I have to say Hagrid is kind of hard to write. Hope I did his style of speech justice. Also at this time Millicent Bagnold was Minister of Magic

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter

"Please take care of Harry and yourself. You know that I'll love you, always."

"James? But…you're dead."

James's face swam before Lily's eyes, looking different than he had before. He looked so full of vitality, much different than they had been since they first went into hiding.

"Please take care of Harry and yourself. You know that I'll love you, always," James repeated.

The face began to fade.

"Wait, James! Come back!"

Lily's vision changed. Tall, dark trees stood all around her, blocking her view of the sky above. All she knew was that she had to get to Harry, but she didn't know how.

A sudden sharp light blinded her. Wincing in pain she screwed up her eyes to see that it was shining through the trees as if from a great distance. She walked toward the light's origin, calling for help as she did so, but no matter how fast she strode she could never gain on the light. Nevertheless she saw that the light seemed to be retreating from her; as if it too could also move. She ran on, but the sound of hooves galloping in the distance distracted her.

"Who's there?" she called.

"Lily!" was the faint answer.

"Yes? Who's there?"

"Lily!" The voice grew louder. A hint of panic was in the voice, but it was not her own. It sounded…rough, yet far away.

"But I'm Lily…" she whispered.

"Lily, wake up!"

What?

"Harry's safe! Lily, wake up!"

Harry…

A piercing wail stabbed through her dream. In an instant Lily sat up, blinking in the sudden sunlight. She rose unsteadily, hands groping for purchase on the wall.

"Lily, yer up!"

"Ha-Hagrid?" Her eyes adjusted to see the gigantic gamekeeper's anxious face looking at her. In his arms lay a bundle of blankets with just a hint of black hair poking out.

"Harry!" She ran towards them, her arms outstretched. Hagrid delicately placed the baby into her arms. He peered at her anxiously with his beetle black eyes

"Are yeh okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered as she hugged the boy close to her. "Physically, I mean."

Hagrid twisted his hands in anxiety. "I don' know how ter tell yeh this, but-"

"I know," she answered softly. "James sacrificed himself to save us." Her voice took on a tone of pride for her husband. "Voldemort couldn't kill Harry because of James's love."

"He was a brave man," he said awkwardly.

"I want to see him," she said as she kissed Harry and handed him back to Hagrid

"I-okay…"

The stairs were in shambles. Lily wondered whether it was a result of the backfiring Killing Curse that had destroyed the roof. She gingerly picked her away among the splintered steps, ignoring the dull pain in her head from where Voldemort had sent her flying into the wall.

The living room was dirty. Debris from the ceiling and fallen into the room, giving everything a dusty sheen. Yet all Lily could see was the fallen figure by the front door. She rushed over to it, tears leaking from her eyes as she beheld her dead husband.

His eyes were mercifully closed. She did not know what she would have done if they had been open, staring sightlessly into the void, unknowing of her presence just above him. Had he closed his eyes when he gave his last to save them both? Or had Hagrid taken pity and shut them himself? She had a feeling it was the former.

James's body lay straight, he looked as if he had physically attempted to block Voldemort from entering their home. He would have done so, she thought. No matter how futile he'd take the smallest action to deny the Dark any chance to succeed.

"You deserve better, James," she whispered softly to his body. "A grand funeral, like your ancestors, with the entire wizarding world mourning at your loss."

No…she was being silly. She knew James would be perfectly happy with just her, Harry Sirius, Remus and Peter at his side.

Peter…had Voldemort broken him, tortured him to get the information out? They had only switched the Secret Keeper a few days before, but had the spy, whoever he or she was, found out. She had not believed for a second it was Remus, or anyone close to them. Perhaps it was a fringe Order member, like Mundungus, or an Auror who knew too much.

But the fact of the matter was that Voldemort could have only found them, if Peter had told, but she couldn't believe that he would do so willingly. No, he like Remus, was not a traitor…

The only answer Lily could see was that Peter had been tortured. He was susceptible to the Cruciatus Curse, having suffered under Antonin Dolohov's during the raid that killed James's parents, and then he must have talked, desperately. She could see it in her mind's eye, Voldemort's torture, Peter's slip, and then the Killing Curse… Sadness, mixed with anger coursed through her; she could see no other way for Voldemort to have known their location.

Footsteps sounded behind her, she turned to see Hagrid holding her baby boy. Harry reached for her, so she gathered him into his arms.

"Da!" he exclaimed, pointing at James. Hagrid blew his nose loudly behind them.

"I'm sorry, Harry," she whispered as she bounced him on her knee. "Daddy's gone."

"Da seep."

Lily choked back a sob. "No, he's not sleeping, little one."

"Seepin!"

"I'm so sorry."

Hagrid wiped the tears from his eyes. "Dumbledore sent me to take yeh two outta the house ter bring yeh ter yer sister's."

"Petunia?" Lily was horrified. "No, no, not like this, not now, I can't deal with her now!"

"Tha's alright, tha's alright," said Hagrid, soothingly. "Er… well Dumbledore said he'd meet us there, per'aps yeh can talk ter him an' let him know yeh don' want ter see her."

"How did he know about what happened?" she questioned him.

"Dunno, great wizard he is, mebbe it's part of the charm he put," Hagrid ventured.

As they walked out of the house, Lily noticed that the sun was setting, not rising like she thought when she had come to.

"Hagrid, what time is it?"

"Er... six o' clock."

"In the evening?"

Hagrid looked her over anxiously. "Yes. Yeh sure yer okay?"

"And today is?"

"November 1st."

Lily raised her hand to her mouth. "I've been unconscious for almost an entire day." She rushed back inside towards the kitchen. She grabbed her wand, which still lay on a countertop, and threw open the fridge, grabbing a jar of baby food and a chilled bottle of milk that she hurriedly warmed with a spell. She rushed back outside and almost jammed it down Harry's throat. Thankfully her son did not fuss, but immediately began to drink.

"Poor Harry, he must have been so frightened," she said to Hagrid. "I lay there for an entire day, and he had no idea what must have happened."

"Aye, no kid should have ter live through tha'" he agreed.

"Hagrid, can you grab a bedsheet from the laundry?" she asked as she fed Harry. "It's the room next Harry's."

"Of cours'" he answered, and within a minute he was back downstairs. Lily gently handed Harry off to him and gingerly placed the sheet over James's body.

"I'm not leaving without him," she said firmly, though she could see in Hagrid's eyes that the gentle giant agreed completely. The gamekeeper stooped low to pick James up.

"I have transportation," he said as he indicated a large motorcycle by the front gate.

Lily stared at the familiar looking vehicle.

"That looks just like Sirius's bike."

"It is," he replied. Borrowed it offa him just outside the hous'. Very keen on lettin' me have it, he did, said he wasn't gonna be needing it any longer."

Lily clapped a hand to her mouth. "Did you tell him I was still alive? Did you, Hagrid?"

Hagrid looked alarmed at her sudden anxiety.

"I tried ter, but Sirius wasn't payin' attention. He knew Harry was still alive 'cause we could hear him crying from where we were, and he wanted me to give him ter him, but I said no, and I tried ter tell him you were still alive, but after I said no, he seemed ter not pay attention. He gave me the bike ter transport Harry and then Disapparated."

"Oh no," Lily moaned. "Oh no, we have to find him! I'm the only one now who knows the switch! They're going to go after him!"

"I don' under-"

"I'll explain it later," she said hurriedly. "But it'll take too long to take the bike. We're going to have to Apparate."

"With Harry?" said a worried looking Hagrid. "Don't the guidelines say tha' children under 3 shouldn-"

"I know, but there's an innocent man's life at stake," she answered hurriedly. She clutched Harry close to her body as Hagrid gathered James's body close. They clasped hands, and within a second, Godric's Hollow disappeared before their eyes to be replaced by the driveway of Number Four, Privet Drive.

For once the sight of the stuffy house was a pleasant one for Lily. After quickly checking on Harry, she hurriedly looked around, but could see no sign of Dumbledore.

"Where is he, Hagrid?" she asked hurriedly.

"He said he was gonna meet me when I returned. The flight was supposed ter be 'bout four hours so mebbe he'll come at ten."

"I'll have to send a Patronus then," she muttered distractedly. "Hopefully it'll reach him before anything bad happens."

"Meow!"

A tabby cat jumped down from a nearby wall, and in an instant turned into the familiar figure of Minerva McGonagall.

"Lily!"

"Professor!"

They hugged each other close and then released.

"The rumors," choked out Lily's former Head of House as he looked over her former student and her baby son. "They said you and James had died fighting Voldemort."

Lily choked back another sob. McGonagall's eyes travelled from her face to the shrouded figure in Hagrid's arms.

"No!"

"He was a hero," Lily whispered. "He saved us both."

She explained the story as quickly as she could to her former Head of House. When she was done, Professor McGonagall smiled sadly at her.

"He'll be remembered as such."

"Will he be remembered by Harry? By his one year old son who lost him so early? That's what I care about."

Minerva didn't know how to answer.

"I'm sorry," she said patting Lily on the back.

Lily sniffed but almost immediately remembered why she had come.

"Have you seen Dumbledore?" she asked.

"I believe Albus is supposed to come here later. I had thought he was bringing Harry to live here, before I knew you were alive, but he would have known that you survived; it was part of the Fidelius Charm."

Lily nodded jerkily, one of her questions being answered.

"I was…well…spying on your sister to see whether Harry would have a good life here."

"He wouldn't," Lily said sharply. "Not if I know my sister and her pettiness, but it doesn't matter now, I'm alive." She looked into her former teacher's eyes. " I'll have to send Dumbledore a Patronus."

"Is it anything pressing?" McGonagall asked. "He will be at the Ministry, I can fetch him here quickly."

"It's about Sirius," Lily blurted out, but she was surprised at the sudden look of hostility that spread on Professor McGonagall's face.

"Ah yes, Black," she hissed. "Don't worry, Lily, we'll track him down. We know he's still alive so he must have given you up willingly."

Oh right she thought. "No! It wasn't him."

"Lily-" McGonagall said placatingly, but she was cut off.

"We switched Secret Keepers, Sirius is innocent!"

Professor McGonagall's mouth fell open in shock. "What?" she asked weakly.

"Three days ago we decided to switch Secret Keepers from Sirius to Peter," Lily explained quickly. "Sirius knew he was being watched by Death Eaters so he wanted to keep coming after him so they'd leave Peter alone. Peter must've been discovered and had the information tortured out of him!"

"He's innocent?" McGonagall's shock immediately wore off. That was one of the best things about her, Lily thought privately. McGonagall was always ready to recover from unpleasant news, something which served her well in the era of the Marauders' pranks.

"Well then, we must get to the Ministry quickly!" she said decisively. The group grabbed onto each other closely. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the driveway of Number Four, Privet Drive disappeared, to be replaced by the bustling downtown of night-time London.

Whispers followed the rushing group down the hallways of the Ministry of Magic.

"Lily Potter!"

"Yes I heard she survived!

"Was that the gamekeeper holding James…"

"And the son's there too, I heard he defeated You-Know-Who just like that!"

"A baby, really?"

"He must have some uncommon power…"

"I heard they're going to see Minister Bagnold and Dumbledore…"

The group burst into Bagnold's office soon after they arrived, completely startling Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Minister of Magic Millicent Bagnold and the Head of Magical Law Enforcement, Bartemius Crouch Senior.

"What is the meaning…Lily Potter?"

The Minister of Magic looked completely taken aback as Dumbledore smiled warmly at the group.

"I'm sorry to hear of your loss, Ms. Potter," he said kindly as his eyes traveled over all of them. He paused when saw who Hagrid was holding.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure arrangements for James," he said sadly. He took off his brilliant purple travelling cloak and wrapped it around the bedsheet which held James. Some assistants gently took the body from Hagrid and led to an antechamber. Lily made to follow but recalled the reason she had come.

"It's about Sirius-" she began but she was cut off by Minister Bagnold.

"Don't worry, Ms. Potter, we're on his trail," she said confidently. "We know he's in London and we have half the Aurors searching the city for him.

"We know he's been jumping around randomly," said Barty Crouch stiffly, "no doubt searching for a safehouse or something, but we already have Aurors stationed outside his ancestral home Grimmauld Place in case he tries to make contact with his parents."

Lily had enough of the constant interruptions. "HE'S INNOCENT!" she roared.

Harry started to shriek in dismay at his mother's tone, so she bounced him up and down as she explained the shocked looking occupants of the room.

The words tumbled out of her in a rush. "James and I switched Secret Keepers to Peter Pettigrew to throw off suspicion since Sirius found out he was being tracked by Death Eaters. They must have found out and broken Peter," she said rapidly, willing them to immediately call off the search.

Minister Bagnold whispered into her personal assistant's ear, who immediately scurried out of the room.

"Wait…whose idea was it to make the switch?" Mr. Crouch asked shrewdly.

"Sirius's" she answered hotly, not liking the tone in his voice.

"So who's to say he didn't send He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named after Pettigrew to torture and kill him so as to alleviate suspicion from himself?" he asked.

Lily stared at him open mouthed. She honestly had no proof this wasn't the case, but her gut feeling told her that Padfoot would never betray the three of them.

"I just know, all right!" she practically shouted in reply.

Crouch did not look convinced. He adopted a kindly tone, that only managed to sound condescending.

"I know you've suffered a lot today, Ms. Potter, and I know Black's betrayal must strike you hard, but it looks probable that-"

"He didn't betray us!" she shrieked, setting off Harry again.

Dumbledore sent Crouch a warning look which he ignored but before he could say anything further, Bagnold's assistant raced back into the room.

"Just checked with the Hit Wizard Squad," she gasped, as Bagnold offered her a drink. "They contacted Pettigrew's mother…he was just at her apartment three hours ago, packing up clothes…"

"Peter's alive?" Lily gasped. The floor seemed to swim underneath her and she fell backward...onto a chintzy armchair that Dumbledore quickly conjured.

"Then…then…."

"Then Peter was the spy," said Dumbledore, whose face was now a mask of cold fury.

"He betrayed us?" Lily could not believe it. Not Peter… she had thought he must have given them up under torture…but not like this… not by betrayal…

"Wasn't it Peter who gave us the most evidence that Remus was the traitor?" asked Professor McGonagall, who had now taken baby Harry into her arms.

"Yes," the Headmaster answered briefly. "It was him who told us that Remus had visited the McKinnon's before their murders, and other evidence as well. I'm such a fool for suspecting Remus and now Sirius." He looked ready to ask Lily to forgive him, but a look from McGonagall made him reconsider.

Footsteps sounded outside the office door, and another figure walked in.

"Auror Shacklebolt," said Minister Bagnold crisply. "Any news?"

Kingsley Shacklebolt looked at Lily sadly, though she gave him a brief smile. James, Sirius and Kingsley had been part of the same Auror class and before the new phase of the war, they'd had weekly poker games at Sirius's place.

"We believe Sirius is after Pettigrew. One of the sightings had him a few blocks south of Pettigrew's mother's place, and another was the apartment next to Pettigrew's home."

"Alright," said Mr. Crouch, for the first time since his certainty about Sirius's guilt had been shattered. "If we find Black, we find Pettigrew. Get to it."

Kingsley turned to leave, but Lily could see that her husband's friend was rolling his eyes at Crouch's unhelpful order. She could imagine what he thought; for it was probably similar to her own Did Crouch not think that Kingsley and the Aurors had already figured that obvious bit of information out? Nevertheless, after giving Lily a sympathetic look, Kingsley walked out.

"We'll find arrangements for you and Harry," said Dumbledore. "We might have to have it the Ministry itself, it's too dangerous elsewhere, in case there are other Death Eaters besides Peter wandering around London or looking for revenge. I know here are extra rooms for employees who work overtime and for the guards working the night shift."

"Lily can have my room," said Minister Bagnold. "It's to crash in when I need to stay nights in the Ministry when there is a crisis."

"Thank you Minister, but won't you need it for tonight?" she asked. After this seemed like a major crisis to her.

"I have a feeling I'll be up all night gathering reports from the Magical Law Enforcement Department and making statements to the press," she said ruefully. "I'll sleep in an extra room if needed, but tonight you and your son are more important."

"I…thank you again," she choked out. Though she had only awoken from her brief coma a few hours ago, she was feeling extremely tired, and as Professor McGonagall handed Harry back to her, she could see he was already dozing.

"I'll send a Patronus to Remus Lupin, informing him of what has happened," said Dumbledore as he, Hagrid and Minerva walked Lily into the sleeping quarters. "You are certain you do not wish to stay with your sister?"

"No," she said firmly, trying to keep her exhaustion at bay. "I know how she'll act, and if I deal with her now, I'm likely to curse her."

"Very well then," Dumbledore answered. "Don't' worry, we'll get Peter and make sure Sirius is safe…and…" he paused for a second. "I'll make sure the arrangements are made for James."

"Thank you," Lily said warmly as she bade good night to the three of them, bestowing extra thanks on Hagrid for what he done for her and Harry.

"Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day," she whispered to her sleeping son when they were alone. She conjured a crib and placed him gently in it. Within moments of laying down on the guest bed, Lily was fast asleep

Hope you all enjoyed, and sorry about the long wait. Please read and review!