𝐌𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 | James S. Potter

02. Goldilocks

Four different-sized trunks and one empty owl cage magically flew inside the Mercer Villa, under the precise manipulation of Emelia Mercer's wand. Nora observed as her mother then flicked her wand, causing the luggage to fall onto the ground, filling the foyer with a cacophony of noise. The former Beauxbatons student flinched at the sudden commotion.

Emelia let out an exasperated huff, running her fingers through her blonde locks, her eyes wide with agitation. As the head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, she was perpetually besieged by various forms of stress. Today, in addition to her usual workload, she had also been confronted with a slew of family issues.

Her father and Nora's grandfather, Leroy, had driven another caretaker to quit, leaving Emelia only the explanation of 'He's just impossible, miss. Impossible.'

It didn't help matters when an unexpected howler had flown into her office, or when she heard a French-speaking lady tell her that her daughter had been expelled from school. Also something along the lines of being "impossible".

For a time, silence enveloped the villa, with only the crackling of the fireplace breaking the stillness. Then, Leroy chuckled to himself, observing Emelia's state of distress from his seat in an armchair, a chess game laid out before him on the table. Sometimes he played alone, as the only other family member who knew how to play, Archer, wasn't home.

"Funny, isn't it, dad?" Emelia exclaimed, looking utterly frantic. "Hilarious!"

"Goodness, me," Leroy replied, smiling. "I've told you she'd be back sooner or later. I'm surprised it was later, though," he laughed, winking at Nora.

Deciding not to engage in the banter, Emelia sank onto the sofa with a sigh, ignoring Nora who just stood there, staring plainly at her mother and grandfather.

"What did you do to Louise?" Emelia asked Leroy.

He only rolled his eyes. He looked funny, Nora thought, dressed in a knitted vest, an expensive-looking shirt, and dark blue striped pajama pants. He wore his glasses precariously on the edge of his nose.

"Nothin'," he answered, suddenly uninterested. "Ask your daughter what she's done to get herself expelled." He smirked playfully at Nora, who in return tutted in annoyance.

"I know what she's done," Emelia said.

"Well I don't," Leroy shrugged, motioning for Nora to join them. "Tell me. Did ya curse someone? Poisoned someone?"

Nora furrowed her eyebrows and looked at her mum in question, sitting down next to her. Emelia shrugged, revealing a smile.

"No poisonings or curses, gramps."

"Hmm, alright. Do they have dragons there?"

"Why?"

"You didn't release a dragon on someone, did ya?"

"No."

Leroy pondered for a moment, crossing his arms. "Hex a professor? I know you weren't particularly fond of any of the professors there."

"No, gramps, I—"

"—Let me guess!"

Nora quickly closed her mouth, a smile playing at her lips as she awaited her grandfather's next words. Being a muggle, he always enjoyed discussing anything magical.

"Okay, gimme a hint."

Nora sat up straighter. "Water."

"Water. Water, water, water, hm. . ."

"Loads of water," Emelia chimed in.

"You didn't drown anyone?" Leroy asked, glancing at Nora with a very amused sparkle in his brown eyes. "Or pushed someone in the magical lake?"

Nora laughed, "No, the magical lake is in Hogwarts."

"So you didn't drown anyone?"

Nora's lips formed a tight line. She took a breath, "Well—"

"—Look at you, you little witch!" Leroy exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face, revealing a missing tooth at the front. "You drowned someone? Brilliant, absolutely bril—"

"Nobody drowned, dad, please," Emelia interjected firmly. "And it's not funny," she directed at Nora, her expression now stern. "What if something like that had really happened, Nora? What if—"

"Oh, so it didn't happen, Emelia, relax," Leroy spoke again. "Nobody died. Birds are still singing, the sun's still shining, it's a wonderful life," he numbered on, suddenly annoyed and disappointed. "Louise will get another job, maybe she'll learn competence there. Nora will go back to Hoggy and continue her education as normal. . . Let's not act like it's the end of the world because someone nearly drowned."

"That's the thing," Nora finally spoke again, "It was everyone, the entire Academy. I mean, not that I flooded the entire Academy, just the Dining Chamber, during supper. . .  But it was by accident, I swear."

"I'd hope so," Emelia said, sitting up straight and placing her elbows on her knees. "I understand your plan wasn't to flood all of it, but still, it was to hose someone down completely."

Nora shrugged. "This annoying little boy has been putting toads in my bag since the beginning of the year."

"So you decided to just douse him with water?"

"Aye, that doesn't seem like the best way to get back at someone, Norrie," Leroy agreed.

"No, the plan was to charm his porridge to overflow, like in the muggle story, you know, when the porridge doesn't stop growing."

"Goldilocks, yes," Leroy nodded.

"But the charm somehow got out of my control and hit him instead of the bowl and then I couldn't stop it."

"Well," Leroy smiled, "that sounds like a problem, doesn't it?"

"Yes. I think you'll be having a visit from Barnsley soon, Nora. That wand needs to be checked."

Nora's eyes met with her grandfather's, saying the thing that they knew Emelia was trying to avoid. Nora's wand first belonged to her late grandmother Natalia. 

Leroy raised a sceptical eyebrow at Emelia.

Nora questioned, "Why would the wand start acting up now?"

Emelia sighed, avoiding her daughter's gaze. "I don't know, but it's better to be safe."

"We can get it checked if you want," Nora said, "but I seriously doubt the wand's the problem. It felt more like it was me."

Emelia didn't look that surprised. She only sighed again. "What do you mean it felt like it was you?"

Nora shrugged. "I don't know. It felt like I made a mistake while casting the spell." Her voice gave out all the tiredness that her appearance didn't show. "Anyways," the girl began, her stomach churning nervously, "where do I go now?".

Emelia sighed, staring at the ceiling. "There's no way I'm sending you to Ilvermorny or Durmstrang, if that's what you're asking."

Nora's eyes widened. "So what, you'll send me to Castelobruxo or Koldovstoretz?" The pronunciation was so correct that Leroy laughed.

"No, Nora, you're going back to Hogwarts," her mother replied, shaking her head resignedly. "I've already sent a letter to Minerva."

Nora couldn't find the words. She could only exchange the strongest look of joy with her grandfather, who was also smiling ridiculously as he knew how much she wanted to go back.

"Back to Hoggy, then!" he exclaimed and happily accepted Nora's hug.