Author's Note: This story is rated M for dark topics such as murder and rape. Of course, no copyright infringement was intended in the creation of this story. The world and everything in it belongs to J.K. Rowling save for my own character (Samantha Evans) and her story within the general plot of Harry Potter. Please enjoy!
Prologue
A cool summer breeze swept past me, bringing with it relief from a sweltering August sun. It shone clearly in the cloudless sky, beating down on my neck as I knelt in the soft grass.
"I leave for Hogwarts in the morning," I said unsteadily. I bowed my head, willing myself to stay strong. Don't cry, I told myself harshly. It took several deep breathes before I could continue. "It's going to be so different. Just like everything else that's happened, I suppose."
I paused to brush my hair away from my eyes. A strand came loose, and I twirled absently it around my finger. The wind rustled through a nearby tree; a wind chime sounded.
"I'll make you proud, Dad," I said, my voice breaking. "Just you watch."
I lifted myself to my feet, my hand trembling as I placed the strand of hair on the stone marker in front of me, its dark copper color standing out against the smooth gray rock that read:
THEODORE EVANS, BELOVED HUSBAND AND FATHER. 1958-1994.
