Twins: A Different Life (Book one)

One

"Quick Lily, He's coming! Take the twins and run!" James Potter yelled frantically as he felt the wards trigger but he knew it was already too late.

The Dark Lord blasted down the door and hit James with a stunner before the man had the chance to even open his mouth. Usually, Voldemort would have killed him, Potter was a strong opponent, but he had promised one of his Elite to spare the Mudblood girl and it would raise a number of questions if Potter was dead and she wasn't.

The Purebloods may begin to believe that he was favouring Mudbloods over them and that would be counterproductive, while his Elite understood why he had killed the Pureblood and the Mudblood was still alive.

He continued up the stairs silently, he could sense which room she and the children were hiding in and he opened the locked door with a careless flick of his hand.

The Dark Lord stepped into the room and saw Lily Potter stood in front of a cot blocking both children from his wand.

"Not my babies, please," She begged, "Take me instead."

"Stand aside, girl," He ordered and she shook her head.

"Please, not them. Kill me instead," She begged.

"Move and I shall spare you." He hissed and she refused again.

Lord Voldemort sighed, he didn't have time for this. He threw a stunner and Lily Potter slumped to the ground unconscious. He stepped carelessly over her still form and looked in into the cot at the two children who were now gazing up at him.

One of these children was prophesied to defeat him and that was something he could not allow to hang over him, the war was at a crucial point. He would give them a painless death, magical children were to be cherished so he didn't take any pleasure in what he was about to do.

It mattered not, the Potters were young enough to have more children. He just had to decide which child was the one the prophecy spoke of. One the girl had brown eyes and auburn hair, but there was nothing extraordinary about her so he shook his head and turned to the other. The boy, Harry Potter if the rat was correct, looked upon him with glaring green eyes that shone with power even at his age, and the Dark Lord closed his eyes and felt the waves of magic rolling off the boy.

"You are a powerful child, the one to defeat me. I would keep you alive if I knew you would join me, but of course, with your family, there would be no chance." The man murmured more to himself than anything, but unknown to him, the child, Harry Potter, heard every word, Voldemort levelled his wand and cast the killing curse, it struck the boy square on the forehead but rebounded at remarkable speed, causing a magical backlash ripping the Dark Lord from his body and caving in the ceiling. Harry was thrown back unconscious from the lightning cut on his forehead and a piece of wood hit Rosina Potter on the cheek creating the same mark.

When Sirius Black fell into the ruins of the Potter cottage he cried out in utter agony when he saw the still form of his best friend, he stumbled over frantically and even though he believed it to be useless he cast an 'Enervare'. He felt relief beyond measure when James, stirred, laughing hoarsely when he blinked and opened his eyes.

"James, Jamie," Sirius called and James groaned.

"Si'rius?"

"Thank Merlin," Sirius breathed in relief, "I thought you were dead."

At the mention of being dead, James leapt up and dashed up the stairs with Sirius behind him, he burst into the ruined nursery and took in the scene with ragged breathing. Lily's fallen figure, the pile of smoking robes, the crumbling ceiling, and the trail of blood running down Rose's face as she screamed.

"Lily!" He whispered, "Sirius, is she...?

He couldn't bear to finish the sentence and closed his eyes when his best friend moved forward to check.

"She's alive!" Sirius yelled and James almost sagged to the ground in relief. He walked over and help his wife to get to her feet before rushing over to pick up his crying daughter.

"What do you think happened?" Sirius questioned and James shook his head.

"Do you think she destroyed him as the prophecy said?" James asked, nodding to the smoking robes and then pointed to the cut, "She's marked."

"Where's Harry?" Lily demanded, "Where is my little boy?"

"Here he is," Sirius assured, scooping the stirring form of his Godson up and accidentally wiping the remaining blood from his forehead so no one noticed the mark he had there.

"I think she might have," Lily agreed, calming she had her son in her arms.

"We'll have to call Dumbledore," James said, "Come on, we have to know."

James led them to the floo and called for the Headmaster, Dumbledore looked grave when he stepped through and they explained as much as they could.

"You should return to your manor for safety, I will call as soon as I can be certain he is gone. For now, act with great caution."

"We will,"