In early November, Capella was sitting in the Ravenclaw common room, reading her Charms textbook.
"Hey, Black!" a voice called out. Capella looked up, and narrowed her eyes.
"Emmett," she said coolly.
"What are you doing?" Emmett Blackford asked. "Oh, wait! Doing homework again, I assume? That's all you seem to do."
"You are in Ravenclaw, and yet, you don't recognize the need to do homework?" Capella asked. "Do you truly think that homework is not important?"
"Of course I think homework is important!" Emmett snapped. "I do my homework in a timely manner, and I love reading. However, I don't spend day and night doing homework constantly, like you do!"
"I don't do homework CONSTANTLY!" Capella snapped.
Rita suddenly cut into the conversation. "Emmett, I heard that you attacked some students last year, and even tried to poison one. Is this true?"
"And what if I did?" Emmett asked angrily. "What are you going to do about it? The staff already know about it, and they have even threatened to expel me!"
"It would serve you right," Capella snapped. "You tried POISONING MY COUSIN!"
"Aww, your cousin told you?" Emmett asked. "He's a liar, you know."
"Sirius is no liar!" Capella shrieked.
"Capella's right," Rita said. Capella stared at her in shock. She had not expected Rita Skeeter, the nosy first year, to agree with her on something.
"Stay out of this, Skeeter," Emmett sneered.
"No," Rita said defiantly. "Sirius may have a temper, and for some reason, he doesn't like me, but if there's one thing I know, that is that he's not a liar."
"Shut up, Skeeter!" Emmett snarled, sending a stinging hex at her.
Capella stood up, anger clear on her face. She may not like Rita, in fact, she dislikes Rita with a burning passion, but that does not mean that anyone had the right to harm a student, no matter who it was.
"Emmett, don't start causing trouble," Capella warned. "If you start causing trouble, I know where Professor Flitwick is. Or, would you rather I get the headmaster?"
Emmett pointed his wand at Capella. "Be quiet, Black!" he snarled. "You think you're all that? Let me show you who you are! You're a know-it-all first year who DARES to challenge me, a fourth year? Think again, Black!"
"You should know better than to attack a member of the Black family," Capella pointed out.
"Oh? And what are your SQUIB parents going to do about it?" Emmett asked.
"You DO NOT INSULT MY PARENTS IN FRONT OF ME!" Capella shouted, losing her temper.
"Aww, did I hit a nerve?" Emmett asked. "Well then, have it your way. You can defend your squib parents all you want. Just remember, you're a loser, just like them." Emmett left the room, leaving an outraged Capella Black and a terrified Rita Skeeter behind.
The next day, Emmett decided it was time to show Capella a lesson. He had a chocolate frog with a potion in it that would cause the person to get seriously sick. He knew that Capella wouldn't accept anything from him, so he decided to use Rita Skeeter.
"Skeeter," Emmett said to the first year when no one else was listening. "Give this to Capella as an apology for insulting her parents yesterday." He handed over the chocolate frog. Now all he had to do was wait for Capella Black to be rushed to the hospital wing. Oh, he couldn't wait.
When Emmett left the common room, Rita stared at the chocolate frog, a feeling of unease settling in her. She didn't trust Emmett. She may be a nosy first year, someone who asked too many questions, but she also knew when something was wrong, and she just knew that this was one of those times.
Rita did not give the chocolate frog to Capella. Instead, she made her way to Professor Flitwick's office. She knocked on the door, and upon hearing him grant her permission to come in, she entered the room.
"Miss Skeeter, what can I do for you?" Flitwick asked, expecting her to start asking questions about his days as a dueling champion so her mother could write more articles.
"Professor, yesterday, Emmett Blackford confronted Capella Black, and he insulted her parents, which made her angry," Rita explained. "Today, Emmett came to me with this chocolate frog." She held up the frog. "He told me to give this to Capella as an apology for insulting her parents, but I don't believe him for a minute. Something's not right. I decided to come and bring this to your attention."
Flitwick widened his eyes in surprise. Capella Black and Rita Skeeter were known enemies, so he was surprised at the turn of events, but he was grateful for Rita's quick thinking.
"Ten points to Ravenclaw for your quick thinking and for bringing this to my attention," Flitwick stated. "Hand me the chocolate frog. I will take it from here. Thank you, Miss Skeeter."
Rita handed over the frog before leaving the room. Flitwick immediately floo-called Professor Slughorn, asking him to check the chocolate frog for any potential poisons or other potions. Slughorn told Flitwick to come through. When standing in Slughorn's office, Flitwick handed the frog over. Slughorn started checking to see if there was something in the chocolate frog.
Finally, Slughorn put down the frog. "It's not a poison, but it is a potion that would cause sickness," he explained. "Miss Black would have been in the hospital wing for weeks."
"We need to get Headmaster Black, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Black," Flitwick said, knowing that this was both a school and family matter, so Melania would need to be included as well, since she was Lady Black.
Moments later, Flitwick, Slughorn, McGonagall, Melania, and Arcturus were in the staffroom.
Flitwick explained the situation that Rita Skeeter had brought to his attention. Slughorn then explained what he had found in the chocolate frog.
Arcturus and Melania felt horror and anger, while McGonagall immediately stated, "We need to put an end to Mr. Blackford's attempts to harm our students."
"Agreed," Arcturus said. "While not fatal, what he was trying to do was still endangering a student's health."
Emmett was just sitting in the library, reading his Transfiguration textbook when Professor Flitwick approached him.
"Mr. Blackford, follow me," Flitwick stated firmly, traces of his usual cheerful mood absent. Emmett followed Flitwick, wondering what was going on.
Emmett found himself in the headmaster's office. Headmaster Black, Professor Black, and Professor McGonagall were in the room, along with an auror. Emmett recognized the auror to be Alastor Moody, one of the most respected aurors in the Wizarding World.
"Mr. Blackford," Arcturus started, breaking the silence. "You are here today because you have once again attempted to harm a student. This is the sixth student you've targeted. I was not headmaster for the first four students you targeted, and while I was headmaster for the fifth student, I was away at a Wizengamot meeting. But today, I am here, and I am not allowing this to continue. We have evidence of your intentions, thanks to Miss Skeeter providing us with the memory of you handing her the chocolate frog to give to Miss Capella Black. Is there anything you would like to say?"
Emmett shook his head, knowing that no matter what he said, it wouldn't fly with the adults in the room.
"I warned you," McGonagall spoke up. "I told you what would happen if you targeted another student. It seems that you did not take my warning seriously."
"You're not seriously going to expel me, are you?" Emmett asked.
"That is exactly what's going to happen," Professor Black spoke up, glaring at Emmett. "Four Blacks, one Bones, and one Macmillan. This is uncalled for."
"Agreed," the headmaster added. "Emmett Blackford, you are hereby expelled from Hogwarts. Auror Moody, he's all yours."
"Hand over your wand," Moody demanded.
Emmett handed over his wand, and watched as it was snapped. Moody then led him out of the room, and out of the school.
"Melania, could you please write to Marius and Ilaria?" Arcturus asked. "They need to know what almost happened to Capella. I need to write a letter to the Blackfords, to explain why Emmett was expelled."
Melania nodded. "I'll start the letter immediately," she said.
McGonagall sighed. "I am sorry that yet another member of your family was targeted," she said sadly. "I should go speak with Miss Black to let her know of the situation. Or would you rather tell her?"
"We will," Arcturus responded. "Tomorrow's Saturday. The Blacks meet on Saturdays anyway."
"Oh, of course," McGonagall said in understanding. "Very well. I shall leave it to you then. Good day." She left the room.
"I will go tell the other teachers, if you wish," Flitwick squeaked.
"Yes, please do," Arcturus said. "Thank you." Flitwick nodded before leaving the room.
That day, a clear message was sent. The headmaster and deputy headmistress would do everything to protect their students, even if it meant expelling another.