Title: The Mark of the Enemy
Chapter 1:
On a dark night on April 23, 1960 two events occurred that would change the course of the future. One event was the birth of a girl who would be named Evangeline. The second event was the foretelling of events yet to come. This prophecy was recorded and kept safe in the Department of Mysteries. The prophecy said:
A Dark Lord has two lovely daughters he. One to darkness she be taken; one to light she be shown. It is foreseen that light meets dark in the stillness between, but only one and one alone can rise up and end all.
The second daughter was born on October 15, 1962 and was named Melody. Both daughters were raised mostly by their mother Dahlia Adelaide and lived in the Adelaide Mansion. Dahlia was a beautiful young woman with pale porcelain skin, long wavy hair and gray eyes. She was also a pure blooded witch. Her family was one of many who tried to keep their blood pure. The Adelaide Mansion was given to Dahlia after the death of her parents. The mansion resided in the country side of England and had acres of property; giving her daughters free rein to run around and play without leaving the safety of their home. There were paths all along the property leading to different areas of the yard; the property even had a lake to the east of the house. Evangeline and Melody's father disappeared shortly after Melody was born and never cared to return or write to see how the family he left behind was fairing.
A young girl of about 4 years of age with light brown wavy hair and chocolate brown eyes was leaning over the edge of the lake; trying to grab one of the lilies. "Careful Melody, if you fall in mother will be mad." Another young girl stated as she approached. This girl seemed to be two years older with gray eyes and black hair.
"I'm not going to fall in Eve, I just want to give that flower to mother." Melody replied while still reaching for the lily.
The older sister shook her head. "Mother would like any flower you give her, now come away from the lake before she sees."
"Hang on…I almost got it…" Melody said as she reached out farther for the flower.
Evangeline rolled her eyes at her younger sister and focused on the flower. She noticed a few weeks ago that if she concentrated hard enough on an object she could make it move. The lily slowly moved closer to her sister's hand until she was able to reach it. Melody took the lily and turned to her sister with a look of awe on her face.
"What?" Evangeline asked frowning at her sister.
"How did you do that?"
Evangeline shrugged. "Magic…now come on mother is waiting." She said and grabbed her younger sister by the hand. Evangeline brought her younger sister into the parlor where their mother sat reading the Daily Prophet with a horrified expression on her face.
Melody let go of her sisters hand and quickly ran to her mother crawling on her lap to hand her the lily. "Mother, look what Eve helped me get for you!" Melody stated excitedly while holding out the lily for her mother.
Dahlia smiled and placed the Daily Prophet on the table in front of her. "Well that was very nice of Eve, wasn't it?" She replied while taking the lily from her daughter.
Melody smiled and nodded. "She was able to make it float toward my hand, so I wouldn't fall in the lake trying to get at it."
Dahlia looked at Evangeline in surprise. "Is this true Evangeline? Were you able to make this flower float?"
"Yes mother, but I can make other objects float to if I concentrate hard enough." Evangeline replied.
Dahlia smiled proudly. "Only five more years until you attend Hogwarts."
"When will I be able to move things like Eve, mother?" Melody asked curiously.
Dahlia smiled replied, "Not for a little while…"
Evangeline sat on the couch next to her mother when a picture in the Daily Prophet caught her eye. In the picture there was a house with some type of mark above it. There was a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. Evangeline frowned and asked, "Mother, what is that?"
Dahlia glanced at the Daily Prophet and saw that Evangeline was referring to the large picture on the first page. She struggle with an explanation. "I'm not quite sure I haven't read it yet." Dahlia lied.
This seemed to satisfy Evangeline's curiosity for the moment. "Now why don't you two go upstairs and get washed up for dinner." Dahlia stated as Melody hoped off her lap and tugged on her older sisters arm; trying to get her to follow.
"Come on Eve, let's go!" Melody whined.
"Okay, I'm coming…" Eve replied as she followed her sister out of the parlor and up the white marble staircase to their bedrooms. There both girls washed their hands and faces in the bathroom and then proceeded to make their way to the dining room. Before they could descend down the staircase Evangeline grabbed her sister's arm and pulled her against the wall so they wouldn't be seen.
"Eve what are you doing?" Melody protested.
"Sh, listen…" She whispered and both girls became silent as voices could be heard in the entrance hall.
"Have you seen him recently?" A man asked.
"No, I haven't…" Dahlia replied.
"When was the last time you saw him?" Evangeline peered around the wall to see who the man speaking to her mother was. The man was a bit taller than Dahlia with short blond hair. He was dressed in elegant robes and appeared to be someone of importance.
"About…about 4 years ago." Evangeline frowned. The man in the entrance hall was looking for her father, but why?
"He didn't tell you where he might be going or what he might be doing when he left?" The man questioned.
"No…he didn't." Dahlia's voice sounded shaky and fearful. A moment of silence passed between the man and Dahlia.
"If you wouldn't mind Miss Adelaide, I would like to take a look around." The man stated.
"I do mind actually Mr. Jenkins. My children are upstairs and besides he isn't here." Dahlia replied trying to keep Jenkins from entering the house further.
"Children, the Ministry has no record of you having any children." Jenkins stated sounding confused. Silence filled the entrance hall again and then footsteps could be heard going up the stairs. Evangeline grabbed her sister's hand and ran down the hall dragging Melody behind her. They shut themselves up in their bedroom and hid behind the bed hoping Mr. Jenkins wouldn't find them.
"We haven't done anything wrong! Why would the Ministry send you here?" Dahlia's voice was getting louder as she followed Mr. Jenkins down the hall.
The door to Melody and Evangeline's room swung open. "The Ministry knows you have had relations with this man. They wanted to see if you might be hiding him from us."
"Then take me to the Ministry, but leave my children alone. They haven't done anything wrong; they're just children!" Dahlia stated as she watched Mr. Jenkins check the room for the children.
"Children they maybe, but they are his children. The Ministry will not risk them following the path of their father." Mr. Jenkins stated as he peeked behind the bed. "There you are…" He said as he grabbed Melody's arm and pulled her from behind the bed.
"Help!" Melody shouted as she struggled to release her arm from Jenkins.
"Let go of her!" Evangeline shouted appearing from behind the bed to try and help her younger sister. When Jenkins released Melody's arm both girls ran over to their mother, who was standing in the doorway, for protection.
"So what are you going to do to them? Are you going to throw young children into Azkaban?" Dahlia asked with a dangerous tone in her voice.
Jenkins shook his head. "No, they will be given different homes to make sure he doesn't find them."
"What, you can't take them away from me!" Dahlia exclaimed.
"Unfortunately I can Miss Adelaide. Will you and your children return to the Ministry with me?" Jenkins questioned.
Dahlia looked down at her two daughters contemplating whether she should go with this man or not. She nodded. "Alright…"
"Do you have any floo powder? It would be easy to transport the children to the Ministry using this method." Jenkins stated.
Dahlia nodded. "It's in the parlor…" She replied quietly and led the three of them back down to the parlor. There Dahlia took a silver box off the mantelpiece and held it out to Jenkins.
Jenkins took a handful of the shiny powder and tossed it into the fire; immediately green flames appeared in the fireplace. "I will wait for you at the Ministry Miss Adelaide." Mr. Jenkins stated as he stepped into the green fire. "Ministry of Magic" The man stated and in a moment Jenkins was gone and the green flames disappeared as well.
Dahlia took a handful of the shiny powder also before placing it back in its place on the mantelpiece. She then tossed the powder into the fireplace causing the green flames to reappear. "Into the fireplace my dears." Dahlia stated turning around to face her children.
Melody shook her head. "No…" She muttered as she began to back away.
"It's alright Melody, I'm going with you. Come on we'll go into the fireplace together." Dahlia stated while holding out her hand for Melody to take.
Melody took her mother's hand reluctantly and Dahlia turned her attention to Evangeline, who was gazing into the green flames with interest. "You to Evangeline…" Evangeline took her mother's other hand. "Now I don't want either of you letting go until we get there and keep your eyes closed, alright?"
"Yes, mother…" Melody and Evangeline stated before the three of them stepped into the green flames. "Ministry of Magic" Dahlia stated and the green flames engulfed them, sending them traveling past many different fireplaces. It wasn't until Evangeline heard the noise of a crowd of people talking that she opened her eyes.
The entrance hall to the Ministry of Magic was mahogany- paneled with a polished dark wood floor. The ceiling was a peacock-blue color with gleaming symbols that were constantly moving and changing like a notice board. On each side of the atrium were many gilded fireplaces. On the left it seemed that witches and wizards were arriving to the ministry every few seconds or so. On the right witches and wizards were waiting for their turn to leave the Ministry. In the middle of the hall was a fountain with a group of golden statues standing in the middle. The tallest statue was of a wizard with his wand pointing straight into the air. Standing around the wizard was a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin and a house-elf.
Jenkins was waiting nearby the fireplace just like he said he would. He led the three of them into a crowded elevator. They got off at level two of the Ministry, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Jenkins led them into an office that was cluttered with paper work. A short round man with red hair and a mustache sat at a large desk reading over a file.
"Mr. Dunsin, I have brought Miss Adelaide in to see you." Jenkins stated.
Mr. Dunsin nodded without looking up from the file he was reading. "Good, send her in…"
"She has brought her children with her sir." Jenkins said.
Mr. Dunsin's head snapped up at the word children. "She has children…" He muttered.
"Shall I bring her in sir?" Jenkins asked.
"Yes of course…"
Jenkins stepped aside to let Dahlia pass through the door way of Mr. Dunsin's office with Melody and Evangeline following close behind. "It's good to see you Miss Adelaide." Mr. Dunsin stated happily as he rose from his seat to greet her.
"And you Mr. Dunsin. May I ask why I was to be called to the Ministry?" Dahlia asked emotionless.
"I'm sure you have seen the Daily Prophet lately." Dunsin stated and Dahlia nodded her head. "We know you have dealings with this man. Have you seen him lately?" Dunsin questioned.
"Jenkins asked me this before and I said no. Is that all you wanted to see me for?" Dahlia replied calmly but with a hint of irritation in her voice.
Dunsin's eyes flickered over Melody and Evangeline. "These are your children? I wasn't aware you even had children." He stated.
Dahlia' face paled a bit but she kept an emotionless façade. "Yes, they are my children."
"Even though you aren't married." Dunsin stated.
"Mr. Dunsin, I highly doubt my relationships are any of your concern." Dahlia replied coldly.
"Quite right, forgive me Miss Adelaide. Unfortunately we do have evidence that convicts you of being involved with this man."
Dahlia glared at him. "What do you mean by involved?" Dunsin glanced in the direction of Evangeline and Melody before walking over and whispering something to Dahlia.
Dahlia's eyes widened. "And the punishment for a crime such as that?" She asked softly.
Mr. Dunsin looked at Dahlia sadly. "I'm afraid it's Azkaban…"
Dahlia held a horrified expression on her face as Dunsin mentioned her fate. "What about my children?" She questioned glancing over at the two girls who were watching the scene with confused looks on their faces.
"We will find them families that will take care of them and we will make sure he doesn't find them." Dunsin stated.
Dahlia nodded. "Would you allow me a moment with my girls before you …"
"Of course, you have a couple of minutes before you're needed in the courtroom." Mr. Dunsin stated as he walked out of his own office.
Dahlia walked over toward her two daughters and embraced them both. "I'm going to miss you both very much." She whispered.
"Why mother, where are you going?" Melody asked curiously.
"I'm going to be going away for a little while, dear."
"Will we ever see you again?" Evangeline questioned.
Dahlia smiled weakly. "I don't know my darling, but Mr. Dunsin will find you a nice family to stay with until I return."
Then Mr. Jenkins entered the office. "Miss Adelaide, Mr. Dunsin told me to escort you down to the courtroom for questioning." Mr. Jenkins stated. Dahlia blinked away the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes and she followed Jenkins out of the office without another word.
Dahlia followed Mr. Jenkins down a corridor with rough stone walls and torches in brackets. There were heavy wooden doors with iron bolts and keyholes lining the passageway on each side. At the end of the hall was a grimy dark door with an immense iron lock. Mr. Jenkins opened the door and stepped aside to let Dahlia enter the courtroom. She took a seat in the wooden chair in the middle of the room with witches and wizards all around her wearing red and black robes.
"Miss Dahlia Adelaide, we contain evidence of you murdering Mr. Francis Eckerd and his wife, Mrs. Nancy Eckerd on the night of August 18. How do you plea?" The Minister stated.
Dahlia was silent for a moment before she gave her response. "Not guilty…" The group of witches and wizards dressed in black and red began to talk amongst themselves in murmurs.
"Quiet!" The Minister ordered. "Then what were you doing on the night of August 18th?"
"I was most likely tucking my children into bed." Dahlia tried to keep her expression free of any type of emotion.
"Your children?" The Minister questioned. "Is there anyone that can verify that?"
"My children and my house elf can both vouch for me."
"Your children are to young to be involved in this trial and your house elf cannot be trusted since it is loyal to you and your family. Do you have anything else to add to your defense?"
Dahlia avoided the gaze of the numerous witches and wizards in the room as she quietly said, "No…"
Murmurs broke out amongst the witches and wizards once more. "Then you shall be brought to Azkaban until a fair trial can be given. The dementors shall escort you." The Minister stated.
The doors to the courtroom opened and immediately a cold chill swept through the room; it felt like every bit of warmth in the room had been extinguished by the cold chill. Two large, cloaked, human looking figures swept into the room. One dementor stood near Dahlia's chair while the other approached the Minister. Dahlia could see the dementors head from underneath its hood. It had scabbed skin which covered the sockets where the eyes should be and a gaping shapeless hole of a mouth, which it used to suck the souls out of its victims. The dementors hand could be partially seen from where Dahlia sat. The hand seemed to have a skeletal form to it with glistening, grayish, slimy and scabbed skin which resembled a corpse that had decayed underwater.
"That woman is to be taken to Azkaban and locked away until her trial." The Minister informed the dementor. The dementor turned and began gliding toward the door while the other waited for Dahlia to leave the room first.
Evangeline and Melody watched as Mr. Jenkins led their mother out of the room while Mr. Dunsin reentered his office. Melody was sitting in the corner of the office silently crying for the loss of their mother. Evangeline was too angry to sit in a corner and cry like her sister. She believed this was all unfair; first their father disappeared leaving them alone with their mother. Now their mother was being taken away from them for no reason at all.
Evangeline turned to face Mr. Dunsin and asked curiously. "Excuse me sir, but where are my sister and I going to live now that our mother is gone?"
Mr. Dunsin looked up from the papers he had been looking over. "I have found a home for you, but I am still in the process of locating a proper family for your sister."
"Wait, we aren't going to be living with each other anymore?" Evangeline asked curiously.
"I'm afraid not, both of you need to be separated…you are in grave danger."
Evangeline frowned. "I don't understand…" She muttered.
A knock on Mr. Dunsin's door brought Evangeline out of her confused thoughts. "Ah, Mr. Mulciber come in."
"I hope I'm not interrupting…" Mr. Mulciber stated as he entered the room. He had short dark brown hair along with a beard. His eyes were a hazel color and his skin was sickly pale color.
"No, no you're interrupting at all. Mr. Mulciber this is Evangeline and Melody the daughters of Miss Dahlia Adelaide. Evangeline this is Mr. Mulciber, he will be your guardian for the time being." Mr. Dunsin stated happily.
"What about my sister? I can't leave her!" Evangeline exclaimed.
"She will be perfectly fine, I assure you. When we find her an appropriate home you may arrange a visit with her if you wish." Mr. Dunsin said.
Evangeline walked over to her sister and gave her a hug. "Are you leaving to Eve?" Melody questioned as tears slowly rolled down her face.
Evangeline nodded. "But only for a little while. We will see each other again soon, don't worry."
"I hope so…" Melody replied. Evangeline followed Mr. Mulciber back to the atrium where they waited in line to use one of the fireplaces to leave the Ministry.
They both arrived back at the Adelaide Mansion except now there were a few people standing around in black cloaks wearing masks over their faces. Evangeline froze, afraid these people dressed in black cloaks were here to take her away like Jenkins took her mother away.
"My lord, I have brought her here just as you said." Mr. Mulciber stated as he knelt in front of the black cloaked figure that was sitting on the couch.
"Well done Mulciber, bring her foreword…" A high cold voice stated.
Mulciber grabbed Evangeline's arm and brought her in front of the cloaked figure. "Here she is my lord. Kneel before the dark lord." Mulciber stated as he pushed Evangeline down onto her knees.
"Evangeline, isn't it?" The cold voice asked.
"Y-yes…" Evangeline replied softly.
The black cloaked figure was silent for a moment. "Leave us…" The voice demanded. The rest of the cloaked figures in the room quickly left including Mulciber and shut the parlor room door behind them.
"They took your mother away, didn't they?" The figure asked.
Evangeline nodded averting her gaze away from the figure. Pale hands reached up and removed the hood. The figure was a man with black hair, dark brown eyes and a pale complexion; a man who has just started calling himself Lord Voldemort. Evangeline stared in disbelief at the man in front of her for she recognized this man.
"Father…" She whispered.
He ignored her comment. "I suppose you're wondering what happened to your mother." Evangeline nodded waiting for him to continue. "You will never see her again."
Evangeline frowned. "I don't understand…" She stated quietly.
"Your mother has been locked away in Azkaban and will never see the light of day again."
Evangeline's eyes begin to fill with tears. "Where will I stay now?" She whispered.
"You will be staying with me until you are old enough to attend Hogwarts."
Evangeline nodded. "What about Melody. The man at the Ministry said they were going to find her another home."
"What Mr. Dunsin said is all a lie. The Ministry wanted to dispose of you because you are my daughter. They fear you will become stronger than them if you are allowed to learn magic. Mulciber offered to retrieve you from the Ministry and bring you to me where you would be safe. Melody, unfortunately, wasn't as lucky as you." Voldemort explained calmly.
Evangeline stared down at the dark wood floor trying her best to not let tears spill from her eyes. "Don't fret, I won't let the Ministry come anywhere near you."
A/N: I had this idea for a harry potter fan fiction, I don't think I portrayed some of the characters correctly though. Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome!