CHAPTER 10: WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE
The scowl on Robert O'Bannon's face deepened as he stomped through the dirt streets of Hogsmeade. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets, thinking about the argument with Bianca Fahring. He'd known other Muggle-borns who'd gotten steamed about the attitudes some purebloods had toward them . . . Dad included. But none of them had ever gone as far as Bianca, lumping all purebloods together and calling for a Muggle-born revolution.
How the hell did she ever get into Hufflepuff? I thought they were all supposed to be cheery and stuff.
As angry as he was at Bianca, he also felt angry at himself. Robert replayed the girl's comments in his mind, growling the whole time. He couldn't believe she'd called Dad a traitor for marrying Mom. Bianca didn't even know his parents. What, she just assumed because Mom was a pureblood she's somehow an elitist scum who gets her jollies torturing servant elves and oppressing Muggle-borns? Would Bianca include other purebloods he knew and cared about in that category? His French grandmother, the Weasleys, his godmother Rosa Infante-Waverly.
He knew damn well she would.
Robert's head trembled with rage. That wacko hosebeast had insulted a lot of people he knew and loved. And how did respond? A little righteous indignation before storming off. He hadn't even thrown one insult at her.
Yeah. Great way to come to the defense of your friends and family.
He knew Dad would have handled it better. His father would have let loose with every dirty name he could think of on Bianca. And if Bianca had been a guy, well, Dad would have ended the confrontation with his fists.
But I'm not Dad. Robert never felt the need to waste time by getting in the faces of people like Bianca Fahring and Ares Urquhart. Yelling at them wouldn't change their hate-filled minds, so why bother? He'd rather spend his time with people he liked.
Speaking of which . . .
Robert stopped in the middle of High Street and gazed around. Hogwarts students streamed in and out of the various shops. He wondered where the Potters and Weasleys would be at. Well, he knew where James and his girlfriend Kayla were, and he didn't think they'd appreciate him barging in on their make-out . . . Snogging. You're in Britain . . . session at Madam Puddifoot's. As for the others . . .
The Hogsmeade branch of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was the likeliest place. Rose had told him earlier in the week that George, Branwen, Freddie and Faith planned to be there today in honor of the first Hogsmeade weekend.
Robert closed his eyes and groaned, remembering the Blazing Butternuts George had given him to test at school. He still hadn't given them to anyone. In fact, the gag candy sat in his trunk back in his suite.
Maybe I should start carrying it around. Be ready in case an opportunity presents itself. Like maybe with Bianca Fahring. Or Uptight Wright. Robert wondered if he had the stones to give Blazing Butternuts to a prefect.
He started down the street, passing a couple shops until one caught his eye. A huge white banner floated in the air above a wooden shop painted in red and blue stripes. Robert's brow furrowed when he noticed the swinging entrance doors in the shape of car doors. The front of the store had all manner of things plastered on the walls. Muggle things. Ancient vinyl records, a poster of the Manchester United soccer . . . football team, a leather jacket, even a New York Yankees ballcap. Robert fought the urge to spit on it, or better yet, pull out his wand and incinerate the damn thing. You don't grow up the son of Jimmy O'Bannon and not develop a hatred of the Yankees.
His eyes returned to banner overhead. It bore the images of two teens decked out like punk rockers, waving to the passers-by. Bright green words read, YILDUN'S MARVELOUS MUGGLE EMPORIUM. GRAND OPENING.
Hm. This looks interesting.
Robert returned his gaze to the store front and peered through the window. That's when he noticed two familiar faces. Efram Longbottom and Cynthia Weasley. He walked over to the swinging car doors and went inside.
"Hello, Robert." Efram waved to him near a shelf of t-shirts, one of which bore an image of three women and the word BANANARAMA. Robert assumed it was some musical group.
Cynthia whipped around. For a moment Robert swore he saw relief on her face.
"Everything all right?" She stepped over to him.
"Now it is."
"Something wrong?" Efram looked puzzled.
Cynthia twisted her lips. "I wanted to warn you before you went off with Bianca Fahring, but you took off so fast . . ."
"Hang on," Efram blurted. "You went off with Bianca Fahring? Mate, I never thought you'd be that desperate."
Robert frowned. "Why do I get the feeling you guys have a history with her."
"Well, for me it's mostly second hand information," Cynthia said. "But Efram's had a few classes with her."
"She's demented, I'm telling you. I know some Muggle-borns have a hard time adjusting to this world, but for Bianca she doesn't seem to like anything about wizarding society. And she likes to cause a stir from time to time. A couple years ago she tried to set all the House Elves free by giving them socks. Professor Sprout had a fit when she heard. And last year Bianca actually got into a row with Professor Binns."
Robert did a double take. "An argument with Professor Binns? How the hell did she manage that?"
"Well, Binns was droning on about one of the Goblin revolts, and Bianca suddenly stands up in the middle of class and starts ranting about how the Goblins should have won, how it would have taught us all a lesson. She went on for a couple minutes before Binns told her to take her seat."
"So did she?"
Efram shook his head. "No. She started yelling at Professor Binns. Accused him of distorting the facts and trying to brainwash everyone that Goblins were evil when it was really witches and wizards who were evil for oppressing them. She and Binns went at it for a good ten minutes before he told her to shut it and gave her detention. I've never seen Binns get so mad. Never thought he could get that mad. Mind you, it was the most interesting class I ever had for History of Magic. Still, Bianca Fahring's not someone you want to get involved with."
Robert sighed. "Well, thank you for this useful bit of information. It would have really come in handy about twenty minutes ago."
"Well, at least now you know." Cynthia gave him a sympathetic smile. "Now you can concentrate on finding a girl who's actually nice."
Efram waggled his eyebrows. "Any prospects, mate?"
He grunted and shifted his eyes to the wooden floor.
"Well, I know Lucida seems to fancy our adopted American cousin." Cynthia fixed him with a wry grin.
"Yeah, I've, um, kinda noticed." Robert scratched the back of his neck. Lucida certainly seemed nice enough . . . and, unlike Bianca, sane. Oh yeah, and pretty hot.
But . . .
"Hey, since we're on the subject of significant others, where's yours?" he asked Cynthia.
"Bonham volunteered to stay back at school with Boris, since he's not old enough to come to Hogsmeade. They plan on playing wizard chess."
Robert noticed Cynthia's face sag.
"So how's he doing?"
"He still doesn't like it in Ravenclaw. Bonham's been trying to help him adjust, but Boris just doesn't want to accept being in that house."
"You'd think he got sorted into Slytherin the way he's going on," said Efram. "I mean, I never expected Alicia to wind up in Ravenclaw, but she seems to like it there fine."
"Do you think your sister can help Boris?" A note of desperation crept into Cynthia's voice.
Efram shrugged. "I can ask. But most times it's an effort to get more than three words out of her."
Cynthia sighed and hung her head.
"Hey, I'm sure he'll come around eventually." Robert rubbed Cynthia's shoulder.
"I hope you're right."
"Well, look. Since we're in here, let's get a few things for Boris, try to cheer him up."
Cynthia lifted her head, a half-smile forming. "Well, I already bought two bags of Mushy-Mouth Marshmallows for him. He loves those. Maybe there's something in here he can enjoy, too."
The three made their way through the rows of shelves. The store had a decent-sized crowd, but nowhere near the mass of humanity as Honeydukes. Robert was also surprised by some of the products on display. A wooden rocking horse, a red wagon, yo-yos. He'd only seen stuff like this in movies set in the 1930s or 1940s. Even the games sold here looked pretty lame. Parcheesi, Sorry, pinochle.
"Jeez, this looks like stuff my grandparents played with when they were kids."
They passed a shelf bristling with Muggle sporting equipment. A young witch held up a tennis racquet, staring at it with a quizzical expression. "What are you supposed to do with this?" she asked her friend, who had no clue herself.
Robert scanned the shelf for a basketball, figuring Boris could use it to play by himself or, hopefully, with other Ravenclaws.
He couldn't find one.
Frustration crept into the three when they spotted Rose, Hugo and Lily standing around a huge cauldron with glittering words on the side. MUGGLE MOVIES AND SHOWS.
"Hey, guys," Robert called out.
The three turned to him, with Hugo looking incredulous. "Robert. You're not going to believe this. They actually have DVDs in this thing."
"What?" He slipped past Hugo and Rose and stared into the cauldron, which contained a pile of old DVDs.
"I didn't think Muggles used those things any more," Cynthia commented.
"They don't, according to Mum." Hugo turned back to the cauldron with a sour look. "And you should see some of the shows they have in here. Bridgette Jones Diaries, Beach Blanket Bingo, Air Bud."
"I think Air Bud looks cute."
Hugo rolled his eyes. "You would think that, Lily."
Lily Potter scowled at her cousin.
"Well, I'll sort through them anyway." Cynthia leaned over the cauldron. "I want to get something for Boris to cheer him up. We should be able to find something he might like."
The more they combed through the cauldron, the more Robert doubted that. He turned up his face at some of the titles he came across. One Tree Hill: Season Three, The Smurfs: Season Two, My Own Private Idaho, Blue Crush. Somehow the remake of Saw made it into the mix. He didn't think Cynthia would approve of her 11-year-old brother watching something that violent.
"Muggles actually watch stuff like this?" Efram canted his head as he held a copy of The Dresser before him.
"Not that many." Robert groaned as he continued to fish through the DVDs. What the heck was wrong with the guy who ran this store? Who the hell stocks artsy drama movies and kiddie crap in a store near a school filled with teenagers?
Hell, even Dad wouldn't watch this . . .
"Yo! I got one." Robert snatched a DVD from the cauldron.
"What is it?" Cynthia peered over his shoulder.
Robert grinned as he focused on the cartoon form of a young man in a white helmet driving a sleek car with the number five on the side.
"Speed Racer."
"Never heard of that one," said Hugo.
"I got a Muggle-born friend back at Salem who's a huge anime fan. He showed me some episodes of this. Wicked cool stuff."
"It's not too violent, is it?"
Robert scoffed at Cynthia. "Oh please. It's a cartoon. No one's gonna get their head chopped off or their guts ripped out or anything."
"Here's another cartoon." Rose examined her DVD. "GI Joe. Looks pretty action-packed."
"This one doesn't look very pleasant." Lily screwed up her face in disapproval. "The Green Slime?"
"This is really a pathetic selection." Cynthia shook her head at the DVD-filled cauldron. "Uncle George's Muggle store is much better."
"Uncle George!?"
They all spun around. A rather chunky young man decked out in a cricket sweater stretched to its bursting point, soccer shorts that showed off fleshy white legs and a leather pilot's cap from World War One looked upon them in shock.
"Did you just say, 'Uncle George'?"
"What of it?" Cynthia put her hands on her hips.
The young man's mouth moved silently for a moment. He then whirled around. "Dad! Dad! Get over here! We've got a problem!"
Robert and his friends looked to one another, confusion etched in their faces.
"What the bloody hell did we do?" Efram seemed to beg for an answer.
No one obliged him.
Now another rotund man wobbled toward them. This one wore an honest-to-God pin-striped Zoot Suit straight out of the 1920s. An old pith helmet adorned his head.
"Dad, they're Weasleys." The younger man pointed to them. "They said Uncle George's Muggle store. They have to be talking about George Weasley."
The dad folded his arms and glowered at them. Robert noticed a large button on the man's suit. JOVANNY YILDUN it read, before spinning and reforming into new words. OWNER AND PROPRIETOR.
"Is this true? Are you lot Weasleys?"
"Why is it any of your concern?" Cynthia tried to match Yildun scowl for scowl. "We're just in here . . ."
"Spying!"
Several customers, most of them Hogwarts students, turned at Yildun's thunderous declaration.
"Looking to see what I've got in here so you can run back to your famous Uncle George and fill him in so he can undermine my business."
"That's rubbish." Hugo stepped toward the large man.
"Look, Sir . . ." Rose positioned herself between her brother and Yildun. "I happen to be a prefect at Hogwarts, and I can assure you that we are just . . ."
"I don't want to hear any of your lies! You Weasleys have given me enough grief in the past. I'll have no more of it. Now clear out of my store, the lot of you!"
"We weren't doing anything wrong!" Robert threw his arms out to his sides.
"It's my store and I'll throw out anyone I want. Out! Out! OUT!!"
Hugo was ready to say something else when Rose put a hand on his chest and said, "No, don't."
"Come on, then." Cynthia narrowed her eyes at Yildun. "Why should we shop here when we can get all the Muggle stuff we want from Uncle George . . . since he does have a better store as it is."
The six students filed past Yildun, each of them giving the owner a dirty look.
"And don't let me catch any of you in my store ever again!" Yildun shouted.
"Rest assured, you won't!" Cynthia aimed her fiery eyes at him.
Yildun's face contorted in a mask of rage. He then looked to his son. "Better check those DVDs, Galen. Make sure those brats didn't do anything to mess them up."
"Right, Dad."
Robert shook his head and turned just as Galen Yildun took out his wand and walked over to the cauldron.
"Man, what a jackass," he grumbled as the exited the store through the swinging car doors.
"You don't think he's going to tell Professor Sprout or my dad about this." Efram shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
"What's there to tell?" Rose responded. "We were behaving ourselves. He was just being a great pillock."
"I can't believe he thought we were spying for Uncle George." Lily snorted as they started walking down High Street.
"Yeah." Hugo looked briefly back at Yildun's store. "Like Uncle George really needs us to spy on that cruddy store. He's a hundred times the business man that fat git is."
"And what did that guy mean anyway when he said you gave him enough grief in the past?" asked Robert.
Both Hugo and Lily shrugged. Rose shook her head. "I don't know. I don't remember Dad ever mentioning the name Yildun to me. Same with the rest of the family."
"He's just a wanker, is all," Hugo growled. "Forget about him. Let's go see Uncle George and Aunt Branwen."
The six set off in the direction of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, where they knew they wouldn't be run out of. As they neared the post office they noticed a trio of familiar students around an old-fashioned lamp post, stuffing their faces with treats from Honeydukes. Two of them looked exasperated as they listened to the third one talk animatedly about something.
Rose sighed. "Looks like Albus is unloading his woes on Harold and Olec."
"Well he has to find someone else to complain to, doesn't he?" said Hugo. "Since we're tired of hearing him whinge."
As they neared the trio, Harold and Olec spotted them, both looking relieved at the site of the newcomers. When Albus spotted them, the corners of his mouth twisted.
"Where have you lot been to?" asked Harold Thomas.
"That new Muggle shop down the street." Lily jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "But I wouldn't recommend it. The owner's an idiot. He just kicked us out of there."
"Kicked you out?" Surprise flashed over Olec Holmdeil's face. "Why would he do that?"
Robert huffed in annoyance. "Man, I wish I-"
A horrendous crash split the air. Everyone whirled around. Robert's lungs seized as he watched a cloud of wood and dust explode around Yildun's shop. A white streak shot across the street and twisted around.
"What the hell was that?" Harold stammered.
The white object shot through the debris cloud. Students scattered out of its path. Robert and the others backed up and pressed themselves against the front of the post office. Rose and Cynthia had their wands out.
Good idea.
He reached behind him and yanked his wand from his back pocket.
The object stopped right across from them.
"Merlin's Beard." Cynthia gaped at it. "That looks like . . . how can it be?"
Robert's unblinking eyes locked on the object. He knew exactly what it was, but just couldn't accept it was here, in the real world, barely fifteen feet away.
Somehow, right in the middle of Hogsmeade, sat the Mach 5, straight out of Speed Racer.
NEXT: MELEE