I couldn't leave you all on that cliffhanger for too long. I also may be avoiding adulting.

M.

Chapter 8

October 31, 1981

Lily froze. Now? Already? Why now? What was significant about today?

"James" Her father in law's voice unfroze her and she looked at her husband. He was covered in mud and-

"Is that blood on you?" she asked. "Where have you been?"

"There's no time for that now. This is our chance, Lily. You and Dad need to get out of here." James was rushing around the room Grabbing her cloak and emergency bag for her.

"What are you talking about James. You are not staying." She exclaimed. Harry still in her arms started to cry again at the tension in the room.

"Lily, Harry needs you and Dad. The blood magic has the best chance of working with a parent not a grandparent. You need to go now." James had a wild look in his eyes. Why wouldn't she understand? There was no time.

"James Fleamont Potter," his father's voice boomed causing everyone, even Harry, to stop talking and to look at him. "You do not barge in here and -"

"This is my house!" James protested.

"Do not interrupt me, son. You do not barge in here, after panicking your wife and tell her that you are going to take my place in the sacrifice. That is not a reasonable course of action."

"I-" James looked at Lily and really saw how wrecked she looked.

"I am not finished. You are not the head of this family yet and as such is it not up to you who will be the sacrifice." James looked thunderous at that.

"He is my son. I will do what I must to protect my family."

"You are my son. I will do what I must to ensure the survival of our family line." The two Potter men stared at each other furiously until James felt little arms wrap around his leg.

"Dadada" James looked down and saw his tearful son clinging to him.

"James, how long do we have?" Lily asked. She sat down trying to process. He was coming. Today.

"I have been tracking the Death Eaters these past few weeks now that I have the cloak. I was able to get onto the Malfoy grounds and hide until they had a meeting. I heard the plan. They are attacking three families tonight before us to spread the Order thin. The Weasleys, the Abbotts, and the Smiths have all been alerted and moved to Hogwarts with a glamour left in their place. Padfoot assured me of it. But when they have been foiled three times tonight there will be no mercy when they arrive. I don't know when but soon." James looked at his wife hoping she would understand.

"Why didn't you tell me that was what you were doing? You could have been killed. No one could find you and I couldn't leave." Lily could feel her temper starting to rise.

"Lily, those are excellent questions but now is not the time. Is the portkey ready? How fast will you be able to return once that attack has started? Who will stand with you? Who do you trust?" Charlus remained stoic. He and Dorea had said their goodbyes and agreed that she would stay away until the dust settled to ensure that if the worst happened Harry would have at least one person who loves him survive.

James and Lily stared at Charlus. Who did they trust?

"We trust family."

"Good. Now their pattern is not to attack until night. The intelligence that you have gathered James would suggest that we have until this evening to prepare. Lily you need to prepare the runes that will mark the sacrifice. James you need to contact those that are trusted and have them meet you at Bagshot's. Her home is aptly located and I have it on good authority that she is currently in France seeing an old friend. I will contact your mother and inform her of your safety and that she needs to apparate to the cottage on the Isle of Skye." Charlus turned away from the young family and went into the back garden. The time had come. He was to greet death as his ancestor had - with open arms.

Inside the kitchen James, Lily, and Harry paused looking out the window at Charlus who stood like a statue in the garden.

James looked at Lily and asked, "What do you need from me?"

He had disappointed her; he had left her for days; when he was home he hadn't been present; he had tried to become the sacrifice himself. There was only one thing he could do.

"Live." With that Lily went up to Harry's nursery to prepare the runes needed for the ritual and to pack a few precious mementos that wouldn't be noticeable if they were gone.

"Emmy" James called out from the living room.

With a *POP* Emmy appeared in the little living room of the cottage.

"What can Emmy do for Mister James Sir?" she asked.

"I need you to go ensure that Bathilda Bagshot is not currently home then I need you to find Sirius. If he is alone and in a safe position have him come directly here. Tell him that it is nearly time." With another *POP* Emmy was gone. He looked around the little cottage that he and Lily had been living in for months. The place where Harry had taken his first steps, rode his first broom, said his first word. Nothing could be taken or Voldemort would know that he had been had.

"Prongs" Sirius walked through the front door dressed for battle in the Black Family duelling robes. "Who else is coming? Moony? Andy and Ted? Frank and Alice? Mad-Eye? Fleamont and Marie?"

"I haven't called anyone else yet. After Peter who outside the family can we trust?" James said. "Also it is a full moon tonight. Moony is out of commission for this one."

Sirius nodded. "How many of the bastards will come do you think?"

"Realistically? With the other attacks that will happen tonight, I reckon just Him. If we are unlucky he will bring a force with him but considering his arrogance I'm fairly confident saying it will only be him tonight." James sat down on the couch. Harry was still clinging to his legs so he picked up the little boy. Merlin, he hoped that Harry would never remember this night.

"Do you think we will have to fight? What will Lily's ritual do exactly? Does Aurora even know? She was the one who pointed her in that direction right?" Sirius conjured a little black dog stuffy for Harry that immediately delighted the sad little boy.

"Pafooo" Harry grabbed the soft toy and hugged it with all the force of a one-year-old.

"He's worth it all," Sirius said with a slight grin.

"He is" Charlus' voice came from the back doorway. "Go get cleaned up son. Then we need to share a few words before you depart. Who else is coming besides the dog?"

Sirius grinned at his uncle and adoptive father figure. "Am I not enough uncle?"

"No," Charlus said simply.

"Right. Well, I'll call Andy and Ted. Are we keeping it in the family only? Do we want to have someone on the outside call the aurors or order when the attack starts? Control the aftermath?"

"Have your father call the aurors. I don't want Dumbledore and his lot anywhere near this or Harry. He cannot get his hands on that boy before you, James, and Lily return. Have Minerva keep him in the castle tonight." Charlus' mind was going through all possibilities of how this could fail.

While watching his uncle think through the strategy it dawned on Sirius that this was one of his last conversations with Charlus. He walked over to him and engulfed him in a hug and whispered "Thanks for everything pops. I'll do what I can to keep them out of trouble."

With a chuckle, Charlus patted the young man on the back. "You always seemed better at keeping you and James in trouble."

The two men ended their embrace. "Go Sirius. Go get the others and wait at Bathilda's and for Merlin's sake don't break anything."

Sirius nodded at James. James may be at a loss for who to trust but Sirius had a few ideas of who would answer the call.

Charlus looked at his son. "We need to talk."

James looked up from Harry. He had been trying to give Sirius and his father a bit of privacy. "Yes, we do."

"First I will talk and you will listen," began Charlus. "You will take your wife to safety and stay there with her. You will not come back here and prevent my sacrifice. This is the last order I will give you as head of the House. Am I clear?"

"Yes, father" James had set his jaw. In all his years his father had only issued him 3 orders as head of the Potters. He was unable to disobey.

"Good. Now I have left letters for you, Lily, your mother, and Harry in my personal Vault at Gringotts. The Goblins have my last will and testament. It was updated on Harry's birthday. As heir, you will need to ascend to head within 7 days of my death or forfeit the position to Fleamont and his daughter Eloide. I gave Harry his heir ring today. It has a variety of protections on it which will be activated after the ritual. It should help hide him from the likes of Dumbledore and those who would use him for their own benefit. Never have him take it off."

James didn't say anything. He had tried for the past month to avoid this conversation with his father. He had gone to every contact to find a way to kill Voldemort or to sacrifice himself to no avail. He had failed his family and now his father would die.

"Stop" James looked up at his father's word. "You have not failed. I made this choice James. You know the story of our cloak. I will meet that long awaited friend with open arms as every Peverall before me has. It is an honour to die to protect my son and grandson. It is a gift that I can and am willing to give."

"It should be me." James said.

"It shouldn't. It won't be you. How were you raised James?" Charlus looked at his son and saw him struggling with the answer.

"I was taught family before all else."

"That was not the question James."

"He was raised with love and support." Came a voice from the stairs. Lily walked over and sat beside James.

"Yes he was. It is to you to raise Harry in the same fashion." Charlus smiled down at the fierce beauty who had captivated the family. Lily had now been cowed by the Potters or the Blacks. She had not conformed but had brought new spark and light to the family while honouring their traditions.

"Lily," James began, she looked at him and he continued when he saw her eyes soften. "Sirius asked an interesting question earlier and I am embarrassed that none of us have asked yet. What is going to happen tonight. How does the ritual work. What will happen to Him?"

"Ah, well you see I don't exactly know."

"What!"

"Hear the girl out James." Charlus had asked Lily these questions and she had been able to answer.

"Okay well here's what will definitely happen. When the Dark Lord arrives and tears down the wards surrounding the house we will be notified. As members of the house and having out blood tied into the wards you, Harry, and I will feel as they come down. I imagine the shock will cause Harry to cry from his crib upstairs where the runes have been drawn behind paintings and under the area rug. Your father," she gestured at Charlus, "will appear to have been sleeping on the rocking chair and will act surprised when the Dark Lord follows Harry's cries upstairs. It is imperative that Charlus does not cast a spell against the Dark Lord as it would cause the magic to recognize that he is not a willing sacrifice. After it happens He will cast the curse on Harry. Due to the nature of the ritual and the power of the runes the curse will rebound off Harry and onto the Dark Lord."

"Will this kill him?" James asked in awe; could they really end the war?

"I don't know. We have seen him get hit with curses that should kill a person before and survive. I really don't know what will happen after which is why we need to leave Bathinda's as soon as the wards fall. We can assume that the anti-apparition wards will be put up as soon as He arrives."

The four Potters went quiet. Dusk was falling. They would need to go soon. With a drowsy Harry in her arms Lily led the Potter men up into the nursery. She put Harry down in his crib, kissed his forehead and whispered. "Mama loves you Harry. You are so loved."

She turned to Charlus tears coming to her eyes. She rushed to embrace the man. "Thank you" she said into his chest.

He wrapped his arms around the young woman and whispered "No thank you Lily for helping turn James into the man he always had the potential of being, for Harry, and for opening my mind and heart."

She sobbed against his chest for another few minutes before James gently pulled her away.

"Dad, I-" James was cut off by his father hugging him.

"Follow your heart James, always fight for what is right, and live a long and happy life." Charlus hugged his only child for the last time. He was ready.

He released James and looked at his son and daughter in law. With a sad smile he said "Go. It is time."

James and Lily apparated to Bathilda Bagshot's little flat 2 blocks from the cottage. When they arrived they were shocked to find Andromeda and Ted Tonks, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Aurora Lovegood, Cyrus and Claudia Greengrass, Eloide Potter, and Lucille Davis.

"What?" James was at a loss for words. What were they all doing here. "Eloide? Frank?"

"Family is both blood and bonds James" Cyrus said. "When Black called and said family was needed we answered."

"But your children!" Lily cried looking at her friends."Eloide you are a child! You should not be here."

"Please Lily. Do not dishonour me by asking me to not stand with my family. We are Potters. We fight together." She tossed her blonde head as her hazel eyes flashed with annoyance.

"The children are safe Lily. Your child is not. If we called you would come," said Lucille.

"When we have called you have come," said Alice.

"Enough of this," Aurora looked around at her former classmates, "what do you need us to do?"

James and Lily looked at eachother. Since Peter's betrayal and Sybil's attack they had been so apprehensive to trust their friends and to contact anyone who did not share their name and blood. They had not wanted to risk anyone they loved or feel the sting of betrayal. Only Sirius who had had to learn that family was rarely those who you were born to would have pulled this group together.

"When the wards fall we need to surround the house. Take out any death eaters and ensure the safety of Harry. When we arrive it may not have happened yet or it may be over. Regardless only Lily and I will enter the house. You lot will need to secure the perimeter. Stay in pairs." James said to his friends. Sirius noted that James was standing taller as he took command, he looked older.

"Standard red sparks for trouble and green for the all clear?" asked Ted Tonks. Andromeda remained silent next to her husband. She and Sirius were well aware that they could end up fighting family tonight if the Dark Lord decides to bring his lieutenants.

"That will be fine," said Lily. She looked at Claudia, Lucielle, and Alice. Her closest friends had come and left their children for her. She didn't have words.

"While we are grateful for your friendship and for you coming to our aid. You will not make orphans of your children. If we are over numbered or the Dark Lord survives you all will save yourselves." James ordered.

"What!"

"No!"

"How dare you make such a request"

"It was not a request," Lily spoke over the protestating, "It may not come to that but if it does you must save yourselves. If James and I don't make it Harry will need you all."

"You better listen to her," said Cyrus, "I haven't seen her so serious -"

"I'm Sirius"

"- since James and I drunkenly drafted a marriage contract between Daphne and Harry."

"You what!" Shouted Alice Longbottom who while being the sweetest person any of them had known also had a penchant for gossip.

"Oh don't get your knickers in a bunch," Aurora laughed, "Lily and Claudia burned it and the rather expensive yet ugly table before the two morons could sign it in their blood."

A light chuckle ran through the group of friends.

Then Lily and James gasped out. The wards had fallen.

The group raced in pairs with Sirius and Lucille bringing up the back of the group. With James and Lily in the lead they were able to stupefy the two guards that had been left at the front of the house. The Greengrass's took care of binding them and standing guard at the front gate.

"Be careful there could be more" Called Frank. He and Alice took one side of the house while Andromeda and Ted raced for the back garden. Aurora and Eloide took the other side of the house to complete the border. Sirius would wait at the front door with Lucille while James and Lily ran inside.

*BOOM*

The house rocked in a flair of green light. A wall exploded above Alice and Frank who were trapped under the rubble.

James and Lily had been knocked down by the blow but quickly recovered and ran up the stairs. There was no sound coming from the nursery except for the fall of debris. Panicked Lily raced before James and froze as she entered the room.

Harry lay still in the crib with his eyes closed. On the floor in a spread eagle position lay Charlus. He appeared to have been attempting to block Voldemort from seeing Harry.

Lily raced passed her fallen father in law to her son. He was breathing but he was marked with an ugly lighting bolt gash on his forehead. James stood frozen looking at the scene from the doorway.

"James! Lily! You need to move! This place is going to collapse!" Sirius' voice called from below them where he was working with Andromeda to extricate the Longbottoms. "We need to get Frank to a Healer."

Lily looked behind her to her husband. He wasn't moving. He couldn't take his gaze from his father's body.

"Help!" She called out hoping that someone could hear her.

Cyrus raced up the stairs at Lily's call. "The Aurors are here" he told her. Looking at his friend he saw that James was in shock. In all their years and battles he had never seen James in shock before. He tried to grab him to guide him out of the unstable house but James shook off his grip. "Help me" he muttered and went to his father. Together he and Cyrus picked up the fallen Potter and carried him down the stairs with Lily and a sleeping Harry following.

The front of the house was utter chaos. Five death eaters lay bound and unconscious with a swarm of Aurors taking statements from the Potter's neighbours and friends.

Frank, Alice, and Eloide were being tended to by Andromeda and her fellow medi-witches and wizards.

Lucille was placing notice-me-not charms around the area to prevent the muggle police and civilians from approaching.

"Harry?" choked out James looking at his wife and son.

Before Lily could answer there was a loud crash behind them and the top floor collapsed down into the rest of the cottage. A orange blur streaked out of the property spooked. Ted caught up Hazel and tried to soothe the cat.

"Alive but I don't know how he is sleeping right now," said Lily.

James and Cryus lay his father down on the ground.

It had worked.

"There's something I don't understand." Claudia said.

"Just one thing?" asked her husband.

She rolled her eyes. "Where is Voldemort?"

"Gone" replied Lily.

"Dead?" Asked Ted.

"I doubt it." James looked back at the home that had held so many memories and around at the family and friends who had come to his aid. "We need to go before the Order arrives."

"We will deal with this, take Harry to your mother. She can check up on him." Cyrus clasped his friend on the shoulder.

James and Lily held on to each other and with a *pop* disappeared.

The attack happened! I know that I won't please everyone but I do hope that some of you liked it! The next chapter will follow these events then there will be a few chapters that will provide some insight into Harry's new childhood. It will take about 4 chapters if all goes according to plan before Harry receives his Hogwarts letter.

As always thank you for the follows, favourites, and reviews!

M.