Another Angry German

Saturdays were muffin days. Anyone who was friends with Lysander Scamander knew this, and thus Saturdays were supposed to be good days filled with blueberry goodness. Julien Dumére though, Johiah's lovely brother, was setting a bad tone to the day. Well 'setting a bad tone' was putting things mildly, for the siblings, were amidst a very loud, very angry argument at the moment. For anyone that had ever seen the two together in public, this was not any type of news. Johiah and Julien were perhaps the least compatible people in the western hemisphere, but for some unforeseeable reason, fate had decided to make them siblings. Why not go their separate ways outside of home then, one may ask? The answer was not so simple.

While they did not like each other, they loved each other, and after catching his sister in a particularly risque situation with his ex-best mate, Julien had decided he would need to guard his sister at all costs from now on. Less any other boys get the same idea as the forsaken Xavier Wrath had. Regardless of circumstance though, the fact of the matter remained, Julien and Johiah never agreed on anything. Fashion, food, manners, politics, friends, nothing.

Julien had met Johiah at the Gryffindor common room entrance as he had done everyday since the beginning of term and nearly as soon as she had stepped out from behind the portrait, the arguing had begun. It had started innocent enough; Julien had remarked on his sister's eccentric outfit choice of  overalls and a boy's gryffindor quidditch jersey she had taken from their cousin Jacob, and of course, Johiah had replied with a firm 'shut it'. The argument did not end there though, for both were stubborn loud mouths who couldn't give up till their points were acknowledged. Julien had said that his sister's outfit was 'unfitting for a pureblooded lady such as herself'. Johiah had laughed in her brother's face and questioned what being pureblood had to do with anything, and this had been like dropping a match down an oil well. Julien had tugged his sister close and whispered harshly into her ear all the things their parents had forced into their heads over the years about pureblood being superior and how it was tradition and history that it was their job, the next generation, to uphold the legacy. Johiah, having many friends that weren't pureblood argued back that blood purity meant nothing anymore and they had to leave those discriminatory, ancient ideals in the past. 

That was how the Dumére siblings had begun drawing eyes once they entered the great hall that morning, as their volume had increased from vicious whispers to nearly yelling. Johiah had sat determinedly at her house table, hoping that the unwelcoming vibe from her fellow lions would drive her brother away, but Julien was not discouraged. After not even a full five minutes, her housemates looked to Johiah in silent agreement she had remove the annoying Slytherin hissing at their table. Johiah groaned, covering her ears as she went to Ravenclaw in search of the smartest person she knew.

Meg Knightley was technically the smartest person Johiah knew, but when she was busy, Lorcan Scamander was the second best. The little Gryffindor had thrown herself at Lorcan's side begging the blond to try and force her brother to see reason. Julien decided to appeal to the Ravenclaw as well. considering he was a pureblood too, but this only caused Lorcan's face to twist in displeasure realizing he had been pitted as the winning vote between siblings.

"Please leave me alone, I'm not getting involved in such an old argument." Lorcan requested getting up and heading towards Hufflepuff table where his brother and Lily could hopefully save him from the Dumére siblings. Johiah would not give up though, especially when she knew Lorcan actually agreed with her. After all, Lily was technically a halfblood and he was head-over-heels in love with her.

"Lorcan, please. Just tell my brother what an ignorant bigot he's being!" Whined Johiah, pulling at the back of Lorcan's sweatshirt. Lorcan doubted Johiah fully knew what a 'bigot' was for it made her sentence seem a bit redundant.

"Johiah!" Julien snapped, drawing more stares, "You're rejecting hundreds years of tradition and culture! Everything Mam and Papa got married for!" Julien argued, sincerely concerned now for the well being of his sister's mind. How could she not see this?

"Leave me alone," Lorcan groaned, sinking onto Hufflepuff's bench, his head going directly into his brother's lap.

"Lys," The Ravenclaw begged,"Please, help. They're killing me." Johiah, now draped across Lorcan's back and hanging from his neck, was glaring daggers at her brother from over her shoulder, insisting that despite no verbal acknowledgment, she had Lorcan's agreement.

"It's ridiculous Johiah, think about it," said Julien, "Blood Purity is an ancient tradition. It's wizarding culture, and since there are so little purebloods left, we need to protect blood purity, purebloods are inherently more special and need protecting."

"Tu es un putain!' Johiah spit back at her brother, which only seemed to infuriate Julien more.

"I am not a slut, and that doesn't help your argument." Julien stated, his cheeks going a bit red in anger.

"Blood Purity is a concept completely devoid of relevance." Johiah countered, "Not only is it extremely dated, it has been the cause of wars here in England. It's unnecessary and frivolous in a time wizards and witches are becoming scarce. We need to marry muggles, even purebloods, before all of us go mad!"

"les Français ne sont pas aussi stupide que les Anglais."* Said Julien with a smirk, causing Johiah to groan.

"That's not the point," She bit out, "Blood purity is nothing but a reason for a superiority complex, it needs to be extinguished.

---

*the French are not as stupid as the English

Julien, not liking the way the Scamander twins touched his sister so easily, tugged the girl back by the straps of her overall, glaring especially at  . . . Lysander he believed. the twins were so strikingly similar it was hard to remember sometimes. However, them being in different houses helped. Julien was about to retort to that same Scamander's statement in agreement with his sister's when Robert spoke up first, catching Julien's interest. He made a valid point to Julien, though it was mostly because Robert was agreeing with him, but he felt it was a little too . . . politically correct. Julien would have worded it with a lot more passion and finality. Robert's words though seemed to have angered the second Scamander, who had now picked his head up and was glaring dangerously at Robert.

"Lily's a half blood, you nitwit. She doesn't need to subscribe to your elitist propaganda if she doesn't feel it." The blond Ravenclaw drawled, his eyes pinned on his fellow eagle, a year his senior. Johiah finally broke free from Julien's hold and launched under the table, away from her brother, scrambling to the other side so she could get next to Lily and Lysander. It was unlady like to climb over tables and it made Julien's blood boil to see her do it.

"If people were meant to be the same, we would be." Julien said, his eyes locked hard with Johiah's as he watched her wrap her tiny frame around the Potter girl's. Disgusting . . .

"However we weren't' born the same. There are all sorts of creatures, wizards, vampire, werewolves, all manner. It's who's the smartest that's the best and so far it's us, wizarding folk, with muggles coming in last." Explained Julien, his handsome face gaining an ugly sneer.

"Division, is nature in it's most basic form. Some must die, so that others may thrive, and I think if the numbers were a bit more even between muggles and wizards then . . ." Julien let the statement trail off, leaving the air thick with the tension of unsaid words everyone could hear.

"Julien, don't tell me you're saying what I think, you're saying." Said Johiah from behind Lily. Her voice was no longer angry, there was genuine curiosity in it. And fear. Her brother couldn't be this blinded, could he? There was no way their father could have convinced him that what he was implying was at all appropriate. Johiah knew better than anyone who cruel and warped her brother was, but this, what he was saying was madness.

"We would let nature run it's course." Julien finished, regarding the younger students around him cooly.

"That's not what you're saying." Said his sister quietly. "You're saying that if we had more even numbers, we could over power them and ki-"

"But we don't have even numbers." Lorcan interjected, his hard glare having turned on Julien now, "Because inbreeding by Purebloods has lead to death, illness, madness, and unfounded dispute. We need muggles to survive, keeping the gene pool open to them is the only way for us to continue as a species."

"It's diluting our power." Argued Julien with a snort. "What's the point of trying to maintain a population if we're regressing as a species. I rather be mad and magical, than a muggle. They're practically nothing."

"Hmm, that sounds like Voldemort talk to me, Julien." Said Lorcan, now fully facing the older boy. "You know the type of mindset that caused two wizarding wars and significantly dwindled our population size."

"Are you serious?" Blurted Julien with a laugh, "What dwindled our population size was the muggles! They hunted us, forced us into hiding, persecuted us. Forever, or at least until we out number them, we will be their victims. We have to live in constant fear of them finding out about us and the witch hunts happening all over again. Witch Hunts. Hunts, as if we were some type of animal." Julien shook his head gravely.

"We are not animals, but muggles have made this a battle between us and them. Personally, I chose us." Hissed Julien.

"That mindset is one that got tons of people killed, Julien." Said Johiah, her face firm, and voice uncharacteristically controlled as she regarded her brother, with hard, dark eyes.

"You want to talk about hunts, okay let's talk about hunts" Said Lorcan, feeling that slow temper in him rise just a fraction as he stood. "Tell me why my family had to be protected from a bunch of death eaters, tell me why they took my mum and tortured her as a prisoner? Hmm."

"That's hardly hunting." Replied Julien evenly, "Your mother is a war hero, she fought, she was fair game."

"Then why didn't they meet her on the battle field?" Questioned Lorcan, his voice getting a bit louder, "Because they went after her, followed her, hunted her, a pureblood witch, and took her from her father. My mother was barely sixteen."

"I see what your saying," Admitted Julien, which eased some of the growing tension that had been building in his sister's slight shoulders, "But this was a war after all. And your mother, as story goes, was quite mad. You sure she even knew what side she was on? That was some lunacy you couldn't blame on inbreeding."

Lorcan launched himself at the older boy but Julien caught the fists in his hands, an awful grin curling his lips.

"My, it's like the War all over again!" Remarked Julien.

"Except, this time the right side wins," He remarked, bending the Ravenclaw's wrists back.

Lily’s head turned at Lorcan’s voice, shooting him a grateful smile for speaking up on her behalf instead of allowing her to continue floundering over a subject she had difficulties taking a side on. It wasn’t that she thought purebloods were better and should be treated as such… but acknowledging differences, as Robert had said… could be a good thing. However, the redhead did not quite like the way Julien was going about it, nor completely that Robert seemed to be agreeing with him She was very glad for Lorcan’s words, and reached out a hand to tell him so by simply pressing her palm temporarily to his cheek. The contact was broken though, as Johiah scrambled under the table and then over it, latching herself around Lily and holding her. More support and protection against the confrontation. Lily rather disliked such things, much preferring everyone get along at all times, and struggling when they failed to do so. Not that she didn’t have her own fights, but it was much more difficult being dragged into one.

”It’s not ‘elitest propaganda’, Scamander. And I do believe LilyPotter, here, can speak her own mind about such things. She doesn’t need you doing it for her, no matter how long you’ve known each other.” Robert spat back, glaring daggers at Lorcan. He never quite looked at either of the twins with the same regard that he did Lily or Johiah. They may have been purebloods, but there were of the sort that was rather, frowned upon by Robert’s parents. And it didn’t really matter that Lily was half-blooded, not to him. ‘Potter’ was a name everyone knew and one did not disrespect it unless they wanted to have their morals questioned. The name of ‘Scamander’ drew a certain air of respect as well, but not nearly as much, and Robert didn’t like exactly how close the pair of boys were to the little redhead. Not in the least… However, his attention returned to Julien, nodding in agreement. Yes, the Slytherin was making many good points. But then the Gryffindor opened her mouth again and Robert rolled his eyes. Ugh, even other purebloods didn’t get it.

As the conversation continued, the older Ravenclaw opened his mouth a couple of times, ready to interject and further back up Julien’s statements, to try and make them clearer to the others as to why they were good. But every time he did so, someone else began speaking. First Johiah, then Julien, Johiah again… and then the bloody Scamander, whichever one it was, shoving his face in where it didn’t really below. After all, the Scamanders may be pureblooded, but they were not nearly as high a class as…

Lily curled herself closer to Johiah, bringing her legs up onto the table, not liking it when everyone argued. It made her stomach hurt and she turned slightly, hiding her face against the other girl’s neck, only half listening now. At least, until somehow Auntie Luna was worked into the conversation. She pulled her face back rapidly, eyes going wide as she gazed at Julien, surprised even he would bring up something like that. To shoot so low below the belt… If there was one thing Lily knew without a doubt about her beloved twins, it was that they were both particularly sensitive towards cracks about their mother. Lily, herself, was rather offended by them as well. She had known Auntie Luna her entire life, had been coddled, sung to, tucked in, twirled about, and treated with just as much love the woman showed for her own two sons, for Lily was the closest thing she had to a daughter. She might have been a bit odd, with different views of the world, but none of that made her crazy as Julien was implying. No. That was not okay. How dare he say such a thing about her Auntie?!

The redhead moved then, breaking free from Johiah’s arms and standing upon the bench just as Lorcan shot forward, obviously fully intending on physically harming the Slytherin. Lily paused, watching as the older boy grabbed hold of her moonlit twin’s hands, obviously a tad bit stronger due to age and having a bit of the upper hand due to positioning. She opened her mouth, but another blur of blond flashed by her before she could say anything.

”Don’t you fucking dare hurt him!” Lysander shouted, normally so easy going and calm compared to his brother, but the sight of Julien bending his brother’s wrists back and that comment about their mother… He never swore either, but there were some things the boy could just not stand for and those were two of them. He strode forward quickly, grabbing hold of Lorcan’s wrists from behind and tugging him backwards, out of Julien’s grasp. He wrapped both arms tightly around his twin’s shoulders, locking them there as he glared daggers at the Slytherin boy over the Ravenclaw’s shoulder. Their mother would not be happy if either of them got into a physical altercation, even if it was to her defense, and after the issues Lorcan had had over the course of the summer… He didn’t need to get into any more trouble, especially not with their mother. He leaned forward slightly. ”He’s just baiting us, Lor. Taking cheap shots.” The Hufflepuff could have easily shot something back at Julien, some kind of snide remark about his family, but that would have indicated something about Johiah as well. Lysander quite adored the small Gryffindor, she was fabulous, even if the rest of her family was a bunch of sour lemons.

”Now now, let’s all hear Julien out. It’s not like anything he’s saying is-” Robert started, reaching up a hand to grab hold of the hood of Lily’s pink striped shirt, trying to tug her back down onto the table, but she tumbled instead, having not expected it. She slipped, sneaker hitting the rounded edge of the bench and sending her falling quite onto her ass, hitting the bench on the way down until she was on the floor, head knocking hard against the table in the process. Her hand went to the back of her head, rubbing it as she winced, eyes watering and moving to see the owner of the voice that had cut off Robert in the first place.

It was another boy, a fourth year Gryffindor that Lily recognized from class but couldn’t completely recall the name off. She knew it began with an ‘F’ but there was another name he was called, some kind of nickname that was escaping her at the moment as her head twinged. He was shouting in a foreign language, words that Lily didn’t recognize aside from the accent, which, she was pretty sure, was German, though she couldn’t be completely positive. His presence was large, his voice loud as he shouted, climbing onto the Gryffindor table and down the other side, knocking over things as he went, shouting again as though he were directing the whole of the otherwise fairly quiet Great Hall. Alright, so it hadn’t really been very quiet since Julien and Johiah had entered…

The boy made his way over to the group, enunciating his words as he shouted at them, pointing and saying something else in that language Lily didn’t understand. Lysander and Robert had both turned their heads as well, to gaze at this newcomer, wondering what he could possibly be doing by getting involved in the argument. Typically, when Johiah and Julien fought, everyone else stayed out of it, letting the pair sort themselves out. However, that had been pushed under the bus the second Johiah had sought out Lorcan’s opinion on the matter, thus driving him into Lysander’s lap and bringing Robert into the conversation unintentionally. If the two had just kept the fight between themselves, well, Lorcan wouldn’t have tried to attack Julien and Lysander wouldn’t have had to pull him back, and Lily would probably still be sitting on the table, happily eating grapes and glancing slightly goggle-eyed at Robert. And then they all wouldn’t be getting shouted at by this random angry Gryffindor boy. Muffin Saturdays were supposed to be fun…

Lily stared at the boy, confused, but never the less feeling as though they had all just been insulted by tone alone. She blinked, the tears streaming freely down her cheeks now, her head hurt. She brought her legs up, resting her forehead down on her knees and closing her eyes, hair falling down to hide her face properly. She wished the boy would stop yelling. It was making everything worse, at least, it was making her brain throb more. She’d hit the table pretty hard. Normally by now she’d have at least one twin or Johiah with her, but the sudden distraction of this Gryffindor…

Lysander blinked, staring at Deed with curious eyes. They weren’t angry, for he was rarely angry, even if he was still a bit irritated over Julien’s remarks and grabbing of his brother. He tilted his head to one side, hair flopping a bit, stilling holding onto his identical twin though the pair were as different as the sun and moon. The male Gryffindor seemed to come slightly to a conclusion and flicked at his own head before speaking in English instead. And when he did… it was to call all of them idiots. The Hufflepuff blinked again and then, his face lightened and he laughed, throwing his head back at such a simple comment. Idiots. Yes, he did quite agree on that front. They were acting like a bunch of children for the most part, then again… Julien had said some pretty insulting things.

Johiah could hardly believe her eyes, nor her ears. How could Julien say that to Lorcan. She understood how Julien felt about the war, his sentiments reflecting the messages their family had painstakingly tried to drill into their heads. However, Johiah also knew her and Julien loved each other, despite their differences. Why would he treat her friends like this? She knew he could be malicious, she could as well, but Julien was crossing the line bringing the twins' mother into this. She was speechless, to be honest, but also quite embarrassed.

Though Johiah believed in equality, her family didn't and she had accepted that. They had also learned though to keep their family's opinions to themselves as it was not, at this point in time, a popular one. Hugging Lily closer as the girl buried her head into Johiah's neck, Johiah felt her cheeks heat. But then, with an anger Johiah hadn't know her friend possessed, Lorcan lashed out against Julien, causing Johiah's breath to catch in her throat.

No, don't! She shouted internally, still to shocked to say anything. Julien would seriously hurt Lorcan if the Ravenclaw gave him a reason, there was no doubt in Johiah's mind about it. While there was love in her brother's heart, there was much more darkness. He wouldn't feel any remorse or need to stop if Lorcan came at her brother full force. She tried to say something, to speak up, but her lips only trembled, that was until Lysander intervened and swore, causing those pink lips of her to form an 'o' of surprise. She had never heard the hufflepuff swear before. She was in such surprise, that she couldn't catch Lily, when the girl suddenly went tumbling down. Johiah could feel her heart beat quicken, things were happening too fast, her brother, the twins, Lily, and the Dirty Deed, a fellow fourth year Gryffindor kicking pudding and screaming. She couldn't help but look on in awe as the wild boy made a scene, dissolving the tension of the group slightly as they all got caught up in his powerful presence.

"Oh Lily!" Johiah breathed, suddenly remembering her mate now on the floor. Why hadn't Robert helped her, they had a thing didn't they? Was he ensnared by the energy radiating off of the angry Gryffindor as well? Moving off the table, Johiah took Lily in her arms once more, cradling her scuffed head just as the headmistress made her presence known giving them all detentions. She held Lily a bit tighter, not scared of detentions but knowing the Hufflepuff had never had a single one in her life.

Slowly their group followed the headmistress out of the Great Hall, the angry Gryffindor in tow. She clung to Lily the whole time, keeping an arm around Lily, despite her being taller, and preparing nasty looks to throw at Robert should he choose to try and come and comfort Lily as well. It was a quiet walk, at least for Johiah who was very concerned for the witness on her best mates cheeks, but for her brother and Lorcan as well. She could tell there was still anger between them, firing off like electricity, charging the air around them and making everyone around them uncomfortable.

The Headmistress, back straight and shoulders relaxed lead them with quick pace to her office where she whispered into the ear of the gargoyle standing guard in the corridor as if the stone creature was an old friend. The creature moved aside revealing a swirling tower stair case into which Minerva issued all her students.

Once in her office, Minerva moved behind her desk and waved her wand in a sharp upwards motion. Without warning chairs came flying at the backs of the children, seating them whether or not they wanted to be seated. She herself sat down in her large straight backed chair, but with far more grace.

"Now I want to hear what each you have to say, as I am sure you all have a piece, but there will be no shouting, no arguing, and you are to talk directly to me, understood? Now before we begin, let me tell you all this, there is no excuse for such things as physical altercations at Hogwarts. This is an institution of learning, not a wrestling arena. Also there is never an excuse to jump of the tables, and kick over pudding that our house elves had been kind enough to make for us, as it is rather rude. Now let us begin, we shall go in order."

"Let's start with you, Mr. Falkenwrath?" Said the Headmistress, her attention training on the young Gryffindor. "Please impart to me some knowledge regarding your purpose in acting as you have and your part in this argument."