Lily Potter

James Potter and Lily had a son whom they named Harry, born on 31 July 1980. James and Lily belonged to an organization called the Order of the Phoenix, which was created for wizards who wanted to battle Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters. This organisation was created and led by Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore was given a prophecy by Sybill Trelawney that someone had been born who could defeat the Dark Lord. Voldemort was told the prophecy by Severus Snape, who had overheard it, and determined two possible children who might fit the description, Harry and Neville Longbottom. Voldemort resolved to kill them. James and Lily escaped three times from attacks by Voldemort and the Death Eaters, but on 31 October 1981, the Potters were betrayed by their friend Peter Pettigrew and were attacked without warning at their home in Godric's Hollow. Their confrontation ended with first James and then Lily dead, and Voldemort himself barely alive. Harry was begrudgingly adopted by Lily's sister, Petunia, who is married to Vernon Dursley. Their son and therefore Harry's cousin, Dudley Dursley, is a spoiled, gluttonous bully.

Lily Potter could have saved herself when her family was attacked by Voldemort. He offered her a chance to stand aside while he killed Harry. She refused, so he killed her, but her selfless act of love invoked an ancient magic that gave Harry an innate defence against Voldemort. This magic manifested itself two ways. First, when Voldemort attempted to kill Harry with the previously unstoppable Avada Kedavra, the spell backfired rendering Voldemort non-corporeal. Voldemort's inability to touch Harry continued in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Professor Quirrell, acting as host to Voldemort, attempts to attack Harry to gain the Philosopher's Stone, but is destroyed by the magic when he comes into contact with Harry's skin. Voldemort returns to his prior non-corporeal state. Voldemort has since overcome this magic by using Harry's blood to regenerate his own body. The second way in which Harry is protected by Lily's sacrifice occurs at the Dursley residence. Dumbledore admitted to Harry that he had extended Lily's protection to the home where Lily's sister Petunia lived. This was possible because Lily and Petunia are related by blood. As long as Harry spends at least one month there a year, Voldemort cannot harm Harry there. This protection at the Dursley's end when Harry comes of age at 17.

James' Animagus form is a stag, like Harry's Patronus. James was therefore nicknamed "Prongs." Though Harry bears a great resemblance to his father, it is often noted that he has Lily's green eyes. Several rumours regarding the forthcoming events of the seventh Harry Potter book regard this detail as significant.

Though Lily was Muggle-born and thus should have been a prime target for Voldemort herself, Voldemort ordered her to "stand aside" when he attempted to kill Harry. This was shown as a flashback sequence during Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The baby is his target, not her, but in the end, he was forced to kill her to get at Harry. Given the fact that she was Muggle-born and Voldemort kills any wizard without blinking an eye, this has given rise to speculation about his reasons for offering her a chance to live. A possible reason that fans have speculated is that Severus Snape (unbeknownst to anyone besides himself) had possibly loved Lily and had pleaded for Voldemort not to kill her after revealing the prophecy of Harry's birth to him. Voldemort considered this as a form of mercy to Snape in return for his help but ultimately had to kill her anyway. After all, Voldemort does not understand love.

J.K. Rowling has said there will be more details appearing about Lily in the seventh book