Nella Dursley and the Wondrous World of Magic

Chosen or Making a Choice?

Outside the train, the platform was freezing and the rain beat heavily on the student's backs. Nella stepped off with Olivia passing the glaring bossy Ravenclaw girl. Nella gasped at the sight of what was presumably the school building. Even in the dark and the distance from the platform she could see lights lighting windows impossibly high from the ground. There were no surrounding houses, but it was big enough to “house” the named groups of students, including their different age groups.

"Firs'-years! Come on! Follow me!"

"See you at the castle Nella." Olivia patted her shoulder and left Nella to seek out the booming voice.

It's a castle! She thought in awe as she searched for the call to first-years.

It wasn't that hard to find as it came from a person who stood several heads above everyone else.

"Hey Nella!" A familiar voice called Nella closer to the large figure gathering the fist-years. Albus grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

"You got on the train so fast, where did you sit?"

"I-"

"This is Hagrid by the way."

"Oh-"

"What house do you think you'll be in?"

"Are you nervous too?" Albus was practically bouncing as he walked and his forehead glistened in the light, but that could be the rain.

"It'll be alrigh' you two." A large hand patted Nella's shoulder, and she had to pull on Albus to keep upright. She stared up at the kind-faced man. His wild beard and hair were salt and pepper but his eyes crinkled and softened his otherwise scary-looking exterior. He reminded her of her dad.

Nella smiled back at a loss for words.

"So this is Hagrid?" Another boy stepped around Albus. His platinum pale blonde hair, lighter than Nella's, washed out his pale face and gray eyes. Albus nodded or else was still bouncing as they all headed down a severely weather-beaten path. Nella gripped Albus's arm as they headed towards what looked like rows and rows of glittering lights. Albus hardly noticed in his jitters and continued a constant flow of chatter that the pale blonde boy nodded to good-naturedly. Nella gathered they made friends on the train.

Closer, they got to what Nella realized was a lake; the glittering rows of lights were lanterns swaying on small boats for the students to ride in. Nella shivered, both cold and nervous. Once she moved to step onto the boat she felt an influx of energy, like static in the air, but very thick.

The shock of it caused her to slip, and as she was trying to save herself, Albus was pulled along with her out of the boat, the water was shallow but the boat was already moving along with the young pale boy shouting for help as Nella and Albus tried to quickly wade through the waters and onto the boat.

Albus clambered in first and both he and the blonde heaved Nella up as the water was too deep for her to pull herself up.

"You alrigh' you three?" Shouted the booming voice of Hagrid in another boat alone. The blonde answered for the other two as Albus and Nella were still trying to collect their breath, and in Nella's case, to calm her hammering heart.

"Thanks, Albus... and... and... what's your name?" The other boy hesitated but Albus smiled and answered for him.

"That's Scorpius. This is Nella. She's my- Well she's not a cousin? Her dad's my dad's cousin?" Scorpius tried to nod like he wasn't confused but his eyes betrayed him.

"She's a muggle-born." At that, Scorpius relaxed. He offered Nella his hand.

"It's nice to meet you."