Modern Hogwarts

Christmas Day: Emily King

Emily had trouble sleeping the night before because she hated being home, but she did manage to get a few hours of sleep. She didn't want to leave her bedroom-- her bedroom was her safe haven away from her mother-- but she had to get up eventually for breakfast.

Emily was the last one to wake up and join everyone in the family room, and her mother made sure to make her feel bad about it.

"Look who decided to join us!" Her mother said. "I was starting to hope our present from you was not having to see your face today!"

"I'll be out of your hair tomorrow," Emily mumbled and went into the kitchen to get something to eat.

"Are you sure breakfast is a good idea?" Her mother asked her. "I thought you were on a diet, you don't want all those carbs filling your stomach even more. You already look pregnant."

Emily huffed and put her plate back in the cupboard. She'd dealt with an eating disorder most of her teens, and words like that from her mother only fed into it. Emily had managed to conquer her eating disorder with the help from her friends, but now she was all on her own at home surrounded by the lion.

Emily went back into the family room and sat with her sister and dad on the couch. "Good morning Emily," her dad greeted her. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good morning," Emily said. "And alright. I was really tired from the train ride."

"I bet," her dad replied. "Today's a relaxing day though! So relax!"

"It's hard to relax with her here," Emily mumbled to her sister.

"Just ignore her," Cassie said. "She's just mad you're not staying more than a day."

"She's the reason why I'm not staying more than a day," Emily said. "It's hell with her around."

"I know," Cassie said, "but please don't start any fights."

Their mother came back in and they started opening presents. Cassie got all expensive new things and Emily got tight, slutty clothes.

"It's to help you get a sugar daddy because Merlin knows you'll never find a man to love you for anything but your body," her mother explained. "And you'll never be able to hold a job and make money on your own. It's either finding a sugar daddy or stripping for you, so here you go. I'm doing you a favour."

Emily managed to hold back her tears and put the tramp clothes back in the box. When her mother wasn't looking, Cassie put a comforting hand on her sister's back and told her not to listen to their mum.

"She started drinking when she woke up," Cassie whispered.

Maybe Martha and Maggie can help me make these look more normal, Emily rationalized the situation to calm herself down.

Thankfully, her father was much kinder and gave Emily the new makeup pallet she wanted for Christmas.

"Ooh good you can use that to cover up your face and make you look like someone who isn't hideous," Emily's mum commented as Emily and Cassie looked at the pallet.

"I can't do this anymore," Emily muttered quietly. She took her makeup and clothes and ran back to her room, locking the door behind her.

Emily collapsed on her bed, sobbing. She thought she was strong enough to make it through one day of her mother's torture, but she was wrong.

Emily had no idea how long she cried into her pillow. She heard her sister's quiet knock a few times, but their parents' favourite child was the last person Emily wanted to talk to.

She sat up and checked her phone, seeing it was almost two in the afternoon. She saw she had a text from James, telling her Merry Christmas.

Emily wanted someone to talk to about her mother's horrid treatment, but she didn't want to bring someone else down on Christmas.