Not-So-Perfectly Normal

It was a perfectly normal morning in Godric's Hollow. Streams of light were just beginning to poke through the red and gold leaves of the trees and the sun's warmth was breaking through the crisp autumn air. The inhabitants of the quaint little village were just beginning to awaken: mothers preparing tea, fathers getting dressed for work, and little children already jumping in excitement for the celebrations that were to occur that night.

It was very much the same in one little house, invisible to its neighbors. The mother was cooking breakfast and the father, after having kissed his wife good morning, was heading to the nursery to awaken their child. The child, only a little over a year of age, could not yet understand the other children's excitement. He was giggling happily, however, not because of the upcoming festivities, but instead at the sight of his father, who picked him out of his cradle to join the mother for breakfast. It was in this little home that Lily and James Potter lived under the Fidelius Charm, secluded from the outside world, in order to protect their small son from an evil wizard. They knew that Voldemort wanted to kill their son. They did not know why, but they did not question it. It did not matter to them as long as Harry was kept safe. The little family, unknowing of what was to soon befall them, began, what they believed to be, a perfectly normal day.

"James?" Lily Potter called to her husband who was currently putting their son in his highchair, "Would you please get Harry's juice while I prepare some food for him?"

"Of course, dear," After making sure Harry was secure, James Potter walked towards the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of juice.

"Honey," James addressed his wife as he poured some juice into Harry's cup, "did Padfoot say he was coming over today or tomorrow?"

"He said he wanted to come over tonight after checking on Peter," Lily answered as she set a bowl of mashed peas and carrots in front of the messy-haired baby, "but he wasn't sure if he would be able to make it. He said he wanted to give Harry something for being trapped inside today. He sounded a little overly-excited."

James chucked, "You know Sirius. He would dress up himself if he could. In fact," James looked thoughtful, "I half expect him to come over tonight dressed up in some silly costume."

Lily sighed, "Why would that not surprise me? At least he won't eat all the candy this year, like he did last year."

James laughed, "He's not going to try that again after you turned his hair Slytherin colors last time."

Lily smirked, "Oh, I'll be far more creative this time." The two parents laughed as they sat down at the table to enjoy a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, and pumpkin juice. They chatted about anything and everything they could think of, and, for a short while, it was like there was no war surrounding their lives, no threat to their son who was putting his bowl on his head, giggling in delight at the mess he was making. For once in a long time, everything was normal.

"Harry? Don't you want to play with Prongs?" It was late morning and James was waving a stuffed stag in front of Harry, trying to tempt him to play with it. The emerald-eyed baby just giggled and clapped his hands.

"Pa'foo'" Harry crawled over to where a stuffed black dog was lying on the ground, picked it up, and began to suck on one of its ears.

Lily laughed, looking up from the book she had been reading. "Stop pouting, James," she scolded, for of course James had started pouting the moment Harry picked up the dog. This just caused James to pout more and Harry to laugh at his father's put out expression.

"Oh, yeah. Take her side." James complained to Harry, causing Lily to giggle. James smiled at his wife's laughter, which had become rare ever since they went into hiding.

"You seem really happy today." James looked at the red-head with curiosity.

"Yeah, well, I just came to the realization that life is short," she sighed, "With this war, we never know when we're going to die. We could be dead by tomorrow, for all we know! I figured it was better to enjoy life while we still have it rather than brood over when it's going to end."

James sighed, "I guess you're right. But, who knows? This war could be over by tomorrow! We could be out of hiding and celebrating that old Voldy is finally gone!" James pushed his glasses back up his nose and smiled, "Someday this will all be over, Lily. This war won't last forever."

Lily gave a small smile, but almost immediately frowned again. "I just don't want Harry to have to grow up in a world of war." She stared sadly at the small child who was tottering around the room.

"Neither do I, Lily. Neither do I."

Lily moaned as she slumped onto the sofa after putting Harry down for an afternoon nap. James plopped down next to her and kissed her forehead. "What's wrong Lily-flower?"

She smiled slightly at the nickname and turned to look into his hazel eyes. Sighing for the hundredth time that day, she said, "It's just…everything, you know? The war, the living in constant fear, you just can't get away from it."

"I know. You just need some kind of distrac…"

Ding!

"Perfect!" James sat up suddenly. "A floo-call. I wonder if it's Wormtail or Padfoot."

The couple walked towards the fire to see Sirius Black's face staring at them.

"Hey, Prongs, Lily," Sirius smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Potter.

"Hello, Sirius." Lily smiled back kindly.

"Hey, Padfoot. What's going on? Is something wrong?" James' face fell at this thought.

"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to let you know I plan to drop by tonight after I check up on Peter. I should be there around eleven."

Lily smiled, "That sounds great! Harry would be so glad to see you, but he'll probably already be asleep by then…Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"What is that on your head?" Lily crossed her arms disapprovingly.

"You like it?" Sirius taunted her, "I dressed up like all the Muggles do."

"I got that, Sirius, but do I even want to know what you are supposed to be?" Lily was beginning to worry.

"I'm a pumpkin!" Sirius declared happily, "See? The stem is the hat."

Lily gave an exasperated sigh and put her head in her hand, "I was right. I didn't want to know."

James, on the other hand, was laughing hysterically. Lily glared at her husband then, at the sound of more laughter, shifted her glare to the head in the fireplace. "You better not wear that thing when you come over tonight. I don't want Harry to have nightmares about giant pumpkins."

"Aww, but Lily!" Sirius put on his best puppy-dog face, which almost broke Lily since he had actually turned into his dog counterpart. She remained firm, however.

"Sirius," she threatened, "do we want a repeat of last year?"

Back as a human, Sirius' eyes widened, "No, no that's alright." Lily smirked. "I'll take it off before I visit Wormy, okay?"

"Thank you," Lily smiled smugly and Sirius let out a sigh of relief.

After James finally stopped laughing, for he had been laughing for the past ten minutes, they said their goodbyes and James and Lily headed upstairs to check on their sleeping son.

"It looks like the storm might start up again." Lily had opened up the curtains to watch the rain fall outside. Sometime that afternoon, storm clouds had overtaken the village and the wind had become stronger as rain started to fall.

"Yeah. I hope Padfoot makes it here okay. He should be here in about an hour," James said as he walked up behind his wife.

"I just hope he doesn't track mud onto my clean carpet," Lily narrowed her eyes.

"It'll be fine." James pulled Lily away from the window.

Lily nodded and looked at Harry, who was sitting on the floor in his blue pajamas, "Harry should probably be going to bed soon, anyway. I'll go make us some hot cocoa and then we can put him to bed."

James smiled and told her that was fine.

"Hey, Harry." James turned to his son, after his wife had left the room. He pulled out his wand and started make puffs of coloured smoke appear: red, gold, orange…Harry started laughing and tried to grab the smoke.

James smiled as Lily came back into the sitting room a couple minutes later. She shook her head at her husband. "That's enough, James. It's time for Harry to go to bed."

James scooped up his son and handed him to Lily. He threw his wand down on the sofa and stretched, yawning, hoping that Padfoot would show up early so he could get to bed soon himself. He smiled as Lily turned to head up the stairs, and made to follow her, when the front door suddenly burst open.

Lily ducked to protect her son from the falling debris, while James sprinted into the hall. No. No. No. It can't be him, he thought, He can't be here! The charm! And then he saw him. Lord Voldemort was standing there with his wand pointed at James.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" But he knew it was pointless. He had left his wand in the sitting room. As Voldemort said those dreadful words, James could only hope that his wife and son would somehow survive this.

James' body fell to the ground and Lily screamed, having heard the curse being cast, knowing her husband was dead. She had run into the nursery and in her panic was barricading the door with a chair and some boxes. She stepped away from the door and hastily looked around for anything to help her as she tightly clutched her son. The door flew open and the boxes were forced to the side as Voldemort entered the room.

Lily quickly put Harry into the crib behind her and faced Voldemort, her arms spread out in an attempt to shield her son.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" She screamed in desperation.

"Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside, now."

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead—"

"This is my last warning—"

"Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…Not Harry! Not Harry! Please—I'll do anything—"

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"

And Harry watched, unknowingly, as Voldemort cast the curse and Lily gave her life to protect her only son, giving him the protection that would many times save his life. He watched as the man in the cloak pointed his wand at Harry. And Harry, not recognizing the stranger, began to cry. Then, a flash of green, and the cry was no longer one of fear, but one of pain, pain that he would not feel again for ten years, pain that would become even more terrible in thirteen, as a lightning bolt scar formed on his forehead, and the man in the cloak disappeared.

A day that started out perfectly normal was destined to be anything but. For today was October 31, 1981. And in twenty-four hours Harry Potter would be left on a doorstep in Little Whinging, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he had defeated the most evil man in living history, while witches and wizards around the country would be holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter—the boy who lived!"

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All direct quotes are ©J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.