*~The Last Halloween*~

 

James trudged through the forest, Lily and Harry at his side. He looked over at his son-his beautiful son, with his messy raven hair and his mother’s wide green eyes. James still couldn't believe how lucky he was. Him, a father! Harry was asleep in his wife's arms. James grinned at Lily as twigs snapped under foot. She lost balance, he reached out to steady her, and she gave him a nervous smile back. He grinned back, lost in thought. His beautiful wife with that smile that could make him melt... He remembered when they had first met in Hogwarts. Their first kiss after the winning Quidditch match, sneaking out late at night under the invisibility cloak, the walks around the lake... It all seemed so very long ago.  But for good reason. Voldemort’s grip on the wizarding world was tightening everyday. Each morning brought news of more deaths, more Muggle tortures. Neighbors were being turned in as Death Eaters.  Danger was omnipresent, whenever they ventured outside it’s very existntence seemed to hang in the air. But Lily and Harry, they seemed to make it vanish whenever he thought of them. His wife, his son, still unbelievable how lucky he was. What he would do without them? He didn’t even want to thing about it. They were the people he got up for in the morning-out of the warm safety of his bed to fight against the ever-growing evil.

 

He snapped back to reality as his wife stopped. Finally they had reached a small yet, overgrown clearing in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. In the center stood Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, two of their closest friends. An orange October moon hung in the sky, illuminating the clearing and the people in it with its eerie glow.

 

"I decided not to tell Remus," said Sirius as the trio stepped into the clearing. "Besides-" Sirius looked up at the full moon up above, the matter explaining itself. James knew Remus would feel guilty about not being able to go, but it wasn't his fault. Besides, it was best if they switched tonight, the sooner the better, thought James, Sirius was too obvious of a choice-

 

"Hello to you to, Sirius,” said Lily walking forward.

 

"How's my handsome little man?" Sirius said, tickling Harry's cheek. "Taking after your godfather in the looks department, aren't you, you ladies man," Harry only turned over in his sleep.

 

"I believe he takes after me in that department, Black,”said James, who grinned and struck a pose.

"All he got from you is that black mop you call hair, Prongs," Sirius ducked as James threw a mock punch at him.

 

"Break it up, you two. Besides, we all know where he really got his looks from." Lily flipped her hair behind her shoulders and batted her eyelashes. Harry opened his eyes, an amused expression across his childish face.

 

"We should hurry," said Peter in his timid tone, speaking for the first time that night.

 

"Right." they agreed

 

"Sirius are you ready?" asked James, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

 

"Of course." Sirius opened his mouth, "Fidelius finite, sais ou se les trouve, Fidelius Finite," a rush of red sparks whirled around them. The charm was broken. A thick tension hung in the air. At that moment the Potters were not protected. If someone wanted to find them, they could. They were at risk for every second without protection.  That's why they had chosen the Forbidden Forest; Hogwarts was the safest place they knew. Lily gave an involuntary shudder. Sirius broke the silence.

~*~

 

"I should be going now." For the Fidelius Charm to work, only the people who were involved could be present. Lily hugged Sirius. Who knew when she'd see him again; every day they were all risking their lives. Next morning who knew what would be happening, who would be alive, who would be in Azkaban.

 

She whispered in his ear  very quietly, "Are we doing the right thing?"

 

There was a pause and then in a faint whisper, Sirius replied, "Yes, I think so."

 

But Sirius wasn't sure. He felt a tingle of apprehension. But he brushed it off as best he could.

 

He broke away and managed to smile at James. "By the way, Happy Halloween," and with that, he transfigured into a large black dog and bounded off into the darkness. Lily handed Harry to James, the infant gurgled happily, and tried to grab his father's glasses off his face. She tucked a strand of copper hair behind her ear and pulled out her wand, her hand steady. Lily Potter had always been the best at charms. Lily took a deep breath, it was up to her to start it.

 

~~

"Fidelius" she said concentrating with all her being, thinking of Harry, imagining the secret tucked away in Peter's heart. Safe, she thought. We’ll all be safe. A bright bluish white orb shot out of her wand and hung in the air. James gave Harry to Lily and stepped forward.

 

~*~

 

"Fidelius," said James. Lily safe, Harry safe. Hidden. He imagined them safe at Godric's Hollow. In his mind he pictured the secret, locked up in Peter. A light burst from his wand and joined Lily's orb, sparks shot out of it, as it hung in between the three figures. A wind blew through the forest, rippling their robes and causing Lily's hair to flutter slightly in the current.

 

Peter stepped forward and gulped. "Fidelius Expecto!," The  orb moved towards his wand before disappearing completely inside its tip. James saw Peter shiver as the orb vanished inside him.

 

"Fidelius Anacto!" they said in unison, and the spell was complete. James heaved a sigh of relief. They were safe, if Voldemort was trying to find them now-which he probably was- he couldn't. Peter put his wand away in his pocket,an odd expresion on his tired face. He was going into hiding that night, just in case, just in case Voldemort had thought to torture him for information. Or at least that was what was assumed.

 

"Well, goodbye James," he said, "Bye Lily, Harry,"

 

"Wave to Uncle peter," said Lily holding out Harry's hand, and then in a more serious tone, "Goodbye, Peter, we'll see you soon,"

 

"Bye Wormtail," Peter nodded before transfiguring and disappearing into the forest. They were all alone. Another wind rustled the trees by the clearing and James looked up.

 

"Halloween feast is tonight.  Can’t you you smell it from the school?"

 

"Mmm, smells good, I used to love the feasts...I miss Hogwarts," she said fondly,

 

James knew what Hogwarts was to Lily. It was a time of innocence, and safety. As soon as they left, everything seemed to take a turn for the worse. Her parents died, and You-Know-Who took hold. Everything changed. James grasped Lily's free hand and she squeezed back. They walked to the edge of the Forbidden Forest , out of the Hogwart's grounds, before Disapparating.

 

~*~

 

With a flick of her wand, Lily lit all the pumpkins up, and their grins cast odd shadows on the wall. Harry looked in wonderment. She put Harry down in his crib and magicked some of the candy corn to float over him, like a mobile. Harry cooed happily, his sleepy green eyes fixed upon the moving candy. From behind her, someone grabbed her waist. Lily spun around just in time. James' lips met hers and then she broke away.

 

"What's wrong?" he asked. His wife heaved a sigh, and pulled her hair back,

 

"It's just, I don't know, did we make the right decision? I'd trust Sirius with my life-well I did, but Peter, I don't know, what if they capture him, he's not as strong-"

 

"Sirius would have been too  obvious, no one would guess we'd use Peter and besides he's one of my best friends,"

 

"I guess so," she pulled one of the pieces of candy corn out of the mobile and popped it in James mouth.

 

"I baked some pumpkin pie," she said, grinning.

 

"You, Mrs. Potter?" he still loved calling her that, he couldn't even say it without smiling, the James and Lily in the wedding photo behind him even smiled, "You baked?"

 

"Well Mr. Potter, to be honest, I bought it. Does it count anyway?"

 

"I knew it, you wont even go near the pots. Last time you did, our kitchen smelled like burnt sugar quills for weeks," Lily smacked him playfully and drew him into a kiss. Then she heard a noise.

 

"Trick or Treaters?" she asked, her ears pricked for another sound. Then it came, this time from the door.  James drew out his wand.

 

"Lily, they're here! Take Harry and go!" The candy corn fell and clattered to the ground as someone burst in through the door.