Ella Potter (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 21

"yes dear but these are disgusting slimy blood-sucking, stinging, burning things. Not dragons" Ella said "if they were we'd be a lot happier to feed them"

The rest of the day went by quickly, it was already time for dinner. They reached the entrance hall, which was packed with people queuing for dinner. Draco was reading the paper as Ella walked beside him reading a new book Mrs. Malfoy sent her. Draco put his arm around her waist to guide her where he was going.

"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned.

"What?" said Ron shortly.

"Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!" said Malfoy, brandishing a copy of the Daily Prophet and speaking very loudly, so that everyone in the packed entrance hall could hear. "Listen to this! FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC, It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles are not yet at an end, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup, and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of its witches, the Ministry was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office." Malfoy looked up.

"Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley. It's almost as though he's a complete nonentity, isn't it?" he crowed.

Everyone in the entrance hall was listening now. Ella ignored her best friend as always and just kept reading her book. Malfoy made his arm around Ella's waste more noticable just to piss off Harry, which worked, he straightened the paper with a flourish and read on:

"Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved in a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr. Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of "Mad-Eye" Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Weasley found, upon arrival at Mr. Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr. Moody had once again raised a false alarm. Mr. Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen, but refused to answer Daily Prophet questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene. 

"And there's a picture, Weasley!" said Malfoy, flipping the paper over and holding it up. "A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"

Ella glanced at Draco from her book. Ron was shaking with fury. Everyone was staring at him.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy," said Harry. "C'mon, Ron. . . "

"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter?" sneered Malfoy. "So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?"

"You know your mother, Malfoy?" said Harry - both he and Hermione had grabbed the back of Ron's robes to stop him from launching himself at Malfoy - "that expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?"

Malfoy's pale face went slightly pink "Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter. "

"Ella would know wouldn't she, she's always there cleaning up after your mess" Harry said

Ella gasped "Harry"

"Don't you dare bring her into this" Draco said angrily

"Keep your fat mouth shut, then" Harry turned around

BANG!

Several people screamed including Ella- Harry felt something white-hot graze the side of his face - he plunged his hand into his robes for his wand, but before he'd even touched it, he heard a second loud BANG, and a roar that echoed through the entrance hall.

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Harry spun around. Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Malfoy had been standing. 

"Draco" Ella said as she picked up the ferret and held it in her arms

There was a terrified silence in the entrance hall. Moody turned to look at Harry - at least, his normal eye was looking at Harry; the other one was pointing into the back of his head.

"Did he get you?" Moody growled. His voice was low and gravelly.

"No," said Harry, "missed"

Moody started to limp toward Ella and the ferret, which gave a terrified squeak.

"I don't think so!" roared Moody, pointing his wand at the ferret again

"No" Ella said holding the ferret closer to her

"Wait Ella's my sister" Harry said panicked

"Good then maybe she can teach him, I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned," growled Moody "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do..."

"Professor Moody!" said a shocked voice.

Professor McGonagall was coming down the marble staircase with her arms full of books.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall," said Moody calmly

"What - what are you doing?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyes following the wand pointed at Ella and the ferret

"Teaching," said Moody.

"Teach - Moody, is that ferret a student?" shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.

"Yep," said Moody.

"No!" cried Professor McGonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand; Ella placed it on the ground and a moment later, with a loud snapping noise, Draco Malfoy had reappeared.

Ella immediately hugged him and he rubbed her head reassuring her he's ok.

"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" said Professor McGonagall "Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"

"He might've mentioned it, yeah," said Moody, scratching his chin unconcernedly, "but I thought a good sharp shock -"

"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!"

"I'll do that, then," said Moody, staring at Malfoy with great dislike.

Malfoy looked malevolently up at Moody and muttered something in which the words "my father" were distinguishable.

"Oh yeah?" said Moody quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. "Well, I know your father of old, boy. . . . You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son. . . you tell him that from me. . . . Now, your Head of House'll be Snape, will it?"

"Yes," said Malfoy resentfully.

"Another old friend," growled Moody. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape. . . . Come on, you. . . "

And he seized Malfoy's upper arm and marched him off toward the dungeons with Ella following.

Professor McGonagall stared anxiously after them for a few moments, then waved her wand at her fallen books, causing them to soar up into the air and back into her arms.

-

"it was nothing dad" Ella said to Snape

"Nothing, I've never seen anything more foul!" Moody shouted

"He turned Draco into a ferret! He's nothing more then a crazy old fool!" Ella shouted

Moody glared at her "You-"

"enough" Snape said "I will deal with them accordingly, go Moody"

Professor Moody left angrily, Draco hugged Ella and Snape dismissed them.

"I didn't know Ella Potter would say something like that to a teacher" Draco teased

"I was angry" Ella said turning her head

Draco chuckled "whatever you say love"