Lily Potter is a character in the
Harry Potter book series by
J.K. Rowling.
Warning! Spoilers from the Harry Potter series ahead!!!
Biography
Lily is Harry Potter's mother. She was born in the late 1950's, and was in the same year at Hogwarts as James Potter. According to Rowling she was in Gryffindor house.
Lily's maiden name was Evans. She was a muggle-born witch. She had a sister Petunia who married Vernon Dursley.
In the years when the Dark Lord Voldemort was in power, Lily was active in the Order of the Phoenix, a group of wizards lead by Dumbledore who fought against Voldemort.
After graduating from Hogwarts, Lily married James Potter. In 1980 they had a son Harry. In Halloween 1981 Lily and James were murdered by Voldemort and Harry went to live with the Dursleys.
The ancient magic of Love
According to Dumbledore Lily died to save Harry. She sacrificed herself to save Harry, and because of that her love to him protects him. In the end of book 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone / Harry Potter and the Philosophers' Stone, Harry uses this protection to defeat Quirrel and save the sorcerers' stone.
Dumbledore describes love for this quality as "at once more terrible and more wonderful than death". He says unspeakables, wizards who work in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic study the power of love.
Harry's feelings towards Lily
Harry loves Lily a lot, and thinks of her all the time. Though, and possibly because, she never appears in person in the series, Harry allways remembers her.