The sun shone brightly through the windows of Mrs. Thompson's Year 1 class and cast a warm glow on the colorful drawings that adorned the walls. Laurel Potter sat at her tiny desk, her attention wandered from the alphabet lesson to staring at the birds outside.

Mrs. Thompson, the stern-looking teacher, paced back and forth at the front of the room, her voice raised in frustration.

"Laurel! Pay attention!" Mrs. Thompson scolded, her patience clearly wearing thin.

However, Laurel's mind was elsewhere. As the teacher's voice grew louder, Laurel's attention finally snapped to the front of the classroom, and she saw the red-faced teacher. Dread pooled in her belly, and she felt like ants were crawling over her skin. Sweat broke out along her brow and she didn't know what the teacher had been asking or what she wanted.

Laurel felt pressure build in her chest and as she gasped for breath, she felt something similar to a bubble popping and the pressure in her chest dissipated.

As Mrs. Thompson continued her schooling, a gasp swept through the room. The teacher's once-brown hair had transformed into a vibrant shade of electric blue. The children stared wide-eyed, unsure of what had just transpired.

Mrs. Thompson caught her reflection in a nearby mirror and her eyes bulged in shock. Finally, the entire class erupted into giggle and whispers as the teacher fumed in embarrassment.

"What have you done?!" she exclaimed, and Laurel was bewildered when the teacher's accusatory finger was pointed in her direction.

Laurel, her innocent green eyes were wide with surprise, stammered, "I-I didn't do anything, Mrs. Thompson! I promise!"

The teacher, however, was having none of it, "I've had enough of your antics. This type of behavior is unacceptable. Come with me. Now!" she barked and pulled Laurel from the classroom and led her down toward the Headteacher's office.

*LPC*

After school, Laurel found herself sitting at the kitchen table, a piece of paper clutched tightly in the firm grip of her Uncle Vernon. Laurel's small frame trembled with fear and uncertainty. She had never seen this level of anger directed toward her previously. She looked at her aunt and wilted when she saw the pursed lips and narrowed eyes. She would find no help from her aunt.

"Explain yourself," Vernon demanded.

Laurel gulped, cast a nervous glance around the room and from when she saw her cousin just outside the Kitchen, peaking through the crack in the door, with a smirk on his face.

"I-I didn't do anything. I swear," Laurel stammered, her eyes now focused on the worn wooden table.

Petunia's thin lips curled into a sneer, "Then why would your teacher tell us it was you. We have a report from the Headteacher and everything."

"It was like magic!" Laurel said.

Her aunt and uncle were silent after that statement but when Laurel risked a glance she saw the pale-green tint on her aunt's face and the apocalyptic anger on her uncles. She didn't know why but she felt like her life was about to change. And not for the better.

"Go to your room," her aunt whispered but Laurel did not waste any time. She flew from the chair and pushed past her cousin to flee up the stairs.

*LPC*

Later that night, Laurel was unable to sleep. She lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling. The house was quiet but just as she rolled over to try and fall asleep movement and a hushed conversation caught her attention. She strained to listen and realized that Petunia and Vernon were pacing around their room.

Laurel slowly stood from her bed and crept towards her door. She slowly pulled it open just a cracked and strained to listen. She couldn't make out every word, but a shiver ran down her spine at what she could hear.

"-didn't know. There's been no sign."

"You mean to tell me that the girl…absolute rubbish."

"-Only explanation."

There was a long pause and Laurel's heart raced as poked her head out into the hall to try and hear more.

"We can't…in the house, Petunia! Not near Dudley. Could…freakishness hurt him?"

"We can't just…out of the house. They know she's here. We don't know…to us if they find her gone."

The silence came once more, and Laurel wondered if their conversation was finally over before Vernon spoke again.

"Fine. But she can't stay where she is. We'll have to move her to…it's small but that's fine. Keep her as far from Dudley as we can."

Laurel felt a lump form in her throat. Her aunt and uncle were talking about her as if she was a problem that needed to be solved. She didn't know what she had done wrong to deserve it. It couldn't solely be about the incident at school. She hadn't even done anything wrong. She didn't know how the teacher's hair turned blue, but she definitely didn't do it.

She crawled back into bed and hid under her covers. Laurel strained to control the tears that threatened to spill. She didn't know where she was being moved but she hoped that it wasn't away from her family.