A/N Thank you to my wonderful beta reader Krikanalo for your help on this chapter.
Chapter 2: Raising the Dark Princess
Two years later, in the Black household, two-year-old Eden Merope Prince peered into the bars of the crib of a crying baby boy. "No cwy, Siwius. I get Mummy," said Eden. She ran from the room, her two long black pigtails bouncing as she did so.
Walburga was downstairs in the sitting room having tea with her sister-in-law Druella when Eden came running in. "Excuse, Mummy," said Eden as she stopped beside Walburga's chair and tugged on her sleve.
"Yes, Eden. What's the matter, dearest?" Walburga asked as she looked into the dark eyes of the little girl whom she had been raising as her own for the past two years.
"Mummy, Siwius cwying. Can me pway with him?"
"Not quite yet, dear. Sirius is not old enough for you to play with; however, your cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa are here if you need someone else," said Walburga as she got to her feet.
Eden turned and glared at Bellatrix as the girl pulled hard on her pigtails. "Bewatwix, that mean! I don't pull your hair," said Eden as she placed her hands on her little hips in anger.
"Sowy, Eden. Let's pway with my baby sistew Nawsisa. We can pway dwess up!" said Bella as she attempted to make up with Eden for causing her pain.
"Okay, Bewatwix," said Eden as the two girls grasped one year old Narcissa's hand and led her into the playroom where the family tree was hun followed closely by Creature.
Another two years later, Eden displayed her first noticeable sign of magical ability. She was sitting in the playroom with her two younger brothers, Sirius and Regulus, and decided that she wanted to try something that she had read in an old dust-covered book. "Sirius, Regulus, do you want to see some magic?" she said quietly as she peeked out of the playroom to make sure that their mother and father weren't in the vicinity. The boys nodded their heads and sat up expectantly. Eden stood stock still and closed her eyes in concentration.
"Eden, you're too young to do magic," said Sirius with his little arms crossed.
"Shut up, you little prat," said Eden as she continued to search her mind. All of a sudden the two younger boys gasped as Eden's body began to grow taller and she morphed into a whole new shape.
Eden looked down at her stunned little brothers and tossed her head defiantly before changing back into her human form. When she was human again she turned in shock to see her parents clapping and cheering boisterously.
"Well, well, well. It looks like we have an Animagus in the family," said Walburga as she crossed the room towards her adopted daughter.
"Truly astonishing, my dear," said her adopted father.
"I've never heard of one so young learning how to become an Animagus. Who taught you, my dear?" asked Walburga.
"I learned how to do it from a book," said Eden with downcast eyes. "Am I in trouble, Mummy?" she asked softly. Walburga knelt and hugged Eden before making her look up at her.
"No. You're not in trouble, darling, but you must promise me that you will never ever do it again until you go to your first year of Wizarding School. Do you promise?" asked Walburga.
"Yes, Mummy, I promise that I won't do it again. Mummy, I just don't understand why," said Eden as she looked into Walburga's eyes.
"You see, Eden, it is against the law for witches and wizards to perform magic outside of a school setting until they come of age. Repeatedly using magic while outside of school and underage could result in one being sent to Azkaban, a dangerous prison," said her adopted father. "The Ministry of Magic expects children under school age to have a few cases of accidental magic, but once you are of proper age to be sent to a wizarding school you must learn to control your magical impulses. Do you understand?" he asked as he gazed into her dark eyes.
"I understand, Daddy."
"You three come down to the dining room for dinner now," said Walburga as she collected Regulus and carried him out of the playroom.
Six years passed. One day, Eden opened the front door of the house to see a tall, dark-haired man standing in the doorway. She looked at the man curiously, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
"Hello, Princess. You've grown so much since the last time that I saw you," said the man as she peered into his mind. Eden searched the man's memories to see what he was talking about, smiling brightly as she found what she was looking for.
The Dark Lord allowed his daughter to search through his memories. She saw his memory of the first time that he had ever seen her, and when he had given her to Walburga Black to raise. She pulled out of his mind and whispered in Parseltongue: "You said that you would see me again, Daddy."
Voldemort smiled and knelt to wrap her in his arms. "You are soon to be ten years old now, Eden. Am I correct?" he asked as he looked her over.
"Yes, sir," she nodded. "Daddy, have you come to take me with you now?"
"Perhaps it will depend on if what your adopted parents have told me is true," he said as he stood up and patted her shoulder.
"Welcome to our home, My Lord," bowed Mr. Black.
"I see that your princess has reintroduced herself to you," said Walburga softly.
"Yes, she has," said Voldemort. "I am quite pleased with your training of my princess thus far. Tell me, Eden, would you be willing to show me that wonderful thing that you showed your two little brothers when you were four years old?" asked Voldemort as he took a seat in an empty arm chair in the sitting room.
"I was told not to do it again so that I wouldn't get put into Azkaban," Eden said meekly.
"Don't worry about that, child; I promise you that the Ministry will never find out about this. You have my permission to show me your talent," said Voldemort as he watched expectantly.
"Just keep in mind that you have grown a lot since the last time that you did it," said Walburga as she made the furniture move toward the walls and away from the center of the room.
Eden concentrated on transforming into her Animagus form. She closed her eyes and could feel herself getting taller. Her body stretched and warped into her Animagus form
Voldemort clapped with delight as he arose from his seat and walked around his transformed daughter. "You are amazing, my dear," he said as he ran his hands over her soft feathers. He walked around to her head and stroked her face. "What you have done here, my princess, is very rare indeed. Are you able to fly?"
Eden stretched her wings and gave them a few flaps, making her feet rise off the ground slightly as she bumped her head on the ceiling. She stopped flapping her wings and landed softly on her feet.
"Wonderful! Change back and go and pack your trunk, my dear," said Voldemort, a pleased tone in his voice.
Eden changed back into her human form and lunged forward and hugged her father. "Do you mean that I get to come with you?" she asked excitedly.
"Yes, but you'll only spend the rest of this summer with me. I will be taking you to purchase your wand and the other supplies that you will need for your first year at school. You will return here during the summer, and I will spend time with you if I have it to spare," said Voldemort, a satisfied smile on his face. Eden ran up to her room and packed her belongings in her trunk neatly. She was so excited to be able to spend time with her true father before school.
"My lord, she has just turned nine this past Christmas. She's not old enough to attend any of the wizarding schools in Great Britain, France, or even anywhere else in Europe," said Walburga.
"She will not be attending any of the so-called 'schools' in Europe," said the Dark Lord. "I have other plans for her." Eden soon came downstairs, followed closely by Creacher who was dragging her trunk behind him.
"Have you said goodbye to your younger siblings?" asked Voldemort.
"Yes, sir," said Eden, watching her father shrink her trunk and summon it into his pocket. "Will I ever learn to do such wonderful magic as you, Daddy?"
Voldemort took hold of her hand after she had put on her traveling cloak. "I know that you will become a great and powerful witch someday. You will make me proud," said Voldemort as he led her out of the house and Apparated away with her on the spot.
A/N Thank you so very much to my wonderful Beta reader Krikanalo, and thank you for reading. Please leave a review and let me know what you think so far. Chapter 3 Begging Dog is next.