Nella Dursley and the Wondrous World of Magic

Ambushed at the Owlery

Potions would have been the worst class to have an explosion but Professor Hedgeflower wasn't a potion master for nothing.

"Evanesco!" She flicked her wand in a zigzag pattern and all the hot potion disappeared. Nella's face, which had the most contact with the potion burned and tightened. She moved her hand to touch the skin-

"Don't! It can spread to your hands. Everyone who got hit with the potion follow me to the hospital wing. The rest of you turn off your burners and study chapters one through four in Magical Drafts and Potions." Nella's group trailed right after the professor and a few Gryffindors who had been right across followed as well.

Painful swelling and boils marked where the potion had hit her classmates and she realized what her face must look like.

"I'm shtho shtorry." She muttered to Scorpius and Albus, hoping they could understand her past her swollen lips. If they hadn't tagged along to keep her company maybe they wouldn't be suffering right now.

They didn't hear her very soft apology but Professor Hedgeflower did. She glanced back at Nella and gave her a meaningful look. This wasn't Professor Longbottom; she was in trouble this time. Tears leaked out of her painfully stretched and stinging eyes.

~ ☪ ~

"This should clear your skin immediately. It stinks though." Madam Pomfrey administered a clear serum by dropper on all the points of contact, even on their robes.

It smelt like rotting fish and a smellier cheese dinner; some of the students gagged. Once cleared of the ailments the students began to leave except Nella and of course, her friends remained dutiful by her side.

"We need to talk, Nella." Professor Hedgeflower's face had a stern look that made Nella shake. She glanced at Albus and then Scorpius before making her statement.

"I was told, like your other professors, that you are struggling to control your magic. I almost told them to remove you from my class." The word remove rang in Nella's ears.

"That's not fair! It's not her fault-" Albus puffed but Hedgeflower wasn't finished.

"Was it the other students' fault that Nella's potion exploded on them and cut the class short?" Albus's face burned red but he had no retort. Nella frowned ashamed of herself.

"You're correct professor. I shouldn't be in your class," Nella couldn't bear to bring her eyes to Professor Hedgeflower's face and couldn't see her expression.

"I won't remove you immediately. Albus, you're not wrong either. It's not like you're doing this on purpose, but Nella," she squatted down to meet Nella's downcast gaze. "Potions class can get dangerous, and other classes might too. Try very hard to master yourself, once you have you'll never forget how to do it alright? I hope to see you try everything in your power." She nodded, stood upright, and left the hospital wing. Albus's ears were still red.

~ ☪☪ ~

Dear Lily,

How are you? I miss you and I wish I was home with you. I'm sorry I haven't sent a letter already, this week isn't starting well. I blew up my potions class. It was so embarrassing.

I'll try to write you more. Everyday! Like I promised!

Nella tried to write something that'd make Lily smile and spotted Rupert.

Rupert says Meow!

-Nella

She finished her letter off with a wax seal. Nella was pretty sure that only wizards really continued to use wax seals. She looked over at Albus to see if he finished his.

Dear

"Is it weird to write 'Dear Dad'? Or should I write his name? Should I say 'Professor Potter'?" Albus dropped his quill and glared at the letter.

"I think he'd like it if you called him dad. Sometimes I think-" Nella interrupted her own thoughts. She blushed and waved her hand to ignore it but too late. Albus didn't need to hear that she thought about calling him dad too.

"What? What do you think?" Albus scooted next to Nella and she shook her head.

"Finish your letter for Olivia's sake. I'll tell you later." She hoped they could drop it now and forget it later.

"We have hours before Astronomy. Come on Nella what were you going to say? Why are you so embarrassed?" She turned to Scorpius who had seated himself in front of the fireplace of the common room.

"I can't make him stop pestering you." Scorpius walked over to their study table and sat next to Albus but like he said it didn't stop Albus's investigation. Rupert hopped up in front of Albus and puffed up with a deep grumble. They all laughed.

"Thanks, Rupert!" Nella scratched his head as he purred. Albus sighed and began finishing his letter to Harry.

"We can use Artie. It'll be his first job." Albus said as he sealed his letter.

~ ☪☪☪ ~

Nella was reminded of Abeforth's classroom. The owls stunk and many of them were awake but cleaning themselves to get ready for their nightly adventures.

"Artie? There you are! Can you come down?" Arthur, known as Artie, hooted and flew down landing on Albus's shoulder. His large talons were gentle and the gray owl affectionately nipped Albus's hair.

"Can you take these home?" The owl hooted and allowed both letters to be tied to its leg before taking off through one of the glassless windows.

"If I want to send another letter I can just come here?" Nella asked on their way out of the owlery.

"Yeah, but wait for Artie. Don't pelt Lily with letters. I think she's still upset that she can't be at Hogwarts. She might feel jealous about any stories you tell her... just send them one at a time." Nella frowned in realization. She didn't think about how Lily might feel envious when she felt envious of Lily being home.

"Do you think she's mad at me?" Nella fretted but Albus shook his head.

"She loves you, Nella. You're her favorite person." Albus smiled as Nella flushed with pleasure. She never thought she'd be anyone's favorite.

"You're lucky to have siblings, it's just Mum and Dad waiting for me at home," Scorpius huffed pitifully.

"I hate having siblings and one extra that doesn't belong." The voice that spoke halted the three. James swaggered out from around a corner. Nella only had a second to notice his wand was out before he called,

"Petrificus Totalus!" Her arms slapped to her sides and her legs likewise sprang together as she fell backward. Out of sheer shock, Nella's emotions seemed to have frozen along with her body. That didn't last long as she could hear and move her eyes and just caught Albus being hoisted in the air by his leg.

James paused and smirked at Scorpius and then frowned.

"It's your fault. You've got your friends but now my family is being bullied. He should have had Albus in his class, in Gryffindor, but you convinced him somehow-"

"CONJUNCTUS!" Scorpius shouted. Nella could only see how Scorpius waved his wand frantically and the spell shot out. James's piercing scream bounced off the hallways.

Scorpius didn't move. Nella stared at his horrified expression, unable to do anything else while James moaned in agony.

"What's going on here!?" It wasn't the voice of a stranger.

┏━━━━ ↜ ⋄ ↝ ━━━━┓

Anyone that's a James Sirius Potter fan. Chill. Just calm down. 

Word Count: 1222

┗━━━━ ↜ ⋄ ↝ ━━━━┛