James Potter jerked himself awake, sweat beading down his forehead as his heart pounded rapidly against his ribs. He reached for his glasses that sat on his end table and placed them on his face as he looked at his surroundings. 'It was just a dream.. Rather a nightmare.' He thought to himself. "A nightmare that felt all too real." he whispered in the dark. He reflected back on his nightmare, never in his life had he been so scared, terrified.

In his dream, James Potter had been sitting at the dining room table, watching as the love of his life, Lily, fed their 15-month-old son a bowl of Mashed Potatoes, who in all honesty was having more fun throwing them at his mummy than eating them. James couldn't help but laugh at his son's antics while Lily scowled at him, muttering that Harry had inherited his mischievous tendencies.

As James stood up to grab a cloth to clean their son, something in the atmosphere felt uneasy. He jerked his head towards the front door, had he just heard the front gate open? He could have sworn he locked it a little over an hour ago. James whipped out his wand, and looked out the blinds when he felt his heart stop. 'No it can't be.' he thought silently as a lone, cloaked figure slowly strode up the walkway. James began to panic, his wand at the ready as he stood in front of the staircase that led up to the second floor of their Cottage. He shouted frightfully, "Lily! He's here! Take Harry and Run!"

James felt as if he was going to be sick. How could he have found them? They had hidden themselves for well over a year… The only one who knew of their location was.. No..Peter wouldn't betray him.. Not now. Yet, James couldn't shake the feeling that his and Lily's secret keeper, one of his best mates would have betrayed him. He shook his head from those thoughts. Now was not the time to focus on Peter, only to save his family. He listened as Lily ran up the stairs, carrying a crying Harry in her arms as she held him protectively against her chest.

He listened as Lily slammed the door and locked it, signaling that she and Harry were safe.. James' Hazel eyes watched as a yellow light appeared through the keyhole..Indicating that Voldemort was one step closer to him, to Lily, to Harry.. His sweet, innocent Harry. James raised his wand higher as the door flew open. Voldemort stood two feet from him, a sickening smile plastered on his voice. "I did not come for you, Potter." Voldemort spat out in a raspy voice. "Just stand aside. My quarrel is with Harry."

"Over my dead body." James said as he gritted his teeth together; his blood curdled as his son's name left his enemies lips. As soon as Voldemort crooked a wicked smile, he knew he was done for.

"That can be arranged." Before James had time to mutter a defensive spell, Voldemort had shouted, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" A jet of green light emerged from the tip of Voldemort's wand, hitting James squarely in the chest causing him to collapse on the bottom of the staircase, his eyes opened underneath his square-rimmed glasses. For his last thoughts of life were of his son.

As his dream continued, James watched as Voldemort stepped over his lifeless body and ascended the wooden staircase. Voldemort reached the top of the stairs, Blasted open one door after another. .No sign of the Mudblood or her half-blooded spawn. Until at last he reached the final door, and blasted into pieces.

An ear piercing shrill escaped Lily's lips as she turned her body from the blast, protecting her son as she clutched him to her chest.

"Hand over the child Mudblood, and I shall spare your life unlike that of your bloodtraiting husband." Voldemort rasped, as he reached a hand out for the child. Lily's body went stiff, her heart falling into the pit of her stomach. James was dead? Lily managed to swallow the lump in her throat, the urge to cry pressing against the back of her emerald green eyes. No, she had told herself. She wouldn't give Voldemort the satisfaction of seeing her vulnerable.

"No!" She told him defiantly, placing Harry in his crib. "Harry.. My sweet boy. Mummy loves you so much.. Always remember that my son."

"ENOUGH!" Voldemort shouted, his patience growing thin. He may have promised his favorite Death Eater he'd spare her life, but her defiance was unreasonable. "Stand aside. I won't ask again."

Lily turned from her son, her eyes narrowing at the person she detested most in this world. "And I said no! Take me instead, spare my son and take me!" She pleaded. Her son was an innocent in this war, he was just a baby after all.

Anger rose inside Voldemort, his eyes snake like and black. He jerked his wand from her to her son, shouting the Unforgivable curse, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" No sooner did the jet of green light escape his wand, Lily Potter jumped in front of her son, screaming, "HARRY, HARRY!" Her lifeless body fell to the floor, her fiery red hair splayed across her face.

"Tsk, tsk." Voldemort said as he stepped over her and stood in front of the small, infant child whom he loathed, despised.

"Defeat me will you?" Voldemort cackled, his wand at the ready and just inches from Harry's forehead. "Goodbye, Harry Potter." As the Dark Lord muttered the killing curse at Harry, James' nightmare had gone back, his sense of reality coming back to him.

"It was just a dream.. Just a dream." James turned to look at his sleeping wife, reaching for her as he felt nothing but the coldness of the sheets. "Lily?" how long had she been gone? Where was she? James quickly scrambled out of the bed, placing on his navy blue robe and navigated his way out of the master bedroom as he went in search of his wife.

"Lily?" He called out into the darkness. Nothing, not even a sound returned his call. "Lily, where are you?" James checked the bathroom then the guest room; she wasn't in either. Finally he noticed the cracked space in Harry's doorway, a slight hum resonating from the room. He grasped hold of the handle, watching through the slit in the door as his wife sat in the rocking chair with Harry pressed against her chest.

James blew out a puff of hot air as he quietly opened the door, careful not to wake Harry.

"Hey you." Lily whispered as James entered the room. She pressed a tender kiss to Harry's raven locks as her husband stood behind the rocking chair, placing the palm of his hands on the side of her arms. "Did I wake you?"

James shook his head. "Not at all love." he told her warmly as he kissed the top of her head. He stared down at his son who was snoring soundly on his mummy's shoulder, causing a sense of relief to wash over him. "What do you say Harry sleeps with us tonight?" James suggested as he leaned down to whisper in Lily's ear.

Lily smiled fondly at the idea, nodding her head in agreement. "Any particular reason why?" James waved her off, not wanting to get into the intricate details of his worst nightmare. "I'll explain in the morning. For tonight, I just want Harry close to us." Without another remark, Lily stood up carefully from the chair, and began to walk out of the nursery whilst James stood in the middle of the Nursery.

"You coming, James?"

"Yes, sorry." He took one last look over his shoulder before closing the door behind him and followed his wife into their bedroom. James laid on his right side, with Lily laying on his right arm while Harry was tucked safely between them, his small fist clutching hold of his father's robe. Without removing his glasses, James' eyes fluttered shut; his left hand threaded through Lily's fiery mane as she snuggled closer into the crook of his neck. This is how their life would continue to be.. For he knew Sirius would never betray him or his family.