Chapter 1
James grinned as he watched his son reach up to grab at the colored spheres floating from the tip of Lily's wand. He never thought that the childish pining of his Hogwarts years would blossom into the beautiful family he now gazed lovingly at. The scene was almost enough to make him forget the events of the past few years, the untimely and numerous deaths that marred each beautiful moment. The smiling photographs containing people he would never see alive again. The empty seats present at every order meeting. All this sadness the result of one man. A man who would soon cause more damage to this perfect image than James could ever even imagine.
Lily stretched as she stood and picked up her baby boy, tucking her wand into her robe's pocket as she did so. She smiled tiredly at her husband before beginning the walk up the stairs to Harry's nursery. She had nearly reached the top step when a knock sounded on the front door. Glancing back at James as he opened the door, she saw their friend Peter at the threshold, looking visibly upset.
"Peter? What's wrong?" James glanced concernedly around.
"I'm sorry, James, forgive me, Lily, so sorry so-"
"What-" James froze.
Half a dozen black-clad figures were gathered behind Peter, their allegiance unmistakable with their dark robes and gleaming white masks.
James slammed the door and pivoted to Lily without another thought.
"Go to the nursery-" James' desperate cry was half lost in the resounding crash which rang through the hall as the door slammed open.
Half the Death Eaters ran straight past James and headed in the direction which Lily had taken Harry, and the other three drew their wands and prepared to duel with James. Peter had long since taken off into the night, still muttering apologies and lamentations.
Lily huddled in the corner of the nursery, clutching her son close. She grasped the small red orb which hung at her neck, murmuring the activation words which would notify the rest of the order of an attack. She heard heavy footsteps on the stairs and prayed help would come before the protection wards on the nursery door fell.
Sirius and Remus sat at the kitchen table of 12 Grimmauld Place, each sipping at a glass of amber firewhiskey. A sudden high-pitched beeping filled the room as a glass orb on the table filled with glowing red smoke.
Both men leapt to their feet as Sirius exclaimed "Godric's Hollow!"
They were out the door in mere second, Remus having sent his wolf patronus ahead to Mad-Eye and Dumbledore. Bounding down the front steps, they apparated away with a resounding crack, leaving a dark, empty street behind.
James swallowed hard as he steadied his shaking hand and faced the three masked figures before him. He knew he had to hold them off only long enough for the order to arrive, but that task was seeming mor difficult by the second.
One of the men tilted his head before chuckling and saying, "you should be more careful with your choice of friends next time, Potter." He then signaled his companions, and the battle began.
Curses flew blindingly fast through the air, and it was all James could do to raise a shield before he was struck down by the red stunning spells. He countered with a swift cutting curse, before being forced to raise his shield again. The battle continued in this fashion, with James occasionally able to toss a curse in between shields, for another 5 minutes. Just as James began to lose hope, believing Lily was caught before being able to notify their friends, the door burst open for the second time that evening.
Lily felt the tears course down her face as she listened to the near constant attacks raining down upon the nursery door. Harry peered up at her with his shining emerald eyes, and she felt herself shudder as she imagined a curse of the same color stealing that light away. She clutched him close again, swearing she would die before losing him.
Cracks began splitting down the white door and Lily knew it would not be long before the door gave in under the onslaught, when she heard a loud bang from the lower level. Suddenly the sounds at the door ceased and all was silent in the house. Lily dipped her head into Harry's soft black hair and cried in relief. Help had come at last.
The moment the door was opened, and order members came through into the entrance hall, the six Death Eaters fled through the fallen apparition wards. Sirius ran straight to the exhausted James and began fretting over him.
"Prongs? Prongs, are you ok? What happened? Where's Lily? James?"
"Let him breathe, Pads," Remus admonished, glancing concernedly down at his friend then up towards the stairs he knew led to the nursery, where Lily and Harry would be, "I'll be right back."
As Remus bounded up the stairs Sirius returned his gaze to his fallen friend.
"James, what happened? The wards-"
"I know pads, it was Peter, he betrayed us."
"What! That- that traitor. How dare he! I swear I'll kill-"
"Sirius, no, stop, let him be for now. There are more important things to worry about. For one, why did the Death Eaters come in the first place? I mean, wouldn't You-Know-Who have wanted to come himself if it was Harry he was after?"
"I don't know… Dumbledore?"
Said man turned from where he and Mad-Eye were re-applying the wards and stared contemplatively at the two friends.
"I believe they were sent to capture young Harry and bring him directly to Voldemort. That would be a far safer option than him coming on his own and risking capture."
"The coward," James spat, "sending henchmen to do his dirty work."
"Yes well, the question now remains what to do with the boy, it is evident he cannot remain safely here," Dumbledore reasoned.
At that moment Remus came down the stairs, helping a shaken Lily and cradling a sleeping Harry in his arms.
Lily stared at Dumbledore before asking "Where will he be safe? That- that bastard won't stop until he gets to my poor baby boy. If only that horrid prophesy…" she trailed off as the tears returned.
James got up with some help from Sirius and staggered over, taking her in his arms and turning toward Dumbledore expectantly.
"This is a conversation better suited to my office, after you are all checked over by healers, of course," Dumbledore calmly responded.
At that Lily turned to her husband worriedly and glanced him over for obvious injuries. Seeing none she nodded slowly and together they walked toward the fireplace, picking up Harry from Remus as they went.
The couple sat in St. Mungo's for 45 minutes before being discharged by the healers with little more than a few calming potions for Lily and pain relief for James's minor cuts and bruises. They smiled warily and asked to use the floo in order to get to Hogwarts.
They were swept through the floo network before being deposited into the circular office of Albus Dumbledore. The headmaster smiled warmly at the two and motioned to the two comfortable chairs in front of his desk. Tilting the little bowl of candies towards them he offered, "Lemon drop?"
"No, thank you headmaster," Lily declined, then straightened and knit her eyebrows in concern asking, "what do you propose we do?"
"Well, Lily, I believe the safest thing to do for young Harry is for him to go into hiding until he is of an age to begin defensive training."
"But isn't that what we did last time? And he still found us," James rebutted.
"Right you are, my boy, but you see, the difference will be that Harry will not be residing with you this time, so even if you are discovered, no one but the three of us will know where young Harry truly is."
"What? No. No, Dumbledore, he's our son, we have to stay together. We're a family," Lily turned agitatedly to James, "James, you can't be considering this!"
"No, of course not, Dumbledore, there's got to be another way."
"I'm afraid I've reviewed all the other options; none are as safe as this. Harry will be collected at age 7 to be trained to defend himself, but until that point it is far safer that he be kept in a place no one will think to look."
"And where is that?" Lily asked skeptically.
"Why, your muggle relatives, my dear."
"What? No! Absolutely not! They hate magic, we don't even speak to them more than once a year!" James objected.
"Which is precisely why they are the best option, Petunia will be a fine woman to raise young Harry until we can collect him, and no one will ever suspect he is residing there," Dumbledore returned.
"I suppose… Pet does have her own son; he might be a good playmate for Harry. We'll have to be able to visit, headmaster. I'm not leaving him for six years without any knowledge of his parents," Lily looked pleadingly to the old man.
"I'm afraid that will not be prudent, my dear. You may instead write letters to send with the monthly fund we will send to care for the boy."
"But, I don't, James, how could we just abandon him?"
"Lils, I hate it too, but if it means Harry will be safe – and he will be safe, right Dumbledore?" at the returned nod James continued, "do we really have a choice? I mean, we won't be doing our baby any favors by getting him killed."
"Alright, I suppose when you put it like that… but I still hate it!"
"Me too, Lils, me too," James pulled her close once more.
"Excellent! I've already made arrangements for his relocation tonight," Dumbledore rose and extended his arms to take Harry from Lily.
"I- can we have a moment?" Lily was close to tears, with James not far behind.
"Of course, let me know when you're ready," Dumbledore replied.
Early that same morning Petunia Dursley stood in her kitchen, holding a dark-haired baby and bundle of money, wondering what had caused this unexpectant disturbance to her perfect family.
Two families would never be the same as a result of that night, two previously perfect images shattered into nonexistence.
AN: First chapter done! Let me know what you think! I know this was pretty short, but the chapters will get longer as I go. Thanks for reading!