Year 1: Breaking Traditions

Chapter 15: Snitches Get Stiches

"I'm pretty sure getting into a fight doesn't qualify as behaving," Adam's voice sharp as he dropped his briefcase next to the couch where Keith was napping

Jumping by the sudden intrusion, Keith almost fell off the couch, his heart almost jumping out of his chest. Shiro just behind Adam with a bit of a tentative look at Adam before refocusing on Keith.

It was Sunday evening after dinner. Not cut off time to be back in the dorms but getting close. Keith figured they would be back sometime tonight; he just wasn't expecting them to come back as he napped on the couch.

Keith ducked his head slightly to avoid the stare.

He hadn't been in trouble with them before. When they found him at the summer fair away from where he was supposed to be they weren't in charge of punishment then. While there had been rocky spots moving to their care they hadn't been the one to deal out the punishment. The short amount of time they were at the house he hadn't really done anything to warrant a punishment.

There were weird things he had done that they questioned or watched from the sidelines and never said anything. Never been punished for anything. So this was uncharted waters.

At the orphanage typically if there was a punishment it involved a few basics. No dinner, sitting in a chair or closet for a period of time, and the adults were good about not hitting but the kids weren't if they felt the punishment wasn't severe enough. The head lady was a Squib so luckily magic was off the table for punishments but here was still open and he was aware of that.

Because Keith's history of past issues were long he was use to punishments not often given to the other kids

He went without food a lot. Often storing extra bits in random places in case his punishment went past a certain amount of days. He liked hiding in the closet when they were searching for him but when it was locked it was a different story. She used the one in her room for that and wasn't afraid of keeping him in there for a few days if needed. He had been locked out of the place a few times too. Stuck sleeping on the porch or trees.

He had heard from other kids what some families would do.

Hitting seemed common. Magic use was the scariest though.

Keith would never forget the girl that came back one evening when he was younger.

She had left three years prior to her return. The family seemed nice enough. They had an older son and had been trying for a second without luck so they adopted. The girl was about to enter her first year at Hogwarts too so it was exciting to have an older kid actually be adopted. The older kids reported the first year everything was fine and normal. She had confirmed there was some adjustment but the family was great. She was a sweet girl without many past issues. It would seem textbook that she had no issues joining a new family.

The next year there was news that her new mom actually got pregnant so they were excited for that but that was also when everything changed.

Keith never knew all the details of what happened between her first and almost fourth year. He remembered very vividly her return though.

He was in the kitchen that evening cleaning when the door to the front snapped open. They clearly weren't expecting anyone because the head of house was confused coming out of her office right by the door. Heads poking out from all around the place.

There in the foyer was the girl, on her knees begging and crying, her father simply glancing around locking eyes with the head of house. Pointing down to the girl he so proudly called daughter for three years. Bruised and dirty, tears all over her face as she begged. Her voice weak in the effort.