A/N: Welcome to my new story. If you are from my old story, "School of Beginnings'', sorry but I have stopped working on that story as I really didn't plan it out well and I already don't like how I started developing the story. Blame that on my indecisive side and I am going to be starting this story so it fits in much better with the storylines and plot developments that I want to see. Hope you enjoy it. As always, if you are interested in becoming a beta reader for this story, please private message me so we can talk!

It was October 31st, 1981. Halloween night, or as the wizarding world dubs it, all hallows eve. It was a calm and peaceful night. It was supposed to be just another day, just him and his parents. It was nice. Harry and his mother though, would remember it as one of the worst days in their lives.

It was at night, so the family did what they have always done. They gathered in front of the fireplace, and put down a blanket. Harry was in the middle, the focus of his parents. Their cause of enjoyment in their isolation. They were playing, and recently having Harry walk from one to the other. Enjoying his attempts at walking, Harry was joyful, bubbling with laughter much to his parents delight.

Suddenly, the door flew off the hinges right onto the wall 20 feet behind. Shock gave way to dread, as James and Lily instantly knew who had come. He was the reason for their isolation, the reason they went into hiding. It was Voldemort, and he came for them, to make sure the prophecy never came to be.

Startled by the sound Harry started screaming, he found himself being lifted by his mother as she rushed to get away from the madman. Just before they left the room, they saw the look of determination and love on James' face. It was a look that was determined to sacrifice everything for the chance that his loved ones would make it out alive. Looking towards his father he knew that it was the last time he would see his dad alive, Harry somehow understood that. So, he cried. Hard.

Lily was overcome with fear. She knew James is going to die, she saw his acceptance; though there was hope that he may somehow escape, he was a great dueler. It was wishful thinking, she knew, few had ever escaped Voldemort. The few who had were able to escape due to previous preparations and extensive planning. Now, looking away from James, the only thought that passed through her mind was to save her son. She could think of nothing else. She raced towards the hidden door they kept a secret from everyone, including the order. She closed the portrait/door behind her, and rushed down the tunnel, she quickly reached the edge of the anti apparation wards. Lily apparated without hesitation, desperate to reach Sirius. Maybe they could come back and help James, hopefully before he activated their plan.

Harry felt uncomfortable, extremely so. He felt as though he was squeezed very tightly and spun around very fast. It wasn't like when his dad spun him around. It was faster and less pleasant.

The first thing Harry noticed when he stopped spinning was his godfather, Sirius. He squealed happily:

"Pa'foo! Papa!" While gesticulating wildly.

Sirius understood immediately. He looked at Lily, face pale with realisation. She nodded, placed Harry on the couch. Then both of them apparated back, wishing beyound wishing that James is still alive.

They arrive outside the premises. They watch in horror as it lay in ruins, almost nothing left beyond the hedges at the end of the property. They were too late.

Crying and breathing heavily, Lily tried to console herself. Though it was evidently futile, she kept sobbing.

"Well, at least, I still have Harry. We're going to be fine right? Everything is going to be okay."

Lily wasn't really expecting a response. She was doing everything that she could possibly do to reassure herself that all is good. But she couldn't.

James was her soulmate. And she just lost him.

Sirius was trying to console her. Though he too was a wreck.

Harry woke up startled, he couldn't remember it all, but he knew what it was. The memory of that day 11 years ago. He wasn't as affected by the dream as he used to be when it first started. It happened occasionally, mainly Halloween nights. It hadn't affected Harry as much as it had in the past, but it was a good reminder to remind him that there are people out there trying to kill his family. He wouldn't allow them to come to harm. It was his driving factor to make sure he is powerful enough to protect his family.

He got off of his bed, did his normal morning routine, then went to the kitchen where he saw his mother and Sirius. They hadn't married, but Sirius made it a point to always be there for them. He would comfort Lily when she felt down, he would accompany Harry to sports events, both muggle and magical. He would also be there with Lily when Harry was part of an event at school.

They chatted together like most days. Remus had visited from time to time as well. Together the three adults had taken upon themselves to make sure Harry is very well versed in magic. From theoretical to practical they taught him most of what they knew. Harry also attended muggle school. To most that would be a very hectic time table, but Harry preferred it this way. With him trying to learn how to protect his family, he needed to be the smartest that he could possibly be so that he can protect those he loves. Plus, Sirius and Lily admitted to him that he seems to have more magic in him than an average adult which only seemed to make Harry want to learn even more.

When it comes to his magical education, he rated his classes from those he liked the most, to those he likes the least. DADA came easiest to him, he seems to have a natural inborn instinct to the ways of battle and combat. Charms came in as a close second because this subject is the closest thing to magic as seen by the muggles. Followed by Transfiguration, potions, Herbology, and finally history of magic. Though he is usually able to convince his godfather to skip history by going flying. That is also something that came naturally to Harry. He is scary good on a broom. Sirius even admits that Harry might be better than James was. Something that filled Harry with endless pride as he had been told all about how James was one of the greatest people who had ever flown on a broom.

If Harry was to be evaluated in his magical knowledge and practicality, he would be at least 5th year instead of his 2nd year which his age might suggest. His level is due to both his innate talent and his incredible work ethic. He keeps practicing for hours on end until he learns the spell. Most would stop there but not Harry. He didn't practice until he was able to get it right. He continued to practice until it was instinctual.

Sirius may have been a great uncle, but that is not to say that his actual father had not played a role in his upbringing. Afterall, a few days after that Halloween night Sirius was able to commission a magical portrait of James with his essence. It was as though he never left, but at the same time it was a painful reminder that he is gone. You cannot touch a painting the same way you touch a human.

"Hey champ, good morning." Said James jovially, alerting the other adults to his presence.

"Hey dad" smiled Harry. "Good morning mum, Padfoot"

They greeted him in return. They chatted for a while.

"You know I think he is ready for occlumency" said his father.

Harry looked up at his father with eyes full of interest. He had heard about mind magic years ago but was told that he should wait until he is a bit older as it was a difficult branch of magic.

Barely able to control his happiness and with a huge smile on his face he replied

"Can I?"

"You can, but after school," said his mother.

"Can I skip today please?" He pleaded.

"Absolutely not. You learning a new subject does not stop you from attending school"

"Please?" Harry added a puppy dog look for good measure, unfortunately that does not work on Lily, she just looked at him disapprovingly.

"Fine" he pouted.

"Cheer up kiddo, I'll teach you personally after school" his father cheered him up.

"Thanks dad" beamed Harry and left for school reluctantly.

After Harry left at the adults were left reminiscing, they remembered what happened after the explosion that night so long ago. Dumbledore and a few members of the order had rushed towards the location, and asked the two what had happened. Lily explained how they had changed the secret keeper to Pettigrew as a ruse, but that had backfired on them. Voldemort had found them. But she managed to escape with Harry, much to the relief of the other order members. They were deeply saddened however, when they were told that James had stayed behind to keep the man from hurting the two.

She also explained how through a combination of James' creativity and her knowledge in runes they were able to create a counter measure. The runes absorbed more than a year's worth of ambient magic, and was released as a massive concentrated explosion right onto He-who-must-not-be-named, thus destroying his body.

Not long after that, James was held as a hero for his sacrifice and destroying the dark lord. Of course the fame spilled over to his family as well. Not that they liked the constant reminder of their loved one's death.

A/N: If you noticed that some of the themes from this story have been found elsewhere, it's because I have done a lot of reading recently, and want to take some of the ideas that I have found from them and use them in a story. Most of the ideas are my own but to the people who first used the ideas, thanks for shining the light on the new way to bring fanfics to life!

A/N 2: I have edited the chapter with help from my BETA reader TABM10! Thanks!