Her fourth year was average. She still spoke to Hermione and they spent time together, but never with Harry. She still got high marks in all her classes. One day she faced a large amount of inward embarrassment.

"McGee!" He called at her from down the hall.

Draco Malfoy was walking up to her. Crabbe and Goyle faithfully at his side. His nose was so high, Clare thought if it got any higher, he would hit the ceiling.

She was sitting on a bench, trying to decide whether or not she would face the in-coming ridicule and hopefully not lose her temper.

She decided to face it head on. "What do you want Draco?"

"A little early in the morning to be this defensive, don't you think? Actually I just wanted to talk to you."

Although this should've made her more relaxed, it didn't. Draco never wanted to "just talk."

"Okay, Draco. What's up?"

"Well, since the Yule Ball is coming up…" As he said that, Clare thought Oh no.

"We should go together." Only Draco would be able to manage asking a girl to a ball while still holding onto his pride.

"I don't think that's a very good idea, Draco." She declined his invitation not because he was her cousin but also because he was a proud jerk. Quietly puking on the inside, she walked away and said "I'll see you around."

Another boy, one from the Dumstrang Institute, asked her and she accepted. He couldn't possibly be a worse date than Draco Malfoy. She ended up having a good time, it made her feel normal. She was just another girl, who had embarrassing parents and a hard time in potions class.

Towards the end of the year, life was back to normal. She was hanging out with her friends from Gryffindor, not experiencing as much guilt. Her father and mother were gone and they could never hurt her. As long as she didn't tell anyone, she could live on as if they never existed.

But, the good times at Hogwarts couldn't last, they never do. It took a turn for the worse at the last challenge of the tri-wizard tournament. When Harry came back with Cedric's dead body in his hands saying "Voldemort is back", she broke down.

She was sitting next to Hermione when she broke into tears. She was immobilized and having a panic attack. They had to have her in the medical wing for a few days. She wouldn't eat or drink until finally, her adopted parents came to see her.

The nurse spoke "She won't eat or drink on her own. We are worried for her."

"Thank you, Clare honey can you hear me?" Her mother's warm voice spoke.

Her mother's voice reached her. "Mum? When did you get here? Where am I?"

"Clare, you had an episode at the tournament. You've been in a comatose state for some days."

"I don't remember anything except." Clare shuddered. It all came back to her. The challenge and the time after, she had visitors but she couldn't respond. Her body was immobilized by shock. But now, she could function. "Never mind. Can we just go home?"

"Yes Clare we will."

Clare went home for the summer. It was fairly normal. She was just going to go spend some time with Hermione in the muggle world for a week. As she was taking the bus, she got off and the world went black.

Clare woke up blindfolded in a room. A voice began to ask her questions. She didn't know what to think. To be safe, she tried to act strong by hiding her fear.

Out of the silence, a voice spoke. It was cold and unfeeling. "Hello"

"Hello" she said cautiously.

"Do you know who your parents are?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

Clare stayed silent. She was apprehensive to tell him her deepest darkest secret. She was sure that nothing good would come from revealing it.

The voice spoke again. "Don't make me force you child. Tell me who your parents are."

She sighed. "…Bellatrix Lestrange."

"And your father?"

"It is… he who must not be named."

Once she answered, the blindfold was taken off of her. There standing in front of her was a pale man without a nose and eyes like a snake. His stance was proud, as if he was nobility.

"Who are you?" Clare questioned.

"Now, child don't you recognize your own father?"

Clare gawked at him as he stepped back to allow her to see him fully. She held back a scream.

"Bella was very smart to make sure you had a clue to your heritage."

"It also helps that the ministry had a person devoted to watching my movements until I was 11." She muttered bitterly. She had snuck into her father's work and the ministry had in her file that she could be dangerous, and to be handled with care. Also it had the official order to cancel the surveillance on her movements three years prior.

He had a devilish smile on his face. "Yes, don't you see? They are the enemy."

"No, they were just trying to prevent another person like you from rising up." She put all the poison she could manage into her voice.

"And what kind of person is that?" He said, his voice layered with indifference.

"An evil person who is so vain that they want everyone to worship at their feet. Someone who craves power so much that they will kill anyone in their way."

He laughed at her words, acting as if they were just that of a rebellious child. "I need you to understand something. You will be loyal to me and only me." He stated that as a fact, not an option.

She stared at him with poisonous eyes. When she found out Voldemort was her father, she lost a part of her. But, she did gain one thing, hate for him more than anyone could ever have for one person. "Never."

"Never is a long time child. I allowed you to be born into this world and I can take you out of it. Crucio." He spoke the words calmly but with a large amount of distaste.

Clare began to writhe in pain. She felt boiling hot water searing her skin and burning down her throat. She forgot why refusing the man in front of her was so important. It felt like hours before he stopped the curse.

Voldemort spoke again, "There are two things that matter most to me, loyalty and blood. I sired you, so I deserve your utmost loyalty."

She continued to rebel even in the knowledge of what lay ahead. Her voice was tired and quiet as she spoke "I won't serve you. I'd rather die."

His face showed contempt, "That can be arranged. Crucio!"

The pain flooded every orifice of her body. Daggers were being stabbed into ever pore, and she was burning. This went on longer than before.

He stopped it and began to speak again. "After I finish you, I will be sure to visit your quaint adopted family."

Her heart sank. It's always easy to give up your own life, but your family? No one wants that weight on their shoulders. If she continued to refuse him, he would continue to put her through torture. Yet, if he hurt her family, she wouldn't be able to take it. He might even kill them before her very eyes. If they died, she had nothing to live for. She had nothing to fight for. Her strength melted off as hot tears began to stream down her cheeks.

She had nothing left in her except to beg. "No, please don't hurt them."

"I will do what is necessary." She could see his face was smug. He'd found her weakness.

"Do whatever you want with me, just don't hurt them."

"I can't guarantee their safety." He said as if he would even try.

She knew what he wanted her to say. He wanted her to say she'd do anything, anything to save them, even let him erase her memories and completely rewire her. But, she wouldn't stoop that low. She wouldn't grovel before him. So she compromised. She put on a hard face and spoke.

"It's pointless to resist." Her voice showed her despair.

"You will obey?"

"Yes."

"You will be loyal to only me."

She knew this would seal the deal. So she spoke in parseltounge, "Yes father."

He looked very pleased with her knowledge of the snake language. "Good child. Now prove your loyalty. We can't just have cowards trying to save their skins on my side. Kill it."

Clare knew that he could see through her façade. She couldn't care less about him and his agenda. But, she was horrified when she found a muggle woman tied up and gagged before her. She was looking around, her eyes wild and scared. Clare looked at her, frightened.

"One simple curse is all it takes. The first is always the hardest."

He brought out her wand. The dots connected. Her wand was that of a dark wizard and Olivander was confused all those years ago because he could not see what would become of her.

She was meant to become a dark wizard. Her wand, the sorting hat, they all knew her fate. And this, this was her destiny. To stand side by side with her father, striking fear into the hearts of the wizarding world. How can I escape my destiny? She thought.

Her lips formed the syllables. Her heart was screaming NO, but her flesh spoke yes. She could feel it. But she resisted. And she pointed her wand and spoke "Avadakedavra."

Nothing happened.

Her father encouraged her in his own way, "I'm losing my patience."

"I can't."

"You will."

Clare ignored her heart and gave herself to her desires to do what had to be done. "Avadakedavra!"

And with that the muggle fell down. Dead.

"Well done!" His voice was proud.

The pride in his voice made Clare wonder, Does he really view me as his daughter?

"There is still so much for you to learn" And with that he closed the door, leaving her in the room with the person she killed.

Then, the tears came. Clare cried for hours not caring who heard. She had just killed an innocent woman. And something else died with that woman. Her heart crumbled. She went cold. The tears didn't stop until she fell over with exhaustion.