Hi everyone! This is technically my second story, but it's my first story where I have to use actual creativity. So please be nice, read and review. If you do not review…. I will be OK. I'll only cry a little.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; he belongs to the brilliant and wonderful J.K. Rowling.

Of Mortal Dread and Sapphires

Chapter 1

Running from Home

It was a cool summer's night on the night of June 24, 1995. Usually, there's no activity this late at night. At 11:55 p.m., normally the only thing people would be doing was sleeping. Of course, that was not the case. Suddenly, from nowhere, a purple three-decker bus stopped in the middle of the streets of London.

The doors swung open and a very small, young girl stepped out shakily, carrying two large duffel bags (one red, one faded pink), a black suitcase & a light blue backpack. A boy who was obviously related to her immediately followed her. He was carrying similar luggage to his sister's, only his duffel bags were dark green and orange, his suitcase was brown & his backpack was black. The girl silently nodded in thanks to the driver and the bus took off. They were all alone now.

The girl quietly lay down all her luggage and sat down on her suitcase. Her brother followed suit.

"It's freezing out here." The boy, whose name was Kevin, looked sideways at the girl next to him. "Lilly, do you know why we're here?" His sister didn't respond.

"Lilly? Lillianna Graham!" he said. The girl called Lilly jumped at the use of her full name, and then mutely shook her head.

The best way anybody could describe this girl was pale; she had china-white skin, light, wavy ginger hair that went to the middle of her back & was put in two ponytails. The only thing about her that wasn't pale were her eyes-sharp, piercing sapphire blue, they were very noticeable compared to the rest of her body.

Her brother was exactly like her, but his hair was much shorter. These two children were fraternal twins, but surprisingly, not many people thought that they were twins. Probably because they were boy-girl twins, and when you hear that two siblings are twins, most people expected two boys or two girls. Or maybe it was because Kevin was outgoing, loud, and a definite extrovert, while Lilly was the exact opposite. Still, you'd think that because they looked alike people would at least get the hint.

For what seemed like ages, they sat and stared, trying to remember how they got here. It seemed so long ago, everything was so confusing and the details were fuzzy.

Lilly remembered most of the details, as she was in the room when almost everything happened. It all happened so fast….

Only a few hours ago, Lilly's mother had received a letter from a tawny owl. That was a bad sign, because her family rarely received mail by owl, despite the fact that they were pureblood. The Grahams had been trying to live like Muggles for about twenty years now, long before Lilly and Kevin were born. They continued that lifestyle even after You-Know-Who's downfall, because they always knew he'd come back someday.

Then when the letter was opened, her mother looked terrified. "Oh my goodness…. It couldn't be…." Her mother said. When her father took the letter, he looked almost as scared and pale as his wife.

Lilly knew that was never good. When she shyly asked what was wrong, her parents wouldn't tell her much. All they said was that something terrible has happened, and that they all needed to get out of the house.

Lilly needed to pack her bags, take her brother, and go. Her parents also said that everyone needed to separate until the time was right.

Her mother gave the bewildered and frightened girl a piece of paper that said what she and Kevin were supposed to do along with a bag of money.

After that, all she clearly remembered was her family splitting up into different groups, then looking back and watching her house be destroyed. Lilly also remembered sticking out her right hand and hopping on something called 'The Knight Bus' (which she would never ride again, if she could help it).

And now she was here, in the streets of London, very late at night. Lilly still wished she could have the full reason for why she and Kevin had to leave.

Kevin remembered very little, compared to his sister. Of course, his memory was very selective.

What he remembered was that he was in his room trying to figure out how to make a really good Dungbomb when Lilly came bursting in staying that he needs to pack everything because they're running away. She looked so serious and scared that he decided he shouldn't argue.

He then remembered Lilly explaining something to him. Something about them being in danger, but he wasn't sure. He was never sure about anything.

Then he remembered his parents hugging him & Lilly, whispering, "We'll see each other again soon, I promise," and it was around then when he realized how serious the situation was.

He remembered running to keep up with his sister, saw his family going their separate ways (his parents in one, his oldest siblings in another, his next older siblings in another, and himself and his sister), and his house getting destroyed, which he was amazed by-he always loved explosions.

He also remembered riding a really cool purple triple-decker bus, which was so much fun. Now he was on the streets, with only a vague idea of how he and his Lilly got here.

Lilly looked at her watch again and realized that it was fifteen minutes past midnight. It was now June 25-she, along with her twin, was now eleven years old. Yet, she was not very excited that it was her birthday. In fact, she had completely forgotten that she had a birthday.

Then again, she thought, when you're running away from home without a clue where you're going or if you'll see your family again, it's kind of hard to be happy about something silly like your birthday.

There was something else as well; why did she get this feeling that just hours ago, something very horrible had happened?

Obviously, you would get that feeling, Lilly thought. You just ran away from home.

But this is something different! Another voice rang in Lilly's ear. Something worse!

Just stop it.

She tried to shake off this feeling and looked at the paper her mother had given her.

Stick out your dominant hand to flag the Knight Bus. Give the conductor a Galleon and thirteen Sickles from the money I have given you, and request to go to the Leaky Cauldron. Go to Tom, the innkeeper, and ask for a couple of rooms. Please destroy this note once you have completed these instructions.

I cannot wait until we can be united again,

Your mother.

"Can I please borrow one of your fireworks?" Lilly asked her brother. It was the first time she had spoken since saying goodbye to her parents, and her voice sounded like a croak. Kevin handed her a firework. Better destroy it now, I already memorized everything on it, she thought. Just to make sure, though, she turned the paper over.

I do not know when we will be reunited again, but please make no attempt to look for us until either your seventeenth birthdays or until You-Know-Who is destroyed for good.

Lilly sighed. So, they were supposed to stay apart for at least six years? That seemed like an eternity for her.

She couldn't think. Lilly ripped up the small piece of paper in half, then in quarters, then eighths, then sixteenths, until it was nothing but a bunch of confetti. The poor girl walked into a dark alley, and threw the confetti on the ground, but before she could light the firework, every single piece of ripped paper spontaneously ignited, making her jump in shock. She stared at the charred paper, curling up as it was engulfed in flame.

Lilly walked back to where her brother was and sat back down on her suitcase. Kevin seemed unaware of anything again, and was now working on making a firework.

"Well, we can't stay on the sidewalks forever," she told Kevin. "Let's go find this place." They picked up all their pieces of luggage and set off through London.

The twins stopped in front of a sign that said "The Leaky Cauldron". Timidly, the girl knocked softly on the door. There was no answer. She was about to turn around and walk off when the door opened to reveal a bald man with no teeth.

"Good evening, miss. What can I do for you at this time of night?"

"Excuse me, sir." Lilly was very nervous. "I'm Lillianna Graham-but people call me Lilly. This is my brother, Kevin Graham. We're twins. We'd like a place to stay, please."

"How long will you be staying?" the man asked. Lilly's stomach tightened; she hoped they could afford to stay long enough.

"I… I don't know, sir," she replied weakly, for that was a truthful answer. "At least six years, I think." She handed the man her bag of money.

"This is all we have, sir," she mumbled.

The old man smiled and said, "Call me Tom. Come in, come in. Rooms 21 & 22 are free."

"Thank you so much!" Lilly gasped, as she and her brother hurried inside.

The pub was small, dark and fairly dingy, but it will have to do. Tom the barman enchanted Lilly and Kevin's luggage to float upstairs.

"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron, miss," said Tom, bowing as the twins walked to their rooms.

I will stop here for now. So please review! I want to know what everyone thinks of my "actual" work. No flames until the fourth chapter is up, please!