*Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the image used.
Hogwarts After Harry Potter
CHAPTER 1
"Belle!"
I shot awake, glancing around at my blurry surroundings, "What now...?"
"You fell asleep on your homework again," Gerry giggled as she poked my shoulder. Gerry was my little sister, a red head of nine. Everyone says we look alike, even though I'm a good seven years older and have brown hair and a long face, rather than a round one. The only thing we had in common was our brown eyes and blood.
"Stop poking me, I'm up already!"
She giggled again, "You have chemistry on your face."
I grunted, "Great, I hate chemistry."
"You signed up for it, its not the world's fault that schools boring."
"Yeah, yeah. Trust me, I know it sucks, I'm the one doin' it."
I gently shuffled Gerry out of my room so I could have a shower in peace and get the chemistry off my face.
After I was finished I dried the droplets off my body and pulled on my jeans and a dark blue shirt with red fake-leather jacket. It was winter right now here in Australia and the weekend. So basically I filled my with homework from subjects that I despised and watching reruns of television shows and movies to fill the void of any excitement, adventure or fun that I might have, which is pretty much zilch. I walked out to the loung room and sat down with my sister for a lunch, my Mum brought us some sandwiches and we sat down rather awkwardly. My mother had dark brown hair that was rather bushy, unlike mine, but otherwise she looked just like me, only more freckles.
"How's school?" she asked, trying to fill the silent air.
"Boring, like usual."
It seemed to be turning out like any other weekend, that is, until a large man with a great black beard and trench coat appeared in the middle of the room. Yeah, that was a shocker all right.
"Holy shit!" my mother screeched.
Gerry's eyes just opened wide and took another bite out of the sandwich. As for me, I wasn't sure what to do, but frankly, once I got over the initial shock, I was pretty happy.
"Hello," he nodded awkwardly, "Nice to see you. Which one o' you is Belle?"
I looked up at him, "Uh... me?"
"Right. Well, here you go," he handed me an envelope which I hastily opened.
Dear Miss Belle Black,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.
"Now this must be some kind of joke! I mean, for god's sake, Hogwarts? That's a book- an awesome book- but fiction nonetheless. Which means that somehow, disappearing act or no, you're fucking with me."
He chuckled, "Really? Well, to be clear, Rowling was a witch too, made the case that the world needed to be informed 'bout da' wizarding world, really gave away da' secrets."
"So what? Did all the invitations get lost when I was eleven? Besides I'm not even British, I'm an Australian."
"But you happen to be of British descent. Australia has no official school or government of magic and Hogwarts doesn't usually detect past its boundaries. There was a mistake and we detected you, a bit late, I'll admit, but we did, the first muggle born British witch to be born in Australia. Now if you don't want ta' bolieve me, fine. But just in case I suggest you grab some money to come to Diagon Alley, not doing so would likely become the biggest mistake of your life."
I swallowed, took a deep breath and turned to my mother, "Go to the teddy bear- please."
Usually mum would argue and yell but the look on my face was enough and she ran to open up the teddy bear where we kept anything valuable. When she returned the man held out his hands, "Hold your breath."
We hesitantly took his hands. Instantly my insides were pulled outside of me and ripped to shreds and then suddenly we were in a dark alleyway and it was night. I gasped for air while my mother dry-wretched in the corner, "What the fuck- sorry, fudge."
The large man chuckled, "Let's go." He turned around to enter a pub, it was called 'The Leaky Cauldron'.
"No shit," I whispered to myself. I turned to scuttle after him, "Hey, what's your name?"
His deep, rich voice answered, "Rohan, Rohan Hagrid."
"Ho-ley shit."
We piled in after him. The pub was dark and dingey, lit by candle light and smelled of old liquor. I liked it. We shuffled forward and out the back door, into a walled, open-roofed room, a couple of over-turned trash cans in the corner. He took out a long stick, a wand I guess. And then he tapped the wall in a few places and then it happened. I saw the wall unfold, just like in the movie- only real. Mother fuckin' real. And there it was: Diagon Alley.
Even if it was night, it was still the brightest most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I almost burst out crying in happiness then and there.
He cocked his bushy head, "Well?"
A smile stretched across my face. This was where I belonged.