even more warded. No Death Eater will be able to get in."

"The same can be said of Potter manor," James said firmly, though in reality, he was not planning on remaining there, but the fewer people who knew that, including the Headmaster, the better. He knew they were acting snappish – the Headmaster meant well, after all, but considering what they had just found out, James felt they were somewhat entitled.

"Please. There are other steps we can take to assure your safety – "

" – I can't speak for the others, Dumbledore," James said, voice deceptively calm. "But I will ensure the safety of my family. You should look to the safety of everyone else in the Wizarding World. After all," he smiled bitterly, "it's what you do, isn't it? Looking out for the greater good?"

Before Dumbledore could answer, he and Lily left, quickly followed by Frank and Alice, all four of them feeling a lot older and more heavy at heart than when they had entered the castle this morning.

9 August

"Are you sure about this, James?" Lily questioned James worriedly, as she watched her husband pack up the things in their bedroom, while she sat in the rocking chair by the window, the motions from the chair helping her put Harry to sleep. "Moving back to Godric's Hollow…the manor is much better warded."

James sighed. "No, I'm not sure, and I know it is, but everyone knows we live here. People will expect us to stay here. I even told Dumbledore that yesterday, if you recall. And if there's something I've learned, it is to always try to do the unexpected in order to keep ahead. That way, you have the moment of surprise on your side. And it's easy enough to set up wards in Godric's Hollow – my father has taught me a few tricks through the years. It should end up just as safe as the manor. And few – if any – Death Eaters knows about our house there." He gave Lily a serious look. "I would never do anything that puts you and Harry in danger."

Lily smiled weakly as she looked down at Harry. "Not intentionally, at least," she mumbled. "I'm scared, James. For us…for Harry…for our family." Tears appeared in Lily's eyes and James walked over to her, kneeling down by her feet.

Grasping her hand as he looked up at her, he spoke: "Lils. Our family will be alright. I promise. I'll die before I let anything happen to you."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Lily whispered and a single tear dripped down from one of her green eyes, landing in Harry's already somewhat messy-looking hair.

11 August

"Bathilda!" Lily exclaimed in surprise when she opened their door and found the old woman on her doorstep. Bathilda Bagshot lived at the very edge of Godric's Hollow, and had been very nice when Lily and James last lived there, always inviting them over for tea. She was a great conversationalist and storyteller – Lily had always found her insight into history, especially, fascinating. The old lady been quite disappointed when they moved away, quite taken with the young married couple. "Please, come inside!"

"I was out in the market-square, and happened to overhear some people talking about you," Bathilda said. "Moving back in, are you?"

Lily smiled at the tiny woman. "Yes."

"A wise decision," Bathilda nodded. "I never saw why you decided to move away in the first place."

"Well, it seemed logical at the time," Lily defended herself as they walked into the kitchen. "James parents had died, and Potters have always lived at Potter manor. It's tradition."

Bathilda snorted and she poked Lily's leg with her walking stick. "Tradition is made to be broken – just like rules!"

James laughed as he entered the kitchen just in time to hear Bathilda's remark, Harry held safely against his chest. "And comments like that are the reason I like you! Hi, Bathilda."

"Hello, James. Oh, and this must be little Harry!" Bathilda lit up when she saw him. "I was so excited when I got your letter, telling me the news. Can I hold him?"

"Of course!" James said, carefully placing Harry in Bathilda's wrinkled arms once she'd sat down on a chair. "Make sure to support his head – "

Bathilda glared at him slightly. "I wasn't born yesterday, you know! I think it would be safe to bet I've handled a great deal many more babies than you in my life!"

Lily, who was putting on the tea-kettle, chuckled as James winced contritely. "Sorry. Habit."

"Hmm. Hopefully, this little one won't get your lack of common sense! He looks far too much like you already," Bathilda remarked as she held Harry, who was staring up at the white-haired lady with as much interest as an infant could have.

"Oi!" James protested, while Lily burst out laughing.

Bathilda looked extremely content with Harry in her arms – Harry, likewise, looked completely relaxed.

"It's strange," Lily commented. "He almost never takes to anyone that quickly. He was fussy when Dumbledore held him, and he screamed like the devil when Peter did – "

" – In Peter's defense, he was terrified of dropping him. Harry probably sensed it. It took us ages to convince Peter to try holding him at all," James said.

"Well, I have a way with babies," Bathilda said with a little smile. "Why did you decide to move back here? And is it permanent? I want to know how much longer I can enjoy this little one's company."

"It's semi-permanent, anyway," James answered. He'd felt a bit bad about leaving his childhood home – but Godric's Hollow was home as well: the first place he and Lily had been able to call theirs. Besides, the manor wasn't going anywhere and Toby and Saffy would make sure it was well looked after and preserved for the future, in case they decided to move back again. And if they didn't, it would be ready for Harry's use.

He'd felt a little bad leaving Toby and Saffy behind, but the house-elves could visit, and the two really were happier if they were kept busy. Godric's Hollow wasn't large enough for them to be needed, while the manor required constant upkeep considering its massive size. "We've got no current plans to move again. The manor is quite isolated out there on the island. And we missed your company," he finished cheekily.

"Oh, you charmer, you," Bathilda chuckled.

"Still, don't go spreading it around that we've moved back," Lily said cautiously. She knew Bathilda was good-hearted, but she also liked to gossip. "We kind of want to keep a low profile." That she and James wanted to stay hidden with Harry might have been a problem since Godric's Hollow was well-populated, but with the exception of Bathilda, only muggles currently lived in the village. And it was easier to hide in a crowd of people, after all. Dumbledore and his brother were the only wizards that might come around, considering they originated from Godric's Hollow, but Albus always stayed at the castle and his brother lived above his bar in Hogsmeade.

If Bathilda could keep from blurting out they were back, it was unlikely the Wizarding World – and by extension, Voldemort - would find out. They hadn't even told their friends about the move, only Sirius, and Moody, who had helped James set up a few of the wards right before they moved in. The man was so paranoid there was no risk in him letting anything slip, and Sirius was loyal to a fault, though he had wondered about their reason for secrecy.

Bathilda peered at her with her thick eyes. "Are you in some sort of trouble?"

"Well…you know Lily and I have been active against Voldemort," James began, deciding to give her the same answer he'd given Sirius. "And considering how many times we've slipped through his fingers and survived, he's likely to target us. Now that we have Harry, we'd rather be safe than sorry. The less people who find out where we live, the better."

"Understandable," Bathilda nodded. "And you have my word nothing will pass my lips."

18 August

Lily and James beamed at each other as they stepped out of the examination room in which Harry had been given his first check-up. "You're such a bright boy, Harry, aren't you?" James said in a babyish voice, scrunching up his face. Harry stared up at him, seemingly confused.

Lily, even though she was just as delighted that the news from the Healer had only been good - that Harry was progressing normally, even a little ahead of most infants - rolled her eyes. "Your father is such a silly man, isn't he?" She cooed down at Harry. In response, Harry too let out a cooing sound, his lips stretching into a grin.

"Biased towards you already, I see," James huffed, though he was smiling. It had been ten days since Dumbledore told them the prophecy. For the first few days, things had been tense, especially after they left the manor and moved back to Godric's Hollow. The move was a confirmation that things were not the same, and the prophecy had been hanging over them like a dark cloud. Both Lily and James had hated the thought of hiding away in Godric's Hollow, but there wasn't much else they could do.

After Bathilda had started coming around, the tension had eased up, however, especially once Harry began to be more alert and do more than sleep. Every day, their son was doing something new. It was mostly small things, like him being able to his head while lying on his tummy, reacting to different noises, making sounds of his own and developing a real smile. It was simply impossible to be depressed in his presence, and through an unspoken agreement, James and Lily had decided to enjoy every small moment and not let the prophecy destroy what they had. Come what may, they would face it together, as a family.

It was this agreement, and Harry's rapid growth, that had allowed them to let go of their anger at Dumbledore. Dumbledore's only crime in this instance was being the bearer of bad news. The man meant well, even if he did care about the greater good too much – but he was a leader, and leaders made difficult decisions. Yes, it was a hard pill to swallow, considering how the prophecy affected them personally, but to ask Dumbledore to reveal all of it - even the parts that did not apply to them - had been rather selfish. And if that was the case, why worry about it? They had enough to deal with.

Through mutual agreement, they had revisited Dumbledore a couple of days after their move, telling him about their new living arrangements, and to ask him to help James – alongside Moody – to ward Godric's Hollow. Also, they had asked him to perform the ceremony that established Harry's magical guardian during which Sirius would officially be made Godfather, something the leader of the Order had gladly agreed to.

"Harry simply knows his mother always knows best," Lily smiled sweetly, and James laughed.

"Smart boy," James said, ruffling up the messy tufts of hair on top of Harry's boy. "It took me awhile to learn."

"Already a sign Harry has clearly inherited my brains," Lily said smugly, and James laughed again, the sound drawing the attention to some of the people in the hospital. His laugh died and his eyes darted around nervously. "We should go." Just because they had decided to enjoy their life didn't mean they had to be stupid, and with Voldemort targeting them, staying in an open, public place like St. Mungo's for longer than necessary wasn't a very good idea.

Just as they were about to leave, however, they heard a familiar voice call their names: "Oi! James! Lily!"

The two turned around, seeing Lucan Davis jog up to them, a wide grin on his face. "Hey, I thought I recognized you," the former Ravenclaw and Mandy's once best friend, stated. "What are you doing here?"

"Harry just had his first check-up," Lily said proudly. Beside her, James tensed, his wand held tightly in his hand, eyes looking for any suspicious movements from the people around them.

"Oh! He's really cute…" Lucan beamed at Harry who blinked up at him with alert eyes. "Speaking of children, I'm just coming from Belinda's hospital room - she just had our baby! It's a girl – we're naming her Tracey. Sirius did tell you Belinda and I were expecting, right?"

"He may have mentioned it, yeah," James said, though he really couldn't remember. If he had, it had probably slipped their minds after Harry's birth, and then finding out the prophecy. Relaxing a fraction, he threw Lily a quick grin. "How was the birth? Lily nearly crushed my hand." The red-head rolled her eyes.

Lucan laughed weakly. "Well, Belinda didn't do that, though my eardrums are still ringing: there was a lot of cursing involved, and threats of me never touching her again, stuff like that. Anyway, I'm really glad I ran into you – I've been trying to get in touch with Sirius, but he's not answering my letters. Has he mentioned Mandy at all?" Lily and James exchanged glances as Lucan babbled on: "I have been writing her sister, the muggle way, but I haven't gotten an answer, so I was wondering if he's heard anything about her."

James shook his head. "He hasn't mentioned anything. Whenever Mandy comes up, Sirius sort of clams up."

Lucan let out a disappointed sigh. "I suppose I can understand that. One more question: I know Sirius is involved in the war somehow, and I bet you guys are too…and even if you aren't, you were in the Auror program, James, which means you're probably better informed than I am… Does the war look to be ending anytime soon?"

Lily and James exchanged looks again. Knowing of the prophecy and knowing that Harry or Neville might be the only ones who could end the war, it didn't look likely, however, they couldn't tell Lucan that. "I'm sorry," Lily said quietly. "It's impossible to tell."

Lucan nodded. "The reason I'm asking…after what happened to Mandy, Bel and I began to talk about moving abroad, at least until the worst blows over. It's not that the thought of running away from our own country appeals to us, but now we have Tracey to think about… And with Belinda's near blood-traitor status for not only marrying a muggleborn but also having a child with him, we feel a bit like high-potential targets considering You-Know-Who's agenda."

"Leaving the country might actually be a good idea," Lily said. More friends out of harm's way could only be a good thing. "Temporarily, though, right?"

"Of course. Both Belinda and I want Tracey to go to Hogwarts, but we expect the war will be over long before that! I mean, it can't possibly go on for another eleven years!" Lucan answered with a light chuckle. "Anyway, I should do what I actually came out here to do: get something to eat. Both Bel and I are starving!"

Lily laughed uneasily. Unfortunately, with the prophecy now in play, the end resting on either Harry or Neville, it was highly likely the war would drag on for another eleven years, and even longer. But she couldn't tell Lucan that. "Well, it was great to see you, Lucan," she said instead, noticing her husband's rigid form. "Say hi to Belinda from us, and congratulations on your daughter."

James put an arm around Lily's waist in a protective gesture: a patient standing in line to the reception had been glancing over at them too often for his comfort during their conversation. "We'd love to stay and chat, but we're in a bit of a hurry," he said.

Lucan nodded and waved as he moved off, presumably towards the cafeteria, while James and Lily hurried towards the exit. Voldemort had eyes everywhere, and the sooner they got home, the better. Harry was their main priority now.

12 September

"Buffy Summers," Voldemort hissed to his inner circle Death Eaters. "You all know of her – she is a member of the Order. Until now, you have thought of her to be of little consequence, regardless of her status as the Slayer. However, I have been given some new information, escalating the threat she brings. I want her. And I expect one of you to bring her before me."

After learning she was a dimensional traveller, his plan to take her powers for his own quickly had become even more important. He needed her captured. While he still didn't know how he was going to transfer her powers to himself, he was sure it would be easier to come up with a way if she was his prisoner. And after he had them…he could kill her, neutralizing the threat she brought as the book's 'Chosen.'

The easiest way to bring her in would be to have Pettigrew do it, considering he was 'friends' with Summers. But considering how many times the man had screwed up so far, he had no doubt he would do it again, and he couldn't risk it. Another option was to have Dorcas Meadowes do it, also a member of the Order. But he still wasn't sure if he trusted her completely. No. This mission could only be entrusted to his most loyal followers. But even they could – and would – fail if they didn't take the danger she brought seriously. And from what he was hearing as they talked amongst themselves right now, they weren't taking it anywhere near seriously enough.

"Do not underestimate her," he continued coolly. "I have seen her in battle. You have seen her in battle, and in fact, she has defeated some of you in battle. And yet, you think this will be easy?" Looking contrite, the Death Eaters lowered their heads.

"You are my best and brightest. Do not prove me wrong. And whatever you do, do not kill her. If she were to die in the process of her capture, I would be…severely disappointed. I want her alive." He stood up abruptly. "Do whatever you need to in order to draw her out. But do not act without clearing it with me first." He sneered at you. "I know you think you will win more of my favour if you are the one to bring her in. But ambition, while all well and good, can also blind you. Tread carefully."

And with that, the Dark Lord left the ante-chamber, leaving an excited and thoughtful inner-circle of followers behind him.

28 September

"Hey, Sirius, come in," James greeted his best friend. "We're almost ready to begin."

Sirius stepped into Godric's Hollow, following James to the living room. He was nervous, but kind of excited at the same time – nervous, because his status as Harry's magical guardian – as Harry's Godfather - was about to become official, and excited because…well, because of the same reason, really. Confusion filled his eyes however, when he realized the only people present were him, Dumbledore, and the Longbottoms, aside from Lily and James of course. Harry and Neville were each being held by their mothers.

"We decided to combine Harry and Neville's ceremony," James told him, not noticing Sirius' look.

"Where is everyone else?" Sirius wondered. "I expected most of the Order to be here for this. Or at least Remus, Buffy and Peter."

"We didn't invite them. We're in hiding, remember?" James said, voice low.

Suspicion reared its ugly head. When James had told him of his and Lily's decision to move back to Godric's Hollow, and to keep it a secret, he'd been somewhat surprised. But he'd just thought James had meant to keep it secret in general – to people who didn't know them - not applicable to those in the Order or their closest friends. And yet, it seemed he'd been wrong.

Sirius frowned. He knew James. And the rather vague reason his best friend had given him was nowhere near dire enough for him to need this kind of secrecy: pretending to still live at the manor, using it like a red herring… Something more was going on. James to go into hiding – real hiding – was if things were really bad. But for some reason, James didn't trust him with the truth.

Perhaps Voldemort was specifically aiming for him or Lily…but no, that didn't make sense either: after all, Voldemort had been targeting them for some time now. Sure, Sirius supposed it was possible that James didn't want to risk Lily's life since they had Harry to think of now, but if that was the case, it was more likely James would have sent Lily and Harry into hiding on their own. The only reason Sirius could think of for James to hurry into hiding like this with both his wife and child was if he feared for Harry's life and wanted to make sure Harry was always protected directly by him. He would never back away from the frontlines otherwise. James would never be content with hiding away while others fought, unless it was to save his family. But for the life of him, Sirius couldn't figure out why Harry would be a target – he was just a child! "Prongs – "

As if he had realized Sirius had just come to some sort of realisation, James grabbed his arm and dragged him aside to a corner of the room where the others couldn't overhear. "Don't ask me questions I can't answer, Padfoot," James said, and he looked pained. As if knowing what Sirius was thinking, he continued: "It's not about trust. But for now, I've told you all I can."

Sirius threw him a frustrated look. "You've told me nothing! All you gave was some lame excuse about Voldemort targeting you, and that's why you and Lily decided to vacate the manor! Which is insane – Voldemort was targeting you before, and anyway, the manor is a lot better protected!"

"Not anymore," James smiled grimly. "I've put up wards, along with Moody and Dumbledore. It's safe. And nowhere near as obvious as the manor to live in. And yes, Voldemort was targeting us before, but we have Harry now - "

" – That's still not reason enough, Prongs," Sirius hissed. "Despite the new protections on this place, I doubt it's any better protected than the wards on Potter manor. The only reason for this move is to use the manor as a…decoy building. And the only reason for you to do that is if you're absolutely sure Voldemort is going to attack you, probably soon, which doesn't make sense either! He's only gone after Lily's parents, for revenge. Wouldn't it make more sense to place her sister in hiding? The only time he's outright sought out you and Lily with the intent to kill has been on the battle field! Obviously, something big has happened to change all that. And the only conclusion I've been able to come to for you to be content with hiding away like this is if Harry - "

"Sirius, please!" James hissed, abruptly silencing Sirius who narrowed his eyes.

"I'm on the right track, aren't I?" His best friend asked grimly. "Prongs…"

James blew out a loud breath, pulling a hand through his messy hair. Sirius could be extremely perceptive sometimes – too bad it had to be now. "Don't speak anything more of this, alright? It's complicated, and I want to tell you, but I can't right now."

"Right now? You mean you'll tell me later?" Sirius asked, his grey eyes narrowed.

James sighed. "Eventually. But no promises, Padfoot." To Sirius, James suddenly looked old. "Times are changing, Pads. Things are happening so fast I feel like I can barely keep up. And this…the reason Lily and I moved back here…it's big."

"X-Wing, or Star Destroyer-big?" Sirius asked, attempting to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, James wasn't smiling.

"Actually, it's more along the lines of Death Star-big," James said grimly, continuing the Star Wars analogy.

Sirius' eyes widened. Suddenly, he felt extremely afraid for his best friend. It wasn't a feeling he particularly enjoyed. "That's…big."

"Yeah," James muttered. Then, he put on a bright smile on his face and he clapped Sirius on the back. "Anyway, we've got a ceremony to get through! Got to make your Godfather status official, and all!"

Sirius chuckled weakly. "I'm still quite sure you're insane for asking me."

"Nonsense," James said as they rejoined the others. "Harry adores you!" As if agreeing, the almost two-month old baby gurgled happily, letting out a "gah goo!" sound, stretching his small, chubby little hands out towards Sirius, whose heart melted at the sight, and with a grin he took Harry into his arms from Lily.

"By the way, who is the Godmother?" Sirius asked, bouncing Harry carefully in his arms. "Alice?"

Lily sighed. "No. We actually decided against one. If circumstances were normal, I would have asked Buffy, but…" she trailed off, leaving 'these are not normal circumstances' left unsaid. James clapped Sirius on the back again.

"Twice the fun for you, eh?" He stated with a smirk, succeeding in easing the tension.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Shall we begin, then?" He asked and everyone nodded, getting into their positions. For Sirius, the ceremony passed by in a quick daze – he didn't pay attention to anyone other than the baby in his arms. He barely noticed when the magic that bound them together as Godparent and Godchild settled over the two, establishing Sirius as Harry's magical guardian. His vows to guide and protect Harry throughout his life left his mouth automatically, when Dumbledore asked the customary questions.

Then, it was suddenly over, and it was James and Lily's turn to be established as Neville's Godparents, something Sirius paid absolutely no attention to at all, fixated on Harry – his Godson! His responsibility. It was a frightening concept. And yet, it felt right. As he looked into Harry's face, he found peace there – and for a moment, the war had never felt further away.

"You'll be a great wizard, Bambi," Sirius whispered, smiling, despite the rather painful grip Harry had on his hair. "You'll do great things, I just know it. And I'll be there to see every step of the way." Harry tugged at Sirius' hair even harder, causing Sirius to wince, though the smile didn't leave his face. "You're a right little marauder, aren't you?"

Harry's mouth stretched into a smile that looked almost mischievous. "Yep, no doubt about it," Sirius muttered to himself as he slowly began to try and untangle his precious hair (or what remained of it) from Harry's fingers.

Published: 19/04 -12
Published: 24/06 -12

Trivia

- Just like in canon HP and the Order of the Phoenix, the prophecy about Harry and Voldermort can be found in row ninety-seven in the Hall of Prophecies. Incidentally, I wonder how many rows there are...
- In canon, the Prophecy Record is simply marked by"S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D. Dark Lord (?)Harry Potter" while the Road of Sacrifice version states "S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D. Dark Lord (?)Harry Potter/Neville Longbottom and (?) (?)" This is because it is not yet certain if it applies to Harry or Neville, while by the time OOTP comes around, Harry has been 'marked' and as such, him being the subject of the prophecy is almost certain – Neville has been removed as an option, though the question mark beside Harry's name remains just in case another potential subject comes into being. The two additional question marks are of course referring to the people (as of yet not revealed) mentioned by the two additional parts of the Roads Travelled prophecy.
- In HP and the Order of the Phoenix, Unspeakable Boderick Bode is sent by Voldemort under the Imperius curse to retrieve the Prophecy Record in the Department of Mysteries for him, and is taken to St. Mungo's, suffering from spell-damage (he is later killed by Devil's Snare sent by Death Eaters when he shows sign of improvement). From this, we learn that a Prophecy can only be obtained by the person(s) it is about, which is why Voldemort, still lying low by this point and not willing to retrieve it himself and possibly be exposed to the Ministry, lured Harry there to retrieve it instead. As an Unspeakable, Lily would know the danger, which is why she does not touch the prophecy.
- In a lot of fanfiction-stories, the prophecy is a subject of either dislike, disbelief, or like: either way, it's a great plot-device, depending on how you interpret it. Some of the problems inherent in the prophecy is brought up here, in the discussion with Dumbledore: as long as Voldemort believes in its 'most straightforward meaning' (even if it isn't all that straightforward...), the Potters and the Longbottoms can't disregard it, even if it is full of holes.
- James worries that the manor being an obvious place to live and therefore, he chooses Godric's Hollow…sound familiar? Readers of Harry Potter will recognize this in another canonical context: a deadly one. This chapter is where the idea to use Sirius as a decoy in the future because he is too obvious a Secret Keeper, is subconsciously planted. In canon, James and Lily switches to Peter…and we all know what that led to.
- Based on what we know of Bathilda Bagshot from HP and the Deathly Hallows, we know she wrote A History of Magic and knew quite a lot of Dumbledore's sordid history as well. From Lily's letter in chapter 10: Kreacher's Tale, we learn that she is also quite a good friend of the Potters who dotes on Harry and likes telling stories.
- Tracey Davis is a half-blood Slytherin student from Harry's year that appears in a class-list draft for Harry's year that J.K. Rowling mad for her earlier plans of the books, though she has never appeared in canon. I always thought it interesting that she was a half-blood, since other than Snape and Voldemort, all Slytherin students appear to be pureblood. Anyway, this existence of a character we know very little about allowed me free reign in creating a background for her. This background obviously came in the form of Lucan Davis (muggleborn and Mandy's best friend in Ravenclaw, in case you've forgotten...) and Belinda Greengrass (pureblood), who were not only made up to give Mandy friends outside the marauders, but also to make them Tracey's parents.
- Additionally, though it has not been mentioned in Roads Travelled as of yet, Belinda's older brother (another OC, obviously) is meant to be the father of Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, canon characters from Slytherin house (Daphne is in the same year as Harry and Astoria becomes Draco Malfoy's wife). This makes them Tracey's cousins. I think you can see I'm already planning for the future here, though very avid HP fans may have suspected something as far back as Road of Innocence, if Lucan and Belinda's last-names caused an AHA!-experience due to recognition (though Davis is a pretty common last name, Greengrass is not).
- For those of you who do not feel as home in the Star Wars universe as I do, here is a general size-comparison between an X-wing, a Star Destroyer and the Death Star, just to put James and Sirius' analogy into perspective: An X-Wing is a starfighter used by the Rebell Alliance, around 12,5 metres in length with four laser canons and proton torpedo launchers. A Star Destroyer is a term used to describe a gigantic warship with enough firepower capable of destroying an entire star system. The Death Star is an imperial military battlestation the size of a moon capable of destroying an entire planet with a single shot of its laser, and considered to be 'the Ultimate Weapon.' It was also built to be indestructible (note: built to be, but it wasn't...just like Voldemort isn't unbeatable)
- The reason Harry doesn't have a Godmother is not only because J.K. Rowling said he didn't, but also because I needed Buffy not to be the Godmother for a reason that will become apparent later.