Theo took a long drink from the bottle, strongly considering whether downing the whole thing to get out of this would be worth waking up in the hospital wing the next day. Not having to deal with Lia’s bullshit was a strong motive, but missing rounds was almost out of the question. Not when curfew was still in place and safety was at stake, instead of just rulebreaking.
“I’m talking about school,” she said reproachfully, “because I care about your future.” Inside or outside of the family, she didn’t say. If Lia couldn’t pull it together to stay inside, she was definitely going to have to prove she was worth something. “Do you want to spend half the day writing letters to Father, Lia? I’m like this for a reason.”
She didn’t understand why Theo didn’t get it. Talking to her sister was like pulling teeth. It was awful and painful. Why didn’t she understand? Lia was different. She always had been. Sure some of the stuff she’d done as a kid was to purposefully piss off their parents, but she was different. She didn’t feel like a normal person. It made her sick to think that she’d be like Theo, like the rest of her family. Business minded, caring more about money than they did anything else. Lia wanted freedom more than anything else. Why couldn’t she just get that?
The Gryffindor scoffed. She didn’t get the best grades, that was obvious. They weren’t bad, but they weren’t perfect. Lia didn’t fail, though. She spent a lot of time in detention. “I get good grades,” she snapped, tears threatening to spill. “No, I don’t. But you don’t either.” She grabbed the bottle back and took another big swig. “Why am I different?”