Setting: The story unfolds in a world of magic, but it diverges from the timeline most fans know. The story takes place in the modern-day wizarding world, following the end of the Second Wizarding War. The wizarding community has become increasingly integrated with the Muggle world, with magic no longer concealed under layers of secrecy. This new era brings about both new opportunities and new tensions.
Characters:
- Selene Nott – The granddaughter of Theodore Nott, one of Draco Malfoy’s closest allies during the war. Selene has grown up with the weight of her family’s Slytherin legacy, a legacy she wants to either embrace or destroy. She is brilliant, ambitious, and fiercely independent.
- Niall Carrow – A former Death Eater, now living in hiding in the United States after the war, his identity is a secret to most. He is a complex figure: tormented by his past but with a quiet desire to rebuild a life of purpose, even if it’s on morally dubious terms.
- Julian Greengrass – A former Auror turned private investigator. Julian is often torn between his loyalty to his friends and his moral compass. His pragmatic approach to life and relationships makes him a cynic, though his warmth emerges only in the most intimate moments.
Story:
It had been nearly ten years since the Battle of Hogwarts, but for Selene Nott, it felt as if the scars from that war had never quite healed. Her grandfather, Theodore Nott, had played his part in the war on the side of the Dark Lord, but Selene, born into a family of ambition and dark secrets, had tried to carve a path away from her family’s legacy. The magical world was no longer in the midst of chaos, but the underlying tension remained—particularly in the growing rift between pureblood families like hers and those who had fought to create a more egalitarian magical society.
Living in the shadow of Slytherin’s legacy wasn’t easy. It was as if the green-and-silver colors of her house bled into everything she did. The expectations of her lineage often pressed against her ribs, even as she tried to shake them off. The wizards and witches who knew her last name were never content with simply seeing her for who she was. It wasn’t just her bloodline that mattered; it was her family’s past.
Now, standing in the streets of New York, Selene found herself at a crossroads. The air of the city buzzed with the hum of magic, subtle and veiled, hidden in plain sight. It had taken her years to find this place, to discover that there was another side to the wizarding world, a place where the old rules didn’t apply. A place where she could escape, even for a little while.
But here, in the heart of the United States, she had found something she hadn’t expected.
Niall Carrow.
The name hit her like a blow to the stomach. Carrow had once been one of the most feared Death Eaters—cruel, calculating, and unwavering. But Selene knew that he had vanished after the fall of Voldemort, disappeared like so many others who had been too tainted to survive the end of the war. He had vanished into the shadows, his fate uncertain, but the whispers about him had always carried a dark fascination.
It wasn’t just the rumors that intrigued Selene. It was the feeling that Niall Carrow might be the key to unraveling her own family’s twisted legacy. Her great-grandmother had been a Carrow, and Selene knew that the darkness that ran through her family’s veins didn’t come from nowhere. The hidden knowledge in Niall’s past could hold the answers she sought, or it could drag her into the same abyss.
Selene found him in a small, dimly lit bookstore on the outskirts of Brooklyn. The shop was tucked away between two tall buildings, a place few would think to look. Its owner, a pale witch with dark hair and a soft, mysterious smile, had guided her to a hidden door at the back, leading into a basement where Carrow waited.
The room smelled of old parchment and incense, a curious blend that made the air feel thick with secrets. Niall sat in the center of the room, leaning back in a chair, his hands steepled before him as though he were waiting for something—or someone.
Selene didn’t speak right away. She stood in the doorway, studying him. His once-manicured appearance had given way to a more rugged, almost dangerous look. His hair was a little longer, streaked with gray at the temples, but his eyes still carried the same piercing intelligence that had made him both feared and respected.
“So, you’ve come.” His voice was quiet but measured, and Selene had no trouble hearing the mix of curiosity and amusement in it.
“You’ve been hiding for nearly a decade,” Selene said, stepping forward, “but I know who you are.”
Niall didn’t react, not outwardly. He merely raised an eyebrow, as if he were waiting for her to explain herself.
“I need information,” she continued, “about the Carrow family. About my great-grandmother.” Her words were deliberate, each one heavy with intent. “I know you’ve been living in the States for years. What do you know about my bloodline?”
He laughed, a low, throaty sound that was almost bitter. “Bloodlines,” he repeated. “You Slytherins are obsessed with them.”
“I’m not like the others,” she retorted sharply. “I want to know the truth.”
Niall’s gaze softened slightly, but there was still an edge to it. “The truth is a slippery thing, Selene. You may not want to know it.”
“Tell me anyway.”
He paused for a moment, as if considering her request. Then he leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Your great-grandmother wasn’t just a Carrow. She was something far darker. And there’s a reason the Carrows were so loyal to Voldemort. They weren’t just following a madman; they were following a legacy. A legacy that you might find yourself caught in if you’re not careful.”
Selene’s heart raced, but she kept her composure. “What kind of legacy?”
“A legacy that could be resurrected. A power that’s been hidden for generations, one that’s tied to your family’s blood. And there are those who are still trying to bring it back. Your great-grandmother wasn’t just a member of the Dark Lord’s inner circle; she was a key player in the rituals that gave him power.”
The weight of his words hit her like a thunderclap. Her mind spun, struggling to process the implications. The darkness she had always felt lurking in her bloodline was real. And worse, it wasn’t just her burden to bear—it was a power others wanted to exploit.
“I don’t want to be part of that,” Selene said, her voice trembling slightly despite her best efforts. “I’ve tried to escape it.”
“You can’t escape what’s inside you,” Niall said softly, “but you can choose how to wield it.”
The room seemed to grow colder as the tension between them thickened, but it was in this moment that Selene realized the full gravity of her choices. Her family’s past was entwined with the darkest elements of wizarding history, and now, with the rise of new threats, she would have to decide whether to stand by her legacy or fight against it.
The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear—she couldn’t do it alone.
Epilogue:
Selene stood at the edge of the Brooklyn Bridge, staring out over the city that never seemed to sleep. The world had changed since the war, but she knew that some things—like the darkness inside her—could never truly fade away.
Beside her stood Julian Greengrass, his brow furrowed in thought. He had been a quiet ally, a man who had never fully understood her, yet had always been there when she needed him. His skepticism, his pragmatic view of the world, had provided a balance she hadn’t known she needed. In the end, it was his calmness that had saved her from making rash decisions.
“You’re not going to walk away from this, are you?” he asked softly.
“No,” Selene said, her voice firm. “I’ve already walked too far.”
Julian said nothing, but there was understanding in his eyes. The road ahead was fraught with danger, and Selene wasn’t sure where it would lead. But for the first time in a long while, she felt ready to face it—on her terms.
And as the stars above blinked quietly in the night sky, Selene Nott made a vow: no matter the cost, she would be the one to control her destiny.
