Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, it's all J.K.Rowling's; anything you don't recognize, it's mine

A year after the birth of Harry James Potter, Lily and James were slowly dozing away on the couch. The baby was upstairs, sleeping.

Then, the light went out, and the TV shut.

James got up immediately, as did Lily, both wands in hand. Then, they heard Harry cry.

In the darkness, James shared a look with his wife. 'You go check on Harry, I'll stay here and stand guard.'

Lily nodded and prepared to leave, but James grabbed her by the arm, swirling her around to face him. He kissed her softly on the lips, trying to put all of his love in that one kiss.

When they pulled apart, he hugged her fiercely, not yet ready to let her go. 'I love you', he whispered in her ear.

Lily hugged him back just as fiercely saying 'I love you too.'

He kissed her one last time, then let her go.

Lily backed away from him with tears in her eyes. They both knew something wasn't right. Harry had stopped crying. Holding back sobs, Lily turned around and ran on the stairs.

Crack.

James heard the Apparition sound.

He faced the door, wand ready, and waited.

Then, the door burst open, revealing none other than the snake-like creature he and Lily had fought three times.

'Ah, good, Potter, you're awake' it said in a low deadly voice.

'Ever heard of knocking?' James asked him, while casting a protective shield around him.

Voldemort seemed to be studying James as he raised his wand.

'Crucio', the spell backfired on James' shield.

'Impedimenta', James yelled back.

The spell missed Voldemort only a few inches. He growled. The Potters had escaped him for too long, always fighting him together.

Now, he had had it. It was time to kill them once and for all.

James turned around as he heard footsteps above. 'Lily!' he yelled 'Don't come downstairs. It's him! Take Harry and go!'

He could almost feel her hesitate and so he yelled once again 'GO!'

'I love you, James!' the reply came from upstairs.

He, however, didn't have time to respond. as he was speaking with Lily, concentrating on making her understand that she needed to run, he had lowered his shield, and Voldemort had taken the chance to curse him.

'Love' he said distastefully. 'It's nothing, you hear me? NOTHING!' he bellowed.

James looked Voldemort in the eye and said 'You wouldn't know, would you?'

He saw Voldemort raise his hand in a last attempt, and he knew his hour was near. Thinking of Lily and Harry, he smiled and said to Voldemort 'Love is one thing you'll never understand.'

Then, he saw the green light, and he fell on the floor, dead.

A smile still spread on his face.

Lily heard a body fall on the floor, and she thought her heart would rip in pieces. She wanted to give up, and die, join James. But then she remembered.

Harry.

She had to save him.

She returned to the boy's room, and locked the door.

She took him in his arms, a small tear falling on his head.

He seemed to know something was happening, because he remained quiet all along.

Then, Lily began whispering 'Founders of Hogwarts, I beg your protection. May my love be his shield, may memories be his guide. To protect him I will give away my life.'

Then, the door burst open, and she heard an evil cackle.

She put Harry down and turned to face Voldemort.

She wasn't going to beg.

'Not begging yet, mudblood?'

'Never', she answered, a determined look in her eyes.

'Step aside, and let me have the boy', he ordered.

'No!' Lily said.

'Step aside, NOW!'

Lily didn't listen. She just there, in front of Harry, her green eyes glaring.

'You fool of a husband died proclaiming his love for you. Step aside now or you will join him!'

Lily laughed. Then, she took a step forward to him, and said, distaste evident in her eyes.

'You say you have power, Voldemort' she practically spit his name. 'You want me to tell you the truth? You have nothing! Love is power, and it's the only thing worth fighting for.'

Voldemort seemed ready to burst.

'Step aside, NOW!'

He asked one last time.

'No!'

'Then you'll die too!'

Green light erupted from his wand, and Lily fell to the ground, staring one last time in the eyes of her beloved son.

'And now, for you!' Voldemort said turning to Harry. 'Avada Kedavra!'

Hours later, one man could be seen kneeling in front of the house, crying. Everything was gone. The only thing that remained was a little boy with a scar.

Well, this is it. I hated writing this chapter, because it's just not fair that Lily and James had to die.

I tried writing my best, and I mostly wanted to make them die as heroes, because that's what they were.

Tigerlilystar