Prologue

'Sharp flickers of lightening illuminated the night sky as the torrential rain beat down harshly yet the man stood upon the mountain and the weather did not seem to phase him. In his arms, he held a baby'

"Don't worry" he whispered to the child "I'll never let you be hurt, I'll protect you from pain, you won't feel the anguish I have experienced, you are too precious.."

And then there was a woman, fighting the wind as she approached

"Give him to me, I beg of you, don't hurt him" she pleaded

"Hurt him? HURT HIM?" the mans voice was consumed by rage "How dare you! I would sacrifice my own life so that he could be happy!"

"Then give him to me…..if people were to know he was OUR child then he could not have a happy life, he would never be treated normally. Everybody would hate him because his father was at the right hand side of Voldemort!"

"I HAVE NEVER BEEN AT THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF VOLDEMORT!" he bellowed "You know that!"

"Yes, I do" Her voice was soft "But others do not and as your child he will inherit the hatred that is housed for you"

The man crumpled to his knees, holding the child close to him

"But he is my son" His face was a picture of pain and suffering "He will never know who I am"

"I know, but maybe it is better that way"

She took a step towards him and reached out her arms.

"Please, give him to me. You can trust me, you know I will look after him. I love you, you know that, but our affair cannot continue…..let me have him…me and James, we'll raise him together, we will teach him well"

"But I need him….I love him!"

"You cannot have him! You cannot be a part of his life. They are going to find you, you cannot run forever!"

She gently rubbed her hand across his cheek and pressed her lips to his.

"Give him to me"

Gazing into her eyes the mans arm slowly loosened, he handed the child to her.

"Please" He begged "Do just one thing for me?"

"Anything!"

"Give him a hug, everyday, for me!"

"Darling, I promise"

A single tear ran down his cheek and they embraced. For the first and only time in his life, the child was held between both his parents.

"Goodbye my sweetheart, my love for you will never die. My love for…..both of you  will stay with me forever. Go, you must go and find James"

"I will, but…..you can never return, he knows you took the child. He thinks you kidnapped his son" She sighed "Yet another crime you are innocent of"

"I just needed to be with him, to say goodbye to my baby" His voice was filled with sorrow

"I know" She replied "I know"

The man placed the child in her open arms, gently kissed his forehead and turned to leave.

Blissfully unaware and cradled in his mothers arms Harry Potter watched his father walk away.