The Charmed Seven Family Past Series Disclaimers: Charmed and The Magnificent 7 weren't created by and aren't owned by me, and I only use them in fanfiction for fun without any money-making involved.
Author's Note: The boarding schools attended by Josiah and Hannah in this story are purely fictional and aren't intended to resemble any real schools either in the past or present.
Main Characters: Josiah, Terrence Potter, Gloria Potter
Series Note: Follows Part 1: The Potters, although the first few scenes precede the events in that story.
Acknowledgments: Thanks to Jessie Jane for her input which has helped me improve this story.
Closed AU until this whole series has been posted.
Warnings: Child abuse; mention of a murder but no graphical descriptions; one small allusion to sexual abuse, but absolutely no graphical details given.
Spoilers: None.
CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7
Teaser
A six-year-old boy with blond hair sat on the floor in a large linen closet, which was in the hallway of his home, shivering not only from cold, but fear as well; he didn't like being alone in a place with no lights. His father was punishing the boy for accusing him of intentionally pushing his mother down the stairs and killing her. The boy, Josiah, had said he'd seen his father do it and knew he had meant to push his mother down the stairs. It wasn't an accident like Mr. Sanchez had convinced the police in their investigation. Josiah's father had first hurt the boy; kicking and punching him; then he'd shut the boy in the closet to think about the way he had accused his father of such cruelty, especially that he'd think his father would do such a thing to a member of his own family. Josiah had been ordered not to open the closet door, and the boy obeyed, fearful of what would happen if he disobeyed.
Outside the closet, a small blonde girl of five kept calling Josiah's name, not knowing why her brother wouldn't open the door to her. She hadn't seen her mother being pushed, or her mother's body. Josiah had made sure she wasn't a witness to her father's cruelty. Josiah always protected her - it didn't stop her father hurting her and hurling abuse though.
"Hannah, please be quiet or he'll hurt you again," begged Josiah, scared for his sister's safety even more when he couldn't protect her. He regretted getting himself sent to the closet so he couldn't look after Hannah - he should've waited until a better time to face his father with what he knew to be the truth.
"Jo-Jo, please let me in," said Hannah, now crying and not understanding why her brother wouldn't open the door.
"I'm sorry, Hannah; I can't open the door. Go to your room and keep quiet."
Loud footsteps sounded and Hannah screamed in terror. Their father was back and he had picked up Hannah roughly. The man with dark-brown hair hated especially that the children had blond hair from their mother, rather than dark brown hair from him. He hated all the things they had inherited from the woman.
"I've found you a new home, away from your brother who's a bad influence on you," said Mr. Sanchez, as he carried Hannah to her bedroom. "You'll never have to see that incarnation of the devil again."
"Please don't take her away," shouted Josiah, overcome with grief at the thought of losing his younger sister forever.
"I've found a place for you as well, Brat - a strict boarding school. I'll never have to see you again and they'll help you mend your ways."
As Josiah became angrier about his father's cruel treatment of Hannah and him, the closet door opened, slamming against the wall outside in the corridor.
"I told you not to open that door, Brat," shouted Josiah's father, having just missed being hit by the door as it opened without warning.
"I didn't though," whined Josiah, thinking his father had opened it and was pretending Josiah had done it, as an excuse to hurt the boy again.
"It's settled then - you're going to St. Benedict's Boarding School. You can go back to your room for now."
Josiah ran to his room and started stuffing clothes into his backpack. Anywhere had to be better than with his cruel father, but he hated the thought of never seeing Hannah again.
Mr. Sanchez walked into the room. "Don't bother packing," he said, "there'll be new clothes for you at the school."
To be continued...