Her Destiny || Sirius Black's Daughter

Chapter 2~ Doctors and Nurses

She pulled on the handle and wiped the dry mud from her shoes, she was trying to prolong the unpleasantries bound to happen soon.

Harriet, young and sweet Harriet, yelped in delight as Lilith walked past the radiator she was cleaning, although, Lilith thought to herself, she didn't think carpet cleaner would do much good on a radiator, she didn't mention it though.

Harriet had grabbed the attention of many with her excited babble, including Ms Clem.

She stalked down the wooden stairs slowly, the heavy clunking of her heeled boots making the walk seem longer than it was, "Lilith has returned." She smirked mockingly at her, she grimaced, "if you'd like to, ah, follow me?" It wasn't a question.

Lilith trailed behind Clem as she clunked up the creaking staircase toward her office. She though Ms Clem would have the decency to wait until they were inside before she started hitting her but, alas, it seemed Astrid Clem couldn't wait much longer for a good whacking.

A ringed hand firmly slapped the back of her head (with more force than Lilith liked to admit) when they reached the top of the landing, sending her flailing forward in front of Ms Clem.

She didn't have time to retort (thankfully) because Clem had pushed her into the office and shut the door behind herself firmly. A harsh pull of hair caused her to look directly at Astrid, she was prepared for more scars the next morning, ready for her destiny to shape itself a tiny bit once more. Her hand fell to her cheek, slicing the skin a fraction due to the (overly) sharp ring Clem donned on her right middle finger.

Lilith gasped at the stinging on her face, but was cut off when her carer pushed her to the floor, the open cut pressed against the dusty carpet. She didn't have chance to comprehend what was happening when the back of her shirt seemed to have been ripped open, she'd had to sew that later- if she survives that is. Lilith heard the sound of a belt sliding past loop holes as Ms Clem removed the leather attached to her waist. Lilith knew what was happening.

"Please-" she pleaded with the woman, but she was interrupted with her own cry of anguish as the buckled end came thrashing down on her scarred back.

"Stop I-" she gasped for air as he stinging cheek was pressed to the floor.

"You never learn!" The blonde screeched as she snapped the belt together, bringing it down a second time. Her salty tears made the open wound on her cheek sting more.

It wasn't enough to draw blood yet, but Lilith doubted that it would take many more for her skin to break beneath the metal. It was these moments that shaped her mind, her heart her very soul to what they'd be in the future. If anyone knew her past, they wouldn't blame her for the future, but no one knew, no one would ever know, they'd just accuse- they'd think there was no reason behind it- that's what they'd think.

Another strike and blood once again stained her back like it had done many times; all for the same reason and all from the same belt.

She did not doubt that everyone could hear her desperate cries and anguished shouts for help, but no one came. No one ever comes.

They leave her, it was a naive hope that someone would have the guts to tell Ms Clem to stop, that someone would stand up for her.

Still Lilith blamed them, she needed someone to blame for this mess.

It was only after too much crying, whipping and blood-shedding later, did Lilith return the the furthest room at the back of the home, if you could call it such a name, this was no home to anyone.

She lay face first on the bed, staying still for moments until the door opened slowly. It was Harriet.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she looked down at her scuffed school shoes, "it was my fault."

"No it wasn't," Lilith sighed, pushing herself up with her elbows and moving to her box in which several bandages and anti-septic wipes resided. "But you can help me with this though" she said while she dabbed a wipe over the cut on her cheek.

Harriet nodded quickly, still with a guilty look, grabbing the small medical box from her and instructing Lilith to lay.

"What do I do?" Harriet asked, holing up a packet of graze pads. Lilith pointed at some wipes.

"It's just like when we play doctors, yeah?" She said softly through the pain, "you unwrap it and dab it on the red bits, remember we used felt tips last time? Do the same."

Lilith was surprised at the care Harriet took with wiping the cuts, she made sure to press lightly. Playing doctors did help it seemed. "The pen won't go." Harriet said sadly.

Lilith smiled slightly, what she'd give to be as naive as Harriet at that moment, "Well you see, it's like permanent marker, they won't go for a while but it'll go one day, okay?" She manoeuvred her arm to clasp a roll of bandages and large plasters, "now, you stick the big plasters on with medical tape,"

"Like the paper and sellotape we used when playing doctors and nurses?" She giggled, it almost hurt Lilith.

"Yeah!" She smiled sadly, "like that." Her smile faded as Harriet started to "fix" her back as she said. Harriet was so innocent, so... pure? All Lilith knew is that she had to protect her from this, she had to make sure that this didn't happen to her.

"Now what?" The little girl said excitedly, this was all a game to her. Some sick, twisted game that she didn't know about- that she didn't understand. She was laughing at a joke she didn't get, Lilith was glad she didn't understand.

"Now," she started getting up with the roll of bandages, "I want you to hold the end I place while I spin, yeah?" Harriet nodded and Lilith removed the soaked grey shirt from her aching body. She was left in a sports bra but she really didn't care at that moment.

Harriet held it in place as she spun the bandages, giggling as they played a rather realistic version of doctors and nurses. Finally, all the bandages were in place and Lilith threw an old football shirt over her head.

Harriet stood just over her hip, half her size. Lilith squatted down, ignoring the pain searing throughout her back, "thank you."

"It's okay, wait!" Harriet looked through the box and picket out a blue plaster with a picture of Mickey Mouse printed on the front. She slowly pealed the backing off and stuck it on the open cut of Lilith's cheek, "there we go!" She said cheerfully as her cheeks dimpled due to her smiling.

And this, strangely, shaped part of her destiny too.

*

Y'all it's 5am