Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling

by Saerry Snape

Chapter 3 :: July 31, 1995 :: London, England

Sheyne was just reaching for one of the presents piled on the floor beside the kitchen table when the door leading into the kitchen from outside was blown off its hinges.  Part of the wall went with it and then three figures in long black robes with deep hoods filled the gap, a length of smooth wood gripped in each of them's right hands.  Sheyne could just make out a stark white mask under the hoods.  The center figure was obviously the leader as he snapped,  "Kill the Muggles.  I'll get the girl."

"No!" screamed Amanda, throwing herself in front of Stephen.  The taller of the two figures flanking the center lifted his stick – wand, corrected some part of Sheyne's mind that remembered her fantasy books – and spoke words in a language none of them could identify.  There was a flash of green light and Amanda Outlaw went down in a boneless heap, dead before she struck.

Michael Outlaw charged forward, bellowing a wordless challenge, but he fell dead from the same green light.  Sheyne watched in horror as the short man pointed his wand, his hand encased in what appeared to be a shimmering silver glove, at her brother.  Sure he was annoying and not really related to her, but he had been her little brother for all fourteen years of his life and she wasn't going to let him die!

"No!" she screamed and leapt in front of him, pushing him behind her.

"Ava…"

"No, you fool!"  The leader struck the short man, throwing him to the floor.

"Wormtail, I'll have your head if you harm the girl.  Our lord wants her alive, not as a corpse.  He wouldn't take lightly to you killing her, now would he?"

"N-n-no, Lucius," stuttered the man called Wormtail.

"Idiot!  CRUCIO!"

Stephen covered her ears as Wormtail writhed in pain, screaming.  Sheyne watched it with a sort of wonder then noticed the other man coming towards them.  Grabbing Stephen's arm tightly, she yelled, "Run!"

"Get them!"

The man lunged at them and Sheyne threw Stephen behind her again.  A feral snarl bubbled out of her throat and for one moment a black panther stood in her place.  With a cry, the masked man stumbled back and Sheyne hauled Stephen to his feet, her mind whirling.  She did not notice the pendant underneath her shirt humming with warmth.

They burst out of the house and ran for the trees.  Behind them they could hear the sound of Lucius bellowing.

"Macnair!  You let her get away and I'll have you intestines for my bootlaces and your head on a platter for our Master!"

The man who had been chasing them tore out of the house and after them.  Stephen yelped in panic and clung to Sheyne's arm, whimpering.  Sheyne grabbed his shoulder and hauled him up with a strength she didn't know she had, cursing fluently as she did so.

Suddenly, a hand reached out of the dense bushes to her left and grabbed her arm, hauling her and Stephen into them with one sharp tug.  Sheyne snarled and let loose a kick at the person, only to have it easily deflected and herself hauled to the ground in an almost wrestling style move.

"Quiet, girl," hissed a voice in her head.  "Boy, hush.  I won't let them take either of you.  Quiet now.  Here he comes."

Sheyne and Stephen crouched with the stranger in the bushes, watching as Macnair came searching for them and found nothing.  The man cursed and returned to the house as Stephen began to softly sob.  Sheyne prodded the man gently and he looked down at her once before letting her up.  She immediately moved over to Stephen, pulling the younger boy into her arms, eyes flashing as she silently vowed revenge on the three men who had killed – no – murdered their parents.

The stranger suddenly touched her shoulder and said gently, "I am truly sorry for you loss, but we must leave here.  You two are not safe here."  Sheyne nodded and he drew a battered book from inside his jacket.  Sheyne managed to read the title (The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkein) before the book was shoved into her hand.  His jet eyes bored into her amber as he said, "Hold onto your brother tightly and this book equally."

Sheyne frowned at him in confusion but clutched the book, tightening her grip on Stephen and pulling him closer to her.  She felt a tug at her navel and heard Stephen cry out in surprise.  But her eyes remained locked on the stranger's face until it vanished and was replaced by the smiling countenance of an old man with a long white beard.  Blue eyes twinkled behind half-moon glasses as he took the book from her then held out his other hand.  She took it and he pulled both her and Stephen to their feet.  He didn't look like he could have managed that.

"Welcome, Miss Snape, Mr. Outlaw.  Welcome – to Hogwarts."