Blackthorn Hall - There's Hope Afterall || Ravenstone & Gramps

10 April 1922
Easter break
Blackthorn Hall

It had been what Alice expected.

After speaking with her grandfather in February, things did move fast. Well, on one side. Unfortunately for her and Everleigh, it seemed things were moving incredibly slow for them.

Almost immediately, Alice began receiving damning owls from her mother and father. Some scolded her, some guilt-tripped her, and all gaslit her. She felt in the middle. She knew what she’d seen her father do over summer break to her sister, and had seen the crazed look in his eyes.

Being in the middle threw her stomach into tight knots, and she almost had permanent indentions on her palms from squeezing her fists so tight. When she was around Everleigh, she felt… all over the place. When she wasn’t, she felt like she had no clue who she even was.

And then the Easter break came. Alice had been hoping she and her sister would be going to their grandfather’s house.

But, that wasn’t to happen.

Back to Blackthorn Hall she and Everleigh went. She knew it wouldn’t be good, and had told her grandfather as much in an owl before they left Hogwarts. He reassured her that the arrangements were getting close to being finalized. But how close?

Things were horrible. The amount of disdain that her mother and father looked at her with… and the gaslighting just got worse.

But her defiance got worse too. She never left Everleigh’s side, refusing to give her father the opportunity to perform any more magic on her. All trust for her father was gone. Her mother wasn’t much better, but hadn’t been the one to deliver the obliviate to her sister.

A certain unease began to grow on the evening of the seventh soon after dinner. Alice would blink and forget what she was doing – something that was not a normal occurrence for her. At first, she thought it was just the stress and uncomfortableness of being back in the family home. She slept in bed next to Everleigh, which was a task considering the girl still had her night terrors.

On the eighth, it happened again. Small chunks of time were missing throughout the entire day. But Alice, who had been manipulated by her parents from a very, very young age, said it really was just stress. She had her O.W.L.s to study for, which she hadn’t even done.

When the tenth came, Alice realized, horrified, that she could remember only tiny bits of time on the ninth. Panic overtook her and she scribbled a rushed owl to her grandfather, explaining that they were doing something to her. And if they were doing it to her, then they were definitely doing it to her sister.

All day on the tenth, Alice kept looking at the door, waiting. But nothing was happening. She accepted nothing from her mother, and wouldn’t let Everleigh either. Alice made them sandwiches and served their tea, refusing to give her mother and father the opportunity to manipulate them anymore.

As the day wore on, Alice began feeling like maybe she was crazy. Or maybe she hadn’t really sent the owl to her grandfather. Had she forgotten to actually postmark it? Perhaps she had tossed it out by mistake?

Feeling helpless, Alice sat Everleigh in the sitting room. Her sister sketched randomly, more scribbled drawings, and Alice attempted to study. (Attempted because she really couldn’t focus on that.)

“Girls, it is tea time. Please come join me,” their mother said, her voice light and carefree.

Alice’s dark brown eyes locked on her mother, clenching her jaw shut. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, came a loud banging on the door.

Ever was barely coherent. Any advances she had made since Christmas were gone with one look at her father. She didn’t even need a memory charm to set her back months in her recovery. Even in her delirium, at the castle Ever was happy. A sense of lightness and freedom filled her. One step into Blackthorn Manor and that lightness was gone.

Dark, worry, fear, stress and anxiety filled her while under the Blackthorn roof. Sounds made her flinch, loud heavy footsteps made her pale. Her fathers voice brought violent shaking. Without speaking, she could easily convey that things weren’t right in their home.

Alice helped keep her calm. While she was near, things were better. They slept in the same room, never apart. Having her father leave the house helped immensely. She even was able to drink some of the tea her mother gave her. As long as HE was gone, she could survive this break.

Sketching was her therapy. The only one she was allowed. The quill scratched across the paper fast and aggressive. The picture was nothing recognizable, just black lines over and over.

“Girls, it is tea time. Please come join me.” Ever didn’t acknowledge the request. Didn’t move. Didn’t look up. Nothing. Lost in her mind once again.

What did get her attention was the loud banging on the door. The fist pounding against the solid wood door, had Ever shaking.

Their mother scowled at the door, a look not normally displayed on her plain, reserved face. It was a picture burned into Ever’s brain. It was wrong. It would become a sketch one day, if she remembered it.

As the door opened, the words being spoken were muffled on the other side of the wall, but they sounded loud and angry. Something that made Ever shake even more.

23 February 1922
Magical Law Enforcement Office
8:00am

It was early, but he was done waiting. Everleigh and Alice deserved action. As soon as the clock ticked 8:00am he was out of his chair and walking to the elevator. Going up just one floor, it was a quick trip.

As he entered the elevator Bram’s eyes fell on the head of the MLE, a peer and friend. “Bertram, good morning to you.” He was a stoic man, fit, and cunning. He had a mind for puzzles and liked nothing more than putting lawbreakers where they belonged. “Thorpe, good morning. Just the man I was coming to see. Not sure if you noticed, but I’m on your docket for a meeting, I have a problem I could really use your help with.”

---

Thorpe cancelled his 8:30 and 9:00 am meetings. With every new piece of evidence the man’s eyebrows turned in further. “This is a tough one my friend. I agree, something seems off. And anyone performing memory charms on a minor is a huge red flag. I know Ravenstone. He’s a shifty piece of shit.”

Bram wanted to ask more questions, but he knew Thorpe wouldn’t say anything. Especially if there was an active investigation. “Let me get some of my guys on this. Thankfully, the girls are at school, so we don’t have to worry about them being exposed to more trauma. I’ll be in touch.”

Shaking hands, the men parted ways. This would take time, but at least the wheels were in motion.

---

2 March 1922

The wheels that were once in motion now were stopped dead in their tracks. Road blocks, detours and dead ends stopping the investigation all together. The Ministry was in upheaval. The MLE had a lot on their plates, so Ever’s case took a pause, and a pause was something they didn’t have time for.

---

20 March 1922

The Investigation was back on. Both Thatcher and Margary were brought in for questioning, including members of their staff. They denied all wrong doing, because of course they did. Bram was at his wits end, but they weren’t done yet.

The delays were problematic, Thatcher going on a business trip suddenly didn’t help. Thankfully the statements submitted by the Hogwarts Staff were tipping things in their favor. Along with Ever’s journal and the information provided by Alice, Bram was hopeful that the girls would be moving in on the first day of Easter break.

---

10 April 1922

This was a bureaucratic nightmare. Thatcher knew people, had called in favors, was sitting pretty in his office thinking everything was fine. The girls were on break, and not living with Bram. Multiple times he had tried to speed things up, but there were processes and procedures in place to make sure things were done right. If they rushed and something was missed, it could be the end of their case.

What finally tipped the scales in their favor was the emergency owl from Alice. Something was happening, she was missing pieces of her memory over the last couple of days. It was a pattern. Once the letter was put into the hands of MLE they were on the move. Things happened fast. The Emergency Order of Protection was signed. The Temporary Custody Order was signed. Then, minutes later they were knocking on the door of Blackthorn Manor.

---

BANG BANG BANG

Bram stood back, ready to enter when allowed. His heart was racing with adrenalin. When the door opened, they didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

“By authority of the Wizengamot Charter for the Protection of Underage Wizards, the parental rights of Thatcher and Margery Ravenstone are hereby suspended pending a full criminal inquiry into charges of Gross Magical Negligence and Illegal Mental Manipulation of a Minor.

A warrant for Emergency Transfer of Guardianship has been issued to Bertram Nordstrom. Effective immediately, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is authorized to use any necessary force to secure the safety of Everleigh and Alice Ravenstone."

Bram sighed. It was finally happening. As the group of aurors entered the home, Bram came in last looking everywhere for his granddaughters. His eyes roamed over his daughter, Margery, who looked ready to claw his eyes out. He didn’t bother to acknowledge her at all. And then his eyes found Everleigh. The gaunt, pale, vacant girl he saw broke his heart and put a look of unadulterated rage on his face. They had done this to her. Margery was pulled away, talking with an Auror. Thatcher could be heard in his office yelling at another auror. Bram saw red, walking into Thatcher’s office, he got right into his face. His voice was low and laced with fury. “How fucking dare you. You worthless piece of shit. I don’t know what you did to that little girl, but mark my words, you will pay.”

Walking back out of the office, being pulled away by the law enforcement officers, Bram schooled his anger and walked over to Alice and Ever. Pulling Alice into a tight hug, he kissed her on the temple and spoke low so that her parents didn’t hear. “I am so proud of you. I’m sorry I wasn't here sooner.” Pulling back, he cupped her cheeks and gave her a reassuring smile.

Kneeling down in front of Ever, who was sitting on a chair, void of all emotion, Bram sighed. Running his hand over her hair, “Oh LeLe, I am so sorry.” His voice was filled with regret, breaking on the nickname only he called her. Looking back up to Alice, Bram cleared his throat, emotion getting to him as the adrenaline dissipated. “Alli, let's go upstairs and get you and LeLe packed. It’s time to go home.”

Alice jumped at just how loud the banging was, and for a split second she forgot why someone would be knocking like that. She frowned when she realized she had forgotten – again – and then her eyes fell on her mother when the door burst open and the entry way was filled with MLE. Her mother looked over at Alice, a pathetic ’what did you do?’ escaped her lips before her eyes met her father’s.

Alice’s heart stopped for a moment. She put her hand on Everleigh, who was beside her, and watched as their grandfather moved towards their father’s office.

Thatcher began yelling, saying he’d pay for this, and Alice… well, she completely ignored him. Bram made his way over to them. She stood and he pulled her into a hug, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

“I am so proud of you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

He smiled, but she couldn’t. He knelt down in front of Ever and Alice hugged herself. She’d jammed a knife so hard in her mother and father’s backs and there was nothing she could do to relieve them of the pain she’d caused. They were angry, she could feel that, and her mother – when she was able to see her again – was already trying to guilt trip her.

It was over. She’d done it. She’d gotten herself and, more importantly, her sister out of a horribly toxic situation. But she didn’t feel happy. Maybe a bit relieved, but also… it was confusing.

Life as she knew it, despite how dysfunctional it had always been, was now over. A new chapter was starting and she couldn’t help but to let her parents gaslighting continue to bore its way into her brain.

“Alli, let's go upstairs and get you and LeLe packed. It’s time to go home.”

She nodded and looked at Everleigh – still a shell, not realizing what was happening, and how much better it was going to be – and it broke her heart. Then they made their way upstairs to their rooms.