Disclaimer: If for any reason you think I'm J.K. Rowling, that's just sad. I don't own Harry Potter, which sorta sucks...

Chapter 1

I felt like a deer in the headlights.

Beams and sparks were surrounding me, flying through the air like fireworks. One after another, after another…there was another one…and a five in a row shooting up.

My heart was pounding, about to burst out of my chest. I panted frantically. I didn't know where I was…what was going on? I wanted to cry…I couldn't cry…I didn't know how to cry…I didn't know how to move…I was bound to one spot.

Daisies and…white shingles.

Green, blue, red…

Trees. Lots of them.

A little window.

Blue, green, orange…

Photos…thousands

Green, red, orange…blue..

"Lori!" Every nerve in my body felt static and I jerked my body. The voice was of a young man. "Run…get out of here!" he panted.

I wanted to run to him- to grab him out of the fireworks. I couldn't. What was going on?

Blood started rushing back into my brain. Realization was striking, as my mind grasped the scene in front of me.

People, just people…and light, all mixed together.

"Lori! Go!" Alex yelled another ear-splitting shout.

Branches and leaves whipped me in the face, cutting my arms and legs. My vision was blurry. All of the feeling was gone. All I wanted was to run as fast and as far. I did not care where I would end up.

I dropped down into the carpet of crunchy leaves. Curling my legs up to my chest, I covered my head and cried like I've never cried before.

I wanna go home…I wanna go home…

Tears were cold on my cheeks as the night wind blew on them and rustled the forest in a whisper.

"Daddy…please," I prayed, squeezing my eyes shut. "Daddy, come find me. Please, dad…daddy…find me, please…oh my God." I burst into hysterics, trying to cover them up with my sleeve. My pulse was racing and my panting would not calm down.

I felt a shake, and then a harder one after I did not look up.

"Come on. Get up." It was a deep, concerned voice, but not recognizable to me. I was hoisted up onto my feet. The stranger put my arm around his broad shoulders and walked me a few steps.

"Oh, for God's sake, Chester. Can you imagine what she is going through right now? I'm surprised she can even stand, and you're treating her as if she can sit on a broomstick and circle twice around the moon!" A woman spoke. "Alright, let's get on with it."

My body felt as if it was being turned inside out. My stomach dropped and popping was heard in my ears. I wanted to throw up, but my brain reacted before my gag reflexes, and everything spinned, until I could see nothing at all.

"There you are, dear."

A warm liquid was poured carefully into my mouth. It was slimy, like a snake, as it slid down my throat and had a revolting smell and taste of metal. I blinked a few times, seeing double for a moment. An elderly woman in white robes and cap smiled at me as she helped me sit up.

"Where am I?" I had a giant headache and some of my words were slurred.

"You're at St. Mungo's. Don't worry, you are alright." The nurse answered. "Just a little Disapparation mishap, that's all." She frowned- an unusual expression on her gentle face. "The Aurors are certainly bonkers these days- letting a mere child Side-Apparate."

I raised my torso up a bit more. "I'm not a child. I just turned thirteen!"

The nurse rolled her eyes, turned on her heel, and walked off with her nose in the air. Well, that just completely changed my opinion of her. I bunched up my blanket with my fists and sat there staring at the wall in front of me. I let go after a minute or two.

This is ridiculous.

Really, I've had the most nerve-wracking experience last night and here I was complaining about how someone called me a child. Remembering yesterday, I started panting again. I was lost with no chance of my dad ever finding me.

Oh my God, Lori! That's even more ridiculous. The hospital probably owled dad and he was here all night, just waiting for you to wake up. Yeah…that's it.

Alex.

I needed to see him to know that he was alright. I wanted to apologize for how I left him unprotected and all alone. He saved me and I could never repay him. Ever.

There was a light knock on the door and a pair of people walked into the room. It was a man and a woman who looked as if they had just graduated from Hogwarts. The young man was muscular with messy sandy hair and the young lady was tall, thin, with long black tresses.

"Hi, hi!" The girl walked over to my bed and sat at my feet. "How are you feeling?"

"Uhh…I'm fine…thanks." I suspiciously answered. Maybe they just confused me with someone else. "Are you in the right room?"

The brunette started giggling. "Well, of course. You're Lorraine Wittler, right?"

I interrupted her before she could say more, "It's just Lori."

"Oh, okay, Lori…well, I'm Dylan Ottwell and he's…"

"Dylan, I can talk for myself." The young man snapped. He reached out and shook my hand. With his firm grip, I could feel his rugged attitude and every single callus. "Chester Dallas. Nice to meet you."

I nodded, trying to keep from grinning like an idiot, but obviously failing. He was unbelievably cute, but just a tad bit too old. Dang it.

"Umm…why are you here?" I asked.

Dylan answered, already getting on my nerves with her overly optimistic personality. "You don't remember? Chester and I rescued you. There was a Death Eater attack on the Tulashire Woods."

"Wrangling in giants and werewolves, we suppose, or drinking unicorn blood…those sick, sick people." Chester bluntly stated, snapping his fingers to magically light a cigarette. Dylan glared at him. "What?" He raised his shoulders.

"That nurse is going to gut you."

The young man waved his hand in a dismissing manner. "Ehh…guess we'll just have to make sure she doesn't find out." He winked, leaving me blushing. I was so amused by flirty boys, it was almost illegal.

"Anyways," Dylan continued, "We Apparated into the forest, but they were already gone, and, strangely, we heard someone crying, who was actually you!"

Questions were hitting the sides of my skull. My head feeling like it was going to explode. Many endings could follow this new information of a fearful climax. Choosing not to believe the worst one, I whispered, "Where's Alex?"

The two Aurors exchanged a confused look before setting their eyes back on me.

"Alex…you know…tall, brown hair, gigantic feet…we look so much alike, it's insane." I choked. "He's my brother."

Chester dragged on his fag, obviously trying to keep the silence from becoming awkward, which it soon was. Dylan was staring at the floor.

I was so annoyed with them. One moment, they are telling me every detail of what is completely irrelevant, but refuse to let me in on the most important information for me. Where is my brother? I felt beads of sweat building underneath my heavy, brown locks. My hospital gown was sticking to my body and once again I wanted to cry.

"Do you know?" I shouted. The young brunette looked at me with sad gray eyes. "Tell me!" Tears were rolling uncontrollably and I once again grabbed my sheets to release my pain. I whispered, "Is he dead?" Those three words were rotten on my tongue, stinging my nose and squeezing more waterworks from my eyes. The room felt hot and my throat was raspy and dry.

Dylan messed with a piece of her hair.

"That's highly likely." Chester quietly said. I released my grasp on the blanket and fell back into my pillow. So much for me appreciating honesty. "I think we should go, Dyl."

I refused to hear whatever came afterwards. I shut my eyes. It was strange not to cry right now, but for the last two days, I think I've used up all my tears.

Nope, they were coming again.

I rolled over on my stomach and bawled into my pillow.

What's going to happen tomorrow? What am I going to do?

My mind was racing and once again I saw those flashing lights and felt the worry and confusion. My heart pounded. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't find a voice.

Blue, red, green…

This was not one of my expected endings.