Harry Potter and The Awoken Court
(Harry Potter was lying on his bed again, rereading the letter that had been keeping him going the entire summer.)
(Harry opened the letter to read again)
IN HERMIONE'S VOICE:
"Dear Harry,
This summer, Ron and I wanted to personally rescue you from your Aunt and Uncle's home. Ron wanted to borrow his father's car and drive it down himself, but after several arguments, I think I finally convinced him that muggles aren't used to seeing children drive cars, especially without a proper driver's license!
Anyway, Ron and I will be coming to you by Knight Bus on the night of August 30th at 8PM. Please do be prepared and have all your things ready for Hogwarts.
As a bonus, Neville has invited us to stay over his home for the 2 days before we go to Hogwarts. Neville, as you know, lives with his grandmother in Mayfair in London. So, I'm sure we're going to have a lot of fun! And Diagon Alley is nearby so you'll have an opportunity to get your books for term! I've already gotten almost halfway through most of our books this year and they are FASCINATING.
I do hope you are well and that your family has not been too hard on you.
Seeing you soon,
Hermione"
(Harry looked at the packed things at the side of his room, stood up and started to pace the floor)
HARRY: (looking aggravated) I hate being here.
(Harry proceeded to kick his dresser in frustration)
(Harry started to hear steps coming up the staircase quickly and knew what he was in for)
VERNON: (opening his door) What THE BLOODY HELL is going on up here?
HARRY: Nothing, I yawned and accidentally took a front kick into my dresser.
VERNON: Destroy our property will you? No doubt the filth you associate yourself probably give out AWARDS for destruction and looting.
HARRY: (smiling) Only the destruction. The looting we do just for the FUN of it.
VERNON: (looking angry) Don't you start with me BOY ….(suddenly his demeanor changed) I have been….I mean to say your Aunt has been starting her relaxation exercises in order to cope with all the STRESSORS (pausing to look at him)…that are in her life. And she requires ABSOLUTE silence to do it!
HARRY: (smiling) Really…..so….this has nothing to do with your doctor diagnosing you with high blood pressure and Aunt Petunia forcing you to relax?
VERNON: (furiously) WHERE DID YOU-! HOW DID YOU-! (In a deadly silence) If I find out you have been snooping through my medical records….I WILL TOSS YOU OUT TO THE STREET and then maybe a family of RACOONS WILL TAKE YOU IN!
HARRY: Do the raccoons have a son as obnoxious as Dudley? (seeing the rage about to come out of Vernon, Harry headed him off) Ok, ok, you won't hear another peep from me. I'll be as invisible as a leftover on Dudley's plate…..
VERNON: Too right you will.
(Uncle Vernon leaves the room and walks back downstairs)
(Harry's interest was piqued though)
HARRY: (quietly) What are these relaxation exercises they gave him…..?
(Harry quietly opened his door, walked down the stairs slowly, and suddenly he heard noises)
UNKNOWN VOICE: Now let it go, let it go, huhmina huhmina huhmina.
VERNON: (unnaturally calm) huhmina, huhmina, huhmina.
(Harry stood in front of the living room, which had all the blinds fully closed shut and stared at Uncle Vernon who was sitting on the floor in front of a small stereo)
UNKNOWN VOICE: Now take all your problems in your family life, imagine them all in a box. Now take that box and release it into the Sea. Now let it go, let it go, huhmina huhmina huhmina.
VERNON: huhmina, huhmina, huhmina.
(Harry restrained a laugh and snort badly and it resulted in a combination of a yell and a cough)
(Uncle Vernon opened up his eyes, turned around, and saw Harry. But before Uncle Vernon could explode, the doorbell suddenly rang)
(Vernon was distracted by the doorbell and gave him an angry look pointing him to go upstairs. Harry backed up the stairs somewhat, but still stayed within view. Uncle Vernon came to the door)
VERNON: (angrily) Who is it!?
VOICE 1: (from behind the closed door, spoken awkwardly loud) It's Ron! Ron Weasley! We're here…for Harry Potter!
(Suddenly a look of the utmost panic set upon Uncle Vernon's face. He turned around and looked furiously upon Harry's head, which was poking around the side of the staircase from upstairs)
VERNON: (yelling loudly) THERE IS NO SUCH PERSON IN THIS HOUSE! LEAVE AT ONCE OR I WILL CALL THE POLICE!
(Suddenly Ron started to bang hard on the door)
RON: Oy! We've come for Harry, we know this is his home. Let us in now or we'll blast our way in!
HERMIONE: (whispering loudly) Ron, stop! You're scaring Harry's family! You remember what Harry said, they're really afraid of magic!
(Ron knocked again harder this time accidentally breaking the window pane that was built into the siding of the door)
(Like an explosion of realization Uncle Vernon came to the conclusion that Ron had used magic against him. A wave of terror emanated down Harry's spine as he knew what was coming.)
VERNON: (yelling) PETUNIA! DUDLEY! WE-ARE-BEING-ATTACKED!
(Vernon ran to get the table against the wall and dragged it toward the front door to barricade it closed. Petunia and Dudley appeared from out of the kitchen with Petunia holding a frying pan in her hand and Dudley holding a plate of pie)
VERNON: PETUNIA, CALL THE POLICE! ONE OF HIS LOT (pointing at Harry furiously) IS ATTEMPTING TO BREAK INTO OUR HOME AND ATTACK US!
(Petunia ran to the phone)
HARRY: The police! Are you mad! It's just my friends Ron and Hermione. They were SCHEDULED to come today! They were- (interrupted)
VERNON: HOW DARE YOU GIVE OUR ADDRESS TO ONE OF YOUR KIND! HOW DARE YOU PLOT THIS ATTACK AGAINST US!
HARRY: It is NOT a PLOT. They were supposed to come pick me up!
(BANG, BANG)
(Banging now came from the windows of the dining room, which were shuttered due to Uncle Vernon's relaxation exercises)
VERNON: WE-HAVE-BEEN-SURROUNDED! DUDLEY BARRICADE THE DINING ROOM WINDOWS!
(Uncle Vernon vaulted into the dining room. Harry took this moment to quickly go up to his room, bring his packed stuff down, and try to escape)
(Harry had all his things downstairs and was now moving the table that was barricading the door. He moved it out and finally grabbed the door knob and opened the door)
HERMIONE: Harry!
(Hermione ran in to embrace him and a feeling of calm spread through him)
HARRY: Hermione, where is Ron?
HERMIONE: Oh, Ron has lost it. He's circling the house trying to find an opening to break into.
HARRY: How are we going to London? Is the Knight Bus he- (before he finished his sentence he saw the large Knight Bus one house down to the left)
HARRY: Hermione, you go get Ron and I'll bring my stuff to the Knight Bus.
VERNON: Oh no you won't!
(Harry turned around and saw an irate Uncle Vernon holding a cricket bat)
HARRY: (looking frightened) Look Uncle Vernon, (spokenly slowly) I. am. taking. my. things. and leaving to go to school.
VERNON: (with madness in his eyes) OH NO YOU WILL NOT! You're going to stay to watch you're freakish friends get hauled off to jail knowing full well IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT!
HARRY: (Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at Uncle Vernon) Uncle Vernon. If you don't back off, I'll…..I'll be forced to attack you.
VERNON: (with a nasty smile and a calm voice) You wouldn't dare...
VERNON: We both know that they would throw you out of that freak school of yours and send you packing to that Azkabooon prison.
(Vernon and Harry stood in their places in a standoff)
(Hermione suddenly returned behind him)
HERMIONE: Harry, what are you doing!? We're forbidden from using magic outside of Hogwarts! You'll get into so much trouble!
VERNON: Ha! (in a sound of victory)
(Hermione looked at Vernon and understood the threat he posed)
(Suddenly Hermione put her hand in her pocket and took something out. She tossed the object into the room and BANG, a cloud of smoke appeared and Uncle Vernon instantly fell to the ground. He was unconscious)
HARRY: Hermione…..what…what was that?
HERMIONE: Oh it was just a potion with essence of Fogsroot and Kelitor. (seeing the look of confusion on Harry's face, she continued) A Knockout Potion. I just read about it last week in our new Potions textbook. Better that than use a spell and get in trouble with the Ministry for underage magic.
HARRY: (impressed) Wow, nice one. (laughing) That's a good thing to have in your back pocket!
(Harry dragged his stuff and walked to the Knight Bus)
UNKNOWN WOMAN: (very perky and smiling) Well hello! My name is Vicky Sidestrong and I will you your hostess for your trip!
HARRY: (surprised by her enthusiasm) Hi, my name is Harry. Me and my friends Ron and Hermione are traveling to Mayfair today. I just have a few things to take, just out here (looking behind him).
(Vicky quickly jaunted out of the Knight Bus)
VICKY: Great! Let me get those for you! Then you can come inside and enjoy some of our new treats. We now serve Butterbear, Pumpkin Juice, Sweet Potato Kettle Corn, and Ice Cream Pop Rockets!
HARRY: (smiling) What's an Ice Cream Pop Rocket?
RON: Harry!
(Harry quickly turned around and saw his best friend Ron Weasley. Harry started grinning and they slapped hands)
RON: (grinning) Alright?
HARRY: (still grinning) Yeah. You?
RON: Bout as well as can be.
RON: I think we should get going soon, I think I hear some of those PUH-lease cars getting closer. How do they even arrest you without a wand?
HARRY: (laughing) They're got guns Ron. (seeing Ron's confused look he elaborated) Basically a little device that shoots out a small piece of metal into someone's body.
RON: (excited) Wicked!
HARRY: Not for the person who gets hit Ron (smirking). Where is Hermione?
RON: I think she's coming now.
(Hermione was running toward the Knight Bus. She then climbs on board and Ernie, the bus driver, closes the door)
HERMIONE: (out of breath) Well I was hoping to calm your uncle down by explaining what happened. But when I mentioned that we were going to Hogwarts, it just made him angrier.
(Harry and Ron sniggered)
HERMIONE: (sitting down) So Harry! How are you! How has your summer been?
HARRY: It's been ok. I read those books you sent me….um, well not that "Organization Is Your Friend" book.
RON: Oh no! She got you one too?
HERMIONE: Well it would help if you both found ways to become more organized. That way you won't have to resort to doing all your work and studies the night before they're due!
RON: Well how else are we supposed to get you to give us your notes?
HERMIONE: Hmph. (sneering) You know one day I won't be so compassionate and you'll be forced to FAIL. (Ron rolled his eyes) So tell me Harry, what else have you been doing?
HARRY: Well, I've been keeping up with the Daily Prophet. Still no word about what Voldemort is doing?
(Hermione and Ron both winced at the sound of the name, and another passenger who was sleeping in a bed nearby growled and groaned, but then went back to sleep)
HERMIONE: No, not a word. The death eaters and You-Know-Who haven't really launched any attacks yet.
RON: Yeah, I heard from dad that Dumbledore thinks they're still trying to fill their ranks and gain more allies before they take on the Ministry….because right now they don't have enough power to win.
(BANG)
(The Knight Bus was hit by a powerful force, whipping them all forward)
HARRY: (pulling out his wand) What was that!?
(BANG)
(The Knight Bus was hit again, whipping them all forward)
RON: OUCH! My neck! (rubbing his neck after the second time it whipped forward)
VICKY: (losing her perkiness) Everyone please remain seated, it appears we are being rammed by some of the muggle law enforcement vehicles…..the Knight Bus is invisible to muggles (after seeing the confusion in Ron's eyes). We will be on our way in a few moments.
RON: (indignant) A few moments! What are we waiting for?! STEP ON THE PEDAL!
VICKY: The Knight Bus is experiencing some technical difficulties at the moment, we ask that you bear with u- (interrupted).
RON: (annoyed) What technical difficul- (interrupted)
(BANG)
(Ron and his two best friends soon found out that the Knight Bus possessed a very powerful defensive capability. The police car that had been banging into the Knight Bus was launched into the air, and it careened through the Dursley's front door, tearing down the entire section of the wall, and finally stopped dead at Harry's old room underneath the staircase)
HARRY: (looking on in shock) Oh I am going to pay for this….
(Scene shifts to being in the Dursley's home. Vernon pops out of the living room and looks in shock at the car smashed into his staircase, taking short steps toward it. Dudley and Petunia pop their heads out of the kitchen, but don't dare go any further. Vernon stares outside, unable to formulate a sound.)
(CRASH)
(Part of the ceiling comes crashing down and covers Vernon in sheetrock debris and dust)
VERNON: (covered in filth, looking out the broken open front of his home, finally finds his voice) POTTTTTTERRRRRRR!
(SCENE ENDS)
(The Knight Bus was hurtling down the roads and magically finding its way through obstacles and hindrances on the road)
HERMIONE: Oh Harry, I'm really sorry about your Aunt and Uncle's home. They will forgive you won't they? (looking anxious)
HARRY: About as likely as Voldemort giving up evil to become a ballerina.
HARRY: So there really hasn't been a single attack?
RON: No. There hasn't mate.
HERMIONE: You know…it's almost as if you're…disappointed….
HARRY: Disappointed!? I don't WANT there to be attacks. I just find it…unbelievable…that there haven't been any…
RON: It's like dad said, You-Know-Who knows he can't win right now so he's just trying to widen his net, get more allies.
HARRY: Like who?
RON: Well Hagrid had told us about the Giants...and ummm…
HERMIONE: The Goblins. You-Know-Who is trying to talk the Goblins into joining his side.
HARRY: (pausing for a moment) Why would the Goblins ever do that?
HERMIONE: (sullenly) Equality. Wizards have never given the Goblins full equality under the law. And historically…..there have been a few atrocities that wizardkind has inflicted upon Goblins, and the Goblins have not forgotten it….
VICKY: (coming out of nowhere looking very perky) Hello! Sorry for the chaos earlier. But can I offer you any of our flagship treats! We carry B- (interrupted)
RON: Yeah, yeah, we know. I'll take one of those Ice Cream wha-sha-muh-call-its.
VICKY: (excitedly) An Ice Cream Pop Rocket!?
RON: (lazily) Yeah, one of those.
VICKY: Excellent choice young sir! (using her wand, she magically levitated one from the front of the bus and it landed right in Ron's hand) You gotta be cautious but it's WORTH IT! Have you ever had one?
RON: (dismissively) Sure. (Ron gave Vicky the 2 sickles for it and then Vicky walked away)
HERMIONE: (shrewdly) I've never heard of an Ice Cream Pop Rocket before. (looking at it closely) I wonder why they don't sell these at Hogsmeade…..
HARRY: (offhandedly) Beats me.
HERMIONE: And what did she mean you have to be "cautious."… Ron, I think it might be dangerous…..hold on, let me ask Vicky what it is before you eat it…(waving for Vicky)
RON: (rolling his eyes) Oh who CARES. It's ICE CREAM. (said jokingly with a smile) If I wanted your opinion Hermione, I'D ASK FOR IT.
(Ron fiercely rips open the wrapper of the Ice Cream Pop Rocket and-)
(BANG)
(Something ERUPTED out of the wrapper flying across the Knight Bus bouncing off the walls sparkling red and yellow. Harry and Hermione had to duck several times to avoiding being hit by it. It finally slowed down somewhat and hurtled straight into Ron's mouth.)
(Vicky ran over)
VICKY: (looking cold) Hmmm…..never had one before I see. Young man, the faster you tear the wrapper, the faster the ice cream rockets out.
RON: (sheepishly) Oh….
(Vicky tut-tut'd as she walked away)
HERMIONE: (disgusted) Satisfied with yourself?
RON: (finally swallowing the last of it, ignoring Hermione) Harry, it was strawberry and banana flavored. I wonder if they have ones in different flavors. (enthusiastically) Fancy one?
HARRY: No thanks mate, I prefer my food stationary.
(Hermione was still shaking her head at Ron)
RON: Alright, alright, I'm sorry Hermione. You were right, I was wrong. I'm stupid, you're smart. Ok?
HERMIONE: (exhaling a loud snort) You think that's what I wanted to hear?! (looking at him pityingly) You really don't understand anything do you?
(Ron sat there with his mouth open not knowing how to reply. It reminded Harry of old pictures of prehistoric people he'd once seen in a muggle museum)
HARRY: (breaking the silence) Ok, back to what we were discussing. It's really hard for me to envision Goblins teaming up with You-Know-Who and being ok with mass killings. Seems pretty unlikely I think.
VOICE 1: (interrupting) Not unlikely at all if you knew what wizards had done to THEM.
(Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned to the source of the voice and they saw a frail old man lying in one of the beds nearby with half his teeth missing and a mischievous grin on his face)
HARRY: What d'ya mean?
OLD MAN: Let's just say that if I were a Goblin, I'd want to bring down wizards too.
(Ron rolled his eyes mockingly right in front of the old man)
OLD MAN: (letting off a bark of laughter) Professors don't teach you much about the sins of wizardkind do they?
HERMIONE: (losing patience) Yes yes, we've been taught about how wizards have attacked Goblins before, but the last one that occurred was almost 300 years ago. That's GENERATIONS ago and wizards have evolved since then. It's hardly a reason to bear such a grudge.
OLD MAN: (grumpily) Ohhhhhh, last one was 300 years ago you say? Nobody ever told you bout the Goblin Massacre in Edinburgh did they? Where…..bout 80 maybe 90 Goblins were slaughtered in cold blood.
HARRY: (looking put off) 90 Goblins? I've never heard about that. When did that happen?
OLD MAN: 1982.
HARRY: (shocked) What!
(Ron's jaw dropped)
HERMIONE: (sternly, but carefully) Your saying that in 1982, in MODERN TIMES, wizards here murdered 90 Goblins in cold blood….and none of us have ever heard of it before? (putting her nose in the air) No. I don't believe it.
OLD MAN: (sounding fatigued) Not surprised much. The ministry covered it up real nice and well. Didn't want to cause a Goblin Revolution. (pause) So they destroyed all the evidence and buried the records.
HERMIONE: (smiling for the first time) And so….if they buried all the records, how exactly do you know it happened.
OLD MAN: Because I lived in Edinburgh in 1982. (yawning loudly) Didn't see it myself, but a few of my neighbors did. Horrific they said it was. (pause) A few of the wizards became right and jealous about the goblins taking too big a piece of the wealth in the town. Accused the Goblins of cooking the books and using unfair business tactics….well let's just say the Goblins didn't take too kindly to that. Goblins are a very proud group. A big group of 'um went to the wizards to set the record straight, you know, restore their honor. No, but the wizards didn't see it as such. Thought the Goblins were set to attack. So a group of wizards went out to take a preemptive strike on the Goblins. Killed every single one of 'um. (a look of horror came to Harry and Ron's face) Tragic thing really.
HARRY: (weakly) But….the Goblins were only coming to talk…why didn't the wizards wait to see what the Goblins were going to do before just…slaughtering them….
OLD MAN: (smirking) Ohhhhhh, starting to have a little compassion for the Goblins are we? You're a rare crop of wizard. No, the townfolk in Edinburgh didn't think too much of it. Just an "unfortunate misunderstanding" is what the tagline of the whole incident was. But you know….what are you gonna do. History's written by the victors. They just want you to shut up, keep your head down, and move along.
(Hermione looked very skeptical, but her confidence looked weakened)
(The Knight Bus came to a screeching halt)
VICKY: (announcing) Mayfair, London stop.
(Hermione, Harry, and Ron collected their things. They passed by the old man's bed one last time)
OLD MAN: You've got a good heart boy. (he was looking directly at Harry) Remember, there's always more to the story than the victors want you to know.
(Harry gave him a slight nod, but didn't say anything)
(They walked out of the Knight Bus into the dark evening in Mayfair, London ready to find Neville's apartment)
(SCENE ENDS)
(Hermione, Ron, and Harry were in front of a short 3 storied building a few blocks away from where the Knight Bus had dropped them off)
HERMIONE: (looking up) I think this is it, 14 Half Moon Street.
RON: Wow, must be nice to live in a big city like London. Bet Neville goes to Diagon Ally all the time.
HARRY: Well it's definitely better than being stuck in Little Whinging all summer and having to listen to Aunt Petunia's home gardening shows all day.
HERMIONE: Ready?
HARRY: After you (pointing her forward)
(They walked into the building lobby and past the doorman sitting on a chair reading a magazine called "Fancy Sport Cars")
DOORMAN: Well hullo, name's Scooter, who will you be seein this evenin'?
HARRY: Um, we're seeing Neville Longbottom ….I think he lives with his grandmother…um….Mrs. Longbottom I guess?
DOORMAN: (he looks at them suspiciously for a moment, then breaks into a warm face) Ahhh yes, Master Neville and his grandmother Augusta. Tough woman she is, wouldn't want to cross her, no sir. You friends of Neville?
HARRY: Yeah. We're friends of his from school.
DOORMAN: (looking confused) Didn't know he had any friends. I mean…. nothin against him…he's a good chap, but a bit strange, don't say much.
RON: No one ever visits him?
DOORMAN: Not people your age no. Just som' uh his relatives. In fact one of 'um just came to visit him bout 15 minutes ago.
HERMIONE: Which floor is Neville on?
DOORMAN: He's on the third floor, 3G. Say….where you all say you went to school again?
RON: Nonyabusiness Academy.
DOORMAN: (looking puzzled for a few moments thinking) Never heard ah that one, must be one of the fancy uptown ones. Anyway….staircase is through that door (pointing).
HARRY: Thanks.
(They walked to the staircase, went up two floors, and then entered the third floor. Harry walked by 3C, then 3E, and finally 3G. He stopped short of knocking on the door as he could hear a rough, angry conversation going on the apartment)
NEVILLE: I don't want to do it anymore!
VOICE 1: Too late now Neville. Look, this is for your grandmother's health. Don't you care about her? Just pull through, and everything will be fine in the end. This will be the last time I see you, so good luck in Hogwarts this year. Maybe I or my brother will come visit you some time this term.
(Suddenly the door handle started jostling and the door opened.)
(A tall man with a short beard and mustache came out of the door. He looked like a serious guy compared to the nervous, clumsy Neville. He looked at Hermione and Ron suspiciously and then caught a look at Harry and instantly took interest in him after noticing his scar.)
(After a few moments of the man gawking at Harry he walked by them all and went down the stairs)
HERMIONE: (walking through the door) Neville! Hey! (very awkwardly) How is…how is everything going!?
NEVILLE: (looking angry and deflated) Oh hey Hermione.
RON: (obnoxiously not noticing the awkwardness) Who was that Neville?! What'd he want?!
HERMIONE: Ron! (she stomped on his foot)
RON: Owww!
NEVILLE: Oh nothing….that was just…..
HERMIONE: (with her nose held high) He doesn't have to tell us anything if he doesn't want to. It's none of our business.
NEVILLE: (looking in pain) No, it's….it's ok. It's just that my gran is gone. She had to go somewhere for her health. And it's just been tough to deal with it.
HERMIONE: Oh Neville! I'm so sorry to hear that. (she rushes to Neville and embraces him in a hug)
(Ron looked put off by Hermione hugging Neville, but Neville seemed to have his spirits lifted by it)
HARRY: So was that your uncle or something?
NEVILLE: No…I don't have any uncles. That was a distant cousin…
HERMIONE: Of course Neville, we completely understand. (she smiles at him, which immediately pleased him)
NEVILLE: So, ok…um…..right so you're all staying the night. I guess let me show you where you'll all be sleeping.
(They walked further in and looked around)
RON: Cool (looking at a muggle television), what's this thing do?
(Ron went to the TV pressed a few buttons and it went immediately to the AUX setting, a grey screen, and ear hurting high level of volume)
RON: AHHH! (cupping his ears) This thing must be possessed. (Ron whipped out his wand)
HERMIONE: Ron, put that away you can't use magic! It's called a television, and muggles use it to watch people acting and people reading the news. (she turns the TV off)
RON: (disgusted by the TV) Looked bloody awful to me. Who'd ever pay money to watch THAT?
HERMIONE: (visibly frustrated) Ohhh, that's only because you didn't actually…oh forget it. Here. Go with Neville to your room.
RON: (curling his lip) Sure….MOM.
HARRY: (turning to Hermione) Is everything ok with you and R-
HERMIONE: (cutting Harry off) So Neville, do you have any exciting plans for us all to do tonight?
NEVILLE: (popping his head out of the other room) Plans? Um…..no, you….you guys wanted to do something outside?
RON: (enthusiastically) Well of course we wanted to do something outside! That's why we came out here Neville. You're in London, the best city in the world.
NEVILLE: Hmm…..I don't know of many places around here to go to. Do you guys have any ideas?
RON: Neville what do you do around here during the summers?
NEVILLE: (looking awkwardly down to the floor) I usually just stay indoors with gran for most of the summer…she doesn't like the loud people on the streets…..(looking sullen)
HERMIONE: Well Neville, NOW you have something to do! Hmm…. ok, how about this, let's go to Diagon Ally, which is only short walk from here. We can go to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner and then after dinner we can go to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour! Then we'll spend the rest of the time walking around a bit.
RON: (nervously) Not gonna try to rope us up into going to Flourish and Blotts to get our school books are you?
HERMIONE: Don't be silly Ron. They're closed right now. Tomorrow, we'll get you all your books. Oh I just know that you'll love this year's school books ever so much! (Hermione walks out to go get changed for dinner)
RON: (staring at her in shock, turns to Harry) She gives a whole new meaning to words: "blind optimist."
(SCENE ENDS)
(Scene fast forwards to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville walking out of Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour with ice cream cones in hand.)
HERMIONE: (looking up at the sky) It's such a beautiful summer night.
NEVILLE: (dreamily looking at Hermione) Yeah…. it is.
(Ron mildly narrowed his eyes)
RON: Hey, what's that over there?
(There was a crowd of people at the far side of the road all gathered around someone)
(As they quickly walked toward the crowd they could start to hear the man in the middle of the crowd)
HYPE MAN: (in a grandiose voice) Who would like to see a MAGICAL INVENTION that ALL your friends will be jealous for,…..that will make YOU the talk of the town…. that will make YOU the most popular kid in school!
(Harry caught sight of Ron's face as his mouth was hung open eagerly awaiting what the hype man was about to show)
HYPE MAN: And let me introduce to YOU, for the first time EVER, the INTERNATIONAL DEBUT, of the "X5 MAGIC BLASTER SET." (out of thin air it appeared, a set of what looked like 2 muggle guns)
(The crowd applauded)
HARRY: (quietly) Are those actually-
HYPE MAN: What do they do you say? Well they were inspired by the muggle law enforcement weapons called "guns"…..oh but don't you worry, these aren't those primitive weapons, no these contain the most advanced magic this side of the English Channel. The most fun you can have with your knickers on. WHO WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER!?
(All the kids in the crowd started yelling "me" and Harry noticed even Ron was yelling "me" standing on his tippy toes)
HYPE MAN: You two young ones right there. (the kids raced to him) And how old are you two?
KID 1: (jubilantly) 11
KID 2: (with a sly smile) 11
HYPE MAN: Ohhhhhhh, must be starting your first year at Hogwarts, excellent, excellent. Well, I can GUARENTEE you will be the talk of your class if you've got these. Now here, you take this (giving him one of the blasters) and you take this one (giving him the other blaster). Spread out to the opposite sides of the water fountain, face away from each other, and when I say "GO" you turn and blast each other!
(The kids went to the fountain sides)
HYPE MAN: Alright, 1….2….3…GO!
(The two kids turned around, aimed at each other from the cover of the fountain wall, and pulled the trigger)
(Suddenly an ultra thin translucent beam shot out of the blasters. The one from Kid 1 missed its target, but the one from Kid 2 hit Kid 1 on the shoulder blade. Kid 1 tried to move backward, but his shoulder was stuck in place and wouldn't let the rest of his body move forward, like an anchor.)
KID 2: (pointing at Kid 1, smiling) Ha!
(Suddenly Kid 1 used his still mobile left arm to shoot Kid 2 several times on his head, his two arms, and his torso. Kid 2 was frozen entirely)
MOTHER: (smiling) And how do I get them to STAY this way the whole summer? (The crowd laughed)
HYPE MAN: Sorry miss, only last for about 15 seconds…..see that, they're unfreezing now. (amping his speaking volume) We've got an incredible freezing charm built into these blasters. Got a long life for a product like this, lasting about 2 months with mild regular use.
RON: (finally speaking up to the crowd) Well what's so good about it? If you use it in school, you'll just get caught.
HYPE MAN: Ohhhhhh, we've got ourselves a little troublemaker here. Well that's why our product comes with a special feature. Press this button right here on top (indicating it) and the whole blaster becomes completely and utterly…..(he presses the button)…INVISIBLE (and just like that the blaster was gone).
HERMIONE: (quietly) Hmmm, I don't think that they should be selling these kinds of things to children. They're too impressionable and it might make them violent. (she turns to Ron)
RON: (yelling out) I'LL GIVE YOU TEN SICKLES FOR IT!
HYPE MAN: You've got a deal! (The guy hands him a X5 MAGIC BLASTER SET and Ron gives him ten sickles)
RON: (his eyes sparkling with excitement) I'll use this on Malfoy all-year-long, (his smile widened) he'll go mad…..
(Scene fast forwards as Ron, Harry, Neville, and Hermione had walked further along and they got to Gringotts Wizarding Bank)
RON: (looking at the Bank longingly) If I could go in there and just ROB THE PLACE BLIND…I'd be- (interrupted by Hermione)
HERMIONE: Arrested in about a millisecond.
RON: (getting words in) FILTHY STINKIN RICH.
NEVILLE: And that's assuming the Goblins wouldn't get to you before ministry law enforcement.
RON: Oh please. What could a Goblin do.
HERMIONE: Goblins are among the cleverest magical creatures out there, maybe even more so than the Centaurs. They've got their own brand of very powerful magic.
HARRY: (pointing forward) Some Goblins are leaving Gringotts right now. (looking at a clock nearby) And it's almost 10:30 , wow they work really, really late.
HERMIONE: Well they control the banks and they're very proud of that… Muggles haven't given them freedom to do much else…
(All of a sudden they saw two Goblins freeze suddenly as they tried to move their legs, but couldn't. Harry looked around and he saw the very same pair of kids who tested the X5 Magic Blasters. They were laughing from the corner of a store trying to hide. Too late though because the Goblins noticed them laughing)
GOBLIN 1: It came from there! (pointing at the kids)
(The kids looked terrified and quickly started to run away, but the Goblins were too incensed. The largest Goblin, whose legs were still frozen, used his arm to toss something.)
(It was Goblin magic. The Goblin had just tossed a fireball at the two kids. It was moving quickly through the air, and the kids turned around, saw it, and screamed.)
(The kids turned sharply to the left to dodge the blast, but somehow the Goblin was able to control the blast from afar and redirected it toward the kids. The blast was a foot away from the kids when a blast of defensive magic created a barrier between the kids and the fireball. The fireball evaporated on the barrier.)
MOTHER: (holding her wand out) We need law enforcement! A goblin has ATTACKED MY CHILDREN!
(Others started screaming and yelling, and suddenly from a nearby pub an elderly man in ministry wardrobe came out)
ELDERLY MINISTRY OFFICIAL: (in an arrogant, commanding tone) Ok, what seems to be the problem out here.
MOTHER: (hysterically) That goblin right there (pointing) shot a fireball at my two sons who were just innocently playing on the street! (In a revolting tone) Are we not even able to go out into our own streets without being attacked by filthy wild beasts!
(Hermione looked incensed by her last comment)
HERMIONE: That "WILD BEAST" did NOT start the fight with your sons. I SAW YOUR SONS use magic on that innocent Goblin!
MOTHER: How dare you! My sons are not able to do magic yet. See right there officer, my sons have nothing on them.
(The elderly ministry official looked at the kids and saw nothing)
ELDERLY MINISTRY OFFICIAL: I apologize for the inconvenience Miss. I'll take care of this.
(Suddenly the ministry official apparated away)
HARRY: (speaking in a low voice) That little brat made it invisible…..
(Just a few moments later the Ministry official came back, reappearing next to the Goblins. However, he had come with two burly law enforcement wizards)
RON: Blood hell…are those Aurors?
(The ministry agents were speaking to the Goblins and pointing back at the two kids)
(The Aurors simultaneously unleashed a spell upon the one Goblin who had thrown the fireball. He was launched nearly ten feet backward, hitting his head on the stone surface of Gringotts Bank)
HERMIONE: NO!
HERMIONE: (turning to Ron) We have to DO something! We have to help!
RON: (putting his hand gently on her arm, he shook his head and spoke in a low voice) Nothing we can do. Those are Aurors and they have full legal authority to arrest a Goblin for attacking a Human.
HERMIONE: (teary eyed looking at the Goblin who was being magically stretchered by the Aurors and then finally disaparated) Of course, because anything that's not HUMAN isn't worth caring about! Just a fly to squash on a windowsill!
RON: (calmly) No, what I meant was, even though I don't agree with it, the law is the law. What I don't understand is why didn't they bring officers from the Magical Creatures Department. Aurors…are supposed to be dark wizard catchers.
NEVILLE: (thoughtfully) Maybe the Ministry thinks that Goblins are in league with You-Know-Who now.
(Hermione stormed off from them back toward the direction of Leaky Cauldron)
RON: (calling out to her) Hermione! Where are you going?
HERMIONE: (turning back around incensed) I'm no longer in the mood to walk around Diagon Ally as if things are alright. I promise this will not be the end of it! (she storms off)
RON: (turning to Harry somberly) I think we're in for a long year.
(SCENE ENDS)
(The next morning they had gone to purchase their school books and supplies, and had taken the Knight Bus to King's Cross station. Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Ron just walked onto the Hogwarts Express)
HERMIONE: I'm so excited for this year! We've got the most fascinating advanced courses now.
RON: I swear Hermione, we need to find you someone who's a member of your species, because you're clearly not human.
HERMIONE: (ignoring him) I wonder if Hagrid has any interesting stories from the summer.
NEVILLE: I wonder who our Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher will be.
HARRY: I wonder if Snape has finally gotten his long deserved retirement.
VOICE OF DRACO MALFOY: And I'm wondering what it's going to take for you all to move your fat arses out of my way.
(They all turned around to see Draco Malfoy, Harry's nemesis, surrounded by his idiot sidekicks Crabbe and Goyle.)
HARRY: (mockingly) Sending care packages to your father in Azkaban, Malfoy? I'm sure Voldemort must be really proud of your loser dad.
(Crabbe and Goyle rushed forward to attack Harry, but Malfoy caught them)
MALFOY: (menacingly) Think you're being brave Potter? (spoken slowly) You have no idea what's in store for you…..all of you….this year. The Dark Lord has weapons you couldn't possibly understand. (looking at Harry) We'll see how brave you are once the war begins.
HARRY: Oh so I guess you think you're brave Malfoy? Hiding behind your mindless bodyguards and your family's wealth. (spoken fiercely) If you were actually brave, you would come out and tell the whole world of your true allegiance. Right there in the Great Hall tonight, finally reveal to everyone, "Hi, my name is Draco Malfoy and I'm a proud owner of adult diapers!"
(Everyone laughed uproariously)
(Malfoy's lip curled and he and his goons walked away)
(SCENE ENDS)
(The scene flashes forward to after the Hogwarts Express arrived at its final destination. The four of them are in a threstal-drawn carriage bringing them from Hogsmeade station to Hogwarts castle on a nice breezy warm day)
(They had just passed the entrance to the Hogwarts grounds when suddenly)
(WHACK)
(Their carriage violently veered off course and the threstal pulling it went into a mad dash)
(Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Neville looked out the window to see what was happening and could see that only their carriage was storming off in this direction. All the other carriages were behind them moving calmly along the path to Hogwarts castle.)
RON: (frightened, yelling over the noise of the speeding carriage) What's going on!?
HARRY: (yelling) I don't know! Something must have frightened the threstal!
HERMIONE: (yelling) Well we need to calm the threstal down or else we're going to collide into a tree at full speed!
HARRY: Threstals are magically powerful, I don't think we could stun -
HERMIONE: No! Don't stun it! It will only aggravate it further! Threstals are very hard to stop when in a stampede.
HARRY: (annoyed) I know I was only saying-
RON: I hate to say it guys but I think we're gonna have to jump!
NEVILLE: What!
(BANG)
(The carriage bumped over a tree branch and the carriage lifted into the air and crashed down to the ground making them all knock into one another)
RON: Owww!
HERMIONE: I'm so sorry! (Hermione's arm had hit Ron in his right eye during the bump)
HERMIONE: Oh dear I don't think we have a choice anymore, we're going to have to jump!
(Hermione opened the carriage door and suddenly it closed right back up)
HERMIONE: Hagrid!
(Hagrid came out of nowhere riding horsebound ontop of his Threstal, which was moving much faster than their own because it was not carrying a carriage and it was flying)
RON: (yelling in a high pitched squeaky tone) What the bloody hell is going on!?
(BANG)
(Once more the carriage bumped over a tree branch and the carriage lifted into the air)
HARRY: Owww!
HERMIONE: Oh no! Sorry Harry! (Hermione's arm had hit Harry in his eye as well)
(Suddenly their threstal veered off to the right and stopped dead in its tracks.)
(The carriage, on the other hand, kept going forward and due to the immense strength of the threstal, the speeding carriage did not pull the threstal further, instead the speeding carriage was stopped in its tracks and sent all of Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Neville to collide into one another)
HERMIONE: I'm so sorry Neville (as she fell into Neville and used Neville as a sort of airbag)
NEVILLE: (blushing profusely as Hermione was on top of him) It's….it's ok. (he smiled)
HARRY: (angrily) Ron get off of me! (angry because Ron was on top of him but wasn't moving off because he was too busy observing Neville and Hermione)
RON: (getting off Harry, irritated) Yeah, yeah alright.
(They all got out of the carriage)
RON: # $### (cursing)
HERMIONE: Ron!
RON: I swear BY THE SOUL OF MY GRANDMOTHER I'm going to find out what happened here.
NEVILLE: (weakly) Maybe….maybe Malfoy did it?
RON: If he …(foaming with rage)..if that piece of…(overwhelming himself)…if that trash spewing, dung dropping, piece of $$$#
HERMIONE: Ron!
RON: did this. I. will.-
HAGRID: Do no such thing!
HARRY: Hagrid!
(They all rushed up to hug Hagrid's very large form)
HAGRID: I shouldn't uh been surprised this carriage was yers. Just a magnet for trouble you all are! (chuckling)
HERMIONE: (desperately) Hagrid, it wasn't our fault, the threstal went mad and just started stampeding-
HARRY: Hold on, how come you're not with the first years guiding them across the lake?
HAGRID: Oh well, new safety precautions is all. Dumbledore didn't want the students separated. Wanted all of 'um in one place so security could have an easier job controlling it. Fat lot of help it did though.
NEVILLE: (shaking with fear) There aren't any dark wizards around here are there? Have we been ambushed?
HAGRID: Course not! Aside from your carriage, everyone else is fine. Plus there was an auror at the top of the group and an auror at the bottom. Only I came out after ya.
RON: (whining) Well what are we supposed to do now? Our stuff is in that carriage- and LOOK AT IT (pointing to it), it's too busted up to ride back to the castle!
(No one spoke)
RON: (Ron walking to the carriage in dramatic fashion and proclaiming in a diva-like moment) WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT OUR STUFF!?
(BANG)
(The earth shook. An eerie, ear chilling, omnipresent sound poured through the air. The ground shivered. Birds cawed and flew from the trees.)
(Suddenly the earth in front of them split open. A giant structure started to rise from the torn up earth. Rising higher and higher into the air.)
(They looked up, frozen as stone, at what appeared to be a mini castle soaring up maybe 5 stories in the air.)
(The door of the mini castle structure opened.)
CREATURE 1: (triumphantly) WE ARE FREE!
CREATURE 1: (with a hungry look upon Harry and his group) The revenge of the Fae Court begins...
(SCENE ENDS)
(What looked like a human woman stood in front of them. She was the image of impossible perfection. Her pale skin shined with a luminescent glow. Her features were sharper and less rounded than a human face, and instead of making her look odd, it made her more beautiful. She stood at around 7 feet tall. She had beautiful light hair that came down to her elegant waist. She was wearing a resplendent gown that looked to be a cross of evening wear and battle gear.)
(The creature took her large staff, lifted it to the air and smashed it to the ground.)
(EXPLOSION)
(An aura of magical energy emanated out like a shockwave blasting to the right of where they were standing and blasted ten trees to pieces of splinter)
CREATURE 1: (looking upon them she spoke with incredible power) WIZARDS! BRING ME SAUL AND THE THREE THAT IMPRISONED US. DO SO AND YOU WILL NOT BE HARMED.
HAGRID: (not taking his eyes off her he said in absolute urgency) Neville, go get Professor Dumbledore. Right. Now.
NEVILLE: (stuttering in terror) But…Hagrid…what…what about the Aurors right-
HAGRID: (screaming) No! Get Dumbledore! NOW!
(Neville ran immediately)
HARRY: Neville wait! Take my Firebolt!
(Neville came back and Harry rummaged into his trunk looking for it)
HARRY: (frustrated, tossing things around looking) Where is it?
(Harry's trunk door magically slammed shut)
DUMBLEDORE'S VOICE: There will be no need for a broomstick.
(Everyone turned around to see Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore behind them with his wand at his side and Fawkes the Phoenix on his shoulder.)
VOICE 1: Halt! (everyone turned around to see one of the Aurors who was flanking the Hogwarts students appear with her wand held aggressively outward toward the creature)
DUMBLEDORE: (quietly) Miss Faulkner, I need you to lower your wand at once.
AUROR FAULKNER: (fiercely with defiance) Not gonna happen Dumbledore. She just took out the entire clearing of this forest. (now looking at the creature and boomed out) CREATURE! I AM AN AUROR FOR THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC AND I WILL GIVE YOU THREE SECONDS TO PUT YOUR STAFF DOWN OR ELSE YOU WILL BE APPREHENDED. (the creature did not let go of its staff) 1…..2…..3!
(BANG)
(Auror Faulkner unleashed a giant spell that blasted out of her wand as an avalanche of red light.)
DUMBLEDORE: NO! (Dumbledore unleashed a defensive spell that deflected the Auror's blast. Dumbledore's spell came out as thick yellow webbing that seemed to absorb her blast and neutralize it as it turned into a red mist and then disappeared)
DUMBLEDORE: (speaking with fierce energy as electricity seemed to emanate from his eyes) DEBORAH PUT YOUR WAND DOWN NOW! (she lowered her wand and then Dumbledore spoke in a lower volume) Go to the Minister of Magic and the Minister of Magical Creatures. Tell them BOTH …. that the Fae Court has been awoken…
AUROR FAULKNER: The what?!
DUMBLEDORE: (calmly, now holding his wand to his side) Tell them. They will understand.
(Deborah sent one last nasty look at Dumbledore and she then bolted toward the Hogwarts gate. Once she crossed the threshold, she instantly disaparated away)
DUMBLEDORE: (looking at the Fae woman) You are the Fae Queen. Is that correct?
FAE QUEEN: I am. (pause) You, however, are not Saul or the other three who imprisoned me.
DUMBLEDORE: (politely speaking as if at a leisurely lunch) Forgive me, but I do not know of any Saul. I daresay, may I ask the names of the other three?
FAE QUEEN: (smiling) Of course. The other three are Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff.
(Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville's mouths hung open in disbelief)
DUMBLEDORE: Ah, yes, I deduced as much. And so…..this would mean that the one you call "Saul" also went by the name…Salazar Slytherin?
FAE QUEEN: (a hungry smile appeared on her face) That is correct wizard. And he is the main culprit I seek. Do you know of he and the other three's whereabouts?
DUMBLEDORE: (raising his head slightly) Yes. I do.
FAE QUEEN: (hunger emanating from her) And. Where would that be?
DUMBLEDORE: The Rookhine Wizard Cemetery. (pleasantly smiling) As they have all been dead for the last 1000 years.
(SCENE ENDS)
(The Fae Queen stood in silence for many moments staring at Dumbledore, who showed no fear whatsoever)
FAE QUEEN: What is your name?
DUMBLEDORE: I am Albus Dumbledore, current headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And I believe that myself and my students are innocent of any crimes that may have been perpetuated against you by the Hogwarts founders.
FAE QUEEN: (with fierce dominance) I SHALL DECIDE! I the Fae Queen! I who possess more power than any wizard in this world! I who am eternal shall pass judgement!
FAE QUEEN: (looking at the students now, Harry and the rest lurched backward at the frightening aura of power the Fae Queen emanated) So…..1000 years has passed since we were betrayed by your forefathers. (pause) It is true that you and the children are not responsible for the crimes of those you came before you. However,…the duplicity of your kind is well known to me. Wizards fear what they cannot control. It is in the wizard's nature to eventually seek war against us. We are your superiors. We have existed on this plot since before the age of wizards. We were COMPASSIONATE and offered your forefathers FRIENDSHIP, LEARNING, AND MUTUAL CO-EXISTENCE….And how did they repay us? With WAR! (she struck her staff on the ground again and this time an ear splitting noise came out, shook the ground, and Harry and the rest felt their ears pop in pain)
DUMBLEDORE: (speaking delicately) Yes…..(nodding his head)…yes…..wizards have not been kind, or noble, in their years in this world. (raising his voice slight) BUT…..wizard kind has evolved over the centuries. The savagery of the past, although, no…not completely gone….is in recession.
FAE QUEEN: Then let me ask you….(staring right into his eyes) what wars do you currently fight?
HERMIONE: (whispering) Oh no…..I hope she doesn't find out about You-Know-Who…
DUMBLEDORE: It would be best (turning to Harry and company) if we continued this dialogue in a more private setting. (looking back at the Fae Queen) I ask that you allow me to return my students to Hogwarts castle. Where they can be fed, housed, and protected from any….ah….. unpleasantness that might occur.
FAE QUEEN: (a very wide smile etched onto her face which was both beautiful and alarming, sending a chill down Ron's spine) Of course. I wouldn't want the innocent to bear victim.
DUMBLEDORE: (he bowed his head to her politely and turned around to them) Hagrid, please return them back to the other students and bring them all to the castle. They should await me in the Great Hall.
HARRY: (speaking up timidly) But sir…our stuff…..(nodding his head to the broken carriage)
DUMBLEDORE: (eyeing the carriage and seeing the problem, he turned to Fawkes on his shoulder and spoke to her) Gryffindor tower. (he touched her once on the head)
(Instantly Fawkes disappeared in a flash of flame and reappeared on back of the carriage on top of all their trunks of possessions)
(Fawkes disappeared once again in a spectacular flame, taking with her all of their possessions)
HAGRID: (turning to them) Alright, let's go. Back to the group. (he started to walk in front of them)
HAGRID: (turning around to them) And absolutely NO TALK to the other students about what ya heard here. (giving them a stern look) Not. One. Word.
(SCENE ENDS)
(They had walked back in dead silence with Hagrid to the rest of the carriages. Hagrid escorted them all to the castle and Hagrid quickly gave the teachers instructions about bringing the students to the Great Hall and awaiting Dumbledore's arrival.)
(Harry and company were shuttled into the Great Hall and keeping the promise they made Hagrid, they didn't say a word about the things they had seen and heard)
(They were seated at the Gryffindor table surrounded by a cacophony of kids gossiping about what they think happened)
DEAN: What in the world was that thing?
COLIN: (super excited) Maybe it was a new construction. Could be a new wing of the castle!
SEAMUS: No way, couldn't uh been. It's not even connected to the castle.
PARVATI: It had the same stonework as our castle. Maybe they made a separate smaller castle at the gate, you know, for protection….
LAVENDER: Protection? (nervously) You think it's for war?
SEAMUS: Oh please, you think a little tower is gonna protect Hogwarts from You-Know-Who?
PARVATI: (insulted, raising her voice) Well they could be storing weapons in there, you know it could be an armory.
SEAMUS: Magical weapons? (barking out a laugh) Only weapons a real wizard needs is his wand and his wits.
PARVATI: Too bad you only have one of those. And the other is just a few inches too short.
(Lavender laughed loudly)
LAVENDER: Hermione, you always know all these facts and things about Hogwarts. Do you think that building is there to protect Hogwarts?
HERMIONE: (nervously, not looking up from the table she speaks) Well maybe…I mean…..Hogwarts already has many, many protections on the castle to protect it from unwanted visitors, but they're not physical. They're enchantments, spells, complex magic that has been woven around the school for centuries.
DEAN: (looking at them suspiciously) How come you and Harry are being so quiet? We're talking about battling You-Know-You and you'd of thought that you and Harry would be the first ones to talk about it. (narrowing his eyes looking at them closer) Are you all hiding something?
HERMIONE: (her cheeks blushed red immediately) No, of course not. (unconvincingly) Why would you think that?
PARVATI: Oh come off it. You're always quiet during our house talks about You-Know-Who and then I always see you, Harry, and Ron in an alcove somewhere chatting each other up in secret
SEAMUS: (chiming in, this time looking at Harry) Yeah Harry! How come you always leave the rest of us out of it huh?
(Harry looked nervous)
HERMIONE: Harry wasn't leaving you all out of anything. He's just a bit tired from his trip today that's all. Isn't that right Harry?
PARVATI: Are you his spokesperson now?
HERMIONE: (nervously) No….I am not his spokeperson, but-
LAVENDER: Yeah, why do you guys keep secrets!
RON: We do not!
DEAN: Oh stuff it Ron. We see you guys do that all the time. (flatly) If there's something you lot know, then we oughta know too!
SEAMUS: Yeah!
HERMIONE: Look, we can't, we just can't.
HARRY: (cautioning) Hermione…
DEAN: Oh! So there is something you're hiding!
HARRY: Look! Hagrid made me, Ron, Hermione, and Neville SWEAR we wouldn't tell anyone about what we saw. Said it's a matter of…..um….(looking for the right words)…."top secret ministry business".
(Harry had the look of a man who had just made a mistake)
PARVATI: So it is an armory! And the Ministry is using it to fight against You-Know-Who. I knew it….
RON: No, no that's NOT what he said.
SEAMUS: Wait. NEVILLE too?!
(Neville's ears instantly became red)
DEAN: Neville don't be like them. Spill it!
NEVILLE: Um…..(Neville started fidgeting nervously)
LAVENDER: Neville…..sweety…you'll tell us won't you? (sounding as if this was one of the first times Lavender had ever spoken to Neville)
GINNY: (coming from the Ravenclaw table) Harry…Ron…Hermione…Neville (looking at each of them in turn). Professor McGonagall wants to see you.
(Lavender gave Ginny a nasty look, which Ginny returned in kind.)
(Harry and company got up from the table and followed Ginny down to the Teacher's table.)
(However, before she got there, she turned sharply to the right, walked off to the wall, and turned to them)
GINNY: Just wanted to get you out of there.
(Harry smiled at her, appreciating her quick wit)
(Harry also noticed how attractive she was looking against the backdrop of the evening moonshine coming from the window)
HARRY: Thanks Ginny. (an out of place smile lingered on his face, which Hermione seemed to notice.)
GINNY: (smiling slyly) Well you're not off the hook just yet. Just because I saved you from those savages doesn't mean I'm not coming after you. (looking at Harry)
HARRY: What? (startled)
GINNY: (smiling) What HAPPENED out there?
HARRY: Ohh, out there.
HERMIONE: To tell you the truth we don't really know.
RON: Yeah someone came out of that castle tower thing and she was REALLYY tall and REALLY powerful.
NEVILLE: Dumbledore called her the "Fae Queen" I think. She could do magic…. (shaking his head) but I don't think she was a witch because she was-
RON: PERFECT. (pointing out the window)
GINNY: (now looking out the window) Is that the woman?
RON: (in a daze) What a woman…..(noticing everyone looking at him he snapped out of his daze) I mean yeah. Yeah that's her. (he went right back into his daze and loosened up his collar because he was starting to feel warm)
HARRY: Wait a minute (looking in closer)…..who are those other people around her…..? It looks like an army- (startled)
(Harry was correct as what looked like 10 Fae creatures walked behind the Fae Queen and Dumbledore.)
(Some of the other teachers noticed Dumbledore outside the window.)
PROFESSOR MCGONNAGAL: (announcing to the Great Hall) All students are to be seated. Professor Dumbledore shall be arriving any moment now.
(Harry and company quickly took their seats back at the Gryffindor table to annoyed expressions from the rest of Harry's class. No one said a word as they were waiting with bated breath.)
(BANG)
(The Great Hall doors opened spectacularly as Albus Dumbledore walked in first. Everyone looked upon Dumbledore with curiosity and anticipation, not knowing that there were others behind Dumbledore.)
(The Fae Queen then entered the room.)
(The jaws of his Gryffindor classmates dropped. Her beauty was even more transcendent than when Harry had first seen her. There was a mixture of delight and fear in the air. Delight from watching her beauty and fear from the immense magical aura emanating from her skin. Harry noticed the hair on his arm was standing straight up.)
(Behind her came several others. They were all dressed in the same royal yet combative wear that the Fae Queen was donning. Harry noticed that they were not all females; three of them were males and they were much shorter than the women. All of them had similar skin and facial features, but none of them possessed the same aura as the Fae Queen. They all seemed subservient to the Queen, demonstrated by how they were looking at the ground most of the time.)
(One of the female Fae walked past Seamus Finnigan and he leaned over his seat so far that he collapsed to the floor in a loud heap. Not one student took notice and Seamus quickly got back up to his seat.)
(As they reached the back of the hall, they all stood in line behind Dumbledore. Dumbledore prepared to open his mouth until he was interrupted.)
(The Auror Deborah Faulkner stood at the entrance of the Great Hall next to a tall elderly man with sharp eyes, a moustache, a checkered suit, and a monocle in his right eye)
UNKNOWN OLDER MAN: (raising his voice from the entrance to the Great Hall) What's this Dumbledore? You have brought the Fae into Hogwarts itself! Do you not realize what they can do here! Have you gone mad!?
DUMBLEDORE: (twiddling his thumbs) No, I don't believe so. However, if it suits you Unctus, I would be happy to undergo evaluation at St. Mungo's. (some in the crowd sniggered at this) These individuals behind me…(motioning his arm toward them)…are my guests.
RON: (turning excitedly to Harry and Hermione) That's Unctus Fiddleman! He's the Head of the Department of Magical Creatures!
UNCTUS FIDDLEMAN: (looking disgusted) Guests? Preposterous! These are dangerous and powerful creatures. As such it is-
UNKNOWN FAE: (one of the unknown Fae raised her voice with fierce hatred) Danger!? Us!? Wizardkind is the danger! Wizardkind imprisoned us! (turning to the Fae Queen) My Queen, they are not at all different from their forefathers, we must strike NOW before more of them arrive!
FAE QUEEN: (spoken in the language of calm power) SILENCE…Lady Iris. Your eagerness to fight demonstrates your blindness….and your ignorance of history. To avoid battle is to gain life.
DUMBLEDORE: (spoken in a calm, nonthreatening voice) Unctus, it is true that the history between Hogwarts and the Fae Court has been unfortunate. There has been violence….on both sides. And it is for that reason that I have decided to enter into a Peace Accord with the Fae Court…(raising his voice) by use of an Unbreakable Vow.
UNCTUS FIDDLEMAN: Outrageous!
MCGONNAGAL: Albus, I beg you to reconsider!
DUMBLEDORE: Alas Minerva, I only ask that you…..and the rest of the staff (nodding to them)….. trust my judgement. (pause) I take all factors involved very seriously and there is only one way in which this can end well. (now raising his voice to the Great Hall) The Fae Court will take part in Hogwarts school this year. Four of the Fae Knights will be joining us as honored…ah.. guest students…and the Fae Queen herself….(raising his voice just a bit higher) will be the new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.
(The din of outrage rocketed through the Great Hall)
UNCTUS FIDDLEMAN: Treason! Outright Treason Dumbledore!
(Even tiny Professor Flitwick was up in arms)
PROFESSOR FLITWICK: How can we possibly be expected to teach properly with beings as unpredictable as the Fae among us! I am sorry Albus, I have always supported you, but this is a bridge too far. (bouncing each word) I will-not-teach-if-the-Fae-are-present-in-this-castle!
(Harry noticed a scattering of the teachers clapping in support of Professor Flitwick. However, interestingly Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were not among them)
DUMBLEDORE: I expect you to teach….for one simple reason. My life will depend on it. Filius, you of course know how the enchantment works?
PROFESSOR FLITWICK: But this is madness Albus! It is against all sensible caution and tradition. And in these times! You-Know-Who could be striking the wizarding world at any moment!
DUMBLEDORE: Indeed. Indeed. (feigning a defeated tone) And it is for that precise reason that this is more necessary now than ever. Filius, will you perform the role of bonder in the Unbreakable Vow?
PROFESSOR FLITWICK: (deflating quickly he spoke in a defeated tone) Albus, please…...I beg you to reconsider…
DUMBLEDORE: (raising his chin slightly looking upon Professor Flitwick) This….is the only way.
(Professor Flitwick rose slowly and awkwardly from his seat. His short frame hobbled across the table in the now ultra-quiet Great Hall. Harry could hear every footstep Professor Flitwick was making.)
(Professor Flitwick stood in between the Fae Queen and Dumbledore)
(Dumbledore bent down and rested one knee to the ground. The Fae Queen eyed him and then followed to take a knee to the ground. They each clasped their right hands together. Professor Flitwick placed his wand on their hands)
DUMBLEDORE: (looking intensely into her eyes he spoke) Do you, Queen Lidia, promise that the Fae Court will join Hogwarts to foster magical learning and mutual benefit?
FAE QUEEN LIDIA: I do.
(CRACK)
(A slither of electric orange fire came into existence and wrapped around their arms)
FAE QUEEN LIDIA: Do you, Headmaster Dumbledore, promise that, with the exception of self-defense, the Fae Court will not be attacked by Hogwarts….(she paused for a moment) or the Ministry of Magic?
(Dumbledore paused and his eyebrow raised.)
HERMIONE: (whispering to Harry and Ron) Oh no! She's tricked him! That means if the Ministry attacks them….Dumbledore will die!
DUMBLEDORE: I do.
RON: Mental!
(CRACK)
(A second slither of electric fire cracked into existence and wrapped around their arms. This, unlike the first fire, was the color purple.)
(The Great Hall door slammed loudly shut, and Harry turned around to see that the Head of the Department of Magical Creatures Unctus Fiddleman and Auror Deborah Faulkner had exited.)
RON: (he had a dark look on his face) This is bad. Really bad.
HARRY: (curiously) How come?
RON: Because Unctus Fiddleman is notoriously prejudiced against anyone….or anything….that isn't a wizard. (pause) He's going to come back, and he's going to come back with more Aurors and the Minister of Magic himself.
(Dumbledore rose, ready to speak to the crowd again)
DUMBLEDORE: It has been a chaotic scene today. Yes. (looking around at the faces of the students) Yes, it doesn't appear to be the time for rambling speeches.
DUMBLEDORE: (he raised both his arms into the air, with his wand held high) And so allow me to lighten the mood.
(With a flick of his wand plates upon plates of food appeared on the hall tables. Long metal trays of roasted duck with little plastic covers on the legs. Pitchers of pumpkin juice and alcohol free ale. Pies of strawberry, cherry, and gooseberry flooded the rows. Mounds of mashed potatoes were found in large glass bowls.)
(Ron had a look of anticipation as though he had been fed nothing more than fern oatmeal all summer).
DUMBLEDORE: (over the noise from the crowd, Dumbledore raised his voice) And as an added bonus, Queen Lidia has offered graciously (bowing his head to her) a treat for you all, that I think, you will enjoy.
Queen Lidia walked forward a few steps. Everyone waited with bated breath to hear her voice.
"Children," Queen Lidia spoke in a slow motherly voice. "It is such a pleasure for me to join you this year as your teacher for defensive magic." She looked out at her audience. "To defend one's family, and one's home, is an essential trait that we all share." She looked lovingly at the other Fae "Oh….there is simply nothing more important to me than the safety of my sweet children."
"I can teach you much, but, magical strength alone does not create safety. Defensive magic is a fascinating, multi-layered branch of magic that can only succeed as part of a larger plan. The spell is never the end, but only a mean's to a different end." She paused for a moment and Harry furrowed his brow. She continued, "It will be an honor to work with you all this year and witness your magical curiosity, your determination, and," she paused, "the extent of your formidable powers." A smile then formed on her face that was both warm and terrifying. "And as a token of my good will…I would like to provide you all something special for your banquet. A magical Fae confection that we Fae have been making for millennia. It is called…Merriment Chocolate." She raised her magic staff into the air and out of thin air four giant chocolate fountains appeared floating above their tables.
The entire student body oo'd and ah'd at the resplendent chocolate fountains above them. Students stood up to reach for the chocolate and when their hand got close to it, some of the chocolate slowly poured out of the fountain and defying gravity slowed down in front of their mouths. The students opened their mouths, chomped on the liquid milk chocolate, and instantly melted down into their seats in delight.
"But be warned," Queen Lidia spoke out, "Merriment Chocolate is no ordinary Chocolate." Smiling pleasant she continued, "no, you will find there is quite an interesting enchanted effect that comes with it. Moderation would be wise."
Seamus was standing on his tip toes and having trouble getting the chocolate to come down. He kept aggressively grabbing and grabbing at it, but nothing came down.
"Ahh," Seamus complained, "damn fountain doesn't work."
Hermione interjected, "well its enchanted by the Fae, I think your temperament matters. If you just politely reach for it, I'm sure it will-"
"Oh will you ever stop Hermione," Ron added wisely, "sometimes you need to stop thinking like girl, and start thinking like a man."
Ron got out his wand, pointed at the fountain above Seamus, and exclaimed, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
(Please go to next chapter)