A New Year.

Author's Note: This is the next part of my What If saga. Feel free to read it first. It might be helpful when reading this one, things from that story are referred to in this story.

Mal and Evie descended the palace stairs in their gowns to find Ben, Doug, Jay and Carlos. Evie smiled at Doug, having no idea he had already arrived. Belle came out from the library and got them together for pictures. She promised more when Lonnie and Jane arrived.

Just a short time later, after a wonderful feast, the dancing began. Adam and Belle started off the dancing. Soon the floor was filled with dancers of all ages. They were in the small ball room, and Ben was right compared to his coronation this was a small dance. The kids grabbed their dates and were having a wonderful time when they noticed Audrey, her parents, Queen Leah and man Mal had never seen before, walk in. Mal whispered to Ben. "Ben, Audrey and her family just walked in. And they have some guy with them." Ben stopped dancing and looked over at the new arrivals. His parents were already walking towards them. They didn't look dressed for a ball. And that man looked familiar to him.

"Stay here." He said to Mal who had just been joined by her friends and their dates.

"What's going on?" Jay asked, pointing to Audrey.
"No idea." Mal answered. "Ben said they never come, but they are invited every year. They don't look dressed for a dance."
"I don't like this." Evie added, pointing to the other man with them.

"Me either." Mal agreed. She was about to go on when Ben returned, his face contorted. "What's wrong?" Mal asked because of the on his face.

"It's not good."
"What, what's wrong." Evie panicked.

"I need to borrow Mal. Try and enjoy yourselves, while my parents and I try and fix this." He took Mal's arm and she looked back at her friends. Lonnie taking charge, marched over to Chad. He and his family had been at the dance all night.

"What is she up too?" Lonnie demanded, making no point of hiding the fact she was pointing at Audrey.
"I didn't … I don't agree with it…I had no idea…she had Mal expelled."

"WHAT!? How could she do that?" Lonnie screamed.
"Queen Leah called the school board and had Mal expelled for illegal use of magic. The love spell Ben was under."
"Are you kidding me? That was months ago! When did you find out?"
"Just now, Aurora practically bragged it to my mom and she just told me. We had nothing to do with this I swear." Chad pleaded seeing that Jay and the rest had heard Lonnie's exclamation and had come to find out what had her so upset. "Queen Leah had Mal expelled."
"Are you kidding me?" Evie asked, " How, why?"
"The love spell she put on Ben was an illegal use of magic. "
"Are they sending her back to the Isle?" Carlos panicked.
"She wanted to, but I guess since no harm came about it, Mal is just kicked out of school. And we have no idea for how long." Chad confessed.

"That…but we were all in the kitchen when she made that spell."
"I guess it was only Mal who gave him the cookie, and it was her mother's spell book." Chad filled in.
"Audrey does realize that her life for the rest of her time at school will be a life of an outcast right?" Lonnie asks Chad. "Cause everyone loves Mal. There is no way that anyone will talk to her after this."
"I doubt it. But it will serve her right." Chad agreed. He had come a long way since the coronation and the gang was just starting to like him, this was an important step for Chad in their eyes.

"Is there anything we can do?" Carlos asked.

"I don't think so. Ben and his parents are in the library now. I guess they even brought Minister Jacobs to deliver the news to Mal in person." Chad informed them. Audrey watched the gang, not being allowed in the library. The word of her betrayal filled the ball room quickly, and the looks she got frightened her. But she stood tall.

In the office, Adam paced as Minister Jacobs read the charge against Mal. "I was brought here after an emergency meeting of the school board to inform you Mal, that you are here by expelled from Auradon Prep. The reason for your expulsion is it has come to our attention that while on school property you not only conjured a love spell, but you used it on then Prince Ben, is that correct?" Mal looked at Ben and his parents, they knew the truth so there was no need to lie.

"Yes I did."
"And for what reason did you create said spell?"
"To gain access to Fairy Godmother's Wand." Just then Fairy Godmother Popped into the room. Jane had called her.

"I am wondering why if a student in my school, who has already being punished for this slight misjudgment, is being punished again?" She said looking from the Minister to Audrey's grandmother. "And more importantly why have I not been informed of the meeting, or the verdict before you inform my student."

"Slight misjudgment! Honestly, she spelled the King. And how was this child punished?" Queen Leah asked, ignoring the fact that Fairy Godmother wasn't in the loop.

"She is still under punishment. Mal washes dishes at night. She isn't allowed out of her dorm room after classes unless she is accompanied by an approved student. And will be spending all next summer working at the school on odd jobs such as painting the dorms, classrooms and more."
"Not good enough. She spelled the King of Auradon. Her plan was to steal the fairy Godmothers wand. How do we know he isn't under the spell now?" Queen Leah exclaimed.

"I swam in the enchanted lake, it has long since washed off. Besides Mal also gave me an anti-love potion."
"Regardless, she used dark magic for an evil purpose, and since you Minister cannot send her back to where she came, the least you could do was expel her. The committee already voted. It cannot be changed." Queen Leah demanded. Glaring at Mal who was clinging, not to Ben, but to Belle.

"And just what exactly is Mal to do for school?" Adam asked.

"She may enroll in any other school until such time as the board has determined that she has learned her lesson."
"And what does she need to do to prove to the board that she has learned her lesson?" Belle asks, hugging Mal tightly.

"Continue school, keep up passing grades, get along with the student body, and no magic of any kind."
"How long?" Mal finally speaks

"Done, you will never return to Auradon Prep." Queen Leah said.

"That is not true." The minister interrupted. "The board said until we feel she has learned her lesson. We will review her behavior periodically until we feel she is ready to return to Auradon Prep. Now if there is nothing else, I would like to go home." He glared at Leah. He whispered to King Adam, ' I am sorry Adam, I tried to fight it, but she had just enough votes. I will try and get Mal back to AP as soon as I can, just have her behave.' Adam nodded and shook the man's hand. Ben did as well.

Mal walked over to the Minister. "Minister, thank you. I will do anything I can to get back to Auradon Prep as soon as I can."
"I know you will. If you have any questions, I will make sure Ben and Adam have a direct line to me."
"Thank you." Ben said. The man left and Leah moved closer to Mal. Mal found it hard to control her temper, but she could see her 'family' had her back.

"That ruling will stand until you graduate, I will see to it." Queen Leah said.

"I think otherwise Leah." Adam said. "You heard the Minister, if Mal can keep from preforming magic on anyone and she will be back in AP."
"Please. You think I can't stop the vote from bringing her back, just watch."
"I do not like threats Queen Leah." Adam said. "Especially threats against my family." Adam took Mal's hand in his. "Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos are a part of this family now. May I remind you that Belle and I are their legal guardians until they turn 18. I will be looking into the legality of this meeting being held without myself, Belle nor Fairy Godmother being informed of the charges, nor the meeting date and time."
"It's all legal. Try as you might, Adam. That girl is no longer going to be with Ben."
"That.." Mal stopped, she now saw where this was going. It was Queen Leah's way of trying to break Mal and Ben apart. Ben moved to speak, but Mal just took his hand. He knew she was on to something so he stopped himself.

"I think now would be a great time for you folks to leave." Adam said opening the door. "Lumiere show them out." He barked loudly.

Mal and Ben went back into the ballroom. Audrey smiled broadly at them, as if she had won something huge. Ben just walked past her, Mal in tow. Mal stopped him, and kissed him. Audrey huffed and left. "What happened?" They all said at once.

"She is expelled. Dad is looking into it. Jane, thank you for calling you mom?"

"I did yes." She admitted. "I had a feeling she didn't know about this, because we were home all day and no one told us anything."
"Thank you." Mal said. She looked so sad, it broke everyones hearts.

"Now what?" Jay asks.

"Mal can enroll in another school. If she doesn't use magic, keeps up her grades and shows good faith, she can return. They will be checking up on her from time to time, and when they feel she is ready they will allow her to come back to AP."
"Wow Audrey has gone way too far this time." Jay said, slamming his fist into his other hand.

"Jay! We are going to do this the right way. I will follow the rules, and I will be back before you guys miss me."
"That might be a bit hard." Adam and Belle said coming up to the group. "Minister Jacobs said she had just enough votes to get what she wanted. Mal might be stuck until the next school board election. And that's not until the last week of school."
"So basically I will be finishing off the school year at another school." Mal pointed out.

"I would say yes." Belle admitted. "But…he said she may enroll in another school, he also said, continue school and keep up her grades. He never once said where she needed to go to school. Adam, what if I home school Mal? Can that work?"
"This is about trying to split Ben and I up. If you did this for me…oh will she be mad."
"But he did say continue school and she may enroll. He never said she HAD to enroll in a specific school."

The gang felt much better about the outcome. If Mal was homeschooled at the palace, she could see her friends, and she would be sure not to cast any spells if she weren't near anyone that would upset her. The decided to finish the ball.