Summer 1972

25 August 1972

The Carrow Family pride themselves on being one of the sacred 28 pureblood families. They were cruel and deceitful, many families who knew better avoided involving themselves with such wizards. The eldest of the Carrows remained in the old Carrow home. She would remain there until her death.

Her three children had married well; the eldest child married a Burke, and together they had five children. This didn't satisfy the elder, as they proved to be rebellious and refused to uphold their values. The middle child had twins. Amycus and Alecto Carrow, the son, would one day inherit everything, being the only son.

The youngest didn't care for such inheritance, he was the spare child, the only one who married for love. Ralston Carrow didn't care for much in his life; the only thing he cared for was his daughter. If she was happy, he had succeeded in life.

"Dahlia, sweetheart," he called for her, he listened for her, "Dahlia?" he searched his home from top to bottom, "we don't have time for this."

"I don't want to go," he heard, turning to the portrait of his late wife.

"The faster we leave, the sooner we can come home," he said, the portrait opened, revealing her hidden inside the wall. "I always forget that hole's there."

"Why doesn't Aimee have to go?" she asked.

"Thomas doesn't want them around her," he held her arm, examining it. "Your arm feel better," she nodded, "good,"

Dahlia hated visiting her grandmother; she wasn't a nice person, even when she attempted to be kind, she couldn't master it. She stayed close to her father the entire time, her grandmother gestured for her to come over to her. Ralston lightly patted her back.

"Turn around, my dear," she did as her grandmother said while she looked her up and down, using her wand to lift her chin, "beauty has blessed you."

"She's smart too," her father spoke, "has a good head on her shoulders,"

"Brains won't have any benefit in securing this family's future. Has she made friends yet?"

"Yes, actually, Aimee has befriended multiple members of the Black family," she watched as her grandmother dismissed his claim.

"Elizabeth told me her daughter has become quite unruly, unreliable-

"My sister was incompetent in the raising of her four sons. I believe her daughter's unruliness is due to a lack of proper parenting," the elder sighed.

"I'll be keeping a close eye on the four of you," Dahlia nodded. "Make our family proud,"

"I do my best, grandmother,"

***

Dahlia still needed supplies for school, after her visit with her grandmother, her father insisted on joining her aunt, uncle and cousins in Diagon Alley. She had visited many times before her mother loved to shop and often brought her along, whether it was buying the latest fashion or standard potion ingredients.

It wasn't long before they found signs of the Carrows, spotting them easily through the crowd. Amycus and Alecto were being chased by Aimee, she hurtled after them. No doubt causing trouble for her like they always did, the last time she had seen Amycus, he twisted her arm so tightly it pained her to move, as well as leaving a large bruise.

Thankfully, a man listened to Aimee when she yelled for them to grab the pair. Ralston didn't want the pair to cause too much of a scene, he called out to his niece. She relaxed, holding their robes tightly still.

"They ran away," Aimee said quickly.

"We did not-

"Save it, I don't believe the pair of you for a second." He held their collars firmly, "Go with your friend, I'll watch them."

"You're late, you know," Alecto said,

"I was visiting my mother, I think they'll forgive me," he spoke, not letting go of their robes, "though I can't say the same for you,"

"My mother won't be pleased to see you manhandling me this way," Ralston ignored Amycus, turning to Dahlia.

"Go ahead and get your robes fitted, I'll be right back," she watched as he roughly pulled the two Carrows down a side alley.

She waited patiently in the queue for her turn, many students were getting their robes fitted, some older students who needed the robes adjusted and first years. She moved forward, the person behind her shoving a little too hard, she stumbled into the boy in front of her.

"I'm sorry," The boy's father looked down at her, then around her.

"Are you alone? Where are your parents?"

"My father told me to wait in line, he'll be back soon," she looked at the door, smiling when he came back.

"Told you I'll be right back," he winked at her, a smile curved on his mouth, "looking old Barty," the boy's father smiled at him.

"Ralston, been a long time."

"How's the ministry keeping you?" she looked at her father, unaware that he knew anyone involved with the ministry.

"Busy, there's still an opening if you want it."

"I can't after Adeline, I need to put my Dahlia first,"

"Ah, how long has it been?"

"2 years, though it seems much longer,"

She and the boy were being called upon to have their robes fitted, their fathers still engaged in conversation. She held her arms out, trying to turn her head to her father, but the witch measuring her robes, turned her head forward.

"Hey," the boy said, she flicked her eyes to him, "what's your name?"

"Dahlia Carrow, how does your dad know mine?" he shrugged his shoulders. "What's your name?"

"Barty Crouch Junior," he cringed, "I know, recycled name, how boring," she chuckled.

"All done," the witch said, she jumped down, relaxing her arms.

"I'll see you at school," she said, hurrying back to her father. He rested his hand on her shoulder, guiding her out.

The pair spotted Aimee with Orion and Walburga Black's oldest son, sitting on a wall eating ice cream. Laughing at something she had said. Dahlia loved her older cousin, she was always kind and thoughtful. Unlike the devil spawn that were the twins.

"How do you know Barty Crouch?"

"We were at school together, I haven't seen him since we left."

"Were you friends?"

"Yes and no," she creased her brows confused, "yes we were for a short time, then he started being rather public about his disdain for dark arts and wizards, my parents didn't want me to be friends with someone like that, I regret listening to them, why do you think I told Aimee to keep seeing that boy,"