The Darkest Witch

Belinda: Six Months Before January

United Kingdom
Morrigan Manor
Belinda

    For centuries, people would look up at the night sky and envy the stars, without ever realizing that in order for them to be bright they needed to be surrounded by the dark. 

    On the night of Belinda's arrival in England, she was forthwith surrounded by witches and wizards, all consumed by a common god. United by the same belief, their loyalty was unwavering. Belinda could see it in their eyes and she feared that they couldn't see it in hers.

    Still, Belinda knew who she was and what it demanded.

    She was a Gaunt, a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin.

    She was also a Sayre, heir of the wealthiest pureblood family and the only living descendant of the Great Witch, Morrigan.

    Belinda was both power and opulence. But most of all, she was a pureblood - the brightest of them all. 

    Before the death of her foster mother, Matilda, she had always considered magic to be infinite and good. But then the fire happened and everything changed.

    Belinda walked slowly across the room, running her gloved hand on the manor's wall, finding calm in its magnificence. Morrigan Manor was the ancestral home of the Sayre's. It was also the legacy of one of the most powerful alchemists ever to live. When Belinda was younger, she would often hear stories about a castle no one could destroy. Everyone thought it was wild and ridiculous but to Belinda, it was brilliant and fascinating.

    Antonin Sayre was the alchemist behind Rionach Glass, an impenetrable element made out of distilled volcanic glass and titanium. The first time Belinda read about him and his invention, she had locked herself inside her lab on a quest to break it. Months later, she found no success but learned one thing — the castle was definitely real.

    Belinda looked up to the ceilings and saw the Sayre's family crest, a horned serpent devouring the moon in uniform cycles. The same crest was pinned to her chest, marking her birthright and her legacy. She quickly dropped her head and reached for a glass of wine. The slight sight of it had made her chest tightened and her hands jittery. The calm her curiosity has provided her had vanished into thin air and she was lead immediately back to reality, standing in the north ballroom together with other witches and wizards anxiously waiting for their god.

    Gulping her second glass of wine, Belinda could feel their eyes on her. Belinda knew everyone in the room. Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Antonin Dolohov, Corbon Yaxley, Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy. She cannot bear to show weakness in front of Lucius.

    Ever since the fire, the Malfoys were the closest Belinda had to a family. She spent every summer with them in England and spent every winter opening presents they've sent for her in France. For Narcissa Malfoy, motherhood was natural, however, for Lucius, fatherhood was guise for something else.

    Unlike Matilda, Lucius did not believe that magic was for everyone. Only selected witches and wizards were worthy enough to possess magic. Purebloods. With his pale gray eyes, he would often remind Belinda of her ancestry and what she was born to become. Powerful and great.

    Belinda started to move towards a nearby portrait, careful not to stumble and fall. She had caught sight of Bellatrix, standing in front of Severus Snape. She looked both furious and suspicious, revolving her wand on the folds of her skirts. Belinda would not be surprised if she were to kill her tonight. She was after all the reason why Bellatrix couldn't escape Azkaban.

    When Belinda reached the portrait, she felt her heart ease out. In front of her was Sylvie Sayre, beautiful as starlight. Her short blonde hair and her vibrant blue eyes illuminated all corners of the room. Like herself, she wore the Sayre's crest on her chest and wore the rich purple shades of the house. But other than that, Belinda and Sylvie look nothing alike. It was hard to believe that the woman in the painting was her mother.

    Matilda would often say that she looked exactly like her father. Dark hair and dark eyes. Enigmatic and striking. Magnus Gaunt was alike Belinda in both manner and likeness. They both had the ability to command a room without the need to speak.

    Belinda wished she could see them but they both died right after she was born. Whether it was due to an accident or a sudden illness, no one dared to give her a direct answer. She begged Matilda for the truth but Matilda would always respond that the time wasn't right.

    But Matilda forgot that time was Belinda's greatest enemy. There was no such thing as a right time for her. Time was just time.

    And like a true villain, time took the only living person she loved away from her. At the age of nine, Belinda watched Matilda die in a fire.

    Belinda did not believe in heavenly beings but on the night of Matilda's death, she found herself challenging the gods. She glared up into the sky and cursed all of them for the death of every person she loved. She swore that she would burn their palaces to the ground until they're left with nothing but ashes.

    All her anger and hatred ignited inside of her for two strong years. But during her first visit to Morrigan Manor at age twelve, she saw a photo of her parents, Sylvie and Magnus, together with Matilda, smiling outside the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic during their graduation day, and she asked herself — what would they do.

    "What would you and father do, Mum?" She whispered, hoping that she would respond.

    But of course, she could not.

    "Belinda," someone called. His deep, rolling voice sent shivers to her neck. "Come and join us."

    Belinda turned to face him, a pale-skinned man with a snake-like nose. His bright red eyes were trained straight at her. Belinda tightened her gloves once again. The man moved closer, holding his hand up to her. She knew the appropriate response. Everyone expected the appropriate response. Holding her breathe, Belinda turned to face him.

    The god has arrived.

    Belinda took his hand and watched her life change once again.

    After that night, Belinda wanted to give up. She wanted to run. She wanted to die. And she could've possibly done that, if not for the boy with pale hair and light blue eyes. Draco Malfoy came bearing gifts the very next day and Belinda realized that she still had a family to live for. And this time, she will die before time could claim them as his.

- end of chapter one -