Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I never have, and unless some of my evil plans work out, I never will.....

"Lily, take Harry and run!" Trying not to think about what was going to happen to hee husband, Lily Potter ran to the play pen and scooped up her baby son just as a curse shattered the front door. She heard James shouting spells as she ran for the stairs. She has jus treached the top when she heard her husband murdered. Choking back a sob, she ducked into the nursery and slammed the door. She sealed the door with a hoarsely whispered spell and backed away, wishing James' final cry would stop echoing in her ears. She had to focus, she had to protect her son.

She heard footsteps in the hall. Clutching her son tightly, she closed her eyes and tried to disapparate but failed. Whether is was because she couldn't concentrate with James' dying scream in her head, or whether Voldemort had cast an anti-disapparation spell, she didn't know; and it didn't matter, it was too late. She deposited Harry in his crib as the door behind her shattered under the same spell that had destroyed the front door. Whirling to face the dark wizard, she made a desperate attempt to protect both her and her son.

"Impedimentia!"

"Protegro! Crucio!"

The unforgivable curse knocked Lily off her feet. The pain seemed to go on forever, and when it finally did stop, her wand was out of reach. She rolled over and reached for her wand, knowing even as she did so that it was hopeless. Her fingers had just closed around the smooth wood when Voldemort turned his killing curse on the infant wizard before him.

"Avada Kadavra!"

The world turned green before Lily Potter blacked out.

Lily woke to find herself being carried over what seemed to be rough terrain. The evening's events came rushing back as the cool air cleared her clouded mind.

"James! Harry!" she choked, half screaming, half crying.

"Harry's all right, Lil," a ragged, but familiar, voice said from somewhere near her feet. She lifted her head and found herself looking at Sirius Black who was carrying her son, who seemed to be half asleep. Sirius' eyes, usually alight with mischief, were now darkened by grief and guilt.

She looked up to see who was carrying her and say the hairy face of Rubeus Hagrid looking down at her. He, too, looked uncharacteristically sad and Lily looked away quickly. She was not ready to deal with her own loss, let alone theirs.

"Where are we going?" she asked shakily.

"The Three Broomsticks,": Hagrid answered, sniffling. "Then we'll floo ta Hogwarts."

"How are we getting to Hogsmeade?" There was no way she could apparate right now.

"I've got my bike here and your broom survived the...the curse...." Sirius broke off awkwardly and blinked conspicuously as they stopped walking. Lily felt a chill that was unrelated to the chilly night air as the implications of Sirius' words sank in and she realized why the ground had been so uneven.

"We need ter get outta here afore the muggles start poking aroun' " Hagrid said, his voice cracking, as he placed Lily gently on her feet. Lily took her son from her husband's best friend and bent her head over him, anxiously checking to see if he was all right. He locked his tiny baby fingers sleepily into her long red hair and looked up at her with clear green eyes that matched her own. His sweet face, so much like his father's, now had a lightning shaped scar across the forehead.

"Accio broom" Sirius said quietly, pointing at the ruins that had been the cottage Lily and James had made their home when Voldemort's pursuit had forced them into hiding.

"What happened to Voldemort?" Hagrid winced at Lily's question.

"He seems to have disappeared," Sirius replied quietly as he caught Lily's broom. "Hagrid, you'd better take the bike."

"Harry will ride with you," Lily said as Hagrid sat down. Reluctant as she was to let go of her son, she knew he would be safer riding with Hagrid than with her and Sirius on the broom.

Once Harry was safely stowed with Hagrid, Lily seated herself behind Sirius. She closed her eyes and leaned into his broad back and let him fly them to England's only all magical settlement, trying not to think about the fact that she was now a widow.

Albus Dumbledore was standing silently beside his fireplace when the flames turned green and Lily Potter appeared. He took her arm to steady her before leading his to a large, soft chair. She sank into it, her sleeping son cradled in her arms. The old professor turned as the once again emerald frames produced another human form. He was surprised and somewhat alarmed to realize it was Sirius Black, but Lily seemed glad to see him. She reached out a plaintive hand to him, which he gripped in his own as he dropped into the chair beside hers.

The flames turned green again and this time Hagrid appeared, looking sick as he always did when travelling by floo.

Dumbledore sat down facing Lily. "Do you have any idea how Voldemort found you?" Behind him, Hagrid flinched. Dumbledore didn't wish to accuse Sirius directly, but as far as he knew, Sirius had been the Potter's secret keeper.

"Peter must have told him," Lily whispered.

"Peter?" he repeated in surprise.

"Peter," Sirius confirmed. "We switched at the last minute, my idea. I thought it would throw them off, they'd be coming after me and I wouldn't even have what they wanted." He laughed bitterly. "I never dreamed Peter was the traitor. But when I went to check on him he was gone and there were no signs of a struggle." He made a strangled sound in his throat before continuing. "All this time I've been thinking it was Remus. How could I be so stupid!?!" He broke down into sobs at this point. Lily pulled her hand from his and began rubbing his shaking shoulders.

"You couldn't have known."

"I should have just done it myself, like we planned. If I hadn't..."

"It is not your fault," Dumbledore said, gently but firmly. "None of us suspected Pettigrew. I believed it was either you or Remus and Remus thought it was you. But Peter alone is responsible for his choices. This is no time to wonder 'what if.' We must deal with what is. Go down to Poppy, Lily, and ask her to give you a potion for dreamless sleep. We will talk more when you awake." Lily nodded and quietly left the room. "Hagrid, please go ask professor McGonagall to join me." Hagrid nodded and disappeared as well.

Dumbledore now turned to Sirius. "I know how you are feeling." he told the younger wizard, "but I must ask you not to go after Pettigrew." He held up a hand when Sirius opened his mouth to object. "I know, I know, but I promise that he will be a priority for the aurors. There are other things you need to do."

For a moment Sirius didn't respond, then finally he nodded. "Tell me and I will do it."

"Later, Lily is not the only one who needs some sleep." Sirius nodded once more and then he too was gone.

Alone now, Dumbledore sat down at his desk and began pulling our parchment, quills, and various silver instruments. There were many things that needed to be prepared for when Lily and Sirius woke up. A safe place had to be found for the young witch and her son, aurors needed to be alerted, Voldemort's willing followers had to be sorted from those he had been controlling, and there was also grief to be faced. The next few days would be both busy and emotional, there was no time to waste.