Hello everyone, This is my first time doing a Harry Potter FanFiction. I have always wanted to know what would happen if Lily had survived. how Harry's life would have changed. This is that story.

I do not own any of these characters, they belong to JK Rowling. Please read and review. I will try to get another chapter up really soon! Thank you!

In a sleepy little village, there was a home, unknown to any who walked past it, hidden from the world to protect those that resided there. A small family: a young man and his wife and their small child, a boy a little over a year old. They laughed and danced with the little boy around the living room, warmed by the flickering, stuttering fire in the hearth. It was almost bedtime and the little boy was getting sleepy. They were safe and warm and happy, considering the circumstances. The man leaned over to his wife and kissed her and then kissed his son's forehead. The little boy yawned in his mother's arms, eyes beginning to droop. James looked to his wife, Lily, and said,

"It's a shame we don't have another, Lily. He should have a sibling, you know. I'm sure Sirius would be more than happy to have a second godson-" James stood behind his wife, gently kissing her neck. "We could try tonight, maybe." he whispered softly in her ear as he wrapped his arms around his wife and son and swayed back and forth. Lily smiled and turned to her husband and kissed him lightly on the nose.

"What makes you think it would be another boy, James?" The young woman walked over to the couch and her husband playfully swatted at her bum.

"If that's a yes, we should put Harry to bed first, don't you think?" his wife laughed and he smiled back at her with a devilish grin.

Outside, the Halloween night was blustery and the wind had a hint of winter upon her breath, promising snow soon. Leaves rustled along the walk and bare branches tapped against houses, the leaves whirled through the air, past the invisible house as a hooded man made his way along the lane.

Tonight was the night.

He stepped up to the gate and opened it silently as the baleful call of an owl sounded in the distance, the crickets, which had been singing their lonesome serenade, went silent as the hooded figure made his way to the door.

Inside the house, James felt the change, his hair standing on end. Someone was on the property. He looked to the window as the sounds of crickets died. His blood went cold as he saw the figure approaching. Heart in throat, he turned to his wife, pure terror in his eyes. She looked up at him confused as he had been mid sentence, and she paled.

"Lily! It's him! Take Harry and run, get out of here! No!" She made to step closer, fear in her eyes for her husband. But he shoved her away. " Do not look back, whatever you do, I love you! Go now! Go to Dumbledore!" He ran to the door as his wife and son stumbled from the room and up the stairs. The door burst open, flinging him against the wall and the hooded figure stepped in, his wand raised. James stepped in front of him, wandless, cursing himself for leaving it upstairs, praying that he would give them enough time. He only needed enough time for them to escape, to be safe.

"Step aside!" Came the rasping voice and James felt the blood in his face drain as he straightened himself and straightened his glasses. He stared into the darkened hood, which lowered. The pale face of Lord Voldemort stared back at him.

"I said, step aside!" Lord Voldemort raised his wand.

"No–p-please, leave them, please! I– I'll do anything, but please spare them. Take me, kill me instead, just leave my family alone–"

"How very foolish of you to not have your wand. How foolish to think that begging will get you anywhere. You stand before Lord Voldemort, and you will not be spared. How very foolish you are in those in which you choose to trust! You will die either way, boy, I care not. Avada Kedavra!"

And James Potter fell to the floor, dead before he hit the ground, eyes staring blankly as Lord Voldemort stepped over him. He could hear the woman upstairs trying to barricade herself into a room at the end of the hall; heard her scream when she heard her husband die. He slowly made his way to the door and blasted it open, the woman standing with her back to him, sobbing, shielding her child in her arms as she screamed at the force of the explosion.

"Step aside, woman!" She placed Harry in his crib and turned, blocking his from view. He understood his servants' wish to keep this woman alive, she was quite beautiful. But it did not matter, she would die either way, just like her husband.

"No, please, not Harry, p-please, I will do anything, please!" She shrieked as Voldemort struck her across the face, falling to the ground and struggling to get back up, to protect her baby boy. Lord Voldemort turned his attention to the child and raised his wand, heard the earth shattering scream of his mother and he said the words for the second time that night.

"AVADA KEDAVRA."

There was an almighty blast as the curse hit the child and rebounded, striking the wizard who cast it, throwing him back, his tattered soul ripping out of his body and into the nether. The blast sent the woman flying to the ground from where she had stood and she moved no more.

Outside, the night was quiet, the screech of an owl was heard and the crickets started up the serenade from where they left off. The sounds of a crying baby could be heard echoing through the night as people turned on the lights in their houses, having heard the disturbance.

Sirius Black stood in his small apartment just south of London, the night time revelry of Halloween still in full swing. He had had a bad feeling all afternoon. He hadn't heard from Peter in a while. He checked in almost daily, at this point. Skittish and scared, in hiding himself. He made a cup of tea and then let it sit there on the counter, staring at it. Maybe he would just go check on Peter. It couldn't hurt. He drummed his fingers on the countertop, making his decision. He grabbed his jacket and the keys to his bike and set out for Peter's place.

He arrived shortly after nine o'clock. The drive had been long as he made his way into western England, but it seemed to help abate some of the anxiety in him. Until he got to the house. The house was on a quiet lane, it was dark. The windows shuttered. Deserted. He jumped off his bike and ran to the door. It was unlocked. He searched the house fruitlessly, fear building inside him, almost choking him. Peter was gone.

"James and Lily!" He said in a strangled whisper and flew back out the door and onto his bike taking off into the air like a bullet. He landed in the quiet village of Godric's Hollow, just outside their cottage, screeching to a halt. Heart racing in his ears as he saw the destruction, his mind wiped blank. He walked to the door, the sense of dread permeating from his very core, and fell to his knees at the sight of his best friend, a sob wrenched from his very soul. James Potter was dead, his unseeing eyes lost forever in the dark, a place that Sirius would have gladly followed him to. James had been his closest friend, his brother, and he would never speak again. He stood, finding that his tears refused to fall as he made his way upstairs, numb. He saw the nursery door hanging on its hinges and heard small movements from in the room beyond. He stepped to the doorway and saw the room collapsed, Lily laying on the ground, unmoving and Harry, in his crib reaching for his mother. The tears finally started to fall as Sirius reached for his godson and held him to him, sliding to the floor, clinging to the boy like a lifeline. Seeing the scar on his forehead. No Voldemort in sight.

Peter, he thought, how could you do this! How could you do this to your friends, to your family!

"Mumma! Mumms!" Harry was reaching for his mother.

Sirius tried to comfort the child rocking him back and forth, shushing and he finally looked over to Lily, tears almost blinding him as saw her stir. He crawled over to her and lifted her into his arms cradling her to him just as he heard sounds below, creaks and heavy footfalls coming up the stairs. Grabbing for his wand, the wizard waited as the footsteps came closer and closer until, shoulders heaving with great sobs, Rubeus Hagrid entered the room.

Rubeus Hagrid was walking down to his hut after the Halloween Feast, humming to himself as he opened the door and was greeted by his great boarhound. He swatted it aside before ruffling it behind the ears and made his way to his bed. He had just sat down when, with a rush of air and fire, a note appeared upon his table, smoking slightly, along with a blue glowing object.

Hagrid, go to Godric's Hollow immediately. Be prepared for what you will see, for the worst has occurred tonight. You will bring Harry to me. I trust no one else with this task. Keep alert at all times.

The note immediately burst into flames and Hagrid had already grabbed his moleskin cloak and was out the door with the portkey in a matter of moments. With an uncomfortable jolt, he was transported to Godric's Hollow. All was quiet, all was still in the center of town. He made his way down the street, where it was no longer quiet. People were emerging from their homes, staring up at the house that had not been there previously, shocked at the sight of destruction, Hagrid walked on, past all the onlookers as a baby started to cry from inside the house. Hagrid stepped in and started sobbing.

He looked down at the body of James Potter, the boy he had seen grow up in the walls of Hogwarts. He leaned down and shuttered his eyes, mourning the young life lost to the world. Sniffling, he made his way upstairs and into the nursery where he saw Sirius Black clutching Lily Potter and little Harry. The lightning shaped scar on the boy's head stark against his pale skin. Hagrid cleared his throat.

"Wha' are ya doin' 'ere Sirius? I got orders from Dumbledore ta bring Harry straight to 'im. I don' want any trouble." He said gruffly. He pulled out his mended wand and sent a message to Dumbledore that he was on his way and then stowed it back in his giant overcoat. Sirius lowered his wand and stared down in defeat. He made to walk to Sirius, but the man on the floor slid back, away from him.

"Come now, I got ya now. Tis straigh' to Dumbledore. He gave me a portkey an' ev'rythin'. I gotta bring Harry to Dumbledore now, where 'ell be safe.'' he looked down at Sirius again, He stepped forward once more and Sirius spoke in hoarse whisper,

"She's alive, Hagrid. She's—alive." He choked out the last word, holding both Lily and Harry tighter to him.

"Then the three o' yas will go to Dumbledore, where tis safe, come now, Sirius." He held out the portkey and Sirius reached forward, holding on tight to Lily and Harry as they were torn through space and landed in Dumbledore's office.

Severus Snape was in his office when it happened, making his way to his sleeping quarters. A flash of light and searing pain in his arm and he fell to the floor, fading into unconsciousness.

When he awoke, he was dazed, not knowing how long he had been out for, feeling the bump on the side of his head. He looked down at his arm and tore at his left sleeve, nearly ripping it off in his haste to see the mark that was burned into his flesh. It looked wrong, it looked all wrong. It was faded and gray, no longer stark and black upon his pallid skin. His heart was racing. He knew, without a doubt, what this meant. She's dead.

Snape Stumbled to his feet, his head beating in time with his racing heart as he ran to the headmasters office and burst in without knocking. He lost his words the moment he stepped into the office. The headmaster was sitting behind his desk with his correspondents. A troubled look in his eye as he meticulously filled out pages of parchment. He stood at the sight of his potions teacher. Snape walked in and collapsed into the chair in front of him, looking far paler than the old man had ever seen him.

"What is it Severus, I am very busy–"

"You were supposed to protect her. You- said- you would- keep her–safe…." His breath came out in gasps as he accused the man before him. Dumbledore walked around his desk to stand over him.

"She and James put their faith in the wrong person," said Dumbledore. "Rather like you, Severus. Weren't you hoping that Lord Voldemort would spare her?"

Snape's breathing was fast and shallow.

"Her boy survives," said Dumbledore.

With a tiny jerk of the head, Snape seemed to flick off an irksome fly.

"Her son lives. He has her eyes. You remember the shape and color of Lily Evans's eyes, I am sure?"

"DON"T!" bellowed Snape. "Gone… dead…"

"Is this remorse, Severus?"

"I wish… I wish I were dead…"

"And what use would you be to anyone?" said Dumbledore coldly. "If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear."

Snape seemed to peer through a haze of pain, and Dumbledore's word appeared to take a long time to reach him.

"What–what do you mean?"

"You know how and why she was attacked. Make sure the events this night were not in vain. Help me protect Lily's son."

"He does not need protection. The Dark Lord has gone—" he shoved up the sleeve of his robes and showed the headmaster his faded Dark Mark.

"The Dark Lord will return, and Harry Potter will be in terrible danger when he does." Looking at the mark in disgust.

There was a long pause, and slowly Snape regained control of himself. Taking a breath and measuring his breathing. At last he said, "Very well. Very well. But never–never tell Dumbledore! This must be between us! Swear it! I cannot bear… especially Potter's son…I want your word!"

"My word Severus, that I shall never reveal the best of you?" Dumbledore sighed, looking down into Snape's ferocious, anguished face. "If you insist…"

"I do!" Snape snarled viciously. Dumbledore stood up straight and walked around his desk and sat down.

"Very well, Severus, if that is all…" He went back to writing his correspondence and did not look up as Snape stormed out of the office. With the door shut, Headmaster Dippett spoke up.

"Is it wise to let him believe the girl does not live, Albus? Surely you should have told him, his reaction will not be favorable. It is not something that will be kept quiet for too long–"

"It is in everyone's best interest that the reason for her survival last night is kept secret. For when Lord Voldemort returns, they will all be in grave danger, Armando. The more people we have on our side, the better. And Severus will prove to be a good ally. Sometimes it is best... to have a plan"