January 1979- Lily

After a long honeymoon on a private Caribbean island, generously sponsored by the elder Potters, Lily and James returned to Potter Manor. Lily was greeted by the news that her sister had eloped, and James found a message from Albus Dumbledore, inviting the newlyweds to a meeting with 'other like-minded young people'. James was tremendously excited; he was eager to move against Voldemort, and he was certain that this group was Dumbledore's plan to fight Voldemort.

Lily was just as passionate about defeating Voldemort. After all, he hated muggle borns like her. But she did want a little more time to enjoy her new marriage before going into battle! She also quietly pondered on her sister's elopement. Their parents wrote to her and told her that her sister's husband was 'fairly nice, rather dull, but suitable for Petunia'. Petunia must have been thoroughly jealous of her marriage or she would not have married the first boring bloke who asked her, Lily thought scornfully. It seemed as though Petunia was not just lacking in actual magic, she appeared to have none of the figurative sort either. Lily shook her head and put her sister's dreary romantic life out of her mind, and went to explore the rooms that would be her home now.

Mrs. Potter had given them a beautiful apartment for their own in Potter Manor, as well as a little house elf named Soosa to clean and cook for them. This relieved Lily- between the Hogwarts feasts and her mother's and Petunia's delicious fare, she had never learnt to cook. And she doubted James had ever even been to a kitchen in his life!.

She entered the door and found a beautiful drawing room. It was far larger than the one in her parents' home, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking a small lake. The room was furnished with exquisite antiques that must have been in James' family for hundreds of years and she carefully sat on an Elizabethan chair to look around. A fire roared in the huge fireplace, bringing a warm glow to the vast, chilly room. A writing desk stood in the corner, and she imagined her husband sending off important correspondences there.

She got up and wandered down the length of the room, looking with interest at the moving portraits that adorned the walls. At the end of the room, an ornate door led into a large dining room, with seating for eight. It was much smaller than the formal dining room downstairs but, Lily thought, it would do for when James' rowdy friends visited.

Beyond the dining room lay a surprisingly modern little kitchen. Unlike the huge kitchen operated by the small army of house elves owned by the family, this kitchen contained a new refrigerator and a small stove. Lily suspected that this had been installed for her benefit and she was grateful. It would be a long walk downstairs just for a cup of tea! The cupboards she examined were stocked with tea, coffee, biscuits and snacks. Others contained raw ingredients. Lily wasn't particularly interested in them- that was Soosa's responsibility.

She entered a small corridor, and found several bedrooms with attached bathrooms. They would make for lovely guest rooms, she mused. Her friends, Alice and Marlene would adore staying here. She laughed to herself as she pictured Marlene's pinched face. Marlene had been in love with James since first year, and could never understand Lily's disdain for him. Now it was she, Lily, who was married to James Potter, and poor Marlene was still single. Lily dismissed her former classmate from her thoughts and glanced at one of the smaller bedrooms… perhaps, one day, it could become a nursery, she thought with a smile. Finally, she came to the bedroom that she and James would share. A giant fourposter bed was positioned in the centre of the room. Crimson drapes and soft bedding made it look warm and cosy, despite its size. At that moment, her husband entered the room.

'Found my favourite room, I see,' smirked James, as he gathered Lily up to kiss her and proceeded to make good use of that 'favourite room'.

Christmas, 1979- Lily

Lily and James' first year as a married couple was marred by the looming war. Every day they would receive news of fatalities and murders. Often, they would be summoned to Dumbledore's meetings. James had been right; Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix WAS a movement against Voldemort's reign of terror. Both she and James had found themselves in duels against the death eaters, barely escaping death each time and they grew years older in just a few months. James was no longer a boy eager to curse and hex villains; he was now a man fighting to protect everything he loved. Lily's girlish wishes were lost in the battles of that first year. She no longer dreamed of balls held at Potter Manor, or of goblin made tiaras and fancy dress robes. All she wanted now was to live.

But they had found a light to keep them going: she was to have a child the following year. The news of her pregnancy was a Christmas gift to their families in that dark time. Lily placed her hand softly on her belly, thinking of how something so small could fill her with so much hope.

January, 1979- Petunia

After their elopement, Petunia and Vernon found a small house near her college and close to his job. It was dark, and a bit poky and reminded her of the Snape's house, which she had seen once when she went to fetch Lily. Petunia felt rather sorry as she remembered looking down on poor Severus so much- here she was, just as poor. She didn't dwell on it though; she was too full of love and excitement as she furnished her humble home.

There was a dimly lit drawing room, and she and Vernon had bought a cheap little couch for it. A tiny table for two operated as the dining room but Petunia resolved to make it do. The kitchen was narrow, and its only window looked into a dark alley. But it was hers, and hers alone (quite literally so- only one person could fit in it at a time!). The bathroom was small and its hot water unreliable at best. Petunia and Vernon agreed that a few cold showers was worth the money they were saving though. Upstairs, two little bedrooms completed the house. At the moment, the second bedroom was Petunia's study, as Vernon had already graduated, and was working at a firm called Grunnings. But perhaps in the future, Petunia thought, a little Dursley could occupy that room.

Summer 1979- Petunia

Petunia graduated with honours from her teaching course in June. She was immensely proud of herself, and eager to walk the stage with her parents watching. Perhaps now they would see that she was special, even if she had no magic. She was disappointed when she received a letter from them giving her their regrets. LILY had cautioned them against traveling, due to some sort of silly wizarding war, which made Mr. and Mrs. Evans targets. Vernon held Petunia while she cried bitter tears. Magic had robbed her of yet another small happiness.

Valentine's Day 1980- Petunia

Petunia found herself in tears again, this time for a completely different reason. Tears of joy dripped down her face as she held a positive pregnancy test in her shaking hands. She couldn't wait to tell Vernon. It was Valentine's Day and she remembered the small box of chocolates she had purchased for him. They could afford these small luxuries now that she had been hired as a teacher at the local comprehensive high school, and since Vernon had been promoted. But this, the news of their baby, would be the best gift of all. Their little family was complete.

AN: Hi everyone! Thanks for all the new follows and faves! Let me know what you think of this one!