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Chapter Nine
An Idea
Sybil was currently standing outside Miss Cackle's office nervously, after what had happened, with Ethel having a go at HB the headteacher had called her to the office, no doubt to punish her.
"What if she gets expelled?" Sybil cried at the thought, she had lost one of her sisters, she couldn't lose another, it would physically kill her.
"I am sure they won't be that harsh" Clarice said, looking at her friend worried. Her and Beatrice were waiting with their friend as the girl was upset.
"Why do you think no-one normally talks to HB like that? Because they know how much trouble they will get in, after everything Ethel has done she might of pushed her to far" Sybil replied openly crying now. She didn't care what people thought of Ethel, she was her sister and she loved her and didn't want her to leave.
"If they do expel her we will start a protest, it won't be fair, HB was the one in the wrong, she was horrible to you" Beatrice replied unrealistically.
Sybil knew if she walked up to someone like Enid and told her Ethel had being expelled and they were going to protest it so she could stay and asking if she could join in, she would not be willing to help, and neither would most people. They would be thrilled to get rid of Ethel.
"You would really help me like that?" Sybil asked, knowing her friends did not like Ethel anymore than any of the other students did.
"She is your sister, I won't pretend to like the way she behaves but I will do it for you as I know it would destroy you if she left too, plus technically this time Ethel was just defending you and I think she was in the right, she just went about it wrong" Clarice replied.
Sybil hugged her friends tightly. She couldn't believe they would help her like that. She knew they didn't like Ethel, it touched her that they would help her to keep Ethel at the school despite that.
"I am so lucky to have best friends like you two" Sybil said smiling as she kept hugging them. She was glad to have their support.
Just then there was a banging noise. Ethel stormed out of Ada's office and walked straight past her sister and her friends, Sybil suspected she was upset and didn't want Beatrice and Clarice to see. Sybil let go of her friends and spoke quickly.
"I best check on her, see you later" Sybil said as she ran after her sister, knowing she would be going to her room if she was upset. She took the stairs quickly, all sorts of things running through her mind, would she find Ethel packing? She hoped not.
Sybil nervously knocked on her sisters bedroom door, she felt sick as she did so, having a bad feeling.
"Go away!" Ethel shouted but Sybil pushed the door opened and walked in.
Ethel was lying on her side on her bed, Nightstar was happily next to her. Well at least she isn't packing. Sybil told herself.
"What happened?" Sybil asked closing the door and walking to Ethel, who was trying hard not to cry.
"I hate them women! I hate this place!" Ethel shouted losing her temper and throwing a book. Sybil kept her distance, not wanting to be hit. Ethel often threw things when she was having a tantrum, that was probably why Esmie had being so good at magic, she had had to practise stopping things from hitting her on the head.
"Did you get expelled?" Sybil asked, feeling her own throat tightening as she got upset as the words left her mouth.
"No, Cackle is not brave enough to expel anyone, I swear you could kill someone and she would let you stay" Ethel replied bitterly. Sybil therefore did not understand why she was upset when all she was relieved. Ethel should be happy she was allowed to stay.
"Then why are you annoyed? At least you get to stay" Sybil said, thinking Ethel should be looking at the good side.
"Miss Cackle has kicked me out of the perfomance, I know I said I didn't care about it and I really don't, but Esmerelda is coming to see and I wanted her to see me do something good for a change, now all she is going to see is me sitting in a room not allowed to join in" Ethel said as tears fell and she wiped them.
Sybil was upset for her sister. Miss Cackle obviously had known that it would upset her the most because Esmerelda was coming and she wanted Ethel to have a punishment that would really upset her. Sybil though did think it was harsh. Yes Ethel shouldn't of yelled at HB but Miss Hardbroom shouldn't go around telling young girls they are a disgrace and stupid, it worked both ways. Sybil bet HB was not being punished for what she did.
"Oh Ethel….don't be upset, you can sit next to Esmie and watch the performance, it will be fun, you will get to spend loads of time with her" Sybil told Ethel, trying to cheer her up about the situation, knowing they could have loads of quality time together.
"And remind her that she has more reason to be disappointed in me" Ethel replied with a sigh. Sybil could see she was now over her anger and was just sad so she went and sat next to her.
"I am sorry, if I wasn't such a hopeless Hallow you wouldn't have to stick up for me" Sybil replied, blaming herself. If she hadn't of exploded her potion, HB wouldn't of yelled at her and therefore Ethel wouldn't had a reason to of yelled at HB.
"Don't say that about yourself, you are NOT hopeless, I wanted to stick up for you, but at least one of us still gets to have Esmie see us" Ethel replied. Sybil hugged her sister and sighed, knowing Esmie was coming especially to see them and it would be such a shame Ethel won't be performing, she hugged her sister tighter as an idea came into her mind.
Sybil rushed to Beatrice's bedroom and walked in without knocking. The idea she had was now going through her mind at top speed. It had come when she was consulting Ethel and she knew it was one she had to see through.
"Sybil are you okay? Is Ethel alright?" Clarice asked seeing her friend was flustered and hoping she was not upset because Ethel was leaving.
"She hasn't being expelled, but Miss Cackle kicked her out of the perfomance" Sybil told her friends, out of breathe from running.
"What? That isn't fair, we have all being practising for weeks" Beatrice replied, thinking it was an unfair punishment. How did Ethel yelling at HB have anything to do with a school perfomance? The girl wondered in her head.
"I know, but it got me thinking about what you said earlier Bea, about the protesting" Sybil said smiling.
"What you think it could work to get her back in the perfomance?" Clarice asked looking at her friend curiously.
"Yes, it might make them listen" Sybil said, thinking it might just work.
"But there is only three of us, they will never listen to us, we are just first years" Beatrice replied. She had suggested it without thinking it through before, she didn't think they would actually be using the idea. It had being something she had said to stop Sybil from being so upset.
"So what? My sisters always say we need to stick up for what is right, and that is what I am going to do, they always stick up for me, now it is my turn" Sybil said, stubborn and determined.
"But Sybil it might make it worse, they could punish Ethel worse if we annoy them to much" Clarice replied logically, knowing annoying HB more probably wasn't wise.
"We have to try, we can't just do nothing, Ethel has being working hard for this perfomance, and it is not fair they are punishing her like this when Esmerelda is coming especially, I know it might not work, but I am going to try" Sybil said as she grabbed some of the paper Bea had on her bed for a project they were doing and sat down, starting to draw a sign.
"Are you sure you want to do this Sybil?" Beatrice asked. Knowing this could just result in Sybil being kicked out the perfomance too and then Esmerelda would be coming to see no-one perform.
"Yes, I have to, my sister got in trouble for me, and it is about time we finally get to see her transformation, no-one got to see it at selection day, but they will this time" Sybil said as she kept colouring a sign, feeling nervous but excited at what she was about to do.