- Eternal Curse -

0.1 Chapter Five

Five

Finally after trailing behind the group of boys for what felt like an eternity, they wound up at the great hall. Everything looked just as beautiful as it had the night before except for the addition of sun streaming through the expansive window panes, rays trickling down onto the array of breakfast items that nearly brought a tear to Lynn's eye. Even Annie had to admit it was the most impressive assortment of food she had ever laid eyes on, even to the point of having to choose what to select becoming a daunting task. But that intimidation didn't last very long as soon the majority of food in sight was subsequently demolished and they were once again making their way down the corridors that all seemed to blur into one big hellish adventure that their feet definitely wouldn't thank them for later.

Fortunately the girls did make it to their first class of the year, surprisingly not just on time but in fact early as they seemed to be the first to arrive. Annie checked her watch and saw it was ten minutes before the lesson started and a sigh of relief escaped her lips, having time to chat amongst themselves in the time remaining. They watched as the corridor quickly began to fill with the bustle of all students making their way to their own lessons. The three silently exchanged thanks for not being caught up in it all. Annie chose to tune out the background noise of the many different characters swimming in and out of her peripheral until she felt an oppressive force linger right behind where she stood. As if they could sense it too, Lynn and Marie slowly stopped their banter, growing desperately quiet. Looking to the wall on her left she then also noticed a looming shadow above her head. Reluctantly, she looked up to find herself in the presence of her older brother, Charles, unmistakably being responsible for the chill rolling down her spine.

"Hufflepuff suiting you, sister? Are these your new friends? They look like the sort you would choose to associate with. Your lack of standards never cease to astound me." Annie scowled. The venom that dripped from his words usually faded into nothing after so many years of relentless torment, but when those words were directed at her friends they particularly stung more than usual, an ache in her chest worsening.

"Go away, Charles." She pleaded, so faintly it was barely a command at all. The strength she thought she had, crumbled when she spoke, her voice wobbling. Charles smirked, sensing her fear. She felt his hot breath on her ice-cold skin. It was like torture. She knew that the peace wouldn't last between them, but she had hoped it would have been longer than a day. She knew more people had crowded around, including her own classmates. Hopefully, someone would step in and help her at some point as she didn't feel she had the power to do so herself. Annie's vision became misted as she remembered the last time she had felt this way years ago.

Annie was only a small girl when her mother was hospitalised. Seeing the only person she had in the world in a comatose-like state made Annie feel helpless. The rest of the family never stayed with her. They would leave her for days at a time sitting at Silvia's bedside in a hard, unbearably uncomfortable, plastic chair. Face pressed against the bed frame, leaving marks in the morning. Annie would scribble get well cards, filling up the nightstand. Nurses would look at her with pure despair wondering when she would be taken home. But Annie never left. She swore she wouldn't. Not even if she was forced out the door, she'd crawl right back, there was nothing they could do to stop her.

Annie found herself shaking uncontrollably under the shadow of Charles. He was her superior, always one step ahead. She would never be free of her family's influence. But now at Hogwarts, she didn't have her mother to defend her, she remained powerless. Yet a promising voice snapped her out of her haze.

"That is quite enough, Mr Dean. If I were you, I would head to class instead of intimidating children far younger and inferior to you. Off you go." This was a voice she recognised. It was a much wiser, older voice than one of a student, also laced with a deep Scottish drawl. It was Professor McGonagall that stood to Annie's right, with what appeared to be quite a firm grip on Charles' shoulder. His eyes widened as he recoiled into himself at once, a sight she thought she would never see.