The Other Cullen (Book One)

1.3

After Christmas, the months went quickly by until it was finally Easter. These holidays were nowhere near as fun as Christmas since the teachers had piled us to our knees with homework. Between Quidditch and schoolwork, I had almost no time to hang out with the boys, but we managed.

Remus, Peter, James, Sirius and I had grown so close over this year that we were practically siblings. You never saw one of us without the other. Those four were truly the best friends you could ever have.

Within the last few months, I had noticed that Sirius flinches when you hug him, almost as if he's afraid you're going to hit him. Remus disappears every month on a full moon to come back the next day looking tired and having more scars then when he had left. Peter tries to keep as close to us as possible because people try to bully him and I could tell it hurt him. And then there was James, who seemed to be our light. He was the leader and the dad of the group. Sure, he loved Pranking and getting into trouble with Sirius and I, but he also made sure we ate more than bacon at breakfast and went to sleep at a reasonable time. Remus sometimes was the dad when it came to helping us with homework.

One day, I noticed that all my friends were missing and I couldn't find them anywhere, so I sit with Lily at dinner, feeling slightly betrayed. I thought they wouldn't leave me like this.

"Have you seen my friends?" I asked with concern evident in my features as insist beside Lily.

"No, not today," Lily frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"I haven't seen them all day and it's not like them," I told her. "The five of us always sit together at dinner."

"I'm sure they're alright, Ellie," lily patted my shoulder as she true to reassure me. It didn't work at all.

"I'm just going to go on up to the Common Room." I told her as I got up and walked away.

"Password?" Asked the fat lady.

"Alohomora," I said and the door swung open. I crawled in and walked to the recliners I usually say at with them. I hope this doesn't have anything to do with Maria. That would be terrible.

Suddenly, I felt a peck on my shoulder. I looked up to see me owl, Nightly, standing with a letter tied to his foot.

I gulped and grabbed it, ripping the envelope. It read:

Dear Elaine,

I have your friends. If you want them back, meet me in the Forbidden Forest after curfew, alone. Burn this letter. Tell no one about this, or else.

Maria.

No! She has the first true family I ever knew!