Gryffindor Blood is the prologue to the Harry Potter Everyone Lives AU. It is a single-chapter fic, taking place in Godric's Hollow on October 31, 1981. It is told from the perspective of Peter Pettigrew and introduces the crucial, major change to the Harry Potter Universe that allows James and Lily to survive Voldemort's attack.
Summary[]
Peter Pettigrew visits the Potters in their secret residence at Godric's Hollow on the night he expects Voldemort to arrive. Peter talks with James, who expresses his sadness that he has to be in hiding with Lily and Harry, while he can't see Sirius or Remus, the latter, who is under suspicion of being a traitor to the order. Despite rumors, James tells his friend he trusts Remus, as much as he trusts Sirius and Peter. At the couple's insistence, Peter stays longer, sharing dinner with them and talking with them. The more he talks with them, the more guilty he begins to feel over the inevitable betrayal he committed. When Voldemort arrived, James, unarmed, faced the evil wizard, ready to die for his family, but Peter stood in between his friend and the Dark Lord. He choose to take the killing curse for his friend.
In the end, James was Stunned, and Lily was knocked out in the fight, but thanks to Peter's sacrifice, Harry was protected from the killing curse and Voldemort was defeated. Harry was unharmed, with nothing but a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.
Differences in Canon[]
- It is unlikely Peter Pettigrew went to the Potter's at all on October 31, 1981.
- Even if Peter had gone to Godric's Hollow on that fateful evening, he certainly did not stand between Voldemort and James Potter and sacrifice himself.
- Voldemort Stuns James instead of killing him. No explanation is given for why this event changed other than the author's personal choice wanting to keep James alive.
- Lily Potter casts an explosive curse at Voldemort as he enters the baby's room, which separates herself from Harry, so Voldemort never offers her the chance to step away from Harry.
- Voldemort never uses the Killing Curse on Lily Potter because the author did not want to kill Lily Potter.
- Lily casts a Protego Charm to shield herself and Harry from the rebound of Voldemort's curse.
- The Harry Potter books by J K Rowling insinuate that Harry was born in Godric's Hollow and would have been raised in Godric's Hollow at this location. The AU changes this, and makes the home at Godric's Hollow a secret location put together for the sole purpose of hiding the Potter's from Voldemort during the war.
Trivia[]
This piece was originally intended as a stand alone fic, exploring Peter Pettigrew and his motivations on October 31, 1981. The story was meant to end when Peter stands up to leave. He would say his good-byes, and that would be all. The author, however, could not bring herself to complete the work in that vein, and ran with the idea that Peter Pettigrew could sacrifice himself to save the Potter's.
The AU itself would never have existed without this impulse decision. There was also no intent to create a full series until the author sat down to reread The Philosopher's Stone and found the Dursleys so obnoxious, she could not continue reading when the possibility of James and Lily living seemed so close at hand.