AN: New season of Once, new plot bunny. For all of you Dark Dynasty fans, I will still be updating the story. My plans are now to do an every other week update for each story-of course real life can alter the plans. Also, this story will feature an already dark Harry and the story will be a little darker than Dark Dynasty in some aspects. The gist of this story is that in the transition phases on becoming the New Dark One, Emma Swan comes across Past Rumple and they have an affair that results in Harry. Of course, complications arise. As always thanks for any support.

Prologue

She found that as time progressed, she could no longer remember the precise details. Especially in those early days, before she embraced the darkness and became the Dark Swan.

There was one thing that triggered the full transformation, he told her that. That there would be something so painful, that would drive you into accepting the madness and the darkness.

He had maintained a sense of self though, that wasn't something she as the Dark Swan had done. She was surprised though; you would've thought Baelfire's death would've drove him over the edge. And perhaps it did, perhaps that was what lead him to do the things that lead to her being.

Her old self, Emma was dead. Had been dead for years, unlike him she didn't have something to hold on to that old life. Instead, she had to embrace the new.

You could either be overtaken by the dark, or the dark would overtake you. That was something he had told her, and she had saw it herself with him.

After all, it was because the darkness had ravaged his body that she became who she was. Had he embraced it fully early on like she did, shed her old identity, her old feelings; he would still be here today.

Well, not here.

The Dark Swan was a realm and time jumper, after all. It was how she met him in his prime after all. How he had tutored her, molded her, and made her ready for when the transition occurred.

It was something that Emma never thought was going to happen. Especially when he left her with a parting gift.

Emma would've never thought she would've fallen for someone like him. But when you had voices telling you to do things, horrible things, and no one else understood it you got pretty close to someone.

Close enough to sleep with them multiple times.

Then one day he was just gone. Emma knew he had probably gotten a lead on Neal or something. Because that was what he was trying to do then, trying to find his son.

The only thing was, he left a child behind.

Not that Emma knew she was pregnant. It wasn't like it had been with Henry. When you're locked in a physical prison, you can't help but notice the slightest minute changes to your body. When your mind is fighting with some force that's trying to twist and contort you, you don't notice that certain smells effect you in different ways, or that the leather breeches you had grown accustomed to wearing for some asinine reason were starting to get a little too tight. She just assumed it was part of the change. After all, she had noticed that her appearance slowly but surely was changing physically. It hadn't been as fast as his, something about her magic fighting the dark. But still, there were changes. Her hair had gone from a soft golden blonde, to a harsh looking platinum. Her skin, while not fully scaly, was starting to develop a sheen to it that Emma had viewed slightly hideous. It seemed odd to think that her body was becoming softer because of the change, whenever everything else was becoming edgier and harder. But the Dark Swan chuckled, thinking how naïve and stupid Emma Swan had been.

It wasn't until it was blatantly obvious—meaning the dark magic in her sensed a being inside her that she knew. And by that point, she already had to be halfway through the pregnancy.

At least.

To be honest, she was a little ashamed of herself for not realizing it sooner. The Dark One was too. While the Dark One did not care a bit about the child, it would've protected it because of the power that emulated from it.

It was its heir.

Dark Ones weren't supposed to have children. It wasn't a cannon rule, per say. But it just didn't happen. The Dark One was a selfish being, a being that only looked for itself. Yet, somehow Emma had conceived with another Dark One.

Maybe that was it?

Maybe it was the light magic fighting the dark, that allowed the child to grow in Emma's now tainted womb, but it had happened. And the Dark One wanted its heir.

Hiding a growing child though, especially one of the Dark Ones was a little more than difficult. And while the Dark One part of her might've taken all the necessary precautions, that didn't mean Emma Swan did.

Poor. Stupid. Emma.

The Dark Swan hated her for what happened next.

It appeared that during the later parts of the pregnancy, Emma had more control. She even looked more like Emma and the voices hadn't bothered her as much.

The heir had bought hope.

Even to the part of her that was intrinsically connected to the Dark One was happy because it had a corporeal heir. An heir that could handle the darkness without trying to fight it.

Although, even the Dark One had been skeptical about Emma's light magic touching the child. There was also something about Gold. The Dark One part of Emma's mind, knew there was something more to that vessel than met the eye. However, it couldn't pinpoint it. Out of all its vessels, Rumple had been one of the more secretive ones.

Always thinking of his son. A lot like this one, who was now thinking of her children. The Dark One wanted to break Emma.

But not in the way Emma was eventually broke. Not in the way that Emma eventually succumbed to the darkness, allowing the Dark One to have total control and eventually allow the Dark Swan to emerge.

That was not how the Dark One wanted things to occur. For the Dark One wanted to raise the heir, it did not want one of Merlin's bloody apprentice to get his hands on the babe.

But that was what happened, and what was even worse was that Emma had done it willingly. Not that she knew what she was getting into when she went to the apprentice's hut.

If only Gold had stayed after their roll in the hay. He would've at least told her that much, not to trust some beggar in a hut.

A beggar that was part of a band of apprentices that had tried to destroy the Dark One for centuries upon centuries. But at that point, The Dark One had all but been silent. You wouldn't have even known Emma Swan was cursed, unless you saw the dagger. But even her name was faded at that point in time. Just like all marks of the Dark One had faded from Emma.

Emma had remembered feeling a great sense of relief and panic, at the same time. She remembered not having much time and wanting to do everything to protect her child which was why she went to the cabin.

Ran towards it, actually. Despite being nine months pregnant.

Fool.

Of course, the apprentice knew who she was. It wasn't the same one that had removed the Dark One from Gold. The Dark One knew that from the moment, its eyes were on the man. But all but quiet to Emma, Emma didn't have any recognition.

Again, Emma Swan was stupid.

Which was why the Dark Swan was in control now.

"My dear child," The apprentice said eying her. "Whatever is wrong?"

Of course, the coot knew what was wrong. Despite the fact, that it was dormant from Emma. The Dark One's energy still radiated off of her. It probably poured from her, considering she was carrying its heir.

"I…" Emma said, "You have to save my baby, I don't have much time. The Dark One…"

"Yes," The apprentice said. "I sense its energy radiating from you. You are tainted?"

Emma nodded. "Yes, but, but somehow I'm fighting it right now. I need to protect my child from being tainted. I know it wants it. It wants it to be its heir. And I can't let that happen. You've helped before you can help now…"

The Dark One inwardly was screaming, trying to let Emma know that it wasn't the same apprentice. But it had no control; it was merely lying dormant deep inside Emma.

The apprentice smiled at her and said, "I'll do what I can, we don't have much time. Do we?"

Emma shook her head. She knew she had to be close to giving birth. Gold had came a little over nine months ago.

Gold, she still couldn't believe she slept with Gold. Though, it shouldn't have been that surprising. She had done a lot of stuff, she couldn't believe when she didn't have complete control of herself. And those moments with Gold, surprisingly they were moments that she had the most clarity.

But still it was Gold.

Well, he wasn't the Gold she knew. She told herself. He was the Gold that was just starting to look for Neal and came upon Emma who seemed to unlike her predecessors have the ability to travel times and realms as the Dark One. And just happened to come across Gold.

The Dark One part of her, had wanted her to use him. To get to know how to use her powers. Never had there been someone to embrace yet not fully embrace their abilities, like Rumpelstiltskin.

The Dark One wanted Emma to learn fast.

Emma was slow for the take though, and it appeared Gold held his cards about being a Dark One guru closer than the Dark One would've liked. He also seemed to like taking his clothes off too much. Much like Emma.

They had bonded, emotionally. The sort of stuff that made The Dark One barf inside of its incorporeal mouth.

But even the Dark One enjoyed the lust that came from the relationship.

Silly Emma for blushing right now, as she thought about her past lover.

The Apprentice sighed looking at her, "It's amazing how much control you have, right now."

"The baby," Emma smiled as she put her hand on her overly extended abdomen that swelled beneath the peasant style dress she wore. The Dark One inwardly grumbled as it thought about how many weeks it would take to get her into a pair of leather slacks again.

There was always something about leather. May it be a male or female form it wore, it was a signature item.

"Of course," The apprentice said looking at her. "We're going to have to move quick, erm…"

"Emma," Emma said. "Emma Swan."

The Dark One blanched. Didn't she listen!

Rule one, never tell anyone especially the apprentice your full name.

Idiot girl.

Emma sighed, "I don't care whatever you do. You have to save him, from me. Or me if…if it gets control."

The wizard nodded and looked at her and handed her something.

"What is this?" Emma asked as she looked at the potion.

"It will give us a bit more time," The wizard said. "You seem like you have more control of yourself now. I'm assuming that the longer the child stays in the womb, the chances are greater, that…well, things will turn out for the best."

The potion had an instant effect of the Dark One. It couldn't even remember anything.

That small portion of the Dark Swan that was still Emma might have had some recollection, but it wasn't anything that the Dark Swan really wanted to remember. Mostly it was of Emma trying to bond with the child. Trying to protect it.

Idiot.

Idiot.

Then it heard the first scream besides the screams of giving birth. Emma was screaming no. And then the Dark One's eyes snapped open. For the first time. While it might've been able to sense the things around Emma, it hadn't seen anything. But now, it did. Later the Dark Swan would look in the mirror and note that her eyes were now no longer the same color as Snow White's but an eerie inky black.

Many people would later claim that they were the eyes of the devil. Devoid of any soul. But they were really the true eyes of the Dark One. Most of its other hosts held traces of themselves after it had taken over. Gold's eyes, for example, despite the Reptilian appearance still held traces of their original color.

Not Emma Swan's eyes though. Maybe it's because when the Dark Swan opened her eyes for the first time, she saw something that would destroy Emma Swan forever.

Her child being murdered in front of her.

Chapter 1 Preview: Dumbledore goes to visit the former golden boy of Gryffindor at his office who now makes a living by suing Hogwarts.