~ You're a memory, a fingerprint on the film.

You're a shadow in the sun, now it's your time to burn. ~

***

It was Halloween night, exactly a month after Harry's first birthday. James, Lily and little Harry were in the living room, sitting together as they weren't allowed to have any other company but themselves.

It was supposed to be for their safety, Dumbledore had strictly warned them not to leave Godric Hollow, no matter what happened. Hence, Harry's first birthday had passed without any celebration too and by then the little family had gotten a lot bored of the isolation.

They were only allowed to sent letters and those too were first sent to the Order Headquarters then dispatched to the recipients carefully so that there would be lesser risk of interception. James had written regularly to Felicity, knowing that she had been dealing with a severe loss all on her own.

Sirius and Remus did their best to care for her and Alicia had moved in with them to look after Fel too, but the Order missions kept both busy and it was just Alicia who would be with her at all times.

James wanted so bad to go to her and comfort her, she was his best friend after all and he couldn't bear to see her falling apart. But he couldn't leave Godric Hollow hence he couldn't pay her a visit.

She had written back to him just once though he received letters from Remus regularly, updating him on her recovery. It was a slow and painful process but Felicity had started to get somewhat better than her terrifyingly unresponsive state earlier.

Recently, she had gone to Italy to visit her mother upon Remus and Sirius's suggestion. They knew seeing her mother after so long would help her get better and after all, Esther missed her daughter a lot too and it was only fair that the two got to meet even if it was for just a few days. 

It was time to put Harry to sleep so James had brought out his guitar to play a lullaby on it to Harry while Lily would sing to the tune. Though as James struck the chords, he couldn't help but recall the last time all their friends had gathered together at his place before his and Lily's wedding.

He had played different songs for them on his guitar and they had all had a lovely time together. They were all happy back then. Marlene was still alive and the war though brimming up hadn't struck the Wizarding World with full force then.

At the current moment, it all seemed like a wistful dream. 

Lily looked down at her son who was almost asleep, green eyes soft with adoration but a sad look crossing her features, "I hope the war ends soon. All of us have had enough..."

"I hope so too," James replied, putting the guitar down as he reached out to gently cup her face, "we can only hope."

"I don't like being cooped in here," she resumed, "we are Aurors, both of us. We should be fighting against the Dark Forces yet here we are..."

James knew Lily got upset sometimes and it depended on him to calm her down, "my lovely Lily flower, the reason we are asked to stay here is because of Harry's safety. You remember the Prophecy that Dumbledore mentioned, don't you?"

She nodded but kept silent, letting him resume.

"There's a high chance that he knows about it too," his voice had turned low and he refrained from saying the name out loud as it was common knowledge that the name was taboo.

Whoever uttered Lord Voldemort's name would risk his or her location being compromised. They could certainly not risk it at the moment.

Little did they know that their location had already been revealed to the Dark Lord who had approached heir house and was standing outside, ready to bombard the door and end the young soul that was prophesized to be the Wizarding World's savior.

And little did they know that the person who had given out their information was Peter Pettigrew, their secret keeper. 

But before James could continue to tell Lily more about why it was necessary for them to stay hidden in Godric Hollow, a crashing sound startled them and they turned to see the front door blown off its hinges.

Their faces paled and James had immediately come before his wife and child as a shield, his hazel eyes shifting in conflict for he knew he did not have his want at the moment and if it was really the Dark Lord who had tracked them down, it meant they were all about to die.

Just like Marlene and countless others who had become prey to Voldemort's rise to Dark power.

"Is it him...?" Lily had scooped Harry up in her arms and backed off, slightly trembling for she could see that James would not be able to fight the Dark Lord off without losing his life.

She could see her world crumbling apart right in front of her and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Lily, take him and go," his voice was urgent as he pushed her up the stairs.

"But James... I can't leave you..."

"Just go," the footsteps had drawn near and James's eyes focused on the doorway where a dark hooded figure stood.

"Hello, James Potter," the eerie voice chilled him to the bone as Voldemort removed the hood from his face, blood red irises piercing through hazel and the yew wand pointed straight at him.

Right then as he saw Voldemort standing before him, the realization that dawned upon him was worse than knowing that he would not survive the fight.

The only way he could have found where the Potters were hiding was if their Secret Keeper revealed their location.

Peter was their Secret Keeper. And since Voldemort had found where they were and had showed up to end them, it all pointed in one direction.

His friend had betrayed them. Wormtail, the boy he had been friends with since school years and considered him as a brother, had betrayed him.

"Now James, I am not here to cause any chaos. Just let me get rid of your son and I will spare both you and Lily," the Dark Wizard had stepped forward, his wand held threateningly in front of him, "both of you are young, you can have more children. Surely, you wouldn't want to die for just one boy?"

Anger shot up through his veins and he knew there was no way he would let the Dark Wizard hurt Harry, not until he was alive. "I won't let you hurt even an inch of my son."

"Terrible decision indeed," he cackled, knowing full well that James didn't have a wand at the moment and he was defenseless, "you don't even have a wand right now to duel me. And suppose even if you had your wand, how could you possibly win a duel against Lord Voldemort? So the better option for you is to step aside and let me get this over with."

His jaw clenched as he stood at the foot of the stairs akin to a firm barrier, "you shall not pass."

Blood red irises flickered in amusement as he taunted, "what are you going to do to stop me?"

James's clenched fist landed right on his face in a jaw breaking punch, "this."

Voldemort surely hadn't been expecting that as he stumbled back but regained control, anger flaring up inside him upon being punched by the man in front of him.

"I don't know whether I should call this courage or stupidity," he mumbled darkly, binding James's wrists with a flick of his wand before another punch could land on his face to flatten his nose, "I gave you a chance but you leave me no choice... Avada Kedavra!"

The jet of green light struck him square in the chest and those hazel eyes turned glassy as he fell down. Voldemort stepped over him as he went up the stairs to the nursery, finding both Lily and Harry inside.

Lily couldn't bring herself to disapparate and leave James alone to deal with Voldemort and by the tears rolling down her cheeks, it was clear that she knew her husband had just been murdered.

Just like James had stood as a shield for Lily and Harry, she too came in front of her son and refused to step out of the way.

Voldemort had been asked by his Death Eater Snape to pardon Lily and he had no intention of killing her. However, as she did not let him kill Harry, he had to get her out of the way too.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Another jet of green light and another body fell to the floor in a lifeless heap. At last, Voldemort was facing the toddler who was destined to be the Chosen One, the only wizard who could be his match and cause his demise.

However, he had to get rid of him once and for all before the boy got the chance to grow up and stand before him as an equal.

The yew wand that had already casted two killing curses was pointed at the one year old as Voldemort said the final curse, "Avada Kedavra!"

However, instead of hitting the child, the curse backfired much to the Dark Lord's horror as a shield had formed around the child out of nowhere. Little did he know that as both of Harry's parents had sacrificed themselves for their child, their love had casted a powerful shield charm which had made even that intense killing curse backfire towards the caster.

Voldemort's blood red irises widened in disbelief as the curse hit him instead and a shrill scream of agony escaped him as he felt himself disintegrate. The intensity of the backfired curse was so terrible that it reduced the whole house to smithereens and Voldemort himself dissolved into nothingness.

Green light enveloped the ruins of the house and when it faded at last after a really long time, everything in that house was smashed and it spoke of destruction.

Yet there was one living soul that had mysteriously survived even among such chaos.

Harry James Potter had become the only mortal to survive the killing curse and also the only mortal who had somehow defeated Lord Voldemort.

***