Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

A Change in the Tide

Prologue

Two young kids, a boy and a girl, were running along a street, glancing behind them as they ran to make sure no one was following them. The boy pulled the girl into an empty alley.

The boy noticed the girl crying as he looked into the redhead's beautiful green eyes. "Don't cry, Lily," the boy whispered soothingly as he rubbed the girl's back. His hazel eyes were watery but he fought back the tears. "Everything is going to be okay."

The eleven year old girl looked up at her friend. He had messy black hair and was rather scrawny. "It is not going to be okay." The girl began to cry harder. "I'll never see you again, James. I can't do it. I'm not going with them."

"Lily, you have to. Their going to take great care of you. They seem really nice."

"I want to stay with you, James, and the rest of the kids at the orphanage. This couple that is adopting me will probably never let me see you guys again."

"That's not true, Lily. You don't know that."

The two kids sat together on the floor of the damp and dark, paved alley. They huddled together and silent tears ran down both of their eyes. They knew that there was absolutely nothing they could do to prevent Lily from going away. They were young kids after all.

Suddenly, Lily shifted out of James' hug and looked into his deep, hazel eyes. "James, let's go away. We already made it out of the grounds. We can live together in the streets, like this here alley."

"Lily, that's impossible. Stop thinking that," James interrupted her.

"No James. I'm not leaving you." Lily grabbed his hand, desperately trying to convince him of her plans. "We'll be fine and I won't be adopted. Please James… please," Lily cried hysterically.

James, who was older than Lily by one year, always tried to watch over her, like she was his little sister. They both grew up together in an orphanage in London. Both Lily's parents and James' had died when they were only toddlers. The two kids had played together and hung out together since. They were inseparable.

"Lily," James gently whispered, "you know we can't do that. We could die. Besides, we would have to steal our food and live the rest of our lives as thieves. And what would happen if the police found us? Huh? It would never work. I don't want to see you hurt, Lily."

"Oh James," Lily sobbed. "You're my best friend. I don't want to lose you," the young redhead said. Knowing she was fighting a losing battle, she gave up and just cried on James' shoulder.

Suddenly, Lily and James perked up when they heard voices walking down the deserted alley. Frightened, the two children huddled closer together and tried to blend in with the wall.

When James looked up, he saw two men, both dressed raggedly and covered in dirt, walking towards the end of the alley where he and Lily were. They were talking when the two men noticed the scared little kids crouched against the wall on the floor.

Now that Lily could get a better look at the men, she saw that they both had dark hair and tan skin. One was tall and thin while the other one was slightly shorter and had a beard. The taller one kneeled so that he was level with the two kids. James' arms tightened around Lily. He was so scared and shocked. It was too late to get up and run. They were cornered.

"Now what's wrong? Are you scared of us?" The man sniggered as he looked back at his friend and smirked.

"Leave us alone," James bravely spoke up.

"Well, I happen to like it here. I don't want to leave," said the man, stubbornly.

"Leave now!" James screamed as he stood up. The men were much bigger than him. As he noticed this, he began to inch back cowardly.

"What are you going to do about it?" the second man asked as the two older men began to gang up on James.

"I… I'll fight you." James held up his fists, threateningly.

The men laughed at this as Lily spoke up softly. "James, please don't." James could hear the worry in her voice. She looked as scared as he felt inside. He turned away from her and faced the men in front of him.

"Why don't you go home to your mommy and daddy, kid?" the bearded man directed at James.

James looked down and said that he didn't have any parents.

The two men shared a look. Then, suddenly, they roughly grabbed James and were trying to tie him up with ropes. James struggled back hopelessly.

"Stop!" Lily ran over to the men and began weakly hitting them, trying to keep them off her best friend. "What are you doing? Stop it! Leave him alone," Lily cried.

Lily was in tears as she saw them capture James. She tried as hard as she could to stop the men but it was no use. She was only wasting her strength. She would not give up though.

"Cut it out girl," one of the men roared at her. When she didn't stop, he roughly pushed her down where she hit her head hard against the pavement and blacked out.

James' eyes widened as he saw how the man hit Lily. He began to cry and fight back even harder but the men eventually had him tied. They slugged him carelessly over their shoulders as though he was a package and walked out of the alley leaving the young unconscious girl behind.

A/N: Let me know what you think of this story. I have had this story in my head for awhile. I just haven't had a chance to write it. I hope to update the next chapter soon but there are no guarantees. Review