𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 (OC x OC)

[002] Chapter 25

Makayla

I walk into the Great Hall with Louis and Annelise following a little ways behind me. I look around the room, looking for my father. He's nowhere to be seen. Oh, nevermind. He's standing near the podium at the other side of the room. I walk to him. His eyes meet mine and he meets me halfway down the aisle.

"Can we talk about this somewhere... private?" he asks.

I somehow manage to keep a straight face, "No. If you want to speak to me, we're going to do it right here. I'm not going anywhere with you."

He manages to keep his patience and takes a deep breath, "I know that your mother dropped Nora off here for the holidays."

"What about it?"

"I told her not to do it."

"Congratulations, Dad, I honestly do not care."

"Well, you're the one who told her to disobey my orders!"

Louis and Annelise walk in the moment I start talking, "Okay, first thing: I did not tell her to do anything. I didn't even know she was bringing Nora here in the first place. If she brought it up, I would've told her not to, and it's not because of your 'orders,' it's because of all of the crap that we're all having to go through here. You of all people should know that I wouldn't put her in a situation like that."

"Oh really? I wasn't aware that you cared for anyone other than yourself."

"And I wasn't aware that the stick in your ass is so far up that it has reached the nucleus of your brain–oh wait! I was. Now if you excuse me, I'm actually trying to enjoy the rest of my year."

"Makayla, if you test me–"

"Then what? You'll keep me at Hogwarts for the summer? You'll force me to do some 'community service' job that keeps me away from the All-perfect Malfoy family? I know how this goes, father, and you very much do not scare me. Threaten me with time away from you all as much as you want, because in my eyes, it's truly luxury not having to see you and your dumbass hair."

"Makayla Irma Malfoy!"

"Goodbye, Lucius Malfoy."

I turn away and father grabs my arm tightly, before I can shout Ow!, he reprimands me, "Believe me when I say that the punishment you'll get from your disobedience will be far from community service." I feel tears form in my eyes as the pain starts to become overwhelming, causing my throat to feel as if it's closing in on itself. What he says next doesn't help at all. Once the tears form, I'm more sensitive than ever, and I hate it. "Ever since we started excluding you from everything that the family does, we've all been in perfect harmony. You know why? Because we don't need you. With you, the family is a mess! That's because you're a mess. Your chaos is a contagious disease and it's spreading throughout all of your siblings' attitudes. If you don't fix their and your attitudes, it won't be long before you aren't going to Hogwarts anymore all together."

I ignore the tear rolling down my cheek, that and the tightness in my throat and the crack in my voice, "That'd just mean more time to spend with your favorite oldest child, and we both know you'd rather die than do that."

"That's enough, Makayla."

"I recall that I tried to claim it was enough right before you forced me back into the topic, so if you excuse me," I yank my arm away, hiding the pain behind the tears in my eyes and my shaky voice, "I'll see you when I get home in June, father."

I walk away and see Louis and Annelise stand from the Slytherin table, following me out of the Great Hall. I also notice that Jordyn is with them. Alas, she's returned.

"Malfoy," Louis calls out to me when they reach the hallway and can see me again.

I do not answer.

"Malfoy!" he calls out again.

I continue to ignore him.

"Makayla?" Jordyn asks with a sincere tone as she elbows Louis in the side.

"Ow!" Louis yelps.

I sigh, look to the ground, then to the ceiling, then I turn around and face them, sighing again, my voice not sounding any different than the crybaby back there, "What?"

"What happened?" Annelise asks.

"Nothing."

"Makayla, you're crying."