Finally the story begins...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Harry Potter (sadly) But the new characters are my own at least

Chapter 1 Breaking Point

"Why is he so drop-dead gorgeous?" Selena said, to no one in particular.

"Because he is not that gorgeous. Sorry to say it Selena, but there are many out there more better-looking than him." said Alina, flipping through the pages of the Daily Prophet, sent by her cousin in England.

"Oh really? Prove it." said Selena defiantly in response.

"Fine. Here's your proof." Alina held the newspaper so that Selena could see the picture of the infamous teenager.

"Ugh. He's just as cute as him, you know. But you're right in a way I guess- he's definitely stopped looking like a gangly, hormonal, preteen nerd."

"They both have," Alina simply stated.

"If only…" Selena let out a huge exasperated sigh.

"If only what?" Alina put her paper down and looked directly at her.

"If only we went there. It would be so amazing and exciting- wouldn't it be?"

"What, with Lord Voldemort there? I don't think so."

"I love how you have no problem speaking his full name." drawled Selena sarcastically.

"I love how you think I care." was Alina's only response. Selena only rolled her eyes and continued reading Wizarding Weekly. Alina stared into the small fire that was gradually burning out.

"You know.." she started to say slowly.

"Hm?" Selena responded without looking up, preoccupied with looking at the dresses upon dresses displayed in the magazine

"We could make a visit to a certain Emilie we know-"

"Oh my god. Alina, are you serious? That would be so crazy!! Aah! So much stuff to bring! What is the weather like there? Oh well obviously lots of rain- do you think it rains a lot during the summer? I'll bring my new coat anyways. Speaking of summer are we staying until school starts again? Because I need to get back and finish my report that's due as soon as we get back-"

"Selena." interrupted Alina.

"What?" Selena groaned. "You better not change your mind because you just said it- don't take it back now- I'm sure Dad and Mom would be okay with it if we paid for it-"

"Don't worry. But the reason I said it was because- well, honestly there's no other way to say this- but we have to move there." Selena's eyes were blank for a moment while Alina waited for her to answer.

"What? You mean- live there?" Selena paused everything she had been doing, with a look of disbelief and incredulity splayed across her face. "We're all moving there? Since when did this happen and why has no one told me yet?"

Alina groaned inwardly. She knew this wasn't going to go over so well. She hadn't expected it to in the first place, but still she had pointlessly hoped Selena would understand without her having to explain. 'How ignorant and stupid can I get?' Alina thought. "Yes, live there, Selena. Mom and Dad asked me to tell you… more like break it to you, if you will. The thing is, Selena, they can't support us anymore. They can't afford to pay both of our tuitions. The only thing we can do is to move to England- and apply for scholarships."

"So what, we're supposed to live without Mom? Without Dad? Without Lilith, Andrew, and Michael? Are you crazy? What about David? Have you told him yet?" Selena's eyes were bulging out of her head, piercing Alina's body, making her shudder. Alina closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead gently.

"I have."

"And?" Alina looked away. She remembered that day she had told him, the one person who didn't care that her family could hardly afford for her education to Merlin's Academy of Wizardry, the most prestigious wizarding school ever built. She broke his heart- the one that had let her throw hissy fits, tantrums, the heart that had let her scream and cry in front of him. But yet- all he had done was stay silent.

"Say something, Dave." Alina had looked up into those deep and bright blue eyes which were now empty and unfeeling. Suddenly they widened with rage as they set upon her.

"What am I supposed to say?" he yelled, with a force like none other. Startled, she took a step back. She felt herself unable to say nothing. He continued. "You tell me that you're leaving in a little less than two weeks when you just told me that you've known for months? Why the hell didn't you say anything, huh? Tell me!" His face was red, eyes burning with rage. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?" he asked in a quieter voice, his eyes filled with sadness and pain. Finally she responded.

"I'm so-" she had to stop; she was breaking down quickly and she knew it. "S-s-sorry. You know I couldn't have gotten a scholarship- it was already taken and reserved. And my parents can't pay and support all five of us. Not now, not after-" she paused again. "Not after Uncle Chris was killed." She exhaled. "And Sean and Emilie are our only relatives left, including Aunt Jayne and Uncle Stuart. There's no possible way we can stay here and expect to live normal lives again-"

"I could pay for your tuition! You know that!!" he yelled again. She felt her heart weaken.

"I could never let you do that. I know your family's wealth but they aren't exactly fond of our family. I doubt that they would let you touch their money for me. And you couldn't pay for Selena too, Dave,".

"Well all you said was that they couldn't pay for both of you. Why can't you stay here and she can go to England? Hm? And it doesn't matter if you go to Merlin's Academy- go somewhere else- somewhere cheaper, get a job-"

"That's what I'm doing. And how can you expect me to let my younger sister go alone to England? Huh?" She decided she wouldn't inform Selena about that one part. If she did, she'd make Alina stay here for sure and she would try to convince Alina that she would be alright by herself, Alina knew it. "Dave, the only place I can go is London. There's no other way." Desperately she looked up at him, hopeless.

"Then marry me."

"Marry me, for crying out loud!" She stared at him for a few moments before slightly chuckling with a hint of worry.

"Yeah, right,"

"I mean it, Alina-" his eyes again. They bore into her- but they never seemed to touch her- never seemed to reach her heart. Several times they had come close to making her break, but after one and a half years, she still couldn't seem to connect with him. "We could marry, elope, I'd have to support you, and you could go to-"

"Have to support me? You don't have to do anything." She turned away from him.

"Alina, I never meant it like that. You're overreacting and you know it. Immediately she whipped around.

"You're right. Exactly why we can't marry and why you don't really want to marry me."

"No, Alina, you're wrong- we can- don't you- I mean, don't you want to-" he looked at her, and was having difficulty saying what he wanted to say. "Alina, don't you-"

"Love you?" Alina finished for him. Glancing at him, she knew she'd guessed right. Tears were welling up inside and she was close to bursting "Yes!", but she couldn't say it. She couldn't burden him. Not anymore. Looking down, she said "No, David, I do- I do not love you." Deafening silence followed.

"I don't believe that," he whispered. 'He's going to make me say yes… I can't…' "Damn it, Alina, I don't believe you."

She gathered all the composure she had left, held back the waterfall brewing on her eyelashes and said "You don't have to- but I don't love you.", with her eyes cool and dark. "Believe me or not, David, I don't love you and I never have." It was so hard to lie- she had never been good at it. This time she had to be. Needed to be. He had always been able to call her bluff, but not tonight. She wouldn't let him. Slowly inside she knew she was on the edge of collapsing and deteriorating.

"Well I loved you." he said, his eyes doing what they did best- they bore into her skin, making her shiver. This time though, she was merely annoyed and hurt. As soon as he disappeared from sight, she ran, to the closest wall she could find and fell back against it, slowly dropping onto the ground, and wrapped her arms around her legs, rocking back and forth, shuddering and shaking with each heartbreaking sob that wrenched her soul as she let herself fall apart.

The fact that he had used the past tense was bugging her so much; she had no clue whether she had even loved him, making her ask herself why she was even crying so much, which only resulted in more tears and more sobs, and because she had such weak longs, every so often she gasped for more air, coughing and hacking. She repeatedly called herself an idiot, for not stopping and for not being rational. But really it was useless. And for an hour and a half she let the overwhelming feelings of despair and regret and guilt drown her, freezing and shivering even though it was a summer night. Alina knew she had been pathetic, and was pathetic, and would always be pathetic.

Alina shook her head of the memory of that night. It was too late. "What do you think happened, Selena?" she said in response. She only shook her head in pity. Alina didn't need this. She should be the one comforting Selena, the one pitying Selena, not vice versa.

"When do we have to leave?" Selena asked after minutes of uncomfortable silence.

"In three days." Selena broke down. Alina was done crying, so no tears came. She had no more energy and no more tears left to do so. She walked over to Selena, holding her in her arms, rocking her back and forth as she had done for herself and let Selena cry into her shoulder. "It's going to be alright Selena, don't worry-"

"Really." Selena said dryly, making Alina stop to look her younger sister in the face.

"No. I don't know. I really have no clue how screwed up it'll be. But I know that no matter what we'll always have each other. We were blessed with that much, did you realize? We'll make it somehow, Selena. Haven't we always?" Selena continued to cry, and Alina let her, and gradually she calmed down and was resting her head in Alina's lap and sniffling, as she stared absentmindedly at the dwindling flame in the fireplace, leaving no time or room to comfort herself. The last spark of fire flew up the chimney and it went out.

A/N: good so far? it's my first fic.. it's slow to start out and yes there's no harry potter charaters present yet but i've written a lot already, I just haven't typed it up