Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter. I wrote this because she killed off all my favorite characters (they'll have a * next to their name) and because it sounded cool to write. I did invent some of these characters.

Chapter 1: Romilda, 1966

Howling…everywhere. Panic gripped my heart as I ran through the woods. I called his name desperately, hoping I wasn't too late. He was my responsibility; I was supposed to be watching him until our parents returned home.

I held my wand tightly. My hands were sweaty with fear. He was barely six; I couldn't let him get hurt…or Merlin forbid, worse. My feet thundered under me through the undergrowth. Why had I let Thorfin distract me? Why had I left the front door open? I paused. I hadn't left the door open…Thorfin did. I cursed. Thorfin had set me up. I was never any love interest of his. It was all a set up…a trap…and I fell for it.

A scream. I froze terrified. Had they gotten him? Was he still alive, but mortally wounded? Or was he…? No, I couldn't think like that. My little brother was fine. He was screaming because he was scared. I would find him frightened, but unharmed. I was only scaring myself by thinking such thoughts.

I entered a clearing and nearly cried out. There were three werewolves were clawing and scratching at a hollow tree. Someone inside the hollow screamed. A little boy…

"Remus!" I shouted.

"Romilda, help!" Remus screamed. The werewolves weren't even fazed by our voices. They had their prey cornered, no matter that a very edible, unprotected sixteen year old girl stood behind them. Panicking, I picked up a stone and threw it with all my strength. It hit the middle one on the head. It yelped, then whipped around, finally noticing me. It bared it's teeth at me and growled.

"Stupefy!" I yelled, pointing my wand at it. A flash of red light later it crumpled to the ground. The other two stopped attacking the tree and turned around. Upon seeing their colleague…er…pack member on the ground, they growled and started toward me. I backed up.

"Remus, listen to me!" I shouted, desperate to protect him. "Run home, lock the door, and write to Mum and Dad! Don't leave the house again!"

"But what about you?" he asked.

I couldn't stop the tears. I knew he wouldn't see me again. I knew he was more important. I had my chance to live; now it was his turn. I couldn't tell him that though. He wouldn't understand; not yet.

"I'll be fine! Don't worry about me! I have a wand!" I shouted. "Now, on the count of three, go! One…two…three!"

I bolted in the opposite direction of Remus. Both werewolves took off after me. I was terrified. They were going to hurt me…I didn't know how to fight off a werewolf. Why hadn't I listened better in Defense Against the Dark Arts? Thorfin, that's why. He and Bellatrix Black kept me preoccupied in class. They would pay one day, Mum and Dad would find out and do something about them.

I tripped suddenly over a tree root and landed on the ground hard, knocking the air out of me. I heard the werewolves howl triumphantly. I tried to get up, but I couldn't breathe. I was dead; it was only a matter of moments before the werewolves were on me. A jaw clamped on my arm and another on my ankle. The werewolves began tugging and shaking me. I screamed and kicked one in the face. It let go of my foot and yelped in pain.

A blinding, splitting pain at my elbow made me forget the other werewolf entirely. I screamed in agony. It was pain I had never experienced before. My arm was on fire. All my senses focused on that one thing. I felt nothing but pain as if a thousand knives were stuck in my arm. I could hear the werewolves growling and tearing at something. I could smell blood…taste blood. Finally, I worked up the nerve to open my eyes and look at my arm. It wasn't there. My arm had been completely torn off at the elbow.

Gasping in pain, I looked away, willing myself not to be sick. I had to get away. I wasn't going to wait for them to kill me. So I was short one arm. Big deal…I tried to sit up. I hadn't realized that I used both hands to get up until now. I struggled into a sitting position. I looked at the werewolves. They were fighting over my disembodied arm. I closed my eyes. Gingerly, I used my left hand to feel my right arm. I bit my lip to prevent myself from screaming. Using my left hand to drag me up a tree, I shakily. I felt for my wand and realized that it was snapped in two on the ground. Dad was going to be pissed.

Then it hit me. My arm was torn off by a werewolf. I wouldn't be able to go back to school. I would be a werewolf. Werewolves weren't allowed at Hogwarts. They couldn't hold a job; they couldn't live in civilized society. I would be an outcast, shunned from everything I knew. I was doomed to a life of poverty and uncleanliness. I nearly stumbled in horror. Werewolf…I would be a hairy monster once a month. I would be covered in fur.

I looked at my arm again. It was drenched in blood. I could feel it flowing out of me. I stumbled against the tree suddenly very weak. It was my arm. Every drop off blood that left me was weakening me…killing me. My parents wouldn't have to deal with a werewolf. My bleeding arm would kill me before that ever happened. Tears coursed down my cheeks as I slid back to the ground. I didn't want to die like this. The pain flared suddenly as if responding to my despair. My ankle was suddenly excruciatingly painful too. It was broken…I could feel the break all of a sudden. Adrenaline had allowed me to stand up those few minutes.

I decided if I was going to die, I had better things to think about. Remus had gotten away. He was safe. I had at least managed to do one thing right. I hoped Mother and Father would understand. I hoped that Remus would know that it wasn't his fault. I could never blame them. I just wish I could tell him to avenge me on Black and Rowle.

I could feel my strength ebbing away. My breathing was becoming labored. The pain was dulling. I could hardly feel anything anymore. My hearing was muffled, my eyes blurry. I whole body felt heavy. The forest was growing colder…or maybe I was. I couldn't tell anymore.

Cool grass tickled my face. I opened my eyes slowly. The dark forest and snarling werewolves were gone. Instead, I was surrounded by a white wood. I was lying in a white meadow with white flowers. I sat up and realized that I had two hands. I began to sob because I would never get to see my family again. I was dead and only I knew it.