Prequel: A Man with Snake Eyes

It was a typical day in England when this story starts. The day was coming to an end, and the twilight of night was fast approaching. A series of rain clouds hid the dying sun engulfing the horizon in vibrant colors. Raindrops fell from the sky in slight trickles, steadily growing larger with the darkening clouds. Fog and mist surrounded everything, including a little town hidden from the eyes of the unimaginative. It was a place where uniqueness was not afraid of�a true place of tolerance. Every shop or stand placed on the side of the streets showed that this was no normal place; in fact, it was as different as could be.

This town was particularly busy today with the oncoming year fast approaching. People were crowded in the streets searching for that last minute necessity. As the rain grew harder, most of the customers took refuge anywhere they could find it. Yet, this interrupting annoyance did not interfere with one young girl�s plans. On the contrary, it heightened her excitement. Her flowing laughter was filled with anticipation for the new life ahead of her, and the secrets of this town satisfied the dreams that she never thought could be real. She splashed in the forming puddles that were quickly filling the cracks of the cobbled street. Running around aimlessly, Lily Evans couldn�t be happier. She was going to Hogwarts in two weeks, and nothing in her life would be the same ever again. That�s right, she was a witch, and for the first time could be with others who were truly like her. No more would she have to go to a school where everyone thought of her as a freak. Until she got her letter, she was even convinced herself that she was one. There were no reasonable explanations for why strange things often happened around her�till now.

Now, she wouldn�t have to deal with her sister and her ever-increasing cynical views. Petunia was her sister, but they acted more like enemies. Petunia�s bold, stuck up personality had clashed with Lily�s shy and reserved attitude more than once. Lately, it was almost impossible for them to get along. Before, it was only sibling rivalry, but now it was hatred. Ever since she got her letter Petunia had been cruel to her. It had been a miserable few weeks thinking of leaving her family, but her sister was making it much easier for her.

It hadn�t always been like this. There was once a time when they were inseparable. They found sanctuary in each other when life got too difficult. For hours, they would sit by the stream near their house reading fantasy novels that Petunia worked weeks to pay for. They would imagine themselves as Frodo and Sam in the Lord of the Rings, being a knight in King Arthur�s court saving damsels in distress, or any other of their favorite characters. They often even wrote stories themselves when they couldn�t spare any money on books. Lily wondered why she was so against the idea of her being a witch. She thought Petunia would be ecstatic to know that all they had ever dreamed of was real, that all of their fantasies of Unicorns and Elves existed. It never occurred to her that she might be jealous�

Lily was by now soaked, but all she could do was smile. She was one of those people who loved the rain. Others might think that it was depressing, but for her, it was peaceful and had always been able to relax her. Sometimes, she would sit all day by a window and just listen to the pitter-pattering of raindrops on her roof, but days like this, when life was so great, she had to dance. She twirled and spun making her long, wet, wavy, red hair follow her every move. Occasionally, her wet locks would smack her in the face, and she would laugh as she moved them aside. Other families, waiting in the shops, watched her curiously, but she didn�t care. She was in her own little world and loved every minute of it. She didn�t care how stupid or immature she looked. It�s not like she would see these people again any time soon. Of course, she didn�t take in account of a certain boy with messy jet-black hair sitting in the corner of a caf�, watching her with a smile on his face.

Lily�s dance was suddenly interrupted when she banged into something�someone. Neither one had been expecting it and had been caught off guard. Lily fell roughly to the ground as the man managed to keep his stance. His glasses were knocked off though and were inches from her feet. He quickly turned around to stare at the girl lying on the ground with an angry glare.

How dare she carelessly run into him and knock off his glasses. They were probably broken, he thought. Lily groaned and rubbed her throbbing elbow. Everything was spinning around her, and her mind was a bit distorted from the shock. She waited for her mind to calm as she stared at the first solitary object she saw, a pair of black oval glasses. Her gaze drifted upwards until it rested on a man in front of her glaring with impatience. It all seemed to click when she remembered what happened. Jumping to her feet, she grasped the glasses carefully in her hands.

�Oh my god, I�m so sorry. I wasn�t paying attention. Are you okay?� Lily asked the man with embarrassment. His gaze softened at her innocence.

�Yes, I�m alright. Can I have my glasses?� He asked her politely, yet his eyes drifted away as he tapped his foot. He was in no mood to stand there all day talking to some clumsy girl.

"Um yeah, here they are.� She looked at his face and instantly froze. His eyes looked just like a�snake�s. They were yellow and glowed with a fierce power. At first sight, it looked like he had no eyelids, but then she saw them flutter down just like a snake�s would. He had matching wrinkles on the side of each lid that made his eyes look frighteningly long. They were as cold as ice and looked as if they had seen many things�horrible things. Lost in thought, she stared into his orbs unable to look away. Chills ran up and down her spine, while the hairs on her neck stood up. There was something about that man, a presence that frightened her�a presence that made her feel cold all over. His pupils started to glow red when he saw her clutching his glasses in fright.

�Silly girl, give me my glasses,� he said harshly. She shivered she heard the voice but slowly reached up and handed him his glasses. Lily felt a burning sensation in her hand when skin touched skin. The tingling roamed up and down her fingers. She stared down in amazement at her right hand. It looked perfectly normal, but the sensation was overwhelming. Captivated by the new feeling, she missed the man of around twenty years jerked his hand back in surprise while vigorously rubbing it. His skin roughened with valleys of red as if flames were spreading from his nails inward. It burned and ached with a pain he had never felt before. Hiding his throbbing hand into his coat pocket, he urged himself to calm. He looked at the girl with new interest�and anger.

�What�s your name?� He asked her with an astonished voice and a cheesy smile on his face. How did this little girl get past his protection�a spell that acted almost like a shield? Only someone powerful could do that. How could she be that powerful? How could someone like that hurt him?

�Lily�Lily Evans,� she answered softly. It wasn�t his mysterious appearance or snake eyes that frightened her. It was something else; something she couldn�t pin point. He just made her feel really uneasy, and her instincts were usually right. His eyes continued to stare down at the curly-redhead, almost examining her. She grew restless under his gaze.

�I�m Tom Riddle. I assume your getting ready for Hogwarts?�

�Yes, I am. It was quite a shock to learn that I am a witch, but the idea is amazing. I can�t believe I�m going to learn magic,� she said finding it impossible to hide her excitement about going to the school of witchcraft and wizardry.

�A mudblood?� His eyes widened with disgust. It was unfathomable and degrading to him that a muggle-born like this was accepted to Hogwarts. They didn�t deserve to learn magic. They were inferior. This girl was inferior.

�What?� She asked not understanding the new term.

�Oh, nothing,� he said quickly. From the distance, he could see a women standing in a doorway calling her name. She looked to be around forty-five years old and had long hair every bit as red as her daughter�s. She waved back to the lady and turned around to him.

�I�m sorry, but I have to go. My mother wants to leave; we�re done with all of our shopping. It was nice to meet you,� the girl said politely and ran off without a response.

He watched her go into the Leaky Cauldron and depart with her mother. Turning around, he continued to his destination in Knockturn Alley but was unable to get her out of his head. She had a powerful presence, he could sense that much. But what was it? How could a muggle born have something like that? He decided he needed to watch her and find out how powerful she really was. Someday, she would be his. Her innocence and pureness would be twisted and tricked to mold as he pleased. His last thought as he entered the ally was that he would make her join him or die�

On the other side of the street, James Potter stared intently out the caf�s window. The mug of hot chocolate in his hand was long forgotten as he stared at the girl. Her red hair was curling under the moisture, and her ragged clothes were getting soaked. He had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. She practically glowed with happiness. His eyes were glued to her, a connection that made him instantly desperate to know her, to be with her, to hold her close. It was something he had never felt before, a foreign feeling that could do no other than confuse and excite. Who was she?

�Mom,� he called to a woman standing behind him without moving his eyes from the window. He didn�t need to look at her to know every curve of her face. She had a warm smile and soft brown hair that she always wore in an elegant bun. Her cloak matched her bright blue eyes perfectly. The woman excused herself from a group of witches to sit by her husband. He looked up from his newspaper to grin at his wife as she leaned into him comfortably.

�Yeah, honey?�

�Do you know that girl? The one dancing in the rain?� He allowed himself a glance at his mother while he spoke. She took a good look out the window and smiled at the charming girl twirling in the rain.

�No, I don�t think so. She�s very pretty.�

�Yea.�

The husband and wife gave each other matching looks. Their son was growing up so quickly. He would be just as handsome as his father, Victoria Potter decided. She ruffled her husband�s already messy black hair affectionately. The eleven-year-old boy ignored his parents as he looked back to the girl. There was a man with her now who was strangely familiar, though, he couldn�t remember how he knew him. She was handing him a pair of glasses. When their fingers touched, the man jerked back unexpectedly grabbing his hand as if he was burning. The girl looked down at her own in amazement, completely missing the man�s erratic behavior. What are they doing? He thought. Their actions were completely unexpected, and he would have given anything that moment to know what was happening. James watched as they talked. She appeared to be gushing about something excitedly, while he listened in polite annoyance. His gaze followed her as she ran to a woman in the Leaky Cauldron and out of his view.

�Weird,� James muttered rather loudly. His parents looked up curiously from his outburst. Mathew Potter was about to ask his son what was weird when he saw the man standing in the middle of the street. Alarms went off in his head as he recognized him.

�Victoria!� he said breathlessly. �It�s him.�

�Who?�

�Riddle�Voldemort�or whatever the hell he�s calling himself now.� He stood up abruptly. �I have to go after him.�

�Wait�you can�t go by yourself.� James watched his parents with wide eyes. He knew whom they were talking about. How could he not? His father used to work for him�they were business partners. That was, until his father aparrated home one night almost dead. To this day, he never knew for certain what really happened. But the same overwhelming fear came back to him then.

�Dad, don�t go! Please, don�t go!� He begged desperately.

�Send an owl to Dumbledore.� He yelled to his wife and taking out his wand. People in the store were staring at them in startled confusion. Victoria nodded her head and quickly went in search of the storeowner. James ran up to his father, and grabbing his arm, he struggled to prevent him from leaving. His father pushed him away.

�I have to do this James. Stay here!�

James watched heartbrokenly as his father ran out of the caf� while people all around were whispering and staring at him. He buried his face in his hands. I can�t believe this is happening, please god, let it all be okay, he prayed. Suddenly, a loud explosion rumbled the ground. Women screamed, and men rushed out with their wands in hand. Dark men with hoods were appearing on the streets, destroying everything in their paths. That�s when he saw it, a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth floating in the sky. Gulping, he watched as the snake moved its head to stare straight at him. He stiffened and his face grew pale. Something bad was happening out there.

�Dad!�

He screamed in horror as his father flew back in the air, landing hard upon the ground. He rolled over grasping his stomach in pain as he tried to stand. James wanted to run to him, but a lady he had never met before held him back. His father needed him; he couldn�t lose him. A bright green light suddenly flashed out of nowhere, and wind pushed against the store windows instantly shattering the glass. Instinctively, he covered his eyes in protection. A loud, harsh laugh overwhelmed the screams. It echoed in his ears unforgettably. Lord Voldemort approached his father triumphantly, walking so slowly as if to cherish the moment. James stared helplessly as his mother rushed into the street, a spectator within the chaos. A man with a long graying beard followed her.

While Victoria Potter dueled with one of the dark men, James�s heart was tightening at the thought of losing her too. The man threw a curse at her, and instantly, she crumbled to the ground. Slipping out of the women�s grasp, he desperately tried to reach them. Tears flowed down his face as he raced to the couple lying still on the ground. He could feel the spells speeding by him, but he had no concern for his own safety. He was losing it all, everything he had ever loved. He shook his parents violently. Their bodies were cold and stiff, and their eyes were open in terror.

�Please�get up�I need you�don�t leave me!� He cried. James glared with all of the passion in his being at the man standing only feet away; he wanted to kill him himself. Voldemort man raised his wand proudly; this was the day the Potter line would end.

�NO!� Professor Dumbledore intervened. His blue eyes were burning with rage. �You will leave this one be!� Voldemort stared with vengeance.

�We will finish this later Dumbledore, you and I.�

�I�ll look forward to it,� the old man spat back. Lord Voldemort eyes glowed with anticipation, yet he knew this was not the time or place. It was going to be perfect when he finally killed Dumbledore. Within seconds, he was gone.

He turned towards James, �Get out of here!�

�No! I�m not leaving them!� He cried in response. The man waved his wand determinedly. The next instant, he was facing a stonewall. �NOOOO