["A Little More" – MGK]

July 3, 1991

"I can't do this, no, please, don't make me do this," I whimpered, pointing my wand at a Ministry official. My hand shook violently, and I couldn't think straight with this man staring at me terrified, magically tied down to this chair in front of me.

I was only thirteen, but I could tell from the look in his bright blue eyes that he was just an innocent man, just someone that disagreed with my family's views.

My family stood behind me, watching anxiously for me to do something; anything, but all I could do was stand there, staring at this man. Uncle Lucius stepped from the group and stormed over, behind the chair the official was tied to, gripping the back of the chair fiercely. "Teresa, this man knows information that he won't tell us. He needs someone to loosen his tongue for him," he hissed, his long, platinum blonde hair falling in front of his shoulders and he shook the chair, causing the man sitting in it to yelp in pain as the ropes tied around him rubbed against his skin.

"I-I can't, please-" My uncle walked over to me and decked me across the face with such force that I collapsed onto the marble floor, emitting a harsh cry as I hit the floor. The Ministry official's eyes widened to the size of apples. I rubbed the side of my face, which now burned from where Lucius' hand had collided with it.

"You weak, pathetic girl," he yelled as he turned on the man, raising his wand. "Crucio!"

The man writhed in pain, screaming "No!" as he gritted his teeth, before my uncle loosened the curse. The official sunk in the chair, tears streaming freely down his face, whispering "No..."

I scrambled to my feet and ran out of the dining hall, running as fast as I could away from my family. I couldn't believe what they had done, and to my friends' father as well...

I made my way up to my room, slamming the door behind me. I curled up on the floor in the middle of the room, clenching my fists as I let out a sharp cry.

A large scream emitted from the base of my throat, and I just continued to scream at the top of my lungs until my throat had gone hoarse, and I was reduced to my silent sobs, the image of that poor man, that man I knew and loved like a father, being tortured by my own uncle, flashing through my mind.

If only my voice could save this destroyed, ruined family that had taken to using their wealth and power to bully others into submission. They were too proud, too arrogant of the power they felt they held over others.

I needed to get out of there, away from these people. I nearly leapt up to start packing, ready to climb down from the balcony and run away. But where would I go?

Standing up, I walked over to the vanity and sat down in front of it, staring at myself in the mirror. My eyes were red and puffy; it was obvious I was a mess. Sighing, I pressed my palms into my face, taking several deep breaths to help calm myself down.

Suddenly, I heard a soft knock on the door. Spinning in my chair, I quickly hopped up and padded across the floor before slowly cracking the door open.

Standing there was my older brother Brandon, with his curly, dirty blonde hair, a worried expression on his face. He was only a year ahead of me in school, but was vastly more mature than I. The types of things our parents and the Malfoys has made him go through, being the oldest of all of us, had forced him to grow up faster than he possibly could.

I opened the door a little farther, enough for Brandon to slip in, before I quietly closed the door behind him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, turning to me. "That's not right, what they made you do, and to someone you know and love, it's cruel..." he trailed off, carefully reading my expression.

The man's screams echoed through my mind and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the memory. Shaking my head, I ran into my brother's arms, letting out another sob.

"Shh...come here, Terah. I want you to listen to me, okay?" He brought me over and sat me down on the edge of my bed before sitting next to me, gripping my hand tightly in his.

"I had a dream that all of this changed. Instead of torture and pain, I heard Muggle songs playing throughout the house. Can you imagine that, Muggle music playing here?" he let out a dry laugh, but I remained silent as he continued telling his story.

"But then I woke up, seeing that all of this is happening. We're only children, and yet we're being forced to torture our friends' parents for information that we know they don't have. Think about it. No matter what, we are always being used. During You-Know-Who's reign, how many children you think were killed just to sway their parents over to his side?"

I shook my head, not wanting to know the answer. We both knew, however, that the answer was astronomically high, up in the hundreds or thousands. War kills children. It tears families apart.

"I want you to know, Terah, that it's completely okay for you to let the pain show. Don't feel like you have to bottle it inside. If you ever have to talk to me, please do." Brandon gave me tight hug and kissed my forehead before leaving me to sit alone in my room.

-

The Ministry didn't make a sound about any of the incidents occurring at Monette Manor. Honestly, though, it didn't really surprise me. It did irritate me, however, that the latest headlines only spoke of how the lead guitarist for the Weird Sisters, Kirley Duke, had gotten into trouble with the law for flying a broom under the influence of alcohol.

There were far more important things than that in the world that could be addressed.

"Teresa!" My uncle Lucius bellowed from the dining hall. It had been a few hours, but he was back to torturing that Ministry official again.

Sighing, I set down the copy of The Daily Prophet I was holding and trudged down the stairs to the dining hall. "Yes, Uncle Lucius?"

"Take out your wand, you worthless girl. You're going to practice a few curses on this man." His tone was demanding and harsh, and there was a look of frustration in his eyes.

Looking back as my mother, she held the same crazed look of irritation. I gulped, my hand shaking as I pulled my wand from my pocket.

The Ministry official was tied to the chair, as before. Several cuts littered his arms and face, dripping bright red blood. He looked to me with absolute fear in his blue eyes.

"Give up, Teresa. You're never going to win this fight. Give in and just curse him, like I've taught you," my mother spoke up. Her voice was sharp, and every word was like a stab to the chest.

My mother used to love me. I wasn't too sure now, when I was standing there in front of Arthur Weasley, who was tied down to this chair, his eyes filled with terror and sorrow and absolute desperation.

Raising my wand, I was about to give in. Maybe they would love me just a little more if I did.

You can give up like they tell you,

Stop like they tell you,

Be scared to dream for the top like they tell you.

But I'm trying to tell you, fuck what they tell you.

"Stupefy!" I cried, pointing my wand directly at my uncle, who went blasting backwards, slamming into a wall.

My brother turned on my mother, yelling "Expelliarmus!" and her wand went flying. Standing petrified with shock, it gave us a chance to run out of there. Brandon scooped up Mother's wand as we bolted from the dining hall and up the winding stairs to our rooms.

Storming into my bedroom, we locked the door behind us, moving my vanity over in front of the door to act as a barricade.

"This isn't going to hold for very long," I pointed out.

Brandon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. But I'm not giving in to them. I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees, working for them and doing everything they want me to."

I smiled, hugging my big brother tightly, awaiting the punishment that was sure to come.

We weren't blind. This corrupted, broken world needed a little more love.

Brandon and I, corrupted and broken, needed just a little more love. We loved each other, and for now, that was enough.

-

As a part of a generation they claim can't be saved, it's important to know we're not blind

We see the truth through blue and dark eyes

I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees

If I can't live free right now in the world we just need a little more love

[1565 words]