In a lonely and dark London sat a once prominent Ministry official. One would expect this official to be behind a desk, busy at some important task, but instead she had been fired a month ago; disgraced in a scandal that had rocked the Wizarding World.

So the official simply sat, figuring the black robes draped over her body, waiting, and wishing desperately for her pink cardigan. Pink, however, is not an appropriate color when one is about to become a Death Eater.

Oddly enough, that future didn’t seem to bother her. She was used to operating on the fringes of legality, so it was instead her lost ability to justify those actions that irked her. The Minister would not, could not help her if these activities she was about to partake in ever came to public light. She had lost her protection, her status, and her power.

This was her last change to regain that power.

When she stood before the Dark Lord and the Dark Mark was placed on her arm, she would regain that power.

Or she would lose it again.

The Dark Lord was not an easy master to please, and failure would mean death. If she was caught she would be sentenced to Azkaban for the rest of her life.

That was what made her heart leap in fear.

But that was a risk she was willing to take.

Dolores Umbridge was prepared to do anything to regain her power.

Ding

The sound of bells ringing jolted Dolores away from her thoughts.

Dong

Midnight, it was time for her to leave.

Ding

Nervously, Dolores stood and straightened her robes.

Dong

Could she do this?

Ding

Was the pursuit of power worth what she was about to do?

Dong

If the Minister ever found out…

Ding

Her career was already finished.

Dong

It was too late to back out now.

Ding

She could do this.

Dong

She would regain her power.

Ding

Dolores closed her eyes.

Dong

And she left her apartment and her old life behind.

When Dolores opened her eyes, she found herself in the middle of field, a few miles north of a Muggle village. Death Eaters appeared, robed and masked, and encircled her. She stood patiently in the middle, hands clasped in front of her, waiting for the Dark Lord.

The robed figures parted and into the circle slowly walked the Dark Lord. Dolores dropped to one knee. “My Lord,” she whispered.

“Look at me,” ordered the Dark Lord.

Dolores obeyed and looked into his scarlet eyes. Those eyes bore into her skull, and she saw memories flash by in her head. It felt like he was tearing mercilessly through her brain, searching for her for something that eluded him. She wanted nothing more than to turn her head, but she knew that would mean her death.

Dolores felt her head spinning; she didn’t know how much longer she could keep this up.

“What makes you worthy to enter into my service?” asked the Dark Lord.

Dolores tried to think, but the Dark Lord continued to pry through her mind. She forced herself to answer. “I have long desired to rid our world of those undeserving of power.”

“Why now, and not before?”

Her head was spinning, memories of her efforts in the Ministry against half-breeds floated to service of her mind. “I believed I could win my fight through the government, I was mistaken.”

“You have come here seeking power.’

He knew, he knew everything, but she had to say something. “Only against those to weak to seek it,” she stated truthfully.

“Do you pledge yourself to me and to do my service?”

His words cut through the haze in her brain, and she struggled to answer. “I do,” she finally managed to gasp.

“Very well.” The Dark Lord broke his gaze and the fog in her brain lifted. Dolores remained kneeling, her whole body shaking, not daring to think of what would come next.

Dolores concentrated on taking deep breathes until the shaking stopped. She rolled up her left sleeve, looked up, and waited for the Dark Lord’s next move.

The Dark Lord looked down at her, but he did not reenter her mind. “Many have come before me, seeking power, seeking to rid the world of those unworthy. What separates you from those unworthy to serve?”

Dolores paused before answering. “I have connections that will prove useful to you, my Lord. I may no longer be a part of the Ministry, but there are those who you think as I do. Publicly they may not acknowledge me, but in private they will be of use to our cause. Also, I see problems and provide solutions without prompting. I am willing to use any means to achieve any task set before me.”

When Dolores finished, the world started spinning. It was like she had touched a Portkey, but she hadn’t. Suddenly the world stopped spinning as quickly as it had started.

She found herself in a dark room. By studying the stone walls around her, Dolores deduced that she was in the Department of Mysteries. It was not, however, a room she been in before.

“So,” Dolores mumbled to herself. “It appears my words will be put to the test.”

Black smoke rose in the air before her. It slowly twisted into words that hung in the air before her:

“Trials of danger and detection abound,
So make sure that you are not found.
The Dark Lord’s desire, you must find,
Then safely leave this place behind.”

Dolores rose and considered the trial in front of her. The Dark Lord obviously wanted her to prove that knowledge and connections in the Ministry were true. The problem was if she was found down in the Department of Mysteries in the middle of the night not even her connections would help her, unless…

Dolores looked around the room, her eyes searching for the Dark Lord’s desire. It was a workroom. A long table went through the center, with instruments to work glass, and precious metals on top. All along the walls were mirrors made of every reflecting substance available. Research was going on in this room, but what?

The door slowly creaked open, and Dolores dashed behind a long mirror in one of the corner of the room. A man walked in and sat upon a stool. Dolores recognized him, he was an Unspeakable, but she couldn’t remember his name. A smile crept onto Dolores’ face; she had worked with him before on a project for Fudge, he might be convinced to help.

“Hem, hem.”

The man jumped into the air at the sound of her fake cough. He looked wildly around the room until he spotted Dolores walking toward him. “Umbridge, your not suppose to be here.”

“Officially you are correct, but unofficially…” Dolores paused smiling, letting the man make his own conclusions.”

“What…you mean…” the man stuttered.

“My ‘resignation’ was a necessary event to bring about the loyalty of Harry Potter. I assure you that privately nothing has changed,” Dolores lied sweetly.

The man at a loss for words simply nodded.

She had him now. Dolores asked, “What are you trying to accomplish in here?”

“Scrying,” he answered. Seeing the look of confusion on Dolores’ face he continued. “The art of Scrying involves being about to look into the past, present, or future and see people or events. For example if we a murder took place last night, and we knew the time and place, we could look back in time and see how it happened.”

“That would be of great help to the Ministry,” Dolores agreed.

“The problem is we can look only at the present, and we have to know exactly the place and all people present for it to work. So if we wanted to spy on You-Know-Who, we would have to know were he was and who was with him, for it to work. If we knew that the Aurors would already be there.”

“Still it could be of great use. Could I bring an example to the Minister’s attention to show him of your great work?”

The man hesitated, “We are not suppose to, but I do have a spare that could go missing for the proper reward.”

Dolores answered sweetly, “The Minister will be greatly pleased with this.”

The man handed a mirror over. “You will keep this quiet?”

“Of course.”

“When you want to see something concentrate on the people and place in your mind. Then say ‘Show me’ into the mirror. If you are exactly correct you will see them.”

“You have been a great help to the Minister. Would you be so kind and check and see if the hallway is clear?”

He walked over to the door, opened it, and nodded to her that the way was clear.

Dolores hid the mirror in her cloak and swept out the door, modifying the man’s memory on the way out.

As she left the room, the world swirled again and she found herself back in the field with the Death Eaters.

The Dark Lord approached her, and Dolores dropped to one knee.
“You have done well,” stated the Dark Lord. “Rise and hold out your arm.”

Dolores did as she was told, and prepared herself for the pain that would follow. The Dark Lord placed his wand upon her arm. Dolores braced herself for the moment.

Pain, sudden pain engulfed all her senses. Dolores collapsed to ground in pain, her right hand grasping her left arm. She lay here panting until the pain subsided into a dull ache. Slowly, she pushed herself into a kneeling position, and removed her right hand.

Etched in her pale skin, was a shining black tattoo. The skull’s eyes bore into her own, and the snake hissed that she was part of something new.

Dolores Umbridge was a Death Eater.

Before she had any time to digest what had happened, four hands roughly forced Dolores up and led her across the field. She tried to concentrate on where they were leading her, but the aching in her head made it impossible. They led her into an old stone house, opened a wooden door, and shoved her inside.

Dolores blinked and looked around the room she was in. It was a small rectangular room, with stone walls, and a dirt floor. She sat down, and discovered the floor was wet. Dolores wrapped her cloak closer around to closer to counter the cold in this dark, depressing room.

It seemed cruel the way fate had turned her life around. A year and a half ago she was High Inquisitor, Headmistress of Hogwarts, and Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic. Dolores had power, and people feared and respected that power. Even after losing her position at Hogwarts, she had managed to retain her position and influence within the Ministry. One person had managed to turn her life around. One person had ruined her life and turned it into the mess it was today. That person was Harry Potter.

Potter, her insides burned in rage at the thought of that name. That brat had ruined everything. If he hadn’t told a fanciful story after the Triwizard Tournament the Minister would have believed him. If Potter hadn’t managed to make the Court believe his story, her plan with the Dementors would have worked. If Potter and his friends hadn’t tricked her, she still would in power at Hogwarts. If Scrimgeour hadn’t wished so desperately to get Potter on his side, her less than legal dealings would have never made it to public light. Every time she is forced to gravel at the Dark Lord’s feet, Dolores swore to remember that it was Potter who forced her to sink this low.

Harry Potter was the reason Dolores Umbridge was in a dark, damp cell with a Dark Mark on her arm. She would never forget this. Dolores swore that one day Potter would pay for forcing her into this world of pain and torture. Potter would pay.

But how?

The Dark Lord had forbidden any of followers from going after Harry Potter. So Dolores would have to settle for something less.

An evil grin spread across Dolores’ face when she realized it wouldn’t have to be any less embarrassing.

Dolores looked up as the door in front of her opened. A Death Eater stood in the doorway, and stated, “You may leave. The Dark Lord will call upon your services when they are needed.”

Dolores nodded, exited the building, and Apparited home. Once home she penned a letter to an old acquaintance, and sent it off with her owl before collapsing into bed.

When Dolores woke the next morning she stared at the ceilings trying to reconcile the past twenty-four hours in her head. It was hard to believe that she was a Death Eater, but the tattoo on her arm told her the truth.

The hooting of an owl brought Dolores back to the present. She smiled as she read the letter. Her acquaintance would be arriving in a half hour. Dolores quickly dressed; happy to be back in her pink cardigan. She couldn’t even begin to express the disgust she had for black robes she wore last night.

Dolores was making tea when she heard a knock at her door. She quickly rose and let her guest into the room. A confident Rita Skeeter strode into the room Quick Quotes Quill in hand.

“Dolores, how wonderful to see to you!” Rita exclaimed. “I must say that this past month must have been horrible for you. Can you tell me what your reaction was to the way the Minister dumped you in favor of Harry Potter?”

“Ms. Skeeter, please. I didn’t invite you here for an interview.”

The glee on Rita’ face turned instantly to disappointment. “Well, if that’s the case, I must make this meeting short. I have other important business to attend to.”

“More important than getting revenge on a mutual enemy?”

Rita thought for a moment before answering. “I might be inclined to entertain such a suggestion.”

“I thought you might,” said Umbridge smiling sweetly. “I have a plan to cause great embarrassment to Harry Potter in return for all he has done to me. You seem to have your own issues with the boy. I hoped we might be able to work out a deal for our mutual benefit.”

“If we hit the Granger girl too, I’m in.”

“That won’t be a problem. Do you know Potter’s whereabouts?”

“He’s staying with the red-headed twins of that way too big family at their shop in Diagon Alley.”

Dolores’ eyes lit up. “The Weasley twins, perfect. Now here is what we’re going to do.”

When Dolores woke the following morning she was amazingly happy. Her plan had worked perfectly, and now she was waiting impatiently to see the fruits of her labor.

Finally, an owl showed up with her copy of the Daily Prophet which Dolores quickly opened to the front page.

POTTER’S IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIONS ENDANGER THE MAGICAL COMMUNITY

Ministry officials arrived at Weasley Wizard Wheezes yesterday afternoon in response to a disturbance reported by a passerby. The Aurors found upon arrival that it was not Death Eaters as originally feared, but that they had stumble upon a squabble started by the irresponsible actions of Harry Potter.

Potter came to Weasley Wizard Wheezes with the intent of causing trouble after being asked by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to leave their home due to heartbreak he caused to their daughter, and Potter’s former girlfriend, Ginny Weasley. It has been reported that the Weasleys caught Potter cheating on Weasley with Muggle-born Hermione Granger. It appears Potter has forgiven Granger for her fling with Bulgarian Seeker Victor Krum. Enraged, Potter and Granger went to enact revenge upon the Weasley family by entering the shop where Fred, George, and Ronald Weasley were present. Potter immediately took out his wand and attacked the Weasleys. Jinxes were exchanged until the Aurors arrived to halt the fighting. Potter had to be forceful restrained and shouted curses at the Weasley family while the Aurors led him away.

This author was horrified by the actions taken by Potter, but not surprised. During Potter’s years at Hogwarts he routinely served detention for yelling, and insulting his teachers. Potter’s temper has led him into numerous fist fights and uses of Dark Magic against his fellow classmates.

More importantly this accident at Diagon Alley has greater consequences for the Magical Community. Potter’s irresponsible actions have caused damage to a profitable shop, caused fright among shoppers in Diagon Alley, and has keep valuable Ministry employees away from their jobs of protecting the Magical Community in these dangerous times. It is time to treat Potter as any other wizard and hold him responsible for these irresponsible and dangerous actions.

Dolores was glowing with glee as set down the newspaper. Her plan had worked perfectly. Potter, Granger, and the entire Weasley family had been humiliated. Everyone would read the story, and no one could deny that a disturbance had taken place at Weasley Wizard Wheezes yesterday afternoon.

What the public didn’t know was that it had been Dolores who used a pinch of Instant Darkness Powder so the shop was pitch black. Or that it had been Dolores who shot the first spell toward Potter’s head. It had been immensely gratifying when Potter’s return spell almost hit George Weasley. After that she took her leave and Potter didn’t realize that he had been attacking the twins until the light returned. The Aurors arrived shortly after to an almost destroyed shop, and embarrassed participants. The Aurors weren’t happy about the false alarm, either. It had been all too easy for Rita to get the Daily Prophet to run her story. It had been a perfect plot. Dolores just wished she could see Potter’s face when he read the paper this morning.

Dolores relaxed and enjoyed a relatively peaceful day. She was enjoying a cup of tea while when she felt a sharp pain from her left arm. Her cup dropped and shattered on the floor. Dolores’ right hand rolled up her sleeve, and she forced herself to look at the black mark on her arm. The Dark Lord was calling.

A minute later Dolores arrived, fully robed in Death Eater attire, in the same field that her Marking had taken place. One by one other Death Eaters arrived forming into a circle around the Dark Lord. This time Dolores was a part of that circle. The Dark Lord slowly walked around the circle asking for reports and giving out assignments. Dolores tried to listen, but the voices all spoke in faint whispers.

Before long, the Dark Lord stood before her. He was holding an old bone out to her. “I need you to retrieve an item of some importance to me. This Portkey will take its location.”

“I will retrieve it, my Lord,” Dolores replied. She reached and touched the bone. She felt a jerk behind her navel, and she left the Dark Lord and his followers behind.

When Dolores arrived at her destination she left the bone fall from her hands. Looking around she was in some old stone ruins. Only some crumbling pieces of the walls were left behind. Dolores slowly walked through the ruins searching for the Dark Lord’s object. In the center of a large room she saw a glint of metal; she could feel the darkness radiating off of the object. That was what the Dark Lord wanted.

Suddenly, from behind an old stone wall comes a women appeared. She had a green-tinged skeletal face, and long black hair. Dolores quickly realized that this woman standing before her was not a woman, but a banshee.

As the banshee opened her mouth Dolores cried out, “Silencio!”

The banshee started to scream, but no sound escaped from her mouth. Her faced filled with fear as she saw Dolores pointing her wand at her, and the banshee started to back away.

“I don’t think so,” stated Dolores cruelly. No filthy creature of sub-human intelligence deserved to escape without learning the lessons of attacking those in power. Besides the banshee had showed that she wanted to scream.

“Crucio!” yelled Dolores. The banshee fell to ground, twitched, and screamed silently. Dolores laughed and poured all the hatred she felt toward the creature into the spell. When she felt the banshee had learned a sufficient lesson, Dolores stopped the spell. The banshee slowly rose and hurried out of her sight.

With that problem out of the way, Dolores walked over to where she saw the glint and saw a metal dagger on the ground. As Dolores reached out to grab the object she couldn’t help but think that this had been a little too easy…

Dolores struck that feeling from her mind, and picked up the dagger. It was truly an exquisite work of art. The hilt was carved with Ancient Runes, and there was a ruby embedded at the bottom of the hilt. The blade was made of silver and was expertly sharpened. The Dark energies surrounding it, spoke that of a dark intent in its forging. Dolores wondered what, but she pushed those thoughts away, for she still had to get out of this place.

Dolores walked back to the Portkey, her eyes searching for any more of the Dark Lord’s surprises. When Dolores arrived back at the bone she felt that all of its Magical energies where gone; the Portkey had been one-way only. Dolores kicked the bone in disgust and prepared to Apparitate, but quickly discovered that she was unable to.

Dolores let loose a string of curse words, while she tried to figure out the Dark Lord’s purpose in trapping her in this place. She stormed out of the ruins and decided to try Apparitation again. Out in the cool air Dolores closed her eyes, but they fluttered open again with the remembrance of Ministry of Magic policy. Due to the Dark Lord’s return, any and all instances of magic in areas not populated by known witches or wizards would be investigated immediately. Curse, Kinglsey and the Aurors stringent policies! The only reason Aurors weren’t already here must be because the Dark Lord must have cast a spell on the hide-out preventing the detection of magic. If she Apparitated the Aurors would find this place, and she doubted that the Dark Lord would be pleased if that occured.

Dolores took a moment to study her surroundings; the Dark Lord wouldn’t have placed her in an impossible situation. Looking to the east, Dolores saw the rising sun glinting off some roofs in the distance. It was probably a Muggle village, but if there was a way out of this mess it would be there. Unhappily, Dolores began her track to the Muggle village

A couple of hours later Dolores arrived at the village tired and out of breathe. The Muggle village was hopelessly small. There was a couple of houses, a general store, gas station, and a post office. Spotting a Muggle filling up his car, Dolores walked up to him. The Muggle spotted her and asked, “Can I help you?”

Dolores paused to allow tears to swell up in her eyes. “I’m lost. My companion kicked me out of his car a way down the road, and I’ve been walking all night.”

“I’m sorry, would you like me to contact the police?” asked the concerned Muggle.

“No,” Dolores continued to weep. “If it’s possible could you help me get back to London.”

“London is a good two hours drive, Miss.”

“Please, I can’t pay you but I can give you this,” Dolores pleaded and held out the dagger she found in the ruins.

The Muggle eyes lit up at the sight of the ruby in the hilt. “I think we have a deal, Miss…”

“Umbridge,” she stated.

The Muggle opened the passenger side door and let Umbridge into his car. Then he also entered the car and speed off toward London.

It was an unbearable two hours with that Muggle, but he did manage to get her into London. Once in London, instead of giving the Muggle the dagger Dolores wiped his memory. London was home to hundreds of witches and wizards, the Ministry never paid any attention to bits of stray magic here.

Dolores traveled quickly back to the Dark Lord’s hideout, fearing that she had already lost too much time. A robed Death Eater was waiting for her arrival, and led Dolores to room.

Opening the door, Dolores entered to find Lord Voldemort flanked by two of most loyal Death Eaters: Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy. Dolores quickly kneeled before the Dark Lord, trying to ignore the imposing sight the three of them made together.

Dolores gave the Dark Lord the dagger. Her eyes stared at the floor while she waited, holding her breathe, for the longed for pronouncement of approval.

A cruel taunting voice cuts through the silence. “Please look at the Dark Lord when he is addressing you.”

Bellatrix, Dolores inwardly seethed in anger that woman dared order her around. As Dolores eyes meet the Dark Lord’s she resolved that Bellatrix would soon learn about who had power over whom. She had no plans in be one of the lesser members in the Dark Lord’s ranks for very long.

Lucius was the next to speak. “Someone has deeply insulted the Dark Lord, and he has decided that they need to be punished. You are to go to their house tonight and kill them. Do not worry. We have ensured that no one will get in your way, but if they should, I would like to think you could take care of them. Now, wouldn’t you like to know who you will be visiting?”

It was about time, Dolores thought to herself. If they thought she would balk at something as simple as murder they would be proven wrong. However, Dolores kept her mouth shut and nodded to show her understanding.

“You will be paying a visit to Cornelius Fudge. I believe you are familiar with his home, so you should not have a problem getting there.”

Now, that was a surprise. Cornelius was…Dolores quickly rose and excited the room, the Dark Lord must not sense her hesitation. Once outside Dolores struggled to even find meaning for it.

To say that Cornelius was her friend would be wrong, but to deny a relationship between them would be inaccurate. Cornelius had been several years her elder, but at school she had followed him around. He must have seen something in her, because by her second year he had taken her under his wing. At first Cornelius had been her mentor, and then that relationship had developed into something more. When she gained equal status in his eyes, they became co-conspirators in the game of politics and power. He had showed her the meaning of power, and Dolores had been willing to do anything to maintain both of their power. It had hurt more than anything to watch him resign, but she stayed silent in order to preserve her own power.

Dolores gave a start as she realized her decision had been made on that day. Her decision to one day murder Cornelius Fudge, in spite of their past relationship, had been made the day she let him fall out of power in order to maintain her own.

The journey to Cornelius’ home didn’t take long. When she arrived no one was home, Lucius had been telling the truth about no one getting in her way. Dolores knew the wait could be a long one. No one really ever knew what time they would return from the Ministry. Finally, she heard a crack and Cornelius Fudge stood before her.

When he saw her he jumped back before exclaiming. “Dolores, you gave me a fright. What are you doing here?”

Dolores remained silent as she drew her wand. Cornelius’ eyes widen in fright as he noticed her Death Eater robes. His mouth opened…

“Avada Kedavra!”

His dead body dropped to the floor before her.

Dolores Umbridge was prepared to do anything to regain her power.