Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I do own my character Adena.

Chapter 1.

I collapsed on all fours. My breathing was ragged and I kept choking on my thoughts. My salty tears formed rivers down my face. They we're making little lakes on the pavement in front of me. I couldn't comprehend it. It was too much to bear. My parents? Dead? It wasn't possible. They were freaking magic for crying out loud! There was no way this was true.

I looked up at the man who had just brought me to my knees at this news. He was in a tan leather-looking trench coat. Those sunglasses had had me suspicious before he had even stepped foot on my lawn….

I had been just minding my own business, staring out my window just daydreaming about Emily and what she would be up to when I caught sight of him checking out my mail box. I thought that was strange, but maybe he had just gotten our mail by mistake and just wanted to return it, or something as minor as that. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I just walked outside and asked him, "Excuse me, can I help you?"

He just looked at me sadly and answered my question with another question, "Are you Adena Browning?"

Still assuming it had something to do with the mail, I replied with a smile, "Yes, I am. And you are…?"

"Gregory Benson. I'm a lawyer. I have some unfortunate news, Ms. Browning. I would request to continue this inside, but I know once I deliver my news, you will wish to be in my company no longer."

This is when I really started to get uncomfortable and confused. What was up with this guy? Why is he talking all weird? And what the heck is this news he has to deliver?

"Adena", he said in a softer voice, taking off his equally tan bowler hat, "Your parents have died in a fire. They we're found trespassing in an abandoned building downtown.

"St. Mungo's", I thought.

"We're very sorry for your loss. We also realize you are only 14 and cannot legally take care of yourself. We are placing you in the custody of your brother. You must move in with him immediately. We will make sure that…"

After that I couldn't focus anymore. That is also when I fell to the sidewalk on my hands and knees. My mind was blank. Recalling those events had just made them seem twice as real. Everything was so bright. It was like someone was drawing this scene and had just switched from pastel to neon colors within seconds. I didn't know what to do now.

When he had finished talking, I stood up and thanked the man for stopping by. He shook my hand and patted my shoulder. He took off down the street rather quickly with a forlorn backward glance. I was too wrapped up in my own self-misery that I didn't care how sorry he was.

I went back inside my house locking the old, mahogany door behind me. I had lived here my whole life. How many times had I looked at this door? I had taken it's familiarity for granted. Actually, I had taken a lot of things for granted lately. One of the things the lawyer said floated back to me.

"We are placing you in the custody of your brother."

Taylor? He was going to take care of me. He lived in Britain. He had decided to go off to the fascinating country after he turned 18. He was now 20 and I don't see how he is supposed to take care of a 14 year old girl. He's still a kid himself. However, he was my only living relative. I had nowhere else to go. I guessed I should have been getting ready, but I couldn't bring myself to change the house in any way now that Mom and Dad were gone.

How was it going to be with them gone? I was no longer going to walk in the door on those summer days when I'm not in school and hear her singing in the kitchen while she cooks up something marvelous. Dad was no longer going to come home from working all day at St. Mungo's with Mom and plop onto the couch and wait for me to crawl into his lap like I have been since I was 3 years old.

I had wandered upstairs to my parent's room lost in thought and I found myself lying on their bed. There would be no more bouncing up and down in this bed on Christmas morning trying to get Mom and Dad up so we could open presents. I reminisced about all the times we had shared, good and bad. I was going to miss all of those memories so much. There would be no more of that. No more picnics by the lake with Mom when she wasn't working with Dad. No more.

My cell phone buzzed in my pocket, sending me leaping in the air and out of my fantasies. I checked the caller I.D. and it was none other than my brother. I quickly answered.

"Taylor", I said not knowing how I was going to explain this to him.

"Open the door", he said quickly and hung up.

I bolted down the matching mahogany staircase and unlocked the door. I took one look into my brothers gray eyes and fell into his arms. His heavily muscled arms locked around me in a protective embrace.

He let go first. He held me an arm's length away. He looked at me and asked, "Have you called Emily yet?"

I gasped. "Oh crap! Not yet. Hold on."

I ran up the stairs to the house phone and punch in the numbers before my brain can even register what they are. She picked up the phone after half a ring.

"Mornin', Adena. What's goin' on", she asked me groggily. She just woke up.

"Mom and Dad are dead", I said quickly to keep the pain in check.

"I'll be there in two minutes", she said. She hung up quickly.

I heard the door open. Emily walked in and I could hear Taylor explain everything. This is just as well for me. I went to my room and curled up in my hammock/bed. I then drowned out the world with sleep.