Chapter 4

Calysta and Abelinda steered clear of each other as much as they possibly could outside of their classes and they were keeping up a good job at it until they ran into each other outside of the girl's lavatory a few weeks after the Christmas break.

"Watch where you're going Valentine." Abelinda said coldly, glaring at Calysta.

"It's nice to know that you tell yourself what to do once you've made a mistake Abelinda." Calysta smiled wickedly as she passed around Abelinda.

"I was talking to you, you incompetent twit." Abelinda spat.

"Hm, never would have guessed that." Calysta smiled to herself as she walked away from Abelinda.

"Don't you walk away from me when I'm talking to you Calysta!" Abelinda yelled as her cousin walked down the hallway. Calysta smiled at herself and continued to walk until a spell whizzed by her head. She spun around barely missed the second spell the Abelinda flew at her.

"What has gotten into you Bell! Are you going insane?" Calysta yelled at her cousin.

Abelinda smiled a vicious smile at Calysta and crossed her arms and walked slowly towards her. "No, not at all Callie, I just needed to get your attention. This just seemed to be the easiest way to do so."

"By almost striking me with a spell? I think not Abelinda. If the professors heard of this-"

"Oh, but they won't, will they?" Abelinda's sly smile grew as she got closer.

"If I have something to do with this, they will." Calysta turned on her heel and headed down the stairs, away from her cousin.

"Get back here when I'm talking to you Calysta Valentine!" Abelinda yelled after her cousin, running down the staircase.

Calysta stopped in her tracks and turned to face Abelinda. "Why? So I can just get tormented even more than usual by my evil brat of a cousin? I think not Bell." She turned around once more and headed down the stairs.

"No, Callie, wait! I have to talk to you about something." Abelinda said softly, walking slowly after her cousin.

Calysta slowed her pace and turned her head over her shoulder, "Walk and talk Bell."

Abelinda caught up with Calysta and looked at her cousin softly. "It's about my dad." She said in hushed tones to her cousin. "He's in trouble, and the only person my parents think can help him is… Well… Your father." She said, looking at her cousin reluctantly, hoping for a positive expression on her cousins' face.

"What kind of trouble?" Calysta stopped in the middle of the passageway they had just entered and turned towards Abelinda.

"Big trouble. Dad thinks that if it gets any worse, he may be, well… Killed." Abelinda gasped out the last word.

"Killed?" Calysta said in shocked tones. "What the hell has he gotten himself into Bell?" Granted she didn't like her cousin, or her aunt and uncle, but they were her family and if they were in trouble, and they needed help, she should ask her parents for whatever they could contribute. She hoped her father wasn't as cold hearted as her uncle had became in the past few years.

"Well, there were some men from the ministry at the house over Christmas break and I overheard them talking to mum and dad. It wasn't pretty either Callie. They threatened him, telling him that if he didn't give up anything he had to them, then there would be severe consequences." Abelinda hesitated for a second before she continued. "I can only imagine what they mean when they say 'severe consequences'." She said quickly.

"That doesn't mean that he's going to be killed Bell. It could mean that if he cooperates, then he just might go to prison." Calysta said calmly to her cousin.

"Prison! As in Azkaban Prison! I think not! Please Callie, write your dad and ask him to help? Please, I'm begging you!" Abelinda grabbed the front of Calysta's robes and was almost to tears.

Sure, Calysta hated her cousin, but did she hate her enough to let her own uncle go to prison?

Calysta finally decided to write her dad, "I don't think he'll go for it though Bell. They do still hate each other." She sighed, looking over at her cousin as they watched the owl fly out of the window.

"But they're brothers, that has to account for something, shouldn't it?" Abelinda said in exasperated tones.

"I'm not sure Bell. But we'll see soon enough. I'll let you know when dad writes me back."

Abelinda nodded, "Alright Callie." The two started walking separate ways to join their friends when Abelinda stopped and turned. "And Callie?" Calysta turned and looked at her cousin. "Thank you." Abelinda smiled at Calysta.

Calysta nodded, but didn't return the smile. "It's only because you're family Bell. Don't think that this changes anything." She said, her face stern.

"Of course." Abelinda said, gaining her composure and stood straight. "See you around cousin." And her wicked smile appeared back on her face. And the two parted ways.