Chapter 21: Happilations
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the story which directly takes ideas from JK Rowling. This story is not being used for commercial purposes it is simply for pleasure and fun.
Author's Note: THIS IS NOT PART OF THE PLOT! This is a special chapter I am posting for the 1st anniversary of the story. A year ago on May 31st 2010 I uploaded the first chapter of IYWSDR!
These one-shots were fun to write because I got to write in some styles I'm more used to… anyways…
Enjoy!
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"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts….. Teach us something please!"
Frank Longbottom was sitting in the middle of the trophy room polishing a large silver cup and singing to himself. He heard the door of the room open and he turned excitedly towards the noise hoping it was a teacher coming to announce the end of his torture. To his slight disappointment, however, it was a student who strode in. Frank smiled widely nonetheless and put the silver cup to the side.
"Alright Alice?"
Alice Bulstrode took one look at Longbottom and walked as far from him as she could while still being in the same room. She took out her wand and began organizing the trophies Frank had already cleaned. Frank got up and walked over to her.
"Don't tell me Little Miss Perfect got detention as well?"
Alice simply said,
"Huh!"
And turned away. Longbottom smiled and walked around to face Alice.
"Well that's what you get for sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. I knew one of these days you'd come off that high and mighty pedestal! Now if only that friend of yours, Lily, would do the same, then Potter would stop sulking after every Quidditch practice."
Alice turned sharply to Frank and said,
"Please, a new prefect in detention is lecturing me! You're talking nothing but nonsense anyways so just go back to your polishing."
"Fine, but when you're up for prefect selections next year I'm not going to put in a good word for you."
Frank said coolly as he walked away with his hands in his pockets.
"Like anyone would want a recommendation from you! Besides everyone in my year knows Lily is going to be selected prefect anyways!"
Frank sat back down and started polishing but would take furtive glances at Alice every chance he could. They were only in the room for 5 minutes when Professor McGonagall walked in.
"Mr. Longbottom! Only a dozen finished? You've been here an hour already."
"Quality not quantity, isn't that what you always say Professor."
"Yes well that is all good and great in Transfiguration but not in detention."
"Well Alice hasn't helped me at all!"
"Miss Bulstrode is here on her own time as a volunteer. It is unfortunate that your junior is setting a better example, than you, a prefect. I certainly hope I won't regret my decision to put you in a position of authority so soon. Now you will finish the contents of that entire cabinet, without magic, before you go today or else it'll be detention for the week!"
Frank looked at the large wooden cabinet and groaned.
"And Miss Bulstrode, Miss Evans is in the infirmary and cannot join you tonight to help."
"In the infirmary? Is she alright?"
"Yes, she is fine. Mr. Potter just gave her a rather dangerous surprise gift this week. You may go visit her anytime, she isn't contagious anymore."
"Anymore?"
"Yes, now if you'll excuse me."
Professor McGonagall walked out of the room briskly but not before giving Longbottom a look that said; try and sneak your way out of punishment and FEEL MY WRATH.
Alice suppressed a giggle as the professor was walking out but burst out laughing as soon as the door was closed.
"Men! Why can't you boys just behave? Poor Lily is stuck in the infirmary and I'm stuck babysitting."
Frank looked affronted and replied,
"I certainly don't need you to babysit, I could use a snack though…"
Alice whipped around with her wand out and pointed it at Frank who, in a somewhat slow response, also drew his wand.
"Whoa, if you wanted to duel Alice you could have just said so."
"You could use a snack? What do I look like your mother?"
"No, but you would look adorable in an apron."
Alice angrily shot a curse at Frank who easily dodged it and threw one back. Alice was barely able to block it and regain her footing before Frank attempted to hit her with a petrificus totalus. As they were dueling Frank was laughing and moving closer to Alice instead of backing away.
"Come now Alice, you're a girl, I don't want to hurt you."
This taunt just infuriated Alice who said nothing but produced a strong, sky blue spell from her wand. It hit Frank who dropped his wand and was lifted into the air.
Try as he might, Frank could not make his way to the ground, it was as though gravity had been suspended and he just continued floating and spinning in the air.
"Oi! What kind of spell was that? Since when can you produce non-verbal spells?"
A shocked and flustered Alice rushed over and said,
"I can't, I mean I didn't know I could."
Alice looked up at Frank and put her hands on her hips
"This is what you get for making me mad."
"Fine I'm sorry! Now let me down!"
"Nu-uh! Say it like you mean it!"
Frank took a deep breath and tried to look as dignified as he could considering the situation.
"I am very sorry Alice for suggesting you and women in general are only capable of domestic pursuits."
Alice gave a satisfied smiled and said,
"Thank you."
Instead of casting a counter spell Alice simply closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths as though she was trying to calm down. Confused and slightly annoyed, Frank said,
"How long are you going to keep me here?"
Alice opened her eyes and through clenched teeth said,
"Just a minute!"
Alice took a final slow breath and suddenly gravity pulled Frank back to the ground and right on top of Alice.
"Ah! Oi geroffme!"
"Sorry but you're the one who just dropped me."
"Ugh!"
As they were untangling themselves from each other they heard the door open again. A small boy, no older than second year came in and took one look at Alice and Frank on the floor and tried to run back out.
"It's alright Adam, it's not what it looks like. Come in, what's wrong?"
Although not looking totally assured, the little boy walked over to Frank and said,
"I just wanted to say thanks and bring you something, cause I saw you missed dinner."
The little boy produced a few muffins from behind his back held them out as he spoke. Frank, who was sitting on the floor, but was still almost as tall as the boy, reached out and ruffled Adam's hair.
"Thanks kid. Next time those guys try to flush you down the toilet you tell them they'll have to deal with me alright?"
The little boy smiled, nodded, gave the muffins to Frank and then ran out of the room.
Beside him Alice stood up and asked,
"That's why you jinxed those 4th years? Because they were picking on him?"
Frank just shrugged and took a bite out of one of the muffins.
"That boy, he's a Hufflepuff isn't he?"
Again Frank just shrugged and held out a muffin for Alice to take. Meekly Alice took the muffin and said,
"Thanks."
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Glasses clinked and a small string band played a beautiful song that was carried through the ballroom and out into the courtyard. Standing on her own on a balcony overseeing the courtyard was a girl with a sharp and bony face.
Below a pretty and voluptuous girl was dancing pressed closely against a broad-shouldered and handsome boy.
"Probably bought a love potion off Lily, she isn't that pretty after all."
The girl scoffed and turned around only to be surprised by a somewhat large boy standing the doorway of the balcony.
"Oh! You startled me."
"My apologies, just coming out for some fresh air."
Feeling awkward and not knowing what to do, Petunia simply turned around and leaned her elbows on the balcony once more. The boy walked next to her and held out a glass of Champaign.
"No thank you, I don't drink."
"Ah. Sorry."
The boy put both glasses down to the side and turned to Petunia.
"Do you know Archibald and Marylyn?"
Petunia looked at the boy from the corner of her eye and said,
"We've all known each other for ages, same elementary and prep schools in Sheffield. Marylyn was practically stuck to my side all through prep school."
"Well it's nice to know someone. Barely a soul I recognized at this university when I started out but one must look after their prospects not their friends I say."
Petunia smiled slightly.
"My name is Vernon by the way, Vernon Dursley."
Petunia took his outstretched hand politely but did not linger in the handshake.
"I attended Smeltings before starting here."
At the mention of this name Petunia straightened up and asked,
"Are you also a freshman?"
"No, this is my last year here. No, I'm just attending the Welcoming Ball as a representative of the graduating class."
"Oh, I see. My name is Petunia, Petunia Evans."
"Petunia, what a beautiful name. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Vernon bowed slightly and Petunia held her hand up to her mouth and giggled just slightly. When Petunia turned around again Vernon looked a bit panicky. Suddenly and loudly asked,
"So what's this I hear about love potions eh?"
He smiled widely but Petunia looked horrified in return.
"No, I mean, it was only a joke of course."
"Oh yes, yes of course."
Vernon laughed loudly and Petunia grimaced. Vernon coughed and started rocking back and forth on the heels of his feet.
"People who believe in magic are just a bunch of freaks anyways."
When Vernon said this Petunia smiled and moved closer.
"You think so too?"
"Oh yes."
Vernon nodded and then grabbed the lapel of his suit jacket with his hand before continuing,
"I say those sorts ought to be secluded from normal society. Put them somewhere where they can learn to be productive members of society. Just you wait, those hippies will ruin America and England will be left picking the pieces up."
Petunia laughed and said,
"You know I've felt the same way for a long time. If people can't function in normal society, it isn't because they're special; they need to be put away for our safety. Of course they could never understand that."
Vernon nodded and smiled uncomfortably. Suddenly the band altered the melody and the pace of the song quickened. Petunia looked away and Vernon fumbled with the buttons on his shirt dress for a few seconds before asking,
"Care to dance?"
Petunia turned slowly and said,
"Well I suppose…"
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The sun was just rising in the sky. It glared down on a forest, willing its rays to penetrate the canopy but to no avail.
Far below, lying on the dirt of the forest floor was a little girl. She was barely distinguishable from the forest floor itself, brown and matted with soil. She was on her back with her arms and legs stretched out. Her small face was streaked with freshly shed tears and she was hiccupping and sobbing silently. She opened her eyes to the darkness of the forest and smiled weakly.
Slowly she sat up and wiped her face only to leave smears of dust on her cheeks but that didn't matter in the dark. She stood and began walking slowly towards some unknown destination.
Soon she reached a river and promptly jumped into it, splashing copious amounts of water all over herself. The cold water was refreshing and it seemed to lift the little girl's spirits some.
Unbeknownst to her as she happily splashed away, someone was watching her. Behind a large tree stood a tall handsome little boy who peeked curiously from behind the tree at the little girl. After several clandestine glances the boy ventured too far from behind his tree and stepped on a loose rock. The ground beneath him crumbled and he lost his balance. As the sound of the boy falling down the river's bank reached the little girl's ears she stood stock still and scared but made no sound. She looked over and saw the little boy trying to get up clumsily.
Seeing that he was just a child and could not harm her, the little girl walked over to the boy stared at him. The boy stared back and then asked,
"Who are you?"
The girl didn't answer but instead asked,
"Why are you here at the break of dawn?"
The boy squinted against the shadows of the forest.
"Is that you Robin Greenshield?"
"No, I'm not Robin Greenshield but I know who you are, you're Tom Riddle. You're house is over yonder."
The little girl pointed to her right and the boy lit up at this bit of news.
"You know where my house is from here?"
"Why, are you lost?"
The boy stepped back.
"No, just walked too far."
The little girl said nothing but turned and started walking. Tom called,
"Where are you going?"
"To take you home of course. Come follow!"
The little boy made no objections but simply sped up the bank of the river and next to the little girl.
The pair walked in silence although every now and then the boy would turn to look at the girl. The sun was rising higher and higher in the sky, pressing more insistently onto the forest canopy. The girl noticed this too and began to look worried. Daylight meant no good things for her. The daylight, the blinding light, it exposed what she really was. The girl turned her head slightly and looked at the boy. He and his kind shone in the light, walking in the darkness was too much of a pity for people like him. She knew, yes she was sure, for her the darkness was the only way.
The dawn of day also meant the perfect silence of night would be broken by the demands of the world. Daylight meant being enclosed in a haunted house, a house haunted by her own reflection.
The silence seemed to bother the little boy who made an attempt to break it.
"If you aren't Robin Greenshield, then who are you?"
"I'm not telling you."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm eight years old enough to know better."
"I'm ten."
"Really? Then you should be the one showing me home. You are a boy after all."
"I said I'm not lost now!"
The agitated tone and country accent of the boy's voice betrayed his haughtily look. The little girl just smiled although no one could tell, not even the powerful sun that continued its assault on the trees. As they continued to walk something moved in a bush next to the pair.
"What was that?"
The frightened boy suddenly grabbed the little girl's arm who laughed.
"Just a snake."
"A snake!"
The boy jumped around and the girl laughed louder.
"Don't worry scaredy boy! Just a forest snake, won't hurt you none."
"Oh."
The boy let go of the girl's arm. The girl looked at the snake who turned towards her before slithering away. As they stood the boy rubbed his legs and the girl said,
"We're almost there."
The girl picked up her pace and the boy strode along, matching it.
When they reached the edge of the forest the girl stopped and turned away from the boy.
"Your house is just beyond that hill there. You won't miss it since your place is the biggest in town of course."
"Aren't you going home?"
"I am, but it's the other way."
"Oh, well, thank you."
The girl nodded and the boy started to walk away but then turned back towards the girl.
"My father is having a picnic and the whole town is coming, well I suppose it will be a bit of a party with a picnic theme. My mother is going a bit mad with the preparations and there'll be carriage rides for everyone..."
As he spoke the girl just stood and stared at the boy. When he noticed this, the boy stopped and took his sentence on a different path.
"Well, you and your folks should come, unless you've already been invited, in which case I'll see you there."
Seeing no point in disappointing him the girl nodded and waved goodbye. The boy did the same before walking out of the forest and into the sunny meadow beyond. The girl watched him walk away, further and further. She told herself it was to make sure he would go the right way but she just envied him. She wished she could brazenly walk out into the sun towards something good.
She looked up at the sky and saw how angry and hot the sun was becoming. She knew she had to go home or she would be in trouble for being out of bed at night again and not being there to make breakfast and feed the chickens. But somehow she wasn't frightened at all that day. She didn't want to go back; she wanted to walk into that meadow too.
The girl looked at the meadow and its flowers as they blew in the breeze and started running. She ran not looking back. She ran into the blinding light and…
.
.
.
She awoke to the sounds of a carriage passing. When she leaped out of bed and looked out the window, however, there was no sign of any carriage. As she walked back to her bed and slouched down, that little girl, although not so little anymore, she wished she could dream that dream every night and every day.