The Promise of Hope

Clare Morgan wondered how she was supposed to look strong or remarkable when she hadn't slept in two days nor eaten in three. She risked a glance to her left and to her right, down the line of other Muggle-borns, and found the other teenagers looked just as bad as she felt. Clare hadn't seen herself in a long time, but imagined her appearance was just like theirs - too skinny, too dirty, and too exhausted. But it wasn't as if any of those things mattered. Being chosen now could mean the difference between life and death, so she would have to do her best to look healthy.

"All right, Mudbloods, the pure-bloods will be arriving to look at you shortly," a man's voice called out. "If you can manage not to appear too slimy, then you might find yourself as a servant with a meal or two, rather than starving in your filthy villages."

Clare tried to ignore the rest of the man's leers and insults as he walked up and down the line, continuing to explain what would happen. She had heard it all before - they all had.

Don't smile, and speak only when you are spoken to. Stand up straight, and don't dare make eye contact. You are scum, horrible Mudblood scum.

It wasn't anything new; she had been treated this way for five years, since she was eleven. Voldemort had defeated Harry Potter in a duel, using an ancient magic stripping spell, extergeo magus, leaving him completely powerless. Without their savior, the wizarding world tumbled into disarray and horror. Although there were still those who fought against Voldemort, without Harry, they had lost all hope. Death Eaters had taken control of the Ministry - with Henry Nott as Minister. Hogwarts was turned into a school for the Dark Arts, and Muggle-borns were shunted into villages for their "safety."

Clare and her younger sister had been taken from their parents after Voldemort's victory and moved into one of these places. Clare had no idea what had happened to her parents, but she knew Muggles were being exterminated with more fury than the Muggle-borns. So Clare and nine-year old Jane had lived in a small village with little food or care up until only four nights ago.

Last Friday at nine o' clock, the man, a Mr. Gagnon, had taken all the teenagers from her village and told them they were to be servants to the pure-blooded families. House-elves, he had told them, were considered too inferior to be in the presence of pure-bloods, and had been taken to extermination facilities around the country. In fact, creatures of any sort, including Centaurs, had been slaughtered and tortured, having been deemed unworthy and impure.

Since that night they were taken, they would walk out of the old warehouse they were being housed in every afternoon, and men would come to examine them and choose whomever they wanted. There had been fifty of them to start with, and the number had been whittled away to thirty.

Suddenly, Clare was pulled from her thoughts as popping sounds filled the air. About twenty men from pure-blooded families had Apparated in front of the long line of Muggle-borns. The distinctions between the two groups made for quite a contrast. Men wearing fancy robes and polished shoes, looking well fed and washed, stood in front of scraggly teenagers with no shoes, wearing grey robes torn and stained.

Holding stock-still, Clare attempted to watch without being noticed as the men milled about. Two stopped to "examine" her, but continued looking at others shortly. After about ten minutes, a tall, thin man with beady eyes and glasses stopped in front of her. He peered at her for a few minutes before finally saying, "Gagnon, I want this one."

Mr. Gagnon quickly strode over, and Clare watched helplessly as her life was sold to someone else for merely three Galleons.

"Well then, Mr. Ashwood," Gagnon said, "she's all yours, and a pretty one at that, I'd imagine. At least once you clean her up. Nice brown hair and blue eyes."

Her new master curtly nodded once, and then grabbed her roughly by the arm. As he began Side-Along-Apparition, Clare sighed softly.

It appeared she now belonged to the Ashwood family.