The Prewetts: Hopes Shattered
Author's Note: The only character you'll recognize here is Voldemort, by the way. This happens in the year 1970, before Harry was born. I was reading the first book for the thousandth time, when I started to wonder about those other families that Hagrid mentioned that Voldemort killed (you know, the McKinnons, the Bones, and the Prewetts?). I have no actual proof that the Prewetts were the first family Voldemort killed, but I decided to assume that they were. I might do the McKinnons and the Bones if you guys like this. Oh, well, I'll stop blabbering so you can read this. I warn you, the end is very depressing :( I almost burst into tears while writing it. *sniffs*.
A hooded figure stood alone, in the middle of a dark forest. "I am ready," he whispered evilly.
This man had spent many years learning all he could about the Dark Arts. He had left as Tom Riddle, and now he was back as Voldemort, the greatest sorcerer in the world. Not everybody knew he existed yet, but they would know soon, very soon…
~ * ~
A man with dark brown hair and green eyes, John Prewett worked at his desk. He didn't dare go out of his office, for fear of being bombarded by people that had seen him on the Daily Prophet. He had invented the Fidelius Charm, a way of keeping secrets inside a living soul. The secret would be impossible to find, unless of course, the "Secret Keeper", as the Daily Prophet had called it, chose to tell someone. Many people had tried to make such a charm for many years, but John had managed to complete the charm only a few days ago, after twenty years of research.
Everyone found the charm wonderfully useful, as everyone has something they want to hide. John and his coworkers had been very happy when he succeeded, but now, all John wanted was for everyone to leave him alone. He just wanted to be able to walk out into an open street without people rushing towards him, asking about the Fidelius Charm.
Hours later, he Disapparated home, so he wouldn't have to face the outside. Julie, his daughter, ran up to greet her dad, calling his name happily. John picked up the little six-year-old and hugged her tight. Julie's hazel eyes sparkled.
"Where's Mummy?" John asked Julie, who was now flouncing around the room.
"Right here," A soft voice murmured. John looked up happily to see a beautiful chestnut-haired woman-his wife, Mary Prewett. They embraced. Julie giggled.
"Has Julie been good today, Mary?" John asked, as they pulled apart.
Mary laughed. "It depends on what you define as good, John," she said mysteriously, her brown eyes glinting. "She dug up the garden again, ate all of the chocolate cake, and broke a plate while trying to help me set the table."
John tried to look sternly at his daughter. "Is this true, Julie?" She nodded, proudly. He sighed, and chuckled a little. "Kids will be kids, I suppose. There's nothing we can do."
Mary smiled. "And even if there was, I wouldn't do anything. I like having a mischievous child."
John ruffled Julie's brown hair. He agreed with his wife silently. Julie seemed very pleased at all this, and giggled again.
Mary turned to find her wand, when a newspaper caught her eye. She smiled and picked it up. John eyed it wearily. "We saw your picture,"
Julie clapped her hands. "Daddy was on the newspaper!" she yelled enthusiastically. John sighed.
"Oh, don't you worry, I had plenty of recognition today," he grumbled. "In the morning, when I left early and foolishly decided not to Apparate, it was 'Fidelius' this and 'Fidelius' that, and I'm very tired of it all right now, so I'd appreciate you not mentioning it again." Mary chuckled warmly.
John grabbed the newspaper and flipped through it. "There's also something in here about your team winning that Quidditch match yesterday. See?" He showed them all a picture of Mary's team, smiling and waving. Mary blushed. She was a wonderful Chaser for the Dublin Rockets.
"Mummy was on the newspaper, too!" Julie echoed.
A little while later, they settled down to dinner; mashed potatoes and gravy. Julie had gravy all over herself in less than a minute, which earned a sigh from each parent.
"Did you hear from Kevin yet?" John asked as he wiped spaghetti sauce from Julie's mouth. Kevin was the Prewetts' other child. He was eleven, and had just started attending Hogwarts. Mary put down her fork. "Not yet," she sighed. "I hope we hear from him soon, though. It's weird not having him around." She looked at the empty chair next to Julie forlornly. Julie looked sad, too.
"When is Kevin coming back?" she inquired.
"Not until Christmas, honey." John answered.
"When do I get to go to Hogwarts?"
"In five years," Julie looked especially sad at that statement.
"I have to go to Kent next week," Mary said, hastily changing the subject. "We've got a game."
John nodded. "We can sightsee while we're there! It'll be great!" He looked at Julie to see what she thought with a huge grin on his face as a hint.
After looking thoughtful for a while, she beamed at her father. "Yeah, it'll be fun!"
~ * ~
Voldemort walked through Hogsmeade. He watched the children play gaily in the streets, and the adult wizards and witches watch them, chuckling. Everyone was happy. It disgusted him to watch them frolicking carefree everywhere as if there was no danger. But that will all change soon, he reminded himself, and a malicious smile appeared on his face. Soon, everyone will be so afraid that they won't even want to say my name. The thought pleased him greatly. He left Hogsmeade, thinking of how to make himself and his followers known.
Voldemort thumbed absentmindedly through a copy of the Daily Prophet when he reached his hut. His followers would come soon, he knew, and he wanted to have a plan when they came. The fools, he thought, smiling. They think that I'll actually let them have some of my power. Ha! They are merely pawns in this game. He looked at the front page again. A headline screamed, "PREWETT INVENTS NEW WAY TO STORE SECRETS,"
Voldemort read on, interested. He looked at the picture of John Prewett, who was smiling and waving gaily. He knew that man from Hogwarts. He had been a Ravenclaw Mudblood, but a good student and a prefect, nonetheless. A sinister look appeared on his face as he tore the article out to read more closely.
A knock was heard. "Who is it?" Voldemort asked tonelessly.
"It's us, master," Several voice chanted together. Voldemort didn't look up as many hooded figures shuffled in and stood behind him, waiting to be recognized.
"Excuse me, master," one man ventured. Voldemort didn't answer him. Instead, he smiled again and faced the people.
"My servants," he whispered icily. "Have you read the paper yet?"
Most people nodded, but a few shook their heads. He held up the picture of John Prewett so they could see him. "I knew him. He was a fifth year when I graduated from Hogwarts. He was also a Mudblood." They nodded and some spat at the last word, for they all hated Mudbloods.
"It seems he has invented some sort of charm. Now, everyone knows about him." Voldemort flipped a few pages forward. "And this is his wife, Mary," he said, pointing to her on the Rockets team picture. They nodded again. "She's a Chaser for the Dublin Rockets. She was also a Chaser for the old Ravenclaw team. Everyone knows about her, too. They are both excellent wizards, and famous," he finished, waiting for his followers to catch on. They stood silent, their robes blowing in the light night breeze.
He slammed a fist on the table. "Have you all no brains? To make ourselves known, we have to do something to make us get into the that the newspapers will report about!"
A man scratched his head. "So, you mean we have to like, invent something?"
Voldemort couldn't believe that someone could be so idiotic. "Yes, but that is not what I had in mind. We are masters of Dark Magic, so we have to do something bad. Does that make sense to you idiots?" he asked sarcastically.
They nodded feebly, though most still didn't understand. "What do you have in mind?" One ventured to ask.
Voldemort ripped out the picture of the Dublin Rockets team. He held it and the picture of John Prewett together and suddenly ripped it into tiny pieces. This everyone understood. "Go out and find everything you can about the Prewetts. Now. " The figures bowed to him and left quickly.
Voldemort smiled to himself. "This serves two purposes. One, we become more well known. Two, it rids me of possible threats. Those two are talented, whether I like to admit it or not." he whispered to no one. The next second, his sinister laugh filled the cold air.
~ * ~
"What have you found?" Voldemort asked. A week later, he and his followers were inside the hut again. One of his followers stepped forward and removed his hood. He had silver-blond hair and icy blue eyes.
"Master, I am Jasper Malfoy," he drawled, bowing to Voldemort. "The Prewetts have two children, Julie and Kevin Prewett, ages six and eleven respectively. The boy, Kevin, goes to Hogwarts. They live in Dublin."
Voldemort thought about this information for a moment. "Is that all?" he demanded.
Robert Malfoy shook his head. "No, that's just the important stuff. Here's an entire profile of the family, the parents' accomplishments…" He put a large folder on the table and pushed it towards Voldemort.
Voldemort smiled. "You have been most helpful, Malfoy." He turned to face everyone. "It will take place during the Christmas vacation, when their little boy comes back, most likely on Christmas itself. Go now." Jasper and the others bowed before leaving the hut.
Voldemort chuckled to himself as he opened the folder. "Soon, soon…"
Two months later…
Kevin Prewett waved goodbye to his friend Adam Irvin as he spotted his parents and little sister. "See you after the break, Adam!" Julie pounced upon her big brother and hugged him tight. Kevin was embarrassed. "Julie, gerroff…"
Julie refused to listen. John and Mary smiled. "She missed you so much, Kevin," John commented as he bent down to see Julie. "Julie, Mum and I need to hug Kevin, too, all right?" Julie sheepishly let her arms fall from Kevin's stomach while John and Mary hugged their son. After greetings, Kevin started gabbing about everything at Hogwarts. Julie listened with rapt interest, as she was very interested.
They had dinner in London, at a small restaurant near the Leaky Cauldron that served delicious pasta dishes. The Prewetts ordered a large helping of spaghetti for their children, with garlic bread, and separate ravioli and linguini dishes for themselves.
Julie was very happy to have her brother back, and was willing to do anything for Kevin, which, unfortunately he decided to take advantage of. Julie barely had any desert because Kevin kept on insisting that he needed to eat hers. Mary gave Julie one last ice-cream cone, but insisted that she eat it herself while John talked to Kevin sternly about the way he was treating his sister.
Back at home, Julie and Kevin shared a box of the new Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jellybeans; a new candy that had just started circulating recently.
"What flavor is that, Julie?" Kevin asked, staring oddly at a dark brown bean.
Julie nibbled the end thoughtfully and then spit it out again. "Eww! It's mud!" Kevin laughed as he watched Julie throw the bean out the window.
"Dare you to try this one!" Julie exclaimed, handing him a gray bean. Kevin bit into it and howled loudly.
"It's as hard as rock!" he yelled while rubbing his tooth. John and Mary laughed at them both. They all sampled the beans for a half an hour before going to bed.
The next day was Christmas. The Prewetts opened presents in the morning. Kevin was happy to find a Silver Arrow underneath the tree. "This will be great for next year!" he yelled, admiring it. Julie's favorite present was an easy-reading book about magic. She spent most of the morning wrapped up in the voices it made, and the small spells it taught.
She and Kevin went outside to play before they went to their parents' friend's house. Kevin flew around on his Silver Arrow while Julie watched from below. Snowflakes fluttered around them.
Unseen by all, a hooded figure watched the children, waiting for the right moment. Kevin flew down and, after much persuasion, let Julie look at the Silver Arrow. The figure stepped forward, revealing itself.
Kevin saw it step out from behind the tree. Julie, always friendly, waved. Kevin felt a chill in the air, even though it was already cold. He put his arm in front of his little sister, causing her to back up behind him.
Voldemort smiled menacingly. The sky darkened even more, and it stopped snowing. He flicked his wand and uttered "Avada Kedavra!" Seconds later, there we two strangled screams as the children's bodies fell lifeless to the snow-covered ground. The Silver Arrow dropped to the floor next to its owner.
Voldemort breathed in and out. "That was refreshing. But now, the real fun starts," he declared, brandishing his yew wand.
John and Mary, having heard the screams, ran outside. "What—?" John started to ask, before he saw Julie and Kevin on the floor. Mary screamed and ran to them. She started crying hysterically.
John was white. "Who are you? What happened to my children?" he asked Voldemort shakily. Voldemort smiled.
"They're dead. As you will soon be. You would get in the way of my plans, John and Mary Prewett, so you must die. As for who I am," he drew a sharp breath. "Remember Tom Riddle?"
John's mouth opened in shock. "Riddle…Head…boy?" Mary cowered behind her husband. Voldemort laughed.
"Yes, I was Tom Riddle. But he became annoying. So I, Lord Voldemort, disposed of him. Just like I will dispose myself of you two. Goodbye." He flicked his wand again, "Avada Kedavra!"
Their hands touched as they fell to the ground. Voldemort laughed again.
Epilogue:
A blond-haired woman approached the Prewetts' house. She looked very angry. Her expression quickly changed when she saw the four bodies. She knelt down next to Mary, felt for a heartbeat and whispered, "No." They were all dead, she realized.
Voldemort, who was lingering still, waiting for spectators, appeared in front of her. She stared at his feet. "Oh, sir! Do you know what happened? This…" she pointed wordlessly at Mary's body, tears brimming at her eyes, "is…was my best friend."
He looked down at her. "How lovely. Unfortunately, I must admit: I killed them, " he stated clearly and coldly.
Alison's eyes opened wide. " What? Why? Who are you?"
"They were in the way. My way. I am Lord Voldemort. Treat that name with respect, girl. This is a mere example of what is to come." He paused dramatically. Alison stood up and backed away, shaking.
"I won't kill you, for you have a very important job. I understand that you are a reporter for the Daily Prophet?" Alison nodded, still shaking. He smiled. "Well, here's your story. Tell them I, Lord Voldemort killed the Prewetts on Christmas Day." Alison nodded again and ran away as fast as she could, to keep her life.
Voldemort stood for a moment, satisfied then Disapparated away.
Author's Note: Oh, my gosh! I can't believe I actually did that! I was becoming rather attached to the Prewetts too…*blows nose loudly* Maybe I should have tried harder to make this less depressing, but oh, well. Please tell me what you thought, but no flames please. I really don't like killing people, so please don't call me a psycho murderer or something like that. I'll try to write something a little happier next time. *blows nose again*
Disclaimer: Voldemort, Hogwarts, the Silver Arrow, the Prewetts and Malfoy's last name and the Fidelius Charm are all property of J.K. Rowling. I own Alison Wheatly and the first names of the people in the Prewett family and Jasper Malfoy's first name. (In case you didn't catch on, he is Lucius Malfoy's father.) I have no proof that John Prewett did indeed invent the Fidelius Charm, that is a figment of my own imagination, thank you very much. It should be interesting to note that that charm played a part in his destruction. I made it that way. ^_^