One Word – Tickets

Summary: What if one word could change the world? What if one word could save lives? Who would have guessed that that word was 'tickets'?

& & &

"Tickets?" Lily, a lovely redhead with piercing emerald eyes, questioned her husband.

"Yes! Tickets!" James replied, running his fingers through his hair. He had searched everywhere for these tickets. He knew it was Lily's favorite muggle show, and they hadn't been out together since Harry was born. They hadn't truly been alone together for three months.

"I don't know, James. What about Harry? We haven't left Harry alone before. What if..." James lifting a finger to her lips interrupted her question.

"Lily Flower, that's what baby-sitters are for." He flashed his devil-may-care grin and winked. "Come on, Lils. Things will be fine. And you can't say no to the Nutcracker!"

Lily's green eyes widened in surprise. "The Nutcracker? Oh, James, you shouldn't have!" She gave her husband a quick kiss. "Alright, alright. Now I am going to get ready. And guess what you're going to do?"

"Watch?" James asked hopefully, reminding his wife of his arrogant Hogwarts ways. But eventually, she had come to love those ways, in seventh year. She giggled at his suggestive nature and kissed him on the nose.

"No, James Potter, you are going to find a baby-sitter. I'll be out in a bit!" Lily hurried to get ready for the night out.

James sighed, looking at his wife disappear from view. Now finding a baby-sitter... that should be easy, right?

& & &

"Hello! You must be James." A sixteen year-old-girl stepped into the Potter household. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked her new employer up and down, seeing, as so many had before, his pure attractiveness.

"You can call him Mr. Potter." Lily said, annoyed, at the top of the stairs. She had finally gotten ready, and stood there in a long, silky green dress that complemented her eyes. Her hair was pulled up, save for a few curls that framed her face perfectly. But in her eyes, you could see her jealousy and temper at finding a young girl check out her husband. James grinned, both at how beautiful she looked and her automatic possessiveness. He, to put it mildly, enjoyed being Lily's property. And she was his. No matter how many times he thought it, it always made him smile.

"Well, Veronica, I'm glad you came. Harry's just upstairs. He's already eaten and you should put him to bed at eight thirty or nine. Come now, Lily, we must be off!"

"Just a second, James." Lily rushed over and picked up her adorable baby boy. She watched him laugh and grinned wildly.

"I love you, my child. You will always be safe, as long as I live." This is what Lily said to her baby every night since he was born. She kissed him good-bye and headed out with James. But she glanced back once more at Harry, sensing something wrong. It must be just that I'm leaving him for the first time. Yeah, he'll be fine. He has to be.

& & &

Voldemort walked swiftly to the entrance of the Potter's household. He pulled the hood of his cape, which was the same color of his heart – black, up higher over his head to hide his evil grin. He couldn't help it though. His fang-like teeth snuck out of his lips, making his expression look like a snarl instead of a gleeful smile.

This was it. In the next few seconds, he would not only destroy two of the best aurors in the field, but the only person that could come close to stopping him – Harry Potter. Of course, Voldemort found it ridiculous that a small boy could be a threat to him. But it's better to be rid of any chance, isn't it? No! That didn't mean he was worried. He was simply... putting a stop to silly rumors and proving those foolish believers wrong. That's right. That was all he was doing.

He unlocked the door and slipped inside. He looked around shiftily for the baby. He didn't see James' messy black hair or Lily's precious red curls. There was no one.

Then, to Voldemort's relief, ...ummm...

Then, just as Voldemort had expected, he heard a baby's cry. He glided up the stairs towards the sound that would end fairly shortly.

"Shh...Harry, it's okay. Did you hear that? I could have sworn..." After a few seconds of silence, the voice of a young girl went back to talking to the very vital baby. "Huh. Anyways, why don't we go to sleep now? That's right. Do you want me to sing you a lullaby? My boyfriend taught me one. How did it go?"

"I believe it started with a curse," Voldemort said, going for another big entrance. He always enjoyed those. Next would be the shocked faces, the screaming, the un-successful running and then the tragic ending. Good times.

"No. Get AWAY from the baby!" The teen-age girl stared at the hooded creature confidently. This was a first.

"No, I believe that is not what will happen in the scenario. You see, it goes like this: first, I come in." Voldemort reenacted coming into the house, exaggerating looking around and hand motions. "Then, you see me, and run screaming." This, too, was played out.

"Then I catch you, kill you, and kill Harry. Okay then! Let's start again." Voldemort said, almost cheerfully. Even Dark Lords get happy, especially when they are about to kill their only remaining true opponent.

"No. You are going to leave this house and stay away from Harry!" Veronica screeched at the man in black. She stood in front of Harry's crib, guarding him.

"We're just going to have to skip to the part where I kill you, then." Voldemort then used his personal favorite weapon – Avada Kedavra. But as he said it, ridding him of the confident barrier between him and his true victim, the girl grabbed Harry to her, and covered him even when her body fell to the floor.

Voldemort pushed the girl aside and got his first good look at the opposition. It was a young baby boy, just as expected. There was nothing threatening about him, except for the look he gave in his bold green eyes. They withheld an emotion – one that Voldemort wasn't familiar with. They were so powerful, that the great wizard found himself getting a tad dizzy.

"Better get this over with, you stupid, dirty boy." Voldemort mumbled to the stupefying baby. "Avada Kedavra!"

The Dark Lord's voice boomed an echoed throughout the house. A large green beam struck the innocent child in the shape of a lightening bolt. But the beam was reflected in his eyes. That powerful emotion gazed back at Voldemort, who looked at the youth's bright orbs. All the boy was left with was a scar, and Voldemort disappeared into the curious boy's glassy green spheres.

And the rest is history.