Yearning | Hogwarts Legacy

Chapter Nineteen : Truths

It was dark where she was. Despite the dying embers in the fireplace, she could barely see in front of her. As a matter of fact, between the curse and the mask covering her face she almost never could see clearly anymore. Her vision was always clouded by a dark green mist, her body always reacting automatically to anything she was told to do.

No matter how hard she fought, no matter how much she tried to resist the curse, she failed every single time.

The door unlocked, and she could just make out the shape of Victor Rookwood standing in the doorway. She stay seated on the straw mattress, facing forward and not bothering to move. She had no reason to.

"Well, well," his icy, dark voice echoed within the wood. "I just had a very interesting encounter with a certain Hogwarts student."

She stay silent.

"The daughter of Minerva Reese is alive and well. You do remember her, don't you?"

Minerva Reese.... That name seemed like such a long, forgotten memory.

"Apparently, she's looking for the repository too. Running around looking with that old professor friend of yours."

Professor? Did he mean Eleazar?

"I'm growing tired of your constant lack of cooperation. Tell me, what else are you lying to me about?"

"I don't understand what you mean," she spoke in a low tone. The answer came out automatically, as if on command. She had no control over her body or her mind. "I have not lied to you."

Victor Rookwood scoffed. "Fine," he snapped. He moved to walk out, but then froze as if remembering something. "She looks just like you."

As the door locked behind Victor, a small voice began to echo in her mind. It started low, then it got louder and louder as his words sunk in. No longer was Rookwood's voice the only one in her head. For the first time in a long time, she could finally begin to hear herself again.

My sweet girl. She's alive. SHE'S ALIVE.

–

"You look like you didn't sleep last night," Poppy whispered to Sabrina as they met up and walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. "Did the Slytherin house party keep you up?"

Sabrina looked over to her friend and gave her a gentle smile. "I had a nightmare last night."

"A nightmare?" Poppy sounded concerned. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"It has," Sabrina admitted as they sat down at the Gryffindor table to wait for Natty. Ever since she had started dating Ominis, her nightmares had all but disappeared. She very rarely woke up crying anymore. But this one... this one lingered in her mind like a horrible premonition. She hadn't felt this way since her time with the Keepers and Isidora.

It also wasn't often that Sabrina's dreams were filled with Victor Rookwood. But it didn't feel like a dream. It almost felt like a memory. But it couldn't have been. He had kept implying that–

As the girls began to put food on their plates, Natty ran up and joined them. "Are we still good to go to Hogsmeade today?" she asked.

Poppy nodded excitedly. "Oh, yes! I can't wait to see what Gladrags has! Sabrina, you're coming too, aren't you?"

Sabrina nodded as she took a bite of some fruit. Since Sebastian and Anne had told them about their plans for their birthday celebration, Poppy had been insisting that they go out and use it as an excuse to buy new clothes.