Lucian looks up at the dark sky, the rain pouring down on his face as he stood at the edge of the orphanage's deck. He cried silently, wiping his eyes he muttered silent words. "...Sis... I'm...all alone. But I'm doing my best... I'll be ok without you, Sis. I'll be able to take care of myself." A thunder strike struck the ground recklessly, Lucian jumped to the side in terror.

Lucian woke up on the train to Hogwarts, rubbing his head and wondering what happened. He slowly rose up from the floor, sitting down silently on the small bench in the empty compartment. He sighed, rubbing his eyes, leaning on his knees, soon stareing at the ground.

_________________
Life is at best a dream and at worst a nightmare from which you cannot escape.
- Mysterious Stranger Manuscripts

Lucian Vent - Living, Expelled, Location Unknown

Jacob Green - Living, Seventh Year, Hufflepuff

Rurian Blackwing - Living, Seventh Year, Slytherin

Cameron Slaine - Living, Second Year, Gryffindor

Time Compression. It’s a funny thing in some ways. Made me realize some things about my self that I never even knew was there. So many revelations because of one event. Well…time compression was a pretty big event. Affected worlds of the past, my past, and times yet to come. Its scope floors me sometimes. To think that far in the future there was someone plotting on how to kill me. And she almost succeeded. I always lived my life for me. I know it may sound a bit selfish but that’s the way I was brought up. It’s what I learned from my experiences. Everyone that I’d ever loved really left me. I didn’t even realize how much it affected me until Sis left. Everything I’d done from that moment on was basically because, and for her. Heh. Sis. I called her that even back then. Didn’t know how right I was. Yet another thing I owe to Jivine. She really was mad…but at least she served some purpose. I found out who my mother was…only to discover she’s been dead from the moment I was born. One life for another. Kyme has a twisted sense of humor sometimes.


I never had a father. No that’s wrong. I never knew who my biological father was but Larks was as much as a dad then I needed. He and Matron were there for all the kids. They made us strong. But they couldn’t shield us from everything. They couldn’t stop them from taking Sis, from keeping
Drith from going, from keeping Vren and David from going. Everything was gone. It was just Sadie, Bowen, and me. Until we all got sent to magical schools all alone. Not a bad life. It was one I thrived in. It kept me distant from everybody…just the way I wanted it. If I got close to anyone they’d just go away anyway. So what was the point? None. No point. Live my life for me. It was my life. I could do whatever I wanted with it. If I wanted to be a Auror then fine. I’d be a Auror. I’d be the best damn Auror I could be. That’d show all of them. I’d show them what they were missing. Missing by not being with me. Show them that I didn’t need anyone as long as I had myself.


Bowen was a problem though. I always wanted to be by myself and he’d always be there picking on me, even when we were kids. I still don’t know why he picked on me. Well…tried to pick on me. I’d always stand up to him. I remember a lot of times Drith would end up crying to Matron about Bowen but not me. I didn’t really feel like I had to prove something. It was more like I saw beyond the surface. Bowen was lonely I think. He wanted attention. I guess the best way in his mind to get it was by being a jerk to everybody else. When it was just him, Sadie, and me he started messing with me more often. I guess he was lonely. I wish I knew that back then. I probably wouldn’t have understood. We used to get in a lot of fights. I remember busting his lip one time. Matron saw and she asked what happened. Bowen didn’t rat me out. He told her he fell. Matron looked at me. I was shocked. I didn’t know why he protected me. As soon as she left he came over and punched me in the stomach but still…it reminds me so much of when we both got our scars…
I guess our relationship is weird. I don’t know if we ever truly saw each other as enemies. I don’t think I could ever kill him, even if I had to. I don’t think he could kill me either. We’ve sure as hell come close but neither of us actually went through with it. He’s actually the closest thing I have to a brother. I doubt he feels the same way though. I’d never tell him.


Everyone at the orphanage was…is my family. I guess I felt close to them seeing as I never had a real family. Alicia died when I was born, so she was out of my life from the very beginning. Daniel was…Daniel was.. Kyme knows where. Probably off on some adventure somewhere in the USA. Saving people he didn’t know while his son grew up without him. I guess I can’t complain. I’m pretty happy with who I am. I think I did a pretty good job of taking care of myself without him. Larks and Matron being there sure helped though. With so many kids there though, it was understandable that a lot of attention wasn’t placed on any one of us. Except for Bowen but only because he forced it. I was happy by myself though. No one to worry about. I brought this same mindset when I came to Hogwarts. As long as I took care of myself, didn’t let anyone else in, then I had no one else to blame if I failed…or when I succeeded, I had no one else to thank. I was always the one I could count on.
I studied a lot and when I wasn’t buried in a book, I was in the forest, fighting. I couldn’t let myself become weak. I promised Sis a long time ago I’d be strong. I wouldn’t let myself not keep my word. I would become a Auror for her. In the back of my mind I always thought that if I were stronger, then Sis wouldn’t have been taken. I could have stopped them. Yeah…me, a little kid, fighting off whatever they were. Dumb thought, but that’s the way I felt. Even if I’d have died at least I would have done it myself.


I always hated the thought of having my destiny set out. I had to be in control of myself. I guess that’s where I became a bit of a rebel, outcast. I didn’t like people telling me what to do. I hated it. It was like saying this is what you have to do and there’s no other way so do it. Not like I had to be in control all the time…just in control of me. Who knew better than what was best for me, then me? No one. *Lucian's journal sits beside him in his bed, he rests silently beside it, having finished writing for the night.*

_________________
Life is at best a dream and at worst a nightmare from which you cannot escape.
- Mysterious Stranger Manuscripts

Lucian Vent - Living, Expelled, Location Unknown

Jacob Green - Living, Seventh Year, Hufflepuff

Rurian Blackwing - Living, Seventh Year, Slytherin

Cameron Slaine - Living, Second Year, Gryffindor

Lucian lay in bed, sighing as he slowly drifted off to sleep, his dream coming to him slowly, but something was wrong, it looked like more then a dream.. It was a memory.. His past...


"Davie!! Davie!! Let's go light FIREWORKS!! Boom!", the little
three year old Vren shouted excitedly.
" Ok Vreny!! FIREWORKS! Bang!", little David replied taking
Vren's hand.
The two ran down the stone steps together to meet the others.
" We gonna get in twuble!! Matwyn will get mad....", Drith told the
others.
"Hey... aren't we missin Luci and Bowy? Where are dey?",
Sadie asked getting some sticks and rubbing them together try to make a
fire.
Meanwhile...
"Luci... Where are you? If you make me miss the fire works!",
Bowen shouted.
".....Sis..?...Where ever you are I'm gonna be okay by
myself....don't worry...", Lucian thought as he sat outside the entrance to the
orphanage.
Bowen ran out and grabbed Lucian by the arm and led him to the
fireworks. "Why'd you start all weady!!"
" Just shut up and enjoy the fireworks Bowen!," Sadie replied
angrily.
Lucian was just starring off in the direction of the fireworks.
He was to busy thinking about Sis to enjoy the fireworks.
"Bowy, be more like Luci and enjoy the fireworks now
that your here!", Sadie said again as she saw Bowen go to hit Vren
because he was bored.
"Sis...where are you....? Why doesn't anyone else care that your
gone...?", Lucian thought to himself.
\.........LATER........./
David walked over to Lucian who was outside in the rain
starring off again. " What are you doing?...It IS raining ya know....What
goin on inside yer head?"
"..............Why?......"
" We gettin worried bout ya...."
"......Sis......."
"You need to move on...Not to forget bout er just
move on......"
".....Stop worrying......................",Lucian said then
looked at David in a way that said,(I cant forget...)
After that there was total silence, David stopped
questioning Lucian and the both of them just stared out into the rain.
Lucian could now tell that everyone did miss Sis very much and
had to try hard not to show it. Everyone had a person they cared about
and didn't want to see crying because they were. Like David had to
make sure Vren didn't see him being mournful or she would feel sad
maybe worse.

Matron the person who looked after the orphanage ran out to the two
young boys. " You two are going to catch the flue. You can't avoid
punishment for using the fireworks by standing out here."
Vren called David, "Davie lets play! Come on!"
" Bye Luci, Matwyn."
Lucian looked over at Matron almost in tears, " I can't find
Sis....Is she ever gonna come back?...."
Matron looked at him with a kind face and hugged him.
When Lucian and Matron finally came back into the orphanage everyone
seemed to be asleep. It was past there bed time. Matron wiped a tear
off Lucian's face and put him to bed then went to bed in another room
herself.
Drith got out of bed and ran outside. Everyone really wasn't
sleeping and got up and started to talk. Except Lucian who didn't want to
upset Matron after she had comforted him so he stayed awake but didn't say
anything.
Sadie got up and ran outside to Drith who was sitting on a rock
crying.
" What's wrong Drithy....? Why are you crwyin?...", Sadie sat down
beside Drith and tapped on his back.
" I...I heard dat we are gonna be dopted......",Drith sniffled.
" What's so bad bout dat...?...", Sadie asked.
" Well....I be dopted by myself so are you....Bowy and Luci
gonna be together though.... Vreny and Davie dopted too...but not
togeder...."
"All....alone....no...", Sadie started crying too.
Soon everyone had heard the news so they decided to sleep so the
morning would come faster and they could ask Matron about it.
Lucian thought, " If I cant stay here I cant wait for Sis to come
back....I'll be all alone..."
Before Matron got up the children did so they could decide who
would ask Matron about being adopted. They decided to let Vren ask
because she was the cutest one there so Matron couldn't lie to her.
When Matron got up and they had breakfast Vren decided that that
was the time.
" Scuse me Matwyn...Can I talk to you ayone peas....",Vren asked
while tugging on Matrons black dress.
Matron picked her up and took Vren to her room. " What's wrong,
your almost in tears...? Did someone tease you?"
Vren replied, "No no! They didn't do anything....I need to ask
you something...."
Vren told her what Drith had heard and asked what would happen to
herself and David.
" I'm afraid what Drith heard is true.... And that you and Irvine
are being adopted separately... I'm so sorry.....", Matron explained.
Vren hugged Matron tightly then went to tell the others. That
day everyone pretty much was with Matron and each other.
Vren and David clung together.
"I don't wanna leave...I wanna stay with you and Matron and
everyone!", Vren told David.
" I look for you and write to you I find you! I
promise...!",David replied trying to sound brave and hiding his tears.
The next day there was a knock at the door. Matron answered it and
found that a woman had come for Drith.
"Hello. I'm Mrs. Silvermoon. Where's Drith he's not with this group
of children..?", Mrs. Silvermoon asked in a kind voice.
" Dare's no Drithy here...",Vren said.
" Yes there is. Do you children know where he's hiding?", Mrs. Silvermoon
asked.
They had hidden Drith behind Lucian's bed. Mrs. Silvermoon saw his long
hair and went to go pick Drith up. But Lucian stood infront of the bed
and wouldn't let her through.
" That's my bed...can ya not go near my bed peas..?", Lucian said.
Mrs. Silvermoon went to reach for him but Lucian stepped on her
foot.
Bowen thought he was missing out on the action so he decided to help
and he bit Mrs. Silvermoon's finger.
" Oww! Ahh!......",Mrs. Silvermoon stepped back.
Matron ran over and picked up Lucian and Bowen. "Mrs. Silvermoon, I'm
sorry...They have a pact I guess. Let me talk to the other children and
you can talk to Drith in private.
Drith sat on the bed and noticed just then how nice the person who
was going to adopt him was. "You....look nice...."
"You look nice too. I think I know what your going through...but in
the end it will turn out pretty well. If you love your friends that
much your bound to meet them again. And I don't think our little house in
London is so bad. When you grow up if you want you can go to Hogwarts
School which is really not so bad.", Mrs. Silvermoon smiled.
".....! Did you say Hogwarts? My two other friends are being
adopted to that place!!...I don't feel that bad anymore...thank
you...",Drith replied and smiled back.
Soon everyone went there separate ways. Being torn away from each
other seemed to be the worst thing that could ever happen.

Lucian awoke in his bed, sighing and rubbing his eyes, shaking his head, thinking to himself. (That is all passed now.. I was a weakling back then..)

_________________
Life is at best a dream and at worst a nightmare from which you cannot escape.
- Mysterious Stranger Manuscripts

Lucian Vent - Living, Expelled, Location Unknown

Jacob Green - Living, Seventh Year, Hufflepuff

Rurian Blackwing - Living, Seventh Year, Slytherin

Cameron Slaine - Living, Second Year, Gryffindor