Hope you enjoy! This is a pretty intense chapter, so please, please, please review!
Once Ayla has returned from her trip to McGonagall's office with Albus, she returned to the common room and spread out her textbooks and papers on the table in the common room. She sat on the floor in front of the table and took notes on her Herbology textbook.
"Ayla?" Came Albus's voice. Ayla looked up to see James and Albus standing in front of her.
"Hey!" She said happily, setting down her quill and closing her book.
"We need your help," James told her. Ayla stood up immediately, nodding.
"Yeah, sure. What is it?"
Albus looked around to make sure no one was listening as James began in a hushed tone.
"Okay, so we're making a potion for Sheldon that will make is hands and feet grow huge, and-"
"Genius," Ayla shot in approvingly and James and Albus grinned.
"Thanks," James continued, "the problem is, we need some ingredients from Slughorn's closet. My secret plant stash in the greenhouse didn't quite cover it."
"What do you need me to do?" Ayla asked.
"Well, Slughorn's got these muggle locks on the door. It's a padlock," Albus explained. "And you're the only person I know who can break into one."
"Oh, no problem," Ayla said easily, seeming surprised at the simplicity of the task. She followed them out of the common room. When they reached the floor that the closet was on, Ayla paused at the beginning of the corridor. "James, you wait here to help us carry the ingredients upstairs. We're more likely to get caught if there are more of us in there."
"Especially if one of us is freakishly tall," James agreed, gesturing towards himself with a grin. "Alright, good luck."
Ayla nodded in thanks and walked down to the supply closet with Albus. She knocked three times confidently.
"What are you doing?" Albus whispered, gently grabbing her wrist.
"Seeing if he's in there! It's better than picking the lock and finding him in there and having to explain why we were trying to break in."
Albus nodded in agreement and stepped back as Ayla casually leaned her back against the door.
"Can you keep a look out?" She asked him. "And try to make it look like you're talking to me so we don't look suspicious."
Albus rested an arm on the wall next to the door, looking as casual as possible, and made light conversation as Ayla broke into the padlock behind her back effortlessly. Albus looked around one last time before ducking inside with Ayla.
"Keep your wand out and don't turn your back from the door," Ayla instructed helpfully and Albus did so, his hand clenched tightly around his wand. "What am I looking for?" She asked. Albus rattled off the ingredients and Ayla shimmied around the shelves, climbing on the wiry racks to retrieve the components. She hopped down when she was finished, pouring half of the things she had grabbed into Albus's arms.
"Okay, go, go, go!" Albus whispered anxiously, ushering her ahead. They dashed out of the potions closet, sprinting down the hallway to reach James, who took Ayla's armful of ingredients and barreled up the steps with them, all three laughing in glee and excitement. They reached the common room and slammed the door behind them, panting.
Albus's face erupted into a grin and he set down his ingredients and hugged Ayla tightly. "We did it," he said proudly, squeezing her tightly against him and then slapping James on the back. "We got away with it. Now we just have to make the Potion."
"Where should we brew it?" James asked. "I mean, we can't do it in my dormitory because Sheldon will see."
"We'll use mine," Albus said, picking up the ingredients and shifting them around so he could free a hand to open the door to his dormitory. He dumped the ingredients on the floor and set his cauldron down next to them while James unloaded the ingredients he held as well. Ayla sat on the floor next to the cauldron and scanned the recipe that James had torn from a book.
After they added the first seven ingredients, the recipe instructed them to stir for a minute and a half and then let it rest for fifteen minutes.
James took over the stirring, and Ayla moved to sit on Albus's bed. Albus stood up and stretched, then moved aside the ingredients that they had already used. He gazed down at Ayla sitting on his bed and blinked rapidly and cleared his throat to wipe away the thoughts swimming through his mind. James smirked knowingly at his brother from his spot on the floor. He stood up and wiped his hands on his jeans, setting the ladle down next to the cauldron.
Ayla looked at James and grinned. "So, where's Bridget?"
"Uh, I think she's writing to her dad with her list of things she wants for her birthday."
"That'll take a while," Albus muttered under his breath and James turned to him. "I mean, first she needs to learn to write, and then-"
James smacked his brother alongside the head and Albus laughed, punching him lightly in the gut.
Albus flopped down next to Ayla once he had flung James off his back.
"I'm going to get some food," James announced. "Do you guys want anything?"
"I'll have a water if you don't mind," Ayla asked politely and James nodded.
"Same," Albus requested and James left the dormitory.
Albus laid on his back once the door had closed and Ayla rested her head on his chest, Al's arm around her shoulders.
"What are you thinking about?" Albus asked softly after a moment of silence.
Ayla sat up and Albus followed, looking intently at her.
"I don't know, for the first time in my life, I feel normal."
Albus grinned foolishly at her. "You're at wizard school making a magical potion, Ayla," he reminded her, his smile stretching across his face. She shoved him playfully.
"I know, but...it's weird. For the first time, I feel like my childhood isn't defining me. Maybe it's just how much I love everyone at this school. Well, almost everyone. And I just...I feel free."
Albus wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "That's really great, Ayla. It takes a lot to break free from something like that." Ayla smiled, leaning closer to him. "My girlfriend, the comeback kid," Albus declared and Ayla laughed loudly.
"No way," she giggled. "I am never going by that."
Albus laughed and kissed her. She kissed him back, still laughing, and the two of them laid back on his bed.
They heard a loud throat-clearing and scrambled up. James was standing in the doorway. He nodded in greeting and handed them their waters.
"Thanks, James," Ayla said, blushing and James smiled at her.
"We should be able to finish the potion now," James announced, crouching down.
Ayla watched as James added the remaining ingredients and stirred the potion.
"Ten more minutes to let it sit and then it should be finished," he announced, sitting next to Ayla and Albus.
"Hey, Ayla, do you mind if I talk to Albus for a second?" James asked and Ayla sprung up.
"Sure!" She said sweetly, stepping out of the dormitory. James and Albus watched the door close behind her before turning to face each other.
"What's up?" Albus asked, putting his hands in his pockets.
"I wanted to ask you something...um, well, the winter formal is coming up. There's one for the fourth and fifth years, and there's one for the sixth and seventh years. Um, Bridget is going to be visiting her family so she can't go. I would just skip it altogether, but there's mandatory attendance for all fourth and fifth years on the Quidditch team. So I was wondering if-"
"If you could take Ayla," Albus finished for him. "Look, if it's this weekend, it won't work because Ayla and I are going to visit mom and dad."
"No, it's not this we-wait, what?" James demanded. "You're taking Ayla to meet mom and dad?"
Albus nodded. "We're leaving tomorrow morning."
James looked down. "O-okay, well, can you just think about the dance thing?"
"It's not really my decision, James, ask Ayla."
"I just wanted to make sure it was cool with you first," James explained.
"Yeah, well, I trust her."
"What, you don't trust me?" James demanded.
"Yeah, James, of course I do. But you have feelings for Ayla, so..."
"I get it. I'll ask her myself," James said, and opened the dormitory door. Ayla smiled at them both and walked back in.
James cleared his throat and stepped towards her. "Look, Ayla, there's this, uh, this dance next weekend. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me. Bridget is going out of town and I need someone to go with because I'm required to attend. Would you...?"
"Uh, s-sure, I guess so," Ayla agreed, shrugging simply. "You don't mind, do you?" She asked Albus, biting her lip.
"Of course not," Albus assured her. He grinned teasingly at James. "It's not like he's good-looking anyway," he joked and James put him in a headlock.
James released his brother with a quick shove to his head and turned back to Ayla. "It's semi formal; dresses but not gowns, suits but not tuxes."
"Sounds perfect," Ayla said brightly and James smiled in thanks. Albus slung his arm around Ayla's shoulders and looked down at the potion.
"Time for the fun part," he announced, pouring the potion into a flask and handing it to James.
The three of them headed to the Great Hall for dinner, the flask resting in James's pocket. Ayla and Albus said with Lily and Hugo while James sat down next to Sheldon a few seats down the table.
"What's James up to?" Lily asked and Ayla quickly explained, watching as James inconspicuously poured the potion into his own flask and swapped it slyly with Sheldon's while he was looking away.
Sheldon turned back to the table and James gently dropped the flask onto the ground and moved to sit with Ayla, Albus, Lily, and Hugo.
The five of them all watched Sheldon, waiting for him to take a sip of his drink. Bradley walked into the Great Hall and sat across from them.
"What's up, guys?" He asked, grabbing a turkey leg.
James explained their plan briefly, watching Sheldon intently. Sheldon lifted his goblet and took a drink. James nearly jumped out of his chair and Ayla erupted into giggles at Sheldon's face as he limbs and head began to swell to twice their size. The students around him stared as Sheldon panicked, their eyes wide and confused. Sheldon let of a panicked wail and dashed out of the common room. Albus buried his head in his hands, laughing hysterically.
The group slowly recovered from their fits of laughter.
"How long does the potion last?" Lily asked curiously.
"It's just a couple hours," James answered, running a hand over his face to wipe the tears that had come from laughing so hard.
"Hey, Brad, what was our History of Magic homework?" Hugo asked innocently, earning a glare from Brad. "Oh, that's right, I forgot," he lied. "You're not taking History of Magic yet because you had to retake Potions."
Bradley gave his friend a fake scowl and flung a glob of mashed potatoes at him, earning squeals of disgust from Lily and Ayla.
"How's that going, by the way?" Hugo asked, returning to seriousness.
Brad sighed. "It's easier the second time around because I already know some of the stuff, but it still sucks. Because now I have to take History of Magic either over the summer or in place of another class next year. If I take it next year, then I'll have to make up whatever class I miss doing that, and then whatever class I miss making up the class that I missed while I was taking History, and-"
"You lost me," Hugo interjected and Bradley rolled his eyes jokingly. Liam entered the Great Hall and sat down next to Bradley.
"You know what I mean. So I'll probably just take it this summer. Although, um, Binns thinks he told my dad about what happened, but...I gave him the wrong number. My dad will freak out."
"Well, Brad, he's going to find out at some point. Even if you take it next year instead of in summer school, he's going to find out. They send a copy of your schedules home," Ayla explained.
"Yeah, my older brother intercepts all letters from the school before Dad sees them."
"Lucky!" Liam exclaimed through a mouthful of food. "My dad knows I had detention for the whole Potions exam thing! My brother is too much of a goody-two-shoes to do that for me."
"You guys have brothers?" Lily asked.
"Yeah, my brother Mark," Liam said. "He's 24."
"And I have three older brothers. Jake, Danny, and Colin. Jake is 19, Danny is 22, and Colin is 28. Danny's the one who hides my letters."
Lily laughed once. "Why have you never mentioned your families before?" She wondered.
"Ayla knew, didn't you?" Liam asked, awkwardly avoiding eye contact with her.
"Y-yeah, you told me about Mark and I think you mentioned Brad's brothers a few times to me," she answered shyly. Natasha arrived and kissed Brad, sitting down next to him as they continued their conversation.
"Mark and Danny used to be best friends when we were little," Brad told them. "They were friends before we were born and that's sort of how we got to know each other."
"I did not know that," Lily said in surprise and Liam shrugged lightly, looking directly at Ayla.
"Everyone has their family stories," he said simply. Ayla nodded once at him, slightly uncomfortable.
"Yeah, Ayla, why don't you share yours?" Natasha interjected.
"That's not what I-" Liam stammered.
"Well, if everyone's sharing, then why not Ayla?" Natasha suggested with a smirk.
Ayla gave her a warning glare and Natasha shot her a fake smile.
"I'll give mine!" Albus interjected to spare Ayla.
"You can go next," Natasha said dismissively. "I really want to hear Ayla's."
"Uh, it's really not that interesting. My parents are never really around," she said simply. Not totally a lie, she told herself.
"Anyway," Albus said, trying desperately to change the subject. "Brad, you should just take History of Magic this summer. If you take it during the year, you'll never get caught up until you have to give up free period to make up a class, and you probably don't want that. Just take it this summer; it's only six weeks."
Brad nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I think I will. Serves me right, I guess," he said with a shrug.
"Besides," Lily contributed, staring at the teachers' table. "You wouldn't want to miss a class like arithmancy. Professor Ackerley is so good-looking."
Ayla laughed. "Ew, Lily, he could be your father!" She exclaimed, giggling.
"Not that you would have a problem with that, right, Ayla?" Natasha sneered.
"That just crossed the line!" Ayla roared, slamming down her fork. The wood of the table splintered under Albus's grip. James, Lily, Hugo, and Brad looked confused.
Natasha smirked at Ayla. "Hey, I'm just calling it like it is."
Ayla stood up and dashed out of the Great Hall, fighting her tears as she went. She had almost reached the common room when Albus caught up with her.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," he said softly, hugging her. She sobbed into his chest, her shoulders trembling. She pulled back after a moment and looked up at him through her tears.
"I hate her!" She cried. "How could she say that? What my father did to me...it wasn't my fault! I couldn't do anything to stop him! And now they're all going to know what happened because Natasha's probably telling them right now! James, Lily, Brad, and Hugo don't know any of it! And Liam knows part of it, he knows I was physically abused by my father but he doesn't know that my father m-" Ayla took several deep, shaky, frantic breaths, not finishing her sentence. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall, trying to calm herself down.
"Ayla," came James's voice.
Ayla opened swollen, tear-filled eyes and looked at him. Albus put his arm around her comfortingly as though he knew what James was going to say.
"Why didn't you tell us?" James asked, his voice breaking.
"W-why didn't I tell you what?" Ayla asked shakily, denial washing over her.
"That your father was in prison for physically and sexually abusing you."
Albus tightened his arm around Ayla as she turned to sob into his shoulder.
James stood helplessly behind her and Albus shot him a pleading look.
"James, just go," Albus begged. "Just get out of here, James, now!"
James looked pityingly and Ayla before running away down the steps. Natasha ascended the steps, passing by James and pausing in front of Ayla and Albus. She smirked and Ayla whirled out of Albus's arms, grabbing Natasha's arm.
"Natasha, what the hell is wrong with you? Why would you tell them that?" She bellowed.
"Don't ask me. Ask your ex-boyfriend."
"What? Natasha, that's not even possible. Liam didn't even know all of that; he-"
Natasha held up her hands. "I don't know, but he's the one who told them, okay? Not me." Natasha backed away, glaring at Ayla.
Ayla glanced at Albus and fled down the steps back toward the Great Hall with Albus behind her, begging her to wait. Ayla caught Liam as he was leaving the Great Hall.
"Ayla, before you say anything, I-"
"I just want to know why," Ayla pleaded weakly, her anger fading into despair.
"I-I don't know why I did it, Ayla. I wish I hadn't, okay? I-I'm sorry, I just panicked. I was pissed at you for being with Al and I just-"
"So you decided to ruin my life?" Ayla demanded angrily.
"I didn't ruin your life. Your father did."
"How did you even know that stuff? All I told you was that he hit me," Ayla asked tiredly, just wanting to know the answers.
"I figured it out; I don't know. I know you better than you think I do, Ayla."
Albus shook his head, looking away. "Man, don't try to pull that," he said quietly.
Liam sighed. "Ayla, I am so sorry; I assumed that Lily knew anyway, and maybe she had told James and then-"
"No!" Ayla cut in. "Lily didn't know, and even if she had, she never would have told anybody because she's a good friend and she actually cares about me, and-"
"Ayla, I do care about you," Liam promised, reaching for her hand.
"Don't touch me," she hissed, yanking her hand away.
"Ayla-" he began, grabbing her shoulders.
"She told you not to touch her!" Albus bellowed, jumping in front of Ayla.
"Fine," Liam managed in a whisper, brushing past him and walking away.
Ayla let out a sob and looked up at Albus.
"Are those train tickets you bought refundable?"
"Yeah," he said gently. "You don't want to go anymore?"
"No, I do. I want to leave tonight. I've got to get out of here, now," she said frantically.
Albus nodded. "Go grab your stuff. I'll call the station and see if we can make the last train out tonight."
Ayla ran to her dormitory and slammed her suitcase onto her bed, her tears splashing onto her clothes as she roughly threw them into the suitcase.
"Ayla!" Lily cried, running into the dormitory. "Ayla, I'm so sorry, I had no idea!"
"Don't worry, Lily," she said exhaustedly. "I'm getting out of here; I'll be back at the end of the weekend."
"Ayla, if I had known, I would have stopped Liam from saying anything, and-"
Ayla put her hand on Lily's shoulder and smiled strongly. "I know you would."
"I'll see you in a couple of days," Lily said and Ayla gave her another sad smile as she pulled her suitcase out of the dormitory to meet Albus.
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