Chapter 3
October 31st, 1981
Godrics Hollow, England
James Potter slammed the door as he entered the entry exhausted after a long day at work in the Auror Corps.
Work was exhausting recently.
For some reason, the Dark Lord Voldemort after not doing anything major for a year had been doing a lot more these past three months.
Many Aurors had died during that time and it was showing.
Even though the War against Voldemort had been going on for over a decade by this point it had only recently gotten to a new level.
More Aurors had died fighting the Death Eaters in the past year and a half or so of warfare than had died in the previous decade of fighting.
And it was taking a toll on the Ministry.
When James and his friend Sirius had joined the Auror Corps shortly after graduating from Hogwarts in 1976 there were about 700 Aurors in the corps, many of those in leadership who were veterans of the War against Gellert Grindlewald in the 1940s.
But 5 years later it was much different.
The Auror Corps currently stood at around 300-350 Members less than half of what they had when James had joined.
And their losses hit hard amongst the veterans in the corps many of which had died or chosen to retire as the fighting intensified.
That led to a lot younger corps and a lot more promotions.
James had risen through several Auror Ranks and was now a high-ranking captain, a position that would have taken him at least a decade more to achieve in a time of peace.
While the rise through the ranks was good and all and the extra pay was good to help him support his family with it was saddening that his high rank had been achieved through the death of so many others.
The workload he was doing was increasing weakly now it seemed and he was happy to be home.
Now he could spend some time with his wife and kids and relax a bit before he went back to work.
James chuckled as he entered the living room to see his wife Lilly playing with their son Michael on the carpet as their other son Harry read a book on charms.
He beamed at Harry.
Despite being only four years old Harry was already quite advanced for his age.
He had started learning how to read shortly after he had turned three and in the year or so since then Harry had been an avid reader with his face being seen buried in a book several times.
A sight that on a four-year-old James found crazy but Lilly loved.
He could only hope then that Michael turned out to be more sports inclined later on.
Remus had predicted that Harry looked like he would be a very analytical person later on in life.
"Hey," Lilly said looking up and seeing her husband enter "Long day," She asked noticing his tired appearance".
James sighed "Yeah but don't really want to talk about it," He said, "How are the boys doing he asked".
"Pretty good" Lily replied "Michael continues to be active and Harry keeps reading".
James nodded and walked over to where Harry was sitting.
"Hey what are you reading about? "James asked Harry.
:" Wingardium Leviosa" Harry replied, continuing to read.
James looked down at the book that Harry was engulfed in.
It was one of the books that had pictures of the spells being cast and their names but not much more than that.
It was a book meant to interest young kids in magic before they went to Hogwarts.
Typically it was also read by kids that were at least eight.
Harry was definitely reading ahead.
Lilly was quite enthusiastic about that.
She had been constantly in the Top 5 Students at Hogwarts and she hoped that her sons followed in that path.
And with James having been an amazing Quittach Player in school he hoped one of the boys took after him on that.
One Academic and one Sports child would make the parents ecstatic.
James decided to then go and sit down with Lilly and Michael on the carpet and play for a little bit.
SCENE BREAK
Later on, after tucking the kids in James and Lily lay down in bed engaging in small talk.
"I like days like this" Lilly said "It's nice when you're at home".
"I agree," James said nodding "I would be home more if our workload at the office wasn't so big".
"It's getting bad out there isn't it," She asked worry clouding Lilly's face.
James sighed not wanting to lie to her.
"It's getting dangerous," He said "The Aurors have taken quite a few losses recently and I'm surprised the Ministry hasn't fallen yet".
"Do you think it's time for us to increase our wards? "Lilly asked, "I know Adeline can perform the Fidelius for us if we want," She said.
James shook his head "I don't think we need to be at that level of paranoia" He said, "Our current wards do the job just fine in my opinion and should prevent the Death Eaters from infiltrating and give us time to escape".
Lilly nodded nervously "If you say so," She said settling down to fall asleep.
As both of the Potter Parents were starting to drift off though Lilly heard a sound that made her jump
It sounded like one of the floorboards creaking.
"James what was that". She asked, grabbing her wand.
"I don't know," He said grabbing his own wand and following Lilly.
Entering the hallway the two headed down the stairs passing the nursery before going further down their stairs they ran into their worst nightmare,
The smiling face of the Dark Lord Voldemort.
"Hello Lily, James," He said grinning.
Before the two could say anything they saw red lights fly at them before they knew no more,
SCENE BREAK
The Dark Lord Tom Marvollo Riddle otherwise known as Lord Voldemort smirked as he looked at the stunned figures of Lily and James Potter
Good, they wouldn't get in the way.
Even though James Potter had been a thorn in the Death Eaters side Voldermort decided to just stun and move on.
After all, he could be dealt with later but the Potter Parents were not the primary reason that he was here tonight.
No, the reason that he was here today was something more archaic.
Over a year ago a young Severus Snape had requested a meeting with him over what he said was "important information".
That was an understatement, to say the least.
Deciding to humor the new Death Eater Voldemort listened as Snape detailed the conversation he had overheard between Albus Dumbledore and Sybil Trelawney giving his memories of the event to back up his testimony.
A Prophecy.
Normally Voldemort was quite a skeptic of prophecies for much of his life but after having been the subject of one a few years back he was more cautious about them
And after reviewing the memory he had determined the Prophecy to be real
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches in youth... born to those who have thrice defied him, and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not.
What did that mean though was the question?
Voldemort had spent much time figuring that out.
He had determined that it referred to a child of someone who had escaped him at least three times mostly in battle.
Researching who that would be though had produced a list of over a dozen families to who that might apply to.
That was quite a range of possibilities.
It took some time to narrow it down as he forbade his Death Eaters from targeting those families as he worked out which might be the Prophecy Family and the Prophecy Child.
Conducting surveillance of the family's properties revealed something though.
Their protections were no stronger than any other ordinary wizarding family.
That was confusing.
Voldemort assumed since Albus Dumbledore had heard the Prophecy too he would have been working out who the Prophecy Child was too.
And the logical assumption would have been that the family would have had higher security on their properties.
Apparently not though.
Eventually, Voldemort had narrowed it down based on the number of time escaped, importance in the wizarding society, and their child's closeness to the time of their birth at the moment the Prophecy had been made.
The Potters eventually ticked all boxes.
James Potter had escaped from him in battle far too many times and the Potters were from an important family on the Wizgamnot.
And their son Michael Potter had been born just 2 Months after the Prophecy had been made the closest out of all the candidates.
When viewing the Potter Property in Godrics Hollow though he almost wanted to laugh.
Their wards were so pathetic.
Pretty much all of the candidates had cast the Fidelius Charm and a host of other powerful protective spells around their home.
Not the Potters though.
Voldemort did remember stories of James Potter's arrogance during his Hogwarts years.
And apparently, the Auror Corps and a family had not mellowed him out.
Wonderful.
After entering the house silently and walking up the stairs after having stunned the Potter parents he went looking for the Nursery.
Searching through a few rooms he finally found the room where the Potter children were.
Currently, the youngest was blinking and looking like he had just woken up as the eldest was looking at Voldemort inquisitively.
Voldemort chuckled "Well, well do we have the Prophecy children here on our hands, or do we not" He wondered.
He then pondered who to kill first.
Choices, Choices, Choices.
Remembering then that if two people were right next to each other he could use a Double Killing Curse on them Voldemort with a wave of his hand levitate baby Michael Potter to put him on the bed with his older brother who just looked at him with a smile.
That was an annoying sight to see a smiling toddler.
It looked just like a smile that would do well in Slytherin House
Oh well though.
Raising his wand Voldemort looked at the two Potter twins.
"Avada Kedavra".
SCENE BREAK
Albus Dumbledore hurried alongside the path with the young Sirius Black as the two hurried along the path.
James had not shown up for work that morning and had contacted Dumbledore with his worries who immediately raced with Sirius to the Potter Property at Godrics Hollow.
Dumbledore was worried too.
In the year or so since he had heard the prophecy, Dumbledore had been working to find out who the Prophecy child was.
He had hit a roadblock though and as tough of a decision it was Dumbledore decided that Voldemort would work out who he thought was the right one and Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix would be ready at a moment's notice to respond.
It was taking a reactionary stance that Dumbledore hated to do but he could see no other option.
Entering the Potter house Sirius was the first one to notice his two friends laying on the stairwell.
Howling Sirus ran to his best friend.
Grabbing a hold of James Sirus gasped.
"Professor Dumbledore James is still alive," Sirius said.
Walking over Dumbledore waved his wand over the two Potters.
"They are just stunned," He said quickly "Rennervate!"
James and Lily quickly woke, looking startled upon seeing Sirius and Dumbledore.
Lilly screeched "My Babies, My Babies where are my Babies".
"That's what we are trying to find out about Mrs. Potter," Dumbledore said "What happened here".
"It was Voldermort sir" James replied shakily "He entered our home and stunned us".
Dumbledore paled.
He must have been after the children.
"Lead onto the nursery then," Dumbledore said.
Sirius and Dumbledore followed the Potter Parents as they reached the Nursery where they saw a scorch mark on the ground along with a cloak as well as an unconscious Harry and Micheal Potter laying in the crib.
Rushing over Lily was relieved to find out that both boys were alive.
"What happened?"James asked, examining the two children.
Dumbledore after examining the cloak on the ground went over and asked for permission to examine the children.
How very interesting