Minerva sat on her father's bed, playing with her toys. She pointed at the puzzle and it started solving itself as she watched. She pointed at the chess board and the pieces got into position. They then began playing the game without any help from her. She turned her attention to the jump rope. It went around in midair as if an invisible person was using it. Minerva smiled. It was so much fun playing with her things.
She lay on her back, looking at the ceiling. She made it change colors, through all the colors of the rainbow in order. Sometimes she forgot which color came next, but that was to be expected. She had never seen one, after all.
Minerva listened to the voices down in her father's office. She heard her father shouting at someone, and then the familiar word "Crucio." The sounds of screams filled the air, but it did not bother Minerva. Her father had once done the same thing to her, long ago. She had not eaten all of her dinner and when he told her to finish it, she did not. He used the spell on her, and when it was lifted, he pulled her onto his lap. He explained to her that he had not wanted to do it, but she had forced him to. She needed to listen to him if she wanted to or not. He warned her that if she ever disobeyed him again, he would do the same thing. Minerva had nodded and kissed him on the cheek. She knew he was right.
Her father realized a long time ago that he would need Minerva to trust him and obey him without question early on. Only in this way could he ensure that she would follow his instructions during the eventual struggle for power. He also needed to have her feel the effects of his magic, so he could instill a sense of fear and respect of him in her. At the earliest point that she was able to understand, he told her that she needed to let his magic work on her, no matter what. He knew that she could absorb spells he put on her, but she was also able to feel them, if she willed it. He insisted that she needed to, and she believed him. She was very obedient.
"Minerva! Please come here!"
Minerva got up quickly and went to her father's office. No one was there apart from him. "Who was here?"
Her father smiled. "Just a friend of mine. He had to leave. Thank you for listening to me."
Minerva nodded. "You don't like him as much as me, do you?"
He hugged her. "No, beautiful. I could never like anyone as much as you."