Goodness me! It's getting late!
I better hurry, the readers can't wait!
I better write faster of the wizards' stay,
So off I go I'm on my way!
Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo! (Anyone smart enough to tell me the real words and prove they're a Disney Freak like me?)
Hehehe, sorry this chapter is so late! Last update was 8 May 2003! Curse MLA format! Yeah, too…much…schoolwork…what Kram Nebuer was doing instead of writing: homework, homework, homework, a new FanFic (I'm still debating whether Harry Potter should crossover into it, what's your opinion?), homework, FINALS, homework, stupid homework even though it's the LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL (grrrr), and trying to keep from going crazy from reading about history (for full complaints of history please see My History Book, a short collection of poems by Kram Nebuer posted a long time ago.) Also, the whole computer thing messed me up and slowed me down, right now this is my brother's computer. I should be studying for Spanish final but, Ch 26 has been sitting in the computer unfinished and now it was just completed, revised, and edited and posted for your pleasure! Please enjoy!
Chapter 26:
The small party from the Ministry of Magic found themselves in a small clearing of a warm and sunny wood. A bird was singing and the trees and leaf-littered floor was sparkling with morning dewdrops. The sun beamed through cracks in the forest canopy. A rich smell of pine and other coniferous trees reminded them of Christmastime and evergreens. Squirrels leaped from branch to branch and a deer fled from the sight of the group. The transportal had started to close up and Mr. Sedgwick was calling from behind it.
"You have two days before I open it again. Be ready!"
"Goodbye Mr. Sedgwick!" Mr. Cornwallis called as the others started to trek through the woods. "Oh wait for me!"
"Two days? In these woods?" said Penny, staring at Percy in disbelief.
"Let's all try and recall whose idea this was…" Percy said, trying to direct the blame at Mr. Cornwallis, whom he was staring at.
"Who's complaining? I haven't been camping for years!" Penny cried excitedly. Mr. Cornwallis took the lead and they marched on. They came towards another, larger clearing. The sound of rushing water was heard and they came upon a rushing river coming from the high Rocky Mountains. Across the river was a settlement. There were log cabins larger than the average home! Some had bear cubs tethered to the side, drinking out of water bowls and eating fish. Behind all the cabins stood a colossal sawmill. Though these sites were astonishing, the most shocking of them all were the inhabitants. Among them was a familiar face.
"Hagrid!" Percy waved as they crossed a beautiful wooden bridge over troubled waters. Hagrid waved his enormous hand and sprinted towards to meet them.
"Percy Weasley! Miss Clearwater! Wha' a surprise ter see ya!" Hagrid said.
"What are you doing here?" Penny asked as he gave both former Hogwarts students a friendly bear hug.
"Dumbledore sent me and Olympe here to deal with these giants," Hagrid said. [A/N: That is Madame Maxime's first name, right?]
"Giants? In America? This is where they all headed to? These mountains?"
"Yeah, descendents of some famous logger…There he is! George! They're here!" A giant much larger than Hagrid leapt over.
"So, you must be what I've been smelling! The blood of Englishmen!" George said grisly, making a grimace. The wizards all trembled, but Hagrid just laughed. George smiled and laughed with him until everyone was laughing; though still shaken by the crude joke and by the news that they were among a whole village of giants.
"George, I'd like you to meet the wizards from the English Ministry of Magic. Everyone, this is George Bunyan," Hagrid said, presenting his friend.
"Pleased to meet you Mr. Bunyan," Percy said, holding his hand out to shake. The other wizards just continued to stare in fear. George grasped Percy's tiny hand and shook it heartily. Percy nearly fell over.
"Bunyan…Bunyan…Are you related to Paul Bunyan, the famous logger of American folklore?" Mr. Cornwallis said, holding his chin in thought.
"Why, yes! Paul Bunyan was my father, the first giant of America," George said. "He was born a giant, but to human parents. Nobody knows why, but the population of giants grew and grew and grew. When the giants had been banished from European countries, they settled here with me and my dad. He and Babe built those there mountains over there whenever they wrestled for fun." He pointed to the giant Rocky Mountains beyond the forest. Soon, the group headed for one of the cabins for lunch. The table was set with enormous servings of food. There was a plate filled with a dozen roast turkeys and chickens, a large basket of giant loaves of cornbread, enormous wooden bowls filled with green peas, carrot sticks, corn, lima beans, string beans, broccoli and other vegetables, baked potatoes, a huge tureen of tomato soup, home fries, hash browns, hams, and a variety of other foods lined the table.
"I told Martha to make a light lunch, if you don't mind," George said, starting on a whole turkey.
"No, this is…fine…" Mr. Cornwallis said, taking a loaf of cornbread and cutting it into slices for everyone else. "So have you found a site yet, George?"
"Yes, we have. Some of the boys already started clearing some of the forest. My son, Ringo, and his friends are down there now."
"Site for what?" Penny asked, but she didn't get an answer.
"Paul, George, and Ringo…is your grandfather's name John by any chance?" one of the wizards, Wilkens, asked.
"Yes. How'd you know?" George replied. The English Muggle born wizards had the last laugh.
***
Dudley was truly enjoying himself at Walt Disney World. He was enjoying his new self too (hint: Mrs. Piggywink's school for the Obese). He loved when a few girls' heads turned his way for a new reason. This time they didn't laugh and point or make a face of disgust. The Disney-MGM Studios was a delightful place to be. This park was his favorite since Dudley had always loved movies and television, for he received a new television and VCR every year. The Dursley's were ready to be millionaires so they were testing their wits at the Who Wants to be a Millionaire Play It! Attraction game show.
"Congratulations, Dudley! You are just one question away from winning the grand prize!" the Regis wannabe said. "Here we go, audience, please keep quiet…In US history, who was the American General that won the Battle at New Orleans during the War of 1812? Was it A.) Andrew Jackson…B.) George Washington…C.) Oliver Hazard Perry…or D.) William Henry Harrison?"
"Uhhhh…uuhhh…" Dudley's brow was sweating greatly. He did horrible in history class, let alone American history.
"You could walk away with all the prizes you already won…" Regis wannabe said.
Andrew Jackson…Andrew Jackson…Petunia Dursley was thinking, believing Dudley would mentally hear her.
William Henry Harrison… William Henry Harrison …Vernon Dursley was thinking, believing Dudley would mentally hear him.
"Umm…uhh…I want to risk it all! B.) George Washington! Final answer!"
"Let's see if you're right…"
***
"Dudley, come on. The line's moving, dear," Petunia said, gesturing for Dudley to move forward.
Dudley woke up from his daydream and looked up. "Sorry, Mum," said Dudley, rushing forward. Soon they found themselves in the studio of the game show with metal bleachers and electronic keypads and cameras and screens and lots of other stuff associated with the television world. Everyone took their seats in the bleachers and they found electronic keypads by each seat.
"What are these for?" Dudley wondered out loud.
"Isn't it obvious? They're channel changers for those giant televisions," Vernon said, pointing to the giant screens situated around the studio. The pre-show video continued on these screens. The man from before came back.
"Hello folks? Are you ready? It's time to play Who Wants to be a Millionaire!" Regis Philbin said. The movie ended and today's cast member host walked on stage, everyone applauding as the familiar theme music played in the background.
***
No matter when you visit, the Florida weather will rain on your parade in Walt Disney World. The summer storm had suddenly appeared out of a clear blue sky and dark gray clouds began spewing heavy drops of rain. The Weasleys, Grangers, Harry, Oliver, Lupin, Snuffles, and the professors ran for cover towards another plaza where a giant guitar's neck had stretched from a manila building to the entrance whose sign read "Rock 'n' Roller Coaster." Meanwhile, Mrs. Granger and Professor McGonagal left to return to the hotel and retrieve the school letters.
"Yes! A roller coaster!" Oliver said, hurrahing in the rain. The other boys began to revel in excitement, but Mrs. Weasley shooed them away into the gift shop at the exit of the attraction. There was a long corridor at the entrance to the shop, where the wizards and witches chose to dry off.
"Aire Refresco!" Hermione said, waving her wand as a light breeze swirled into the corridor.
"Hermione, that's not powerful enough," Fred said, shaking his hair off like a dog. Speaking of dogs, Snuffles choose to dry off the normal way of shaking madly to get the wetness off his fur. The others wisely stood back, but much to Snape's chagrin, Snape had got the full blast of Snuffles's water shake. He eyed him menacingly, but just walked away to be by himself. Meanwhile, Fred had decided to use one of his own spells.
"Blow the hair off my chinny chin chin! Big Bad wolf, send us some wind!" Fred said proudly. "I made that one up meself." Suddenly a strong blast of wind filled the corridor and blew fiercely at everyone. Soon enough they were all completely dry, but the Big Bad Wolf wind had managed to get into the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster gift shop and sent T-shirts and posters and other souvenirs flying everywhere.
"Frederick Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked as the harsh cold wind blew at the Muggles inside the store. "Get rid of it now!"
"I didn't come up with a counter-spell!" Fred said, worried. Luckily, the Big Bad wolf wind turned directions, passed through the corridor and out into the MGM-Disney Studios where it made a horrible tropical storm with the heavy rain. "Oops…"
***
The Creevey's were walking down Sunset Boulevard, Mrs. Creevey crouching beneath an umbrella and the boys in yellow Mickey Mouse ponchos. The rain beat down on the family and though they were protected, they were still getting wet in the face and their shoes and socks were filled with rainwater. Could things possibly get any worse? Yes.
"♪ Raindrops keep fallin' on my head! And yes that means my eyes will soon be burning red! ♪ Could things possibly get any worse?" Dennis moped as he hopped over a puddle.
"Yes," Colin squeaked weakly. The enormous gust of wind, set off by Fred Weasley, was heading right for them! In the midst of heavy rain, one could actually see the wind, for it cut a path through the raindrops. Mr. And Mrs. Creevey leaped aside and sought shelter in the nearby gift shop, The Beverly Sunset, hoping that their sons were wise enough to follow. Unfortunately…
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Colin and Dennis cried as they felt the full blast of the Big Bad Wolf wind, which knocked them over into the puddle they both leapt over.
***
Serveus Snape shook his head in disappointment as he and the other adults fixed the store and performed memory charms on the Muggles. Fortunately, there were other wizards and witches to help them. Meanwhile, Mrs. Weasley reprimanded poor Fred while the others stood by awkwardly.
"What am I going to do with you?" Mrs. Weasley said angrily. "I've never had this much trouble with any of your brothers! Why must you be so difficult!" George wasn't going to let Fred get yelled at alone.
"It wasn't his fault! It was mine!" George lied. He pretended to be greatly annoyed. "Why can't you ever tell us apart?!?" Fred caught on to the "joke."
"Yeah, Mum! What are we going to do with you?" said Fred. Mrs. Weasley stood there, speechless and completely flabbergasted.
"You should've named me Fred if that's what you always like to call me," George said.
"And I should've been George," said Fred.
"Why can't you tell us apart?!" they both said in unison. Before she could answer back, Mr. Weasley returned with Lupin, Professor Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick. The Weasley twins weaseled out of trouble once again.
"I think I should take these from, you…temporarily," Arthur said, taking Fred and George's wands. "Just as a precaution…so…now that we're here…"
"Wahoo! Roller Coaster!" Oliver cheered. He ran out back into the rain, followed by Fred and George. The line was almost empty for many of the other guests were not willing to stand in the rain. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny followed them after Hermione had magicked an enormous umbrella.
"What on earth is a roller coaster?" Flitwick asked as he and the other adults set out into the rain, also holding magicked umbrellas.
"I believe it's' like a train on tracks, but the tracks aren't straight…er…I really don't know," Sprout said, trying to explain one of the greatest forms of Muggle entertainment. "It sounds like another thing like the Tower of Terror if you ask me. Oh look, there's a picture." She pointed to a framed poster by the entrance of the building. It read "Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith!" The poster depicted a blue limo coaster train on a wildly twisting track that formed the neck of an electric guitar. The people in the picture were securely fastened and they were all smiling.
"Oh that looks like fun!" Flitwick said, excited again. "Look how happy the people look!"
"I love roller coasters!" Mr. Weasley said out of the blue. "The one at that Muggle Kingdom Place…Star Hill…er, Galaxy Plateau…er…"
"Space Mountain," Snape said dully.
"Yes, that's the one! It was wonderful! It's just like traveling through Floo Powder except your sitting down and its less spinning. This should be great fun!" They finally got to the entrance. Oliver, Fred, George, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny passed over the threshold, but a cast member holding a long tall stick stopped the adults.
"Hold it there, little guy," he said, stopping Flitwick. He held the stick up to Flitwick's side. "Sorry, kid, you're just too short."
"What do you mean? Too short for what?" Flitwick asked.
"To ride the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. Minimum height requirement is 48 inches."
"But-but-but…" Flitwick said. He started blabbering about the rights of the vertically challenged. He couldn't make himself taller in front of the Muggle cast member, so he sadly walked away to wait with Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Granger, and Snuffles. "Have fun…" he said sadly to the others.
"I'll go with you Flitwick," Lupin said. He joked, "It's all right, you can go on it when you're older…"
[A/N: Kram Nebuer yet again was a chicken and did not have the opportunity to ride this coaster, so please excuse the author if he incorrectly describes anything. The following text is based on the explanation from my brother, who had been to WDW a month ago]
Like all of the rides, the line continued inside the building. The pessimist would complain, but the optimist would look at this as the dry part of their waiting experience. Moving on…the group finally found themselves in the pre-show area. There was a great big window in the room and it revealed a recording studio. Or was it a screen, showing a movie? Anyhow, the pre-show movie played, explaining the guests' adventure through the highways of Los Angeles, when there is no traffic, to get to Aerosmith's party. Aerosmith was a rock band. They heard a sample of their music as they loaded into the long stretch limo coaster train.
"This music rocks," Oliver said moving his head to the beat of the drummer. The safety restraints lowered onto their shoulders.
"Reminds me of the Weird Sisters," Ron said. "But this group doesn't have any bagpipes, lutes, or ceelllllllllllloooooooooooooossssssss!!!!!!" The Limo coaster train had just shot out of the loading area and into darkness. Twists and turns, loop-d-loops, corkscrews, highways, freeways, and finally it ended all too soon.
"Rockin!" Oliver said, smiling. "We've got to try that again!" He looked over at Ron. Like always, his face was green, but his cheeks were puffed up like a chipmunk. "Ron, you all right?" The restraints lifted off their shoulders and Ron ran out to the nearest bathroom or trash receptacle. The others all exited their seats, talking excitedly about the coaster.
"Oh, I'm not doing that again…" Snape said, as he walked around dizzily. "I'd appreciate it if you all would exclude me from any further activities whilst we're still in this place…" The others all laughed as they found their photograph on the screens at the exit. Professor Sprout bought hers because Snape looked so ridiculously funny. The children chose to ride again as the adults waited with Mrs. Weasley, Snuffles, Lupin, and Mr. Granger.
"Don't go on too many times!" Mrs. Weasley called as the twins, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Oliver joined the line again. Ron had decided that once was enough. The rain had stopped, and the line was still short, but it moved faster since many had stayed away from the outdoor line during the storm.
The group loaded onto the limo train, Harry next to Oliver, who began moving his head to the beat again. They went through the cycle a second time, enjoying the twists and turns of the coaster. When the ride ended, Harry saw Tomás was at the exit. He had moved from the Tower of Terror to the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and was happy to see Harry.
"Harry! You want to ride again?" Tomás said.
"You can do that for us?" Oliver said, eager to ride again.
"Of course! Buckle up!" The restraints did not lift up and the train whisked past the exit, past the loading area and back into the darkness. After a third time around, Hermione and Ginny left, feeling as sick as Ron. The twins, Oliver, and Harry kept going and going. For some odd reason, there were no other cast members or guests at the loading area.
"Something's not right," Fred said as they passed the loading area a 5th time. "Where is everyone?"
"I don't know," Harry said, looking back as they shot back into the darkness. He was getting scared. In the past, when something seemed wrong, something was wrong. Harry knew he had to get off. This was not a technical difficulty. This was dark magic. "Oliver this isn't right. We've got to get Tomás to stop the ride! Oliver, we have to-" But Oliver was gone. The seat next to Harry was empty. He looked behind him and found that Fred and George were gone too. Harry was the only one on the train.
***
"How'd we get here?" Fred asked out loud. Oliver and the twins found themselves in the Rockin' Roller Coaster control room. Tomás spun around in his chair and explained how he had to get them out with a transporting charm, and he couldn't get Harry.
"What are you doing?!?" Oliver yelled at Tomás. "Get him off the ride!" Tomás was fiddling with the controls. There was no one else there. The room was empty.
"I'm trying! I'm trying!"
"He's going to get really sick down there!" George said. "We should try that transporting charm." He reached for his wand, but Tomás stopped him.
"No, don't! You might charm the limo train too!"
"Well, you were able to get us!"
"Umm…yeah, but-" Suddenly there was a pounding on the door.
"What's going on in there?" a man's voice said. "Tom! Stan! Herb! Is everything all right in there? Let me in! Why won't the coaster stop?"
"Everything's fine!" Tomás said weakly.
"No it's not! Our friend is stuck-" but George shut up, Tomás had just stunned him, Fred, and Oliver. He grinned maliciously and continued the coaster cycle, ignoring the Muggle cast member pounding at the door.
***
"Are they not done yet?" Hermione asked. She looked at the pictures on the screen of repeating pictures of empty seats then the twins, Harry, and Oliver.
"Maybe we should tell them to stop," Ginny said. More pictures appeared, but this time there were green flashes in the place of Fred, George, and Oliver. Harry was alone. "Oh Hermione! What happened?!?"
"Something's wrong. Let's go!" Hermione said, taking out her wand and heading back towards the unloading station. She and Ginny followed the cast member's shouts and found him still pounding on the door marked "Control Room."
"Let me in! Who's in there? Tom?! You could lose your job for this!" the man said.
"Excuse me," Ginny said. "But maybe we could help."
"What?! Who are you? You're just little girls!" He turned back towards the closed door and continued to pound it.
"That's obviously not working," Hermione said. "Stupefy!" The man suddenly slumped onto the door and slid down the floor. Hermione floated him a side and pointed her wand to the lock.
"Hermione! What are you doing?" Ginny asked, frightened with this dangerous Hermione.
"Alohamora!" The lock clicked, allowing Hermione to turn the handle and open the door. Inside, they found the twins and Oliver lying in a heap on the floor and Tomás staring at the screens, Harry's limo train whizzing by. He had not noticed that they've gotten inside.
"Hahaha…I've got you right where I want you, Harry Potter!" Tomás laughed aloud.
"No!" Ginny cried. Hermione quickly put her hand over Ginny's mouth and raised her wand as Tomás whipped around in his swivel chair.
"Who the heck are you?"
Hermione didn't say anything except, "Stupefy!" Tomás looked stunned and quickly threw himself on the floor. Then in the midst of continuous bolts of magic by Ginny and Hermione, Tomás changed form right before their eyes! His hands were replaced with hooves and short stubby horns grew out of his head. His face elongated into that of the deer family and soon Tomás was a baby gazelle, who fled at once in terror, away from the witches.
"No! He's getting away!" Ginny cried. She went to run after him, but Hermione stopped her.
"He's too fast for us. We'll never catch him. Besides, it'd look a little odd if we were seen chasing a gazelle. Now, we've got to help Harry!" Hermione said. She crossed the room, back to the doorway. She bent over the stunned cast member and whispered, "Ennervate."
"What's going on? Who are you?"
"Please, you must help us stop the ride!"
"What? Why do you have that stick? Is this a joke?"
"Just stop the ride! Please!" Ginny pleaded. The cast member man didn't ask anymore questions and soon, the limo coaster train came to a halt at the unloading station. Hermione ran to fetch Harry while Ginny revived Oliver and the twins.
"Harry! We've got to get out of here!" Hermione cried as she helped to lift the restraint. "There are dark wizards after you!"
"First, can we go to the…can we get to a…toilet…" Harry said, looking quite green and clutching his stomach. He ran to a trashcan instead and stuck his head inside. Suddenly, Harry remembered about the twins and Oliver. He shot his head up, but forgot that it was inside a trashcan. "Ow…Hermione! Oliver and the twins have disappeared! I don't know where they went!"
"They're fine, but we've got to get you out of here! Who knows that you're here?" Hermione said. The others caught up with them.
"Harry, you all right?" Oliver asked. "That Tomato guy is a bad wizard. He kept you trapped on the coaster and-"
"He's probably a Death Eater, Harry!"
"We've got to go!"
"Someone's out to get you! This is Dark magic this is!"
"Gee, you're not safe anywhere…"
"Quiet! What the heck is going on here?" the cast member asked, looking very confused. Hermione dealt with him with a memory charm and soon he was escorting them out of the ride.
"Sorry about the technical difficulties! But we here at Disney hope that you've enjoyed the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster! Please come again!" he called, bringing them into the shop. Hermione stopped Harry in front of a rack of toy limousines. Fred, George, Ginny, and Oliver stopped as well.
"Harry, you're in great danger! Whatever attacked you the other night came back. It's Tomás, Harry! He's a dark wizard, probably under Voldemort's orders!"
"Where is he?"
"He's an unregistered Animagus!" Ginny answered. "He fled away before we could stop him! Harry, we have to get you away from here!"
"No!" Hermione said, surprising everyone. "That's exactly what he's planning. He'll think that we'll want to get Harry away as soon as possible, so he's waiting by the park exit. We have to stay in the park, but Harry, we must tell Professor Lupin." Harry nodded and felt sicker than he was when on the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. He was no longer safe, not even in America. Tomás, a wizard he thought he could trust, was after him.
The plot thickens…yeah, the spacing looks weird in the end. I don't know why, but I'm done chapter 26! Finally! I hope you all enjoy it and I'm glad you've all continued reading. School is almost done and Finals are tomorrow! I better study now! You'll be seeing more updates faster because it's summer vacation but if it is slower than you expected, it's because I'm not typing due to: Grrr, summer reading, summer assignments for Pre-Calc and Chemistry, vacationing (YES! My family and I are going to ºoº DISNEY WORLD ºoº! You all don't know how happy I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and the most obvious reason of all: June 21st: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!!!!!!! Saturday!!!! Thank you all for your support and the spacing is still weird…But really, I'm so glad you all are still reading even after 26 chapters! Don't worry, it's almost complete. ºoº Have a magical day! ºoº