Phenomena [Mattheo Riddle]

Prologue

Whether we are to admit it or not, for life, we are bound to family: a construct curated from shared blood. A bond that does not have any real limitations. To me, family is an unwilling pledge of allegiance. A force to obey on the chance that you will be given what the bond should promise: love.

I never held my breath. Love was something I considered to be a phenomenon. But it wasn't referred to as one. Some called it an instinct, but the only instinct human beings ever stayed true to was self-preservation at any cost. And if that succeeded, they turned to greed.

A man who demonstrated this quality in abundance would be studied in Wizarding textbooks for many years to come, with his skill of infiltration, he could be everywhere and nowhere at once, and in a world full of sensitive knowledge, this invoked fear.

He went by the name of Augustus Rookwood: a spy whose family name became as famous as the dark wizards before him. He built an underground empire, abusing his connections within the ministry to release and recruit the souls who admired the new world he promised to create: to strip the Wizarding world of magic to only a handful of men. To rule, as if we were all muggles. To rule, as if we were slaves.

After numerous years of building allegiances, Augustus reigned tyranny to obtain what was needed for the creation of the spell that would obliterate magic. Acknowledging their losses, the Ministry laid waste to any information that could further his plan. A sacrifice to ensure, that no more destruction would come of Rookwood's promise of their fate.

Still, he compelled his two children into a life of corruption, training one to obtain all the knowledge he would ever need and the other to be a soldier. To the outside world his Son and Daughter were just like their Father: criminals. Criminals who aided him in murder and destruction, but within the walls of what should have been a home was a whole different story.

If asked, Augustus would want me to thank him for the strength I have today, but I've never known anyone to thank the devil.