Kindred | Hogwarts Legacy

Chapter Two : Don't Look Back

TW: mentions of violence and abuse.

—

Sabrina was sure she had never received so many lashes as she did when she was dragged back to St. Joseph's by Sister Mary, the look of utter disgust and anger never leaving her pale, thin face. The girl cried at each sting against her legs and backside, the entire time wondering why God had forsaken her once again.

After the beatings stopped, Sister Mary shoved Sabrina onto the cold basement floor. "I have had enough!" she yelled at her. "Stop your crying, you impudent girl! For eleven years, I have dealt with your unnaturalness, your wickedness. I could see it the moment your mother left us on our doorstep. I will not have you corrupting the children anymore! You horrible monster, you witch! I will be contacting Father Thomas about an exorcism, then perhaps a mental asylum will be better for you. Until then, you stay here! Sit in the dark, where you belong!"

And that was where Sabrina stayed. The basement door had been locked, and Sabrina was in too much pain to try and get up to try and make her way out. She had scars already from beatings in the past, but this....

She wasn't even sure what had happened. If this was even her fault. All Sabrina knew was she had been angry, but had the lightning really been her fault? Of course it was, she reasoned. Who else could have summoned a wrath of God in such a way? But how? I didn't mean to kill him....

Perhaps Sabrina deserved this after all. She had murdered a man. It didn't matter why, all that the world would care about was that she had done it using witchcraft she didn't even know she had control of. Her whole life she had been able to make things happen, from baskets falling to making people fly across the courtyard, and Sister Mary had always been the first one there to witness. No amount of prayers could fix this, Sabrina had determined a long time ago. She was going to Hell, and there was nothing she could do about it now.

It was with this thought that Sabrina finally lost consciousness against the cold, damp stone basement floor.

–

"Wake up, child."

When Sabrina was able to open her eyes, she immediately was blinded by the gas lantern next to her. Then she saw a plate of bread in front of her. She gingerly sat up, still feeling every single welt on her body from before. The pain was still there, but it now had reached a numbing point where it was somewhat manageable.

Sister Margaret was sitting in front of Sabrina, a look of remorse and worry shrouding her young face. "Sister," Sabrina started, finally finding her voice. "I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to kill that man. I don't even know what happened, I just remember being angry and then the lightning and I don't know how to explain it–"

"Shh," Sister Margaret gently hushed her. "You do not have to apologize. It's alright, Josephine told me what happened."

Josephine. "Is she–"

"She's very startled," Sister Margaret answered. "And she is not angry with you."

"Sister, please don't make her send me to an asylum." Sabrina could now feel the tears welling up as she looked up, pleading to the nun. "She says the Devil is inside me, that I need an exorcism and then an asylum. I've heard so many horrible rumors of those places, please I'm begging you, I'll do anything! I would rather jump off a bridge or stand in front of a train than be forced to endure a mental asylum!"

Sister Margaret waited until Sabrina was done to respond. That was what Sabrina had always liked about Sister Margaret. She was the only one who seemed to listen to her. "My child, I'm so sorry this has all happened to you. You do not deserve to be sent to an asylum, nor will I force you to go to one if I have a choice. And, as it so happens, we do have a choice." Upon saying this, Sister Margaret then pulled out a letter from her apron pocket. "This arrived for you this afternoon.Thankfully I was able to retrieve it from the owl before Sister Mary could confiscate it."