Draco and Ella had walked into the dining hall together as usual. Ella waved to her father as she sat down and he smiled slightly. Ella ate happily as Draco talked to some of his other friends. Ella had thought about Harry, her brother seems very... prideful. He hates to admit that he's wrong.
After they finished eating Ella and Draco headed to Potions. Draco kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Harry, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say "Unfair." Ella sat beside him laughing, hey Harry's her brother but that doesn't mean it's not funny.
Harry's Swelling Solution was far too runny, but he had his mind on more important things. He was waiting for Hermione's signal, and he hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer at his watery potion. When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville, Hermione caught Harry's eye and nodded.
Harry ducked swiftly down behind his cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket, and gave it a quick prod with his wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing he had only seconds, Harry straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron.
Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate - Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened.
Through the confusion, Harry saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office. Ella laughed at Draco and the rest of the class. She hadn't got hit at all.
"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft - when I find out who did this-"
Harry tried not to laugh as he watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon. As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed-up lips, Harry saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging.
Ella helped Snape prepare the antidote and tried not to laugh anymore at anyone. When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.
"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."
Harry arranged his face into what he hoped was a puzzled expression. Ella was looking right at him, and the bell that rang ten minutes later could not have been more welcome.
"Ella knew it was me," Harry told Ron and Hermione as they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell, she was looking at me"
~Time Skip~
"It was Potter" Ella said as she sat on her father's desk
"yes I know" Snape confirmed cleaning up "Class"
"free period" Ella hummed and Snape nodded
"your an excellent Qudditch player" Snape smiled
"thank you father" Ella smiled
~Time Skip~
A week later Ella was reading a book in the courtyard when Draco and his friends came over. She looked up from her book as Draco sat next to her looking happy.
"They're starting a Dueling Club" He said excited
"Really?" Ella asked closing her book
"yeah, let's go together, it'll be fun" Draco said happily
"ok" Ella agreed
Draco smiled at her and he and his friends left. Hermione came out into the courtyard and spotted Ella. She went over and sat down next to her. The girls sat there and talked for awhile.
"So Ella how old are you?" Hermione asked
"12" She answered
"so you are my age" Hermione said
"yeah, I just started late, my father didn't want me going to Hogwarts" Ella explained
"why not?" Hermione asked
"He didn't want me meeting Harry" Ella answered
"But he's your brother" Hermione said confused
"Not that he realizes it" Ella rolled her eyes
"He knows he has a sister, just not who" Hermione said sympathetically
"none of the teachers will say my last name, nobody wants Harry to know about me" Ella said sadly
"He will one day, I don't think he's ready to know right now. Don't worry, you'll have your brother back soon, and I'm sure he'll love you" Hermione said reassuringly
"thanks Hermione" Ella said and they hugged
~Time Skip~
Draco and Ella arrived at the Great Hall at eight o'clock. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school eemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!
"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works.
"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"Kick his ass dad!" Ella shouted and the Slytherins cheered, Snape smiled a tiny bit but hid it well.
Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.
"One - two - three-"
Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.
Malfoy, Ella, and some of the other Slytherins cheered. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.
"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."
Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me-"
They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter-"
Harry moved automatically toward Hermione.
"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger - you can partner Miss Bulstrode."
"But dad I was going to partner with Draco" Ella whined
"it's all for some good fun darling" Snape said to his daughter and she pouted
"Easy Ella, we can duel later" Draco smirked
"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"
Harry and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.
"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents - one ... two ... three-"
Harry swung his wand high, but Malfoy had already started on "two": His spell hit Harry so hard he felt as though he'd been hit over the head with a saucepan. He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Harry pointed his wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, " Rictusempra! "
A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.
"Draco!" Ella shouted worried
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Harry hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a mistake; gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked, " Tarantallegra!" and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.
"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.
A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than he was.
Ella pointed her wand at Millicent "Petrificus Totalus"
Millicent dropped to the floor unable to move anything but her eyes. Draco smirked and patted Ella's back. Ella looked at Hermione and Hermione smiled to her as thanks.
"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Ella and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.
"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Ella into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.
Draco smirked as Ella looked nervous. Harry noticed her trying to steady her breathing. Hermione looked worried and Ron looked like he wanted Harry to beat her.
"Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Ella points his wand at you, you do this."
He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops - my wand is a little overexcited-"
Snape moved closer to Ella, bent down, and whispered something in her ear. Ella smiled at her dad. Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"
"Scared?" muttered Malfoy from the side
"You wish," said Harry out of the corner of his mouth.
Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"
"What, drop my wand?"
But Lockhart wasn't listening.
"Three - two - one - go!" he shouted.
Ella quickly raised her want "Ventus" tough gusts of wind were sent at Harry pushing him back.
Harry raised his wand "Petrificus Totalus"
Ella moved before the spell hit her and said " Serpensortia!"
The end of er wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.
"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it..."
"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.
Draco grabbed Ella's hand and they ran out of the Great Hall quickly. They did not want to stick around there. Ella laughed as they entered the common room.
"Having fun?" Draco smirked, Ella smiled and nodded
"I believe you owe me a duel Mr. Malfoy" Ella smirked
"As promised Miss Potter" Draco Smirked taking out his wand, Ella doing the same
~Time Skip~
"How did you win!" Draco shouted out of breath and Ella held out her hand to him laughing.
He took her hand and stood up. Ella knew more spells then he did. She was fast too, she was definitely the better Potter sibling.
"God your amazing" Draco said breathlessly
"I know" Ella smirked
"And i thought you were the younger sibling" Draco said
"I am" Ella laughed
"God" Draco breathed