"Without you I am lost."
Karina Rosier Grindelwald is pure blood royalty. After all, being the love child of two of the most powerful pure blood families has it's perks: lavish balls, expensive gowns, unobtainable status in the Wizarding World. But...
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It was time for me to go home, and at my departure, winter had arrived to take my place here at the Dark Lord's estate. Standing at the edge of my balcony, the unforgiving winds penetrated deep through my fur cloak as I watched the tips of my fingers beginning to fade into an offputting shade of purple against the frosted stone railing. Icy flakes fell from the sky and into my hair and onto my skin, drowning me softly in white fluff, just as the gardens before me. The acres of evergreen were now lost beneath a fresh layer of snow and would remain lost until spring came about, ready to bring color back into this now blank world. As I inhaled, the thickness of the cold pained my chest as ice entered my lungs, my exhale was dragon's breath against the dropping temperature, carried off by the stark winds. Needless to say, it was cold but I was kept warm by the embarrassment from the previous night, the sinful night with the Dark Lord.
"Karina," Mother called, coming out onto the balcony to fetch me now that all my cases had been packed and ready to be sent home. She instantly sucked in a quick breath from the impaling cold. "Merlin, Karina! It is freezing out here," Mother swiftly grabbed my hand off the stone and pulled me inside, shutting the doors with haste.
"Not cold enough," I mumbled, feeling the heat return to my cheeks at the very thought of last night's memories. Oh, it had been absolutely beyond mortifying once Father had walked in. And the look on his face! His eyes had witnessed the one thing a Father should never have to witness. Without a second thought, I had run out of the library, my nightgown basically falling as I ran past Father and up the stairs into my bedroom where I remained even now. I could never face him, I wouldn't. Not Father and definitely not the Dark Lord, not ever.
"Your father told me what happened last night," Mother said, instantly gaining my undivided attention. Dear, Merlin, they'd discussed it. They'd actually talked about it. I suddenly felt light-headed. "Oh darling," Mother rushed to my side and held me with her bony fingers, "you're pale as a ghost."
"I wish I were dead."
"Stop being dramatic," she took my face between her fingers and lifted it to look her in the eyes. To my surprise, she was smiling. Not a friendly smile, however, but a mischievous one. "I knew you had it in you, you are your mother's daughter after all. Oh, I'm so proud." She then hugged me. Or she tried to, as best as she could. It felt as though I was being caressed by a wall, a cold wall with a horrid taste in perfume. I couldn't believe it. I'd let Father down and made Mother proud. My life was truly taking a turn for the worst.
"It's not what you think, we-" I tried to explain, but Mother hushed me, she wouldn't let this moment be ruined. In her eyes, this was the most spectacular, most award-worthy thing I'd ever done. I was finally the daughter she wanted me to be.
"Come now, it's time to go home."
***
The journey home was long and awkward, to say the least. The Nimbus Roadster drove as fast as it possibly could, but it wasn't fast enough to outrun the conversation I was dreading to have with Father. However, with the way he was intensely reading the Daily Prophet, I didn't think he wanted to have the conversation either. Mother, on the other hand, had other ideas. She tried to speak on it, to convince Father it wasn't as big a deal as he was making it out to be, but Father was not having it.
