Hogwarts Legacy: A Continuation of Time

Chapter Six : News

June passed in a haze of dull skies, dread and failed distractions.

"I spoke to the healers they've told you to take as much time as you need, they're handling everything." Said Ruby, the night following the "sallow situation" as her family had christened it. She would walk into a room and hear hushed whispers and the phrase "sallow situation" being tossed around. As soon as she made her presence known, however, faces would transform from furrowed brows and frowns to overly cheerful, lighthearted and forced grins. Kitty couldn't stand it.

The June sun had torn through her curtains, always forced open by Ruby, Natty, Swoopy or some other overly concerned person. The first few days after  Sebastian had left, Kitty struggled to get out of bed at all. She would let her hand trail across the empty pillow next to her, memories of his amber eyes burning into her mind as she did. She'd asked to be left alone, and her wishes were obeyed for the most part. On the third day, she'd awoken to a bunch of fresh daisies, in a simple glass vase, a small folded note beside them.

Kitty,

Your mother used to like them. They grow near the village she grew up in.

Malachi

Asmodeus and Maria had filtered in and out of the house. As Kitty was rotting away under her blanket she would sometimes hear him raise his voice from downstairs, only to be quickly hushed by another. He'd explained to Kitty after Sebastian had left that he'd placed a ward around the house, alerting him to Sebastian's return. Kitty had nodded in acknowledgement and her brother said nothing else as he'd excused himself from her bedroom.

On the fifth day, there was a sudden yell from below Kitty's bedroom followed by a thunder of footfall up the stairs and across the gallery. Her bedroom door was flung open and in the frame stood a very pink-faced Belladonna.

"Up. Now." She demanded, crossing the room to throw open the curtains.

"What?" Kitty asked, pushing herself up against her headboard slightly. Before Belladonna answered she flicked her wand toward the windows, which at once all cracked open, a gust of summer air filling the thick atmosphere of Kitty's pit.

"Up." Her father's sister repeated, turning to whip the covers from Kitty's naked body. Kitty stared in horror at her Aunt, while trying to cover herself. Bella didn't blink as she grabbed Kitty by the wrist, pulling her toward the bathroom. The huge bath was filled with a rush of water from the taps as her aunt forced Kitty into the white ceramic tub. Kitty's mouth opened and closed several times as her Aunt poured bottles of different coloured potions into the rapidly filling bath. When her aunt finally spoke again it was only once the rush of water stopped and Kitty was fully submerged under heavily perfumed bubbles.

"Everyone else in the family may be willing to Molly-coddle you Kitty, but I refuse to let you wilt like a grieving widow. Sometimes the best medicine is tough love. I expect to see you downstairs, dressed and presentable in the next half hour. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Kitty replied, tears pricking her eyes at the expression on her Aunt's face. She didn't like being told off like a child, it made her feel silly and ashamed.

Her aunt nodded once then turned to leave. She hesitated with her hand on the bathroom door, turning to look back at her niece. Her face softened, a sad smile on her lips, sighing she said,

"I've learned the hard way, Kitty. No man should be able to make a woman feel this helpless. Love him or not, Sallow is not the be-all and end-all of your existence."

And with that, the door closed.

Every day since then Kitty forced herself into a dull routine, sleeping, washing, dressing then distracting. She'd meditate as Natty's mother had suggested, she would visit Caoimhe, Nyx, and Asmodeus. She'd garden, write in a journal and read. All the while occluding, painting a smile on her face so that everyone would stop looking at her as if she were a fragile infant.