A/N: I can't believe I only have two more chapters to go! (tear.) thanks to everyone who has (and hopeful will) review!

Chapter 36

Godric's Hollow

It had not been a good week, Lily reflected as she played with her son. What with the deaths of both her mother and one of her best friends, Lily felt much other than she was. Yesterday had been Elizabeth's funeral, and one of the longest days of her life. But more than anything else, she felt terrible for Remus, who, at the age of twenty–one, was a widower. He had suffered so much from his lycanthropy and now with the added death of his wife – from a werewolf attack no less – on top of this, Lily was surprised that he was even holding himself together. But this worried her the most. Remus had always been the most reserved of the Marauders, but she was afraid that he was going to seclude himself from his friends. Lily wanted to give him some time to grieve, but if she had to, she would check on him every day to make sure he didn't lose his mind.

Lily scooped her son up, set him on her hip and went into the kitchen to make some tea. She gazed out of the window, watching the last of the autumn leaves float to the ground as she sipped from her cup.

She carried her cup and Harry back into the living room and watched her son play for a while longer until James came home, looking very troubled about something.

"Did something happen?"

James sighed. "Dumbledore is coming over in about an hour, and whatever he has to say doesn't sound good."

Lily felt as though something was crushing her chest. "Does it have to do with the prophecy?" she breathed.

"I don't know...he didn't say hardly anything in the letter."

Harry teetered over to his father, lifted his hands in the air and said, "Dada!"

Some of the worry and fear written so plainly on James's handsome features seemed to ebb away slightly as he lifted Harry onto his lap.

The next hour was quite possibly one of the pain staking in her life. It seemed like hundreds of terrifying scenarios ran through her mind in such a small amount of time, that when they heard their former Headmaster knock on the front door, Lily was visibly shaking. James set Harry in her lap and answered the door.

"Good evening James, Lily," he said as he shook their hands. "And of course, young Harry, as well." Harry looked up at Dumbledore, a look of awe on his small face.

"To what do we owe this pleasure, Professor," Lily asked kindly, trying her best to stay calm.

Dumbledore's features became suddenly somber. "I am afraid that I have some terrible news." he ran his long fingers over his face, looking older than Lily ever remembered him. "Lord Voldemort had decided to act upon the prophecy. I believe it would be safest for the three of you to go into hiding as soon as possible."

"S–so he thinks Harry is the one it was talking about?" asked James.

"Yes,"

Lily felt as though the walls were closing in on her – on her family.

"What do you suggest we do?" James asked helplessly.

"I know of a small village that – with the proper precautions – should be perfect. It's called Godric's Hollow."

"Godric's Hollow?" Lily asked. "As in Godric Gryffindor?"

"Just the same. He founded the town when Hogwarts was merely a dream. In fact, some of the school's first students came from this very village.

"Soon after I told you and the Longbottoms of the prophecy's contents, I secured a piece of property in Godric's Hollow, incase this should happen. And, of course, there is the Fidelius Charm."

Lily's head perked up. Maybe we have a chance after all.

"What is that?" James asked.

"The Fidelius Charm is a complicated spell that involved the magical concealment of a secret – in this case, your address – inside a single, living soul, known as the Secret–Keeper. The only way that anyone could find you location is if the Secret–Keeper told them."

"It sounds perfect." Lily said.

"And also," Dumbledore continued. "I would like to offer myself as your Secret–Keeper."

"Thank you very much, but we couldn't possibly ask you to do that." James said.

"Then, if you do not mind me saying, please chose carefully. From the information that I have, there is a spy within the Order."

James and Lily's eyes met for a moment before he answered, "Sirius. He'd rather die than betray us."

Dumbledore nodded knowingly. He drew out a small piece of parchment and handed it to James. "This is the address of the cottage in Godric's Hollow." He reached into his robes again, this time extracting a longer, rolled scroll, which he handed to Lily. "These are step by step instruction to preforming the Fidelius Charm, written by myself and Professor Flitwick. If I recall properly, you received an 'Outstanding' on your N.E.W.T. in Charms, Lily. You should have no problem performing it." Lily blushed slightly from his praise.

Dumbledore stood. "Good luck, all three of you." He smiled as he shook James and Lily's hands and patted Harry on the head. He left, somehow knowing, deep in his heart, it would be the last time he would ever see James or Lily again...

000

Sirius landed his motorcycle in front of James and Lily's home. Luckily, it was just before sunrise so none of the neighboring Muggles would be able to see his flying bike. He had received a message from James, telling him to come over at five a.m. Just as he reached the door, James was already there to open it. "Come on in." he said as he ushered his best friend inside.

Sirius was surprised by what he saw. The handsome furniture that had once inhabited the interior was now gone, and in their place were dozens of cardboard boxes with things like 'kitchen', 'Harry's room', and 'living room' written on their sides.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked.

"We're moving," James replied. "Me and Lily have been up all night getting everything packed, and we're nearly done."

"Hey Sirius," Lily said as she came down the stairs.

"Well where in the hell are you guys going?"

James and Lily exchanged glances before they led Sirius into the kitchen, where they explained where they were moving and why.

"So Voldemort's after Harry?" Sirius summed up.

"Yes," Lily said.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Actually," James said, "There is. We're not just moving, Dumbledore suggested we use the Fidelius Charm. What we do – actually, what Lily will do – is magically conceal our location within an Secret–Keeper, and the only way anyone can find us is if our Secret–Keeper tells someone." Sirius nodded in understanding. James took a deep breath and continued, "We were wondering if you would be our Secret–Keeper."

"Of course," Sirius replied immediately.

James was momentarily speechless. "Thanks, mate,"

Sirius clapped his best friend's shoulder. "I'd do anything for you guys."

For the first time since she and James had heard the prophecy, Lily felt secure. She knew that as long as Sirius was their Secret–Keeper, her family would be safe.

000

"Are you ready?"

Lily took one last look around their now empty home. "Yeah." she sighed. Picking up Harry, they Disapparated. As she comforted a screaming Harry – he hated Apparition – she took in the cottage. With only one floor, it was smaller than their own home, but cozy nevertheless.

After Lily finally got Harry settled down, she and James set up his playpen while they began to unpack. An hour later, they heard a knock on the door.

When they went to answer it, they were surprised to see that Sirius wasn't alone. Peter was standing beside him.

"Wormtail," James said dumbly. "What you doing here?"

"James – I've just had a brilliant idea!" Sirius said excitedly as he and Peter entered. "Use Peter as your Secret–Keeper instead of me."

"What?" James and Lily replied.

"Just think about it," Sirius continued. "It's perfect! James, everyone knows that we're best friends, and if the Voldemort," they all ignored Peters gasp and shudder, "finds out that you guys are using the Fidelius Charm then it's obvious that you'd have me as your Secret–Keeper. They'd come and find me and probably force Veritaserum down my throat or something to make me tell them your location. But if Peter's the real Secret–Keeper, you be safe no matter what happens to me."

"Sirius," Lily said, "that's putting yourself in an awful lot off danger for nothing,"

"But as long as you two and Harry are safe, it doesn't matter."

Lily looked at James, who seemed convinced.

"I don't know..." she said worriedly.

"He's right," James said. "It's the perfect bluff."

"I–I'll go into hiding a–as well," Peter finally spoke up.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "He can just transform...no one but us knows that he's an Animagus."

"Remus knows." Lily countered. "Shouldn't we tell him?"

"If anyone else knows, you're in even more danger." Sirius said. "They could easily go after Remus as well as me."

Lily looked from Sirius, to Peter, to James. It was clear that they all believed this was going to work...

"Alright," she sighed. "Let's do it."