Last chapter was bigger than I expected, but I couldn't really stop midway. Anyway, it's going to have loads of friendship and chaos in the story! Dunno if I warned you guys before.


The first time I felt the Cruciatus was at the age of fifteen, while doing early shopping for school supplies. Lily had left the other day to spend more time with her family, and I had time to enjoy with my sister before she got promoted again. It would be a hard and frustrating job and even with all my paranoia, I hadn't realized what 'war' truly meant.

That day had been like any other day. It was bright and sunny, and while people were wary, everyone felt they were safe enough. After all, who would attack Diagon Alley in broad daylight? There were children, parents, muggles (though much less than they generally were), and everyone hung out, laughing and chatting with shopkeepers and neighbors.

Then all of a sudden, while I was in the middle of telling Amelia a joke and she was stifling a smile, a chill travelled down my spine. Amelia immediately noticed, a hand on her wand, and her eyes scanned for threats around us.

"What is it?" I was paranoid, right? It was Diagon Alley. Nothing bad would happen here, right? But something bad was going to happen.

"W-We need to leave." My eyes widened when I spotted a few hooded figures coming out of Knockturn Alley, some apparating to the other side of Diagon Alley. My hand reached for my wand and I glanced at Amelia, who had also noticed them closing in the shoppers.

"I need to call the Aurors discretely." I nodded.

"Go. I'll try to get the muggles and children away." I walked casually towards one of the obvious muggle parents who were struggling with massive amount of luggage. I smiled at the man.

"Hello. I'm a Hogwarts student. I was wondering where your child was, and if you were assisted by a teacher?" The man gave a nervous laugh.

"Nathan just ran away into the sweet shop leaving me with all these. No teacher this time though." I frowned. The sweet shop would no doubt be occupied with the kids the most. I should try to put as many vulnerable people there and get help to protect it. A few average students or adults should be able to defend well enough. I needed to protect the building from explosion or something.

I shrunk his bags and slightly dragged the man to the sweet shop with a smile.

"The charms will automatically cancel out in a few hours, so be careful with them okay? Why don't you get in the shop as well? He must be waiting for you." My smile stiffened when the hooded figures were spotted. The man looked at them with sharp eyes, and then at me.

"Of course, but shouldn't you accompany us as well?" I swallowed, my eyes darting to the kids still around them.

"No. I'm sorry. If you could, please take care of the kids." The man nodded sharply, his gaze sharp and sure, but also kind. Ex-military.

"Be safe." I had to stifle a hysterical giggle. There was going to be an attack in Diagon Alley. Safe was going to be a dream soon.

An explosion hit in the middle of the crowded street and people, limbs and blood was flying. I tried my best not to freeze more than required before rushing more kids into the shop, my wand already out and writing out runes to protect against direct attacks on the building. There were already a few wards, so I just had to add a bit more. A ward very similar to Hogwarts, taking ambient magic to fuel defense.

Anything else would take too much time.

I shot a well aimed tripping jinx, barely getting one of the hooded figures to avoid the cutting curse to the throat of an unconscious lady. Another saw me, aiming a spell with a red light.

Stupify? I thought, surprised.

Before I tripped, missing getting hit by it. It harmlessly slid from the newest ward addition. I threw a bloody and hopefully unconscious teenager, around my age near the gate and someone leaned out to take them in. There was loud screaming, and blood.

Oh god, so much blood. Then, I was puking behind the building. Something hit me and I bit through my lip to avoid the scream. I shouldn't attract more attention. One of them came in front of her, lazily twirling his ward.

"Bones, huh? Your father got my brother killed." He aimed the wand at me. My dress was definitely torn and I was probably hit by a weak cutting curse on my side. I was bleeding. I spit at his robe.

The Aurors better be there soon. The monster snarled.

"Crucio!"

I wasn't ashamed to admit I almost passed out in the first three seconds under the curse. I had no idea if I was screaming or not, but it felt like he was ripping open wounds all across my body again and again. The suddenness was probably the most jarring thing. It hit like a train, and didn't really leave.

When it ended, I had no idea but I kept falling in and out of consciousness. It didn't take too long to come back to consciousness, but when I did, I was still in the middle of the wreck of a Diagon Alley. The screams had tapered off and there were no hooded figures. I tried to sit up, falling down when my hands didn't support me. There were a few figures around, a few Aurors had started to arrive and I still couldn't sit up.

I collapsed into a sitting position with a groan, with barely any idea what had happened. Without Aurors, did they just leave on their own? On the sky above, was a symbol of a skull. I shuddered, my already shaky hands and legs protested as I tried to stand up. I leaned against the wooded wall, half of my hair matted with vomit.

It didn't even matter. There were cries of grief now. It had been less than five minutes since Amelia left. It took five minutes to ruin all the false peace people felt. I stood on shaky legs. Those kids and that man. They had to be safe, right?

"Castella! Ella?" Amelia's voice sounded from halfway across the half abandoned, bloody Alley. I was glad my eyes wouldn't focus too well or I would have to puke again. There was blood everywhere.

"Sis." I coughed. "Sis!" I stumbled towards her, stumbling over someone's body.

"Ella. You're okay. You're alive." She hugged me, holding me up when I collapsed, my legs unable to hold me up.

"S-Sweet s-sh-op." I said, voice wavering. Already my vision was going dark. I had never fainted before so it was a new experience for me. Though I barely cared with the ache in my jelly-like muscles, and the pain from the cut on my side.

"-ay. They're-" I passed out.