Summer days were always long. The sun drifted slowly downward, and at last, the ink-blue night sky replaced the lingering glow of sunset.
The night sky over the Muggle world was cool as water and strewn with stars.
Yet the night sky over Godric's Hollow was not cool and refreshing. Instead, it was dark and heavy, filled with the oppressive sense of an approaching storm.
At that moment, a visitor arrived.
Polished, expensive Dragon Hide Shoes stepped along the path. A black wizard's robe, simple yet subtly luxurious, draped his well-proportioned body, and he held a white wand in his right hand.
His smooth, sleek hair was like black jade, combed back to reveal a face of breathtaking beauty. His cold expression did nothing to diminish his handsome features, while his dark red eyes lent him an eerie, sinister allure.
There was no doubt that the young man was captivating, yet a chilling aura of power radiated from him, making others afraid to look him in the eye.
At that moment, he was gazing at-or rather, scrutinizing-the little house opposite him.
It was a lovely little house, its white-painted door contrasting with red brick walls to give it a lively appearance.
The carefully trimmed flower beds and lawn gave off the fresh scent of greenery in the quiet night,
Warm light shone through the curtains, against which the silhouettes of a man, a woman, and a child appeared. The man had the child perched on his shoulders, and the family was laughing happily.
Then their silhouettes slowly moved away from the window, as though they had gone farther into the house.
The young man narrowed his eyes and walked toward the house.
Every step was elegant, as though he were attending a ball where glasses clinked amid the revelry.
Without breaking his stride, he flicked his wand. The white door opened a crack, then slowly swung open on its own as he approached.
Shoes lay scattered across the floor, and baby supplies had been left lying everywhere.
The door opened fully-
James Potter, his hair a tangled mess, was watching the doorway warily. The moment he saw the young man's face, his eyes widened. Voldemort!
For an instant, his mind seemed to freeze.
The combat instincts honed through years of fighting the Death Eaters made him instinctively reach beside him-where he usually kept his wand. Then his heart sank-
His wand was not there.
He had left it on the sofa while playing with Harry earlier.
Without a moment's hesitation, he spread his arms and blocked the monster's path, relying on the most primal instincts of his body to stop him, hoping only that Lily and Harry could escape.
He turned and shouted upstairs, his eyes wide with desperation. "He's here! Lily! Run! Take Harry and run-"
Voldemort watched the man's panic with interest, a trace of contempt in his eyes-
Potter did not even have a wand within reach.
He found it rather dull, so he raised his wand. An ominous green light shot from its tip and sank into the man's body.
The man's expression froze on his face, and he fell with a thud.
Lily Potter had just put Harry in his pram. At the shout, her face instantly turned white as paper.
Her hand tightened around the pram's rail. Recovering quickly, she lunged over to shut the door and desperately pushed every piece of furniture against it-her wand was downstairs.
Lily Evans was an excellent witch-every professor who had taught her said so.
And so she quickly realized that their Secret Keeper, Peter Pettigrew, had betrayed them!
She abruptly stopped piling up furniture, picked up the red crayon Harry had been playing with, and firmly wrote a few words in a hidden corner behind the door before looking at Harry in his pram.
She understood that this was the last time she and Harry would spend together. With so little time left, she did not want to waste it uselessly piling up furniture.
The bitterness welling up inside overwhelmed her. She had not yet watched Harry grow up, attend Hogwarts, join Gryffindor, play Quidditch, find a girlfriend, marry, and have children...
Little Harry seemed puzzled as to why the mummy who had been singing so gently a moment ago had suddenly started piling up furniture and playing with his crayon.
But he could clearly sense that Mummy was frightened, so he stretched out his little hands and looked at his mother with those pure, emerald-green eyes, trying to comfort her.
Lily crouched in front of the pram, one hand gripping it. Two pairs of emerald eyes met, the larger pair overflowing with sorrow.
She whispered, "Harry, you are so loved. Mum loves you. Dad loves you. Harry, be safe, be strong."
(Harry, you are so precious. Mummy and Daddy love you... Be strong, and grow up safe and healthy.)
Voldemort lifted his gaze and stepped over the man's body. He had come for the baby today.
The Dark Lord had always been exceptionally decisive. He walked slowly upstairs, his manner elegant, relaxed, and at ease.
He looked at the tightly shut door. He could sense the great pile of furniture blocking it from behind, and the number of pieces was still increasing.
The young man found it rather amusing. Did this foolish woman think a few pieces of furniture could stop the Dark Lord?
Was that only to be expected of a brainless Gryffindor?
He flicked his wand. The door Lily Potter had regarded as protection crashed down, and the furniture piled behind it exploded into fragments.
Lily shielded Harry in his pram, her face growing paler as she watched the handsome wizard approach, step by step.
Voldemort looked her over. So this was the woman Severus loved?
He flicked his wand and flung Lily aside.
The Dark Lord never minded granting his subordinates favors in such trivial matters.
Voldemort had not killed her?
Lily's eyes widened as she watched the Dark Lord raise his wand at Harry.
She threw herself in front of Harry, shielding the tiny pram, a pleading expression involuntarily appearing on her face.
At that moment, as a mother, she was willing to give up anything as long as Harry could live.
"Please, don't kill Harry. Kill me instead. Don't kill Harry..."
Voldemort frowned and swept Lily aside again with his wand. Yet Lily threw herself before him once more, pleading incessantly.
At last, he grew irritated. He cast a Killing Curse at her, then finally aimed his wand at the baby without anything in his way.
The tiny child still had drool dripping from the corner of his mouth, and tears streamed from his eyes.
He stared unblinkingly at Lily's body, as though he understood that something terrible had happened.
Voldemort curled his lips. This baby would be his formidable rival?
Possessing a power the Dark Lord did not understand?
He almost wanted to throw back his head and laugh.
Utterly absurd. The Dark Lord was invincible!
Hmph. He would see who still dared question the Dark Lord's power after tonight!
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and he spoke the incantation he had long been itching to utter. "Avada Kedavra!"
In an instant, that ominous green light rebounded, engulfing him completely.
His body felt as though it were being torn apart. Voldemort let out an agonized scream and turned into a wisp of black smoke that drifted out of the house.
In his fury and panic, he nearly tore the building apart.
But his power had already drained away, and his soul had grown fragile. He could only restrain himself and leave for now.
Very well!
Harry Potter!
A baby!
Had destroyed the Dark Lord?!
All of you, just wait until you face the Dark Lord's wrath!!!
The cloud of black mist roared as it departed.
Before you continue