The Way It Should Have Been

The Way It Should Have Been

A/N: I realize that this is the ultimate AU fic, but I hope you all like it. I probably won't be one to post many author's notes, but I can't be sure as this is my first fic.

Also, I'm must apologize for the delays I will definitely have in updating. I'm a freshman in high school, and do sports pretty much year round. Sorry!

The Way It Should Have Been

Prologue

On the night of October 31, 1982, Lily and James Potter were in their living room with their son, Harry. He had just taken his first steps yesterday, and they were trying to coax him into taking a few more.

"Come on, darling, you did it just yesterday; I know you can do it. Just put one foot in front on the other, that's it..."

James tried to put on a manly, uncaring face, but he broke into a smile when Harry managed to move forwards. "Look at my son! Only a little over a year old, and walking already! He'll be an athletic one, you'll see. He'll be a Quidditch star, just like his old dad."

Lily looked exasperatedly at James. "Darling, most babies start walking at this age. And since when were you a Quidditch star? You're an Auror, not a professional Quidditch player!"

James frowned. "Now honey, really..."

But James suddenly stopped talking. He had heard something moving outside. Apparently, Lily had heard it, too, for she crept to the window and looked outside.

"James, it's him! What should we do? What about Harry?"

James immediately took action. He grabbed his wand from the side table and said, "Take Harry and run. I'll try to hold him off while you get away." He walked to stand by the door and started praying that something would happen in their favor.

But Lily would not let him stand alone. She would not run while her husband fought, nor would she wait for Voldemort to come to them. She, too, grabbed her wand. She cast a quick Shield Charm on Harry and flung the front door open. "Avada Kedavra!" she yelled.

She did not expect this to be of any help, but it did stun him momentarily. James took this opportunity to yell "Stupefy!"

Voldemort had obviously expected them to be cowering in the corner, or something of the sort, when he opened to door. He paid the price for his stupidity by lying on the floor, unconscious, before the two people who hated him the most.

Lily and James both cast binding spells on him. They were astonished that they had so easily stunned the greatest dark wizard that had ever lived. But there was no time to waste. Lily ran inside and grabbed Harry, James grabbed Voldemort, and they Apparated to the Ministry.

Ten hours later, Voldemort had been stripped of his powers. His memory was erased, and he was placed in the permanent memory loss ward of St. Mungos.

When they had arrived at the Ministry, everything had stopped the take care of the former Dark Lord. Dumbledore had come in and performed all the spells to ensure that they were strong enough.

Lily and James had also testified against Peter Pettigrew. They knew he was a Death Eater because he had been their Secret Keeper in the Fidelius Charm. Voldemort could not have found them without Peter telling on them. And if Peter were truly their friend, he would not have told even under torture.

November first dawned, and a new era began. An era where people could rest safer at night knowing that the most feared man in history now lay in St. Mungo's with no memory of anything at all. An era where a certain boy with untidy black hair and emerald green eyes did not have a scar on his head, an era where his life would not be that of the Boy Who Lived, but that of the Boy Whose Parents Killed Voldemort.