Disclaimer: Harry Potter was written by J.K. Rowling and published by Scholastic. Battle Royale was written by Koushun Takami, published by Ota Shuppan. The english language version was published by Viz. I own neither. I think I've done all the legal butt-covering I can here.
Notes:
I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and fell in love with J.K. Rowling's world. It's big, grand and a lot of fun. I read Battle Royale and fell in love with Koushun Takami's world in an entirely different way. It's dark, oppressive and no fun at all, but it's supposed to be. So yeah, they're not the most immediately logical worlds to crossover, but I've seen it done at least once before. And though I've never tried to write a fic in either world, let alone a crossover (I've tried to avoid them for fear of mucking it up) for some reason this came to me and I couldn't get the idea out of my head. Since I have to write what occurs to me no matter how improbable it seems, I'll just have to get this one out of my system as quickly as possible. To sum up, Harry Potter is about the choices we make growing up, Battle Royale is about how quickly we can turn on each other under pressure. This fic probably won't end up being about either. That said, I am trying to make this fic more than simply killing of H.P. characters in interesting ways. I'll be trying to explore my own opinions on the characters and capture the horror of Battle Royale at the same time. If it doesn't turn out the way I'm hoping...well nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Oh and if/when your favorite character buys it...deal, don't whine.
When I compiled the Sixth Year class list for this fic there were some holes. Following the 5 boys 5 girls per house per year pattern left me in need of some names. So I hit the Harry Potter Lexicon. Whenever possible, I tried to fill the gaps with characters who were definitely in that house in the 90's. After running out of those, I went to characters whose houses were not made clear and put them wherever they were needed. In some cases I also had to invent first names. If any of these characters contradict cannon, I apologize. I have marked them with '*'s in the class list.
For some reason, this story vanished off FFN and they have not (as of this writing) bothered to tell me why. There are two possibilities.
1) Someone didn't like the violence in this story and decided to report it as 'abusive' and get it taken off. This seems unlikely because I don't think that the violence in this story is anywhere near graphic enough to be worthy of deletion by the admins. But I can't completely dismiss the possibility.
2) In order to present the story in what I felt was a more artistically pleasing manner, I had these notes in a separate chapter. So that could be why. In either case, then they should at least tell me why my fic was removed, my account blocked, and my reviews lost.
In any case here's the fic, reposted in the hopes that it will not be taken down again, and updated.
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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Year Six Class List
Males
RAVENCLAW
1. Boot, Terry
2. Corner, Michael
3. Cornfoot, Stephen
4. Entwhistle, Kevin
5. Goldstein, Anthony
SLYTHERIN
6. Crabbe, Vincent
7. Nott, Theodore
8. Malfoy, Draco
9. Dorny, Jacob*
10. Goyle, Gregory
HUFFLEPUFF
11. Finch-Fletchley, Justin
12. Hopkins, Wayne
13. Smith, Zacharias*
14. Stebbins, Jonathan*
15. MacMillan, Ernie
GRYFFINDOR
16. Weasley, Ron
17. Longbottom, Neville
18. Finnegan, Seamus
19. Potter, Harry
20. Thomas, Dean
Females
RAVENCLAW
1. Patil, Padma
2. Turpin, Lisa
3. Brocklehurst, Mandy
4. Li, Su
5. Bradley, Susanna*
SLYTHERIN
6. Bulstrode, Millicent
7. Davis, Tracey
8. Greengrass, Daphne
9. Parkinson, Pansy
10. Zabini, Blaise
HUFFLEPUFF
11. Jones, Megan
12. Midgin, Eloise*
13. Abbot, Hannah
14. Bones, Susan
15. Moon, Allison
GRYFFINDOR
16. Brown, Lavender
17. Patil, Parvati
18. Granger, Hermione
19. Perks, Sally-Ann*
20. Frobisher, Victoria*
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Part One: Prologue
40 Students Remaining
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"Hey Harry, mind if we sit here?"
Harry Potter (Male Student 19, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Gryffindor House, Year 6) looked up from the battered copy of 'Quidditch Through the Ages' that he had been reading. Ginny Weasley stood in the doorway along with her current boyfriend, Dean Thomas (Male Student 20, Gryffindor). There were two seats left in the compartment - the others were occupied by Harry's friends Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom (Male Student 17, Gryffindor) - so Harry nodded.
"Sure, come on in."
"Thanks," Dean said as he and Ginny squeezed in across from Harry. "Everything else was taken."
"No problem," Harry said, "How was your summer?" Harry had meant to visit the Weasley's over summer break as usual, but, as was also usual lately, Professor Dumbledore felt it would be safer for him to stay with the Dursely's where he was safe. Clearly, Dumbledore considered life with Muggles who hated magic folk in general and Harry in particular to be safe. On the other hand, Harry had to admit that for the first time in a long time, he had gone all summer without any run-ins with Lord Voldemort and Co. Though after the events of last year, Harry wasn't entirely sure that hiding under a rock was how he wanted to react to the steady regrowth of the Dark Side. But, again as usual, decisions concerning his own life were, for some reason, not his to make. So he had gone all summer with only vague letters to tell him what was going on with the Order of the Phoenix. And he had been bored. Dear God had he been bored.
"We didn't get to go out much," Ginny said. "Mom and Dad have been pretty paranoid since last year. Plus Dad spent most of the summer at work. Some new law the Ministry wanted to pass that he was fighting. We did get to spend a few weeks with Fred and George, though."
Harry smiled. He had seen the Weasley Twins' joke shop in Diagon Alley the day before when he bought his school supplies, but he hadn't had much time to look around. It certainly seemed like it would be an amazing place to spend a few weeks. But something else Ginny had said struck him. After all the trouble with the Ministry last year, any law that Mr. Weasley was against was something Harry wanted to know as much as he could about.
"What new law?" he asked.
"I don't know," Ginny said with a shrug. "He wouldn't talk about it. But he did say that Dumbledore was against it too and that he just hoped that would be enough to defeat it."
"Did it pass?"
Ginny shrugged again. "If it did, the paper didn't say anything about it."
40 Students Remaining
The train reached the station just after sunset. A trace of orange glow still hung over the mountains. As always a fleet of horseless carriages waited to take the students to the school.
"First Years this way! First years!" Harry turned at the sound of the voice. Where Hagrid usually stood, guiding the first years into the boats, instead was Filch, the caretaker.
"That's funny," Harry's best friend, Ron Weasley (Male Student 16, Gryffindor) said, coming up behind him. "Where's Hagrid?"
"Maybe he's ill," Hermione Granger (Female Student 18, Gryffindor) suggested from next to Ron.
"Maybe," Harry said, though he had never known any situation, short of not being present, to keep Hagrid from what was perhaps his favorite duty, giving new students their first look at Hogwarts.
A little worried about Hagrid, Harry followed Ron and Hermione to the carriages where another surprise awaited them.
--Attention Students!--
As part of Educational Reform Act No. 68, all carriage seating will be separated by year from now on.
Sit only with members of your own year.
A faculty member will be present to enforce this rule.
"What kind of rubbish is that?" Ron wondered. "Since when does it matter what year we're in?"
Harry looked around. Sure enough, Professor Snape was there, docking points from anyone who tried to mix years on a carriage, even members of his own House, Slytherin.
"Ron," Hermione said, "Educational Reform Act 68! Isn't that the one your father was against this summer?"
"You're right," Ron said, "They must have passed it after all."
"And this is it?" Harry asked dubiously. "Seems a little petty for your dad and Dumbledore to be fighting it."
"Hurry up, Potter," Snape said. "Pick one and get in." He seemed just as venomous as ever, but there was something else in his voice, something Harry couldn't quite place. Before Snape could take points from Gryffindor, Harry, Hermione, and Ron hurried into the nearest empty carriage. They were alone in the carriage for only a minute or so before Snape's voice rang out again.
"I don't care whether you like it or not, Mister Malfoy. That is the only available seat, now go!" A moment later, Harry's least favorite person in the entire world, Draco Malfoy (Male Student 8, Slytherin) stepped into the carriage.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron said.
"Trying not to gag from seeing your ugly face, Weasley," Malfoy replied snidely as he reluctantly sat down next to Harry.
The trip to the castle was oppressively silent. With Malfoy around, no one felt like talking. Everyone just stared out the windows. Harry thought they should be nearing Hogwarts by now, but he could not see the lights of the castle through the window, only darkness. He turned to mention this to Ron and Hermione, only to find them fast asleep. And next to him, Malfoy was out as well. Before Harry could process this, a wave of drowsiness hit him. He tried to fight it, but darkness settled over him. Just before he lost consciousness, Harry caught a glimpse of Hogwarts in the night, but it was far off, and they seemed to be heading away from it.
40 Students Remaining
The carriages stopped at Hogwarts and the students disembarked, still wondering about the new grade segregation. Ginny stepped out of her carriage and looked around for Dean Thomas. She had seen him get on the carriage next to hers along with Neville Longbottom, and Parvati Patil (Female Student 17, Gryffindor) and her twin sister Padma (Female Student 1, Ravenclaw). But now, looking around, she couldn't seem to find any of them. Figuring she could meet up with Dean later, Ginny shrugged and headed into the feast.
The Great Hall was set up for the start of term feast, as always. But Ginny could tell immediately that something was wrong. A large section of Gryffindor's table was empty. Ginny counted ten students missing, including Dean, Hermione, Harry, and her own brother Ron. In fact, counting more closely, Ginny realized that all the sixth year Gryffindor's were absent. And it wasn't just the Gryffindors, either. Every house seemed to be missing its Sixth Years. A chorus of confused whispers and murmurs arose throughout the hall. Clearly she wasn't the only one who had noticed something amiss.
Looking up at the faculty table. Ginny realized that the absence of the entire Sixth Year student body was not simply odd, but sinister. The professors all had a look in their eyes. Most did their best to hide it, but something was haunting all of them. Professor Flitwick, always cheerful, now looked unnaturally somber. Professor McGonagall actually seemed on the verge of tears, especially when her eyes fell on those forty deserted seats. And Hagrid...Hagrid wasn't even trying to act normal. It was all he could do to keep his sobs somewhat quiet.
Finally, as Filch led the nervous First Years into the Hall, Professor Dumbledore stood up. Immediately, the whispers died and silence prevailed.
"Welcome back, students," Dumbledore said, his grave tone of voice the final bit of proof that something was drastically wrong. "I have only one announcement before supper. As I am sure you have noticed, a number of students who should be here with us...are not. For reasons I am...not permitted to divulge, the Sixth Years will not be joining us tonight...or ever again."
A shocked murmur rippled through the crowd. What did he mean 'or ever again'? Had the entire Sixth Year class been expelled? What was happening? However, the murmur quickly died as the students looked up at their headmaster, expecting an explanation that never came.
"I ask that family members of Sixth Year students report to my office immediately following the Sorting Ceremony." That was all. Without another word, Dumbledore sank back into his chair and McGonagall, trying to keep her voice steady, read out the names of the First Years. But it was difficult to hear over Hagrid's crying and the renewed whispers of the remaining students.
As soon as the sorting was finished, Ginny got up and, with the few other students who had siblings in the Sixth Year, followed Dumbledore to his office.
"I know you all must be worried sick about your brothers and sisters," Dumbledore said, getting started right away. "Sadly I cannot comfort you. Instead, I must inform you...that in all likelihood your siblings are already dead, or very soon will be." The other children in the room gasped or cried out in shock and disbelief. If it were anyone else telling them, they would have taken it for a cruel joke. But Dumbledore was known above all else for his honesty. "Your parents have been notified of all the details and are on their way here as we speak, but I wanted to tell you personally and express my sincerest sympathy."
"Sir..." Ginny raised her hand. Even though it was Professor Dumbledore telling her, she could not believe that she would never see Ron again. "What's happened to them? Is it V...You-Know-Who?"
A shadow passed over Dumbledore's face. "Ah...Miss Weasley..." he said quietly, and with more than a little bitterness, "If only it were that simple."
40 Students Remaining
Someone was shaking Harry awake. It was Ron, and Hermione was with him. Harry sat up and looked around. He was lying on a cold tile floor covered with what a thin sheet of clear plastic, surrounded by classmates in various levels of consciousness.
They were in a classroom. Not one of the classrooms at Hogwarts though, this looked like a Muggle school, a bit like the one Harry had attended before leaving for Hogwarts. Looking around, Harry saw the rest of the Gryffindor Sixth Years, along with the Sixth Year students from all the other houses. Everyone seemed to be waking up. As more students awoke, the room grew progressively louder with people questioning their situation.
"What's going on?"
"Must have fallen asleep..."
"...missed the feast?"
"...isn't Hogwarts, is it?"
Harry looked questioningly at Ron and Hermione.
"What happened?"
"Dunno," Ron shrugged. "I fell asleep on the carriage. Next thing I knew, we were here."
"Are you all right, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," Harry said as his friends helped him to his feet, "Just confused." He suddenly noticed something different about Hermione. She wore some kind of strange necklace. It was a thick band of metal that encircled her neck, with what looked like a small lcd screen in the front, directly beneath her chin. She definitely hadn't been wearing anything like that on the train. Gaudy jewelry wasn't really Hermione's style. Looking away from Hermione, Harry saw that Ron also wore one of the strange necklaces. In fact, all the students had one. Harry didn't need to examine his own neck to figure out that he was probably wearing one as well.
"What are these necklaces?" he asked.
"They were on us when we woke up," Hermione said.
"I tried to take mine off but it's bolted in the back," Ron added. "Would have tried Hermione's unlocking charm, but our wands are gone." Harry checked for his own wand. Sure enough, it had disappeared from the pocket where he usually kept it.
"So we're stuck here," Harry said.
"Naturally begs the question," Ron said, "where is 'here'?"
"Well this looks like a Muggle school," Harry said, glancing at the windows. "Anything outside?"
"We don't know," Hermione replied. "The windows are all covered. It looks like someone put sheet metal over them."
"Is that...normal in Muggle schools?" Ron asked.
"No..." Harry said, looking nervously at the blocked windows. "It's not..."
"And what's with the plastic on everything?" Ron wondered.
Before Harry could answer, the sound of a lock turning came from the door. The room immediately fell silent. A moment later, the door swung open and three people stepped in; two wizards and a witch. The men were large and sullen. They wore dark black robes and held their wands at the ready. The woman walked between them, dressed in a conservative skirt blouse and vest combo. Her brown hair was tied in a tight bun and she wore thin glasses framing a cold face. Two holsters hung at her waist. One contained a wand of some light-colored wood. The other held a rather large pistol. Only a few students besides Harry seemed to be upset by the sight of the gun; he figured most of his classmates probably didn't know what it was. The woman made her way to the front of the classroom and leaned against the teacher's desk. The two men stood at attention beside her.
"Good evening students," the woman said in an inappropriately cheerful voice. She frowned when silence greeted her. The cheerful edge drained out of her voice as she snapped at them: "I said 'Good evening students'!"
A few mumbled 'good evening's arose from the students.
"Well, that's a little better," she said. "Now then, I am Professor Phalanx, your new teacher. As you've all noticed, you have been taken from your normal classes. You are in a new school now; mine."
"Ex...Excuse me...Professor?" All heads turned to the source of the small, timid voice. Hannah Abbot (Female Student 13, Hufflepuff) had her hand raised, though said hand shook uncontrollably.
"Yes, Miss...Abbot?" Professor Phalanx said, consulting a list on the desk.
"Why...why are we here?" Hannah asked.
"A very good question. And one with a very simple answer." Phalanx said. Then she smiled. It wasn't a warm smile, or even a faked friendly smile. It was the smile of someone who knew they were doing something horrible, and loving every minute of it. She smiled, and then she spoke.
"You're all here to kill." You could have heard a pin drop in France, so deep was the shocked silence that settled over the room. But their new professor wasn't done yet. "And, with one exception, you're all here to die. You've been brought here to kill one another."
40 Students Remaining
