Chapter 1
September 1st, 1991.
Hogwarts. It was just as Romeo remembered it; really old and tall. It was late, around eleven p.m when Romeo finally made it up to the large front doors. He lifted a fist to knock but just as his hand nearly reached the stone of the door it swung backward, illuminating the chilly night with a warm candlelight and revealing the intimidating but grandmotherly presence of Professor McGonagall.
“Professor Hypnix.” McGonagall smiled, taking Romeo’s hand in her own wrinkly one for an awkward handshake. “Professor Dumbledore has been waiting for you. Come now, follow me.”
The halls were empty and quiet save for the flickering sounds of the everlasting candles lining the walls. It really was just as Romeo remembered it; golden and warm. In the moments it took to walk from the front door to Dumbledore’s office he felt mild regret. He could’ve been here in the only place that ever felt like home for the last ten or so years of his life. Why did he have to go off and become an auror? What did that get him, a gammy leg? Several wizards who just didn’t like him?
Soon the two oddly dressed professors reached the griffin gargoyle that marked the spot of Dumbledore’s office. Romeo felt his heart rate pick up speed and mentally berated himself. He was an auror! He had faced wizards plenty scarier than jolly Santa clause reject Dumbledore!
And yet, as McGonagall proudly recited the password. “Sherbet Lemon.” He felt his lips curl in on themselves out of pure, giddy nervousness.
The gargoyle began to rise up and beneath it appeared a staircase. As the stone stairs moved, McGonagall grabbed Romeo’s hand and guided him safely onto the stairs as they moved like an elevator into the museum that was Dumbledore’s office.
Things flew around without a reason, enchanted objects tinkered and talked and a phoenix sat divinely upon his perch. Next to the teenage-ish phoenix was the man himself- who Romeo thought looked exactly as he did ten years ago - and even seventeen years ago when Romeo first entered the great hall. Professor Albus Dumbledore.
“Professor Hypnix.” Dumbledore greeted. Then, taking in Romeo’s slightly soggy appearance from the rain, Dumbledore waved his ring-covered hand, and a gust of warm wind brushed over Romeo’s entire being, drying him up nearly instantly.
“I’m sorry I’m late, professor. My train to Hogsmeade was delayed.”
“No worries. Though I would have loved to introduce you to everyone during dinner…” Dumbledore hummed. “I’m sure the students will be delighted to hear that their art professor has arrived. Professor McGonagall will show you to your quarters down in the dungeons.”
Just like that Romeo found himself standing alone in a dark, cold room in the dungeons. A pile of files sat cozy in his arms while his suitcase unpacked around him with a flick of his wand. His quarters weren’t large, but it had everything he would need. A bedroom, a bathroom, and a small kitchen. In the corner of the bedroom a small door led to a set of stairs deeper into the dungeons where a fireplace sat idle next to a velvety couch and empty bookshelves. A desk sat off to the side, empty and awaiting piles of homework to be graded.
There was a tapping noise at his front door. Romeo went to investigate and opened the heavy wooden door to a large, fluffy black owl.
“Anubis.” Romeo sighed. “You’re late. Did you run into bad weather on the way?”
The black banded owl chirped grumpily in response. Anubis let himself into the room, making a bee-line for his cage. Anubis was Romeo’s friend who had stayed with him throughout…well, pretty much his entire life. Anubis had to be about eighteen years old.
This was home. Romeo felt young again for an instant. Well, he was still young, only being twenty eight - pretty young for a professor at Hogwarts. Romeo often felt as though he was closer to forty-five, though.
April 18th, 1974.
Little Fagen, Ireland.
A young girl of only nine years old tugged gently on her sleeping mother's sleeve.
"Roma?" The mother mumbled, rising out of the depths of sleep. "What is it, dear?"
"There's someone at the door." The girl whispered. "Says he's wanting to talk to you and dad."
"Vigo." The woman whispered immediately, her hand trembling as it reached behind herself for him. "Vigo, wake up." she whispered urgently, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and apprehension. "Wake up, there's someone at the door." Her face was blurry- But Roma could see the fear dancing across her features.
Vigo's eyes flickered open, immediately alert as he sensed the tension in his wife's voice. "Who is it?" he asked, his voice low and cautious.
"You know who."
Vigo understood at once what his wife was referring to. A bolt of fear shot through his face but he nodded and got up at once. The mother, Mattina, turned back to Roma as she slipped on a pair of slippers from underneath the bed. She spoke softly, trying to keep her words at a small volume. "Roma. You need to stay here in our room, no matter what. Do you understand? Don't come out until we come back for you, okay?"
Roma, with her pupils that sat in the wide oceans of sparkling dark purples shrinking back until they were about the size of a spider's eye, nodded. She watched her parents quickly throw on some clothing before they left, reminding her once more to stay put until they returned.
Mattina and Vigo Hypnix made their way down the house's old, creaking staircase. They knew who was behind the door the moment they could see the frost-bitten window. A trio of hooded figures stood there, waiting. They made their way into the house's deep green living room, the fire flickering softly as the night wove on peacefully in their neighbor's houses.
Vigo's grip tightened on Mattina's hand as they exchanged a fearful glance. With a clenched jaw, Mattina reached out to open the door, her fingers trembling slightly. Her other hand gripped her unicorn hair and sycamore tree wood wand. Vigo stood slightly to her left. He too was gripping his wand (Dragon heartstrings and spruce).
When the door opened, the death eaters backed the couple into the house and then slowly took off their hoods. Their leader, a tall man with streaked blue and white hair and the features of a shark spoke first. "The Dark Lord requires your loyalty. Join us and you'll be spared."
"No." Mattina unsheathed her wand. "We won't be doing that."
The death eater tilted his head, his green eyes switching to a deep lilac color. "You dare refuse the dark lord? You refuse to obey him while breeding with mudbloods?"
Mattina's ever so brave stature faltered- and for a moment she wished she was alone with the death eaters. She wished her husband and her daughter were both upstairs; asleep and blissfully unaware of the horrors happening downstairs. The man snarled. Then pointed his wand at Vigo's throat and yelled out the words "Avada Kedavra!". A blinding green light whisked around the room and Vigo Hypnix was open-eyed and on the floor in a pile of icy stillness before Mattina could shield him. She cried out, falling backward onto her wrists. It felt as though her heart had been ripped out of her chest. Already guilt invaded her conscience.
"Now," the death eater, licking his front teeth with a split tongue spat. "Have we come to an agreement?"
The death eaters behind him snickered. They spun their wands like coins in between their fingers. Upstairs, a young girl was cautiously opening her parents' bedroom door after hearing the awful sound of her mother sobbing. She sat on the middle stair, her hands wrapped around the banister. Her purple eyes looked from the strange, cloaked men to her sobbing mother and finally to her doll-like father laying lifeless on the floor as though he'd never been alive in the first place.
"Who do we have here?" The leader spoke, pointing his wand at Roma. "Come here, come on, we won't hurt you. Your mother and I were simply having a chat."
Mattina stood up with her wand at the ready. "No, Roma. Go back upstairs. Go back to bed."
Roma gradually stepped toward her mother.
"There's a good girl," the death eater cooed, his voice dripping with false sweetness. "Now, why don't you come here and join your dear mother? We only want to talk."
"No!" Mattina shouted, pulling Roma behind herself. "She is just a child!"
"Mumma..." Roma murmured as she tugged on her mother's sleeve. "What's going on?"
"Roma, please," Mattina pleaded, her voice cracking with nerves. "You need to go. You need to stay safe. Mommy is almost done talking-"
There was a mutter. "Petrificus totalus." A bright purple light shot out of the wand of the leader and Mattina froze. Her arm being held tightly by Roma stiffened. The death eater roughly grabbed Roma's wrist, looking deep into her eyes with a cruel smirk. "Stay still, darling...This won't hurt a bit."
Memories flashed by. Tea kettles screamed in agony. The wind picked up speed. Everything became a fiery blur, twisting and turning and landing along the center column of Roma's wrist.