*Tristan was walking down the hall, humming lightly to himself. He was wearing a dark colored shirt that clung tightly to his thin frame with a vest and a jacket for warmpth. He had managed to sneak down to the kitchen and get some food. He was eating a ham and cheese sandwich, happier than he'd been in a while, even if it wasn't hot food like he really wanted. His head bobbed along with the music he was humming to himself. Finally he reached a spot by a window and sat down to eat his sandwich.*

Toph lay in the shadows licking his fingers from a chicken wing he had just ripped apart. He stretched out then sat cross legged. "Tristan. Where the f*ck have you been?" He said in his cut-throat northern straighttothepointness. He nudged forwards so that the clean band of orange came into the light which was draped across his shoulder. Toph was Family now.

*Tristan sighed and leaned back , dissapointed when he saw that 1) he hadn't been alone like he thought he was and 2) Kris had joined the family* "I had to help take care of his sister." *He mumbled, setting down his sandwich and looked at him. If Kris knew anything at all from being a family member he would know that he was lying. He was gay and his sister had been living with his parents at the headquarters. He was thin and beat up....all signs pointing to his life on the streets*

"Oh right..." Kris said, knowing nothing of Family politics and only joining because the Weird Sisters had declared they were Family members at a rock concert. Since then the rock community had gone Family crazy - Kris had signed up straight away and bought the new album: Tame the Beast. It was a damn good album - he listened to it all the time on the Wizaphone in his dorm.

"You not family yet?"

"No. Haven't gotten around to joining up yet....actually." *He said, mildly sarcastic.He couldn't really tell if chris was faking his lack of knowledge toward the family or if it was genuine* "It's on my to-do list."

"Yeah you should, you get instant popularity for just waring a stupid sash really. Ive had 3 girlfriends since I signed up - there are some hotties in slytherin that would never have looked at me before the Family." He went off into a dream like tangent for several seconds before turning and winking at Tristan.

*Tristan couldn't help but smile. He raised his eyebrows and sighed* "I have a feeling that I wouldn't really find anyone that's quite my taste." *He folded his legs and pickedu p his sandwich, ripping off a bit with his fingers before putting it in his mouth, still semi-grinning as if he was sharing a private joke with himself*

Tristan was about to speak when a tall, horrible figure walked clean through the wall tapping a cane in his hand. Frost Angel, as the students now called him - head of Discipline. Harshing. Horrid names for the horrid deeds he committed against people he caught out of lesson or doing things against his taste.

Kristoph stood straight, to attention like a soldier - you had to do this in the presence of the Head of Discipline.

"Zephr, Kristoph, Gryffindor, 7th Year."

*As soon as he saw him, Tristan shrunk into his seat. He remembered being beaten by Harshing once in class. However, he forced himself to stand, following Kristopher's lead* "Cavalli, Tristan.....6th Year Gryffindor....sir" *He could only pray that Harshing didn't remember him*

Harshing looked at them both and smiled like a leopard who was about to pounce on a gazelle - that animalistic instinct of predator and prey took over. He licked his lips and his eyes glazed over with red.

"Boys - why would two boys... one of homosexual orientation be hiding in the Kitchen?"

He looked at Tristan. "I think its time for punishment."

"Sir...we wern't hiding.....We were just talking...I wouldn't..." *He stammered, taking a step back from him* "Really....I was just getting something to eat, and Kris was here and we were just atalking about....about the family..."

"I did not allow you to speak," Said Harshing in sheer surprise that the filth dared to talk to him. "You shall be punished for that as well."

He circled them, "Yes you were hiding in here, plotting to overthrow the Family, plotting to take over the school, plotting to skip lessons - you were being of the highest discord. Punishable by death!"

He laughed after Kris gave a burst of shock. "Not in this century anyway. But you will both get a damn good beating for it."

"Follow me." He led the way out of the Kitchen and into the entrance hall where a crowd had gathered.

*Tristan glanced over at Kris, positive that once all this was over, if kris was punished as well, that Tristan would recieve another beating. He looked down as he forced himself to walk, following after Harshing, concentrating on the small details in the floor as he walked.*

Harshing was like a circus master, parading around the circle and shouting obscenities at the miscreants in the centre.

Kris shivered, he wasn't looking forward to this at all. He knew harshing would try to humilate them both.

"Trousers down Zephr."

And without question Kristoph dropped his trousers. A table appeared before him and suddenly, by a magical force he was bent over it. Then came the great crack of the cane on his hind, he yelped like a wounded animal - the crowd laughed and laughed and laughed. Then was the second crack just as the first pain was going away. This was harder and more painful. Third. Wince. Forth. Seeth. Fifth. Roar. Sixth. Scream.

When it came to the tenth and final cane his buttocks were numb, disconnected from his body, probably bruised. He pulled up his trousers and stumbled over in pain. He couldnt get up - Harshing had ruined his leg muscles. He crawled into the crowd where Family members kicked him some more. He shared a glance with Tristan.

-------------

Harshing watched the humilation for several moments until he patted the cane in his hand and turned to Tristan. "How many beatings?" He called to the crowd who threw numbers at him. "12? 13? 14? Lets make it 15."

He waved his wand which would force Tristan onto the table and rip robes away.

Still, Harshing could hear the thud, thud, thud of Kristoph still being kicked.

*When Tristan made eye contact with Kris, a fresh wave of guilt washed over him. This was his fault. He had done this to Kris.

Tristan was forced down on the table and his clothes were ripped from his body. He was so thin from his months on the street that when he bent over the table, his hip and back bones were viable. Tristan gripped the edge of the table, bracing himself.*

And Harshing danced around him, the cane his weapon. Strike. Strike. Strike. The first three hits came in successive blows, each one as vicious as the last. He struck his hind with such force, his own arms hurt but he blanked out the pain just to take in the harm he was causing. Three more hits, even harder.

*Tristan squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, trying not to scream. With every blow being so close to the base of his spinal chord and near his cyadiac nerve, the pain was sent all through his body. On the 6th blow he did call out, rolling his head against the table, tears leaking from his eyes.*

Harshing stopped for a moment. "What? Crying? You deserve this punishment, you broke sacred Family creed." And Harshing dealth another six blows, this time harder and quicker than before.

*Tristan tried to make himself stop crying, but he couldn't. He wanted to protest, to explain that he wasn't Family and that he didn't break any creeds and that he hadn't done anything wrong, but he couuldn't. the pain from the blows kept him silent. on every blow he yelled out, his hands even hurting form holding the table*

Harshing dealt the last three blows with full force and assurance. When he finished he did not remove the holding charm. The cane grew slightly and became a walking stick. He circled Tristan who was in pain and stopped at his face on the other side of the table. He looked into his eyes.

"I hope you have learnt a valuable lesson from your beatings boy. Never contradict Family law again. And yes... I know you are not Family but Family law governs us all now. You shall receive a further five beatings a day until you are cured. Report to my office every morning."

And with that he waved his wand which released Tristan from the holding curse.

*As soon as the holding charm was dropped, ristan's knees gave and he fell to the ground. Tristan pulled on his jeans as quickly as he was able, which wasn't very fast. He scanned the crowd for Kris before forcing himself to stand*

Kris was on the other side of the hall, he mouthed "common room." And he crawled all the way to the top outside of fat lady where he moaned in pain waiting for Tristan.

OOC: make new topic.