Mischief Managed

About another two hours passed when I heard Hermione come upstairs. I contemplated pretending like I fell asleep, but I knew she was going to want to talk eventually, so I just sat there. She looked at me with sad eyes, changed into her pajamas, and sat on my bed next to me.

"What happened with Jacob?" she asked.

"What did you want to talk about earlier?" I asked her.

"Answer my question first."

"Fine. Caden got in some trouble, Jacob said it was my fault because I guess I'm a bad role model for him since we're always getting into trouble. Then Jacob said he was better than me so I slapped him across the face. And then when me, him, and Ava all went to go sit with Caden, he apologized and said he loved me."

"Well that's good, then, isn't it?" she said, with a small smile.

"No, because I told him that I know that he meant everything he said to me before and I walked out," I said simply.

"Why did you say that?"

"Because it's true! I'm not going to pretend nothings wrong. He's seventeen. He shouldn't be calling his little sister a bitch and say that he's better than her and expect her to just forgive him for that because he says that he loves her. Sometimes, I don't even believe that he loves me," I said, pulling my pillow closer to me.

"He loves you," Hermione said.

"Sure as hell doesn't act like it."

Hermione sighed. "Well, if it makes you feel better, you are all Fred can talk about right now."

"What d'you mean?" I asked. I felt my cheeks go light pink as I smiled.

"He's really worried about you, Ella. When you came back crying he thought something bad happened with Caden. And then you all three left to "go see him", so we all get even more worried because, well, it just seemed like Caden was hurt or something. And he kept asking people about you and stuff, trying to figure out what was wrong. Oh, and you dropped the parchment that he gave you," she said, ending with a smile.

"You read it, didn't you?" I said, looking at her, smirking.

"Well of course. Ella, he totally likes you. Plus, with what happened on the carriage and during the train ride here! Oh, and you missed the ending of the feast. Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is Mad-eye Moody. And there is no quidditch this year."

"What? No quidditch!" I shouted, a little too loudly.

"Yes, because of the Triwizard Tournament!" she said excitedly.

"No..." I said, in shock.

"Yes!"

"I'm so putting my name in! When can I?" I said, bursting with joy.

"Oh, you can't. Because of the death toll, you have to be seventeen to enter. But of course you can watch, and it'll still be thrilling while you're safe in the stands. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students are coming to Hogwarts in October and there'll be one student from the three schools competing," she said.

"I can't join? Dumb. Who chooses which students go through?" I asked.

"Dumbledore's exact words were, 'An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money.'"

"Wicked," I said, amazed.

"Well, I know it's kind of late, but you may want to explain to the guys that Caden is okay... They're all worried," Hermione said, looking away.

I sighed. "Why can't you?"

"Because Caden isn't my brother, and none of them were worried about me," Hermione said simply.

I got up and looked at a full body mirror. "Hermione, look at my outfit. I look awful."

Hermione laughed. "Ella, they're your best friends. They aren't going to care."

"Fine."

I walked down the stairs, half hoping that they had all already went up to bed. I heard light chatter that sounded familiar. I walked quietly into the common room. Fred and George were sitting on the floor, beside each other; Jacob, Caden, and Ava shared a couch; Harry and Ron sat next to the twins; and Ginny sat curled up into a chair beside the boys.

"Hey Ella," Harry said, smiling.

"Hey guys," I said, walking over to them.

"What's up?" Ginny asked.

"Hermione came up to tell me to tell you guys that Caden wasn't hurt or anything, he just got into some trouble. But since he's right here, I know you guys already know that, so I'm going back to bed," I said, as I began to turn around.

"Wait!" Fred said. I turned around and looked at him.

"What?"

"Stay down here with us for a bit. You were gone all feast," he said, as George nodded. I sighed and sat down on the floor next to Ronald.

"So are you okay?" George asked, looking over at me.

"Why wouldn't she be?" Jacob said quickly, looking intently at me.

"Look, dude, we heard what you said to her," Ron said.

"So? She's fine. Brothers and sisters fight," Jacob said, standing up.

"Yeah, because that gives you the right to call her a bitch," Fred said angrily, getting up as well.

"You are what you act," Jacob said simply.

"Caden, Ava, why don't you two go to bed? It's getting late now," I said, as they got up without saying anything. I hated it when they had to see us fight, I could tell it was scaring them both.

"Jacob, why'd you have to start this up right in front of them? I mean honestly," I said angrily.

"Why not? They're old enough," he said.

"Oh yes, because it's great for them to see us yelling at each other!" I said loudly.

"Fuck this, I'm out of here," Jacob said, walking away.

"Good," Ronald said angrily.

Jacob stopped and faced Ron, then he started walking quickly towards him. "What'd you say?" They were face to face, about three inches apart.

"I said good. Can't you speak english?" Ron spat.

"I'm three years older than you, Ron. You don't know what you're saying. Learn respect," Jacob said.

"Take your own advice," Ron said right back.

"Jacob, get out of his face!" I said, trying to pull him away.

"Don't touch me," Jacob said, pushing me back, making me stumble. Fred and George quickly caught me before I fell.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Ron yelled.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Jacob yelled back.

Suddenly, Jacob raised his fist and punched Ron right in the face, making him fall backwards.

"Jacob!" I screamed, running over to Ron.

"Ronald, are you okay?" I said, panicked, rubbing his arm. His mouth was bleeding slowly.

"Don't touch my brother!" Fred yelled and ran over, punching Jacob in the back of the head.

Jacob swung his fist at Fred, but missed. Fred punched him again, right in the nose. We heard it crack and bleed everywhere.

Ron slowly got up and ran at Jacob, punching him in the gut. Harry and George ran over to Jacob just as he swung his fist and hit Harry, breaking his glasses.

"All of you, stop it!" Ginny screamed.

"Ginny, go get Hermione! And you two go get Professor McGonagall, okay? Ron's jaw might be broken," I called over the yelling. Suddenly, Jacob tackled me to the ground and punched me three times in the face.

"Get off of me!" I screamed at him, as I felt blood trickle down from just below my eye.

Then, Jacob walked away from me and punched Fred. I could already see black forming around his right eye, just as Fred punched back. George joined in, too, and punched Jacob somewhere in the face. I couldn't tell, and all I could feel was the right side of my face going numb.

Hermione came running downstairs as quickly as possible.

"Oh my..."

"Let's just go!" Ginny said. They both ran towards the door, just as it opened.

Professor McGonagall walked in swiftly. "I heard some noise, it's so late. Why -" Then she spotted Ronald, George, Harry, and me on the floor and Fred and Jacob in mid-punch. "What the devil is going on here?"

"Mr. Elkin, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Weasley, and Weasley, and Miss Elkin, follow me this instant," she said. We all slowly walked over to her and followed her to her office.

"There's two sides to every story. Or in this case, maybe six. Mr. Elkin, go."

"Okay, thank you Professor. So I was just sitting in the common room with Caden, Ava, Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny when Ella came downstairs. Then Ron got up in my face and started yelling at me for fighting with Ella earlier because I guess she can't handle some brother-sister fighting. Then Ron punched me and they all ganged up on me. Obviously, I hit back because I was going to defend myself. And then I told Caden and Ava to go to bed because I didn't want them to see their brother getting beaten up by their own sister and her friends," Jacob said.

"What? No way!" Ronald shouted.

"Mr. Weasley, you will have your turn," McGonagall said, her eyes still on Jacob. "Okay, Mr. Elkin. Mr. Potter, you next."

"Well, like Jacob said, we were all sitting in the common room when -"

"Who's we all, Potter?" McGonagall asked.

"Me, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, Jacob, Ava, and Caden, Professor," he said.

"Okay. Go on, Potter."

"Okay. And then Ella came downstairs because she wanted to make sure we knew that Caden wasn't hurt or anything since she was so upset during the feast and then just left with Jacob and Ava. Then George asked if she was okay and Jacob started in. Jacob and Ella started arguing again, and then Ella told Caden and Ava to go upstairs because of it. Then Jacob said he was 'out of here' and Ron said 'good', then Jacob got into Ron's face. They started arguing, then Jacob punched Ron, which lead to all of us fighting. Then Ella told Ginny to go get Hermione and they were going to go get you."

"Two very different stories, I see. Weasley, Fred, you next," McGonagall said, focusing her attention to Fred.

"What Harry said," Fred told her.

"George?"

"What Harry said."

"Ron?"

"What Harry said."

"Ella?"

"What Harry said."

"Hmm.. five to one, I see," McGonagall said, now turning to Jacob. "Why is this, Mr. Elkin?"

"Because they're all going against me," Jacob said simply.

"Well, I do not approve of your actions. I honestly wouldn't believe it out of any of you. Seeing as it's the first night here, Gryffindor has no House Points, so it looks like a weeks worth of detention for the lot of you. Beginning next week. Be here, my office, immediately after classes. Detention will last you two hours each day."

Just as Ronald began to open her mouth, McGonagall added, "No refutes, Mr. Weasley, or the punishment will be doubled."

No one spoke.

"I want you all to go to the Hospital Wing to fix you up. You may go."

We all got up at once and walked to the Hospital Wing. The nurse told us to stay in the Hospital Wing over night to be positive everything was okay. Also, we already knew that Fred's black eye hurt like a bitch, Jacob's nose was broken, and Ron's jaw was messed up. Not to mention the bruises and blood from the rest of us.

"Hey, Ella, you know when I told you earlier that I loved you?" Jacob said, suddenly, as we waited for the nurse to come back with some healer.

"Yep."

"Well, forget it. Because I don't. In all honestly, I wish you weren't my fucking sister." With that said, he walked to the opposite side of the Hospital Wing and laid down. I could hear him cussing under his breath.

I felt someone wrap their arms around me lightly. I looked over, and it was Fred. He kissed my forehead, as I laid my head on his chest. At that moment, I didn't care what anyone else thought about us acting more than friends. All I knew is I needed someone, because my older brother was no longer going to be there for me. Ever.