Children
"They started it!" Colin says hotly. "They were picking on Dennis for being small!"
"Yeah!" says Dennis. "And Billy tried to stuff Colin in a locker!"
"Fighting is never right," the headmistress insists. "I'm sorry, Mister Creevey, but I'm afraid both boys are suspended for the rest of the week." She pauses to glare at Dennis but Colin's long grown apt at working out when Dennis is going to start up and has already kicked him, so there's no response, just crossed arms and glowering. "I'll have homework and extra assignments worked out and sent on to you."
"I'm really sorry about this," said Bob Creevey. "You can be sure I'll be having words with them myself as well. But if they were being bullied--"
"I can assure you we take a zero tolerance policy to any type of abuse in this school," she said. "I'll be meeting William Warrington's parents in a few minutes to talk about expulsion. But," she added sharply, leaning forward again, "that doesn't make what you did right. We do not tolerate any sort of violence from any one. There are always better ways of handling these situations. Understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," chorused Colin and Dennis.
"Come along boys," said Bob, standing.
They made their goodbyes and headed out down the road. After a while, Dennis burst out "it's not fair!"
"It's okay, Den," said Colin, throwing an arm around his brother's shoulders.
"But you'll miss your trip!" Dennis said. "And then you go to big school!"
"I'll take you," said Bob. "It's good to stick up for your brother, son."
"He called Dennis a munchkin!" said Colin indignantly. "And he tried to take Dennis's lunch money!"
"You should have told a teacher."
"He tried to!" Dennis said. "But then Billy was all 'pow' and 'slam' and 'in the locker!' and--"
Colin grinned. "And then Dennis jumped on him even though Billy is twice my size. It was so cool." He quickly attempted to look contrite, "Uh, I mean--"
Bob laughed. "I'm sure it was cool. Weren't you afraid, Den?"
"No! He hit Colin!" Dennis said. "And I'm not sorry I kicked him, either! Except I am sorry I did it at school and got everyone into trouble and they had to call you in and Colin has to miss his trip, and I'm sorta sorry he's being 'spelled too, but only a little bit because there were three of them and only two of us which isn't fair either! But Ryan and Steve aren't so bad when Billy isn't around, so I hope they don't get 'spelled, 'cause they didn't really do nothing 'cept call me names, and I am kinda small, but I'm only seven! And I'm not a munchkin! I'm not!"
"You're not," agreed Colin. He looked up at Bob. "Are we in bad trouble, Dad?"
"No, son," said Bob. "Sometimes, boys, you have to stand up for what's right, even if you get punished for it afterwards. You still have to do all your homework, though," he added.
"We know," said Colin, and Dennis chimed in "Never do less than your best!"
Bob smiled wildly, pulling both boys into a hug. "My children. Chips off the old block, both of you."
His boys smiled back.
"Hey," said Colin suddenly, pointing. "Look at that owl! It's carrying something..."
Dennis Creevey (age 7) / Harry Potter / 555 words
"Yeah!" says Dennis. "And Billy tried to stuff Colin in a locker!"
"Fighting is never right," the headmistress insists. "I'm sorry, Mister Creevey, but I'm afraid both boys are suspended for the rest of the week." She pauses to glare at Dennis but Colin's long grown apt at working out when Dennis is going to start up and has already kicked him, so there's no response, just crossed arms and glowering. "I'll have homework and extra assignments worked out and sent on to you."
"I'm really sorry about this," said Bob Creevey. "You can be sure I'll be having words with them myself as well. But if they were being bullied--"
"I can assure you we take a zero tolerance policy to any type of abuse in this school," she said. "I'll be meeting William Warrington's parents in a few minutes to talk about expulsion. But," she added sharply, leaning forward again, "that doesn't make what you did right. We do not tolerate any sort of violence from any one. There are always better ways of handling these situations. Understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," chorused Colin and Dennis.
"Come along boys," said Bob, standing.
They made their goodbyes and headed out down the road. After a while, Dennis burst out "it's not fair!"
"It's okay, Den," said Colin, throwing an arm around his brother's shoulders.
"But you'll miss your trip!" Dennis said. "And then you go to big school!"
"I'll take you," said Bob. "It's good to stick up for your brother, son."
"He called Dennis a munchkin!" said Colin indignantly. "And he tried to take Dennis's lunch money!"
"You should have told a teacher."
"He tried to!" Dennis said. "But then Billy was all 'pow' and 'slam' and 'in the locker!' and--"
Colin grinned. "And then Dennis jumped on him even though Billy is twice my size. It was so cool." He quickly attempted to look contrite, "Uh, I mean--"
Bob laughed. "I'm sure it was cool. Weren't you afraid, Den?"
"No! He hit Colin!" Dennis said. "And I'm not sorry I kicked him, either! Except I am sorry I did it at school and got everyone into trouble and they had to call you in and Colin has to miss his trip, and I'm sorta sorry he's being 'spelled too, but only a little bit because there were three of them and only two of us which isn't fair either! But Ryan and Steve aren't so bad when Billy isn't around, so I hope they don't get 'spelled, 'cause they didn't really do nothing 'cept call me names, and I am kinda small, but I'm only seven! And I'm not a munchkin! I'm not!"
"You're not," agreed Colin. He looked up at Bob. "Are we in bad trouble, Dad?"
"No, son," said Bob. "Sometimes, boys, you have to stand up for what's right, even if you get punished for it afterwards. You still have to do all your homework, though," he added.
"We know," said Colin, and Dennis chimed in "Never do less than your best!"
Bob smiled wildly, pulling both boys into a hug. "My children. Chips off the old block, both of you."
His boys smiled back.
"Hey," said Colin suddenly, pointing. "Look at that owl! It's carrying something..."
Dennis Creevey (age 7) / Harry Potter / 555 words