AN: If you are curious about the way I'm presenting discrimination then visit my profile. I will provide links to material I use as a reference or inspiration. Also, Wednesday updates may move to Thursday but there will still be two updates a week!
Drabble 15: Plus, Zero, Minus
"What is this outrage?!" Dumbledore thundered and the hall went silent. He was on his feet and towering over the smaller woman. "I will not permit such things in my school!"
"My apologies, Headmaster, but-" her voice was venomously sweet, "I believe this is out of your jurisdiction. Just as all underage wizards must have the appropriate spells on their wands, all muggleborns must wear these armbands." She tossed one onto the staff table.
"Minus?" Professor Vector mumbled, her voice carrying easily. Harry glanced at Hermione, face pale and hands trembling.
"You noticed!" The woman clapped her hands as if this was an amazing accomplishment. "Theoretically, if the Ministry were to approve of more armbands, half-bloods would wear zeros and purebloods would wear pluses. Unfortunately, the Ministry lacks the kind of budget for such an endeavour so we decided to go with what is most important."
Harry hated Halloween.
Drabble 16: Thinking Mad Thoughts
Riddle didn't know what to make of the situation. Students poured inside, taking their seats, with a group of sullen looking muggleborns trailing behind. That strange part of him, the one that was oddly disconnected from the rest of the world, observed in fascination how thoroughly the first years had ostracized children that had once been friends or acquaintances. The older years were a little better but he had never seen tensions run so high nor relationships quite so strained.
How curious.
Was the limit of human bonding a white strap of cloth around the arm with a bright yellow and black minus symbol?
Riddle had vague memories of the muggle wars as a child, an unpleasant haze of misery and fear during his time forced in London, and a much keener memory of the rise of Grindlewald.
An odd feeling filled the bottom of his stomach, heavy and electric.
Drabble 17: Thoughts Madly Thought
Hermione crawled into bed and immediately closed the curtains around her. She bit her lip hard, trying not to cry, promising not to cry, and stubbornly ignoring the renegade droplets gathering in her eyes.
The armbands arrived the day after Halloween, lead by a toady woman and a band of 'volunteers'. Hermione had never been so humiliated in her life as when names were called and muggleborns were 'requested' to line up in front of everyone in the Great Hall.
She had heard stories, read books, watch television shows about the horrible things humans have done. She had never imagined she would experience it. The snide looks she had gotten since were disgusting. The ugly murmured remark whenever she raised her hand was disgusting.
Most disgusting of all was the dark, crawling feeling on her skin that gathered in her stomach.
Was a piece of fabric the limit of humanity?