I really hate myself sometimes…but I'm creating a new story that will eventually end in once-in-a-million year updates like the rest of my stories. Oh, well, hope you enjoy it anyway!
I am aware that Universal Studios did not open until 1990, but it's a fanfiction, and since I recently returned from there, I know more about it. Also, they will be visiting the park without HP World in it, as that would only complicate things.
I also know that some of these movies were not out in the seventies, but I'm pretending, okay?
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all the amazingly wonderful characters in it do not belong to me in any possible way; they belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling whom I, a mere fan, worship for her lovely and life-changing works.
Summary: Agatha Sporx was a good Muggle Studies teacher, she really was. But attempting to orchestrate a field trip to Universal Studios Orlando in the US was a bit beyond her. Especially with the infamous Marauders in her class…
"Attention, students!" Professor Sporx clapped her hands to gain the newly seventh year students' attention. It was the first day of term, just after lunch, so you can only imagine how the students were behaving after two months of vacation.
"Class, settle down," Sporx shouted to no avail. The students kept talking as if there was no tomorrow.
Lily Evans sighed as she glanced around the classroom. No one would listen to the professor, but that was only to be expected. Sporx, while a good teacher, couldn't yell to save her life. Even one of Lily's closest friends, Dorcas Meadows, who was usually soft-spoken, was chatting with their other quite loud friend Marlene McKinnon. The trio also had two other friends, Mary McDonald, who was Muggle-born, and therefore thought she didn't need Muggle Studies, (Lily was Muggle-born as well, but she thought studying Muggles from a wizarding point of view was fascinating,) and Alice Akerman, who was in Muggle Studies with them, but was late for reasons unknown.
Lily glanced to the back of the classroom where three boys were sitting. Two of the three were goofing around; throwing papers at the back of someone's head while the third was deeply immersed in a book while every once in a while glancing at his friends. These three were James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Lily hated James and Sirius with passion, but Remus was one of her closest friends. They had a fourth friend, Peter Pettigrew, but he had apparently gotten a P on his Muggle Studies exam, so he did not attend the class anymore.
"CLASS, BE QUIET!" Lily whipped around in her seat. The shout had come from Professor Sporx, funnily enough. The class quieted down immediately, though Lily figured it was probably shock at Sporx yelling.
"That's much better," Sporx said, rising from her desk. "Now, as seventh years, I am required to take you all on a field trip to explore a portion of Muggle culture."
Excited whispers broke out amongst the students. Lily smiled to herself, figuring that it would be a grand time to go on a field trip. She loved them at her Muggle elementary school all those years ago.
Dorcas Meadows raised her hand. "Where are we going, ma'am?" she asked.
"I am going to leave that decision up to you," Sporx said, smiling down at Dorcas.
"What do you mean by that?" James Potter said loudly from the back of class. Lily felt a scowl growing on her face. Potter was an arrogant toe-rag who had somehow managed to worm his way into being chosen as Head Boy this year.
"It will be a vote," Sporx said, stepping up to the chalkboard. "Your choices will be to go to an art museum in London- "
The students all groaned simultaneously. Sporx gave them a reprimanding glance.
"As I was saying," Sporx said, returning to her writing. "You will choose between an art museum in London, a power plant in Georgia, US, a video game company in Texas, US, or an amusement park in Florida, US."
"Sorry I'm late," A voice said from Lily's left. She nearly jumped up- but then she realized it was only her friend, Alice. "What did I miss?"
"We're taking a field trip," Lily muttered to her, eyes still fixated on Sporx. "Choices are up on the board."
"So," Sporx said, turning back to her class. "Raise your hand if you want to go to the art museum."
Lily glanced around the room. No one raised their hand.
"Alright," Sporx sighed. "Who wants to go to the power plant?" A few tentative hands went up in the air, including Dorcas's.
"What about the video game company?" Alice raised her hand here, along with Frank Longbottom, Benjy Fenwick , and Frieda Wilkins.
Sporx gave a resigned sigh. She knew this would be the result even before they took the vote. "Who wants to go to an amusement park?"
The rest of the class's hands went up, including Lily's. She loved amusement parks, especially rollercoasters.
"Well, that's the result, I suppose," Sporx circled 'Amusement Park' on the board. "Now there are many amusement parks in Florida, but I've done a bit of research, and I think the one best suited for our needs is Universal Studios. It's a theme park based on movies, which, if you can recall, we learned about in fifth year. Before we go, I'll show you all the movies that rides here are based on."
Lily smiled. This would most assuredly be a wonderful trip. She shared a smile with Marlene, her only friend that had voted for the amusement park. She couldn't wait to go.
During their next Muggle Studies class, that Friday, Sporx was informing them of details regarding the field trip.
"I've spoken to the Headmaster, and we've come to the decision that the trip will be on December 5th," Sporx said, pacing in front of her class. "That will give us plenty of time to see the necessary movies and get reservations at what Muggles call 'hotels'. Professors McGonagall and Slughorn will be your other two chaperones."
James Potter leaned in to whisper something in his best friend Sirius's ear. "What movies are we going to watch?"
"I don't know," Sirius whispered back. "I'm still not sure exactly what a movie is."
"Moving picture on a screen," their third friend, Remus Lupin said a bit crossly without looking up from his Transfiguration textbook.
"What's got your knickers in a twist, Moony?" Sirius asked.
"You two," Remus said briefly.
"Please expand," James yawned.
"You two kept me up all night; therefore my homework is not finished."
"That's not our fault," Sirius said.
Remus raised an eyebrow at him. "How is it not?" Sirius didn't have a retort, for Sporx had started speaking again.
"Today," Sporx said, coming to a halt. "We'll be watching a classic called 'Jaws', which a ride in Universal Studios is based on. Please remind seated and quiet for the duration of the movie."
Over the next month and a half, the seventh year Muggle Studies class watched an assortment of movies ranging from 'Men in Black' to 'The Mummy', all in order to prepare them for the trip.
Lily Evans was beyond excited, for she loved theme parks. Marlene McKinnon wanted to go even more than Lily, for she had never seen a watch-a-mac-coaster before. Alice Akerman thought that the trip would be fun, and Dorcas Meadows was just quietly amused about it. Mary McDonald, their fifth friend, was quite put out that she would be the only one left behind.
James Potter was excited, for it would give him a chance to "prove his worth to Lily", Sirius Black was coming up with a prank to play on the visitors to the theme park, Peter Pettigrew had thoughts similar to Mary's, ("Don't leave me here alone!") and Remus Lupin was wondering how on earth Universal Studios would come out in one piece after Hogwarts was through with it.