The Innocent Death Eater
By: Starr
Author's Note: This is a continuation of Tootie's story "The Innocent Death Eater", done with permission, of course. This story is, at first, similar to my story "Moody's Favor", but they are going to take two very different paths. I hope you will read the part of the story she has written first, but if you choose not too there is a summary below.
If you haven't read "The Innocent Death Eater", here is a run down on the first three chapters: Danny (Danielle) is a twelve year old death eater who is caught at a meeting one night. She is basically just a lookout for the other members who maim, kill, etc. James, who caught her, protests sending her to Azkaban so she is sent to live with himself and Lily until her trial. James later breaks the news to her that her father, who is a pilot, died when his plane crashed flying over the ocean (her mother is already dead at the start of the story). Then her trial begins. Danny testifies that she didn't like being one of Voldemort's Death Eaters and had not killed or betrayed anyone. James testifies that she has done nothing to make him suspicious while living with him, Lily, and Harry (who is a toddler). This story is obviously AU and I am beginning where the summary leaves off – Danny's sentencing. James, Remus, and Sirius are Aurors, Lily and James are married, and Peter never existed. Voldemort doesn't succeed in killing the Potters either.
Thank you for reading this long summary! Now on with the story!
Danny squirmed in her seat between Remus and Sirius, the two Aurors assigned to guard her during the proceedings, as she was deemed to young to be bound to a chair like most accused Death Eaters were.
"Those in favor of clearing the witness of all charges?"
Danny held her breath as the jury murmured among themselves. There were twelve witches and wizards on the jury. She watched in amazement as eleven of them raised their hands. This caused cries of both cheers and outrage from onlookers. The only jury member who had been opposed to clearing her was a fat, toadlike woman in the second row, who wore a disgusted expression on her face, which was covered with excessive amounts of makeup.
Cornelius Fudge, clearly taken aback, had to produce several loud bangs from his wand before order was restored to courtroom.
"Very well, if that is the jury's decision. Now the only question is what to do with this child? She's an orphan now, and no self-respecting wizard is going to take in a former Death Eater. She will have to be sent to an orphanage since she-"
Fudge was abruptly cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat. James, who was still sitting near the witness stand stood up.
"Lily and I would like to take her in. Possibly adopt her."
"You can't be serious. Lily?" he cried, turning to Lily, who was seated among the spectators, hoping for support.
"Yes, we would love to take her in. James and I discussed it last night and decided we would like to apply for guardianship of Danielle."
Fudge was turning a very strange shade of red, outraged that anyone, specifically an Auror, would be willing to take in a Death Eater.
"Very well. I will grant you temporary guardianship of one Danielle Marie Davis, with her adoption to be discussed at a later date. You are free to take her home now. Case closed."
With that, the courtroom turned into a practical three-ring circus. Some of the witches and wizards present clapped and cheered, while others yelled in protest. People began to file out, some elated and others grumbling about how the Ministry was going to the dogs. James slowly made his way across the room to Danny, while Lily also pushed her way towards them.
James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, all apparated back to Godric's Hollow, Danielle in tow. They were greeted with Arabella Figg, Harry's babysitter, who was eager to know how the trial had gone and why Danny was back with them. As the adults conversed Danny slipped off unnoticed and headed up to her bedroom. James had deactivated the wards on her room that morning before they left, knowing she would probably either not be back at all, or coming home free.
She closed the door behind her and threw herself down on her bed. In the time she had been at the Potters the room had become a home to her. She ate there, slept there, did schoolwork there. Danny buried her face in her CareBears pillow, finding comfort in the familiar smell of her Herbal Essences shampoo. It wasn't like she didn't want to live with James and Lily, just this made everything so final. Her dad was gone and never coming back. She lived here now.
A single tear escaped down her cheek. Danny rolled onto her back, staring at the white-painted ceiling. Slowly, cautiously, she heard the door open, then close. She felt someone sit down at the foot of the bed. Glancing up, she saw this person was James.
For a few moments they stared at each other, Danny's eyes brimming with tears, James' full of sympathy and confusion.
"What's wrong?" he asked gently, after several moments had passed. "Aren't you happy to be free? Do you not want to stay with us?"
She slowly shook her head, concentrating on the pattern of the soft peach blanket they were sitting on.
"It's not that I don't want to stay here, just it makes everything so final. Now I really know my dad's never coming back. I keep waiting for him to come get me. To tell me it was all a big mistake and his plane never crashed. I told him I didn't want him to go. It just felt like something was wrong. But he said it would be okay. He said he's be back in a few months and he'd take me home from Hogwarts for a week or two and we'd hang out together, just the two of us."
At this, she burst into tears, sobbing hysterically. James had no idea what to do. After all, he's only been her guardian for ten minutes, and he didn't know her all that well. He decided to go with his instincts.
He gathered the small child into his arms and gently rocked her, whispering to her as he rubbed her back.
"It's okay. Just let it all out. It'll be alright," he reassured her.
Danny continued to sob, getting herself so worked up she began to choke. She cried for a few moments, before finally just sniffling as James held her close to him. It was several minutes before Danny spoke, and even then it was in a quavering voice.
"Why did you want to take me in? I'm a Death Eater. You're an Auror. You're supposed to hate me, remember?"
James was surprised by the question. He should have expected it, of course, but he was surprised at how Danny asked it. She wasn't being sarcastic, she honestly wanted to know why he chose to take her in. He asked himself the same thing. What was it that made him want to protect this kid? What made her different from the others?
"I don't hate you Danny. I took you in because I saw something in you the first moment I saw you. I could tell by the look in your eyes that you didn't belong there. You weren't supposed to be at a Death Eater meeting, you were supposed to be at home watching cartoons and playing around. You were just there to protect your family, weren't you?"
"How do you know that?"
"Well, it was sort of obvious. I mean why else would a muggle-born kid become a Death Eater if not to protect their family from Voldemort?"
"Well, when you put it that way, it is kind of obvious."
"Danielle, listen to me. Lily and I both love you. I think you'll like it here. We can redo your bedroom and decorate it how you want to and we can see about getting you back into Hogwarts.'
"Okay. But can we get something to each first? I'm starving!"
Author's Note: Please review! And if you haven't read the first part of the story you might want to do that, just to see exactly what happened when Danny was captured and the time leading to her trial. It's not long, just three short chapters, and goes by the same title this is posted under and the author's name is Tootie. Thanks to Tootie for letting me take this over. Everyone else – review, please!
P.S. The next chapter is dedicated to whoever can tell me who the mean jury member was who was against clearing Danny.
By: Starr
Author's Note: This is a continuation of Tootie's story "The Innocent Death Eater", done with permission, of course. This story is, at first, similar to my story "Moody's Favor", but they are going to take two very different paths. I hope you will read the part of the story she has written first, but if you choose not too there is a summary below.
If you haven't read "The Innocent Death Eater", here is a run down on the first three chapters: Danny (Danielle) is a twelve year old death eater who is caught at a meeting one night. She is basically just a lookout for the other members who maim, kill, etc. James, who caught her, protests sending her to Azkaban so she is sent to live with himself and Lily until her trial. James later breaks the news to her that her father, who is a pilot, died when his plane crashed flying over the ocean (her mother is already dead at the start of the story). Then her trial begins. Danny testifies that she didn't like being one of Voldemort's Death Eaters and had not killed or betrayed anyone. James testifies that she has done nothing to make him suspicious while living with him, Lily, and Harry (who is a toddler). This story is obviously AU and I am beginning where the summary leaves off – Danny's sentencing. James, Remus, and Sirius are Aurors, Lily and James are married, and Peter never existed. Voldemort doesn't succeed in killing the Potters either.
Thank you for reading this long summary! Now on with the story!
Danny squirmed in her seat between Remus and Sirius, the two Aurors assigned to guard her during the proceedings, as she was deemed to young to be bound to a chair like most accused Death Eaters were.
"Those in favor of clearing the witness of all charges?"
Danny held her breath as the jury murmured among themselves. There were twelve witches and wizards on the jury. She watched in amazement as eleven of them raised their hands. This caused cries of both cheers and outrage from onlookers. The only jury member who had been opposed to clearing her was a fat, toadlike woman in the second row, who wore a disgusted expression on her face, which was covered with excessive amounts of makeup.
Cornelius Fudge, clearly taken aback, had to produce several loud bangs from his wand before order was restored to courtroom.
"Very well, if that is the jury's decision. Now the only question is what to do with this child? She's an orphan now, and no self-respecting wizard is going to take in a former Death Eater. She will have to be sent to an orphanage since she-"
Fudge was abruptly cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat. James, who was still sitting near the witness stand stood up.
"Lily and I would like to take her in. Possibly adopt her."
"You can't be serious. Lily?" he cried, turning to Lily, who was seated among the spectators, hoping for support.
"Yes, we would love to take her in. James and I discussed it last night and decided we would like to apply for guardianship of Danielle."
Fudge was turning a very strange shade of red, outraged that anyone, specifically an Auror, would be willing to take in a Death Eater.
"Very well. I will grant you temporary guardianship of one Danielle Marie Davis, with her adoption to be discussed at a later date. You are free to take her home now. Case closed."
With that, the courtroom turned into a practical three-ring circus. Some of the witches and wizards present clapped and cheered, while others yelled in protest. People began to file out, some elated and others grumbling about how the Ministry was going to the dogs. James slowly made his way across the room to Danny, while Lily also pushed her way towards them.
James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, all apparated back to Godric's Hollow, Danielle in tow. They were greeted with Arabella Figg, Harry's babysitter, who was eager to know how the trial had gone and why Danny was back with them. As the adults conversed Danny slipped off unnoticed and headed up to her bedroom. James had deactivated the wards on her room that morning before they left, knowing she would probably either not be back at all, or coming home free.
She closed the door behind her and threw herself down on her bed. In the time she had been at the Potters the room had become a home to her. She ate there, slept there, did schoolwork there. Danny buried her face in her CareBears pillow, finding comfort in the familiar smell of her Herbal Essences shampoo. It wasn't like she didn't want to live with James and Lily, just this made everything so final. Her dad was gone and never coming back. She lived here now.
A single tear escaped down her cheek. Danny rolled onto her back, staring at the white-painted ceiling. Slowly, cautiously, she heard the door open, then close. She felt someone sit down at the foot of the bed. Glancing up, she saw this person was James.
For a few moments they stared at each other, Danny's eyes brimming with tears, James' full of sympathy and confusion.
"What's wrong?" he asked gently, after several moments had passed. "Aren't you happy to be free? Do you not want to stay with us?"
She slowly shook her head, concentrating on the pattern of the soft peach blanket they were sitting on.
"It's not that I don't want to stay here, just it makes everything so final. Now I really know my dad's never coming back. I keep waiting for him to come get me. To tell me it was all a big mistake and his plane never crashed. I told him I didn't want him to go. It just felt like something was wrong. But he said it would be okay. He said he's be back in a few months and he'd take me home from Hogwarts for a week or two and we'd hang out together, just the two of us."
At this, she burst into tears, sobbing hysterically. James had no idea what to do. After all, he's only been her guardian for ten minutes, and he didn't know her all that well. He decided to go with his instincts.
He gathered the small child into his arms and gently rocked her, whispering to her as he rubbed her back.
"It's okay. Just let it all out. It'll be alright," he reassured her.
Danny continued to sob, getting herself so worked up she began to choke. She cried for a few moments, before finally just sniffling as James held her close to him. It was several minutes before Danny spoke, and even then it was in a quavering voice.
"Why did you want to take me in? I'm a Death Eater. You're an Auror. You're supposed to hate me, remember?"
James was surprised by the question. He should have expected it, of course, but he was surprised at how Danny asked it. She wasn't being sarcastic, she honestly wanted to know why he chose to take her in. He asked himself the same thing. What was it that made him want to protect this kid? What made her different from the others?
"I don't hate you Danny. I took you in because I saw something in you the first moment I saw you. I could tell by the look in your eyes that you didn't belong there. You weren't supposed to be at a Death Eater meeting, you were supposed to be at home watching cartoons and playing around. You were just there to protect your family, weren't you?"
"How do you know that?"
"Well, it was sort of obvious. I mean why else would a muggle-born kid become a Death Eater if not to protect their family from Voldemort?"
"Well, when you put it that way, it is kind of obvious."
"Danielle, listen to me. Lily and I both love you. I think you'll like it here. We can redo your bedroom and decorate it how you want to and we can see about getting you back into Hogwarts.'
"Okay. But can we get something to each first? I'm starving!"
Author's Note: Please review! And if you haven't read the first part of the story you might want to do that, just to see exactly what happened when Danny was captured and the time leading to her trial. It's not long, just three short chapters, and goes by the same title this is posted under and the author's name is Tootie. Thanks to Tootie for letting me take this over. Everyone else – review, please!
P.S. The next chapter is dedicated to whoever can tell me who the mean jury member was who was against clearing Danny.