Prologue:

"Expulso!"

I took for cover under the flipped over table in my family's dining room. Protecting my head with my hands, I ducked, hearing the ringing of the house alarm echo in my ears. The shards of glass showered over me, breaking into a million little crystals at contact with the cold, stone floor.

With shaking hands, I uncurled myself, slowing standing to my heels. I inched closer to the edge of the table, where I could hear the crunching of broken glass and wood underneath feet.

"Where is she?" A low, draggy voice asked.

Slowly daring a peek, I held my heavy breath, letting one green eye look around the corner. Standing in my front doorway were three men. All of them were wearing dark cloaks that hid their features, but it was undeniable they were men. With a shaky breath in, I pressed my back to the wooden table top.

"I don't know, Sir. She could have fled with the others! We can't seem to find her…" An unsure voice answered. Fled with the others. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to hold back tears. My family abandoned me here, alone, by myself. Great. Just great.

Within seconds, my mind was taken over my adrenaline. I let my eyes wander, searching for an answer. They traveled along the cold cement walls of my family's hideout, passed the kitchen doorway and cluttered bookshelves. Then, they landed on it.

The old, wobbly painting hung on a rusty nail, overlooking the whole scene. The man inside it- an old fellow with long, gangly grey hair and an equally long beard- winked at me with his blue eyes. Standing up, he cleared his throat, replacing his spectacles on his nose. The moment the man took out his wand from his robes, I stumbled to my feet.

"Well find her…" The dragged voice was saying, and they started moving around.

The man in the portrait seemed to have no attention from the visitors. Raising his wand, I stood on the balls of my feet, waiting for his next move. His eyes turned into two narrow slits, and he poised his wand just behind me.

"Incendio."

I could hear the sizzle of the flames as they grew, loud and ablaze. The orange light danced along the house in a perfect horizontal line, separating the attackers from me. Their shouts were heard over the line of fire, wondering what had just happened in alarm.

The man gave me a hurried expression. Without another look back, I took off through the kitchen and out the back door. Soon enough, the forest had swallowed me, leaving the hazy orange glow the only evidence of where I came from.