Chief Warlock Greene: While attending Durmstrang Academy, did you ever enter into any personal relationships with those who were, or would become, Death Eaters?
Maria Hanuschak: Did I have a personal life with any Death Eaters while I attended Durmstrang? At Durmstrang, as a student, few ever had trysts or the like. Trust is not something that happens at Durmstrang. There was a younger man though; his name was Igor Karkaroff. You know him? (note: laughter) He is dead now, but when he was teaching at Durmstrang, before he became Headmaster, he was very much alive. Towards the end of my seventh year, he began to notice me more, in that unique way that men and women notice each other. He taught Defense Against the Dark Arts and Dark Arts Offensives. He was quite taken with my natural affinity for it, though Potions was where I shined the most. Nevertheless, as soon as I graduated we began to see each other. Talking at first, but gradually progressing. He was my first lover. Onco never knew that though. Igor was the one that gave up other Death Eaters and was, publicly, the first turncoat of the wars. Onco would have… I don't know what he would have done. It would not have been pretty though. Igor was good to me; never did wrong by me. I won't speak more of it though. You have what you wanted.
Chief Warlock Greene: Please refrain from hostility, Miss Hanuschak.
Maria Hanuschak: Please refrain from being a voyeur, sir.
Chief Warlock Greene: Proceed, Miss Hanuschak.
Maria Hanuschak: After Durmstrang, and my brief stay with Igor, I returned to the Malfoy estate and did more or less nothing until the next spring. Then I moved to London, hoping to get out into the world a bit more. Onco said that he would provide me with anything I needed, get me a good flat, whatever. I spent a year and half living in the Leaky Cauldron; the smallest room with all the drafts. It didn't bother me though. I wanted to live there. I worked at Ollivander's and Borgin & Burke's; part-time at each. Mr. Borgin was more than pleased to see a Hanuschak in his shop again. It seems that Josef had been a regular. He also understood that work with Mr. Ollivander could be of good use to me. I've always been curious about wands and, well, stocking boxes for Mr. Ollivander isn't the worst job in the world. No matter where you go, you learn things. Of course, I learned plenty from working with Mr. Borgin as well. He's not a Death Eater though so I don't have to tell it. The artifacts are all gone anyway.
Chief Warlock Greene: Miss Hanuschak…
Maria Hanuschak: My life about then was slow, rather uninteresting. I had a go with a few different men, interesting ones who came through Borgin's usually. None of them ever became Death Eaters to my knowledge. However, I lived in London only for a year and a half. I wanted to move on then, and work on becoming a Potions Master. I was twenty when I returned to Durmstrang for an apprenticeship with Sergei Kasonovitch, Potions Master. He had been my Potions professor and I respected him greatly. Even Severus will attest to his abilities. Sergei was never a Death Eater, though he sympathized with the cause. I learned everything I was meant to. The higher potions, every ingredient, cauldron metals, stirring rod types - everything necessary to be a Potions Master - and I became one by certificate when I was twenty-four. Four years of nothing but potions night and day is exhausting, especially charmed potions, but a dissertation on potions is not why I'm here.
It was the end of my third year in apprenticeship when the Dark Lord returned. Onco Lucius was immediately called of course. It wasn't until August that I was reunited with Uncle Tom. It was odd. Mama, John, and I had returned to our home in Slovakia for the summer. Mikhail was in Romania and Josef was still in hiding. I had been thinking about taking the Dark Mark. I knew it would be expected of me. Onco had alluded to my taking it ever since Uncle Tom showed the first signs of returning. I never had many qualms with it. True, I was spared much of the understanding of the first war, but I love the Dark Arts. I will not deny that. The thought of never studying them again and never knowing them, not having that ability… I cannot have that. I do not hate Muggle-borns or Muggles. Just let me alone with my Arts and I shall leave thee alone as well. However, the world is vehemently opposed to any Dark Magic in any form and so I sided, and will side, with what I believe. I knew it could be my undoing. Papa died by the hand of the Dementors for the same thing I was undertaking. Josef had needed to flee and remain hidden for years. I did not take this lightly. I informed Onco Lucius of my decision and he spoke to Uncle Tom about it. In August, Onco, Uncle Tom, Draco, and Josef all came to the house for my taking of the Dark Mark. It was so good to see Josef again after all these years and Draco was growing up handsomely, even if he was a bit whiney. We had business to attend to though and down we went, into the dungeons.
It was my first time in the dungeons. The stairs spiraled downward into chambers. It seemed… like a complete home. I prefer closed, dark spaces and the dungeons were very obliging. I was calmed for the moment in a place where most people would be frightened. We got to the base level where there is a stone table to sit on. Uncle Tom, he did still like me to call him Uncle Tom, told me to sit on the table and extend my left arm.
"Is this taking of your own free will, Maria?" he asked as he held my hand.
"Yes."
"Do you swear loyalty to me and to our cause, Maria?"
"Yes."
"For what reasons are you joining me, Maria?"
"To uphold the right to keep the Dark Arts."
"Do you understand that by breaking this pact, you are subject to the penalty of death?"
"I do."
He looked me in the eyes then, "Maria, you were always my favorite. You are the brightest and strongest of all the children and you have succeeded beyond any other. I am so glad you are joining us, I have been looking forward to this day for quite some time," he turned then to Onco, "Lucius and Josef, you are witness to her statements of agreement. You will honor the terms of witnessing if they need arise. Maria, which of your relatives would you prefer to steady your arm for the first part?" I looked at each, Onco would make the most sense, but Josef was more closely blood related. Then of course, there was Draco, fifteen-years-old and just beginning to learn our ways. I knew it would do the most good for him to do more than witness.
"Draco will steady my arm, Uncle." Draco's eyes shot open, but Onco pushed him to the table.
"Hold her wrist and elbow to the table and don't let go," Uncle said sternly. I did not know what was coming, but I was certain it would be painful, especially after that statement.
"If you can't hold her, we'll have to put her in a bind and then things won't go smoothly. Let's begin," Uncle said before starting.
There were no incantations; the entirety of taking the Dark Mark is mental magic. First, your skin and muscle are pulled back from just below your elbow to right below your wrist. There is no blood and its only stings a little. There must be something in the spell that numbs most of the pain. Everything is pulled back down to the bone where Uncle took his wand and placed the tip on my ulna, held it there for a minute and then drew it back. Left on the bone was a miniature Dark Mark. Quickly, he returned all the muscles and such to their rightful place and sealed my arm.
"Hold her," he said to Draco right before the pain began. Have you ever been consumed in flames? Had thousands of red-hot needles move through you arm and out through your skin? That is what taking the Dark Mark entails. It burns through your muscle, your nerves, fat and skin, finally leaving that perfect little mark on your arm. The pain is tremendous; I cannot describe it in justice. I grabbed Draco's hand; Onco came and held my shoulders. I never screamed though. Through all of it I never screamed. I gasped, yes, and I was as tense as anything, but I did not scream. Uncle Tom was impressed. When the pain finally stopped he said, "Very good, very good. You will do well with us. Now, it is best for you to rest. Some sleep will do wonders for you." He led me to my room and personally tucked me in. Uncle Tom cared for his own when they deserved it. Never say he didn't.