don't wanna be torn

1.5

"a hufflepuff?" they demanded, fuming as they stared down at her robes when they arrived at king's cross station. it was mere minutes before they were apparating back to the manor, sending out a handful of house elves to collect her things from the train.

thestia flushed, not because she was embarrassed, but because it was hard to do much else under their hard gaze. she wilted slightly, not sure what to do with herself as they glared down at her.

"she might as well drop out," her aunt said matter-of-factly, and she felt her heart drop down between her toes. "we could send her to beaxbatons or somewhere else and just pretend this never happened."

thestia's aunt was not talking to her anymore, instead turning to her uncle for his opinion. she felt the panic rising in her throat at the thought of not returning to hogwarts. if she was forced all the way to france, she would never see the weasleys again. she'd just gotten them back, and she refused to lose them again so quickly. she desperately wracked her brain for a way to save herself.

"how would that look though? pulling her out mid-year," her uncle said thoughtfully, working to assess the situation. "the girls are also set to be attending hogwarts, so if we do send her, we'll have to send them too."

"i couldn't stand my little pebbles that far from me, darling." her breath caught in her chest, seeing her chance.

"it likely wouldn't be good for my scores either," thestia said quietly. "having to readjust like that in the middle of the year. especially since i don't speak french."

"we could always wait until the year is over," he said thoughtfully, and she tried to push past the feeling of her chest tightening again.

"a hufflepuff in my own home," her aunt moaned, throwing herself dramatically into her armchair as she began to softly weep.

"there are qualities there that could be useful. we mustn't forget that. like, loyalty and hard work. with those idiots surrounding her she'd be sure to make a fine prefect, especially if she keeps her current standing, dear. you know how loyalty is rewarded."

her aunt's fit had passed by now, though she still appeared thoroughly unpleasant. "we don't have to decide now either. we could just wait until the end of the year as you said."

"that's true," he said finally, and she let out a sigh of relief. when he turned back to face her and she met his steely gaze, she realized it was too soon. "however, there is still the matter of punishment to be discussed in response to this careless embarrassment of our family name."

"i suppose we should be grateful that it wasn't gryffindor house like that traitorous uncle of hers, sirius- serves him right that he was driven absolutely mad over it."

she paled as he took out his wand, looming over her. "anything to say for yourself, girl?"

"i'm s-sorry," she hurried out, hastily backing up until she felt her back press up against the wall. her breath quickened, realizing she was effectively trapped. "i'm s-sorry. i didn't mean it-"

"i don't want to hear your sorry excuses. the damage is already done, we can only hope that you find other ways to make up for it in the future. for now though, i think a quick beating will do well to remind you of the expectations we have for you."