The Raven and The Dark Lord

Author's Note: This gothic alternative fan fiction of the world of Harry Potter looks at a darker timeline when the Second Wizarding War was tampered by an avenging daughter of a Death Eater resulting to the victory of the Dark Lord and his followers.

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I.

Her name was Raven Rookwood.

Two years after the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named nothing so much has changed. Casualties have been numerous. Children lost parents. Parents lost their young. Few families perished, sadly.

One family was hers. She was the only daughter of the Unspeakable named Augustus Rookwood, who she discovered two years ago was a Death Eater.

When she was growing up, witches and wizards would give her curious stares. She never knew why. Whispers she could hear, giving her disturbing rumors about her father. She's a daughter of a Death Eater. She needs to be reared in a different environment. She needs to be saved the shame of what her father has done. She could hear them all. But she kept quiet. And never believed.

When she received her letter to attend Hogwarts at the age of eleven, she proudly smiled at her father, showing him the letter. She could never forget the resentment in her father's eyes. Then she had heard him mutter, "...not Durmstrang...bloody hell..." She cried to her sleep, setting all her toys on fire, zooming around in the air.

Her seven years at Hogwarts were nothing special. She was not exceptional, unlike that Hermione Granger, but among the Slytherins she was one of the five who have received Outstanding in their O.W.L.s. She never had a boyfriend all because of the rumors that has been going around ever since she stepped in the halls of the wizarding school. Only Draco Malfoy seemed to catch her attention, trying to cheer her up. But he was too out of her league. Yes, he was. And she could remember he was very disappointed when she told him , "No". After that, nobody gave so much as a glance at her.

When You Know Who arrived at the school near at the end of her seventh year, she was just there in the dungeons, quiet, wondering her fate. Will her father try to come and rescue her out of here? But she was horrified at the truth. It was almost dawn when she heard that it was already safe to leave--her father never came. Then Horace Slughorn, her Head of House, had arrived in the common room.

"My dear, your father, Augustus," he said not sadly, "is dead. I'm so sorry. Wait for the Hogwarts Express. Tell your mother that you and her can find aid here at Hogwarts. Just look for me."

"Which side did he fight for? I can remember he told me a few months ago that he was busy protecting his department in the Ministry. I would be glad if he fought with Harry Potter."

Horace Slughorn had only stared at her. His eyes filled with pity. Then she knew the truth.

She left Hogwarts. And the stigma that her father had left their family gave her difficulty to find a green pasture. She had cried every time she left an interview. Countless of times she was rejected, but, after a year of searching, Dolores Umbridge gave her a position as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries.

And there she was, inside the Hall of Prophecy, just behind one of the many doors, standing surrounded by sparkling lights and a wild variety of clocks. She was staring coldy in front of a glass-covered table where numerous necklaces lie. Time-Turners. Her eyes glinted. This was her chance. To avoid all the shame. To be reared in a different environment. She could remember all the vicious remarks of their neighbors when she was still a child. Here was hope for her to change her misfortune. Here she could make a difference.

She glanced back at where the door she had come in earlier stood. It was not there. She would worry about that later. Her superior did not know she was here, she would just make an excuse as she gets out.