Chapter 1 – July 1992
Marjana Kadare is cold. Although it isn't the complete disregard for humanity that one sees in a Death Eater, this is a demeanor shaped by a war of ethnic cleansing where innocents are murdered in the streets by submachine guns. This is a place where people are driven out of their homes and left to starve simply because of the geographical history of their families. Through Marjana's eyes, this is the Muggle world she knows.
Albania is a country to find people fuelled by fear, hatred, and anger; the breeding ground ideal for Death Eaters. While the population of the magical community is small, it is also tightly knit. A distinct enclave of witches and wizards exist in the capital, Tirana. The rest are spread out among the rural areas of Albania, preferring solitude as their security.
Marjana's two friends are her mother Lejla and her best friend Ceca. Anjeza, her older sister, isn't heard from too often - unless a particularly courageous owl delivers the post and updates the family on her recent academic achievements or notable events occurring at Hogwarts. Marjana doesn't get along well with the other children because they are too complacent in their naivety of the world. They see everything in black and white, good and bad. Lejla's occupation as an Auror has taught Marjana that the spectrum between black and white holds a great many other shades with which to categorize people. Catching criminal witches and wizards is a difficult task because channels like the ones Muggle police use are not as accessible to an Auror. DNA identifying technology isn't used in the wizarding world. There certainly are alternative contacts for the magical world, but the process is often complicated via magical means. Subterfuge with the use of spells makes detection a far more daunting task. Throughout the Balkan conflict, the horror of war is taking its toll on a young mind - Marjana is forced to assume a maturity far beyond the average eleven year old.
As the situation stands, the Third Balkan War is taking place all over Yugoslavia while the nation disintegrates. Croatia and Slovenia are fighting a violent battle to gain their independence as Serbians run as far as they can to escape the ethnic purge. Each ethnicity is pitted against one another due to distrust and the severe escalation of violence driven predominantly by Slobodan Milosevic. Living in Albania, Marjana and Lejla Kadare are fairly safe in their home country. The situation is different for Ceca Stojanovic and her family because as Serbians, many others see them as a threat to the sovereignty of various regions of Yugoslavia.
This bond between an Albanian and a Serbian family is particularly dangerous in the unstable region of Yugoslavia, but it is the least of their worries. In the Muggle world they represent solidarity in two ethnicities, but in the wizarding world this is irrelevant. Death Eaters have no interest in genealogy unless it is defined in terms of pureblood or Muggle birthright. Fortunately for both the Kadares and the Stojanovics, their lineage can be traced through dozens of generations of pureblooded wizards. This keeps them safe from persecution solely based on blood, but the other side of the weathered, rusty coin is quite different. Lejla is an Auror and is considered to be an extremely significant threat to the rise of Lord Voldemort. While his whereabouts remain unknown, there is a general consensus that he has again fled deep into the forest somewhere in Albania since his defeat at the hands of Harry Potter.
Tom Marvolo Riddle's life force once resided in various animals as he dwelled in the darkness of the wood's thick undergrowth. By happenstance, on a journey to bolster his skills in defending against the Dark Arts, a weak minded Professor Quirell wandered into the forest to discover the Dark Lord. He was recruited as a symbiotic host to return to Hogwarts in an attempt to acquire the Philosopher's Stone created by Nicholas Flamel. The charm Lily Potter left on her son before her demise allowed him to be protected from the effects of Lord Voldemort's Dark Magic when receiving the Stone from the Mirror of Erised. Voldemort was ultimately stripped of his power to inhabit Professor Quirell and many in the wizarding community surmise that he has fled back to the Albanian forest he previously resided in.
This leaves Aurors like Lejla Kadare in an uncomfortable position. Death Eaters have undoubtedly heard of his brief reappearance and are now seeking to serve by his side once again. Affiliated with those who are making great efforts to imprison everyone loyal to Lord Voldemort, witches like Lejla are in grave danger of being hunted first before he is found. The more that Aurors and their associates perish, the greater the chances that there will be little interference when Voldemort makes his final ascendancy into the full might of his Dark power.
The Kadares and the Stojanovics are in their current predicament because of the twisted combination of an ethnic war and a power-hungry wizard who seeks the total destruction of all that refuse to bow to his will. They must be wary of the Muggles who are out to rid Yugoslavia of Serbians and tread even more lightly around anyone who mentions Lord Voldemort by name.
The two families live near the southern edge of Albania's capital as a necessary precaution. If they must flee, wading through streets infested with terror-stricken citizens will not make for an easy departure. A small false wall has been constructed out of concrete to match the existing décor in the case flight is not an option. In addition, the Kadare's small apartment has protection spells on it for any wizards intruding with ill intent. Despite Marjana's young age, her mother has gone to great lengths to ensure that she be equipped with the most useful of defensive spells in the event that Death Eaters or invading rebels attack. As an Auror, Lejla's deductive and investigative prowess have served her well in apprehending felons; she has imparted this knowledge onto Marjana in hopes that it will be to her benefit when enrolling at Hogwarts. It is now the summer before Marjana's first year and all she has to do is make it through this last month before waiting at Platform 9 ¾ to ride the Hogwart's Express with her best friend Ceca. Both of them are nervous with anticipation for all the wonderful things that are to come.
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Marjana was cooking herself a breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage. She stifled a yawn as she rolled the meat around in the crackling oil. With her mother's old Transfiguration textbook propped open and leaning against the spice rack, she split her attention between it and the meal she was cooking. Marjana sipped her orange juice and thought about what she would do today.
I haven't heard any shelling or gunfire this morning… I could take a walk outside with Ceca and enjoy some fresh air. Mom should be back before dinner; she said she would stop by Diagon Alley on her way back from work and pick up a few things. I ought to practice a few spells, just so she doesn't get on my case for falling behind in my studies.
The smell of a hot-cooked breakfast made Marjana smile. The gas lines running through their apartment block weren't entirely dependable, so she took every opportunity to use the stovetop. Luckily the electrical lines and plumbing ran more efficiently and only succumbed to failure a fraction of the time. Sitting down with her plate, Marjana looked out the window caked with soot. A third story view only gave her the ability to see the building across the street. Still, it was a window and it offered her a glimpse outside the bland, grey architecture that was the apartment she had lived in these past several years.
Marjana ate her eggs and sausage, finished her orange juice, washed off the plate, glass, and fork, and set them on the rack to dry in the cool air. She retrieved her ebony wand with the holly handle from the bedroom and took a defensive stance in the middle of the open space near the table.
"Protego!" A half-sphere shimmered in front of her as she spoke the word to summon the shield charm.
Marjana whirled around to the drying rack, concentrated on the glass and spoke again.
"Accio glass!" It shivered and flew in her direction. Quickly catching it with her left hand, she carefully laid it on the table. Marjana walked to the door that separated the bedroom from the kitchen, closed it, and locked it. She couldn't practice on the door entering the apartment because it would set off the protective spell and she wasn't prepared to be electrocuted this early in the morning.
"Alohamora!" Marjana heard the button pop out on the other end of the door handle. She turned the knob and opened it.
Casting Stupefy or Expelliarmus was out of the question because she didn't have a human subject to focus on. She could try it with Ceca, but Marjana really didn't want to risk accidentally overpowering her friend. There wasn't any supervision around and the three spells she had just cast were sufficient enough of a review for the time being. Nodding to herself, Marjana slid her wand into her jeans pocket, snatched the keys off of the kitchen table, and walked out of the apartment. She locked the door and mumbled the word her mother had told her for activating the magical barrier. The hallway was drabber than the interior of the apartment. The halogen lights flickered; some didn't even function. It was still home, though. Marjana walked down to the end of the hall where her friend Ceca would undoubtedly still be wrapped up tightly in her blankets, hiding from the ever-brightening sun as it crept over the roofs of Tirana's massive concrete buildings.
A knock sounded in the other room. Ceca's mother smoothed out her plain cotton dress, set the book down she was reading, and stood up from her chair to answer the door. A girl with her gaze lowered to the tile was standing in the hall. The ear-length jet-black hair was slightly unkempt and she put it behind her ears as she greeted Ceca's mother in Albanian. Marjana knew that using Serbian anywhere besides the closest confines of the Stojanovics' home would bring unwanted repercussions immediately. Mrs. Stojanovic smiled at Marjana. The girl was wearing a simple, olive green long sleeved shirt and jeans; it looked like she was ready to head outside with Ceca.
"How are you this morning, Marjana?" Marjana looked up at her with the icy blue eyes that were her defining physical characteristic and cracked a small smile. She replied in a timid voice.
"Alright. Just got done practicing some spells so my mom doesn't get on my case."
Mrs. Stojanovic stepped aside of the doorway and let Marjana in. Closing the door, Vesna nudged her daughter Ceca, who was sleeping on the couch, and walked back to the book on her chair that was patiently waiting her return. Ceca grumbled and rolled over to face Marjana who had kneeled down to be level with the tangled mass of dark hair that was Ceca's head.
"Morning, sunshine… It is still morning, right?" Ceca moved the thick comforter away from her mouth and smiled at her friend. Marjana's expression lightened as she saw the warmth Ceca exuded in her face.
"Yeah, it's about ten-thirty. Are you doing anything today?" Marjana hoped she wasn't.
"Well, unless my mom has something for me to do, then no. What about you?"
"I wanted to just take a walk around Tirana for a while… Nothing too exciting, I know, but it's still something to do. Want to come with me?"
"Sure… Mom, are we doing anything today?" Ceca directed her question at the other room while she sat up and ran her fingers through a clump of hair.
"I need to go to the market, but you don't have to come if you don't want to."
"Well, looks like that's settled… Just give me a chance to shower and eat some breakfast and we can go, ok?" Ceca stood up, adjusted her pajama bottoms and headed to the bathroom. Marjana sat on the couch and picked up a discarded magazine printed in Albanian; one more aspect of Stojanovic life that had to be guarded for fear that material evidence would be used against the family.
Twenty minutes later, Ceca sat on the couch with a plate of warm bread and sliced tomatoes. In between bites she carried on a conversation with Marjana.
"Have you been to Diagon Alley yet to get all your books? I just got the Owl Post a little while ago… We should go together if you haven't gone."
Marjana looked up from the magazine. "My mom wanted me to wait until she had some more free time to take me… I think we're going soon, though. You're more than welcome to come I'm sure she won't mind."
"OK. I just don't want to wait until the last minute, especially if for some reason they don't have enough books for all the first-years." Ceca was always preparing for the worst scenario. It annoyed Marjana every once in a while, but for the most part she was glad that someone maintained the flexibility to look at every extreme.
Ceca dabbed at the last of the tomato residue with the remaining piece of bread and walked to the sink to wash off her plate. "So, anywhere in particular you want to go? Tirana's a big city, I hope you don't plan on walking through all of it today."
Marjana giggled slightly. Ceca was one of the few people that could put a smile on her face like that. "No, no… Nothing like that. Maybe through the markets, sit in a café. Nowhere too dangerous, I promise." Marjana winked, knowing full well that safety would be a primary concern of Ceca's when wandering the streets of Tirana. Not that carelessness was something Marjana was notorious for, but she certainly didn't give everything as much thought as her best friend. Instinct and reaction were far more important in Marjana's opinion.
Ceca made a face and stuck out her tongue; Marjana was poking fun at her for the goody-two shoes nature she often prided herself on. "Shall we go?"
"Yep, do you have any money?" Marjana quickly checked her pockets to make sure she had remembered to bring some coins for the café and market if she found something that caught her eye while perusing the bazaar.
"I've got about one-hundred leks, what about you?"
Marjana opened her hand and sorted through the change. "One-hundred and fifty. Between the two of us, that's plenty."
Ceca nodded and started for the door. "Mom, we're going out to a café… Be back in a few hours, OK?"
Mrs Stojanovic murmured her approval and told Ceca not to be out too late because her father was expecting her home for dinner.
The two walked to the end of the dim hallway, down the crumbling concrete stairs, and outside into the dry heat of Albania. The stagnant air was a little uncomfortable, but it was a change from the confines of the apartment complex, a welcome change regardless of the weather.
Ceca and Marjana walked towards the market district and took turns kicking a few stones around until they spotted a quaint café on the outskirts of the bazaar. It had a colorful awning and several circular tables on the veranda. Marjana's eyes lit up when they fell upon the picturesque setting. She grabbed Ceca's hand and ran across the street to sit at a table. Drumming her fingers, Marjana anxiously anticipated someone to take her order.
A minute later a waiter came outside and clasped his hands. "What can I get for you two girls?"
"Coffee."
"Fruit juice, something with grapefruit, preferably."
"Alright, I'll be back shortly with your drinks." The waiter stiffly walked back into the café, activated the coffee machine and filled a cup, setting it on a white plate. He took a pitcher out from the refrigerator and poured a glass of fruit juice for Ceca. With a beverage in each hand, he stepped out from behind the counter to head for the veranda and serve the pair of girls.
That's when Marjana saw the man with the black cloth handkerchief over his mouth, the military fatigues, and the thick boots stalking down the middle of the street.
He was pointing an assault rifle towards the café.