Nella Dursley and the Wondrous World of Magic

Flying for Hogwarts

Saturday morning came with the most chaotic flurry of owls. Nearly every student in the Great Hall was the recipient of a heavy package.

An alchemic textbook.

Maybe it was the arrival of all these owls at once but Nella thought they all looked harried. Even Artie arrived with two textbooks and flew off without even a nip of sausage.

"Are they okay? Should we say something?" Scorpius wondered after being splattered by his cereal after his text landed in it.

"Would Hagrid know?" Nella spotted his large figure at the table, and could almost hear his boisterous voice in conversation with Headmistress McGonagall.

“It's because of Professor Hedgeflower. People are saying she sent Howler's to all the parents. And the Ministry. And the teachers, practically everyone.” Olivia tucked her new textbook in her bag.

“What's a Howler?”

“A horrible letter that, hopefully, you won't… ever…” Scorpius didn't finish as an owl dropped not only his textbook but also a red envelope which started smoking upon landing. 

“You're going to have to open that, it's worse if you don't.” Olivia's cryptic statement was sympathetic while she moved to cover her ears. Albus followed suit while Nella looked at them curiously. Then Scorpius picked it up, and ripped the smallest opening he could muster but that didn't help.

“SCORPIUS HYPERION MALFOY!” Nella ran her hands up to her ears. Fortunately, her magic seemed tamed, or the shock of it all was just too shocking like when James attacked.

Even through her covered ears, the shouts couldn't be blocked as Scorpius tried, it seemed, to turn into a raisin. 

“THAT SPELL SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN UTTERED. YOU COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED THAT BOY. YOU PROMISED ME WHATEVER YOUR FATHER SAID, THAT YOU WOULDN'T USE THOSE SPELLS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU.” Those last words echoed into the hall in silence. Scorpius was trembling head to toe, keeping his eyes cast on his forgotten breakfast and textbook. The teachers seemed to be the only ones uninterested, probably from hearing the letters from time to time. The rest of the hall was full of snickers and giggles.

Albus jumped to action, possibly noticing Lidia getting ready to comment. He pulled Scorpius up with him. 

“Let's go, let's get out of here. We can put our textbooks back in the common room.” Scorpius seemed too dazed to move much on his own so Albus towed him along, while Nella and Olivia followed. At the entrance to the dungeons Olivia stopped.

“I'll wait for you here after we should step out for fresh air.” Albus nodded and then paused. 

“Nella, how about you wait here? I'll bring your book back.” Nella didn't argue, but couldn't quite fight the feeling of being left out. She hoped it didn't show on her face much.

After a few minutes of waiting,

“Welp. That's a Howler.” Olivia gave a grim smile.

“It must be because of the spell he used on James.”

“When you guys fought at the owlery? What spell did he use?” Nella thought for a moment.

“I can't remember what he said, but James's eyes looked bad after.” Olivia made an impressed face.

“Scorpius seemed upset about casting it. He wanted to be expelled.” Olivia frowned then, without further comment. Not long after Scorpius and Albus returned with Rupert tailing them.

“Nella, you have a sweet cat.” He smiled and wiped his nose. His voice sounded thick. Albus sent a small smile for Scorpius's sake. Rupert wound himself around Nella's legs with a soothing rumbling purr.