chapter 1

In the dimly lit alley, a young boy named Edward collapsed to the cold, damp ground. He clutched a small and pitiful piece of bread to his chest, his scarred face breaking into a heartfelt smile.

"Great, Albert finally doesn't have to be hungry tonight!" Edward whispered through the pain that radiated through his frail body. He struggled to his feet, carefully cradling the meager sustenance in his arms. With blood marring his face, he staggered out of the oppressive darkness that had become his home.

Every step was an arduous journey, but his determination was unwavering. He left behind that ominous alley for a place even darker, akin to a personal hell he had come to accept.

For half an hour, Edward limped through the shadows until he reached a dilapidated dwelling that passed for a home, even within the squalor of the slums. It resembled more a den constructed from cardboard boxes than a sanctuary.

Summoning his resolve, Edward took a deep breath, forcing a smile to his lips. He carefully lifted the ragged entrance to the makeshift house.

"Brother, you are back...ahem..." A frail voice emerged from the darkness within, and Edward quickened his pace, ignoring the pain radiating from his broken toe. The three steps turned to two, and he reached a bed crafted from spliced coffin boards. A pale boy lay there, the only light in Edward's world.

"Albert, I got another 2 galleons and 15 Sickles today. Don't worry, your illness will be cured soon," Edward assured his younger brother with a reluctant smile. He presented the precious bread to Albert, ignoring the rumbles of his own empty stomach.

"Brother, you eat too," Albert insisted, breaking the bread into two unequal pieces and handing the larger portion back to Edward.

Staring at the meager morsels before him, Edward's mouth watered. His body had been pushed to the limits of hunger. A few days without food was unbearable for an adult, let alone a five-year-old. But he resisted the temptation.

"I've already eaten; these are reserved for you," Edward lied, causing the four-year-old Albert to hesitate. In his heart, he believed his brother would never deceive him, but his eyes saw Edward's deteriorating condition.

"All right," Albert relented, picking up the only decoration in the room beside the bed – a rusty iron piggy bank. He retrieved a few coins from his tiny stash, elation brightening his eyes as he dropped them into the piggy bank.

The coins clinked together, and there were a few hundred of them. It was enough to change their lives, to buy new clothes, have a proper meal, or even enjoy a moment of happiness. But equally, these coins represented the life-saving medical expenses needed to treat Albert's illness.

"There are still a few galleons left," Edward said, his calculation bringing a glimmer of hope.

Edward – that was the boy's name. To the common people, he was just a humble orphan; to his neighbors, a useless beggar; to the city's vendors, a troublesome thief. But the name on Albert's bed read differently. In the eyes of Albert's boys, he was a devoted brother, the gentlest soul, and the greatest person in the world.

Though they weren't bound by blood, their bond ran deeper than most families.

"Brother, when I get better, I will go out with you to make money," Albert pledged, gazing at his frail brother with anguish in his eyes. If it weren't for his illness, their meager earnings from begging and the food obtained through thievery would be enough to elevate Edward's life.

In the eyes of nobles, 500 galleons might have been the cost of a fine broomstick with only a few charms, but it was the heaviest burden for these two children in their distressed home.

"Okay! Everything will be fine. Leave the stealing to me. You can go begging. Let's save more money. When you grow up, I will send you to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Once you're settled as an Auror, I'll find a way to get you a wife," Edward said, eyes filled with hope for the future. Yet, he failed to realize that his own future was never included in their discussions.

"Yes, I can wallow in the muck and accept a life in the deepest pits of hell, but the one I love can't," Edward thought, his determination unwavering as he embraced the role of protector and savior for his little brother, Albert.