Elemental

Sisters

Beth stands up and I realize that the cry came from her, not me. I'm shocked. Shy, timid Beth? Then I realize, of course it's Beth. We're sisters. Of course she'd fight for me.

"I won't do it. You've forced us to hurt—to torture innocent little kids." I refrain from shouting I resent that! "And anyone who thinks this is right—" She pauses to glare at Professor Carrow. "—is soulless, shallow, and has no right to even live."

Small claps and low, quiet whistles resound as Professor Carrow grins wider. "Oh dear," he says, "a new troublemaker. Who else is going to join her?" He clearly doesn't expect anyone to stand up.

Neville is first. Then Seamus. Parvati and Padma Patil. I lose track of names as everyone—minus a handful of Slytherins—stands.

"You can't tear apart a family!" cries a Hufflepuff boy.

"We won't stand for this!" adds a Ravenclaw girl. I realize they are the kids from earlier. They must be twins.

Professor Carrow's smirk turns to an expression of shock. Then he and the Slytherins start shouting curses everywhere. Screams fill the air and hardly anyone is left standing. Somehow, I'm not hit. Instead, I rush to people's sides as the spells subside and help them up.

Then Professor McGonagall bursts in, thank gods. Professor Carrow and the Slytherins dash out, the smartest thing they've done all year, if you ask me. "All right, this is enough! What is going on in here?!"

"Well, we were in Defense Against the Dark Arts," begins Seamus, a seventh-year Gryffindor.

"Which doubles as detention for the first-years," adds Nina, a Ravenclaw.

"And Carrow made Beth curse Mia—"

"And they're sisters—"

"So a couple of people objected—"

"And then everyone else stood up—"

"STOP!" Professor McGonagall cries. Then she looks at Beth. "What do you mean, curse?"

Beth looks uncomfortable, so her friend Tiana answers. "We're supposed to practice the Cruciatus Curse on the first years who've earned detention. Three times a week. It's always the same people." She seems surprised that Professor McGonagall didn't know, as am I.

"And how, exactly, did you earn detention?" she asks. "At least in my class, none of you seem to be troublemakers. Well...mostly," she corrects herself, looking at Lawrence and earning some laughs from the remainder of the class.

"We're suspected of being Muggle-Borns," I explain.

"That—" McGonagall says a word that makes even the seventh-years wince. "I swear—well, in that case—I'm afraid there's really no way for me to prevent this, unfortunately, but everyone who needs to can take the rest of the day off. Don't abuse it," she adds, looking straight at Lawrence. Not that I would anyway, I'm already on enough teachers' bad sides already.

Beth walks over to me. "You didn't have to do that, you know," I say.

"Yes, I did," she says. "And I'm sorry I didn't do it earlier. Watching them curse people and actually being forced to do it felt like I was being cursed myself."

"Few people did stand up," I remind her.

"I shouldn't have let them do that to you. We're sisters, and I'm supposed to protect you."

"You're being too hard on yourself," I tell her. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," she says. "But I know you don't want to talk about it." Beth runs out to catch up with Tiana. Maybe she's right.

The period is nearly over anyway, so I wander around, then head to Herbology, which is conveniently with the Slytherins. I have to find out more about Ralph—he's hiding something, I know it.

As promised, an on-time update! Question of the day: what is your theme song? Meaning, what song basically describes your current situation? For me, it's "We're Okay" from the musical Rent--really busy, but everything's under control (for the most part).

One more thing: I have decided to embrace my Rent obsession, so would anyone like to see some one-shots? (I'm not really expecting any replies as it's not a very well-known musical.)

Well, that's all. Byeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

~Sasha