It was a chilly night, though that wasn't exactly odd for a day in late October. Halloween, that was what the muggles called it. Children's laughter filled the air and costumes of every size, color, and theme were worn by people of all ages. It was the only day of the year were the magical and muggle worlds seemed to collide. Little did the muggles that resided in this town know though, that tonight a baby would be left orphaned. A family would be destroyed. Friendships would be broken. A dark lord would be vanquished. A war would end and a hero would be marked. This was the night that Harry Potter's Phenomenon began.

"James, stop!" Lily Potter scolded her husband. She wrapped her arms tighter around the baby protectively; trying to stop the camera from getting any more pictures. "Oh come on Lil! We have to get good dirt to humiliate him with when he gets older." James said while he grinned and snapped another picture. Lily laughed at her husband and shook her head sympathetically for her one year old son.

Suddenly the little boy squirmed and Lily placed him on the ground between the two parents. James leaned in for one more close up picture and the boy slapped the muggle camera from his hand. "Ha, I told you he would get you back for those pictures one day James." Lily told her husband. The baby let out a high pitch giggle and clapped his hands together as if cheering her on. James looked shocked for a minute before picking up the gurgling one year old and tickling him senseless.

"No, Harry I thought we were friends!" James yelled out and started to fake cry. Lily raised her eyebrows and plucked Harry from James' hands. Then she stood, her red hair flowing down her back and her green eyes twinkling. "Come Harry," she said in a fake stuck up tone. "We don't talk to lunatics." Lily then marched over and plopped Harry down in his red and gold play pen. Harry looked up at his mother when she sat him down and Lily found herself running her hand through her son's hair. He was flawless. (At least in her opinion.) "You look just like your father Harry." Lily said to her only son. James approached them from behind and wrapped his arms around his wife as he said, "Yeah, but he has your eyes though Lils and apparently your temper." Lily removed herself from her husband's grasp quickly and slapped him on the arm. "Ah, come on you know it's true." James told her trying to avoid more blows.

"Well, that's better for him because he doesn't need his father's arrogance!" Lily jested as she leaned in an kissed her husband right on the lips. "Dop!" they heard and both turned their heads towards the little boy who was staring right at them. Then James doubled over and roared with laughter over what his son had just said. "Yep, just like you Lils." he said walking over to the muggle camera and picking it up. Lily leaned over the play pen and kissed Harry on the head right when James snapped a picture. "James, I thought I-" Lily started before being interrupted by a loud crack from the end of the sidewalk. "What was that?" James asked immediately cautious. "It sounded like apparation, but no one ever disapparates at the end of the sidewalk. They walk from the end of the street." Lily told him fear leaking into her voice.

The two waited with bated breath for a few seconds before a click of a lock told them all they needed to know. No one just unlocked the door and walked in. It was forbidden by Dumbledore. "It's him Lily!" James said, all playfullness gone from his voice. He immediately picked up his son and shoved him into Lily's arms ushering her up the stairs. "Go upstairs, get your wand from Harry's room and get to the emergency portkey!" James told her urgently, "I'll hold him off." "No, wait James-" "Not now Lily, you get Harry out of here now!" James told her seeing a shadow falling into the parlor.

Lily hesitated for a moment before turning and running up the stairs two by two. She could hear the silky hiss of the enemy as she slipped into the nursery. "Move aside!" Voldemort hissed at James. Lily searched desperately for her wand but in her panic could not locate its whereabouts. A second passed and then another and the young mother's blind panic grew. Every second wasted was a step closer to death. "No!" Lily heard and then a crash as her husband's body hit the floor. "James, no, no, no!" Chanted a tearful Lily Potter. She hugged Harry closer to her as soft footsteps came closer. All was still for a moment and then, BOOM! The door was ripped off its hinges and collapsed onto the floor below with a loud thud. 'How could things have gone so bad so quickly' Lily asked herself as a cloaked figure came in through the opening. Gleaming red eyes filled with a non-human hate seemed to swallow her up. "Give me the child." Voldemort commanded stepping closer and closer to the two green eyed Potters. "No, no, no! Not my baby. Take me instead, please!" Lily pleaded with the monster as she placed Harry in the crib behind her. "I will ask only once mud blood. Stand aside and give me the boy!" The dark lord hissed threateningly. Lily whimpered as he once again stepped closer. She pleaded quietly as she shielded Harry protectively. Although, this shielding was not from James with a camera. She was shielding her son from death himself.

Lily turned sideways and kissed her son gently on the forehead. Then she whispered the words that would seal both of their fates, "I love you Harry." Voldemort raised his wand, for he knew how this was going to end. Pity, she would have been a great reward to Severus Snape for his loyalty to the Dark Lord. After all, Lord Voldemort rewarded those who obyed. "I won't let you hurt Harry." Lily said evenly staring into the glowing eyes of death. "You will pay for your disobedience with your life." The serpent heir roared and he threw the spell towards the expectant woman. The jet of bright green light collided with the beautiful red head making her body collapse underneath her. Voldemort watched in sadistic glee as the light faded from her eyes and then fizzled out forever. Soon enough he approached the crib leaning over it and whispering a hateful goodbye to the one who was destined to kill him. The baby let out a sharp cry just as the spell was cast and then… silence.

It was a chilly night, though that wasn't exactly odd for a day in late October. Halloween, that was what the muggles called it. Children's laughter filled the air and costumes of every size, color, and theme were worn by people of all ages. Though in a quiet little house where a small little family lived. All was quiet. No one had noticed the three flashes of light that had pierced the night. Then, as if by a miracle, a baby cried out. Thus, began the tale of The Boy Who Lived and his lighting bolt scar that was a symbol of a mother's love.