Mischief Managed

The group of us began walking towards the horseless carriages that would take us up to the school after saying goodbye to Ava and Beth. We waved at Hagrid, and walked away quickly. Walking to the carriages would have been an easy task, but it was raining so hard that we could barely see anything, let alone we were all drenched.

"Ugh," Ginny said, fighting the wind as she walked.

"Right? This sucks," Ron said, walking faster.

Finally, we arrived at the carriages and we all piled into one. I sat between Ronald and Fred, shivering so much I was vibrating the whole carriage, according to my friends.

"Cold, Ella?" Ronald smirked.

"Shut up, Ronald," I said, making a face. Fred swiftly wrapped his arms around me tightly, as my face went bright pink. Just for that fact, I was glad it was dark and rainy, so no one could see - especially Hermione.

"Warm yet?" he asked, grinning stupidly. Then he started swaying me back in forth, as I began to cough for air.

"Get off me, you dork," I said, laughing. Of course, he didn't listen and he squeezed tighter. I sighed in defeat for only a moment, until I got a bright idea. I bit his arm lightly, just to scare him, as he let go quickly.

"Did you just bite me?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

"Sorry, but I had to get you off of me somehow," I said, smiling at him.

"I'll remember that..." he smirked.

Suddenly, the carriage came to an abrupt stop, and we all got off. The rain died down a little, but it was still raining cats and dogs. The group of us walked up to the castle quickly, and went to our table. Many students were already at their tables, talking with their old friends, laughing, and telling stories about their summer. As I sat down, Hermione ran over to me and sat beside me, quickly, making me scoot over. I accidentally scooted into Ron, who scooted into Harry.

"Sorry," I said, quickly to the two. "Hermione, what the hell?"

"You get the bed next to me this year. We have a lot of talking to do once the feast is over," she said to me, not taking a breath.

"Hermione, is this about you-know-who and you-know-what?" I said, giving her a stern look.

"You-know-who?" George and Fred said, who were sitting across from us.

"No, not you-know-who," I said quickly. "You-know-who."

"Because that clears it up," Fred said.

I sighed before saying, "Well, you-don't-know-who. But Hermione and I? We-know-you. But you-don't-know-who. Only we-know-who, so it's not that big of a deal to you since you-don't-know-who. Well, at least I don't think you-know-who. Do you-know-who?"

Fred and George just stared at me like I was an alien, Hermione shook her head, Harry and Ron looked as if they were still trying to figure out what I said, and Ginny and Lee were busy talking to those around them to hear what I said.

"Ummm... no, we don't know who," George said slowly, just as Hermione began to burst into fits of laughing.

"I need more sleep..." I said, laughing to myself as I realized how stupid I had just sounded.

Fred quickly pulled out a piece of parchment and began writing quickly. Hermione took her interest away from him, and began looking up towards the teachers table to see who was all there. Fred smiled at me, then handed me the note. Luckily, no one was paying attention because they were all talking to other people. I unfolded the parchment and there were only a few words scribbled on it.

Don't be embarrassed about your confusing... thing that you said. I thought it was cute. (:

I felt myself go red, as I smiled at Fred, who was grinning back. I stuffed the parchment into my robes, just as all the first years began to pile into the Great Hall. They all were shaking, either from the cold or from nerves. Or both.

I spotted Ava, who waved shyly at me. Then, I looked up and down the Gryffindor table, to make sure Caden was at the table. I had the fear that Caden was going to turn out like Fred and George. Not that it was all a bad thing, but trouble-making wise. After all, he did grow up around their jokes and pranks. Of course, Caden was nowhere to be seen. I sighed and got up from the table.

"Where are you going? The sorting is about to start soon!" Ginny said.

"I know, but Caden isn't at the table. I need to find him before he gets himself expelled," I said to her, walking towards Jacob.

"Hey," I said, tapping him on the shoulder.

"What's up?" Jacob asked, with a worried look on his face.

"Have you seen Caden anywhere? I can't find him," I said, sighing loudly.

"No, I haven't. Let's go find him, I guess..." Jacob, said, looking angry.

Jacob got up, and we began to walk away from the tables. As we tried to walk out of the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall stopped us.

"What do you two think you're doing?" she asked, her lips very thin.

"Professor, we can't find Caden. He's not at the table, so we're going to go make sure he hasn't gotten into anything," I said at once.

"Oh, we've already found him, dear. Mr. Elkin and his friend, Mr. Green, are spending their feast in my office. However, if you two would like to talk to your younger brother at the end of the feast, you are very welcome to. I wouldn't want you to miss your sister in the sorting," she said, a small smile forming.

"Thank you, Professor," Jacob nodded.

"What did Caden and Ben do?" I asked at once.

"They thought it'd be fun to tell Peeves to throw water balloons at the students as they arrived to school."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Jacob walked away, as I said thank you to Professor McGonagall, and I caught up to Jacob.

"I can't believe him..." I groaned.

"It's not his fault," Jacob said sternly.

"What do you mean it's not his fault?" I said, raising my voice slightly.

Jacob stopped at once and turned to me. "He grew up around it. He's only twelve, he doesn't know any better."

"Jacob, he's twelve. He does know better," I said back.

"Maybe if Mom didn't let him hang around with people who do like to get in trouble, including his older sister, he wouldn't ever do anything like this!" Jacob said.

"God dammit, Jacob. Don't you dare blame this on me and my friends! We didn't do anything!" I said back, anger arising within me.

"Let's see, your first year, you and your little "crew" almost got killed by a troll, you had to go into the forest and saw he-who-must-not-be-named, and went into forbidden areas in the castle to try and get the stone. In your second year, you guys flew a car illegally, made a polyjuice potion, and went down into the chamber of secrets. In your third year, you guys almost got yourselves killed by Sirius Black and played with a werewolf! God only knows what you're going to get into this year," he said angrily.

"Because you're mister perfect," I said, crossing my arms.

"I'm a lot better than you and your lot," he yelled back.

Suddenly, I raised my hand and I slapped him across the face. I don't know why, and I don't even remember thinking about doing it, but it happened. Then? I walked away, fighting back tears. I hated fighting with him, I really did. That was probably why I was trying not to cry.

I was about to sit down when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and it was Jacob.

"Don't you ever hit me like that again, you little bitch," he said, full of hatred.

Everyone at the table that was near us sat with their mouths wide open. I couldn't see through the tears, but I could probably guess that just about everyone near us in the hall had turned their attention to my brother and I. Jacob walked away, angrily, as I sat down, wiping my eyes.

"Your makeup is all smeared," Hermione said quietly, taking a napkin and wiping some mascara off my cheeks. Ronald put a hand on my knee, and laid his head on my shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Ella," he whispered. This is why I loved Ron. Sure, he was clueless a lot of the time, but he was always there no matter what.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"I'll tell you guys later," I said quietly. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Did you find Caden?" George asked. I looked up to the twins. They both had an identical look of worry.

"Yes."

Then, hush swept over the hall as McGonagall placed the sorting hat up on the stool. We all turned our attention to the front of he hall, as the hat began to sing. After the song, everyone applauded and some cheered.

"That's not the same song it sang when it sorted us," Harry said when the applause stopped.

"It sings a new one every year," Ronald said. "I suppose it spends all year making up a new one."

Harry hadn't been present at a Sorting except for his very own in our first year, so he didn't realize that the hat sang different songs.

Then, McGonagall unrolled a large scroll of parchment and began to speak.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool. When the hat announces your House, you will go and sit at the appropriate table.

She called many names, then. Finally, she arrived at my sister. Ava walked up slowly, shaking even worse. I put on my best smile and gave her a thumbs up. She gave one back, and sat on the stool. Within moments, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" and Ava ran over to our table, as we Gryffindors stood up, clapping for her.

"I did it, I did it!" she said, smiling. I gave her a hug, and we all sat down once more until the sorting was over.

Then, Professor Dumbledore stood up at the end and said, "I only have two words for you this evening. Tuck in."

"Hear, hear!" Ronald and Harry said, loudly, as food appeared in front of us.

I got a little bit of food onto my plate, but not as much as I usually did. Picking up my fork, I lightly touched my food, not eating any of it.

"C'mon, Ella, eat," Fred said.

"I'm not hungry," I said at once. He gave me a sad look, as I just stared down at my plate. I saw Jacob get up and he walked over to me.

"You want to go talk to Caden now?" he asked, looking at the floor. I got up without saying anything.

"Wait, I want to come, too!" Ava pleaded. Jacob nodded, and we got up and walked away. We walked towards Professor McGonagall for permission to see Caden. She said yes, and walked with us to her office.

"They are in here," she said, as we walked in.

"Hi," Caden said, looking down. Ben, Caden's best friend, and Caden were eating sandwiches that kept re-appearing on their plates.

"Caden, why did you do it?" Jacob asked, sitting down next to him.

"We thought it'd be funny. We figured Peeves wouldn't rat us out, but he did. He told us when we told him to do it that he'd take the blame," he said, stuffing a corner of his sandwich into his mouth.

I sighed. "Caden, rule number one, never trust Peeves."

"We know that now," Ben said, finally speaking up.

"Good," I said. Then I took one of Caden's sandwiches and sat down next to him.

"Why don't you guys go back to the feast? You don't want to eat sandwiches," Caden said, as Ava and Jacob took a sandwich too.

"Rule number two," I said. "Family always sticks together."

Caden smiled, and I looked over at Jacob, who was smiling at me.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, sis," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry for slapping you," I said, as we laughed.

I hugged him, and he hugged back. "I love you," he said to me.

"I love you, too, Jacob... But let's face it. You meant everything you said. I know you did." And with that said, I got up and walked away from them. Tears spilt down my face once more as I made my way up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. I ran up the stairs and sat onto my bed. Quickly, I pulled out a picture that I brought everywhere with me. It was a picture of my family. Mom and Dad were standing, with their arms around each other. Ava was on Jacob's back, pulling his ears while they made a silly face. And I was knelt down on the ground next to Caden, hugging him from behind while kissing his cheek.

I looked at the photo, and the tears came faster. I sighed, and laid down on my bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"I hate this," I whispered to myself. The room was as silent as could be. All that was heard was my deep breathing, and that's just the way I liked it.