Summary: James and Lily Potter are shadows of Harry's past. Mere echoes. Everyone's favorite characters that aren't really there. But once, they were so full of life and love that it's hard to believe they're gone. James and Lily have their own story to tell. Discover the true roots of Harry Potter. Go back…to The Beginning.

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any exclusive rights to the Harry Potter world, its characters or its charm. I do however, have a deep love for them…and have chosen to express that love in this story. Hope you enjoy.

The Beginning

By Rebecca

Moonlit Stag

Tired of dealing with the different paintings guarding each of their separate common rooms, Lily, Amos and Moira decided to go down to the dining hall for a midnight snack. (7th years had a variety of privileges. Staying out after hours was one of them) Moira was of course ecstatic over Lily's adventure with James (on Sirius's broomstick.) Amos, sat across from them…sulking. "I can't believe he actually got you to leave the ground. You get nervous going over that bridge on the Hogwarts' Express!" "I know! It was amazing! I never knew how thrilling flying could be!" "Lil, do you think you could get James to ask Sirius to teach me to fly?" Lily rolled her eyes. Amos let out an audible grunt as the two girls, nearly forgetting he was there, whipped around. "If you wanted to learn how to fly Lily, why didn't you ask me? I am the Ravenclaw seeker you know." Lily sighed at Moira who gave a sympathetic smile and politely excused herself from the table. "Amos, I told you. It was…a spontaneous thing. I didn't even plan it. James promised not to pull any pranks at the ball if I'd go-" "James shouldn't be planning pranks anyway. He's Head Boy!"

Lily stifled a laugh, and felt instantly guilty. Amos hadn't really ever forgiven James for being named Head Boy over him…and up until tonight, she really didn't blame him. In fact, up until tonight, Lily had felt differently about…a lot of things.

"Amos," she said softly, "Please don't do this."

"Do what," he grumbled, eyes still on the table.

"This," she said, reaching for his hands, drawing forth his gaze. "This…jealousy… rubbish."

Amos sighed, squeezing her hands, but still unwilling to answer. The silence was deafening and Lily began to panic. Had she really done anything wrong? Ever since the Quidditch match, she'd been fighting these inexplicable feelings of guilt. Rationalizing her sudden shift in disposition towards James Potter…had Amos picked up on something? Rubbish, she told herself again. She shook her head, "Amos please."

Finally, he let out a long sigh as he handed off his snack plate to a passing elf. (Kitchen elves rarely made themselves scarce at night when the professors weren't around.) Nearby, the few 7th year Hufflepuffs Moira had run off to join were playing exploding snap, every young wizard's favorite card game. Amos looked passed Lily and glanced at Oscar Coulter's cards. "That hand is about to blow."

Sure enough, as soon as Lily turned around to figure out what in blazes he was talking about, Oscar's hand snapped and Moira let out a triumphant yell. Lily laughed and turned back to face him, his expression softened, almost sheepish. It seemed all the apology he could manage. It was enough.

The Head Girl sighed with relief as she reached the junction in the hall of staircases that split off towards Ravenclaw, hand-in-hand with her fiancée. "Do me a favor?" he said, kissing her hand and holding it to his chest. She waited. "Come flying with me tomorrow night?"

Lily smiled as she kissed his cheek. "All right then. Good night."

The two parted ways and Lily headed up to her dormitory. Blimey she was tired! And she fell right asleep, all remaining thoughts of James drifting away.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"It's not supposed to turn invisible when you're not wearing it, is it?" Peter asked, rummaging around in James's trunk. "Of course not you nit!" James said, "Doesn't change the fact that I can't find the damn thing. And the moon's almost up." "Can't find what?" a voice startled them both as Sirius entered the room. "The invisibility cloak," Peter answered. "It's er…disappeared…ironically." "Are you daft? It's right there!" Sirius pointed to the silvery material peeking out from beneath his satchel. James turned around huffed. "Ugh! Finally!" "What's with you tonight?" he asked, yanking off his tie and robes as he changed into a pair of old jeans and a Bristol Bisons Quidditch jersey, his favorite pro team. "Nothing." James said quickly. This of course was a bold faced lie But James was determined to ignore the heat welling up inside of him as he thought of a particular red-head that he wouldn't be flying with tonight. His heart was torn between the joy he felt whenever he closed his eyes, her face crystal clear in his mind, and the nausea he felt immediately after. "Come on Prongs. It's getting late," Sirius grabbed the cloak and held it open for his friends to tuck under. James sighed as he glanced at his broomstick laying against the wall and then disappeared.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Amos watched Lily fly up and down the length of the pitch, wincing every so often when she'd clumsily skid the bristles of his Omega 600 against the grass. When she'd catch his eye, he grinned proudly, winking or offering up some applause. But mostly, he found himself watching her. Staring at her. As if any moment she would disappear and he'd lose her forever.

So many things about this out of the blue friendship with James Potter bothered him. So many questions begged to be asked. All those times she'd come to his practices and watched? Why hadn't she let him teach her to fly? How often had he tried to convince her it was safe? Why hadn't she trusted him? Too much felt like it was all of a sudden slipping away. Out of his control. Far too much for so little an event. But he didn't ask her. He didn't say a word. He didn't dare.

Eventually, Lily touched down and ran to her fiancée. "Oh, I can't believe I've never done this before!" she grasped his wrist. "Come flying with me? Can you get an extra broom?

He managed a small chuckle, "Lily, it's really dark out here. And cold. And don't you have homework?" And she said something she never thought she'd hear herself say, "Oh, it can wait." Flying was a drug to her, "Pleeeease?" Amos laughed, "Ok, I'll run and get Cornelius's broom. Wait here ok? Don't do anything dangerous." "I promise," she pecked him on the cheek and he took off in a jog, leaving Lily alone on the pitch. She sighed as she gazed at the full moon in the night sky. Everything was right again. Everything was perfect. Absently, she took out her wand and waved it in the air, conjuring up a glass of pumpkin juice. It was a funny little spell she and Moira cooked up their 5th year, waiting in line to take their Defense Against the Dark Arts OWLs. She laughed in spite of herself as she paced along the green, mulling over the last few days in her mind, sipping her juice. It was just silly…mad really, to think that she had been falling for James Potter. She loved Amos. Amos who'd been sitting right there with her in the library the day she'd received word that her parents had been killed. Amos, who rescued her from the interminable fate of having to return to Petunia after 2nd term. Amos, who asked her to marry him at the last winter ball.

Lost in thought, Lily lurched forward suddenly, nearly stumbling over her satchel. The bag popped open and out rolled a tiny golden ball…the snitch James had given her. She picked it up and smiled and was about to put it away, when she accidentally tripped the actuator on its sides and it sprouted wings. Before she could get a grip on it, the snitch zipped right out of her hand. "Ooooh," she groaned as she watched it skip away. Then…she got an idea.

She kept her eyes on the snitch as she carefully mounted her broom. She hadn't really practiced flying up or down very much yet. But she felt so good at this point, she was ready for anything. She kicked herself off the ground and sped to catch up. For a moment, Lily let out a triumphant cheer. She could see the snitch. It was almost near her grasp. She was the seeker for the Gryffindor team! Millions cheered below her as she made her approach. She was getting higher and higher! The crowd gasped…suddenly, Lily was flung out of her fantasy as her broom handle rickashayed off one of the hoops and she went spiraling out of control. She tried to scream, but the rushing wind swallowed her voice as she clutched onto the broom. Disoriented, she tried to reach for her wand. Surely there was some slowing spell she could create on the spot. She'd aced curse-creation. But as she reached inside her robe, her arm snapped against a tree. Winds that had seemed so friendly moments ago, now struck her like solid stone as she sped towards the ground. Stray branches and prickling leaves seared past her face and some part of her mind realized that she was now nowhere near the pitch. She continued to plummet until finally, the broom released her and she landed on a painful cushion of pines and tall grasses…right in the middle of the Forbidden Forest.

Pain shot through her arm and down her spine as she tried to lift herself off the ground. Panting and drenched with sweat that now chilled her body, she finally pulled herself to her feet. She knew she was near the castle…but she had no idea how to find her way back. "Bloody hell," she whispered, creeping over the protruding branches and roots along the ground. Her arm felt broken, and she winced as she hugged it close to her body, trying to make her way through this towering dungeon of pines and oaks, shadows growing with every step. Then she heard it…the howl of a wolf…very close by.

Lily took a deep breath, picked a direction, prayed it was the right one and bolted.

In her life, she'd only ever been in the Forbidden Forest once…with Hagrid, the groundskeeper, pulling extra marks for Care of Magical Creatures. She'd been with friends, supervised and she had still been terrified.

Now, as even the moon hid behind shadow, Lily ran as fast as she could, with no real goal in mind anymore since she was sure she was going deeper into the forest instead of reaching escape. If she just kept moving—Just keep moving—

Then it happened. She tripped right over a bulging tree root and landed on her already broken arm. Tears spilled from her eyes as she screamed in agony. Quick shallow breaths came fast and her mind started playing tricks on her. The Forest was surely closing in she was in too much pain to pick herself up again. Too terrified to move, Lily curled herself up into a tight ball, eyes darting around as the sounds of the forest became deafening. Another howl sounded and then a rustling through the grass behind her…like that of a snake? No… not a snake…footsteps…heavy, pounding thuds against the ground…much too rapid and much too close. She whipped her head around. It was in front of her now, getting closer. A million images flashed through her mind as she peered through the blackness…Most definitely not a snake. Emerging from a cavern not too far in the distance was a giant black spider. She'd heard tales of such a monster, tall tales told by the Headmaster at the Halloween feast…but this animal was no tall tale. Each leg more than 6 feet long, black and thick and disgusting. And hundreds of beady lifeless eyes fixed on her shaking form. This animal was real…and hungry.

Lily gathered all the strength she had left in her body and screamed, startling the spider for only a second before he advanced on her again. She swore he was smiling. Lily closed her eyes. This was it. Consumed by the Forbidden Forest. 8 months before she graduated from Hogwarts. She squeezed them shut and prepared for the end…but it never came. From behind her, she heard another sound. A violent and powerful gallop from within the trees and she gasped as her eyes flew open and rested upon a beautiful white stag. His pelt reflected moonlight as he flew past her and charged at the spider. Afraid of the blinding light radiating from the stag, the dark creature fled immediately, leaving Lily alone in the clearing with this unlikely hero. Stunned and weak, Lily slowly picked herself up as the he turned to her, his head cocked to one side, regarding her with deep penetrating eyes. Those eyes… She approached him cautiously, reaching out a hand in helpless gratitude and he grunted, nodding his head behind him, as if urging her to mount. Lily hesitated only a second. She could trust this creature. She didn't know how, and she was too tired to wonder why at this point. Quietly, she allowed the stag to carry her out of the forest and back to safety. He slowed to a trot, gentle, curious. When they finally reached the castle, Lily stepped down and faced him, "Thank you," she whispered, "You…you saved my life." He nuzzled her hand as if understanding her, his pelt warm and soft. Lily, still in awe, knelt down beside him, and laid her cheek against his. She'd forgotten the pain in her arm as she beheld the stag, now silvery in the clouded moonlight. Suddenly, the howling sounded again. The deer whipped his head away and galloped off into the shadows…leaving Lily behind. Lily didn't know how long she sat there, entranced by the clearing where her rescuer had disappeared, watching in the distance…perhaps waiting for him to return…but more just content to breathe in the quiet echoes of the night wind. It wasn't until Amos was at her side shaking her that she snapped back to reality and allowed herself to be led back to the hospital wing and away from the forest. "Lily? Good Lord! Lily? Are you ok?" Amos was in a fit of hysterics. "I came back to the pitch. I've been looking for you for over an hour! What happened? Your arm! Lily, what happened to your arm? Oh, God! Lily?!" The girl managed a few non-coherent moans, mumbling that she felt all right before she collapsed into his arms, the reality of the night's events too exhausting to believe.