Plot Bunny #2

Serpent's Son

Summary: Harry isn't James' son, and the father comes to take what's his.

It was Halloween, and Lily could feel that something was going to happen tonight. Sitting at her vanity desk, she laid out a piece of parchment in front of her. Harry was in the nursery just down the hall, James watching the marvelous muggle TV Lily had gotten him. Their Silence enveloped her room, and yet noise filled her ears. A million thoughts clouded her mind and, dipping a quill into ink, she began to write her letter.

Dear Remus,

How have you been, friend? It's been ages since I last saw you and worry for you. Everyone's been depressed since James kicked you out of the house, not even giving a thought towards letting you know where we are. Peter has already told you and I hope he doesn't meet James' wrath either for it.

This is all my fault, isn't? If I had neverLily crossed out the last words and continued writing. You would have been the Secret Keeper for sure if James hadn't found out. We both know that Sirius was too obvious and poor Peter won't stand a chance against the Death Eaters. Now James doesn't want anything to do with you, even going so far as ripping you out of every picture. I'm so sorry Remus! A tear fell from Lily's eyes and wet part of the parchment.

There's something else I have to tell you too. Harry isn't James' son. James would be devastated if he ever found out. He loves Harry so much, already thinking up little nicknames for him and planning to teach him all the Marauder ways. I love little Harry too, and truly, I have come to love James as well. At the same time I don't want to lie to Harry, and I don't want James to live a lie either.

How can I tell him? How could I ever tell him whose son Harry is? He's still upset at me since the time you got kicked out of the Marauders. I won't ask you to tell him for me, Remus, but I fear I might not ever get the chance to tell him myself. If, here Lily paused, if I'm not alive at the end of the week, please, tell him for me.

~Lily Evans Potter

Folding up the letter she went to her owl, a beautiful red owl James had gotten for her as a wedding gift, and sent it off into the night. A few more tears flowed from her deep, emerald eyes, darkened with guilt, worry, and despair. Outside the window her owl had just flown from, she saw a flurry of robes in the front lawn. She ran to the doorway of her room to warn James. Suddenly, the voice of her husband rang through the house, "Lily, it's him! Take Harry and run!"

Hoping James could hold his own, Lily ran to the nursery where Harry was. Her beautiful baby boy was fast asleep in his cradle and calmly opened his eyes when she ran into the room. The child was such a peaceful child, never crying during the night. Whenever the sun went down it was like Harry would change, quieting down and usually falling asleep when the stars came out. Lily smiled at her child and prayed to whoever was listening to at least spare her child from the Dark Lord who was now roaming through her house.

A crash was heard from downstairs and Lily knew James was no longer alive. An uncontrollable wave of grief struck her and a sob escaped her lips. Putting her thin hand to her mouth she held onto Harry's crib for support. Tears flowed down her face freely, and she almost didn't hear the footsteps coming up the stairs. As the footsteps got louder Lily snapped out of her trance and quickly took out her wand.

She closed the door, using her extensive talent with Charms to lock it to the best of her ability. Various shielding charms were put on it as well, along with some explosive charms that would go off if anyone went through the door. Turning around to Harry she put shielding charms on the crib as well, also writing the strongest protection rune she knew on it. The door then exploded, a tall figure storming through. Piercing red eyes glared at her from under the hood of a dark robe, and Lily knew she was facing the Dark Lord.

"Stand aside, girl," hissed Lord Voldemort. This truly surprised Lily, and she stood there, speechless, for a moment. The Dark Lord, feared by all, especially muggles and muggleborns like her, wasn't just going to blast her out of the way?

Hearing a rustle of a blanket behind her, the red haired witch remembered why the Dark Lord was here. "No! You're not going to hurt my baby!"

Voldemort only repeated himself in reply, "Stand aside, girl," this time raising his wand.

"Take me instead, you monster! Don't hurt Harry!" She regretted insulting the Dark wizard immediately after saying what she did, but knew she couldn't take it back. Dying would be worth it if it would save Harry's life.

The glare in Voldemort's eyes only intensified, and he spoke the two fatal words, "Avada Kedavra". The spell flew across the nursery and hit Lily square in the chest. As she fell she could feel the life flowing out of her body, her last thought wishing Harry would survive. Her body lay in front of Harry's crib, limp and lifeless. A simple levitation charm moved Lily's body to the side, and Voldemort stepped up to the crib.

Harry lay in the crib, still half asleep. The baby was oblivious to everything that had just happened, not knowing he was now an orphan. He was alone in the world, and at the mercy of one of the darkest men of all time. Voldemort pointed his wand at the baby, and repeated the words he used to get rid of Lily. "Avada Kedavra". The green light sped towards the baby, landing above Harry's right green eye, the colors almost identical. Then, an even brighter light surrounded the crib, shooting out towards the Dark Lord. This unexpected turn of events caught the Dark Lord by surprise and he was unable to block the light in time. An inhuman scream erupted from the Dark Lord and a wispy fog of magic sped from the black robes of Voldemort out the door of the nursery.

The spirit of Voldemort sped outside beyond the Dark Lord's control and flew past another dark figure. This person stopped walking, frozen in his spot, recognizing the look of a corporeal form. Waking from his stupor the robed man ran into Godric's Hollow, Lily's home, a sheet of parchment clutched in his hand. The man didn't even spare a glance at James' form, seeing red hair through the nursery's doorway. Panic and dread encompassed the man, and it seemed like the world around him had frozen as he flew up the stairs. All of his energy left him when he reached the nursery. The recognizable robes of the Dark Lord lay in a pile in front of Harry's crib, the corpse of Lily just next to them. Kneeling down next to the dead witch, tears fell from the man's eyes, wetting Lily's fiery red hair.

Then, a small noise was heard. The rustling of a blanket came from the crib. Standing so fast he almost got a head rush, the robed figure inspected the baby. Harry was perfectly fine except for a small squiggly shaped scar above his right eye. It greatly resembled a snake and for a second the man swore it had moved. Picking up the baby, the man smiled down at the infant. Another noise behind him made the man whip around, almost dropping the baby. A vase had fallen, a rat darting down the stairs.

Using quick reflexes, a wand was pulled out and stunned the rat. Reversing the Animagus transformation, a short chubby man was standing in place of the rat. Reviving the man but then immobilizing him, the robed man glared at the smaller figure. "I will never forgive you for causing Lily's death, rat. You will rue the day you even thought of this betrayal. Imperio," the unforgivable curse hit the small man and his eyes clouded over. "You will wait for the authorities or Dumbledore to arrive and confess everything you've done. Afterwards you will tell them the Dark Lord is still alive, though weakened, and tell them Harry Potter has died."

Even under the Imperious curse, the small man struggled to speak. The robed man disabled the immobilizing curse, confident the Imperious had worked. As he left the room with the baby, the small man ground out, "You… won't get away… with this… Lucius Malfoy".