Lily had finally "popped" and, along with Molly and Alice, was gladly showing off her baby bump. Lily absolutely loved being pregnant. She especially loved all of the attention that she was getting off James, not to mention Sirius and Remus. Sirius was under the impression that he would be named godfather, even though Lily had told him she'd rather nominate the giant squid as godfather. Sirius pointed out that she'd said the same thing about dating James and she was now marrying him. Sirius had been received a Stinging hex for that. The days passed by them quietly and nothing, it seemed, could destroy the overwhelming happiness that they had for a change. But good things can't last forever. The happiness they had been experiencing came crashing down around them one day when Dumbledore called them to his office one afternoon near the end of July…

Lily walked slowly leaning on James. Her feet and ankles were killing her and she wasn't used to carrying around so much extra weight. Her precious baby was due in a few days and she was now so large that she needed James help to move around. According to Molly this was completely normal. Lily wasn't so sure about that.

The halls of Hogwarts were unlike Lily and the boys had ever known. There was absolute silence in the castle. The new school year had not yet started and the silence was deafening. Not even James and Sirius could penetrate it, though they tried hard. Remus walked along beside Lily quietly. He was happy to be at Hogwarts, despite the silence. Hogwarts had always been more of a home to him than anywhere else. Even his own house could match the feeling of Hogwarts for him. Lily couldn't blame him. Lily could tell that Sirius felt the same way about Hogwarts as Remus did but he wasn't showing it. As always Sirius was putting on a brave face, which they could all see through.

Dumbledore greeted them warmly and asked Lily how she was coping. Despite the smile Lily could see concern and fear in his eyes as he looked upon them all, as though he knew this may be the last time he saw them. Dumbledore instructed them to sit and, once they had, he faced them gravely.

'I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but a new position opened up at Hogwarts this year. The Divination position,' Dumbledore smiled when Sirius rolled his eyes. 'Anyway, I was holding a meeting with one Sybil Trelawney, quite an interesting woman. Alas, most of the interview had been for nothing but just as I was about to leave, Sybil went into a trance and made a prophecy.'

'Please don't say you fell for it.' Sirius said looking at the professor with a look of hope on his face.

'I do believe her, Sirius,' Dumbledore took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before replacing them and continuing. 'She did not remember making the prophecy afterwards, which, as I understand, is the mark of a true prophecy. You may scoff now, Sirius, but you won't once you hear it. Unfortunately there was a Death Eater at the Hog's Head who must have heard some of it, which means that Voldemort will now know of it.'

'The Hog's Head?' Sirius asked. 'You held an interview in the Hog's Head?'

'Not my choice, and I wish now that I had not agreed. But as I said, a Death Eater overheard the beginning but was discovered before he managed to hear the end of it.'

'What was the prophecy?' Remus spoke quietly.

'Sybil said: "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."'

The silence in the castle was even worse. It seemed as though the entire world had fallen silent to Dumbledore utter those words. The silence remained even though Dumbledore had stopped speaking. No one wanted to speak what was on their minds. Lily was clutching onto James' hand while her other hand rested on her large belly, protecting the child within. James had closed his eyes, as if wanting to block out the world and Dumbledore's words. Sirius and Remus were battling with their own emotions, both desperate to keep them in check for the sake of their friends. For a long time no one even dared to move. Predictably, it was Dumbledore who broke the silence.

'You aren't the only ones who have thrice defied Voldemort but he will assume that it means you. We must act quickly if we are to stop him from getting to you.'

'What it does it mean?' James spoke softly, his eyes still closed. 'What does the prophecy mean?'

'As it says "the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches".'

'Not that bit,' James opened his eyes to look at the professor. 'The power it mentions. What does that mean?'

'I'm afraid I don't know. It could mean anything.' Dumbledore said frowning. James nodded and closed his eyes again.

'The last bit. What about the last bit?' Lily said forcefully.

'Your child will either be killed by Voldemort, or kill Voldemort.'

'Kill or be killed,' Lily muttered. 'Mark him as his equal?'

'Again, I'm not sure. Prophecies are never very clear.'

'Of course not.' Sirius muttered darkly.

'Quite. I think it would be best if the two of you went into hiding immediately. If not for your selves, then for the sake of your child,' Dumbledore added as James opened his mouth to speak. 'The Fidelius Charm will do the trick.' Lily nodded slowly and then abruptly stood up and left the office. 'I am sorry about all of this, James.'

'It's not your fault, Professor. Excuse me.' James stood and went after Lily.

'Sir, how much did the Death Eater hear?' Remus asked.

'I think up to Voldemort marking the child as his equal.'

'So they didn't hear the bit about having a power Voldemort doesn't know?'

'I don't think so. Why do you ask?'

'It might be an advantage that's all.' Remus replied shrugging.

…

Lily carefully lowered herself onto the rock and looked out over the lake. The sun was still high in the sky and it reflected beautifully on the still surface of the lake. As expected James joined her. Neither of them spoke for while. What could they say? Lily, no longer able to bear the silence, spoke.

'Do you remember all the afternoons we spent sitting here?'

James laughed. 'Yeah, I do. I remember everything.'

'So do I,' Lily sighed. 'It seems as though that was all a lifetime ago, when really it was just a few years. I miss those days, James. I miss those carefree days. I wish, now more than ever, that we could go back there and never leave, you know. Spend the rest of our lives without a care in the world. No war, no pain, no death, nothing bad. Is that really so much to ask for?'

'No, but we can never go back to the way things were. I would like to though. I never thought that I could miss Hogwarts so much but I do. It was fun here. The war was like a story. Something we knew about but nothing that could get to us while we were here. The stories never seemed quite real. And now the stories are memories. Memories that won't leave us be.'

'I wish we could take it all back. Every fight with Voldemort. I want to take all of that back but I don't suppose we'd be allowed to, would we? Everything happens for a reason. That's what my mother used to say. Not any more though thankfully,' Lily put her head on James' shoulder and he wound an arm around her. 'What are we going to do? I don't want to go into hiding. That was always going to be a last resort, wasn't it?'

'Yes, and we have no choice. If we don't hide Voldemort will find us and kill us now before the baby is born. And then where would we be? You heard Dumbledore, our baby is going to grow up and kill Voldemort,' James frowned. 'Not that I want him too, but it'd be something wouldn't it? A Potter killing Voldemort. After everything that's happened it seems rather fitting, doesn't it?'

'I don't want it to fit, James. It's not right. That burden shouldn't be placed on a child. It shouldn't be placed on anyone.'

'I know, Lil. I know.' James and Lily fell silent and didn't speak or even move until they were joined by Sirius and Remus. They didn't say anything either. They couldn't think of anything to say. The four of them were wrapped up in their own separate thoughts. Lily had long since closed her eyes though her hands were still moving in slow, soft circles over her belly. After some time Lily suddenly sat up and gripped James and Remus' arms.

'Lily? What's wrong?' James asked. The three boys were looking at the wide-eyed Lily. Suddenly she closed her eyes and started breathing heavily.

'Get… me… to the… hospital…'

'What for?' James asked stupidly. Remus rolled his eyes and stood up.

'My water just broke, you moron! That's why!'

…

Several hours later, on July 31, a new baby boy came into the world. The baby was instantly loved by his parents, his grandmother, and his three uncles. The baby, with messy black hair and bright green eyes, was named Harry James Potter. And according to his godfather, Sirius Black, there was no better name for the one who was more powerful than Voldemort. This remark, though whispered, did not go unnoticed by one member of the group who stared wide-eyed at the harmless looking baby.