JK Rowling is the creator and owner of the Harry Potter universe while the Phantom Of The Opera (from which I have stolen several bits of inspiration) was written by Gaston Leroux.
.
Chapter Two
Overture
.
~There iss an owl over there sstaring at uss.~ Sssthshssth noted as he rolled slightly on the dark surface to absorb more of the heat radiating off. Harry looked up from the book that he was reading, giving the boa constrictor an inquisitive glance, then he turned to look at where his friend's tail was pointing.
"Huh. It looks like there's something tied to its claws."
~I don't like owlss.~ Sssthshssth sighed, rolling again to absorb more of the warmth from the sun-heated surface. ~Too many clawss, the beak iss too ssharp and once you are passt the featherss, there'ss hardly any meat. Give me a nice piglet any day.~
"When did you try to eat an… actually, I don't want to know." Harry put a small bit of paper into the book to mark his place, then smoothly rose to his feet. Moving slowly to try and avoid scaring the bird, Harry slid closer to it, then paused as the owl held out the foot to which the item was tied.
"For me?"
The owl nodded and Harry mentally shrugged before undoing the know and taking the envelope which was made of an odd type of paper, heavier than normal paper but lighter and more flexible than cardboard. Looking down at it, he froze as the writing registered.
Harry James Potter
The Space Above The Foyer
Dominion Theatre
London
"…what the heck?" He breathed in shock, then he gathered his courage and broke the wax seal holding the letter closed. Two pages of the same odd paper slipped out and Harry carefully unfolded them.
.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr Potter
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonogall
Deputy Headmistress
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Yours sincerely,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
.
"Huh." Harry mused as he slowly folded the pages and put them back into the envelope. "Magic… so I wasn't just imagining things…"
Harry glanced at the owl perched on the edge of the flat roof and made a decision.
"Wait here." He said quietly and the owl nodded. "Sssthshssth, don't try to eat it."
~Why would I want to eat a flying feather dusster?~ Sssthshssth snarked, earning a protesting hoot from the owl.
Ignoring his friend's comment, Harry moved to one of the skylights (which he had carefully modified several months prior), opening it and dropping through, landing on the sandbags piled underneath.
"Pen and paper." He whispered to himself as he squirmed into the crawlway under the floorboards, wriggling past the various pipes, cables and cords strung along or across it. "Hmm, the records office is normally empty at this time of day…"
Slithering like Sssthshssth through the darkness punctuated by the occasional line of light, Harry moved silently through the building. The effect was enhanced by the mask that he now wore, one that he had taken from the wardrobe department after the pantomime "Aladdin" had finished. The mask had tickled his fancy, looking just like a snakes head, and after he had managed to acquire it, the few snakes he talked to were quite complimentary about it. When he had stumbled across Sssthshssth, who had been abandoned by his previous owner, Sssthshssth had decided that Harry was in need of a true expert in how snakes moved.
Under Sssthshssth 's amused and slightly sarcastic guidance, Harry had spent several months learning to move with the same smooth movements that the young lady who had previously worn the mask had used as she acted the part of a snake in a pot. Oddly, moving that way somehow enhanced his I'm not here skill, something he didn't understand but wasn't about to question since the bushy-haired girl had passed by again and this time, hadn't spotted him.
Finding the records office, Harry carefully listened for any sounds that would indicate that the office was in use, then he pushed gently against one of the loose floorboards, raising it just enough that he could peer through.
Several seconds later, the office was empty once more with no sign that anyone had been there, save for the fact that the pen pot held only seven pens rather than eight and the pad of paper used for making notes was quarter of a centimeter thinner.
.
.
Albus Dumbledore stared in shock at the letter that had been delivered by the specially-enchanted owl.
.
To Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonogall.
I received your letter and have several questions. Although I have been accepted into the school, I have no recollection of ever being asked to join. In addition, I currently lack the finances to pay for said education, unless I have been accepted on a scholarship which, again, I have no recollection of applying for.
Also, I have no idea where to get the required equipment, even if I could afford it.
I must therefore ask you to send a member of staff to meet with me to discuss this.
Please send the owl back with destails of whom you are sending and I shall send a message back with the location of the meeting.
Please note, if I even suspect that this is a prank or trap, you will not see me and I will not be in contact again.
Yours,
Harry Potter
PS. I know the rules say Owl, Cat or Toad, but if I cannot bring my snake, I will not come. I have no-one I trust to look after him.
.
"Huh." Albus said slowly. "At least he is well, although he seems very suspicious of us…"
"Then who should we send?" Minerva asked as she reclaimed the letter which she had brought to Albus the instant that she had realised who it was from. "I know that Severus is next on rotation, but his abrasive nature would probably drive young Harry away."
"I fear that you may be right." Albus agreed, stroking his beard.
"He has a pet snake?" Minerva frowned at the postscript at the bottom of the page.
"I don't see a problem with it." Albus glanced up at his shocked assistant. "After all, Percy Weasley has a rat… just out of interest, Minerva?"
"Yes, Albus." McGonogall sighed. "Percy Weasley is this years best choice for Gryffindor's new Prefect."
"I can almost hear Severus' comment now." Albus chuckled, earning an eyeroll from his deputy.
"Thank you for that." Minerva's annoyance was almost tangible and Albus chuckled.
"You must admit, young Severus does have a way with words, especially when irritated."
"Which is why he will not be the one to go and retrieve our wayward pupil." Minerva stated firmly. "If not for all the Muggleborn students I'm bringing into our world, I would go…"
"I think that Hagrid would…"
"No!" Minerva cut Albus off before he could complete his thought. "If you send him, Harry will take one look at his size and run!"
"Then perhaps Filius would be a better choice." Albus mused. Minerva paused, then gave a slow nod.
"He probably would be. Do you think that he will agree?"
"He was quite fond of Lily during her time here." Albus pointed out. "I do not think that he would turn down the chance to collect his favourite student's son."
"I'll ask him." Minerva re-folded the letter and slipped it into a pocket. "He'd take it as an order from you and he might resent it."
"You are probably right." Albus sighed. "Very well, I shall leave this in your capable hands."
"Like so many other things." Minerva sniffed as she left the office.
.
"Filius? Do you have a moment?"
The diminuative Charms Professor looked up from the paperwork that was floating onto and off his desk. "I do… in a moment."
Several more pieces of parchment landed on his desk and Filius scrawled his signature on two of them, then crossed several things off from a third before nodding and waving his wand to send the sheets into their folders and close the filing cabinets.
"Alright, I have as many moments as you need." Filius chuckled. "So, what can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if you could bring in one of our students." Minerva began tentatively. "He only found out about our world when he received his letter and he's quite suspicious at the moment. Here, read for yourself."
Twitching his wand, Filius caused the letter to fly out of Minerva's hand and onto his desk, where it unfolded for his perusal.
"Hmmm, let's see. Well, his handwriting could use some work but at least it's legible and… I assume that he's being financed by the Newcomer's Fund?"
"Keep reading."
Filius cocked an inquisitive eyebrow, but turned his attention back to the letter. "Well, at least he knows that he doesn't know what he needs to know and… Harry Potter?!"
"Albus had his key." Minerva held it out for Filius to take. "Young Harry doesn't know anything about his real world, he will need to learn. Fast."
"With almost a month and some money, that should not be an insurmountable issue." Filius stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The Potters were moderately wealthy, if I recall… and if you include all the bequests left to young Potter… what happened to the gifts that people tried to send?"
"The… I don't know." Minerva frowned. "He obviously didn't get them or he would know about our world…"
"He obviously didn't get the letters, either." Filius scowled. "Not even the Quarterly Gringotts Statements."
"Maybe Albus knows what happened to the letters." Minerva offered, only for Filius to harshly laugh.
"Unless the Gringotts letters were seperated out, they're ashes by now." He snorted. "If a Gringotts Statement isn't read within three months, or is opened by anyone other than the person it is being sent to, it explodes in flames and burns everything around it."
Minerva blinked. "It does? I didn't know that…"
"It does." Filius confirmed. "It's one of the security protocols that Gringotts uses. There are others, including some that only those of the Blood may know of. I can see that I will have to arrange for several private tutors… and a full medical checkup since he's obviously not been to St Mungo's for his three, seven or ten-year checkups."
"It'll need to be kept low-key." Minerva interjected. "I think that Albus knows a few of the Healers who can be trusted…"
"I'll take care of that." Filius waved her concern away. "I have my own contacts and I know they can be trusted to remain silent. However, there are two questions I need answers to. First, where should I meet him?"
"And the second question?" Minerva asked slowly.
"He has a snake?"