Cordelia was sitting on the porch, taking a smoke. It was the only opportunity she got, since her aunties and Sabrina left for the continuation of the trail. As she decided to only attend the final hearing, before she maimed one of the audience members.
She was just relieved that her cousin was able to forgive her and Mr Webster after she found out about the lawyer's past cases.
Just then she could hear her cousin and aunties come back. She evaporated her cigarette, before they reached the porch.
"How did it go?" she asked, only noticing then that Mr Webster was with them too.
The response she got was her aunt Zelda storming into the house, while her cousin and aunt Hilda looked scared.
Joining them in the kitchen, she took the seat diagonally from her blonde aunt, while her other aunt paced. She has been informed that her cousin will be going through a century old witch trail, to prove that she's either witch or mortal. After Mr Webster had advised that she should be equally trialed.
"Absolutely not, I forbid it!" her aunt Zelda exclaimed.
"Sit down, Zelda, before you collapse. You're skin and bone."
"Sabrina, I have to ask. Do you even know if you have a mark?" Mr Webster asked. "Let's start there."
"Perhaps there's another way." Father Blackwood walked in, surprising all of them. "You'll excuse my unannounced visitation, but I come bearing felicitous tidings. I've pleaded on your behalf to the Dark Lord, and he has offered a path through this thicket."
"Praise Satan!" Aunt Zelda sighed out in relief.
Cordelia looked at the man suspiciously. 'What is the catch?'
"The Dark Lord will waive your punishment in the Pit. He will even allow you yearly visitations
with your mortal friends, but... you must ratify your signature in the Book of the Beast, and you must withdraw from Baxter High, and begin your studies at the Academy of Unseen Arts immediately."
"But this is perfect! Sabrina!"
"We'll await your answer tomorrow night in court. Ladies." the High Priest greeted goodbye confidently.
"Sir." Mr Webster acknowledged him, curtly. "We will not take this deal." he said smartly.
"But the Dark Lord has been moved
by our plight to show mercy. Do you know how rare that is?" aunt Zelda pleaded.
"She's right. So think about that." the mortal man countered. "Why offer a deal? It's a trick. Remember whom you're dealing with!"
After the family huddle, Cordelia couldn't help but wonder where her brother was during the discussion. She entered his room without knocking.
He was looking at Connor's iguana, who seemed to have finally died after its owner's death. Even though, he was dealing with a dead familiar, his sister noticed he still had a excited gleam on his face.
"I haven't seen that look in a while" she said, smugly while setting herself on his bed.
"I have no idea what you're on about."
"Hmmm, you're smiling like you've met someone new..."
Ambrose stepped closer to his sister as she continued, clearly amused.
"Oh! You have the swagger walk, which means you did something that gave you confidence..."
"...and.." she said, while picking up a pair of yellow boxers from under the mattress. Her brother's eyes immediately grew wide.
"I don't remember you being a fan of yellow." she finished, while swinging the garment playfully. The warlock instantly grabbed it from his sister, earning him a laugh.
Standing up again, she smiled excitedly. "You.Got.Laid" she said, while poking him his shoulder with each word. Making him stumble back, before he can even come up with a lie, she started again.
"Who is he? Is he cute? Is this the first time he's been over..."
"Pause! Bloody hell!" he finally stopped her.
Crossing her arms, she waited for his explanation.
Her brother told her of meeting another warlock at the Kemper boy's funeral, named Luke Chafant.
"Well, don't you put the Fun in funeral?" she spoke, after listening, earning her a deadpan expression from her brother.
"As long as he doesn't break your little heart..." she said while pouting and smooshing her brother's cheeks together.
He lightly slapped her hands away, making her chuckle. "... I'm fine with it, I would like to meet him some time, if it's serious..."
"Never in a million years"
"You're no fun." she said, while exiting and heading to her room.
The next evening, they all sat again in the kitchen, preparing for the final trail. Standing next to her brother, against the counter. Cordelia did not like the idea of her cousin stripping infront of the court.
Her aunt Hilda glanced back at her, knowing that the time has come to reveal her secret. As she was not willing to let her youngest niece go through that either.
"Aunties, Mr. Webster, I've made my decision. I'm not taking the deal. I'll submit to Blackwood's exam. I don't have a witch's mark, so there's nothing to lose."
"Except your dignity." Aunt Zelda countered.
"Back into the fray, then, eh, cousin?" Ambrose joked lightly.
"When they find out I don't have a mark, Mr. Webster, what happens then?"
"We demand a retrial..." the lawyer said, while standing up. "... in human court, where you're innocent until proven guilty."
"And we demand that my aunties' powers and youth are restored. It's non-negotiable."
"Thank you for that, sweetheart,
but to be stripped and pawed..." The eldest witch pleaded.
"I've had worse done to me." Sabrina argued, reminding her aunt of her betrayal. The older woman sat back uncomfortably at being called out.
"Besides, there are a lot of people facing their fears right now, fighting battles they know they're not gonna win. So, if this is mine, well,
then let's get it over with. But no tricks, no plea bargains. We should go. I'll be outside." Sabrina then left the room.
"Mortal life?" Cordelia whispered to her brother in question, at her cousin's speech.
"Mortal life." he sighed out in confirmation.
Suddenly a dish clattered, as the blonde aunt, now grey-haired, couldn't keep it in any longer. "It keeps getting worse and worse for her."she said angrily, while looking at her sister and trying to stand up.
Cordelia immediately assisted her, knowing where she wanted to go.
"Where do you think you're going?" her sister asked, uncaringly.
"Upstairs. Don't follow me. Don't wait for me. Just get her to the court. You're not the only one with secrets,
Zelda Spellman." she stammered out in her old voice.
Finally reaching the room with the chest, Cordelia stood at the door, while her aunt undid a spell on the chest to reveal Sabrina's old Peter Rabbit's book.
"You go ahead, Delia. I don't want anyone to grow suspicious. I'll meet everyone at the court."
"Are you sure Aunt Hilda? I don't want anything to happen to you. How do you think the court is going to react you being a witness? "
"Don't you worry, darling. I will deal with it when the time comes. Atleast you weren't there, you just played the perfect distraction. Now, go."
Cordelia smiled softly at the memory and nodded as she left, knowing that this case was about to be flipped on its side.
Sitting at the front of the church once again, next to her Aunt Zelda. She couldn't help but look back to the entrance of the church in worry, hoping for her other aunt to come.
Just when she turned again, she locked eyes with Prudence, who was sitting with her sisters, at the far back.
The other witch winked playfully at her. Not making the already butterflies in her stomach any better. She just lifted an eye brow in response and turned her attention to the front once again.
"Sabrina, am I to understand that you come now before this court to endure the test of the witch's mark, as described and demanded by your mortal laws?"
"Yes, Father Blackwood."
"We request the examination be held
in closed chambers." Mr Webster immediately requested.
"Denied."
Finally the church doors opened, revealing their very old and exhausted aunt.
"Stop. Stop! Stop!" she exclaimed, as she loud as she could, and gave the document to Mr Webster, as they started discussing.
"If this is some feeble attempt to delay
the agreed-upon course of action..." Father Blackwood sneered.
"You're sure?" the lawyer asked aunt Hilda, before addressing the court. "Your Dishonors, I call Hildegard
Antoinette Spellman to the stand!"
"This is unacceptable! The test is about to begin! I demand that..."
"Hilda Spellman, approach us." the Dishonors overruled the High Priest, as she slowly walked to the podium.
Aunt Zelda lifted her head cover in disbelief, to view the spectacle, having no clue of her sister's knowledge.
"I have new evidence to submit to the court. Ms. Spellman, please read
the name printed here on this document." Mr Webster requested.
Clearing her throat, she started, "Yes. It reads, um, "Sabrina Spellman." Witnessed by...Witnessed by her mother, Diana Spellman...and, well, me, Hilda Spellman."
"I offer in evidence a baptismal certificate...from the Holy Mother Church of Greendale." Mr Webster revealed, making Cordelia smirk as the crowd started whispering in disbelief.
"Your Dishonors, if this certificate is authentic...it would seem we have competing claims upon the soul of Sabrina Spellman." Father Blackwood said, humouresly.
"No, sir, what we have is a binding contract, witnessed by her mother...notarized and dated
one day before Edward Spellman inscribed his daughter's name in the Book of the Beast... thereby rendering
the aforementioned inscription...the agreed-upon promise, null and void, QED!" he ended off dramatically, while slamming the document on his opponent's desk.
"These last-minute theatrics
make a mockery of this court! This... is spurious, this is outrageous!"
'He's acting like a little bitch' Cordelia thought to herself, amused.
"No, I'll tell you what's outrageous,
Father Blackwood. The Dark Lord's behavior!" Sabrina stood up. Making her cousin's eyes widen in surprise.
The doors to the underworld opened with dread, as fire and smoke came from it. The crowd murmered in interest and fear.
"Well, now. I'd say you just forced the Devil to the bargaining table. And I've been summoned to the court's private chambers." the mortal lawyer said to his client. Then bravely descended the steps to hell, and then it closed forbodingly.
Once outside, Zelda confronted her sister, "How could you, Hilda? "
"How's it any different to your secret with Edward?"
"It's completely different! And appalling! A Christian church? Have you no shame? Have you no pride? And I'm guessing you knew as well, Cordelia." she said pointedly.
"Well, yes...you see, aunt Hilda and I, have as what you would call a 'trusting relationship'..." she gestured to her blonde aunt. "She would tell me things, and I would tell her. A give and take, as you will, but I completely understand, if it's something you cannot comprehend..." Cordelia bited back, refused to be cornered.
Zelda Spellman gasped, but was interrupted by her youngest niece, who couldn't quite understand her parent's decisions.
"Nice one, deary" Aunt Hilda, said lowly to her eldest niece.
"So, Dad didn't know that Mom had me baptized? In secret? Why?"
"She said not to tell him. I just assumed it was Diana being sentimental. Perhaps she suspected
what Edward had planned." Aunt Hilda defended the dead woman.
"So they were both deceivers."
"Sabrina! Honor Thy Father and Mother!" Aunt Zelda reprimanded her.
The blonde half-witch looked glum, as she looked at the three women infront of her. "No more secrets, Aunties. You too Cordelia. Do you understand? No more lying to me about my own family...ever again."
The three women nodded, as the bell tolled once again.
Cordelia shifted in her seat, as she could feel eyes on the back of her head, as the Weird sisters had now chosen to sit in the second row, right behind them, to possibly get more entertainment.
"Due to conflicts of contract,
baptism, and breeding, the Hellbound Court of Greendale decrees that Sabrina Spellman...shall retain her mortal life..." Father Blackwood started,"...on the condition that she also attend the Academy of Unseen Arts...as well as weekly Black Mass."
The Spellman family breathed out in relief.
"Think of it as dual-citizenship. " the lawyer, whispered to his client happily.
"Your Dishonors...I accept." Sabrina spoke.
"So be it. This court is adjourned to the shadows. Full powers are restored
to the Spellman family."
The thunder crashed and flashed as the aunties powers were restored.
"Praise Satan! I'm young again!" Aunt Zelda, stood up dramatically, making her eldest niece roll her eyes.
Cordelia patted her other aunt on her knee, happy that they were out of danger for now.
Walking out of the church, Cordelia hooked her arms through her aunties', leading her to be in the middle of the two squabbling sisters.
She watched as her cousin spoke to Mr Webster for the last time.
"I knew the very first time I held her and she vomited on my favourite turtleneck, that she was going to be a lot of trouble." she broke the silence.
Aunt Hilda giggled at the memory, while the red-headed matriach just grinned, but pulled her eldest niece closer to her.
The spoken girl, jogged back towards them.
"Miss Delia!"
Cordelia turned to the voice, accidently pulling her aunties as well.
The lawyer looked at her from a distance. "You really do remind me of your mother...kind, but sometimes brutally honest!" he chuckled, and then turned, disappearing into the mist.
Smiling sadly, she blinked rapidly as she looked towards her family, who were watching her reaction.
"Let's go home." she finally spoke.