It was in the darkness of the shadows that a flame was born.

The shadows clutched at the edges of Charlotte Rookwood's silhouette as she stormed through the manor, two solemn-eyed toddlers in her arms, and a slightly older girl trailing behind. The woman was shaking with anger, and hot tears ran down her face as she walked to the door. Leaving, finally. After all those years trapped in the house of a Death Eater in hiding.

She heard the footsteps running after her, but Charlotte was not afraid. A flame was burning in her heart, one that had been extinguished for years. But it was ignited once more, so she was not afraid.

"Don't be afraid," she murmured aloud to her children.

"Charlotte!" a voice barked from behind her. She ignored it, and continued walking, the door becoming closer as she strode through the foyer. "Charlotte, you can't be serious?"

She whirled to face him suddenly, and she saw fear shine in the eyes of Augustus Rookwood, a wanted Death Eater.

"Can't I?" she hissed, malice coating every word. Augustus visibly flinched. "You've done nothing but put my family in danger. You're a criminal, and one I would pay to see put behind the bars of Azkaban."

"Please, Charlotte, I haven't done anything-"

Charlotte released a humorless laugh, and felt her daughter's hand tighten around her hand. She squeezed back gently, and said to her husband, "You're right. You haven't done anything. You've allowed your parents to dictate your life, to put you inside this arranged marriage. And then you followed your family's disgusting ways by joining He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. All while I was left to raise my children. Alone. So you're right, Augustus; you haven't done anything. Not for me, not for my children."

She watched his eyes flash with hurt, and then narrow into anger. "If you walk through the door, Charlotte, I will hunt you down. I will find you, and I will kill whoever takes you in. And I will drag you and my children back here. Back home."

Charlotte laughed again. "Go to hell," she said before turning on her heel, making sure that her daughter, Heidi, was by her side. Without looking back to see his reaction, she walked through the door.

The second that she passed over the threshold, Charlotte Apparated away from the dark manor, her three children gripping onto her tightly. Her hot tears blurred away the last sight of the manor she had never considered to be her home.

When she could see again, Charlotte opened her eyes to a starlit house. A dry wind twisted around her as she felt Heidi's small hand tighten around her robes.

"Mummy?" the young girl asked, her brown eyes wide. "Where are we?"

"Home," Charlotte responded, "we're going home."

Once the words left her mouth, she heard the creak of a door opening. She smiled and found a familiar looking woman standing in the threshold of the house.

"Charlotte?" the woman called out hesitantly, tilting her head to the side.

Charlotte beamed at the staring woman. "Long time no see, Andromeda."

Andromeda smiled at her cousin. "Come inside," was all she said, opening the door wider.

"Who is she, Mummy?" whispered Heidi as Charlotte gently nudged her forwards.

"She's your Aunt Andromeda. She has a daughter your age, Heids. It'll be safe here, okay? We'll all be safe here."

Heidi just gave her a solemn nod, not meeting her mother's gaze.

As she walked into the house, Andromeda held her arms out, and Charlotte gratefully gave her Hugo, her only son. Her arms ached from carrying the two toddlers.

Charlotte glanced around the room, and found a cozy fire burning in the fireplace. Several knitted blankets were strewn around the couches. There was no sign of Ted Tonks, the Muggle-born that Andromeda had famously abandoned her family for, nor of their child.

"Who's this?" Andromeda asked as she looked into Hugo's brown eyes. Charlotte snapped her attention back to her cousin.

"Hugo. And that's Heidi, and this is Elizabeth in my arms."

Footsteps padded into the room, and a man walked in. Confusion flitted across his face as he took in the four strangers standing in his house.

"Ted," said Andromeda, noticing her husband's confused presence, "this is my cousin, Charlotte Rook-"

"Charlotte Rook," Charlotte cut in, giving Ted Tonks a beaming smile while ignoring Andromeda's confused look, "and this are my daughters, Elizabeth and Heidi, and my son, Hugo. And," she added, placing a hand onto her stomach, "there's another one on the way."

Ted gave her an amused smile. "I'll go make up the guest bed."

Andromeda left the room, saying something about getting "Dora", whoever that was. But Charlotte couldn't listen; her thoughts were consumed by Augustus' final threat. There was a possibility that he would track her here, and fulfill his promise. Charlotte could be putting her cousin and her family in danger.

The flame in her chest burned brighter as she hugged Elizabeth closer to her body. No, Charlotte would never allow for anyone to hurt her family. She was free from the Death Eaters, free from Augustus Rookwood. She would not be his wife, never again.

And her child that was so close to being born... she would never know her father, and for good reason. If Charlotte could help it, they would never meet. They would be the Rook family, and she and her children would not be afraid. Her daughter would be born as Marlene Rook. And she would not be afraid.