I ran a hand through my hair. It had taken two vials of calming drought and a sleeping potion for a doctor to properly examine Elizabeth. She was still asleep and showed no signs of waking soon. I reluctantly returned to the paper work that would officially place Elizabeth under my care.
I had been working on the papers for the past three hours and wanted to take a break but could not find a good enough excuse. Ever since I had seen the cuts and bruises that proved her father abusive I went into overdrive doing everything I possibly could to keep he safe on top of classes and grading. Three hours and two glasses of firewhiskey later I finished the documents and sent them with my owl Lily to the Ministry.
I looked at the clock it was ten till twelve he would be home any minute and his dinner wasn't finished yet. I hoped he would be late so I could finish cooking. I heard mother stir on the old couch. She passed out three hours ago and I had to put out the cigarette that had been still lit in her hand.
The door crashed open and father stumbled into the kitchen. He found his way over to the cabinet and pulled out another bottle. I tensed my jaw and dropped to the floor. I curled up into a ball waiting for the blow that would come soon enough. The blow never came, but he grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up the stairs. Tears fell down my cheeks silently as he shoved me into the bedroom.
"Elizabeth, Elizabeth darling what's wrong?" a soft voice called over me.
"He…he…he," I managed to say before I collapsed into a pile of tears on his robes.
"Shhhh it's okay," he whispered it was just a dream, it's over," he whispered wrapping his arms around me. I sobbed for what was probably hours before falling asleep in his arms.
My owl swooped in and dropped a letter on my desk before flying back out the window to go to the owlery. The sun was just rising and Elizabeth was asleep in my arms. Another trip into her memory made me angrier than the first. Seeing her nightmare I wanted to find her father and hex him to a point of no return. I guessed it was the papers from the ministry not many others would care to send me letters. Not that I minded I prefer to be alone.