A/N: This story is a look at the relationship of Lily and James Potter right before their "deaths" and how this will affect the future of certain people. Wish I did but I do not own Harry Potter or the characters however the plot is all mine so please enjoy.

Chapter 1: Behind closed doors

James Potter always thought that his life would end up perfect; he would graduate Hogwarts and become an auror, marry his dream girl, and have a loving family. For the most part James was correct because he was an auror and it was a great as he had dreamed because he and his best friend Sirius were able to be on the front line of the war and of course James had the family because he was the proud father of a beautiful and perfect little boy. The only thing James regretted was her.

Lily Potter, nee Evans was the girl of he dreams, at least he always believed she was, but as soon as they had Harry, James began to realize that the woman he was in love with was not the person he fell in love with. At first the change has been subtle, a mean comment now and then or a cold shoulder, but lately he was lucky if Lily spoke to him at all and for the most part she completely pretended he was not around and only seemed to care for Harry.

James didn't want to sound selfish and wanted Harry to have everything but James felt strongly that a marriage needed both partners to be present mentally if it was going to work. As far as James was concerned Lily had checked out of their marriage the moment she had Harry and He didn't know what to do. James had thought hard about how to fix things and decided the first step was to confront Lily and to start taking the steps necessary to fix their marriage.

"Lily, I'm home, where are you?" James was not surprised to not get a response since he never did but this was not how he was hoping to start the night. James wondered into the kitchen and found Lily feeding Harry dinner. James ducked down and gave Harry a kiss while tickling his tummy causing Harry to giggle out and make a small mess on this shirt. Before James had a chance to clean up the mess Lily was wiping Harry up and glaring at James.

"James, if you are going to make this harder can you please go elsewhere. I have a hard enough time with Harry without you trying to cause trouble. God sometimes I wonder why I am even here in this god awful life." Lily had mumbled the last part but James had heard her clearly. Without saying a word James picked Harry up and put him in this playpen casting a spell so he would not hear the fight that was about to happen and turned to Lily.

"What is your problem Lily? Ever since Harry was born you have treated me like a enemy then your husband who loves you. I want to find out what the problem is so that we can start fixing it and we can get back to the love we had." James did yell or raise his voice because while he was upset by Lily's comments he knew that at one time she loved him and something must be wrong. His sweet Lily pad was in there somewhere and he wanted to help bring her back. It was not until Lily opened her mouth that she realized how wrong about Lily he had been.

"James Potter there is nothing wrong with me besides the fact that I no longer have to hide my feelings. I hate you for what you have done to my life. Because of you I lost my best friend, I have had to have a baby before I got to experience an sort of life, and I now have to hid in a cottage away from all of my friends because I am now public enemy number 2 behind my baby. As far as I am concerned as soon as this war is over I am out of here and you will not see me or Harry again." James felt as if he had been slapped, he didn't understand where this was coming from. James had not forced Lily into a marriage and he certainly had not forced her to have a baby young and as far as he was concerned he thought she was happy.

"So what you have been using me or something. Why?" Lily looked at James like he was a small child who she pitied and started to explain how they had ended up here.

"James, don't be naïve, I dated you because I wanted to give you a chance and at first I really thought I liked you but I soon realized that you were not the type of man I could ever love. Before I had a chance to break up with you I found out that you-know-who was going to have me killed so that Severus would stay loyal and I knew that I needed protection until the war was over." Lily paused for a moment to chuckle to her ignoring the hurt look on James face.

James you made it so easy because you wanted me to love you so all I had to do was bat my eyelashes and laugh at you jokes and bam you loved me and would die before you let anyone hurt me. While after we got married I was taking every potion possible to not get pregnant but I did not know that because I was also on a muggle pill that they would become less effective and I became pregnant. At first I hated the child I was going to have but after Harry was born I knew I loved him and that is why I have stayed because I will not allow myself and Harry to die just to get out of this miserable home."

James was shocked and he had never thought that this was the reason behind Lily's behavior. He thought that maybe she was depressed after the pregnancy and had the baby blues. James didn't know what to say because he now knew that his wife did not love him and wanted to take their son away.

"You will not take Harry, lily. It will be a cold day in hell before you take my son away and as far as your protection goes, as soon as I am done talking you will pack a bag and go and I will work out a way for you see Harry and then after the war we will make a more permanent arrangement. Remember Lily that while I do not use it, I have the laws on my side as pureblood male and I will never allow you to steal Harry from my life. Now please go pack a bag and I will contact Dumbledore and have him setup a new safe house for you." James turned from Lily and began to walk towards Harry preparing to take him to his room until Lily left.

"I was afraid you would say that James." Before James would turn and defend himself he was hit with a spell and his mind went blank."

A/N: Hey everyone I am sorry that I made lily into such a bitch but I needed James to not be hung up in her romantically for my story to work. While I never liked Lily in the book because I felt that she abandoned Snape way too easily and didn't give him a chance to redeem himself. This story will not be a Lily bashing fest but there will be negative talk about her occasionally.