"Students," Professor McGonagall said. "Tonight a new first year is joining us. Due to measles he missed the sorting yesterday so we will sort him this evening. Please welcome Frank Gaggliotti."
"Gags!" Penny hissed.
"You know him Pen?" Jay-Dee asked. "What's he like?"
"He's fat, ugly and smelly and those are his good points," Penny said.
Jay-Dee nodded. "He sounds just like my old scince teacher."
"Slytherin!" the sorting hat screamed. There was applause from the Slytherin table.
"The best thing about Hogwarts is the food," Harrison said through a mouth of mashed potato. "My mother is a terrible cook."
"Professor Potter said he was at school with your mother and she was ghastly," Penny said.
"Yeah she is," Harrison agreed.
"You speak to Professor Potter outside of school?" Georgina squealed.
Penny nodded. "Sure. I've met Sirius Black and Remus Lupin too! They're both really nice! Mr Lupin got rid of the boggart in my wardrobe. Dad would have done it but he was in Australia for the ministry."
"Ministry? Lupin? Sirius?" Jay-Dee asked looking confused.
"Ministry of Magic Hendo," Harrison drawled. "Wizard government."
"Don't call me Hendo!" Jay-Dee shrieked loud enough for the entire Gryffindor table to hear.
"Shh!" Georgina hissed, "Jay-Dee you're causing a scene! Anyway Lupin and Black were Aurors. The best! For everyone of ours You-Know-Who took out, they took out three of theirs!"
"You mean they killed them?" Jay-Dee asked horrified.
"Most of them went to Azkaban -wizard gaol - which is worst then dying. I'd kill myself before going there!" Penny said.
"Speaking of Azkaban did you read the Daily Prophet - wizard newspaper - this morning Penny?" Harrison asked.
"No," Penny said slowly.
Harrison started to rummage through his school bag. "My dad sent it to me this morning," he said as he pulled the paper out of his bag and handed it to Penny. Penny read the front page to Georgina.
Pettigrew - The Newest Azkaban escapee
Last night the Ministry of Magic confirmed that deatheater Peter Pettigrew escaped Azkaban several days ago.
"Honestly there's no need to panic," Ninister for Magic Percy Weasley said. "The Azkaban guards are looking for him."
Like the Sirius Black case the Ministry of Magic has told the Muggle prime minister.
"The man cut off his finger and spent thirteen years living as a rat. He also cut off his arm to revive He-who-must-not-be-named. I think it goes without saying the man in insane. And as we all know Pettigrew won't hesitate to kill muggles."
Anyone seeing Pettigrew is urged to notify the ministry immediately.
Penny shuddered and handed the paper back to Harrison. 'The things he did... I'm surprised they didn't perform the Demntor's kiss on him!"
"Yeah," Harrison said putting the paper back in his bag.
"Whose Peter Pettigrew? And the Dementor's Kiss?"
"It's a very long story Jay-Dee," Penny said.
"So?" Jay-Dee shrugged her shoulders. "It's going to be a very long evening, seeing as I have no intention of starting that essay for Snape until the night before it's due."
Penny laughed. "OK, I'll tell you. But not here." Penny looked down the Gryffindor Table.
"Shall we make a move then?" Georgina said, standing up and pushing her chair in. "We'll be the only ones left soon."
Penny looked around. Besides the five or six students left at the Gryffindor table only Professor Potter, Professor Weasley and Professor Snape were left. Professor Weasley was trying to talk to Professor Snape but he kept sneering at her. Professor Potter tapped her on the shoulder, shook his head and the exited the Great Hall together. Professor Snape was the only teacher left.
"Let's leave!" Harrison said quickly. "Before he remembers about our - "
"Henderson!" Snape looked up. "You'll server your detention tomorrow night. That goes for you three as well," he glared at Harrison, Penny and Georgina. "Meet Mr Dilch in the entrance hall tomorrow at eight." The he too swept out of the Great Hall.
Jay-Dee moaned. "This is bad. Not even I have managed to get a detention on the first day of school before!"
"How many of your teachers were like Snape though?" Georgina pointed out.
"That's true..."
Georgina, Penny, Harrison and Jay-Dee were climbing the stair towards the Gryffindor Tower when they heard a soft, "Hello Harrison."
Harrison spun around quickly. Standing at the bottom of the stairs was Frank Gaggliotti.
Harrison smiled weakely. "Hello Frank."
Frank started walking up the stairs towards them. "How come I didn't seeyou at the Slytherin table Harrison?"
"Because I'm in Gryffindor Frank."
"Tsk, tsk. Such a waste of your life Harrison."
"I'm not dead or anything Frank."
Frank smirked. "You will be... once your father catches up with you."
Then he turned around and wentback down the stairs. Once he was out of earshot Jay-Dee turned to the others and said, "Is it just me, or does anyone else think that guy needs a bth?"
"He always smells like that!" Georgina complained. "We played his team at Quidditch once, and the smell nearly knocked us out of the air! We won though, 310 to 30!"
"That was a good win," Penny agreed.
"Bet you two never had him over at your house did you?" Harrison said gloomily.
Jay-Dee stared at Harrison. "You let that thing into your house?" she asked horrified.
"It wasn't by choice," Harrison said. "His dad and mine used to be friends, so he used to bring Frank over."
Georgina shuddered. "That's the sort of thing that puts a person in counselling!"
"Think that's bad? I've had Professor Snape at my house as well!"
There was the sound of Jay-Dee pretending to be sick over the banister.
"Why?" Penny asked.
"Same reason as Frank. Dad and Professor Snape are friends."
"Your dad has a strange taste in friends," Georgina said.
"Password?" the fat lady asked.
"Isthmus," Georgina said. The portrait swung open.
"So," Jay-Dee flopped herself down in an arm chair, "tell me all about Sirius, Pettigrew and everything in between."
Penny sat down next to Georgina. "Harrison, want to tell Jay-Dee?"
"Nah," Harrison shook his head. "I only know my dad's version."
"Which is?"
"Sirius Black is a git."
"Well then I'll tell my version."
Penny took a deep breath. "It all starts of years and years ago. When Professor Potter was a baby. His parents Lily and Jamese Potter were being hunted by he-who-must-not-be-named so they decided to perform a Fidelus charm. A Fidelus charm allows someone to hide a secret inside somebody else. Only people who know the secret can see it, which was perfect for the Potters. People who knew for certain where they were staying could see them. If he-who-must-not-be-named guessed where they were staying, even if he guessed correctly he wouldn't be able to see them! The Potters could stand right in front of he-who-must-not-be-named pulling faces and he still wouldn't see them! Now James Potter had been friends with Sirius Black since their first year of Hogwarts, so he trusted Sirius more then anyone else in the world - except Lily Potter of course! - and named Sirius as their Secret Keeper. Another friend of the Potters had been Peter Pettigrew. Peter had been a spy for he-who-must-not-be-named for a long long time, but was acting as though he was on our side. Nobody ever expected him to turn evil! So when Sirius got wind that he-who-must-not-be-named knew he was the Potters Secret Keeper he changed the Secret Keeper to Pettigrew because he thought that he-who-must-not-be-named would go after him and the Potters would be safe. Sirius had no idea that Pettigrew had turned traitor. So Pettigrew told he-who-must-not-be-named where the Potters were. First he killed James Potter, then Lily Potter and finally he tried to kill Professor Potter. But instead of killer Professor Potter the curse rebounded and hit he-who-must-not-be-named. He-who-must-not-be-named was weakened and was forced to go into hiding. Now all the ministry had to do was round up all the he-who-must-not-be-named supporters. Albus Dumbledore thought Sirius was still the Potters Secret Keeper so he sent the ministry after him. Sirius was devestated. By doing what he thought was best for the Potters he had actually condemned them, so he went after Peter. Peter panicked. He knew if Sirius told anyone about the switch he'd go to Azkaban. So when Sirius caught up with him, he faked he's own death by blowing a street to smithereens and turning himself into a rat."
Penny stopped for a minute. Jay-Dee, Harrison and Georgina seemed entranced by the story.
"Keep going," Jay-Dee urged.
"Peter's plan worked perfectly. Sirius was arrested for being a he-who-must-not-be-named supporter."
"But he was innocent!" Jay-Dee exclaimed.
"Yes," Penny said patiently. "But nobody knew all this then. Now can I finish my story?"
Jay-Dee nodded.
"Anyway thirteen years later, Sirius broke outof Azkaban in his dog form. Everyone thought he was after Professor Potter and there was a dreadful fuss. They put dementors at the school gate and everythin! At the end of the school year Sirius explained everything to Professor Potter and Albus Dumbledore and he managed to escape. Then two years later Peter re appeared at the right hand of he-who-must-not-be-named and Albus Dumbledore explained the whole story and Sirius was give an official pardon from the ministry. And when Sirius was pardoned he joined the Aurors with Remus Lupin! Black and Lupin! What a team!"
"I hadn't heard most of that," Georgina said.
"Me neither," Harrison said.
"I hadn't heard any of that!" Jay-Dee said.
"Of course you wouldn't have Jay-Dee. We keep ourselves well hidden from Muggles. We have entire sections of the ministry dedicated to keeping the muggles away from us," Penny explained.
"How come Harrison and Georgina haven't heard all that before? I know they're from wizarding families," Jay-Dee said.
"You mean you didn't know?" Georgina asked wide yeed. "You've never heard of Percy Weasley?"
"No," Jay-Dee siad slowly. "Should I have?"
"Hendo," Harrison drawled. "Penny's dad - Percy Weasley - is the Minister for Magic. It's the same as your prime minister."
Jay-Dee was so surprised to hear that Penny had a famous father she forgot to tell off Harrison for calling her Hendo."
"Really?" Jay-Dee asked Penny "But your last name - "
"It's hyphenated. Not Clearwaterweasley," Penny explained.
Jay-Dee nodded. "Cool! So you know the uncut version to everything about Voldemort, which is why Harrison and Georgina had never heard the whole story!"
Penny nodded.
Jay-Dee looked thoughtful. "Penny, if everyone though Voldemort was dead the first time why is everyone so sure he's dead now?"
"First of all," Penny said, "stop saying that name! Call him he-who-must-not-be-name or You know who. Second of all, in answer to your question, Professor Potter defeated He-who-must-not-be-named but he left the killing up to the ministry."
"They killed him?" Jay-Dee asked wide eyed.
"Capital punishment." Penny shrugged. "You have no idea Jay-Dee. He-who-must-not-be-named was after muggleborns so if he-who-must-not-be-named got his way you would have been killed."
"Killed?" Jay-Dee said. "Why?"
"Cos you're not from a magical family. Some wizards believe if you're not from a magical family you're not a real wizard."
"Wow. That bites."
"Yeah," Penny stood up. "I'm going to bed. Night all."
"Gags!" Penny hissed.
"You know him Pen?" Jay-Dee asked. "What's he like?"
"He's fat, ugly and smelly and those are his good points," Penny said.
Jay-Dee nodded. "He sounds just like my old scince teacher."
"Slytherin!" the sorting hat screamed. There was applause from the Slytherin table.
"The best thing about Hogwarts is the food," Harrison said through a mouth of mashed potato. "My mother is a terrible cook."
"Professor Potter said he was at school with your mother and she was ghastly," Penny said.
"Yeah she is," Harrison agreed.
"You speak to Professor Potter outside of school?" Georgina squealed.
Penny nodded. "Sure. I've met Sirius Black and Remus Lupin too! They're both really nice! Mr Lupin got rid of the boggart in my wardrobe. Dad would have done it but he was in Australia for the ministry."
"Ministry? Lupin? Sirius?" Jay-Dee asked looking confused.
"Ministry of Magic Hendo," Harrison drawled. "Wizard government."
"Don't call me Hendo!" Jay-Dee shrieked loud enough for the entire Gryffindor table to hear.
"Shh!" Georgina hissed, "Jay-Dee you're causing a scene! Anyway Lupin and Black were Aurors. The best! For everyone of ours You-Know-Who took out, they took out three of theirs!"
"You mean they killed them?" Jay-Dee asked horrified.
"Most of them went to Azkaban -wizard gaol - which is worst then dying. I'd kill myself before going there!" Penny said.
"Speaking of Azkaban did you read the Daily Prophet - wizard newspaper - this morning Penny?" Harrison asked.
"No," Penny said slowly.
Harrison started to rummage through his school bag. "My dad sent it to me this morning," he said as he pulled the paper out of his bag and handed it to Penny. Penny read the front page to Georgina.
Pettigrew - The Newest Azkaban escapee
Last night the Ministry of Magic confirmed that deatheater Peter Pettigrew escaped Azkaban several days ago.
"Honestly there's no need to panic," Ninister for Magic Percy Weasley said. "The Azkaban guards are looking for him."
Like the Sirius Black case the Ministry of Magic has told the Muggle prime minister.
"The man cut off his finger and spent thirteen years living as a rat. He also cut off his arm to revive He-who-must-not-be-named. I think it goes without saying the man in insane. And as we all know Pettigrew won't hesitate to kill muggles."
Anyone seeing Pettigrew is urged to notify the ministry immediately.
Penny shuddered and handed the paper back to Harrison. 'The things he did... I'm surprised they didn't perform the Demntor's kiss on him!"
"Yeah," Harrison said putting the paper back in his bag.
"Whose Peter Pettigrew? And the Dementor's Kiss?"
"It's a very long story Jay-Dee," Penny said.
"So?" Jay-Dee shrugged her shoulders. "It's going to be a very long evening, seeing as I have no intention of starting that essay for Snape until the night before it's due."
Penny laughed. "OK, I'll tell you. But not here." Penny looked down the Gryffindor Table.
"Shall we make a move then?" Georgina said, standing up and pushing her chair in. "We'll be the only ones left soon."
Penny looked around. Besides the five or six students left at the Gryffindor table only Professor Potter, Professor Weasley and Professor Snape were left. Professor Weasley was trying to talk to Professor Snape but he kept sneering at her. Professor Potter tapped her on the shoulder, shook his head and the exited the Great Hall together. Professor Snape was the only teacher left.
"Let's leave!" Harrison said quickly. "Before he remembers about our - "
"Henderson!" Snape looked up. "You'll server your detention tomorrow night. That goes for you three as well," he glared at Harrison, Penny and Georgina. "Meet Mr Dilch in the entrance hall tomorrow at eight." The he too swept out of the Great Hall.
Jay-Dee moaned. "This is bad. Not even I have managed to get a detention on the first day of school before!"
"How many of your teachers were like Snape though?" Georgina pointed out.
"That's true..."
Georgina, Penny, Harrison and Jay-Dee were climbing the stair towards the Gryffindor Tower when they heard a soft, "Hello Harrison."
Harrison spun around quickly. Standing at the bottom of the stairs was Frank Gaggliotti.
Harrison smiled weakely. "Hello Frank."
Frank started walking up the stairs towards them. "How come I didn't seeyou at the Slytherin table Harrison?"
"Because I'm in Gryffindor Frank."
"Tsk, tsk. Such a waste of your life Harrison."
"I'm not dead or anything Frank."
Frank smirked. "You will be... once your father catches up with you."
Then he turned around and wentback down the stairs. Once he was out of earshot Jay-Dee turned to the others and said, "Is it just me, or does anyone else think that guy needs a bth?"
"He always smells like that!" Georgina complained. "We played his team at Quidditch once, and the smell nearly knocked us out of the air! We won though, 310 to 30!"
"That was a good win," Penny agreed.
"Bet you two never had him over at your house did you?" Harrison said gloomily.
Jay-Dee stared at Harrison. "You let that thing into your house?" she asked horrified.
"It wasn't by choice," Harrison said. "His dad and mine used to be friends, so he used to bring Frank over."
Georgina shuddered. "That's the sort of thing that puts a person in counselling!"
"Think that's bad? I've had Professor Snape at my house as well!"
There was the sound of Jay-Dee pretending to be sick over the banister.
"Why?" Penny asked.
"Same reason as Frank. Dad and Professor Snape are friends."
"Your dad has a strange taste in friends," Georgina said.
"Password?" the fat lady asked.
"Isthmus," Georgina said. The portrait swung open.
"So," Jay-Dee flopped herself down in an arm chair, "tell me all about Sirius, Pettigrew and everything in between."
Penny sat down next to Georgina. "Harrison, want to tell Jay-Dee?"
"Nah," Harrison shook his head. "I only know my dad's version."
"Which is?"
"Sirius Black is a git."
"Well then I'll tell my version."
Penny took a deep breath. "It all starts of years and years ago. When Professor Potter was a baby. His parents Lily and Jamese Potter were being hunted by he-who-must-not-be-named so they decided to perform a Fidelus charm. A Fidelus charm allows someone to hide a secret inside somebody else. Only people who know the secret can see it, which was perfect for the Potters. People who knew for certain where they were staying could see them. If he-who-must-not-be-named guessed where they were staying, even if he guessed correctly he wouldn't be able to see them! The Potters could stand right in front of he-who-must-not-be-named pulling faces and he still wouldn't see them! Now James Potter had been friends with Sirius Black since their first year of Hogwarts, so he trusted Sirius more then anyone else in the world - except Lily Potter of course! - and named Sirius as their Secret Keeper. Another friend of the Potters had been Peter Pettigrew. Peter had been a spy for he-who-must-not-be-named for a long long time, but was acting as though he was on our side. Nobody ever expected him to turn evil! So when Sirius got wind that he-who-must-not-be-named knew he was the Potters Secret Keeper he changed the Secret Keeper to Pettigrew because he thought that he-who-must-not-be-named would go after him and the Potters would be safe. Sirius had no idea that Pettigrew had turned traitor. So Pettigrew told he-who-must-not-be-named where the Potters were. First he killed James Potter, then Lily Potter and finally he tried to kill Professor Potter. But instead of killer Professor Potter the curse rebounded and hit he-who-must-not-be-named. He-who-must-not-be-named was weakened and was forced to go into hiding. Now all the ministry had to do was round up all the he-who-must-not-be-named supporters. Albus Dumbledore thought Sirius was still the Potters Secret Keeper so he sent the ministry after him. Sirius was devestated. By doing what he thought was best for the Potters he had actually condemned them, so he went after Peter. Peter panicked. He knew if Sirius told anyone about the switch he'd go to Azkaban. So when Sirius caught up with him, he faked he's own death by blowing a street to smithereens and turning himself into a rat."
Penny stopped for a minute. Jay-Dee, Harrison and Georgina seemed entranced by the story.
"Keep going," Jay-Dee urged.
"Peter's plan worked perfectly. Sirius was arrested for being a he-who-must-not-be-named supporter."
"But he was innocent!" Jay-Dee exclaimed.
"Yes," Penny said patiently. "But nobody knew all this then. Now can I finish my story?"
Jay-Dee nodded.
"Anyway thirteen years later, Sirius broke outof Azkaban in his dog form. Everyone thought he was after Professor Potter and there was a dreadful fuss. They put dementors at the school gate and everythin! At the end of the school year Sirius explained everything to Professor Potter and Albus Dumbledore and he managed to escape. Then two years later Peter re appeared at the right hand of he-who-must-not-be-named and Albus Dumbledore explained the whole story and Sirius was give an official pardon from the ministry. And when Sirius was pardoned he joined the Aurors with Remus Lupin! Black and Lupin! What a team!"
"I hadn't heard most of that," Georgina said.
"Me neither," Harrison said.
"I hadn't heard any of that!" Jay-Dee said.
"Of course you wouldn't have Jay-Dee. We keep ourselves well hidden from Muggles. We have entire sections of the ministry dedicated to keeping the muggles away from us," Penny explained.
"How come Harrison and Georgina haven't heard all that before? I know they're from wizarding families," Jay-Dee said.
"You mean you didn't know?" Georgina asked wide yeed. "You've never heard of Percy Weasley?"
"No," Jay-Dee siad slowly. "Should I have?"
"Hendo," Harrison drawled. "Penny's dad - Percy Weasley - is the Minister for Magic. It's the same as your prime minister."
Jay-Dee was so surprised to hear that Penny had a famous father she forgot to tell off Harrison for calling her Hendo."
"Really?" Jay-Dee asked Penny "But your last name - "
"It's hyphenated. Not Clearwaterweasley," Penny explained.
Jay-Dee nodded. "Cool! So you know the uncut version to everything about Voldemort, which is why Harrison and Georgina had never heard the whole story!"
Penny nodded.
Jay-Dee looked thoughtful. "Penny, if everyone though Voldemort was dead the first time why is everyone so sure he's dead now?"
"First of all," Penny said, "stop saying that name! Call him he-who-must-not-be-name or You know who. Second of all, in answer to your question, Professor Potter defeated He-who-must-not-be-named but he left the killing up to the ministry."
"They killed him?" Jay-Dee asked wide eyed.
"Capital punishment." Penny shrugged. "You have no idea Jay-Dee. He-who-must-not-be-named was after muggleborns so if he-who-must-not-be-named got his way you would have been killed."
"Killed?" Jay-Dee said. "Why?"
"Cos you're not from a magical family. Some wizards believe if you're not from a magical family you're not a real wizard."
"Wow. That bites."
"Yeah," Penny stood up. "I'm going to bed. Night all."
