A/N: This ch. doesn't have a lot of action in it, it's a fun little chapter that introduces Jake's 1st day at Hogwarts


Broomsticks on Fire

Chapter Nine

"Dude, this place is flippin' huge!" Jake breathed as the Hogwarts castle came into view.

"Yeah, it is," Ron agreed. "But it always looks a lot bigger when you're looking at it from down here in these chariots too."

"How come there's no horse?" Jake asked.

An unusual silence fell over the group. Finally Hermione said, "There is. Well, not a horse, exactly. But a creature that can only be seen if you've witnessed with your own eyes...a death."

"Oh," Jake muttered. "Sorry."

Harry grinned. "No prob, dude," he said. Then he added, "How's my New York accent coming along?"

"Face it, bro," Jake retorted, "you might as well be condemned to drinking tea and eating crumpets the rest of your life."


The Gryffindor common room was a flurry of activity as Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Jake entered. "Welcome back!" cheered Lee Jordon, then draped his arms around Fred and George's shoulders. "Come on, fellows," he said, "I want you to see my new vampire bat."

"Let's go!" Fred and George said in unison.

Jake snorted. "Vampire bat?"

"Yes," said Hermione, sniffing disapprovingly. "Jordan always has some sort of wretched creature he's looking after."

"He's not as bad as Hagrid," Ron argued. "Stupid idiot keeping that horrible dragon our first year...oops," he added sheepishly, looking at Jake imploringly. "Sorry?"

"Ahhh, forget it."


"How was the first half of your first day at Hogwarts?" Harry asked at lunch the next day.

"Yeah, and why are you so late?" Ron added. "Lunch is halfway over."

"Sorry, dudes, but I got lost. A lot."

"No," Fred's voice rang out as the twins walked toward them. Or was it George? Jake never could decide. "The great dragon never gets lost."

"Oh no!" the other said, "he glides the winds like a mighty eagle, searching out his next helpless rescue!"

"Of course!" Fred(?) chimed in, grinning from ear to ear. "He is the master of the skies, the lord of the air, the father of-"

"Now, now," came Lao Shi's voice. The twins jumped down from their positions on the table, still grinning. "Jake's head is already big enough. Please do not enlarge it by such prattle."

"Oh, BURN!" Jake said, loud enough to attract attention from the Slytherin table. Malfoy shot him a death glance but Jake shrugged it off. "Well, the Am-Drag can't stick around! The 'master of the skies' will be late for Potions...oh, crap. That's a class I actually have to do stuff in."

"And what have you been doing in the other classes?" Lao Shi asked severely.

"Uh, see ya!"

And he was gone.

"Aya. The young dragon will never learn."

"Of course he will-he's the master of knowledge, the lord of understanding, the father of-" Fred began.

"Forget it, bro. Shi's gone."

"You scared him off!"

"You did!"

"How about this?" Fred compromised. "He took one look at Hermione and took off screaming."

"That looks like what we need to do right now."

"Agreed."

The twins raced off, Hermione right behind them.


A/N: Awwww...I told you it was fun! It'll get more serious, trust me. I just thought there needed to be some fun in there somewhere. So please review and I'll update ASAP!

~Emachinescat ^..^