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Old 04-06-2008, 04:59 PM   #12 (permalink)
Phoenix 8390
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Join Date: Mar 2006
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Hogwarts RPG Name:
Alexander James Wright
First Year
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Elder Quad

In a New York Minute


It was Friday, July28th; also known as, the day after my fourteenth birthday. My oldest brother had just graduated from Durmstrang and my younger brother was going into his second year. I, on the other hand, would be going into my fourth, but I was going to Hogwarts. My parents thought it was a good idea to send their daughter to a less harsh school. Or at least that’s what I got out of that.

It was about seven o’clock at night and we had just had dinner and my birthday cake, along with a few presents from my parents and two brothers. One of which was a deck of Exploding Snap so, naturally, Axel, Dusty, and I were playing on the floor.

It was nice to see Axel. He was usually out with his friends or getting ready for exams, but now he was home for a few weeks. He would soon be going for his auror training in London and my father couldn’t be more proud. Every man in my family so far had become an auror. Dusty was sure he’d be one as well. I had always thought of that job as well, but I knew my destiny was somewhere else. Somewhere in the arts world. You see, I was a Latin Ballroom dancer.

I had been dancing since I could remember and I wasn’t planning on doing anything else. I have a passion and I plan on sticking to it.

Now, on this particular night, we three kids were playing a game on the floor while my mother and father sat on the couch watching us and reading the updates of the Daily Prophet. Normally they wouldn’t be so relaxed though. My father had always had troubles with the Ministry and we were almost certain someone was trying to kill him. So why on earth would we be sitting there unguarded on a night like this? Oh right, I forgot to tell you there was a thunderstorm going on outside. Sort of sets the mood, doesn’t it?

Well, I’ll tell you why. It was my birthday and my parents liked to act normal when it came to things like that. I definitely appreciated it.

Then we heard the noise.

My father and mother exchanged looks of horror then they both jumped up and brandished their wands. Axel was by their side in a split second; his wand was also at the ready. Naturally, I got mine out too and told Dusty to do the same. The two of us were both shaking because we had no idea what was going on. My mother, Catalina, grabbed both of our arms and made us stand. She then bent down to be at eye level with us. She kissed both of our cheeks and gave us a hug. That hug scared me more than anything I had ever experienced. I knew what might happen and I didn’t like it.

She then began speaking rapidly in Spanish to my father and older brother. I grabbed Dusty’s hand and stood in the shadows behind a large leather chair my father liked to sit in after work. I knew it would give us no shelter, but it was worth a try. It was dark out and my father had put out all the lights. All I could hear was the heavy breathing of my little brother on my shoulder. We held fast to each other in the dark and prayed that the Phoenix family would all be standing when this battle was over.

A loud yell erupted from the front hall and that’s when spells began to fly everywhere. Neither of my parents was hit nor Axel, but the battle wasn’t over. They were outnumbered and I knew it. I saw a man’s silhouette in front of mine and Dusty’s hideout and I knew my family didn’t see him. I could hear the spell being uttered and I took action. Pointing my wand at him I whispered “Expelliarmus!”. His wand went flying and he went searching.

I felt wonderful that I had just saved my family’s life, but then my heart dropped. Axel was standing over a body of a woman, still fighting for his life, but he was sobbing. I had never seen him cry like that before and I knew that was not a good sign. I illuminated my wand and pointed it in his direction. The person he was crying over was my mother. A different killing curse had hit her, not the one I stopped. She was gone, dead, finite. I didn’t even know I knew Italian until that night.

Now it was my brother and father fighting off the men. The two of them were crying. It was not a soft crying like they were trying to conceal it, no. They were full on sobbing. But I knew they were sobbing with rage. I could hear it in their voices as they shot spell after spell at the men. They went down like bowling pins.

And so did my father.

Axel was swearing now, unable to control his anger. I was unable to control my tears. They came pouring out. I actually know what people mean when they cry like a water fountain now.

In a few seconds, I saw Axel no more. He fled. The men chased after him and Dusty and I were alone.

~~~


After the funeral, Dusty and I were to live with my aunt and uncle in Galway, Ireland with my three younger cousins. Normally we would have been excited, but under these circumstances, we were far from.

The two of us stood out on a cliff our mother used to take us to after we visited our grandparents at the graveyard. If you haven’t guessed already, they had already buried my parents and Dusty and I went off to be alone, but together. I think I needed him more than he knew.

He turned to me as the wind whipped past our hair and the waves licked the rocks below and he hugged me. The two of us probably stood there for hours, hugging each other and crying our eyes out. Both of our parents were dead and my older brother was missing.

“What happens now?” Dusty finally asked me. “Everything’s different. Nothing will ever be the same.” He spoke softly, which only made me cry a little bit harder. But I bit my tongue and grabbed both sides of his face, looking directly into his chocolate brown eyes and I spoke. “In a New York minute, anything can change Dust, but we have to keep going. Axel will find us one day, I just know it.” In a New York minute. Was i right or what?

~~~


Now, I bet you’re wondering why I decided to write all of this down. Well, I wanted to tell my story. I wanted to tell a story that will go down in history with my family. Yes, my parents did die that day, but I do believe this experience only made me stronger. My parents were wonderful people and I know they wouldn't want me to sulk forever. I finally know who I am and who I want to be.

My name is Valencia Elizabeth Phoenix. I come from a broken home, but I am far from broken.
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