A Legacy of Pain: Rising from the Ashes

Chapter 8: Never a Normal Year

Last Time: After an argument with Poppy over Elizabeth's consumption of more energies she had drawn out, Poppy turned off her ring and the two didn't speak for several days. Arriving at King's Cross station the Wilsons prepared for their daughters to leave for school. On the platform they met with the Dagworths before Lizzy excused herself to speak with Nyxia and the Sallows. After asking where Ominis was she discovered he was with Poppy, and that they had been spending a lot of time together that summer without telling her. The news made her feel strange, a pit forming in her stomach which she didn't understand. After saying goodbye to her parents they entered the train to find a compartment for them all. After the train rook off and Poppy and Ominis still hadn't shown up, Lizzy left to busy herself by buying snacks. At the trolley she ran into Amit and Adelaide before quickly dismissing herself to avoid speaking much with Amit. On her way back to the compartment she ran into Poppy, who remained cagey about why she had been with Ominis but apologised for not turning the ring back on, saying it had been a mistake. After arriving in Scotland Lizzy said a brief emotional farewell to Annie as the first years were separated from the rest of the students before going o the Great Hall with her friends. There she discovered that Callista was seated at the Staff table.

***Trigger Warnings*** Panic attack, light self harm.

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Thump. Thump. Thump. Elizabeth's heart thundered in her chest while flickering crimson and blue eyes stared back at her from across the raucous Great Hall. In spite of how filled the hall was; all sound fell away and the colour drained from her face as her stomach churned. How could this be happening? Of all the places for her to run into Callista Grey again, why did it have to be Hogwarts? After everything that had happened last year Elizabeth had been looking forward to seeing what the school was really supposed to be like. To experience a normal and safe school life for her remaining two years.

The universe apparently had different plans for her. Elizabeth was unable to tear her eyes away from the raven haired woman sitting at the staff dining table as the woman smirked at her and raised a hand to wave her fingers at the auburn haired witch before turning her attention back to Professor Hecat. It was as if some spell had been broken when the strange colour changing eyes looked away from her, allowing the ravenclaw to divert her own gaze. Soon she began to hyperventilate while reaching a hand up to desperately claw and scratch at her throat in an attempt to draw in more air while her heart beat like a war drum.

"Elizabeth!" Came Constance's worried hiss from beside her, the dirty blonde quickly reaching out to securely grab her wrists and pull them away from her throat now stained with inky scratches. "What in the bloody hell are you doing!?" Dark grey pools filled with concern frantically searched panicked violet before darting to follow where Elizabeth had been looking before she began to break down and frowned before looking back to the auburn and purple haired witch. "Was it..." Constance began before shaking her head. "Doesn't matter. Elizabeth, breathe for me." Her friend began to take slow yet deep breaths while urging her to follow suit.

Unfortunately Elizabeth's eyes gazed towards the front table once more to see Callista wearing a sad expression while looking at her and pointing as she spoke to Hecat. Having both of the older witch's eyes on her now and imagining what lies, or even worse truths, the vile witch was telling her favourite professor just sent her into a further downward spiral. "C-can't-" She gasped, fighting against Constance to try and claw at her throat again. "B-breathe- G-grey, here- why-" Just then she felt warm, strong arms wrap around her waist from behind and her violet eyes widened, a scream on her lips that was only silenced before it could begin as a soft whisper hit her ear.