1 ◌ PARKINSON MANOR

JULIAN leaned back against her headboard, his arms stretching out for the book that sat on her lap. Hunter slapped his hands away, the soft sting resonating through her hand. The only time that Hunter ever felt safe, happy, and loved was when she was in their room alone. His dark curls sweeping across his forehead as he lurched forward grabbing the book successfully, with a chuckle, flipping through the pages of where she had been.

"I just can't believe that Muggles make up magic in their books. I didn't think that they had such an imagination." his voice soft, almost as if something invisible was sweeping across your cheeks.

Rolling her eyes, Hunter kicked him in the leg. His light green eyes closing in bliss. Interview With A Vampire slid off the bed, she moved to lay beside her twin.

He sighed, moving downwards to lay his head on her shoulder, "Where did you even get a rubbish book like that?" She blushed at the thought of revealing the owner of the book, she doubted that Julian would approve.

And even though Julian was teasing her, the quiet sound of his voice relaxed her tense body, she was always ready for Edger and Viola to burst into her room and claim that Hunter and Julian had done one thing or another.

"Jules, do you think they will keep us here, during the school year or send us off to somewhere like Durmstrang?" Hunter whispered, picking the skin from her lips with her teeth.

He shook his head with one of his light laughs, before pushing his hair back. "I've heard Edger and Viola—" he snarled, Hunter flinched away as their names being said aloud shaking her to her core. "Sorry." He whispered, sitting up straight and kissing the top of her head.

"It's okay. Continue please."

Julian sighed, wrapping his arm about Hunter and setting his cheek on top of her head. "I heard that we had received Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry letters back when we were eleven and they believe with enough money that they could get us into the school."

Hunter sighed with relief, the thought of staying at the Parkinson Manor during the school year had been plaguing her mind since she had been expelled from Ilvermorny. The only thing that she felt bad about when she had been expelled was the fact that Julian refused to start his fourth year at Beauxbatons without her and the fact that he was only his way to becoming Prefect.

"I've heard that Dumbledore is a nice man." Hunter yawned, struggling to get the words out and her eyes began to close.

Her heart jumped as the loud sound of plaster splitting apart in her room echoed. Hunter sat up, staring at her bedroom door embedded into the off-cream wall. Pansy stood in the middle of the threshold with a cruel smile flashing across her pug-like face.

"Pansy." Hunter snarled, crawling over Julian to get off her bed. The black-haired girl just smiled. "Don't you know that when a door is shut it means to stay the fuck out?"

"You can't make me," she let her scrawny little hands on her hips and grinned. "Plus this is my Manor."

"Technically, it's your parents." Julian chimed in, moving to stand closer to Hunter.

Pansy's face twisted with hatred, "Say that again, and I'll curse you into next week."

Hunter's heart crashed against her chest, her hands shook with frustration with her right hand she slipped her wand from behind her ear, while Julian reached for her left. Hunter moved quickly until she was in the face of Pansy Parkinson.

"Threaten him again." Hunter hissed, the other girl's eyes brighten and Hunter's vision turned red.

"You watch Hunter, you're showing too much emotion. People will figure out your loved ones quickly that way."

With a flick of her rest, Hunter spits a curse toward her foster sister, relief spreading through her, believing that would keep the girl away from them for a while.

But when she heard the familiar snarl of Edgar Parkinson, she knew that her curse had been reflected away from his daughter and that his anger would only be taken out on her, never his wife, his daughter, or Julian.

Just her.

Pansy shuffled toward the side, allowing Edgar passage to Hunter. He gripped her elbow tightly, pulling her away from her twin.

"I'll deal with you later, Julian." His eyes glowed with pleasure, dragging Hunter down the corridor and into his office.

Edgar Parkinson was not a friendly man, especially when it came to Hunter. The bear of a man slammed her against the wall once the door had been closed behind them and sealed shut. Fear engulfed her chest, watching the glint of his polished wand hit the dim lighting, revealing it from where he had stashed it in his robes. Hunter's breathing hitched, just as he places the cold tip on-top of her collar bone, dragging it downward.

Sweat collected around her hairline, she felt the point of the wand swim further downriver until it snagged at her blouse; flinching at the sound of the fabric tearing in half, along with her bra. The wand was creating a tear straight down toward her belly button.

Hunter's stomach bumbled, her body slumping into the wall with defeat as the first blood scream escaped her lips — pain. Searing, burning pain flooded through her while Edgar's wand slashed at her skin, shredding it from collarbone to breast to her belly button over and over again, watching the blood dribble over the shredded skin.

Her foster father chuckled, twisting his features into a sneer—strongly resembles his daughter. Hunter took a quick step backward, shrinking into the painted wall behind her. Steeling her hands against her sides, her palms pressed against the smooth surface, a shaky breath and a stifled sob rising into her chest while Edgar set his wand at the curve of her breast. An ungodly glint in his eyes told her that she should brace herself.

Fire.

Liquid fire. Her skin blacked as he drew the tip past her breast once again and another nauseating scream struggles its way into her already throbbing throat. Her frame shook, knees buckling, and she could hear the blood rushing through her ears.

Panic...and maybe vomit rose along with the screams as her knees locked and she squeezed her eyes shut as the wand made a river of inky skin. The smell of iron and cooked flesh washed away the smell of leather.

Calloused hands attacked her lower jaw, his hands tightening with each second that she refused to open her eyes and stare into her abuser's amber ones. Tears pushed past her eyelids until her eyes snapped open and his fingers unlatched from her jaw—wicked laughter escaped his mouth, giving her a manic smile, the guffaw leaving a ringing in her ears.

A shrill cry shoved its way out of her throat as the wand lowered, tears spilling over her waterline, blueing everything in sight as withered, slobbered lips pressed onto her own. Hunter's breathing hitched, her chest rising quickly. Panicked, her lips trembling against his while a black haze edged closer into her sight.

—♔—

Searing pain throughout her limbs hit her senses first before a weak whimper pushed its way past her swollen mouth. She groaned, lightly running her fingers against her charring chest and abdomen, breathing heavily she tried to stretch her back before hissing in pain. Hunter's breathing continued to hitch every few minutes before she forced her top lids to unseal themselves from her waterline. Her eyes blurred as if she had cried all night, unfocusing her sight, staring at the crown moulding on the ceiling.

She could hear whispers coming from her right, but for a moment she stared at the Navajo white ceiling. She could feel the cool air clinging to her burnt skin, the image of Edgar's mouth connecting with her own, she pushed the image further away from her mind. She could feel the massive tear in her jeans near her private area. A harsh sob wracked her chest, sending a razor-sharp stabbing through her blazing skin.

Hunter shifted her body steadily until she was facing the sound of whispers. As she landed on her side, she exhaled deeply, allowing the pain to surge through her. Her eyes connected with Julian's light green eyes. She closed her eyes at the gloom that sparked in her twin's eyes. "Don't look at me like that, Julian Pollux Black." she squeaked, rotating until she laid on her back.

"Sorry," he mumbled, she could hear the squeak of the chair he sat in as he leaned against the wall, he held an expression that he had learned over their year while being prisoned. She could hear the patter of feet making their way towards where she laid in the middle of her bed, turning her head slightly, she caught sight of Birdie.

Hunter sat up slowly, she did every time that her foster father had abused her with her palms laying against the soft comforter and her legs locked straight while Julian's eyes following the cuts and smoldering skin. His wand already in hand, he moved the burnt pieces of fabric off of her most injured areas, her eyes closing tightly as he pulled off her bra. "Julian, should you still be casting the spell?" She stuttered, picking at the dried skin on her lips and relishing in the slight sting, trying to get her mind off her brother seeing her half-naked body. "This is the third time this week."

Julian sighed, she could imagine him rolling his eyes and pushing back his growing curling dark brown hair. "Hunt, I'm not going to leave you like this, plus while you were with Edgar, Viola told me we start Hogwarts in three weeks or so, and you will not be healed by then if we let your body do it naturally." His voice shook slightly as she peeked out from underneath her eyelashes at her older brother. "Now stay still." He commanded, and she closed her eyes, waiting for another wave of pain and heat.

"Vulnera Sanentur," he spoke deeply, familiarity and calm waving its way through Hunter's body as he repeated the spell over and over again as he traced her wounds over and over again, sometimes even poking the wound with his wand.

Her lips trembled as she pushed herself up from her bed until she was upright and Hunter moaned while she unsuccessfully struggled to swing her legs over the side of the bed. Julian seized both of her ankles, swiveling her body until her legs hung over the bed and shimmed his arm underneath of her and carrying her to the soft wooden panels of the bathroom door.

"It's going to be alright," Julian whispered, his voice small and wobbly as he contused to carry her towards the bathroom. Hunter could feel him lean closer to her, trying not to jostle her. "This needs to stop, it's been happening a lot more since you were expelled."

Birdie, Julian, and Hunter leaned in closer to her twin, relaxing into his chest. Her eyes grew heavy, exhaustion ebbing its way through her body, but she knew she had to stay awake long enough to clean herself. Hunter couldn't, no, she refused to fall asleep in the bath again and leave Julian to was her body...again.

She knew that he waited for her just outside the door in case anything happens. Julian reached forward gently, gripping the silver doorknob, and twisted it open.

The door swung open, revealing the pristine white bathroom. Hunter gripped her brother's tightly, the three of them scurrying across the tiles until they reached the oversized bathtub. He eased down until her bottom made contact with the rim of the tub.

"I'm good," Hunter replied, Julian watched her attentively. "you can leave now."

"Alright!" he called, throwing his hands up while walking backward until they reached the door and stopped for a moment before taking a final step over the threshold and closed the door.

Hunter slowly pulled off the fabric that had once been her shirt, twisting the material that had pasted to her skin with blood. She held in the cries that she wished to release but knew better, or Julian would rush in. She shook with soft cries, while she slipped off her torn bra as if it were a vest. She glided herself towards the faucets, spinning them until she found the perfect temperature. She shimmied her pants from her legs until they reached the middle of her thighs. She could feel her energy-depleting as she stopped the motion, leaving the fabric alone for a moment.

She gripped the side of the bathtub, inhaling deeply and holding it in for a few seconds before exhaling. Her hands trembled, loosening her fingers from the edge of the bathtub, she fumbled with her jeans, struggling to release her legs that were wrapped in the fabric. Panic surged through her as she fought with the material, blinking away the tears that accumulated in her eyes as the cloth released her feet.

Hunter freed the breath that she had been holding, rotating herself and lifting her legs until they landed in the steaming water. She pulled herself in slowly, relaxing as her body submerged underwater.

After a few seconds, she resurfaced, breathing in deeply.

Hunter could hear the soft murmurs of Julian outside of the bathroom door—her hair laid limply around her shoulders. Rattling deep breaths escaped from in between her lips as burning, pinching pain flooded through her body. She stifled a scream, as that would surely send her Julian running.

"It's going to be okay." Hunter hissed to herself, gripping the sides of the bathtub firmly.

"Just breathe." an unknown voice hissed.

Hunter ignored the voice, encouraging herself to think about the words and working on doing it physically, "Breath in. Breath out,"

"Only three weeks until Hogwarts," she said aloud, the sound of her own voice sending a shock down into her stomach. Weak and filled with despair, Hunter laid her head back, her neck curling on the porcelain bathtub and the ceramic cooling off her sweat and watered nape — eyes dancing as they fought with her to close — and won, barely.

A small pop sounded, and a wave of cool air swayed across her still soaking body. A yelp escaped from Hunter's mouth, her heart pounding against her chest from shock, and a sting surged through her body. She pried her eyes open to see the small stature of the female house-elf that seemed to not mind the abuse she stood for helping the two Black children.

She was small, her shoulders curved, with bat-like ears that pulled back in shock, or concern; Hunter could never tell. The house-elf's nose was so long and pointed at the end that it dropped just a bit, with huge blue eyes. She had a potato sack wrapping around her small frame, and her voice soared as she spoke. "Mister Black told Birdie to help Miss Black."

"Birdie, I—" she spoke, voice hushed as the soft house-elf gave her a quick raised eyebrow look.

Birdie first stared at Hunter's face, cleansing away the smudges. "Birdie helps."

She didn't bother to fight with the house-elf as she knew the small elf would win in the end. Birdie was one of the gentler, disobeying house-eleven in the Parkinson family's possession. Hunter trusted Birdie; she had been the one cleaning up the young girl since she was nine.

The house-elf knew exactly the way Hunter liked to be cleaned and dressed after one of Edgar Parkin's episodes as the two liked to call it.

Birdie worked swiftly, moving down Hunter's body and forcing her to sit up so she could get her back cleaned before working on the front of her body. "Thank you, Birdie," Hunter whispered, flinching away from the soft and rapidly moving hands of the house-elf

—♔—

With a sigh, a fresh new pair of clothing shielded her healing body, Hunter didn't bother to call Julian, he was likely passed out against the drywall. She had been in the bath for well over an hour. With the help of Birdie, her grip was firm on her elbow. The witch and the elf made their way over to her bed, each step she took, a surge of pain shot through her body.

A peculiar hush spread throughout the room and Hunter's eyes darted around searching for her dark-haired twin. He sat on the left side of her bed, hunched over a piece of parchment. She skimmed her surroundings, ignoring the wary, wide-eyed glance he sent her.

Hunter caught sight of a yellowing envelope with a forest green ribbon snuggled tightly against the casing.

She shuffled faster towards the bed, limping while Birdie's grip tightened—trying to keep the two of them from fumbling over. "Miss Black, please slow down for Birdie." The small house-elf pleaded, but she couldn't seem to slow her legs.

Julian's eyes connected with Hunter's, his eyes shifting toward the bed where the familiar letter from Blaise Zabini sat. He gave her a strained smile, she could see the worry etched into his features.

Standing up, he sat the parchment on her nightstand and two long strides were all it took for Julian to reach her. She sent him a playful glare of jealousy, Hunter always wanted to be taller. He chuckled, wrapping his arm around her waist and his other hand reaching over and holding onto her hand.

"Has your secret admirer finally written?" Julian's slick voice questioned.

Idiot, she thought still limping and being half-cried towards her bed. She looked back up at him to send another glare. "Haha, very funny, Jules." She replied breathlessly, continuing as she took a deep breath. "At least I have a secret admirer." Birdie laughed, pulling Hunter's blankets down.

Julian finally sat her down gingerly on the bed with the house of the house-elf. "Are you ever going to tell me who your secret admirer is?"

Hunter shook her head with a small smirk, not bothering to lay back in the bed, even though she knew Julian would want her too. She reached for the envelope, hurriedly relating the bonds holding the letter, and flipped the folded parchment until she could see all the familiar writing. Catching the first sentence with a gleeful smile.

I've just heard that you were coming to Hogwarts!

Dear, HB

She grinned wider at the codenames that were easy to depart, but she wasn't worried. Julian knew better than to read her letters. She looked up from her letter, sending Julian a wink.

Sorry I haven't written all summer long, love. Mother has been dragging me around the world to help her find a new suitor. I just wish that for once instead of finding wealthy new men to marry that she'd pay attention to her only son, there are three weeks until Hogwarts start and I hope that we could spend more time together.

After four years of communicating like this and hiding our friendship. I wish we could hang out and talk...I would like to be myself and not act like how everyone expects me to act.

It's still a shock to me that we will be at Hogwarts together. I wish that we could've gotten to know each other more than just written letters back and forth.

P.S tell Julian I said Hullo.

Yours Truly, BZ

Hunter looked up from the letter, chewing on her bottom lip—her eyes scanning Julian carefully. She had been waiting for his letter all summer but she was giddy that he was happy that she was joining him at Hogwarts. And all Hunter could think was that Pansy was the one to break the news to him.

Her own blue-grey eyes connected with Julian's eyes, once soft waves of green, now hardened, looking more like a trashing wave. "How many letters have you sent out to your secret admirer this summer?" He hissed.

Trying to break eye contact with Julian was like trying to break your own bones...useless. She had brown her promise to him; the promise that she would only send out two letters to her secret admirer—Hunter always hated the disappointed look that her twin gave her when she didn't do what he wanted or expected her to do...yet that still didn't stop her.

Hunter looked him in the eyes, flashing a grin. Julian's fist clenched, jaw tight, and spoke again. "More than two? More than three? I need an answer, Hunter Andromeda Black...now."

Steeling her nerves, Hunter forced an aloft smile to sweep across her face. "Twelve, I've written them twelve times."

Julian's eyes widened, his breathing hitching as he stopped up. "Twelve," he hissed, running his shaking hands through his hair. "I can't believe you haven't been caught yet!" Julian stopped pacing, reaching for the parchment on top of her nightstand, he stared down at the parchment, his eyes following the words rapidly, taking a deep breath, he said, "Birdie, can you get Hunter's things ready, we're leaving tonight."

He drew the parchment on Hunter's lap, she glanced down at the yellowed parchment, her eyes following the curvy words carefully.

The Black Children: Julian and Hunter

You are in danger. Get out of Parkinson Manor. Immediately.

Call the Knight Bus at Magnolia Crescent, I may or may not join you.

— trust me

Hunter's eyebrows shot up, hesitant to ask Julian anything at this moment as anger flooded through him as he and Baird whirled around the room. She took a deep breath. "Who sent this?" She questioned, he stood in the middle of the room for a moment before continuing.

"I don't know, but we better get moving." He called, throwing her book bag into her lap and moving to her side. Hunter's arms slide through the backpack strings before wrapping her arm around his waist, his bag slung over his shoulder and his wand in his left hand and pointed them at their trucks causing them to levitate. He wrapped his right around her shoulder.

She felt useless, leaning against her brother as he controlled the trunks as well as keeping her standing.