"When life gave you a choice about what to do with the man that stole from us, you chose mercy. That was the wrong choice. Women in this business, we cannot afford to look weak. Do not make that mistake ever again."
Daphne Nyura Sevchenko (Ukrainian: Дафна Нюра Севченко) (b. 16 July — 19 November) was a Ukrainian pure-blood witch of the old and privileged Sevchenko family, the only child born to Mr and Mrs Sevchenko. Her family were infamous for their austere views on Dark magic and blood supremacy, as well as having once been former followers and ancestral advocates for Gellert Grindelwald.
"There were times when our father was locked away and she was meant to be looking after us; but she wouldn't move from the bed most of the time. Wouldn't eat, wouldn't tuck us in at night. More a piece of furniture than a mother."
— Amy Jordan regarding the effects of depression on Daphne's caregiving
Death and post-mortem[]
Physical description[]
"I suppose she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen."
Daphne: "My friend, Vanya, she doesn't talk as much now. She used to talk and talk and talk and... I grew so tired of it. She was like you. Sweet girl. Of course, sweet girls get dull in time, don't they? Xanthas very kindly helped me take care of her."
Daya Devdhar: "Take care?"
Daphne: "Mm. Have you ever seen a body, mauled and twisted by the worst Dark magic possible? Not so pretty. But it's a beautiful day. Why am I talking about such things?"
— Daphne regales Daya Devdhar with tales of her and Xanthas' past victims
Magical abilities and skills[]
"Everybody was already afraid of me. She wasn't, though. What could I do to her that she couldn't return, equally as well? She was fearless. There was nothing she wouldn't do."
"They didn't really approve of her coming here, so..."
— Daphne's late estrangement from her family
Xanthas Jordan[]
"Do you know what Xanthas said to me the night he proposed? I remember all his exact words. He said: 'Daphne, if what you want is happiness, say no. I’m not going to lock you away in the kitchen, wasting your magic until retirement. I promise you freedom from that. I promise you will never be bored'. He is the only man — and there have been many others — who has ever understood me."
— Daphne to Megaera regarding her marriage to Xanthas
Children[]
"God does not want you to be happy. He wants you to be strong."
— Daphne's final advice to her children before her death
Etymology[]
Daphne means "laurel" in Greek. It is derived from the nymph Daphne in Greek mythology, who was pursued by the god Apollo. She prayed to her father, the river god Peneus, to change her body in order to escape the love-struck Apollo and Peneus then transformed her into the laurel tree, which Apollo then claimed as one of his sacred symbols. In Ancient Greece, a wreath of laurels was given as a prize and considered a symbol of prosperity, fame, and victory.
Nyura is a Ukrainian female name, meaning "graceful".
Sevchenko is a variant of the name Shevchenko (Ukrainian: Шевченко), a family name of Ukrainian origin. It is derived from the Ukrainian word shvets (Ukrainian: швець), meaning "cobbler/shoemaker", and the suffix -enko, denoting descent.
Quotes[]
Daphne: Everything in this world is about sex — except sex. Sex is about power.
Daphne: I won't accept apologies. My husband does not apologise. Not even to me.
Daphne: Playing incompetent is so very exhausting.
Daphne: Hard truths cut both ways.
Xanthas: Patience is a virtue. Daphne: I'm not feeling very virtuous tonight.
Daphne: I have done what I had to do. Now you do what you have to do. Seduce him. Give him your heart. Cut it out and put it in his fucking hands.
Xanthas: I want him obliterated. Daphne: More than that. Let's make him suffer.
Daphne: If you work with us, then there is a chance that we can make your life beautiful. But if you work against us one more time, then we will make your life over.
Daphne: If we do this — we do this for us. Xanthas: Create chaos. Daphne: More than chaos. Xanthas: War. Daphne: Fear. Xanthas: Fear. Brutal. Total. Daphne: We can't win over people's hearts. Xanthas: Let's attack their hearts. Daphne: We can work with fear. Xanthas: Yes, we can. Daphne: I love you.
Megaera: Daphne, please. I'm having a baby. Daphne: I am happy to let your child wither and die inside of you if that is what's required. Tell me, am I the sort of enemy you want to make?
Daphne: The people that know us best, know best how to hurt us.
Daphne: What should we serve the Italians? Xanthas: Cyanide. Daphne: I'm saving that for dessert. What about the main course?
Daphne: When you marry into this life, you make a choice. Either you live inside the circle, know all that happens, see all that happens, but to survive you feel nothing. Or you can live outside the circle. Know nothing. Feel everything. Don't make my decision. Your child deserves at least one parent who is capable of love. Megaera: I don't want to be inside or outside of anything. This is about my child. I just want help. Daphne: I understand. But the choices you make now, simple or innocent as they seem — they will impact your life forever, and the lives of your family too.
