A Legacy of Pain: Filling the Void

Chapter 1: Rooted in Pain

Welcome everyone! Typically this notes section up top will be used for a short recap and a list of trigger warnings for the chapter. However for this first chapter I wanted to address a few things before getting started. The first few chapters will be covering the background of Elizabeth and establishing her a baseline before the game starts. Once we get into the events of the game we'll be skipping through the school year a bit, mostly focusing on some key events and establishing character relationships with these versions of the characters as well as entirely new scenes. We will however be going a bit quickly through that so if I miss any pivotal moments people wish to see I apologize in advance.  With all that said I hope you enjoy the read.

*Cover art made with Artflow and Canva*

***TRIGGER WARNINGS*** Pureblood racism, child abuse, child abandonment, PTSD

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      The sun had begun to set upon the nearly empty back alley within the West End of London on an unseasonably chilly late August evening as a young man with slicked back rich auburn hair and light frosty blue eyes knelt down in front of a little girl with wavy shoulder length hair of a similar shade. While his clothing appeared to be well tailored and of a finer sort; it didn't look quite right, as if he were unused to wearing such attire. The girl's hazel eyes stared back at him in confusion as she held the dark blue rabbit doll with a starry pattern in her arms close to her chest. The pale blue dress she wore seemed more well suited to a dinner party than wandering the streets of London as dirt had begun to sully the low hanging frills.

"I'm so sorry Elizabeth." The young man managed as he nearly choked on his words while holding back a sob, his strong arms wrapping around Elizabeth's small frame as he pulled her into a hug with tears in his eyes. "You don't deserve to be treated like this. Yet, this was the most I was able to convince Mother of."

While still not understanding what was happening; Elizabeth felt a sinking feeling in her gut that something was terribly wrong as she listened to her brother speak with such anguish in his voice. "Em, I don't understand. Why are you crying?" She asked in a soft and caring tone as she reached a hand up to touch his cheek comfortingly while her other arm still held the doll close.

"Hurry things along Emery. We've been here long enough." Suddenly came the voice of the only other occupant of the alleyway. She was an older woman; her long and wavy black hair a stark contrast to her pale snow like skin as it fell well past the shoulders of her dark green dress. She raised a hand to disdainfully wave it in front of her nose. "The muggle stench is becoming too much to handle."

Emery's back stiffened at her voice and the disgust it held as a sigh escaped his lips. "I have to go now. You'll be okay. You're clever and kind. I know you'll find a place where you can be happy." As he let go of the young girl he took a pouch from his pocket and placed it in her hand. "I've been told this is a significant sum of muggle money. You should be able to use it for a while. Make it last until you can find a safe place to stay."

The look of sorrow upon his face as he leaned in to kiss her forehead one last time before pulling away to stand up and turn away combined with his words to her had begun to send Elizabeth into a panic. Her heart thumped loud in her chest as she stared after him with wide panicked eyes while he walked over to join their mother a few feet away. She was unable to speak or move in that moment as tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Return to the castle my child, I will join you shortly. I want to have a private conversation with her before I return." The mother commanded as a chilling grin crossed her lips.