There are only 3 more chapters to go after this. This chapter is kind a long so Flashback next time. Still not beta read even though it badly needs it. I'll try later on to fix the mistakes. (Ya know who we kidding they'll never get fixed).

Because I said

Chapter 4

By Wittchway

Lily maddeningly paced the upstairs, some how there was an odd comfort to being upstairs. Not that it would really help her if she had to escape with the baby. It's silly really, odd things that you think will be to your advantage in the moment of panic. But it was only three days...really only two if you didn't count today.... rationalization...

"Lily" James whispered, he held a sleeping Harry in his arms, "please come to bed".

"What if he attacks us, in the dead of the night while we're sleeping?"

"Peter only has to keep our secret three days...Sirius is checking on him.... It'll be ok...only three days...two really", rationalization.

Lily stopped and glanced out the window again, nodded and followed her husband to bed. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. She had to be ready, she knew she had to be totally prepared for when Peter led Voldemort to them. For she was quite sure that was what the little rat would do. Right after the Fidules charm had been cast and she looked at Peter she could see in his eyes that he was there traitor.

She had told James what she knew. It wasn't that he didn't believe her, but he had problems believing that his loyal friend and fellow Gryffindor would do such a thing. That was a weakness with the Gryffindor's. A weakness that would be their down fall.

Lily crawled into bed, the child lying between them cooing in the dark. Lily brushed the unruly hair from his eyes. The pale skin tinged with pink of a child. Only two days...they could get through that, right?

Some where in the night Lily did sleep, though restless as it may have been. She woke frequently, looking over at James, some where in the night he had pulled Harry onto his chest and the child slept. Lily crossed to the window, narrowing her eyes peering through the night. Daring her eyes to see further than humanly possible. Nothing there. She was surprised they had lasted through today. All she could do was wait. Of course there was the option to run or to find Peter and kill him before he had the chance to tell Voldemort where they were hiding.

Then the other option to tell James the truth that Tom Riddle AKA Lord Voldemort was Harry's father. That she had cheated on him when they were only married a few short months. That was an option she would like to avoid for as long as possible. She just wished that she could talk James into leaving now, his refusal to leave for Hogwarts now was unnerving. Though you weren't suppose to leave the residence till the next full moon after the charm was cast, which was why they had decided to cast the charm at this time.

If she could just get James to budge, to agree to go now back to the school. But him and his absurd niceties decided he had to send an owl to Albus Dumbledore of their impending arrival. Then ask if he would be the secret keeper, once again. She still toyed with telling James the truth, then he would believe her that they should leave for Hogwarts at once. Though there was the fear, that he would leave her, leave her here for Voldemort to find, to kill, to destroy, to take as his…. Well she didn't know what…Hell, he probably wouldn't even want her, he might just take the child and kill everyone else. He might even just kill the child wanting none of any of this.

She would tell James when she woke, that is if she was able to sleep at all. She really just had to talk to Dumbledore, she needed his advice so much right now.

Lily crawled back in the bed and snuggled closer to her husband. The second day had begun.

The day passed, a late lunch, early supper. Time stood somewhere between not moving fast enough and moving to fast. Little was said, no one went out side, Harry didn't ask for his swing. A rare moment when he was happy to play with his toys indoors, James watched the child as Lily paced, twisting her hands. She lost her nerve once morning came. Night came again and they slept.

Morning came and they woke. A relief that they just had to make it through today. Maybe she had been wrong about Peter. Maybe she had panicked. Lily doubted this, she placed the training pants back on Harry and placed him in his crib.

She pulled a small bag from the closet and started to fold clothes and other items they may need at Hogwarts. A bottomless bag that never filled. James was sending another owl to Dumbledore stating that they would arrive sometime after midnight and that they would activate the portkey at that time.

James came into the bedroom, carrying bags of candy and snacks, a peppermint imp sticking out of his mouth. James dumped the candy into the over night bags, beaming up at his wife. "They have candy at Hogwarts, James...you know that as well as I do."

"I don't want to put Dumbledore out."

Lily wrinkled her nose at him, he was as much as a child now as when they had been in school. Of course that is the mess that led them to this moment. If James could grow up for a moment. If he could be serious, if he didn't act like he was still in school. A no ambition job, taking over the family store when his father passed, he was such a powerful wizard and he was happy to run a quidditch store.

"Did you send the owl to Dumbledore"

"Yup," James threw himself on to the bed "We'll leave one minute passed midnight. Really what could go wrong…only 7 hours to go. If Peter was going to betray us he would have done so by now" James kicked off his shoes, his voice slightly harsher when he defended his friend.

Lily wrinkled her nose, the day wasn't over yet and James had just jinxed them.

***

As we all know another day is all it takes. It's funny really how the human mind tries to rationalize that. How it tries to make you think another day can't possibly hurt? Another day and I'll be safe, my family will be safe?

Some how in human nature we all think it can't possibly happen to me, I'll be ok, for another day, another moment, another twinkling of the moon, another burn on your upper inside left arm.

That's all it takes.

And the Death Eaters assemble.

Peter was on the ground withering with pain, screams ricocheting off the trees, off the night's dark sky. There was really no reason for the pain, or the use of Crucio, except that it highly amused Voldemort to see Peter this way. Most of the Death Eaters thought it was amusing or if they didn't they laughed along out of fear that they could be next.

Peter screamed as Lord Voldemort circled his prey on the ground, Peter screams were dying out, he coughed blood, as he tried to bring himself to his knees. The blood dribbled down his chin, mixed with the dirt of the forest floor, the taste of both in his mouth. Spit in his hair, unaware of how he had managed this.

Now on his knees, he wavered, his sight blurred with sweat, tears. He could see shadows of his fellow death eaters, of Voldemort who was speaking in a commanding voice, Peter unsure if he lectured to him or the gathering. All he saw was Voldemort raise his arm to hit him again with Crucio and the words flew out of his mouth, "I know where your son is at."

Another spasm of blood coughed onto the forest floor. Peter barely aware of the silence that had fallen over the Death Eaters. Peter reopened his eyes to see Voldemort frozen.

Suddenly, Voldemort was kneeling next to him, "and where little Peter is that?" he whispered.

Peter startled at the closeness of the man, "Potters…James Potter, he thinks it's his son."

"And how did you come by this information?"

"They made me their secret keeper." He whimpered, Lord Voldemort cup Peters chin pulling the crying rat to his feet, the mans hands burning into his skin.

"You lie to me…?"

"No my Lord…never…James thinks it's his son. Raising him as his…their going to Hogwarts tomorrow to hide." Peter tried to pull his chin from the death grip of Voldemort.

Peter's feet barely graced the grass, a whispered rage tumbled out of Voldemort, "Show me where".

***

Lord Voldemort stood outside of two-story house on the last road in Godrics Hollow. It was a small nestle of a community. His fellow death eaters stood behind him, their cloaks pulled tight around them, there hoods and masks shielding their faces. There was silence except for the slight whimper of Peter Pettigrew at the feet of Lord Voldemort.

Evil rocked on the balls of his feet, staring at the house, Just about every light in the place was lit. There appeared to be no movement which was the Fidelus charm at work, he suspected. Voldemort held his hand up indicating that his followers should wait here and strode forward making his way to the house.

As Tom Riddle crossed to the house, his heart beating faster than he thought possible. This was just a woman he manipulated, too easily. A Woman he had toyed with for a week…nearly two years ago.. Voldemort tried his hardest to reason with what was about to happen. He would meet his son, the women he had…had a weeklong affair with. But more important than anything he would have an heir. He was going to have a son…a child that would carry on the family name.

Voldemort reached out a hand to open the front door just as it opened. Lily froze a small bag of trash in her hand, Voldemort. Dropping the bag backed into the house, oh god, She had to get Harry. "James…James, he's here." she shrieked in horror.

James flew down the steps, Harry in his arms, the baby's wails echoed off the walls. "Shut the door, shut the door." Throwing Harry into Lily's arms. She spun running for the stairs, a jostled Harry in her arms, James dashed forward toward the door….

Lord Voldemort could hear the shouts of Lily, the cry of his child, James shouting to shut the door. He couldn't see anyone in the house, just the back door open, a bag of trash on the floor, a kitchen. It suddenly dawned on him, all he had to do was cross the threshold into the house and he would be able to see them, he would break this little known charm.

It was like a ripple that broke as Voldemort crossed the threshold into the house. Voldemort stood in the yellow kitchen, a wave of nausea hit him, James Potter running into him as he made a move to shut the back door. Voldemort through him to the floor, looking up in time to see the women and child dash from the kitchen.

Potter was back to his feet. "Lily take Harry and run…I'll fend him off." Potters wand drawn, Voldemort smirked, he pulled his wand, "Advera Kadavera" He shouted and stepped over the falling body. Stupid Gryffindor's always so noble.

Lily dropped her wand as she tried to activate the portkey that would take her and Harry to Hogwarts. A small explosion rocked her to her knees, Harry clutched tight to her chest, the rise of smoke, a burn smell of fire rose up to meet her. She crawled across the nursery to the far corner behind a rocking chair. The baby's howls did nothing to hide their whereabouts. She lay the child on the floor, pulling her wand again, the portkey in her hand. She muttered the few words to activate the portkey, it lit with a light that showed her it would work in a matter of minutes.

"My son", Voldemort knelt next to her, she looked up startled that she hadn't heard him come up the stairs let alone into the room. Voldemort picked up the baby, Lily squeaked, and reached for her child. "Please" she muttered, "don't hurt Harry…kill me instead but don't hurt Harry."

Voldemort looked up, "I had no intention of hurting my son…and every intention of killing you." Voldemort stood with the child and crossed to the crib setting the still screaming child down. Lily stood her hands fidgeting, twisting maddenly in front of her, muttering to herself. She didn't want this horror touching her child. Lily raised her wand…Voldemort turned, his eyes turning red, a glimmer of evil present and he smiled.

"Advera Kadavera" he shrieked. The rush of green light hit her fully in the chest. She stumbled back into the wall and was dead. Voldemort turned to pick up his child, a green mist hovered above the crib, remnants of the Fidelus charm, he absentmindedly waved the mist away. Picking up the child, the mist seemed to grab a hold of him. To chill his bones, it seemed to creep up his arm. To the child he held. He felt as if he was turning to stone, Harry tumbled from his arms back through the mist, back into his crib, a shrill cry of pain rose from the child. Voldemort looked down one last time a bloody scar rose from the child's head. He reached a hand back through the mist, and touched the blood to his finger, then to his mouth. The taste of innocence.

Voldemort stumbled back, the mist engulfed him and he was gone. Vanished.

TBC

Don't forget to review…it helps. Good-bad-whatever.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I can't really answer any questions with out giving away the end, but yes this story will take us to the present with Harry as a 14/15 year old boy.