Just for the record, you are all big fat cheaters! I should have known that you'd type in Harry P. and Lily P. as the main characters! Oh well. I suppose you would have found out soon anyway. But no one gets a lollypop!

This is a very important chapter where you'll get most of the background necessary to understand the story. Tell me what you think, please!

Disclaimer: Wow, you saw right through my ill-conceived disguise. I'm actually not J.K. Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter. Pauses for gasps and screams. Yes, I know. I was upset, too.

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FLASHBACK

A young woman disguised in a black cloak hurried up the stairs of the great castle. Her cloak whipped behind her as she expertly climbed a stone staircase, ran down a corridor, and slid through an extremely narrow tunnel. She seemed to know exactly where she was going, but was moving swiftly and carefully. She reached a hallway and a door guarded by a statue of a gargoyle. She whispered the password and climbed the ancient stone staircase.

"What could be so urgent, Dumbledore," the woman pulled off the hood of her cloak to reveal a sheet of beautiful, silky red hair, "that you needed me to leave James and Harry in our hiding place? You know how dangerous it is for any of us to leave the house!" The woman's eyes flashed.

"I understand that you are afraid, Lily. Anyone would be." The old wizard called Dumbledore started. His expression was grave, and he was speaking hurriedly. "So I will be quick with my proposition.

"You know Voldemort is after your family, and you want to do everything you can to protect them. I believe I may have found a way for you to do this.

"For some time now, I have been working on a spell that enables one to survive the Killing Curse. It has taken me years of experimentation, long and tiresome years, but I believe I may have finally perfected the spell.

The Sopravivus Charm will protect the user from any deadly attack. Once someone is hit with the curse, the Sopravivus will kill the negetive energy that enters the body. When the negetive energy is gone, the person will return living almost the same as they were before being cursed."

"Almost the same?" Lily asked suspiciously.

Dumbledore nodded. "I'm sorry to say that the Sopravivus Charm alters the appearance of the user. Someone who uses it will look almost completely different than before. Quite a nasty side effect. I'm currently working on a counter-charm for it. Unfortunately, it is the only side effect I have discovered so far. I'm afraid there could be many I am unaware of, like memory loss, pain, deformities, maybe even death. It has never been tested on humans. But there just isn't time for more research.

"Lily, you know what I'm going to ask you. Will you subject yourself to the Sopravivus Charm?"

Lily Potter felt herself drop into a chair. She put her hand on her head and went into deep thought. Dumbledore told her his charm had never been tested on people. The consequences could be horrendous if it was not successful. It could dramatically change her life, or even kill her.

Then again, if Voldemort found her, she would definitely die. At least with the Sopravivus Charm, Lily would have a small chance of survival. But what would James think of this decision? Oh, James! Either way, their relationship would never be the same again. He would not recognize her with the charm on, and she might not even remember him! And if she didn't use the charm and Voldemort did find them, they would both die. It was a loss/loss situation.

Lily then remembered her baby. She couldn't leave Harry alone in the world. Yes, he would live with Sirius if she and James died, but he would still need a parent in addition to his wonderful godfather.

And if something happened to Sirius? If he was killed as well, or worse? What then? Lily swallowed and knew that would be sent to live with her sister. Petunia would not love him. She would treat him awfully, just as she had treated her when they were children. No, Harry needed a real mother no matter what happened.

"Why can't James use the Sopravivus Charm as well? He would do anything for Harry." Lily asked quietly.

Dumbledore sighed the sigh of a truly heartbroken man. He was not one to tear two loved ones apart. It made him feel just like Voldemort. "I am not willing to put the charm on both of you. The consequences are far too great." Dumbledore noticed the tears falling from Lily's face. "If you'd like, I can alter the charm slightly so that your appearance won't change until you are actually hit by the Avada Kedavra. It's the only aspect of the side effect that I have some control over. You would have more time with your family that way."

Lily nodded, feeling slightly better. The tears started to slow. "But why me? Why not James?"

"I believe Harry will especially need a mother at one point of his life." Dumbledore said simply, not meeting Lily's eyes.

A silence filled the elegantly decorated room. Lily found her face was still wet from silent tears. She wiped them away and spoke the words that changed her life:

"I'll do it."

-

It was Halloween Night, 1981 at Godric's Hallow. Lily Potter lay unconscious on the floor in Harry's nursery. James was dead. Harry was very much alive.

Hearing her son's cries, Lily awoke from her state. When she saw his face was wide-awake, though not very happy, Lily fainted from relief. She did not hear Sirius enter the house and find their bodies. She did not hear him sobbing in grief. She did not hear him exit in a wild rage, swearing to avenge his dearest friends' deaths and kill Peter Pettigrew. Lily did not hear Hagrid walk into the house, also crying with anguish, and take baby Harry away with him on Sirius' motorbike. All Lily was aware of was the squirming in her stomache. The charm was taking effect.

When she awoke for the second time, Lily raised herself weakly and managed to pull her body up from the floor. She looked at the mirror nailed to Harry's door. She almost fainted when she saw not her shiny crimson locks and brilliant green eyes, but the blackest, thinnest of hair and deep, dark blue eyes that reminded her of a storm. Still, Lily supposed she was lucky to be alive, with her memory in tact and zero deformities. However, the new appearance had shocked her. She had a stern looking face similar to a teacher she once had, Professor Minerva McGonagall. Lily almost laughed when she imagined when James would say about her appearance before she realized her husband's body was probably lying downstairs. Tears spilled down her face as she remembered the attack. Lily ran down the stairs, taking them three at a time. She stopped suddenly. There he was, on the floor. Right in front of the open door. James was positioned in a spread-eagle, as if he had fallen, and his hazel eyes were wide open in alarm. Lily hurried over to his side, now sobbing. She took his cold hand in her warm one and looked into his face. She could see his lips were curved into a slight smile. Of course, James had died laughing. He was always laughing, and would continue to do so in death. Lily ran her fingers through his messy black hair and closed her eyes. She pretended they were both really alive again, both themselves. They were sitting by the lake at Hogwarts on a beautiful spring day. The sun was warming their faces as they laughed and talked. Lily opened her eyes and a fresh stream of sobs overcame her as reality sunk in. She lay down next to James' body and went back to her daydream. James was simply asleep, lying next to her. Before she knew it, Lily fell asleep as well, overcome by shock and sadness. She did not feel herself being pulled away from James by a pair of strong hands. This stranger took her in his arms and Apperated into the night.

END FLASHBACK

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I know it was kinda short, but there wasn't a lot of information to add. I had to cut a lot from my original copy because it didn't make sense. I promise the next chapter will be longer, though. The time between Halloween 1981 and the summer of 1996 is explained, meaning where Lily went, what happened to Sirius, etc.

Review, or else!

Till Next Time,

LaRohaZeta