Visit the Steven Pront and the Mighty Mystery Resource Page at http://cullmanfirst.nazonline.com/spatmm.html.
Forgive the corniness of the title. As a great fan fiction author once said, "I didn't think of it, I don't own it, I'm not getting lots of $$ from it. JK Rowling did, does and has been." This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, but it is definitely not the first fantasy story I have written. I'm particularly experienced in writing Star Wars fictions with my very own characters. I rarely borrow another author's characters, simply because I generally don't want them to use mine. Of course, no one wants to use my characters, so there's really no point. And here I go blithering as usual.
Chapter 1 - The Nonunexpected Letter
It was seven fifty-nine in the morning at the Pront house. And somehow, Steven found himself staring at his clock waiting for the alarm to go off. Not many eleven year olds would spend their summer getting up shortly after the crack of dawn for no particular reason. But Steven figured that since he wouldn't be waking up for school at twelve o'clock noon after summer, he might as well not break down and do it during the summer.
A loud, annoying sound broke from the small, black clock sitting on Steven's bedside table. Taking great joy from slamming the clock to turn off its alarm, Steven rolled out of bed and began to get ready for the day. As our main character does this, allow me to take a moment and make an introduction. You are standing here in the Pront house. Why exactly, I do not know, but you are here and we'll just go with that. As you can see, young Mr. Pront is an average-sized, brown-haired, green-eyed eleven-year-old boy. Quite normal, wouldn't you say? But something is waiting for Steven at the breakfast table.
Fifteen minutes later, Steven bounded down the hall and into the kitchen where his grandmother was cooking breakfast. "Good morning, Nana. How's your morning?"
The woman at the stove turned with a sour look on her face, "It would be much better if I didn't have to go around the house picking up your clothes. Now sit down and eat your breakfast." She said this with a bit of anger creeping into her voice, but as she brought Steven's plate to him, she broke a smile and kissed him on the forehead. "You have a letter, Steven. It arrived this morning," she said and she plopped a rather odd-looking envelope onto the table. Saving the letter for later, Steven ate his breakfast greedily.
Moving from the kitchen to the living room after he finished eating, Steven picked up the daily paper and pretty much forgot about the letter. Steven's grandmother gave it a cursory look as she saw it while she was cleaning up. "Steven, are you going to open your letter. Apparently some school wants your attention."
"Oh yeah," Steven said, jumping up off of the couch and jogging back into the kitchen to pick up his letter. Rotating the letter in his hands, he saw that it was indeed a letter from a school, but apparently this was some sort of joke. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
His Nana said nothing as her full attention was on the dishes in the sink. Sitting down into a chair, Steven carefully pried the letter opened and pulled a single sheet of old parchment from the envelope. Blowing into the envelope to make sure there was nothing else, Steven could have sworn he heard a giggle. Setting the envelope down, he unfolded the paper and began to read.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Pront,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Nothing in the letter made sense, so being the logical boy he was, he scrutinized the part about their being an enclosed list. Steven scoffed, he had checked the envelope, and there was nothing else. Was there? He picked up the envelope, blew into it again to make it open it widen, was positive he heard a giggle, and then he saw it, another piece of paper. He pulled this paper out and opened it.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Uniform
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black).
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar).
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings).
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk.
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling.
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch.
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore.
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble.
OTHER EQUIPMENT
wand
cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set
glass or crystal phials
telescope set
brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Well, this was madness. "Nana, look at this letter." Steven grandmother broke away from the dishes, retrieved her glasses from the living room, sat next to him at the table, and took the letter. Holding it about a foot away from her eyes, Steven could clearly see that her face didn't have any look of surprise on it.
"Well, we should be able to pick all of this up in Diagon Alley."
Steven just sat there only able to manage an, "Er..."
His grandmother took his hand, "Dear, there's something you need to know before you pass out. You're a wizard."
And with that, Steven passed out. So, with him out of the picture for a second, back to my commentary. Little did Steven know that his parents had both been wizards. Little did Steven know that he was actually part of a pureblood family. Little did Steven know that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was located all the way across the Atlantic Ocean in Britain. Of course, Steven did know more than a little, but somehow his grandmother had done an excellent job at keeping it quite secret that he had magic in his blood.
Having revived her grandson, Nana tried to explain it all to Steven while she brought him a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. "You see Steven, you come from a long line of witches and wizards."
"So, you're a witch?" Steven asked.
"Oh yes, dear me. It's been about ten years since I've really done much magic, about the same time I took you in."
"And my parents?"
"Two of the best, actually. Worked in the Ministry of Magic in Britain, both as Aurors. Oh... Aurors are witches and wizards who hunt down those who have turned bad. Those who follow a great and powerful dark wizard."
"What dark wizard?" asked Steven.
"Most in the magic world do not speak his name. In conversations they refer to him as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who, but I'll tell you straight out that his name is Voldemort."
"Did he...?" Steven started to ask but fell silent.
"Yes, dear me. Voldemort killed your parents. They had finally tracked him down near Godric's Hollow. Your parents were some of the few Aurors who actually went and hunted down Voldemort. But even their combined might was not enough to overpower the dark lord."
"What about the rest of my family?"
"Oh, they're out and about, mostly working for the ministry. You know they send you presents on holidays, but they rarely visit because they know I haven't taught you magic."
"And why haven't you?"
"Why haven't I what? Taught you magic? Well, it seemed best after what happened to your parents. But I knew you would receive your letter. However, I didn't expect it would be from Hogwarts." Steven gave a quizzical look, so she continued. "Hogwarts is located in Britain, Steven. I assumed you would be going to the school in the US, but apparently you're still registered in Britain."
This was getting to be a bit much for Steven. "Alright, so, I'm a wizard. My parents were killed by some guy named Voldemort. I'm going to be going to school in Britain. Anything else?"
"No," Nana said, "that's it. Right now. You'll be going to school on the first of September. But tomorrow we'll be heading to Diagon Alley." And then a thought popped into Nana's mind. "Dear me. However am I going to get you there?"
"Where is Diagon Alley?"
"Oh, it's over in London."
Steven's mouth fell open. "How long will we be over there?"
"Just a day. But I just remembered that you don't know magic, much less how to apparate. I suppose we'll use the old floo powder. I need to search the attic, Steven. Can you look after yourself today while I get ready for tomorrow?"
"Sure," Steven said, looking anxiously at the phone.
"Umm, sorry, Steven. But you really shouldn't be telling anyone over here that you're a wizard; they might think you're crazy."
Steven thought this to be true enough. He found himself a book and got comfortable on the couch to read it while he could hear his grandmother bump around in the attic of their one-story house. "Floo powder method?" he thought to himself.
Forgive the corniness of the title. As a great fan fiction author once said, "I didn't think of it, I don't own it, I'm not getting lots of $$ from it. JK Rowling did, does and has been." This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, but it is definitely not the first fantasy story I have written. I'm particularly experienced in writing Star Wars fictions with my very own characters. I rarely borrow another author's characters, simply because I generally don't want them to use mine. Of course, no one wants to use my characters, so there's really no point. And here I go blithering as usual.
Chapter 1 - The Nonunexpected Letter
It was seven fifty-nine in the morning at the Pront house. And somehow, Steven found himself staring at his clock waiting for the alarm to go off. Not many eleven year olds would spend their summer getting up shortly after the crack of dawn for no particular reason. But Steven figured that since he wouldn't be waking up for school at twelve o'clock noon after summer, he might as well not break down and do it during the summer.
A loud, annoying sound broke from the small, black clock sitting on Steven's bedside table. Taking great joy from slamming the clock to turn off its alarm, Steven rolled out of bed and began to get ready for the day. As our main character does this, allow me to take a moment and make an introduction. You are standing here in the Pront house. Why exactly, I do not know, but you are here and we'll just go with that. As you can see, young Mr. Pront is an average-sized, brown-haired, green-eyed eleven-year-old boy. Quite normal, wouldn't you say? But something is waiting for Steven at the breakfast table.
Fifteen minutes later, Steven bounded down the hall and into the kitchen where his grandmother was cooking breakfast. "Good morning, Nana. How's your morning?"
The woman at the stove turned with a sour look on her face, "It would be much better if I didn't have to go around the house picking up your clothes. Now sit down and eat your breakfast." She said this with a bit of anger creeping into her voice, but as she brought Steven's plate to him, she broke a smile and kissed him on the forehead. "You have a letter, Steven. It arrived this morning," she said and she plopped a rather odd-looking envelope onto the table. Saving the letter for later, Steven ate his breakfast greedily.
Moving from the kitchen to the living room after he finished eating, Steven picked up the daily paper and pretty much forgot about the letter. Steven's grandmother gave it a cursory look as she saw it while she was cleaning up. "Steven, are you going to open your letter. Apparently some school wants your attention."
"Oh yeah," Steven said, jumping up off of the couch and jogging back into the kitchen to pick up his letter. Rotating the letter in his hands, he saw that it was indeed a letter from a school, but apparently this was some sort of joke. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
His Nana said nothing as her full attention was on the dishes in the sink. Sitting down into a chair, Steven carefully pried the letter opened and pulled a single sheet of old parchment from the envelope. Blowing into the envelope to make sure there was nothing else, Steven could have sworn he heard a giggle. Setting the envelope down, he unfolded the paper and began to read.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Pront,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Nothing in the letter made sense, so being the logical boy he was, he scrutinized the part about their being an enclosed list. Steven scoffed, he had checked the envelope, and there was nothing else. Was there? He picked up the envelope, blew into it again to make it open it widen, was positive he heard a giggle, and then he saw it, another piece of paper. He pulled this paper out and opened it.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Uniform
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black).
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar).
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings).
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk.
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling.
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch.
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore.
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble.
OTHER EQUIPMENT
wand
cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set
glass or crystal phials
telescope set
brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Well, this was madness. "Nana, look at this letter." Steven grandmother broke away from the dishes, retrieved her glasses from the living room, sat next to him at the table, and took the letter. Holding it about a foot away from her eyes, Steven could clearly see that her face didn't have any look of surprise on it.
"Well, we should be able to pick all of this up in Diagon Alley."
Steven just sat there only able to manage an, "Er..."
His grandmother took his hand, "Dear, there's something you need to know before you pass out. You're a wizard."
And with that, Steven passed out. So, with him out of the picture for a second, back to my commentary. Little did Steven know that his parents had both been wizards. Little did Steven know that he was actually part of a pureblood family. Little did Steven know that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was located all the way across the Atlantic Ocean in Britain. Of course, Steven did know more than a little, but somehow his grandmother had done an excellent job at keeping it quite secret that he had magic in his blood.
Having revived her grandson, Nana tried to explain it all to Steven while she brought him a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. "You see Steven, you come from a long line of witches and wizards."
"So, you're a witch?" Steven asked.
"Oh yes, dear me. It's been about ten years since I've really done much magic, about the same time I took you in."
"And my parents?"
"Two of the best, actually. Worked in the Ministry of Magic in Britain, both as Aurors. Oh... Aurors are witches and wizards who hunt down those who have turned bad. Those who follow a great and powerful dark wizard."
"What dark wizard?" asked Steven.
"Most in the magic world do not speak his name. In conversations they refer to him as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who, but I'll tell you straight out that his name is Voldemort."
"Did he...?" Steven started to ask but fell silent.
"Yes, dear me. Voldemort killed your parents. They had finally tracked him down near Godric's Hollow. Your parents were some of the few Aurors who actually went and hunted down Voldemort. But even their combined might was not enough to overpower the dark lord."
"What about the rest of my family?"
"Oh, they're out and about, mostly working for the ministry. You know they send you presents on holidays, but they rarely visit because they know I haven't taught you magic."
"And why haven't you?"
"Why haven't I what? Taught you magic? Well, it seemed best after what happened to your parents. But I knew you would receive your letter. However, I didn't expect it would be from Hogwarts." Steven gave a quizzical look, so she continued. "Hogwarts is located in Britain, Steven. I assumed you would be going to the school in the US, but apparently you're still registered in Britain."
This was getting to be a bit much for Steven. "Alright, so, I'm a wizard. My parents were killed by some guy named Voldemort. I'm going to be going to school in Britain. Anything else?"
"No," Nana said, "that's it. Right now. You'll be going to school on the first of September. But tomorrow we'll be heading to Diagon Alley." And then a thought popped into Nana's mind. "Dear me. However am I going to get you there?"
"Where is Diagon Alley?"
"Oh, it's over in London."
Steven's mouth fell open. "How long will we be over there?"
"Just a day. But I just remembered that you don't know magic, much less how to apparate. I suppose we'll use the old floo powder. I need to search the attic, Steven. Can you look after yourself today while I get ready for tomorrow?"
"Sure," Steven said, looking anxiously at the phone.
"Umm, sorry, Steven. But you really shouldn't be telling anyone over here that you're a wizard; they might think you're crazy."
Steven thought this to be true enough. He found himself a book and got comfortable on the couch to read it while he could hear his grandmother bump around in the attic of their one-story house. "Floo powder method?" he thought to himself.