Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor the characters JKR created. Gwendolyn is mine however.

-Prologue-

She stared at the cold, gray slab of rock that was all that lived on of her brother. It was his tombstone, even more cold and unexpressive than he was in life. He wasn't a horrible person, at least not by her standards. Evan treated her like every big brother treats their younger sister. Sometimes he was her tormenter, sometimes her confidant, and sometimes her overprotective obstacle. He would have done anything for her, a fact she knew but never expressed to him. Family is important. Nothing is more important than family loyalty, if you forgo that you may as well be dead. She loved him more than she would ever tell another soul, more than she was allowed to feel for anyone. It just wasn't done. You didn't love anyone in their corner of the world, things were kept at a distance and feelings, although unavoidable and handy at times, were kept to yourself and accessible to no one else.

He deserved more, she mused as she took one final look at the tombstone and glanced around her. She was the only one there, the only one to show for his funeral service. No that wasn't entirely true. Auror Moody showed up for a brief moment, to rub his triumph in her face,the fact that he had taken her brother down. That he had ridden that particular "scum" from the earth, he took pride in the defeat. She detested Moody. He had the gall to come for his funeral and brag, that filled Gwendolyn with more hatred than she ever thought herself to possess. He would pay more than the ones who hadn't come to her brother's funeral, although she had a special place in her heart for those treacherous acts. They wouldn't be forgotten.

When Gwendolyn reached the iron gate she yanked it open with force and quickly apparated away.

She arrived at her house to find her father ordering the house elf about.

"Finish the task at hand you imbecile," he growled impatiently, "We leave tonight and this house isn't ready!"

Ah yes. Her father was leaving. The elder Rosier was disappointed in his son, he had gotten caught and disgraced the family name. That was another rule you didn't break. There was no shaming your family name and Evan had done just that when he had been killed and revealed as a death eater. Gwendolyn had encouraged his son to be a death eater just like himself, but Evan had failed him and the Dark Lord had fallen. There was nothing to keep him here as she refused to deny her brother and run. She'd face whatever backlash came, she was an adult now, fresh out of Hogwarts and alone. She never was much for other people anyway.

"You're still staying here I assume?" Her father questioned with a knowing look already on his face.

"Yes sir." It was times like this when she was thankful for her upbringing. She was able to be courteous and polite even when she wanted to rip out the throat of her compatriots.

"Hmm. I leave in a few hours. Tibby will accompany me and I shan't leave a forwarding address unless you require one?"

It was a test. He didn't want to leave her one and she certainly didn't want it, but he wanted to know if she'd accept it regardless.

"No sir. I'll be quite alright." There. She'd sealed her fate and there was no going back now.

He nodded and continued around the household which Gwendolyn took as a dismissal.

Gwendolyn walked up the dark, wooden staircase toward her bedroom. On her way she paused at Evan's old bedroom. He hand hovered above the doorknob and she debated whether or not to proceed in. There would be no use for it anymore, he wouldn't be back and it would be just another abandoned room in the rapidly emptying house. She decided against going in, finally resting on the thought that it would bring up too many memories she'd rather not think about and continued on her way. She opened her door and made a beeline for her bed in the middle of her room. She wanted nothing more than to kick and scream,to let out all her grief, anger,and frustration on the nearest object. But she wouldn't, she wouldn't give in to her feelings,only the weak couldn't control their emotions. So Gwendolyn slowly lowered herself onto the bed and let the peaceful darkness take her,not even bothering to unfurl the white flower still clutched in her left hand.

She stirred in the inky dark. Her eyes could make out no shape and her head was still clouded with sleep and dreams. She felt the flower stem in her hand and recalled where she was. Feeling around for her wand,Gewndolyn whispered a quiet spell and aimed her wand at the ceiling. It was 11:12, almost midnight. Thoughts of her father rushed into her mind.

Was he still here? Or had he already left? she thought.

Dragging her protesting body off of her mattress and smoothing her clothes down, Gwendolyn made her way downstairs.

"Tibby! Come here now!" she screeched, her voice still gravelly from sleep.

She called again,and when he didn't come, she knew her father had gone already.

Just as well she thought, the goodbyes would have been awkward. Gwendolyn realized she was alone in the house. Alone in general in fact. Normally that thought would frighten people, anger them even. It would normally annoy her, she didn't appreciate not being a part of things. She didn't feel either emotion, she felt odd. There was a heavy weight in her stomach, and it was steadily spreading to her entire body. She wanted to vomit. There was a pounding pressure in her head and her cold limbs were getting weaker. She laid down where she stood, the blue carpet in front of the unused fireplace, and surrendered to the darkness around her.