A/N: I'm sorry it has taken me a while to post, but I've not had the time until now (Spring Break, yay!) To prepare more chapters for you. I thank all of you who reviewed and I hope that you like the chapters to follow. I'm working on chapter 7 now, which is posted in the harrypotter.com, and I think that two more chapters and this part is over, this means that I'm getting close to James and Lily's death (I'm not looking forward to it). Some of you have asked what will happen when I'm done with James and Lily. Well, the story is not ending there, I will continue to write about what happens after that night and will eventually write about Harry, I'm hoping that the book is out by the time I get there. Ok, I will continue with the story now.
Disclaimer: I know, I have forgotten about it on the last chapters. I don't own anything that has to do with Harry Potter and I'm not gaining anything by writing this (except writing experience of course) so don't bother to sue me because you cannot gain anything by it, I'm not rich.
Chapter 3 ~ The Dark Shadow
The days passed without any worry. Christmas was getting near and Harry had started to crawl. A circumstance that left Lily in constant agitation as she never knew where Harry would appear next. The kitten had also grown and followed his small master everywhere he went. Where the kitten was found, Harry was bound to be as well.

As Harry could sit up on his own now, Lily was quite worried when the time came to allow James to take out the broom that was given to him the day of her baby shower.

James was soon found in the Pitch with Harry on the small broom hovering above the ground. The baby quidditch balls flying around them.

James enjoyed his time with his son. Even though his mornings were always busy with estate affairs, he always found the time to take Harry in the afternoons.

Lily watched them one afternoon from the fringes of the Pitch. She smiled as James jumped up and down by the hovering broom and Harry squealed with laughter. The kitten walked patiently by the broom trying to keep away from James' feet.

James finally spotted her. "Hello there!"

"It's time to get inside. It is starting to get chilly and there seems to be snow coming." Lily said as James carried Harry toward her.

Harry was clapping his hands in exuberance but the moment they neared his mother he threw his small arms in the air.

"Ma - ma!" He screamed.

"Oh James, he said mama, he said his first word." Yelled Lily as she hurried toward them.

"Say Da - da Harry, da - da." Urged James.

Harry was squealing with laughter.

Lily giggled.

"Yes, it's fine for you to laugh. He said mama." Said James in mock anger.

Lily reached for Harry and he settled happily into his mother's arms.

The small family made its way toward the house. Dusk was falling and the temperature had dropped.

"It's going to be a cold winter this year." James said as he looked toward the lake behind the house, which seemed to be getting solid as the days went by.

The pair walked in silence as Harry squealed and laughed at the sight of the kitten running at their side.

The Manor was brightly lit. The fireplace was lit in every room lending some warmth to the house. The servants were seen working quietly on their evening chores as the small family walked through the entrance hall.

"Will dinner be ready soon Roberts?" Asked James as the butler held the door open for them.

"Nearly Sir, Mistress Susan, Mrs. Evans and the twins have just arrived and are waiting for you in the family parlor." Roberts reported.

"Thank you Roberts, could you get Minnie for me, Harry needs a change." Lily said as she led James toward the family parlor to greet their mothers.

"Of course Ma'am." Roberts said with a bow. He nodded to one of the footmen working in the hall and the young man quickly departed in search of Minnie.

Even though Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Evans, along with the twins, didn't leave at the main house any more, they shared dinner with Lily and James often. The twins were constant visitors to the Manor, eager to play with Baby Harry, and their small cousin seemed to enjoy his time with them.

"Oh, there you are dears, how is our grandson doing?" Mrs. Potter asked as she reached for Harry.

Harry was passed to his grandmother's arms as the kitten jumped into one of the chairs to curl and get ready to nap.

"He has been playing with James in the Pitch." Lily said as she kissed her mother and mother-in-law's cheek.

"He was flying in his broom." James said as he tried to walk with both twins hugging his legs tight. "Come brats, let me greet your grandmother and Mrs. Evans." He laughed.

The twins let him go and scrambled to sit by Mrs. Potter to play with Harry.

A faint pop was heard and Minnie appeared in the room. "Minnie comes for Master Harry, Miss." She bobbed her head looking at Lily.

"Thank you Minnie, I'm sure that he is ready to eat and get settled into bed." Lily said.

Minnie took Harry, who started to wave his little hands at the others in the room. Everybody waved back.

"Can we eat dinner with Harry?"

"Please, we want to eat with Harry." The twins said.

"You can if you want to." Said Lily and nodded to Roberts, who had come into the room with drinks, as the twins ran out of the room. Roberts bowed and left the room, and Lily knew that he was on his way to the kitchens to warn the staff that the twins would be eating with Harry in the nursery.

The room was full of merriment. The staff prepared the dining room for dinner and Minnie had her hands full with the children, not that she minded at all. Everybody made plans as the night progressed, none knowing of the dark shadow growing in the horizon.
Peter Petigrew left his mother sleeping in her room. They had just returned from a visit to the doctor. He stepped out of the house and looking around fearfully started to walk down a dirt road to the cliffs some miles away.

The land was deserted and unless you know of the cliffs and how to get there, they could not be seen from anywhere in the proximity.

Peter shook with apprehension; a note had been delivered in the early hours of the morning with an assignation in the cliffs. He knew who had sent the note. But he wasn't sure if he should be afraid that he had received it or of what would happen from it.

At the thought of the note, his steps quickened. Half an hour later he saw the cliffs and could hear the sea hitting against the stones below.

He neared the edge and looked around. He sighed with relief. Maybe he is not coming, he thought hopefully, maybe it was a joke. No sooner had he thought that, when the breeze picked up and he heard steps behind him.

He turned and saw a tall man, cloaked in a black, walking toward him.

"I'm happy to see that you are on time Petigrew, or should I call you Wormtail?" The leering voice said. Peter gasped, how did he know about that? "You can't hide much from me, you fool. But that little gift of yours could come of use." The man said.

Peter stood shaking were he stood. Anybody would've thought that it was from the cold, but he and his companion knew that it was from fear.

The man chuckled. "There is no need to fear me Wormtail, as long as you don't betray me."

"I.I.I woul-ld-dn't do that Master." Peter stuttered.

"See that you don't, your life wouldn't be worth much." Lord Voldemort said.

"Y-y-es Master." Trembled Peter.

"It has come to my attention that your friends, the Potters, might know the location of a very important place, I need that information Wormtail." Voldemort said.

"I.I.I have not heard them say so Master." Peter replied with fright.

"Of course you haven't." Voldemort spat in anger. "Nobody is supposed except for some people. But a friend of mine was able to find out about it. It is your job to make it possible for me to get that information."

"But Master, they haven't mentioned a thing, they would've done so if they were going to tell someone about it. I'm one of their best friends." Peter said.

"They won't tell you a thing, they are too noble to do so. I'm sure that they haven't even told their mothers. But that is not what I want, I want you to make it possible for me to see them in private to get that information." Voldemort hissed.

"But Sir, the Manor is full of people. I don't think it would be possible." Peter exclaimed.

"You need them to leave the Manor, drive them away somehow, I need just the three of them. Just the Potters, not their mothers, not their servants, specially, not their friends." Voldemort said.

"But Sir, how am I supposed to do that?" Peter asked with fear that Voldemort would do something to him for not having an idea of how to do what he was asking.

"Think about it Wormtail, I'm sure that you will come up with something. Ask help from the other Death Eaters if you need them in your plan." Voldemort said before turning his back to him and walking away.

Peter watched him go and waited on cliffs until the moon shined on the sea and the forbidding sight of Voldemort was long gone.
Christmas Eve had arrived. The first one of Young Harry's life, and his family was eager to share the happiness of this holiday with him. The twins had come to the Manor at a very early hour, crossing the three snow- covered miles between the Dower house and the Manor in less than half an hour, considering how often they stopped along the way to pelt snowballs at each other. The servants in the Manor were all up and all the decorations and greenery collected the previous day were ready to go up and adorn the main rooms. The twins ran from one room to another looking around as the servants put up the decorations.

Lily found them in the family parlor some time later as they were eagerly eating the cookies and milk that Mrs. Nichols had brought them.

"Good morning Aunt Lily!" Both said as Lily entered the room with a curious Harry in her arms.

Harry was looking around the room, surprised to see the colorful decorations and odd shaped objects around the room.

He grunted and pointed to every little thing that grabbed his attention.

"Good morning girls, you're up a little too early." Lily said as she smiled down at the two girls as they sat crossed-legged on the floor next to the coffee table where the plate of cookies was.

"Oh we've been up for hours."

"Grandma and Aunt Rose are still sleeping." They said.

"I wish I was back in bed." Grunted James; coming into the room after his wife. "But your cousin has the same tendency as you do of getting up at an ungodly hour."

The girls laughed at the sight of James. His hair was more untidy than usual and it seemed that he had forgotten to change his pants as his stripped pajamas pants covered his legs.

James shrugged. "I got up too fast." He mumbled as way of explanation.

Lily felt sorry for him. Harry had woken up a little too early and had been fussy since then. Minnie and Lily tried to keep him quiet but they were not successful. Lily finally decided to dress and take Harry downstairs. She thought that perhaps the decorations would keep him entertained for a while. James had been woken by all the movement and when he saw his wife preparing for the day, he left the bed and started to dress half asleep. He didn't listen when Lily told him to stay in bed.

Lily put Harry by his cousins, who were eager to play with him, and went to her husband, who sat on one of the couches looking at the children with sleepy eyes.

"You should've remained in bed." She said as she stroked his hair until it was tidier, as tidy as it could get.

James shrugged again. "I wouldn't had been able to go back to sleep." He said.

Harry was squealing with laughter as his cousins made faces and noises to him.

"Let's go in to breakfast." Lily urged and took his hand. She pulled him off his seat before reaching for Harry and leading the others to the small dining room, near to the kitchens.

The round table in the middle of room could be enlarged to seat fifteen people if needed, at the moment it was only big enough to hold eight. The table was covered in lace cloth, red and green silken threads embroidered into it. A colorful flower arrangement stood in the middle, surrounding a large candlestick, a white candle on it. Three of the walls held large windows, the curtains, made of green velvet and red lace, around them had been pulled back and the snowed scenery glistened through them. Against the one remaining wall was a large table where the platters of food were placed to allow the family to chose what they would eat.

Five chairs had been placed around the table this morning, one of them was a high chair. Lily placed Harry in his chair as the girls scrambled into their own right beside it. Roberts stepped forward at once to serve the girls as James walked up to the table to serve himself.

"What do you want Lily?" He asked turning to look at his wife as she kept Harry from moving too much on his chair.

"Whatever you are having." She said with a sigh as Harry looked down at the plate that Roberts had placed in front of him.

James picked two plates and piled food on both. He placed one of them in front of Lily's seat when he approached the table.

"Thank you dear." She said as she fed Harry.

The small family ate happily. The snow was falling, the day looked dreary, but the atmosphere inside was cheery and hopeful.
The snow continued to fall throughout the day. At noon, Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Evans made their appearance in the Manor.

The twins took Harry outside, the three bundled in warm clothes to keep warm, and showed him how to do a snowman, not that he paid much attention as he looked at the white stuff all over his clothes with curiosity.

Lily, Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Potter watched them from the parlor's windows as they drank hot chocolate and gossiped about their acquaintances.

James had retired to his bookroom to look over the Daily Prophet in silence but Roberts found him asleep when he went in to offer some drinks. The butler left his employer alone and softly closed the door behind him.

The smells of the dinner that Otty, the cook elf, was preparing permeated the room. Some of the dogs from the kennels, the youngest and oldest of the lot, were brought into the house to keep them warm during winter. Patsy and Roger, the oldest pair, were sleeping in front of the fireplace at their master's feet in the bookroom. The youngest were with the twins and Harry playing in the snow along with the small kitten that had curled by Harry as he played with the snow.

It was a quiet, festive day, and everybody enjoyed themselves.

The children stayed outside for a few hours only. Lily was worried that Harry would get sick if he stayed out much longer.

James emerged from his nap in high spirits and joined his nieces in an energetic game of tag around the game room, with a bouncing Harry watching from his Grandmother Rose's lap.

Dinner was served early that evening. There were seven chairs around the table this time and Otty prepared a magnificent dinner for them. Roasted duck, smoked pork chops, hot soups, and cold salads, but it was the desserts that had grabbed their attention. As was customary, the pudding stood in place of honor in the middle of the table; it was accompanied by cookies of assorted shapes and colors. There was also a plate of apple sauce. Otty had not forgotten Harry either, a platter with baby food made its appearance as well.

The family ate with enthusiasm, Minnie had come along to feed Harry to allow Lily to eat without worry.

The day ended in this merry atmosphere, as the children were sent to bed early. They didn't mind though, as their dreams were filled with images of what Father Christmas would bring for them.
The snow was falling once more as Lily awoke the next morning. She opened the curtains on the window to look out and found a wondrous sight. The barren trees were covered in white and the distant lake shone as the sunlight hit it.

She heard a whimper coming from Harry's room and she hurried to her son's side.

She found Harry awake, his blanket had fallen from his body during the night and he was getting to screw his face and cry.

"Shhhh Harry, you'll wake your father." Lily whispered as she grabbed the blanket and put it around Harry before taking him in her arms.

Harry looked at the kind face looking down upon him and he smiled.

"Yes, I'm happy to see you too." She whispered as she walked to the rocking chair in front of the window.

Harry cooed and smiled up at his mother.

Lily chuckled. "Just like your father. You are charming when you want something. I bet you are hungry." She said as she prepared to feed him.

James turned on the bed and stretched his arm to reach for his wife. His arm touched the mattress. He opened his eyes and looked around. Lily was not in the room. He looked out the window and saw the snow falling. He groaned and fell back on the bed. He heard whispering and cooing coming from his son's room and smiled.

"I bet the little tyke is awake." He whispered to himself. Might as well get up, he thought before putting aside the blankets and reaching for his robe.

The sound of his naked feet on the floor was muffled by the thick carpet. He walked promptly to Harry's room.

He found Lily rocking on the chair beside the window as she fed Harry.

Even though he made no sound, Lily looked toward him with a smile. She didn't seem surprised to see him there, it seemed that a sixth sense had told her that he had entered the room.

"Good morning." He said as he leaned against the doorway watching his wife and son with a smile.

"Morning." She said.

Harry turned his head when he heard his father's voice, when he couldn't see him, he whimpered.

James approached them in an instant and looked down on his son. Harry saw him and smiled.

"Merry Christmas Harry." James said before kissing his son's cheek with tenderness.

Harry lost interest on his father and turned to continue eating.

James laughed. "I've been traded for food."

Lily chuckled and reached for James' hand. "He loves you all the same."

James stood by the chair looking down at his wife and son as Harry finished eating.

As soon as he was done, Minnie appeared in the room, ready to prepare Harry for the day.

James and Lily walked to their room to get dressed.

Half an hour later, after getting Harry from his room, they descended the stairs to the family rooms. They found the twins squealing with excitement by the Christmas tree.

"You're finally here."

"We've been waiting for ages." The girls said as soon as Lily and James entered.

Harry squealed with laughter and clapped when he saw his cousins.

"Merry Christmas Harry!"

"Merry Christmas Harry!" The girls danced around James and Lily, Harry pointed at them as they went around.

"Calm down girls, calm down. We'll open our presents in a moment. Let's wait for Mother and Mrs. Evans." James urged the twins.

The twins settled down by the tree as Mrs. Evans entered the room.

"Merry Christmas." She said.

"Merry Christmas." Everybody responded

It wasn't long when Mrs. Potter joined them and finally, presents were exchanged and opened.

The girls laughed and squealed with surprise as their gifts were opened. Clothes, toys and jewelry was thrown around them. Harry sat in his mother's lap as the presents given to him were opened with care by Lily.

"Look Harry, look what you got?" Lily said to Harry as she held up a pair of pajamas with Quidditch balls zooming across it.

Harry reached for them and put them in his mouth.

James laughed. "No Harry, you wear them, not eat them." He said as he tried to get the pajamas from Harry's mouth.

Harry cried as soon as the pajamas were taken from him.

"Let him have them James, they can be washed before he wears them." Said Mrs. Potter.

James shook his head in resignation and gave Harry the pajamas. Harry stopped crying and the pajamas were back in his mouth.

"He will be spoiled if we let him do what he wants." James said.

"Oh, that would not spoil him. It's nothing." Said Mrs. Evans with a dismissing wave of her hand.

James shrugged. "If you say so."

He turned to look at Lily, who had reached for his gift to her and was getting ready to open it.

Lily unwrapped a thin box, it clearly was a jewelry box. She turned to look at James with a smile.

"You didn't have to get me jewelry." She said.

"You don't even know what is inside." He laughed.

She turned back to the box and opened it. She gasped at the sight. "Oh James!"

A necklace lay on the velvet cloth, a strand of diamonds, separated by glittering emeralds. Below it stood a ring. An emerald ring with small surrounding diamonds.

"Do you like it?" He asked her.

"Oh yes, it is beautiful." She said.

"Here, let me put them on you." He said as he reached for them.

He turned Lily on her side and clasped the necklace behind her. Lily turned back to her previous position to look down at the necklace as James reached for the ring. He slid it down her finger.

"Let me show you what this does." He said once the ring was in place.

"It does something?" Lily asked.

James passed the palm of his hand on the ring and it started to glow. A moment later, a golden mist swirled around it. As the mist retreated an image started to form. The image was of James, Lily and Harry. All waving to the real James and Lily above them.

Tears were glistening in Lily's eyes. "Oh James, that is so sweet of you." She said before kissing him.

Harry cried, it seemed that he didn't like his father getting all the attention.

James laughed and reached for him. "You have to share her you know." He said, looking down at his son.

Harry just cooed and grasped James' robes.

"Yes, you are happy now." James said as he bounced a squealing Harry on his knee.

Lily smiled contently at the two of them before turning to show her gifts from James to her mother and Mrs. Potter.

The twins soon joined James and showed him all they got while he tried to keep Harry from grabbing anything on sight to put it in his mouth.

After all the gifts had been opened and taken by the servants to put away, the family filed into the family dining room.

Freshly baked scones and biscuits, warm spiced cider, hot chocolate and tea, bacon, eggs, toasted bread, jams, and much more, was piled into platters in the large table against the wall.

Usually, Roberts and one or two of his footmen helped the family as they served themselves, this morning they were not there. The staff was having their own special breakfast in the large kitchens, while the family ate happily on their own.

Breakfast didn't last long, the family had to prepare for the wave of visitors that would come later on the day.

The first to arrive were Sirius and Katie, who would be staying for the rest of the day and share Christmas dinner with them.

"Where is Harry? Where is my godson?" Hollered Sirius from the entrance the moment they got there.

The family were waiting in the formal parlor room, just by the entrance hall. The footmen were preparing a long table were foodstuff would be place to greet the visitors. Roberts had gone to open the door when the bell rang and stood with a smile beside the door as Sirius made his way to the parlor as soon as Roberts had let him know that the family was there.

"There is no need to shout Sirius." Katie chided as she followed at a slower pace behind him.

Harry had perked up and looked toward the door when he heard his godfather's voice and when Sirius walked into the room, his whole little face lighted up with a smile.

"There you are, Happy Christmas Harry!" Sirius said as he reached down for his godfather and lifted him high above his head.

Harry squealed with laughter.

"Be careful Sirius!" Both Lily and Katie exclaimed.

James laughed. "I don't know if I should be offended that you came to see only Harry."

"Oh posh! You know I came to see you all." Sirius laughed as he sat on one of the chairs and set Harry on his lap. Harry was currently eyeing with curiosity the glistening, diamond pin on Sirius' tie.

Both Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Evans chuckled. The twins ran up to him and hugged him before turning to hug Katie.

"Uncle Sirius!"

"Aunt Katie!"

"We got lots of stuff."

"And Harry got lots of stuff too."

The girls squealed to their visitors.

Katie smiled down at the girls before turning to greet Lily and James.

"Nice to have you with us dears, do you want a small drink?" Mrs. Potter offered as soon as everybody was settled in their seats.

"Don't mind if I do." Exclaimed Sirius leaving his seat to approach the table being piled with drinks and appetizers by the footmen.

Katie laughed but shook her head. "No thank you."

Lily turned eagerly to her friend. "Tell the latest news, I heard that.."

James had followed Sirius to the table. Sirius was busily choosing something to eat and James noticed that he had given Harry a stick of bread, who was munching happily.

"Really Sirius, you are going to make my son grow fat. That is really unhealthy." James said reaching for Harry.

Harry went quietly to his father.

"No he won't, if he is like all the Potters, he could eat all this food and not gain a pound." Sirius said smiling cheekily at James.

James snorted but said nothing more. Sirius was right. The Potters were known for their huge appetite and fast metabolism.

The group settled to wait. It wasn't long when the neighbors started to arrive with Christmas cheer.
The Manor had finally fallen silent after all the people who had arrived to give their respects. Dinner was served early. Otty had prepared a fabulous feast with roasted turnkey, smoked ham, marinated Cornish hens, salads, onion soup and mushroom sauce. The Christmas pudding was brought at last and everybody enjoyed the cookies and jams that had been served along with it. The blow ticklers and crackers were a huge favorite with the children, not to mention with Sirius as well.

Harry had fallen asleep after being shown off to lots of people and dining with his family. The twins had also gone to bed. They had spent a fun afternoon with Sirius, playing in the snow.

The rooms were now dark and only a few were lighted. Two young men were sitting in the bookroom smoking near the lighted fireplace.

"Do you reckon we should go to town then?" James asked.

"I would if I were you." Sirius said.

"I knew the charm would eventually wear off, I just hoped that it would last longer." Sighed James.

"Well, you were the one who said that there was no charm or spell that was permanent." Sirius reminded James.

"I know. But now that the blocking charm has worn off, the estate is in a precarious position. Now anybody could apparate anywhere in the vicinity." James said.

"How many people would know that it has worn off?" Sirius asked.

"Well, not many. Only Dumbledore, the protection committee of the Ministry, you and I would know. I didn't even tell Remus and Peter about it. They just know that the charm had been performed." James replied.

"Why can't it be performed again?" Sirius turned to look at his friend.

"Because it was placed on a large space of land. The charm was designed to block certain buildings, and pieces of land, but not something as big as the estate and town. In order for the charm to be effective again, we need to wait for a year." James said.

"Well it seems to me that going to town is the safest bet. You live just across the Ministry and after what happened there two years ago, that place is impenetrable. You'll be safe there." Sirius said.

"You are right. But I can't stay there forever either. I would have to return on the spring to take care of the planting and the shearing. Then in May is the summer festival, Lily and Mother will want to be here, not to mention Harry's birthday in July and then the twins birthday. I know Lily will want to celebrate them here instead of in town." James said.

"You'll have to tell Lily the truth about it then." Said Sirius.

"I can't do that! She is worried enough as it is." James exclaimed.

"Why is she worried?" Sirius turned to look at James with curiosity.

James didn't say anything for a minute. He had almost said about the secret arrangement they had done with Dumbledore. "Well, you know how she is. Especially since Harry was born. It wouldn't do to have her worry about anything else." He finally said.

Sirius looked at James for a moment, and then shrugged turning to look to the fire. James sighed silently with relief, glad that Sirius had accepted his excuse.

Both man sat brooding looking at the dancing flames in the grate. Each lost in thought.

The rest of the week passed without incident, if you discount the fright Harry had given his mother at being able to climb down from the couch on his own while she was talking to some neighbors. Sirius and Katie had spent the week with them.

New Year's Day was upon them. The day was bright and chilly, but as a whole, they thought, a good sign that it would be a good year.

When the holidays were over and Sirius and Katie had returned home, life settle down at Gryffindor Manor. Harry was five months old now and he could sit, crawl and eat solid foods. Lily and James spent as much time with him as they could. He was growing so fast and they wanted to enjoy their time with him.

But in the evenings, when Lily took Harry to his room to settle him for the night, James retired to his bookroom and thought.

He had a feeling that things were changing and maybe not for good. His friends were scattered all over the continent. His relationship with them seemed to be strained at best. How could they have lost contact with each other? He thought. He just hoped that their ties were strong enough that they could still rely in each other.

He started thinking about Harry. What would happen to his son if things didn't go as they hoped?

He reached for a parchment and a quill and started writing. He wanted to make sure he covered all the bases in case something happened.

He needed to call his estate manager, Mr. Saunders, and his family solicitor, he thought, he should've made a will the moment he got married, but somehow, he always put it aside. It was time he started to think about the future.

Darkness fell around him, the candles in the scones in the walls started to lit on their own, but James paid no attention to anything around him. He wrote and wrote, and wrote some more. Parchment after parchment piled in front of him, until his eyes started to feel heavy with sleep. He pushed the parchments from him and looked them over. They were enough for now, he thought.

He stretched his muscles and looked out the window. The sky was clear and the stars were shinning above.

He sighed with exhaustion and decided to go to bed. Lily might be waiting for him in their room.

He left the bookroom behind and made his way up the stairs toward their bedroom. He needed to tell Lily that he had decided to move the family to town for the rest of the winter, there was no need for her to know why, he would come up with something. But for now, he had the feeling that it would be best if they were far away from the Manor, he didn't know why, but he had a strange feeling that they were in danger. He needed to have his family somewhere safe, and the Potter House in Rowe Square was the safest place to be now that the Ministry had placed a protective shield around the Square after the attack a couple of years ago.

The lights around the house died and soon the Manor was dark and asleep. In the distance, among the trees of the forest on the other side of the lake, a dark shadow stepped from the darkness and shivering from the cold disappeared from sight.
A/N: I know that this is short compared to other chapters I've done. But I'll try to post another chapter by Friday to make up for it. Don't forget to review and I hope you like what comes next. For those of you who asked the address for the HP.com site, it is in here: &board=Book