𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖑𝖛𝖊
ordaining my skin

✦

AT THE END of Harrowing Street, in the white pristine house with the newly trimmed lawn, perfect as it had once been before the year where the family seemingly abandoned the house, with green grass and glorious windows overlooking the growing neighborhood and doors leading up to a double door and a cat figurine waving its paw in a welcoming gesture, was a once convicted (maybe? almost?) murderer, a dead man recalled to life, brilliant mother, ghost, set of twins, and two werewolves; a family gathering.

         The peculiar family stood up amongst the neighbors, the children attending a 'boarding school' in Scotland where their mothers had attended, not forgetting the fact the family of three disappeared for a year before reappearing at the property with many more than three people appearing in and out of the house throughout summer. The aura of the house remained gloomy, touched by death, and the once friendly Nadia Greene who frequently walked around the neighborhood and chatted with all the other people living there never once said a word to any of them.

         The neighbors would peer into the window and see her son, Leo Greene, talking to nothing, while Maia, her daughter, paced around her room anxiously. The neighbors, of course, began to gossip about the once almost-normal family, outlawing them to the pariahs of the cookie-cut families, saying I think they're apart of a witness protection program or they have to spies for the government and many more false tales.

         Yet, there was no answer to sate them.

         The windows foretold the events of a family gathering together in the living room, playing board games and watching films, moving into the dining room for dinner, and many times crying together, mourning of a lost loved one. The windows gave insight to the maddening Maia, who grew anxious as every day passed, knowing that one day they were going to come for her, and the rising Leo who used to stay inside all day now was only seen there at night. Where he went, no one knew.

         The windows showed how the maybe-almost murderer came over every day, slowly regaining the color in his skin and a cheer of mirth in his eyes, looking after the children but also helping cook dinner with Nadia. They showed how the two would dance every night after the children went to bed, falling in love again, until a moment passed and a kiss was stolen between them, the feeling having never faded between them even though many years were wasted – thrown away in a prison where he had one been kept.

         The windows showed the grieving daughter coming over to spend time with her family, showed how her father would follow her over on the weekend, sometimes the one recalled to life joining them, and they would gather together in solace they were all there while mourning those who weren't. They would move forward, not wanting to waste time in the past, and the son Leo Greene would go to his room to a ghost.

         The ghost would reveal the tales of an older time, of the woman the daughter mourned, and of the man who had murdered her – of the man who had escaped. The ghost would wish him well, tell him to be safe no matter what since she could never protect him in her corporal form, and he would smile and nod his head, crossing his fingers behind his back.

         So the days progressed the same, with the same aura following the family, the same plans approaching them, and the same reclusiveness they had adopted when they had returned to their home.

         Leo looked out the window to see the other kids playing outside, the normal ones his age, throwing around a basketball and laughing and some part of him wished that he was normal enough to do the same. Muggle enough. Because even though he had no magic, he was a squib through and through, he still found himself not muggle enough to intertwine with them the same as he felt too muggle to intertwine with the wizarding world.

         He was stuck between a rock and a hard place; the muggle who wasn't accepted into his own people because he grew up in a family of magic which made him different than everyone else. He had seen things they could only imagine, he had been apart of the fairy tales, and he was charred enough from the coals of wizardry to be so simple as to be a muggle, though he desperately wished he was.

         The ghost of his mother danced around his room, still finding his true bedroom entertaining with its intricates and figurines. She was happier here than she had been in 12 Grimmauld Place, but then again they were all happier to be out of there. He knew that Regulus, who was now officially alive in the eyes of the wizarding world and Ministry, had taken up fixing the house and making it livable since he was the only one without another place to go.

         Sirius stayed with them in their guest bedroom, but Leo was sure that he didn't actually stay there now that he had Nadia had started back their relationship. Still, he didn't know how Regulus could stand to live in that place when he had other options, maybe he just wasn't brave enough himself.

         Sirius himself had been pardoned of all crimes, seeing as he had finally gotten his trial and proved that he was not the mass murderer everyone thought him to be. The Daily Prophet ranted about it for weeks after, but they seemed to be quieting now that July was ending.

         Leo ran his hand through his hair, feeling the same curls his father had on his fingertips and he shivered. He hated that man, even more now than he had when he learned that he was the one to kill his mother. Nancy was one thing – he had no memories of her, being only one, and even Nancy herself admitted that she hadn't been the nicest of people when she was alive – but his Aunt Mel was another. Remelda was his savior, Remelda was the one who reconnected him with Nancy, and Remelda had to be the most selfless person he had ever met.

         And now Remelda was dead because his father murdered her. Now he couldn't even properly look Calypso in the eye without feeling this terrible guilt pooling inside him.

         He turned away from the window, picking himself up and walking out the door of his bedroom without a goodbye to Nancy. She had the power to follow him wherever he went as long as he had the ring on him – which he always did, keeping it on a chain around his neck – but she chose to stay inside the house instead of following him out to the muggle world. Leo preferred it that way so he never said anything about it to her.

         Without saying a word to anyone in the house – which was only Maia and Sirius, Nadia at work – he left through the front door and began to walk to the café near the neighborhood. He wore his usual jeans and Hawaiian t-shirt, walking quickly to leave the neighborhood and the people in it behind until he found himself at a table in the café. He had been there many times with Calypso, and some more now with Thea, and it was probably his favorite place in the entire world.

         Because even though he had changed and life had become so unrecognizable to how it had been before, the café never changed. It still had the pastel walls, same smell, and same staff there even through all the years. The neighborhood had changed, the people in it had grown, but the café remained untouched to the work of time. He felt like a child again there and it brought a smile to his face even after the trials he had gone through.

         He felt the light breeze and eased more into his seat. It seemed the only times he truly relaxed were with Thea. She was normal; she was had no ties to the wizarding world, she didn't know his father was a murderer and he should've died when he was only one for being a squib. Even when he was home he was tense, he was surrounded by people affected by their wizard, burdened and hurt by it. He lived with a man who lost his sister to his father, he lived with a woman who lost her best friend, and a sister who was mourning and panicking. For what, he didn't know.

         "Hey, stranger," Thea said behind him, startling Leo which made the girl laugh. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

         He rolled his eyes but couldn't fight the urge to smile. "I should've expected it. I mean, it's you we're talking about," he teased her.

         In mock hurt, Thea threw her hand upon her heart and gasped loudly, "I'm hurt! You're supposed to be my best friend and that means you have to always be nice, and yet here you are, being rude."

         "You love me," Leo said, watching as Thea took a seat across from him as another man took the seat between them. Leo frowned, looking at the mysterious teenager, around their age or just a few years older. He had platinum blond hair, almost white, which was neatly styled on his head, his outfit without a single wrinkle. It was obvious that he cared a lot about his outward appearance.

         "Right," Thea said, as if remembering the other boy was there, "Leo, this is a family friend, Jasper. He's staying with us for the summer and my mother insisted that I bring him along."

         "That's fine," Leo assured her before giving Jasper a smile, "Hi, I'm Leo."

         The boy nodded, "Jasper. So, Leo, tell me about you – about your family."

         Uncomfortable, Leo laughed. "Um, that's kinda weird. I think I should be asking you that if anything."

         Not swayed by his comment, Jasper shrugged. Still, he continued to stare at Leo intently, as if assessing him. All over Leo felt weird, tingles going down his spine telling him that there was something almost off about Jasper, but he couldn't be rude and voice those thoughts, so he just smiled.

         Thea, seeing how uncomfortable Jasper was making him, placed a hand on Jasper's arm and grabbed his attention, "Stop, don't make this weird, he's my friend."

         "Right," Jasper eased, giving Leo a smile, "I apologize. Guess I'm just used to already knowing everyone."

         "But you don't know me," the Greene boy concluded before shrugging it off, "It's fine, really. Don't sweat it."

         "Great," Jasper's smile grew, "Let's start over. I'm Jasper and I love classical music..."

✦

         "Was it a success?"

         "Of course, uncle, I would never fail you."

         "Good. And he did not suspect anything?"

         "No, I was careful. I know how to be convert."

         "I have to be sure, my nephew. If he suspects one thing and tells the wrong person, everything could be ruined. I am so close...and I will not have a filthy muggle ruin everything."

         "I will ensure that it won't happen."

         "Yes, good. Don't fail me, or else I will bring you before the Dark Lord with your failures."

         "Yes, uncle."

✦

         When the men in black came, walking up to the door with the perfect posture and blank looks on their faces, Maia knew it was her time. Curtly, they knocked on the door and she shivered, lifting herself from her bed, her own outfit black for her funeral, and she walked down the stairs to meet them at the door.

         As she unlocked the door, she was more than glad that Sirius and Nadia were out for the door, a lovely date, and Leo was more interested in spending time with Thea than staying home as he usually did during summer. Instead, she stayed alone, Maia Greene always walked alone, and no one knew that her funeral would come today.

         For the last time, she looked down at her bare left arm, mourning the loss of the pure skin, before twisting the knob and swinging open the door, allowing for them to see her and take her away. Alfred Wilkins, who escaped from Azkaban (ways unknown) shortly after being placed there, stood there along with Dolohov.

         Alfred's eyes flashed amusement as he saw her, the little child blooming into a murderer, the innocent distorting into corruption. "Are you ready?" there was no reason for him to ask the question, she would not be permitted an answer other than yes. This was her fate, as it had always been written, and there was no turning back now.

         Maia nodded and allowed herself to be led away from her house with them, stepping into the shadows, taking Alfred's arm, and Apparating to the Malfoy Manor. The manor stood menacingly before her, looking more like Dracula's castle than a house the more she stared up at it, before following them into the house.

         She saw in the living room her father, grinning at her. "My valiant diamond," he greeted her, a nickname she was sure would follow her forever, "Oh, we have much to discuss."

         "Hello, father," she greeted him with respect, fearing what would happen if she called him Demetri instead. He seemed pleased with her response.

         "My Amara, coming home. Oh, how I have waited for this day," Demetri continued, "I was pleased with your performance at the Department of Mysteries. At first, I admit, I was more than displeased to see you there, but then I saw the Black girl and her Regulus" he spat out the name, "– and realized they had left you with no choice but to come. You did fine work there."

         "Thank you," she said, not correcting him with the fact she had chosen to be there, she had chosen to fight, but her cowardice had gotten the best of her.

         "I am sorry that Remelda had to die, but she would had stood in the way of us," Demetri told her, no remorse found in his voice, "She was a liability. Remelda was always too smart for her own good, too observant, and she would have known immediately of your blooming and we couldn't have that, could we?"

         Oh, how she wished more than ever that Remelda had lived!

         "Yes, father," she nodded, not allowing him to see how desperately she was pleading with time to turn back the clock and allow her to save Remelda, "I understand."

         He grinned, "Good. I knew you would, but I just had to confirm. The Dark Lord is ecstatic about your presence and willingness to join, he has a great purpose for you. I can already see you becoming one of his favorites now."

         He sighed about it, as though it was a wish everyone should have. As if she would want that, as if she should want to be favored by him and beloved by him, as if she wanted to be wanted by him. No, she hated him, she wanted more than anything to leave and never return, but that could not happen. It was too late to save her, she must just drown now.

         Maia nodded, not letting any emotion leak, keeping herself a blank slate for them. Demetri seemed pleased enough with her response. "Now come, he is waiting for you," he brought is arm out for her to link her own with, which she did, and allowed him to lead her into the adjacent room where the mad men stayed.

         She felt only fear looking at him, seeing him truly for the first time. When he smiled at her, she felt chills down her spine, and the urge to run away deepened. Still, she was frozen to the ground, unable to move. Demetri took his arm away and bowed. "My lord," he said before leaving the room.

         The door shut behind Demetri, leaving her alone with Voldemort. He stepped towards her. "Amara Carrow, the lost girl," he took in her appearance. She refrained from correcting him – her name was not, nor had it ever been, Amara. She was Maia...she had to stay Maia. "How nice to finally meet you."

         She said nothing in return, for there was nothing that she could say which would be truthful. She was not honored to meet him, or to be in her presence. She was doomed with this fate, this heritage, the mark which would forever bind her to them.

         "I have been told you wish to join us," he continued, and she almost snorted. Wish? The one thing she wished for was to never even meet her father – she wished to have never even gone to Hogsmeade that day and fall into their clutches. She wished she was free, a bird in the sky, not trapped in this cage; this fate. "But you have been warned of the consequences?"

         Yes, she knew the consequences. She had been warned, she had always known the warning. Still, she nodded her head respectively. "Yes," she said, unwilling to call him my lord.

         He grinned, and again she felt herself shiver, "Very good. Now, I know you shall be loyal, as your father has been before you."

         No mention of her mother; no mention of the dead woman who took her children and ran, hoping to hide them from this world. Of course there would be no mention of her; the betrayer, her savior.

         "Of course," she managed, looking at him face on as to not show her fear by cowering away. She was a coward by being here, by not alerting the Order of this, but she was coward enough to turn away from him. She could not and she would not.

         He brought his hand to her face, holding it so close as he peered into her soul, grinning all the same. "Yes, I think you will do fine," he said as he released her, "Come, draw out your arm."

         She lifted up her left sleeve, presenting it to him without hesitation. It was too late to hesitate, it was too late for her to run. She was here, in front of him, and it was too late. She was too far gone, drowning too much, and there would be no savior for her.

         He brought his wand to her arm, muttering a spell, and then – where there was nothing before – the mark of Voldemort appeared. Ordained forever, apart of the legion, Maia Greene became a Death Eater. Not for a single moment after this point in time would her skin be pure, who her arm be the same fair tone it was. No, there was a mark where her pure arm had been. She was forever this.

         "Good," he crooned, touching the mark with his cold finger, soulless eyes meeting hers, "I have a feeling you'll do great things here."

         She nodded, though her mind contrasted the motion with a sense of dread. She didn't want to do good things there with them, because they were terrible, awful things. She didn't want to be their perfect diamond, their princess, the shining star, she wanted to be Maia Greene again. Just Maia Greene with one mother, no father, with her twin brother and birth mother. Them forever, the perfect trio.

         She wanted to turn back time to before last year, when her life was all so seemingly perfect. The calm before the storm, but now she was in the midst of it.