Emilla Potter

Defence Against the Dark Arts

That great kind of tired feeling warmed Evelynn from the inside. Mr and Mrs. Bell were incredibly welcoming and kind towards her. Katie felt a little embarassed by them, when they told her about the letters her friend wrote to them about a really kind, helpfull Hufflepuff, who even studies with her.
Evelynn learned that Katie is a half-blood, her mother is a muggle and works and a doctor in a hospital, while his father is a magizoologist at the Ministry of Magic. He is the one, who catches a magical creature if it's in the muggle world. After him, the obliviators do their job so no muggles will know about magic.
The second day at lunch Katie even looked at her confused:
- How come you know that much of the muggle world? Are you a half-blood too?
Evelynn smiled and shook her head.
- No, I was adopted - she said - My father, who adopted lives close to the orphanage I lived in and saw me producing magic. So he talked to the ministry and I got adopted by a wizard. That way I know a lot about muggle stuff and magic too.
They were extremely surprised by the fact, that she was adopted. They never talked about it in school, it never came up.
The family gave both sides to them trough the schoolbreak. They played wizard chess with Kay's dad, went to see a movie with her mom, and played muggle board-games.
The two had time to talk and be alone a bit, they questioned each other about Hogwarts's history.
She changed a few owls with Snape, they talked about Defence Against the Dark Arts. She complained about how boring it was and Snape promised her somekind of a "special duelling class".
On the way back to Hogwarts Evelynn couldn't get rid of a grinn. It constantly sneaked back on her face. On the train all the six of them (Rachel, Katie, Fred, George, Lee Jordan and Evelynn) told what they did at home. Fred and George came up with a new prank idea, they talked about it with Lee so they could do it together.
The Halloween feast was amazing! Huge pumpkin lanters were levitating around the Great Hall, dinner was a real master piece!
All hallows day was calming and fun. She walked around with Katie and Rachel, they looked the giant octopus at the lake and played gobstones for a while. Later on she sneaked into the kitchen for some dessert.
In the dormitory Rachel and Evelynn got to play a few rounds of wizard chess. As they went to sleep she felt like she was in a great, squeezing hug. The only thought before she slept in was best break ever!
And she was happy, that she even had a weekend after the whole break.

On Saturday evening she walked up to the unused classroom on the first floor. Snape was waiting there.
- Hello, - he welcomed her with a little smile - please close the door!
She quickly closed it and Snape even put some spells around the door.
- Now they won't hear us talking and they won't come in.
- Why is that...?
- Because it's easier to learn as Emilla then as Evelynn - he answered before she could end the question. She shook her head and she was herself again. The man looked at her and smiled.
- I told Dumbledore what I was planning and he... - his eyes looked surprised as he remembered - Let's say he was happy that you wanted to learn dueling this young.
After this he started to act like the teacher.
- Now, first of all, you'll learn the shield charm. What do you know about it?
- It creates an invisible shield to protect the caster from spells and physical entities - she said. Snape smiled shooking his head.
- Quoted from Standard Book of Spells - he chuckled - You are one insufferable know-it-all, but the answer is right. I believe you know what the spell is.
- Protegro
- Good. - he nodded strictly - Now try to summon that shield.
After a few tries she got the shield right around her. Severus looked proud.
- Great! Now try it against me.
Mila looked at him surprised. She smiled and was excited to try it. Just when she was thinking about how badass she would be in a duel Snape waved his wand.
- Expelliarmus!
Emilla got pushed to her back. Her wand was in the hands of Snape. Snape walked to her and helped her up.
- I think I said try it, not just... stand still and wait for something.
- Okay! Let me try again!
The lesson went on for two more hours. The sky turned orange, then grey and after that, it slowly merged into deep blue. The candels light reflected in Emilla's eyes as she walked on an outline of an invisible circle with Snape walking across from her. She waited, concentrated on her breathing. Then she desided to start.
- Expell...
- Petrificus totalus!
Emilla froze in the middle of the movement. She got trapped thanks to the Body-Bind Curse. Severus helped her up again after mumbling locomotor mortis. Mila sat down while Snape walked back to the other side of the classroom.
- Couldn't you be a bit more kind? - she asked - You didn't let me win once! I am going to be severely depressed - she put on an act and made a sad face.
- Oh, I am terribly sorry Madam - Snape started with their dramatic style at home - I thought the Lady here wanted to learn how to duel. Not how to win without winning - he called her out on this one. He was right. She did not want to win without really winning. As she sat on the chair cleaning her robe, she had an idea. She smiled then quickly went back to sad. She stood up and walked sadly closer to Severus. As she did he looked at her with mistrust. He was right.
- Petrificus totalus! - she shouted and pointed at Snape. The professor froze and fell onto the floor. She laughed and screamed.
- Yeeeey! I did it! - she ran around and danced a bit while Snape got out of the frozen state. That quickly ended the dance.
- How... how did you do that? - she pointed at him.
- I had my wand in my hand, pigmy puff - he said, cleaning his robe.
- But, you didn't say anything!
- Yes, that's right. I can produce spells without talking.
- But you always said them before!
- I am teaching you, not really dueling with you - he sat down and looked at her - You can learn by listening first. Then maybe you'll learn how to do it silently.
Emilla nodded, but felt sad. She really tought she won. After a few more minutes she was back in the Hufflepuff common room with dark brown hair and freckles, talking to Rachel, who finally finished the homework-exam to potions.
***