Chapter Three: Bloody Halloween

A.N I am so very sorry, the computer that this chapter was on is having some battery and charging issues so I have to rewrite it. I will most likely discover that it is completely different than what's on that computer.

This chapter contains manipulation, distrust, attempted murder, murder, betrayal and flight from authorities. As of right now, I haven't decided if James is going to die…

Godric's Hollow, Wales

October 29, 1981

1930pm

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizzengammot pasted a mournful expression onto his face. It really was not a hard act; he genuinely liked Lilly Evens Potter, and James too, a little. His major problem was that James' loyalties lay with Lady Samantha Gryffindor, who did not trust Albus Dumbledore. That was fine by him, he was sure she was dark. After all her husbands job was to kill people, the Muggle way. Only an evil wizard would stoop to that level.

Albus shook his head; he had to stay in the correct mind frame to convince the Potters that they were in danger. Even more so to convince James Potter to use Peter Pettigrew as a secret keeper, and to NOT tell Lady Gryffindor any of it. It was imperative that everybody in Briton believed that Sirius Black, heir of Blackmore, was the keeper, it was the only way to protect Peter from Death Eaters. He motioned for the small, rat-faced man to follow him.

Peter Pettigrew, for his part, could not believe his luck. He had joined the Death Eaters right after Hogwarts. James and Sirius had all but abandoned him to be with their women and "honor family commitments." He scoffed internally, those two had never had honor. They were reprobate Blood Traitors who consorted with, and in James' case married, Mudbloods. They did not know the definition of Honor. Peter, on the other hand, was a Pureblood.

His family was so into blood purity that they had married within second cousins for centuries. The Pettigrew clan was almost as pure as the Gaunts, more pure than even the Malfoys and Blacks. Those two families allowed for marriage outside their own bloodlines, weakening some gifts, like the Black gift of Metamorph in misguided attempts to strengthen their magical cores. For Example, Bellatrix Lestrange-her mother was a Rosier, a new Pureblood family from France, only seven generations of pureblood.

Then Cygnus Black allowed his oldest to marry a Lestrange, who have only six generations. Peter's father considered the lot of the Blacks Blood Traitors, but tolerated them out of fear. Cygnus and Orion Black were formidable experts at Black Magic, and had more power than Cyril Pettigrew by spades. Not to mention, the entire Black family, save two, served Voldemort and he did not take well to unprovoked attacks on his most faithful servants. Rumor was he was even going to ask Bellatrix to carry his Heir, if he hadn't already. She had been looking slightly thicker around the middle, but not unattractively so.

The duplicitous men soon arrived at the Potter household. Lilly had opened the door as soon as she had seen them and Peter had plastered on a large grin. The visitors were greeted like the old friends they were, and invited inside. Albus was surprised to see James pacing by the fireplace, looking pensive. This morose young man was a far cry from the cheerful, and mischievous boy he had been at school, and neither Albus nor Peter could determine why. Even Lilly, who had always had an easy smile, looked strained and worn once the door was closed. Their unguarded expressions merely demonstrated how well the couple trusted their friends. Peter almost felt guilty as Dumbledore began his speech/lecture.

"James, Lilly I have grave news." The ancient man's voice was rasping and solemn as he spoke, but Lilly could clearly see the twinkle in his eyes. She signaled James with a slight finger movement and he responded with a blink. They gave their full attention to the Headmaster as he again tried to get James to join his Order fully. After listening to the man say nothing important, or remotely "grave," Lilly had to interrupt him.

"Albus," she said, cutting off his nonsensical monologue about the Dark Lord, "What was your news?"

The old man sighed and said; "I know that Bellatrix and Roldolphus Lestrange approached you and James last week, Lilly. I know that you were with Lady Samantha Gryffindor, and her husband. I know that you were made yet another offer to join Voldemort, that he would overlook your blood status because he was in need of a Transfiguration Mistress."

"Then you also, since you are so well informed, that all four of us refused her offer. You know, since there are obviously spies for you here in this village, that Roldolphus lost his temper and attempted to curse Lilly, only to have Lady Gryffindor, Lilly, myself, and his own wife jinx him in response." James said, his voice snapping with rage as his eyes seethed and darkened to black. How dare Albus insert spies into Gryffindor lands, particularly the village for which James was responsible?

"Calm down, my boy!" Albus was horrified, he was not expecting rage from James, Lilly maybe, and if she were present, definitely Samantha, but James was the levelheaded one. "Bathelda Bagshot, who lives in the village, is an old friend of mine and she told me. No spy, just idle gossip that turned into a problem. This is the third time you have defied Voldemort. He will not let this go easily. I have a proposition."

When Albus and Peter left the house, four hours later, the headmaster had managed to convince them to hide their house's location within Peter without really telling them that their son was in greater danger than they were. Peter was floating on air, even though Dumbledore hadn't managed to secure James' promise not to tell Gryffindor anything, Peter was still the one holding the secret. The unknown Death Eater could deliver the boy on a silver platter, oh how his master would reward him. Maybe the Dark Lord would even gift him one night with Narcissa or Bellatrix, the two most beautiful Death Eaters.

James Potter watched his old friends leave, certain he had just made a major mistake. As soon as the other men had left, he gathered his small family and apparated to Gryffindor Hall.

October 31, 1981

2250

Gryffindor Keep

Lady Samantha Gryffindor stripped the Muggle costume off of the sleeping form of Draco Malfoy. In keeping with familial tradition, she had taken her child, ward and the children of her vassals Trick-or-Treating, or as her grandmother always called it, mingling with the villagers. It was a good thing, even though it was no longer the noble's responsibility to solve local problems, to remind the Muggle villagers of their Lady's presence and her willingness to join them in all things. This insured that, if there was a problem within the village, the Muggles would address it with her rather than phone the police, thereby maintaining the Statute of Secrecy.

It was also her duty to teach the children to respect the villagers, and Halloween the Muggle way was the perfect opportunity to do it. Even though none of the children top the age of two, yet, they still heard their parents being friendly and polite, and learned from it. Hermione and Harry had both even attempted to say "Thank you." Of course it came out, "Tk you" in Hermione's case and "you-you" in Harry's. But they were the out going pair, Neville and Draco had been silent and shy the entire time.

At the end of the night, not long after the children had all fallen asleep, the Longbottoms, Potters, and Grangers apparated home, thus leaving Samantha and Draco on the path to the Hall. She could feel the foreboding in the air as she hurried up the path. Draco had nearly woken three times, whimpering all the while as the night's air became colder and heavier. Jonathan had flung open the heavy Great Door and ushered her inside even as he flicked his wand to lower the ancient heavy gate.

Even two hours later, Samantha was still wishing for a moat, and drawbridge. She told herself again, as she laid Draco in his bed, that she was being ridiculous. She left his room and moved to the Dining Hall, where Jonathan had laid out all of the candy the boy had collected. Just as Samantha remembered, the villagers had been all to eager to load the child with sweets. She was about to begin casting detection and preservation spells when three bodies suddenly appeared on her floor. With a cry of despair, which set off the newly arrived baby, Samantha realized that the Potters had been betrayed.

Lilly was most definitely dead, her face peaceful, not a mark on her body. The Killing Curse then. But James, her long time friend who was raised alongside her, was covered in blood and still breathing, albeit barely. Jonathan was already casting healing spells so Samantha moved over to little Harry. He was bleeding also, but only from his forehead and not profusely. Leaving the little family to Jonathan, Samantha floo-called her other vassals, and Amelia Bones, the head of the Auror Corps.