Prompts: a potion, a shadow, bare feet

Crossover: The Worst Witch

Firstly, to fit this plot into the 'Harry Potter' series, I have had to make a couple of alterations. Firstly, I have assumed that ‘Ms Cackle’s Academy’ is a primary school, enrolling students between the ages of eight and ten.

Secondly, this story is set in the first term of Harry’s second year; the only period when such an ‘Exchange’ program could feasibly take place. As Severus Snape is teaching Defence for the first term, Lockheart’s ‘Announcement’ (and the altercation between Lucius and Arthur which follows) does not take place. Since the diary remains at Malfoy Manor pro tem, Dobby has no reason to take further steps to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts for the autumn term. Thus Harry and Ron make it through the barrier and onto platform 9 3/4 on time to catch the Hogwarts Express.

On a final note, I have based Ms Cackle’s Academy on the information provided in Jill Murphy’s ‘The Worst Witch’ and ‘The Worst Witch Strikes Again’, both of which were beloved books from my childhood. Therefore, readers are asked to forgive any inconsistencies between “The Worst Exchange” and ‘The Worst Witch’ television series (which I did not watch).