Some Badgers like Snakes

Elle

"You really screwed up this time, huh?" A beady eyed witch in a portrait above us cackled.
"Bloody idiots." A hoary man in the frame behind her scoffed under his breath.
"That amount of destruction, senseless violence and stupidity. They deserve expulsion, the whole lot of them." He sneered, revealing sickening rows of decaying, black teeth.
I swallowed.
We wouldn't really be expelled...would we?

"Don't listen to them Elle." Jacob whispered, keeping his face cold and focused.
He continued staring stiffly forwards but I felt his fingers lace around mine.
"J-Jake you don't think, you don't think they'll actually expel us, do you?" Clarisse whispered nervously.
His expression didn't so much as falter.
"If they do I'm blaming you." Lavender sneered softly.
"Lav, it's not her fault!" I whisper yelled back defending the poor shaking Ravenclaw.
"She's the one who got everyone all worked up about it anyways." She quipped back.
"And tell me you weren't ready to do the same thing!" I shot back.
"You should be glad she helped, she brought the houses together so we could destroy those sons of-" Gabi started, rising slightly from her seat as things got heated.
"All of you shut up." Jacob whipped his head around so quick I almost squeaked.
"She's coming." He finished calmly, settling back into his demeanour of stone and ice.

The door opened with a heavy creak and the stern clicking of sharp heels clicked on the tile floor. The usual stern face of headmistress McGonagall was one that you eventually came to find more comforting than scary.  After you realized that behind her intense feline like eyes and stoic expression was a soft and kind woman her initial fear factor quickly melted away.
This was not her usual stern face.
"I don't even know what to say." she said calmly, arms folded behind her back as she stared at the Hogwarts crest above her desk.

She quickly turned around to face us.
"Twelve students sent to Madame Pomfrey for injuries, two students very nearly concussed, Ethan Rosier bleeding and babbling like an idiot whilst being suspended upside down, damage to school property, dozens of first years scared out of their wits, Flitwick is trying to unmuddle the minds of nearly thirty students who were jinxed in that little ordeal of yours, children have already managed to send owls to their parents and I've been receiving all sorts of howlers non stop for the past hour, Filtch has spent his afternoon trying to piece together the Slytherin common room..." She rambled wildly before pausing to draw in a long and sharp breath.
"And what, may I ask, do you five have to say about it?" She narrowed her eyes, daring one of us to speak.
I gulped, I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest.

"Professor, I am not by any means condoning our actions, it all got wildly out of hand, but I know that we are all rather remorseful and apologize profusely for the damage we have caused both physically and emotionally to the school, students, and faculty respectively." Jacob responded stiffly.
"What he said." Gabi whispered.

"That is quite enough miss Matthews" McGonagall warned.
Gabi slumped back in her seat as the Headmistress continued.
"And as for your lovely speech Mr.Flint, an 'apology' is not enough in this situation."

She rubbed her forehead in clear aggravation.
"I just do not understand what would possibly possess you to think that these actions were in any way acceptable." She stressed sounding more and more unhinged.
"I'm sorry mam." He lowered his head solemnly.
I tightened my grip on his hand, being in trouble terrified me and I didn't even want to imagine being the one to be taking the majority of the heat.

"This is completely inexcusable, I have half a mind to call your parents this instant and have you all out of this school before supper." She narrowed her eyes.

I saw Jacobs expression falter, he looked almost afraid. He drew in a shaky breath and opened his mouth to speak.

"It's not his fault!" I shot out of my seat. "I mean it is but it definitely isn't and-"
Jacob turned to give me a terrified warning glance as McGonagall cut me off.
"That is quite enough Miss Williams. You five are on extremely thin ice as it is and I would find it best to not try to worsen it for yourselves with loud and unnecessary outbursts." She threatened.