Hello everyone!

This is my second story. I have another story called "The Secret Keeper" which will also be written alongside this one. They are both separate series, but very different in many ways. So please, check out my other story too!

I really hope you enjoy this story. I've got really cool and intense ideas for this.

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Enjoy!

Chapter One

The surrounding darkness was suffocating me.

I moved my feet silently across the solid concrete. I listened intently for my attacker. The sound I could hear were whistling of knives being thrown towards me. Sweat poured down my back as I rolled to the ground and dodged every weapon being aimed at me. I was exhausted. I heard another knife whizzing towards me, but I wasn't quick enough. I felt the sharp blade graze my arm and I yelped in pain. I grabbed my arm where the knife had cut my skin. I pulled back my clammy hand as I felt the warm blood pool onto my hand and down my bare arm.

"Dammit Julian, can we please stop!" I yelled as I dropped to the ground clutching my now bleeding arm.

"Practice will end when I tell you so."

But I have had enough practice for today. I shoved myself up from the ground and quickly ran towards the place where I had heard his voice. Right as I neared him, I pulled my wand out of my left boot, "Lum-"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Instead of my wand flying out of my hand, I flew back into the closest wall. My head made a deafening crack against the concrete walls and an unnecessary headache now existed. I went to feel the back of my head. My hands were covered in blood. I shivered as a chill settled in the room.

I pulled my tank top off to try and slow the bleeding right as Julian flicked the lights on of the training room. I blushed when I saw Julian's tall frame standing in front of me smirking, something in his eyes. Julian was extremely handsome with his golden skin and blonde hair. He had hazel eyes that were speckled with blue that would light up with his impish smile. He muscles stiffened at the sight of so much blood, yet it didn't faze him as much as it probably should. After training for so many years, the sight of blood and the crunching of bones does not have as much of an effect as it used to.

"Next time stop when I say stop. That way we can avoid all of this." I said seething as I felt the warm liquid run down the back of my neck along with a cold sweat that had glazed over my entire body.

"What makes you think that you are in charge, let alone dictate my actions. Do you understand yet? We are preparing you for war. Hell, we're all preparing for war! There are more ways than magic in this world. You are in a dangerous position being a Natural. You will be hunted down if people discovered what you were and you need to learn to defend yourself with weapons instead of relying on that damn thing all of the time," Julian said pointing to my wand on the other side of the basement, "Adrian, you are nearly sixteen years old. There will be a time when you will have to choose a side. That time is closing in on all of us quickly. You know where I stand with this whole situation, but I will allow you to make your own decisions. However, you need to be ready," he held out a tanned hand for me to take, "C'mon, let's get you to Linda. She'll throw a fit to know that I knocked you against the wall and cracked your head. Again." He said with a smile. I glared silently at him, furious that I would have to deal with another concussion. The third one in the past year.

Julian helped me to my feet. He went over to pick up my wand for me as I wrapped my sweat drenched tank top around my bleeding skull. I felt overexposed in my black sports bra and tight leggings. I wrapped my arms tightly around my bare torso as Julian walked back over to me and bent down to slide my wand back into my left boot. He looked up and smiled, "By the way, good work today," and he slid his arm around my small waist.

We walked slowly up the stairs. I would get dizzy and lose my footing, nearly causing the both of us to go tumbling down the stairs. After the fourth failed attempt at getting myself up the stairs, Julian got frustrated and picked me up bridal style and carried me up the stairs. He grumbled a few times about my weight, causing me to smack him as hard as I could manage. He laughed as he fumbled to open the door from the basement to the house.

The light was blinding when we opened the door from the basement. Julian set me down on the wood floor. I held tightly onto his sweaty arm as we entered the kitchen where Ian sat reading. Ian was twenty-seven and Linda's older brother. He was tall and muscular with dark brown hair and light green eyes. However, Linda and I often compared him to a huge teddy bear. Although Ian was super protective of Linda and me, but he was the biggest goof ever. He was always looking for a good laugh, even at the expense of others. He looked up to where Julian and I stood and started laughing as soon as he saw my makeshift bandage and my shaking figure.

"You realize Linda will most likely have an aneurism when she sees Adrian? She'll be hexing you into next week!" Ian roared with laughter, "Not to mention what Xander will say to this!"

Julian rolled his eyes when I replied half-heartedly, "It couldn't be any worse than when he knocked me unconscious! I don't think Linda spoke to him for a week."

"See Ian? She's fine if she can still point out my flaws." This caused both Julian and Ian to laugh. I rolled my eyes and my head throbbed as I did so.

I looked over at the doorway to the kitchen when I heard a sharp intake of breath. I saw Linda's small frame standing there, her wild red hair matching her furious expression as she glared harshly at Julian. I wasn't the only one to take notice in Linda's appearance. Ian's laughter ceased and I could see the muscles in Julian's back stiffen as he turned to face a rage-filled Linda.

"Does anyone want to explain to me why I heard an awfully loud crash down in the basement? It wouldn't have anything to do with Adrian's bleeding head would it?" Venom dripped from Linda's clam voice.

Julian's face went pale as he went to stammer an excuse and the smirk on Ian's face grew into a grin. Linda's expression grew darker as she continued, "Do you realize that Adrian has to go back to school in less than a week and I refuse to let her go back to Hogwarts with a concussion. For Merlin's sake, Julian, she can barely stand on her own! Let alone the fact that she is bleeding not only through that makeshift bandage on her head, but on her arm as well. I realize that her training is important, but you cannot constantly be injuring her to prove a point! I forbid any further training before she leaves for school. This has to remain all a secret, and the constant bruises are not helping us any." Both Julian and Ian began to stutter excuses as to why I should continue, but I was silently pleading with Linda to deny them the right to train me further. For now. "Now bring her up to her room so I can clean up your mess before Xander has your head."

Julian followed the fuming redhead silently. He noticed my shaking frame as I struggled to keep up with them as we walked towards my bedroom. He sighed impatiently and slowed his pace that way I could grasp his arm as we walked. But Linda had a point. I couldn't walk around school with a concussion. I had to be ready for anything. I have been trained since I was seven years old to fight, not only with magic, but with weapons also. My brother, Xander and I watched our parents die in front of us, I being only seven years old and Xander fourteen. However, being enrolled at Hogwarts, it was against the law for Xander to perform magic outside of school, and therefore we couldn't even save our own parents. They were killed by Deatheaters because my father refused to join them. My father fought hard to protect and hide us for those many years. He even resorted to hiding us in his homeland, Russia, where they were never to find us. I can remember so clearly when they came. When our parent's died, our godfather, Valentino, came and took us away. Valentino decided that it was time that we learned to defend ourselves with our minds. Xander and I began training alongside Julian, Valentino's only son. Soon Ian and Linda came to us because their parents had died in a mission to stop the Dark Lord. We have all been trained to be like assassins, preparing for another Wizarding War.

Once we reached my room, Julian tenderly lifted me onto my bed. I sat there waiting as Linda came bustling out of the bathroom with bandages and potions overflowing in her hands. Linda was a Healer and often hid my scars and bruises after training days. She was one of the most sought after Healers in England, so she was often gone. We were usually only allowed to train when she was home, in case something major were to happen. For example: getting blown into a wall. Linda sang softly as she worked on my head and I could barely feel her stitching up the cut on the back of my head. She bandaged it tightly and moved onto my arm, only wrapping it in gauze. She then handed me a purplish potion that had the scent of daisies because it was supposed to help the cuts heal at a faster pace. I quickly swallowed the potion and grimaced. That thing sure did not taste like freaking daisies.

I hadn't noticed that Julian had left until Linda was gingerly helping me undress into night clothes, "Why does he do this? Especially when he knows that I am leaving in two days?" I question, already knowing the answer. I continue, my breathe becoming shallow. A panic attack, something that has occurred so often ever since my parents' death, "He's only trying to help me become stronger. I don't know what I would do without him helping me. I'm so much more behind than everyone else Lindy," I said in a shaking voice, "The hardest thing is when I'm at school. No one knows about me. I feel so alone sometimes."

"You always have me to write to. You should know that Adrian," Linda said as she brushed my long coppery hair, "What about your brother? I am positive that he would stop everything just to help you."

"It's not always the same though! I want someone at Hogwarts that is experiencing the same thing as I am. I wish I had someone to confide in. Just one person."

"You know that you have Isobel, Blaire and Astoria? They have done a lot to make sure that you comfortable. You even told me that Astoria did all of that research to better understand your situation." Linda reminded me as she wove her fingers through my hair to make a loose braid. She was right about my three best friends. Astoria had caught me practicing cleansing rituals the year the Chamber of Secrets had opened. I had hoped that maybe the Elders could help to wash away the negativity. Astoria was very interested in my culture and Naturals. She came up to me with questions and research to help me cope with my situation. She even helped me to explain to Isobel and Blaire what I truly was later that same year. All three of them have been extremely understanding and I have been truly grateful for it.

"I know that she knows about all of this, but it's not the same. I wish that you were still at school. That way I knew that there was someone who was within walking distance that truly understands what it's like. Sometimes I feel like a disappointment," I said sadly. And it was true. It was always hard for me to catch on to tactics and different weapons. Training has always been long, grueling hours for me. I cannot seem to grasp things as quickly as my brother had. Xander's training only lasted until his last year at Hogwarts, and he seems fine now. I am going onto my sixth year at Hogwarts and have barely passed the basics.

Linda sighed as she leaned into my side, "We're always learning, sweetheart. I'll let you rest. As a punishment, I'll send Julian and Ian for your supplies tomorrow. You and I can relax and hangout, just us. I promise." Linda helped me get into bed without moving my head too much. She set a glass of water and bottle of muggle painkillers on my bedside table. Once I was settled, Linda gave me a warm hug and left my room.

And there I sat in that hollowing darkness yet again. To think in a few days' time, I will no longer be sleeping in this bed under this roof. No, I will be back in the Slytherin common room at Hogwarts. I was afraid to be leaving home. But was this really home? Home had been our beautiful mansion out in the peaceful Russian countryside those many years ago. Home had been with my father telling beautiful stories of heroes and heroines with their dramatic adventures. Home had been where my mother sat both Xander and I in front of the large stone fireplace and taught us of our ancestors and of Old Magic. Home was with all of us, my father, mother, Xander and I, together. But home had died so many years ago, but yet, it remained in my heart. I could feel my mother and fathers' essence around me each day, as if almost to say "we are here with you." I know that home was not with Valentino, who was almost a dictator, enforcing his beliefs and shoving them down your throat. Home was not the constant training and battle scars. Home was not with Julian, Ian and Linda, no matter how much I loved and cared about them. Home was not without my brother, who had been gone on a mission since last Christmas. I didn't have a home now.

The people who contained my home were in heaven now.

And may they rest in peace.

Because I never may.

I hope you enjoyed this! Please continue reading for some twist and turns!

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-musedemusique