Chapter 1

A woman's warm laugh filled the air, which was warm from the large fireplace. In front of it was a woman and a young girl curled together on a couch reading books and sharing a thick blanket.

Suddenly, the doorbell went off and Jezabelle inexplicably went cold. She and her mother shared a confused look and her mother went to the door. Jezabelle remained on the couch, twisting her body for a better look at the visitor, and overwhelming dread came over her as her mother's hand rested on the door handle a moment before twisting her wrist and opening the door.

"Mom, wait." Jezabelle began, but her mother had already attempted to slam the door shut, having had a glimpse of the stranger.

"Jezabelle, run." she hissed, eyes wide and fearful.

"Mom? What's happening?" Jezabelle's voice wavered. Her mom was struggling to keep the door closed and with a drop in her stomach, she realized that whoever was outside clearly intended to force their way in.

"Jezabelle, go!" Her mother threw her wand at the girl and Jezabelle ran, taking two steps at a time, racing upstairs so that she might grab the telephone that was in the second floor hallway. She heard a scream and faltered for a moment, turning back but it was too late. A thump of a body falling resonated through the house and Jezabelle gasped, horrified.

The attacker suddenly came into view and she felt sick as she recognized him. Her father- whose face she only knew because of a lost photo she found in her mother's study. She hid the photo from her mother, knowing it would only cause harm to bring him up. Jezabelle never really understood what had happened but knew one thing- her father was bad. Her mother never brought him up and when Jezabelle would ask what he had been like, a darkness would come over her face and she would only reply that he had been a good man ... until he succumbed to his inner greed and evil.

Jezabelle turned and fled up the staircase to her room, shutting the door behind and whispering one of the few incantations she knew, "Colloportus!" The door sealed itself and tears of fear ran down Jezabelle's face as she slowly backed away, blindly grabbing her enchanted backpack, throwing loose change in along with her stuffed bear.

"Come on out, girl. I know you're in there." the smooth voice spoke softly, as if amused.

Jezabelle whimpered and threw open her window but her door was blasted off it's hinges moments before she could leap. Innocent blue eyes met dark, cold ones- the eyes of her father.

Tom Riddle, Voldemort.

Suddenly she found herself on the edge of the woods just outside her home, apparating there due to her fear manifesting in wandless magic.

Jezabelle stumbled into the underbrush and looked back at her house to find it in flames. The dark figure disapperated from her bedroom window and a rush of cold went through the girl. She shivered and let out a wail of grief, of fear. She turned and raced into the wood, into the darkness, running from death.