Embers of Discord

Chapter Thirty-Two

Ahava-

                           
                                      Death reeks havoc in the muggle world

I hurriedly skim through the newspaper headings, my eyes darting across the words. It's the third time there has been an assassination of Muggles.

"Muggle deaths," Ruhani echoes, peering over my shoulder at the Daily Prophet.

"Are you actually paying for this rubbish?" Pandora asks incredulously.

'You are actually paying for this garbage?'-Pandora asks.

'It's our only source to the outside world, Dora'-I tell her knowingly when a disgusted grunt erupts from the Slytherin table-

'What's the Mud-blood doing in front of our table?'-Bellatrix sneers, pulling her wand out.

"Take a look at the paper, Bella! Muggles and squibs are dropping like flies," I hear Parkinson giggle.

"You bunch of freaks," Ruhani growls under her breath. "Don't you feel disgusted talking like this?."

Bellatrix sneers, grinning deviously at Ru. "You little orphan, I'd watch my tongue if I were you!"

In the next instant, a bright yellow light strikes Bellatrix's face, and a thick silence descends upon the Great Hall.

"You Blood Traitor!" Narcissa glowers at me.

I follow her gaze to my hand and, to my shock, I notice the light fading from the tip of my wand.

Merlin, did I just cast a non-verbal spell?

Despite my astonishment, anger courses through me, and I almost don't realize it's me speaking.

"Next time you call my sister an orphan, Lestrange, I'll hex your soul from your body!"

Her eyes widen as she snarls, "You take that back, Shafiq."

We both point our wands at each other, but suddenly McGonagall stands between us.

"That's enough! Ms. Lestrange, Ms. Shafiq," her cold eyes cut through our faces. "Put your wands away at once! Detention, tonight!"

"What!?" I exclaim, pointing my finger at Bellatrix. "That's not fair, she started it."

But the Professor silences me with a raised hand. "Life is never fair, Ms. Shafiq. Since Professor Slughorn is absent, I'll take matters into my own hands. Ms. Shafiq, you will serve your detention in my office tonight. As for you, Ms. Lestrange, you'll be assigned to Professor Slughorn's office. Case dismissed!"

McGonagall strides out of the Hall, marking the end of the conversation. That woman is undeniably a HBIC.

Pandora leads me out of the Hall, followed by Ruhani. My sister's expression resembles someone who has just had a bucket of ice poured over her.

"How do they know... that I'm..." she stammers.

I embrace her, resting my head on her slender shoulder. "I'm sorry."

She shakes her head. "No, I'm sorry. It's because of me that you got detention."

"I would gladly do it again, Ru. No one messes with my sister and gets away with it," I smile reassuringly.

Ru returns the smile and whispers a small thank you for defending her honor.

"Perhaps it was Snape," Pandora suggests.

"Could be," I ponder. "He's no longer our friend, so he could be the one who informed them."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I don't care about others' opinions," Ru asserts, though I can clearly sense the turmoil beneath her facade.