The Troubleseekers and the Knotted Conspiracy

CHAPTER 5: LIZY

"Let me stop you there," her father said, waving his hand. "I don't care if plans to kill President Begay was on Folks's desk, that gave you no right to go through his things, and some made-up conspiracy is definitely not a reason!" He was raising his voice. He was raising his voice! He'd never yelled at her, not in her entire life! She had started to think he was maybe physically incapable of yelling.

"Your job, though, the school—"

"I don't know where it says rules don't apply to you, Elizabeth," he said, standing. His normally sallow face was flushed. His eyes had a gleam in them. Lizy bit her lip. Where was this going to go? She'd never been afraid of her father's punishments, because he was as predictable as sunrise and sunset. Now she wasn't sure what was going to happen. "I have let you go on carousing for far too long. Now Folks has got his eye on me, thanks to you."

"Why? You do your work, and everyone else's," she said, gesturing to the desk. She could see he was grading History of Magic papers. He wasn't even the best qualified because he was from England, but apparently, in true Humphrey Mallowbourne style, he had agreed to the extra work without question. He was a doormat.

"I mind my business, you mind yours," he said, turning around. "Is that what this is about? Is this a cry for attention?"

"No!" Lizy said. "I just—"

"You just what?" Her father said, turning and putting his hands on his hips. "You go digging through Folks's office, you jinx other students, you sneak and snoop around, getting into trouble and danger. What is it you think you're doing, Lizy?" He threw his hands up. "Folks wants to cut faculty positions. Did you know that? Of course you don't. But my daughter—ugh!" He threw a fist into the air. Lizy's eyes widened. Somewhere in the pit of her stomach, she believed her doughy, pushover father just imagined her face up there in the air and punched it in his frustration. She had never thought about treading lightly around him, but the idea was processing in her mind now.

"I jinxed other students who were being nasty about you behind your back," she mumbled, looking at her hands in her lap, limp as dead flowers. "I—I was trying to defend you." He was pacing back and forth, running a hand through his thinning hair. Then he stopped and sighed.

"I don't need you to defend me, Lizy." Lizy pursed her lips. So that was it, then? His defense was to play dead, like an opossum? How inspiring.

"I dunno about that," she said under her breath. He dropped his head and sighed, his temper flaring again.

"I have let you run about like a wild thing for far too long," he said. "Folks is right—I need to do something about it or he will. I would eventually like to retire and read books all day without worrying what you're getting into and what it will cost me, so I would like you to finish school." He stopped, popped his knuckles, and then walked over to her.

"So here is what I want to do," he said, crossing his arms. "We'll try the grounding thing. From today on until I feel you can be trusted with being responsible again, you are not to go to Dawntown, you are not to go the dance, or the Quidditch game next week. You are not to sit at any other table but Horned Serpent at mealtimes—" Her head shot up.

"But—!" He waved an irritated, dismissive hand.

"Or else you will have to sit up at the faculty table with me. Would you prefer that?" It would be social doom. Lizy gulped.

"Horned Serpent is fine," she said, her voice just above a whisper.

"Furthermore, I want you in my office every night after dinner, except when you have class, to do your homework and quiet activities. Every night, no exceptions. I will not sign any permission slips, and you are not to attend extra activities or satellite campuses. At all." Her head shot up again, her mouth open. He made a cutting motion with his hand. "None of them. Is that understood?" Tears stung Lizy's eyes.