The Death Eater's Daughter

Dearest Readers,

I present to you a partner story. It is meant to be read following its predecessor, The Progeny of the Pure-Blood, found here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3288453/1. However, it can be read on its own, as well. But for those who begin here, I make no apologies for my O/C, for I am very proud of her.

As always, I thank you graciously for taking the time to check out my story. As the airlines always say, "We know that you have many choices when it comes to travel, so we thank you for choosing us." And I do know that you have many choices, so I promise to respond to all reviews and to value every person reading. In my last fanfiction endeavor, I realized that without readers like you, I couldn't have ever finished. You inspire and encourage me.

Anyowl, let us begin. Please, please enjoy. And reviews never hurt, you know...

Love, Sunny Christian

The Death Eater's Daughter

Sunny Christian

Chapter One - The Acceptance and the Rejection

She had never been very good at goodbyes. They had always overwhelmed her with a devastating sense of loss, and there was nothing that Luci Keegan feared more than loss. Her life was about to change drastically, and she had a sickening notion that goodbyes might soon be in her future.

It had all started that late April morning. Luci had been in the front yard with her mother, and they had been watering the grass, the old-fashioned Muggle way. Melissa Keegan insisted on this, proclaiming that it prevented her daughter from becoming spoiled by the conveniences of magic. Truthfully, Luci didn't mind. She was far from lazy, and her Muggle heritage on her mother's side was something of which she was proud.

The owl had landed inconspicuously in a nearby tree. It had hooted incessantly in an attempt to get Luci's attention. She had finally noticed and hurried to the perch, where the owl had waited impatiently for her to detach the letter and then given her an annoyed glance before sailing back into the blue sky. Luci had stood with the envelope in her hand, staring dejectedly at the seal.

"Who's it from?" her mother had asked, as she was bending over the rose garden.

"Professor Dumbledore," Luci had responded.

"Oh, dear," she had heard her mother sigh, but Luci had already begun to scamper back into the house, tearing through the Hogwarts crest as she went. Her heart had been pounding unpleasantly, much as it was in this present moment. The last time that the Headmaster had written, it had been to inform her that her father had been sent to Azkaban, the Wizarding prison. Seeing as Luci hated her father, this was not upsetting news. Still, one couldn't really consider it good news either. No, news from Albus Dumbledore was rarely good news.

The letter had read:

"Dear Luci,

I am displeased to inform you that the situation here has become increasingly dire. While your father remains in Azkaban, I fear that your brother has become involved with the Death Eaters. Currently, he is hatching a plan to kill me, and, should he succeed, will be inducted officially into their assembly. However, the boy is not a murderer, and therefore, I believe that he will fail. This bodes even worse for him, for Lord Voldemort will be very angry, seeking to find him and to punish him. This is where your assistance is requested. He will need protection from Lord Voldemort when all is said and done, and you are just the person for the job. I understand that you've received your Auror's license - congratulations! I know that your mother is very proud. You are now equipped with the means to protect your brother. I hope that you will consider my offer. Please send an owl in response as soon as possible so that I can make the necessary arrangements.

Cordially,

Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore"

Luci had found herself unable to stand halfway through reading the note, and had ended up sinking into the couch, her hands shaking, rattling the parchment.

The letter had been dated almost a week prior to the day of its arrival. International owl post was a nasty business, and more cantankerous owls could not be found than those who flew overseas. Luci, endowed with a vast love for animals, often sent any correspondence via the U.S. mail system. It was faster and didn't involve poor, overworked owls. However, in this case, due to the sensitive information of her response, she did think it best to send a trustworthy owl. She and her mother didn't keep one, but one of her best friends, Amy Westin, had a lovely brown owl by the name of Octavian.

Amy would be here soon, owl in tow, and Luci would have to tell her that she might be going away, for the indefinite future. She'd invited Josh and Kristen, as well, and hoped to be able to inform all of them simultaneously, so as to avoid further distress on her own part.

Presently, she was waiting, sitting in a stiff chair in the living room, her stomach turning. Her tawny cat, Persephone, dozed in her lap. "Would you miss me, Persy?" she asked the feline, who paid her no mind. So Luci, instead, read over Professor Dumbledore's letter for the umpteenth time. She simply hadn't been able to desist.

How could the Headmaster possibly think that she was equipped for something like this? The Ministry had only deemed her an Auror a few weeks ago, and she was still certain that they'd made a mistake. However, when she'd sent for confirmation, they had notified her that, not only had she passed, but she had also received honors. She didn't believe this either, of course. She felt that she'd been entirely inadequate during all of the testing. She'd only barely defeated the Chipretta there at the end of it all.

He was right on time, as always. In the eight years that Luci had known Josh Chambers, she couldn't ever remember him being late. She admired this quality, considering that she was anything but punctual. She opened the door upon his very tall frame, that wavy brown hair, the biggest, brownest eyes you could ever hope to see.

"Hi," she said, keeping her tone even and stepping aside to allow him into the house. She led him into the living room without another word. The two of them were rarely without conversation when they were together, but Luci was in such a state that she didn't know where to start. And Josh, true to form, had noticed her disposition.

"Did you ask me here to finally agree to go out with me?" he inquired teasingly, obviously attempting to lighten the mood.

He'd been hounding her about this for years. It was true that Josh was wonderful and loving and... comfortable. He knew how to deal with her, and Luci was sure that few guys would want that task. She was a mess, and the fact that Josh tried patiently to clean her up, time and time again, made Luci adore him all the more. But she didn't love him. Couldn't love him.

In response to the question, she said, "No, Kristen and Amy will be here any minute."

"They can share in the good news then!" chimed Josh, and she gave him a frustrated glance, the same one that she'd given him many times before.

"I know, I know," he said, holding up his hands, "it isn't that you don't want to, you're only trying to protect me, blah, blah..."

Well, she couldn't tell him the truth, could she? "I'm not attracted to you," she could say, and his ego would be crushed. She loved him enough, as her very dear friend, to deny him the reality. If it had been anyone else, it would have been about protecting the person. She knew that she couldn't possibly inflict herself upon some poor, unsuspecting soul. Josh understood her, knew how deeply she was flawed, and he could handle her. She feared that no other boy would ever be able to.

"Exactly. Now that you've got it down, can I stop repeating myself?" she replied.

Repetition was an understatement. Now, it was like rehearsing very familiar lines. And she was not up for it right now.

"You have to go out with someone eventually," goaded Josh, on cue.

"Sure, and it'll be someone that I don't care about," was Luci's scripted response.

But then he broke character and said softly, "Jordy."

She sighed. "God, you know I love when you call me that..."

She sucked in another breath, knowing that she'd have to reveal her motives for bringing him here, if she wanted to effectively change the subject. She was physically unable to continue with it. "I'm leaving. I think. That's why I asked you over."

"What?" choked Josh.

"I might have to go to London."

"I don't... why? You just started at the Ministry!"

"You know that brother I've never met?"

"Yeah?"

"He... needs me, I guess."

Josh narrowed his eyes at her. "What aren't you telling me? Is it something dangerous?"

"You know you don't have to worry about me," Luci smiled, but it was strained.

"But I do, anyway," he breathed, moving closer to her. Too close...

"What are you doing?" she asked, in slight tones of panic, but it was too late.

He was kissing her, and it was a long way down for him, since they were almost a foot apart in height. She allowed him, due more to astonishment than anything else.

"It's about time!" came Amy's voice. She had never been known to knock.

Josh pulled abruptly away.

"It's not what you think," stammered Luci.

"You weren't just kissing Josh then?"

"I... It's nothing!"

Josh shot her a wounded glare and then said, his voice flat, "She's leaving the country. It was a goodbye kiss."

"Sorry?" asked Amy.

"Bye then," Josh said coldly to Luci, and then he stomped out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

Luci stood, looking after him, stunned. He'd never behaved that way before...

Amy propped her broom against the wall in the living room and placed Octavian's cage on the floor at her feet. She tossed her sandy blonde hair over her shoulder and fixed Luci with that clear blue stare. Her expression was one of confusion as she said, "Okay, you're gonna have to start from the beginning, missy."

"I... I'm not really sure what just happened..."

"Kissing. Kissing happened."

Luci gritted her teeth. "Soon, it'll be called snogging."

"Huh?"

It was perfect timing when the doorbell rang.

"Hold on," said Luci to Amy, and then she went for the door. Kristen James was on the porch, her auburn hair pulled into a ponytail, her hazel eyes squinting in the sunlight. The arrival of the person that Luci knew best in this world should have calmed her, but the unwelcome guest at Kristen's side instead caused a low growl to rise in Luci's throat.

Kristen had been Luci's best friend since they had met at a concert five years back, bonding over their love for the band. Kristen was the only Muggle, besides Luci's own mother, of course, who knew that she was a witch. But when Amy had invited them all to a Wizard Rock show a few months ago, Kristen had met Maggie, who was also a witch. And a bitch, thought Luci, who had never liked the magenta-haired girl. She was manipulative and had Kristen wrapped around her finger. In the short time that the pair of them had been dating, Maggie had broken up with Kristen three times already, always making her crawl back, only to do it to her again. So it was only fitting that Luci was enraged at her presence.

"Hi Maggie," she said through a counterfeit smile.

The breathtaking girl sneered sweetly and said, "Hope you don't mind me tagging along. Can't stand to be away from her for too long, you know." She stood on her toes and kissed Kristen's cheek.

Can't stand to have her out of your sight, more like it, continued Luci's inner dialogue, but she replied cordially, "No, of course not. Come in, both of you." Then she scolded herself for being a perpetual doormat.

The three of them joined Amy in the living room. Octavian hooted reproachfully from his cage, probably at the sight of Maggie. She was too beautiful to be trusted; that was certain. Something about her, some kind of magnetism...

Of course, Luci had often asked herself if she hated Maggie because she was so beautiful. In comparison, Luci was ridiculously plain, with her round face, her upturned nose, her lifeless hair, her stupid, stubby legs...

"What are you doing here?" spat Amy instantly, her eyes on Maggie.

Amy's reactions to Kristen's new girlfriend continued to amaze Luci, because Amy was the person who would do or say anything to keep everyone happy and getting along. Luci was the same way, except that Amy would hide, lie, cheat, and steal to get it done. Luci would just make an attempt, and if she failed, she'd give up. She'd always been a quitter when things got difficult.

Maggie shrugged. "Luci says I'm welcome."

"Luci," questioned Amy, "you didn't really, did you? I thought this was some important, private matter?"

"I'd end up telling Maggie anyway," contributed Kristen.

Amy glared. "That's not the point."

"It's fine," sighed Luci. "Sit down. It's been a shitty day and I don't have the energy to fight with anyone, and I'll probably spend my evening placating Josh, so let's just get this over with."

"Placating him? Why? Where is he anyway? Shouldn't he be here?"

"One thing at a time, Kristen," Luci answered.

All eyes were on her, so she began. "There are some... things going on over in Europe, and the family that I have there, they sort of need me. So... some time soon, I may be leaving to go over there and help in whatever way I can. I don't have any idea when I'd be back. It could be... months."

"Why do you have to go?" asked Amy, zapping a bothersome fly before pocketing her wand again.

Luci tilted her chin. "I've been asked."

"And you can't turn down the invitation?" Maggie cut in.

"Stay out of this, you whore," Amy shot at her.

"Hey!" yelled Maggie, making a menacing jolt.

Kristen winced. "Can you at least try to be nice, Amy? What's she ever done to you?"

"It's what she's done to you that pisses me off!" responded Amy.

"SHUT UP!" pleaded Luci, shouting over all of them. They returned their attention to her. "Will you guys just..." She hissed. "Just get along for a few minutes? Please? God."

She was crying now, the tears sliding slowing down her cheeks. Amy came and threw her arms around her, their equally small frames fitting together, and Luci felt slightly comforted.

A few months ago, Kristen would have been the first to embrace Luci, but not anymore, not since Maggie. Since Maggie, she had changed. She was no longer the strong, independent girl that had frustrated the hell out of Luci for years. Now she was submissive and whiney and... needy. But only needy when it came to Maggie. And it was more frustrating than the bossiness had ever been. Luci missed the bossiness. She missed her best friend.

"I'm sorry, Luce," Amy was saying. "You must be a wreck. I'm really sorry."

"Mmm," Luci responded, nodding and sniffling, wishing she could be humiliated by her lack of emotional self-control, but they knew her too well for that.

"Is there anything that we can do?"

"No," sighed Luci. "It's just... I'd have to go over there all alone, and I don't know anyone, and it's a strange place with strange people and I'm just... I'm nervous. And lonely just thinking about it."

"So don't accept," proposed Amy.

"I can't just abandon family."

"Blood isn't family," Kristen cut in. "We're family. Don't abandon us."

Luci frowned at her. "That wasn't helpful."

"You always said that I was selfish."

Smiling, Luci concurred, "You are."

"But you're not."

"I guess."

"Listen," murmured Kristen, leaving Maggie and wrapping her arms around both Luci and Amy, "if you feel like you have to go, you know that we love you, and we'll be here when you get back. If it's a long time, you'd better just stay in touch. No owls, please. You know how my dad starts to think that they're nesting under our roof if he sees one."

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Luci and her mother ate dinner in front of the television, as they did most evenings. However, tonight, the TV wasn't turned on. They were sitting in silence, the only sound the clinking of their forks upon their plates.

Luci poked dismally at her mashed potatoes.

Finally, her mother asked, "So have you made a decision?"

Luci merely shook her head.

"And have you worked things out with Josh yet?"

Another shake.

Melissa Keegan put down her fork. "Luci, talk to me."

"I can't even sort out my thoughts. How can I talk about them?"

"Well, what's holding you back from going?"

Luci glanced up into her mother's loving green eyes. "Fear, of course."

"Fear of what?"

"Unfamiliar places, unfamiliar people, failure... my fucking father."

Her mother took a shallow breath. "Watch your mouth, please."

"Sorry, Mama."

"Sweetheart, you've always been hindered by fear, ever since you were a little girl, but I think that this is a very good opportunity for you to do something difficult and face those scary things. You've never failed at anything, but you're always terrified of failure anyway. It's ridiculous. And as for your father, he's still in prison, isn't he? I don't think he should even cross your mind when making this choice."

He crossed her mind far more than he should have. Because she knew that he was the root of all of her insecurities.

"Well, why should I go? Just to say that I've faced my fears? That doesn't seem like a good enough reason."

"To get to know your brother. To have an adventure!"

Luci's mother had always been far more audacious than Luci herself, never staying in one place for very long. It had annoyed Luci to no end at one point in her life, but now, she admired the quality. Her mother had taught her to live one day at a time, every day as her last, and whether she actually did it or not, Luci knew how.

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After dinner, she went straight to Josh's apartment. She drove her car, because it was far less conspicuous, and because she wasn't particularly fond of broomsticks. When she arrived, she immediately put a repulsing spell on the vehicle, which temporarily turned it into a heap of junk, warding off potential thieves. Josh didn't live in a bad neighborhood, but Luci was incessantly paranoid.

She took the stairs up to the third floor, but she took them slowly, wondering how she was going to face him after that kiss. She'd rejected guys before. Idiots, all of them, if they wanted her anyway. But she'd never had to reject someone who she intended to keep in her life. What would this do to their friendship?

His front door loomed ahead, far too soon. She wasn't ready. But she rapped her knuckles on the wood anyway, and waited. She felt like she could throw up as she tapped her right foot anxiously.

The sound of a lock being unfastened and then the door swung open.

The look on his face was impossible to read, even as well as she knew him. "What are you doing here?"

"Fixing things, of course," she said, trying to inject some levity into her voice.

"Get in here," he sighed, and she entered the main living area.

Josh closed the front door again and said, "I don't know if you can fix things, Luci. You're leaving."

"Not right now! And just temporarily anyway. You act like it's something personal against you."

He averted his gaze.

She noticed a new poster on his wall. He had a keen interest in Japanese anime and kept various tributes to cartoon ninjas all around his apartment, where he lived alone and met no resistance to the fascination. Luci was baffled by it, but she did smile every time she saw the unique art form, just because it reminded her of him.

When it had been silent a few seconds too long, she asked, "Why did you leave like that?"

Frowning, Josh accused, "I kissed you, and you told Amy that it was nothing! That hurt."

"You're just... always pushing this," she answered feebly.

"And you're always refusing to deal with this."

"Deal with what? We're friends, Josh."

"It's just... I know you better than anyone. We've gotten each other through so much and I don't understand why we can't have something more. When you're building on a friendship this amazing..."

She sighed. "But that's what it is - friendship. Amazing friendship. Why ruin it? You know I ruin things, Josh. You know I do."

"Is this about Mark? Because he didn't deserve you, and I would never hurt you the way that he did."

Luci, slightly worried at his determined expression, and slightly angered at the mention of Mark, began slowly, "Listen to me for a second. You and I, we're wonderful for each other. You encourage me without fail, and I need that. But there just isn't... that kind of chemistry between us."

"You haven't given it a chance. Maybe there could be. You... didn't feel anything when I kissed you?"

It was either rock or hard place. She chose hard place. "I felt... safe? I guess."

"Well, that's something, isn't it?"

She pursed her lips.

"Go," he said. "Go off to Europe and think about it. Really think about it. And when you get back, we'll talk again. Maybe if you could just try to see me differently..."

"But I don't want to see you differently! I like things the way that they are! I'm already stuck in my own head and you're my rock and I can't have you doing this to me..."

"What? Caring about you?"

"Trying to change our relationship," she retorted.

"You're just scared," observed Josh, though gently.

"That's part of it, but... You know me so well, so why the hell would you possibly want to date me?"

"You... keep things interesting," he smiled.

Luci took in a deep, aggravated breath.

"All I want is for you to think about it," he said softly. "Promise me you'll just consider it."

She shoved her thumbnail into her mouth before she could catch herself. She was trying to stop chewing on it. She dropped her hand and sighed grudgingly, "I'll consider it."

"Promise?" he asked, those teddy bear eyes lighting up.

"Promise," she answered, but it was a lie.

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Lying awake in bed that night, Luci tried to listen to her heart. It was screaming, "Thump," repeatedly, and she couldn't translate. Octavian pattered restlessly in his cage. Amy had left him overnight, giving Luci some time for deliberation before she sent a response to Hogwarts.

She tried to focus on the pros and cons of accepting Dumbledore's invitation, but her mind kept running off on little tangents. One moment, she was thinking about Josh and how to tell him that this was never going to work and that she couldn't possibly consider it, and the next, she'd somehow gotten to pondering how they get the filling into truffles; there are never any seams!

She redirected her thoughts. It was the opportunity for an adventure, meeting new people, trying new things... seeing if blood really could be family. There was a side of her that really craved that sort of thing. However, she had a practical side too, the side that her mother had never had. The Headmaster expected her to protect someone, but how could she, when she felt entirely futile all the time?

Rolling over, she caught her fingernail on the sheet. She ripped it out again and sighed dolefully. If she didn't go, she'd regret it, and her past was far too littered with regrets already.

So the next morning, she sent her answer, apologizing profusely to poor Octavian as she bound the parchment to his leg.

"Dear Headmaster,

After much thought, I've decided that I can't, in good conscience, refuse your request. Therefore, I accept your invitation, but purely out of duty. Please advise further.

Sincerely,

Luci J. Keegan"