The First Muggleborn
Chapter 2
The next few days went by without any more strangeness and Arabella carried on with her usual responsibilities around the manor. Her mother had just started giving her more complex weaving to complete and it took up most of the young girl's time making sure it was done correctly.
"Blast!" She nearly shouted as she mucked up another row. Frustrated, Bella tried again. "Why won't you just- UGH!" Dropping the threads, she fumed. But, just as she was about to stand and walk away in defeat for the day, she saw them rise and being to work their way through the loom on their own. Arabella stared in shock at what was happening before her eyes, and even closed and rubbed them, in hopes it was a trick of the light. But no, for the next several minutes, Bella watched in amazement.
"Bella, dear, how is your pattern coming along?" The girl heard her mother call from down the hall, her voice getting closer. Panicked, she rushed back to the loom and grabbed the strings, forcing them to stop their movement. "Bella?" She asked as she pushed open the heavy door.
"Yes mother?" Arabella struggled to keep her pulse down as she feigned calm.
"Dear, are you alright? You look garish."
"Yes, I, uh, was just angry with my weaving. I can't seem to get it right."
"Oh, perhaps I can be of some help then." Catherine glided over to the loom and sat down, taking hold of the comb and threads in Arabella's hands. Slowly and accurately, she worked the threads expertly through the loom, correcting any mistakes Arabella had made. After about fifteen minutes, a tapping could be heard echoing through the craft room.
"What on earth is that?" The older woman asked aloud. They both glanced around, searching for the sounds source, until Catherine's eyes finally landed on one of the windows. "How peculiar."
Arabella joined her mother as she opened the window and, unintentionally, let a large barn owl inside. It circled the room several times, before landing on the loom and dropping an envelope, allowing it to slide down the woven fabric. Bella's eyes grew wide with recognition when she saw the seal that adorned it, and as her mother approached the bird.
"Mother! You mustn't get too close! What if it attacks?"
"Nonsense, don't be silly," she dismissed as she continued onward, picking up the paper. "Why, it has your name on it." Ignoring her usual manners, Catherine turned the envelope around and tore it open. Arabella watched in horror as her mother's eyes roved back and forth over the paper, squinting as she reached the bottom.
"Mother I-" She was at a loss for words, not knowing how to begin to explain the blasphemy in the letter.
"Bella," her mother looked up at her, eyes wide. "Do you know something about this?"
"N-no! Of course not! I mean, what? Know what?"
"Be truthful with me Arabella. What this letter says is blasphemy." Bella's pulse spiked as she saw her mother become angrier with every passing moment. "Unless…Bella is this true?"
"I-is what true, mother?"
"Do you practice…" she looked back at the paper in her hand, "witchcraft?" She finished in a whisper.
"No! Mother, please! This is madness! Those are lies. Don't believe any of it!"
"Bella," Catherine slowly walked back towards her daughter. Arabella didn't let her mother touch her though, backing away and becoming more hysterical with every step.
"Mother…I-I don't know who's doing this. Why are they doing this?" Tears flowed freely down her face as she imagined all of the horrible consequences of being accused of what the letter was claiming.
"Bella, it's ok." Arabella stopped in her tracks and stared at her mother.
"What?"
"I'm not…" She attempted to regain her composure in order to comfort her frightened child. "I'm not saying that this isn't very serious. Whoever is making these…accusations clearly wants to bring us harm. But we must remain calm if we are to fight these claims." She paused for a moment in thought.
Using this time to calm herself down, Arabella wiped her face of tears and took deep breaths. The owl still sat on the loom, staring her down. She glared at it and gritted her teeth in hatred. Quite suddenly, a small flame erupted along the threads of the loom and the owl leapt off in panic, before departing out the window.
"What on earth?" Her mother exclaimed as she looked back and forth from the loom to her daughter. "It's true then? This is witchcraft!"
"No!" She cried out, her hysteria rising again. "I swear it mother! I only practice the word of God!"
"Child! Calm yourself," her mother shushed her. She appeared to be putting on a brave face, despite her own spiking concern for their situation. "Father Edward will help us. I'm sure of it." Catherine took the small mat they used to kneel on as they worked and beat the small flame out.
"It's ruined." Arabella wasn't sure why she felt so inclined to make this observation. She was well aware that there were more pressing matters, but perhaps the insignificance of the tapestry's destruction helped ground her.
"Not a word of this to your father." Arabella nodded to her mother, both now sufficiently calmed to devise a plan. "We'll visit the monastery tonight, after dinner."
Slipping the defamatory papers into a small pouch strung around her waist, the older woman gave her daughter another kind, yet stern, glance before striding out of the room. Arabella let out a great sigh. She had hoped to never let her parents find out about these accusations, but it would appear fate had other plans.
It was dark as pitch when the pair ventured to the monastery in search of Father Edward. Catherine had explained to her daughter that, in order to minimize any repercussions, they needed to come forward with the truth before anything else could be made of it. Father Edward was a benevolent priest and would surely understand that someone was actively looking to sully their family's name.
They pounded the large knocker against the heavy door when they approached. In the starlight that shone through the trees, Bella caught sight of several owls beginning to perch in the areas surrounding them and on the monastery itself. The dark silence of night only made them seem that much more ominous. She saw her mother notice them too, and it prompted her to slam the knocker again.
"My lady, to what do I owe the pleasure at this late hour?" It was not Father Edward.
"Good evening Father Aldrich. My daughter and I were actually looking for Father Edward. Is he available?"
"Of course, of course. Please come in." He ushered Bella and Catherine inside and offered them a chair and tea, before hurrying off in search of his comrade. He appeared within only a few moments, carrying a candle to light his way to the sitting room and a cup of tea.
"What can I do for you two tonight? Have you come for a confession?" Arabella fidgeted and glanced at her mother, who remained calm and sent a small smile to the priest before them. She was uneasy that the kind man would so easily conclude what they had come for.
"In a manner of speaking. Father, something rather troubling has happened."
"Oh?" The man's expression suddenly became very grave. "Whatever is the matter?"
"It would appear…You see…." Even Catherine seemed to be at a loss for words. The corners of her mouth turned downward and her forehead crinkled in seriousness as she considered her next words. "Someone, we don't know who, has made very serious accusations about my daughter." Bella fidgeted some more, but trusted that her mother knew what she was doing.
"And what might these accusations be?" Catherine glanced at the young girl beside her and back at the priest.
"Firstly, do I have your word that this conversation remains in the utmost confidence?"
"Of course, child. I'm sure it couldn't possibly be that bad though. Young Arabella is just a girl; what could she have possibly been accused of?" Her mother hesitated.
A moment passed and Arabella looked up from her lap and to her mother, who seemed to be deep in thought, frowning at nothing in particular. Arabella searched the room for what she might be staring at, but found nothing of interest.
"Mother?" The older woman snapped out of her reverie and turned back to her companions. Father Edward was sitting patiently across from them, sipping his tea.
"Yes, I…I believe Arabella wanted to confess that she was accused of…stealing. A village woman came to me this morning and told me she had taken a- a doll that belonged to her daughter." Arabella gaped at her mother and turned her wide eyes back to the man in front of her, switching back and forth, searching for an explanation. She had done no such thing!
"Oh dear," he chided. "That is certainly a serious offense. Breaking one of Our Lord's commandments calls for strict punishment indeed." Arabella was speechless. Why would her mother tell the Father such an outlandish story? Certain she had a plan, however, Arabella kept her mouth shut and played along.
"Yes, I wasn't sure how to go about her punishment, Father. Perhaps you have a recommendation that can be carried out at home?" The Father nodded and went into a lengthy explanation of how Catherine should proceed with Arabella's punishment. It was all quite boring to the young girl and she silently prayed her mother wasn't serious about committing to it.
When the pair arrived back home sometime later, Catherine followed her daughter to her room and quietly shut the door.
"Would you care to explain?" Normally, Bela wouldn't have the gall to speak to either of her parents like this, but she felt entitled after her mother so quickly changed the plan without telling her. Catherine didn't seem to register the attitude, as she stirred the logs in the fireplace silently.
"I didn't trust him."
"Why? You trusted him enough to go to him."
"I know, but…He didn't understand the severity of what we were about to confess. Father Edward is a kind man, but an extremely pious one. He would have reported us. You for witchcraft and me for protecting you, likely your father as well. Who knows what would happen to the children. No, this must remain our secret." The fire was crackling merrily now, warming the unusually cool August night, but Arabella still shivered with her mother's newfound realization.
"Excuse me Mistress," Mary appeared in the doorway. Catherine and Arabella both turned to look at her. "Father Aldrich has just come for you. He looks quite harrowed."
"But we just came from the monastery. What could he want?" Rather than sounding upset, Catherine said this with a tone of utmost concern. Without waiting for a response, she motioned for Bella to follow her out the door and to the entrance hall. Father Aldrich stood there, waiting for them.
"Father, did we forget something at the monastery?"
"No, My Lady. I actually wanted to speak to you about your visit." Bella perked up at this. What could Father Aldrich possibly know about their visit to Father Edward? They had hardly said anything at all while there. If Catherine felt uneasy, she didn't show it.
"What is this about, Father?" Arabella couldn't contain herself. There was too much strangeness going on lately and, even if his visit was completely innocent, Bella found herself paranoid.
"I was curious if…you've noticed…has anything strange happened recently?"
"Such as?" Catherine intervened before Bella could open her mouth.
"I noticed an abundance of owls around your home. Have you?"
"Now that you mention it, there have been more than usual. I'm not sure how this would warrant such a strange visit though."
"Arabella," he tilted his gaze to meet Bella's. "Have you received any strange letters recently?"
"You! You're the one who's been sending them! Why would you do this?" Bella cried out from behind her mother, who was keeping her from approaching the man.
"This is very serious, Father. You know something of these letters? Have you sent them? Do you know who has?"
"Might we sit down? I think this would be better explained if we were all more comfortable." Catherine nodded and led the way to a sitting room nearby, where all three members of the small party were served tea.
"Now, please do explain yourself."
"Lady Catherine, are you not a witch yourself?" The woman's face flared red with rage at the claim.
"Take care of what you say, sir, or I will have you reported for blasphemy." With a deep frown, Father Aldrich continued. "So I'll take that as a 'no.' But, somehow it would appear that young Arabella is one herself. Tell me, do you know if your husband is a wizard?"
"Father! How dare you come into my home and toss around these accusations!" Catherine stood very suddenly in her rage and pointed to the door. "You must leave. Now."
"My Lady, I mean no disrespect or harm." Somehow, the middle-aged man sitting before them had remained calm, if not a bit disappointed throughout the entire exchange. Attempting to calm herself and sensing no danger, Catherine sat back down with a huff. "Arabella, has anything suspicious happened lately? Anything you might call witchcraft?" Not sure whether or not to be honest with the priest. She frantically looked to her mother, who seemed to be having the same internal battle.
"There was one time…" Catherine began, staring the priest down and searching his eyes for any sign of deception. "She set fire to a tapestry." Bella's heart beat rapidly as her mother spoke. She prayed that he would at least be merciful. But he smiled.
"And you received a letter? Do you still have it?" Catherine frowned and shook her head. "Perhaps one of our feathered friends outside has one." He stood and casually made his way to the front door.
"Those birds are vermin! We have had no respite from them!" Catherine called to the man down the hall. But He opened the grand doors and raised him arm, allowing a petite tawny owl that had been sitting in a tree nearby to perch. He took a paper from its grasp and pulled out a crust of bread he must have been keeping in his robe for the bird. After it flew off, Father Aldrich turned back around and returned to the waiting ladies.
"Let's see here." He sat and his companions followed suit and watched as he scanned the papers within the envelope. "It would appear you've been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Congratulations dear girl." He finished with a broad smile.
Both women were at a loss for words. This man claimed to be a man of God, yet he so easily accepted these claims, encouraged them even. If it were any other man of the faith, they would have been shackled and imprisoned before you could say 'witchcraft'.
"H-how do you know all this?" Arabella managed to croak out through her stupor.
"Oh, right. I seem to have forgotten my manners," he beamed even brighter than before. "I am a wizard."