Chapter 1 – Prologue, A Start...but of what?

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-" James's panicked voice said as a door burst open and a cackle of high-pitched laughter filled the room.

Lily opened her mouth in a silent scream and with only a moment of paralysis she ran. Through the kitchen and into the living room she ran until she fell onto her side due to the newly polished flooring. Her new house, her new life, why couldn't it last? The fall made her child cry out and as she desperately tried to get up and quieten her child she heard a thud in the hallway.

Slowly she turned her head hoping and praying that it would be James that came through the door but all her wishes were in vain as the dark lord stalked in, without the faintest traces of harm. She quivered when glancing a trail of blood soaking into the Dark Man's cloak. Her husband was gone.

She gave a muffled sob and ran for the back door but was stopped immediately in her tracks as she felt her legs give way. The dark lord walked silently over to her as she yelled out hoping anyone could would her and come to help, if only as a distraction.

Forcing herself to look up at the snake like face she muttered a soft incantation.

"What did you say?" the voice of the dark lord commanded.

"Nothing" She spat out, hate evident in her voice and even more evident in her eyes.

"Give me the child." He paused looking down at her with obvious lust in his eyes as he looked over her delicate body, "and you will not be harmed"

At that she spat in his face and backed up further to the door using only one arm to blindly grasp the handle as she used the other to keep the baby safe.

The dark lord raised his wand and her grip loosened on her child and the baby floated towards the man -if he was still a man- in front of her.

"NOOOOO!!!!!!" she screamed out trying to grab her child back. "Please kill me. Take me instead," she pleaded eyes wide with fear.

The dark lord just laughed, as he looked at the baby in his cruel arms. So tiny the little child seemed, so insignificant. "But not for long, young one." The man muttered quietly to the infant.

He turned to go but stopped as if remembering something. He muttered haphazardly downwards a spell then headed for the door as Lily fell dead on the floor.

But he missed the look of contempt on her face as he apparated away so intent was he on the child's bright green eyes.